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Ahmed Abdeltawab Abdelgawad. (2019). Reliability of expert estimates of cascading failures in Critical Infrastructure. In Z. Franco, J. J. González, & J. H. Canós (Eds.), Proceedings of the 16th International Conference on Information Systems for Crisis Response And Management. Valencia, Spain: Iscram.
Abstract: Owing to the complexity of Critical Infrastructures and the richness of issues to analyze, numerous approaches are used to model the behavior of CIs. Organizations having homeland security as mission often conduct desktop-based simulations using judgmental assessment of CI interdependencies and cascading failures. Expert estimates concern direct effects between the originally disrupted CI sector and other sectors. To better understand the magnitude of aggregate cascading effects, we developed a system dynamics model that uses expert estimates of cascading failures to compare the aggregate effect of cascading failures with the primary direct cascading failures. We find that the aggregate effect of compounded cascading failures becomes significantly greater than the primary cascading failures the longer the duration of the original disruption becomes. Our conceptually simple system dynamics model could be used to improve desktop-based exercises, since it illustrates consequences that go beyond judgmental assessment.
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Irma Becerra-Fernandez, Weidong Xia, Arvind Gudi, & Jose Rocha. (2008). Task characteristics, knowledge sharing and integration, and emergency management performance: Research agenda and challenges. In B. V. de W. F. Fiedrich (Ed.), Proceedings of ISCRAM 2008 – 5th International Conference on Information Systems for Crisis Response and Management (pp. 88–92). Washington, DC: Information Systems for Crisis Response and Management, ISCRAM.
Abstract: Emergency management tasks are inherently complex and dynamic, requiring quick knowledge sharing and decision coordination among multiple organizations across different levels and locations. However, there is a general lack of understanding about how to describe and assess the complex and dynamic nature of emergency management tasks and how knowledge integration help managers improve emergency management task performance. This paper describes a research project that aims at (1) developing the concepts of task complexity and uncertainty of emergency management tasks and (2) testing the mediating role of knowledge sharing and knowledge integration between emergency management task characteristics and performance. The overall research agenda, approaches, challenges and the advantages of utilizing a virtual Emergency Operations Center (vEOC) for this line of research are discussed.
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Beau Bouchard, & Brian M. Tomaszewski. (2012). Automated space aid program. In Z.Franco J. R. L. Rothkrantz (Ed.), ISCRAM 2012 Conference Proceedings – 9th International Conference on Information Systems for Crisis Response and Management. Vancouver, BC: Simon Fraser University.
Abstract: As the geographic scale, operational complexity and frequency of disasters continues coupled with ever-increasing amounts of information related to disaster response activity, the crisis management practitioner and research communities are calling for new methodologies for processing and visually representing disaster information [1]. More specifically, there is a growing body of research focused on how analytical outputs based on remote sensing and Geographic Information System (GIS) such as disaster impact assessments can be formatted into usable information products for crisis management practitioners[2]. © 2012 ISCRAM.
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Erman Coskun, & Dilek Ozceylan. (2011). Complexity in emergency management and disaster response information systems (EMDRIS). In E. Portela L. S. M.A. Santos (Ed.), 8th International Conference on Information Systems for Crisis Response and Management: From Early-Warning Systems to Preparedness and Training, ISCRAM 2011. Lisbon: Information Systems for Crisis Response and Management, ISCRAM.
Abstract: Today emergencies seem more complex than ever. Process of managing these emergencies also becomes more complex because of increasing number of involved parties, increasing number of people affected, and increasing amount of resources. This complexity, inherent in emergency management, brings lots of challenges to decision makers and emergency responders. Information systems and technologies are utilized in different areas of emergency management. However complexity increases exponentially in emergency situations and it requires more sophisticated IS and IT and it makes response and management more challenging. Thus analyzing the root causes of emergency management information systems complexity is crucial for improving emergency response effectiveness. This paper frames the issue of information systems complexity by focusing on the types of complexities involved in emergency management phases and explaining each complexity type. We propose 6 different complexity types: Human Complexity, Technologic Complexity, Event Complexity, Interaction Complexity, Decision Making Complexity, and Cultural Complexity.
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Erman Coskun, & Jessica Hoey. (2005). Airport security complexity: Problems with the information system components. In B. C. B. Van de Walle (Ed.), Proceedings of ISCRAM 2005 – 2nd International Conference on Information Systems for Crisis Response and Management (pp. 61–66). Brussels: Royal Flemish Academy of Belgium.
Abstract: Airport security is a very relevant, diverse, and complex system in any country. September 11th made this issue an increasing concern for almost every country in the world. Prior to September 11th the media, watchdog groups, and commissions established by the United States Congress, were adamant that airport security had major flaws. Currently many countries are revamping their airport security systems. The U.S. and other governments are implementing many new systems and procedures. There are numerous potential pitfalls with this implementation process and these new systems will have impacts on the public. For example, these systems could reduce freedom, still be flawed, and affect the economy. The primary intents of this paper are to classify airport security as a complex large-scale safety-critical system, to discuss what make airports so complex, describe the information systems that are involved with such systems, and discuss the impacts on the people involved.
