Cross-Regional CrisisLearning: Evolution of Emergency Response Networks Between Consecutive Typhoons in China

• In Event: International Crises

Abstract

Natural disasters pose significant challenges to emergency management systems, demanding effective coordination among various organizations. The frequency and intensity of typhoons affecting China's coastal regions have highlighted the critical importance of understanding and improving emergency response networks. This research proposal aims to conduct a comparative analysis of organizational collaboration networks that emerged during two consecutive typhoons in September 2024: Typhoon Yagi affecting southern China and Typhoon Bebinca impacting eastern China.

The research will employ social network analysis to examine the structural characteristics and evolution of emergency response networks during these two events. By collecting data from government documents, news reports, and social media platforms, we will construct and analyze the coordination networks among various governmental and non-governmental organizations. The study will focus on how different agencies coordinated their responses and how the experience from the first typhoon potentially influenced the response to the second.

Our preliminary findings suggest that the emergency response network for Typhoon Bebinca demonstrated more mature organizational coordination characteristics than that of Typhoon Yagi. The analysis reveals a transformation in coordination mechanisms, characterized by a shift from specialized department-led responses to more integrated multi-agency collaboration. Notably, local governments showed enhanced coordination capabilities in the later event, suggesting possible learning effects from the earlier experience.

The study aims to contribute to both theoretical understanding of disaster response networks and practical emergency management strategies. By analyzing how these networks evolve and adapt between successive disaster events, we can better understand the development of organizational learning in emergency response systems. The findings will offer evidence-based recommendations for enhancing emergency response systems and inter-organizational coordination capabilities, particularly valuable for regions frequently affected by typhoons.

Author

• Wu Chen, Nanjing University
  Presenting Author