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Jean-François Gagnon, Martin Rivest, François Couderc, & Sébastien Tremblay. (2012). Capturing the task model of experts in emergency response using SYnRGY. In Z.Franco J. R. L. Rothkrantz (Ed.), ISCRAM 2012 Conference Proceedings – 9th International Conference on Information Systems for Crisis Response and Management. Vancouver, BC: Simon Fraser University.
Abstract: The need for better team measurement in realistic environments has been recognized as one of the key challenges that characterize the field of team work studies (Salas, Cooke, & Rosen, 2008). This challenge is particularly hard to address in the context of emergency response, due to the inherent complexity and dynamism of the domain. Emergency response is part of the emergency management cycle, and refers to the mobilization of the adequate actors and resources to mitigate the impact of an incident on the public and on the environment (Abrahamsson, Hassel, and Tehler, 2010). Emergency response often requires the cooperation of multiple agencies such as police, medical, and fire services, consequently increasing the complexity of such operations. We report of how SYnRGY – a human-centered emergency response technological tool – is embedded with extensive measurement and simulation capabilities to allow tracing of experts' task models in a silent and reliable way. We describe how these capabilities; combined with an innovative modeling technique – dynamic cognitive task modeling – can be used to extract experts' representations of the task. We discuss the importance of such a model for training, improvement of emergency response procedures and development of emergency response tools. © 2012 ISCRAM.
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Ivison C. Rubim, & Marcos R. S. Borges. (2017). The Resilience and Its Dimensions. In eds Aurélie Montarnal Matthieu Lauras Chihab Hanachi F. B. Tina Comes (Ed.), Proceedings of the 14th International Conference on Information Systems for Crisis Response And Management (pp. 457–463). Albi, France: Iscram.
Abstract: Resilience has become a concept extensively used by several areas of knowledge. However, there is no method, widely recognized capable of measuring resilient behavior. Therefore, this exploratory work aims to present a set of dimensions capable of delimiting metrics in order to measure a resilient attitude. For that, we analyzed some scientific papers considered relevant by the academic community. In this work we follow an analytical flow seeking to conceptualize resilience and situate it in the context of complex systems. This analysis allowed the discovery of some characteristics regarding resilience, fundamental for the proposition of the presented dimensions. Finally, we present a conceptual map that brings together the elicited dimensions.
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David Passenier, Colin Mols, Jan Bím, & Alexei Sharpanskykh. (2013). Understanding crises: Investigating organizational safety culture by combining organizational ethnography and agent modeling. In J. Geldermann and T. Müller S. Fortier F. F. T. Comes (Ed.), ISCRAM 2013 Conference Proceedings – 10th International Conference on Information Systems for Crisis Response and Management (pp. 566–570). KIT; Baden-Baden: Karlsruher Institut fur Technologie.
Abstract: This paper presents a novel, advanced research approach to investigate organizational safety culture as a complex phenomenon, combining agent modeling and organizational ethnography. Safety culture is an emergent property of organizations that largely influences the resilience of organizational responses in crisis situations. However, theory describing the precise ways in which safety culture influences resilience is lacking. Thus the first step is to understand how safety culture gradually emerges from interactions between formal and informal organizational processes. The paper explains the proposed research methodology illustrated by a case of an aircraft maintenance organization. A preliminary analysis is performed from which a conceptual model is derived, and the subsequent simulation and automated analytical techniques that will be used to validate the model and gain new insights are explained.
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Frank Schätter, Sascha Meng, Marcus Wiens, & Frank Schultmann. (2014). A multi-stage scenario construction approach for critical infrastructure protection. In and P.C. Shih. L. Plotnick M. S. P. S.R. Hiltz (Ed.), ISCRAM 2014 Conference Proceedings – 11th International Conference on Information Systems for Crisis Response and Management (pp. 399–408). University Park, PA: The Pennsylvania State University.
Abstract: Protecting critical infrastructures (CIs) against external and internal risks in an increasingly uncertain environment is a major challenge. In this paper we present a generic multi-stage scenario construction approach that is applicable to a wide range of decision problems in the field of CI protection. Our approach combines scenario construction and decision support, whereby we explicitly consider the performance of decision options which have been determined for a set of initial scenarios. Because of the iterative character of our approach, consequences of decision options and information updates are evolutionary processed towards advanced scenarios. By disturbing vulnerable or critical parts of CIs, cascading effects between interrelated CIs and the responses to the decision options can be determined. We apply this scenario-construction technique to two civil security research projects. One focuses on protecting food supply chains against disruptions, whereas the other aims at securing public railway transport against terrorist attacks.
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Zhou Sen, & Bartel A. Van De Walle. (2014). How intellectual capital reduces stress on organizational decision-making performance: The mediating roles of task complexity and time pressure. In and P.C. Shih. L. Plotnick M. S. P. S.R. Hiltz (Ed.), ISCRAM 2014 Conference Proceedings – 11th International Conference on Information Systems for Crisis Response and Management (pp. 220–224). University Park, PA: The Pennsylvania State University.
Abstract: Previous research claimed that organizational stress, due to task complexity and time pressure, leads to considerably negative effects on the decision-making performance of individuals and organizations. At the same time, intellectual capital (IC), in providing intangible internal and external organizational assets has a positive effect on organizational decision-making performance. This paper develops a structural equation model to analyze the relationships among IC, task complexity, time pressure and decision-making performance. Empirical data are collected from 374 participants, who are from universities, institutes, enterprises, government, with different occupations and expertise. We present two conclusions. First, IC consisting of internal capital, human capital and external capital leads to a reduced complexity of tasks and reduced time pressure and hence reduced organizational stress. Second, reduced organizational stress results in higher levels of performance for organizational decision-making.
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Sofia Eleni Spatharioti, & Seth Cooper. (2017). On Variety, Complexity, and Engagement in Crowdsourced Disaster Response Tasks. In eds Aurélie Montarnal Matthieu Lauras Chihab Hanachi F. B. Tina Comes (Ed.), Proceedings of the 14th International Conference on Information Systems for Crisis Response And Management (pp. 489–498). Albi, France: Iscram.
Abstract: Crowdsourcing is used to enlist workers as a resource for a variety of applications, including disaster response. However, simple tasks such as image labeling often feel monotonous and lead to worker disengagement. This provides a challenge for designing successful crowdsourcing systems. Existing research in the design of work indicates that task variety is a key factor in worker motivation. Therefore, we asked Amazon Mechanical Turk workers to complete a series of disaster response related subtasks, consisting of either image labeling or locating photographed areas on a map. We varied the frequency at which workers encountered the dierent subtask types, and found that switching subtask type at dierent frequencies impacted measures of worker engagement. This indicates that a certain amount of variety in subtasks may engage crowdsourcing workers better than uniform subtask types.
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Siegfried Streufert. (2005). Emergency decision making and metacomplexity. In B. C. B. Van de Walle (Ed.), Proceedings of ISCRAM 2005 – 2nd International Conference on Information Systems for Crisis Response and Management (pp. 67–73). Brussels: Royal Flemish Academy of Belgium.
Abstract: It is important to understand the cognitive processes underlying emergency decision-making. Cognitive/behavioral complexity theory has successfully predicted human decision making characteristics on a number of dimensions and for a variety of settings. Moreover, theory based training technologies have been successful. The advent of meta-complexity theory as well as the increased stressor levels generated by terrorism and other contemporary challenges, however, require that we review and extend theoretical predictions for decision processes. This paper provides a series of meta-complexity based predictions about the impact of stressor events upon nine primary decision making areas that vary from simpler trough highly complex thought and action processes.
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Thomas Huggins, Stephen Hill, Robin Peace, & David Johnston. (2018). Extending Ecological Rationality: Catching the High Balls of Disaster Management. In Kristin Stock, & Deborah Bunker (Eds.), Proceedings of ISCRAM Asia Pacific 2018: Innovating for Resilience – 1st International Conference on Information Systems for Crisis Response and Management Asia Pacific. (pp. 295–309). Albany, Auckland, New Zealand: Massey Univeristy.
Abstract: The contemporary world is characterized by several large-scale hazards to human societies and the environments we live in, including the impacts of climate change. This paper outlines theories concerning cognitive psychology and complexity dynamics that help explain the challenges of responding to these hazards and the complex systems which create them. These theories are illustrated with a baseball metaphor, to highlight the need for decision-making strategies which do not rely on comprehensive information where comprehensive information is not available. The importance of tools which can support more efficient uses of limited information is also outlined, as is the way that these tools help combine the computational resources and acquired experience of several minds. Existing research has been used to investigate many of the concepts outlined. However, further research is required to coalesce cognitive theories with complexity theories and the analysis of group-level interactions, towards improving important disaster management decisions.
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Jiri Trnka, & Johan Jenvald. (2006). A real-time role-playing exercise as a methodology to support command and control research. In M. T. B. Van de Walle (Ed.), Proceedings of ISCRAM 2006 – 3rd International Conference on Information Systems for Crisis Response and Management (pp. 559–568). Newark, NJ: Royal Flemish Academy of Belgium.
Abstract: In this paper, methodological issues in research and training of complex command and control structures in emergency management are addressed. In particular, a methodological approach combining real-time role-playing exercise, after action review and observations is presented. An explorative study-ALFA-05-utilizing this approach is described. A brief overview of methodological aspects of preparation and execution is given. Further, experience gained and methodological lessons learned are also discussed. Finally, real-time role-playing exercise in combination with other methods is suggested as a feasible method for researchers and exercise managers to tackle present and future command and control in complex settings, where interaction and communication are in focus. In addition, areas for further development of the real-time role-playing exercises as a research method are suggested.
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