The Asian tsunami

Emerald - 2007
NigelMartin1
1School of Business and Government, Division of Business, Law and Information Sciences, University of Canberra, Canberra, Australia

Tóm tắt

PurposeThis paper seeks to provide a timely consideration of how regional governments in Asia and other national governments around the world collect, manage, and share critical geo‐technical information in what is becoming an increasingly global community.Design/methodology/approachThe paper addresses the socio‐technical perspective of government information systems and management, and draws on the collection and analysis of several public reports, media articles, and expert opinions published in the aftermath of the Asian tsunami of 26 December 2004.FindingsOn the basis of the published material, the paper observes how critical early warning information was handled by government authorities in the hours before the tsunami wave strike, discusses the availability of technological solutions that can provide earthquake and tsunami warning information, and poses that government bureaucracies and human relations form the weakest link in the information chain.Research limitations/implicationsThe paper concludes with a potential research agenda for government warning information systems and management.Practical implicationsThe type of early warning information system that might be created to avoid another loss of life, suggested improvements to inter‐government information sharing and communications, and the emerging requirement for earthquake and tsunami information dissemination and education in lesser developed countries are also discussed.Originality/valueThe research enabled the examination of weaknesses in critical information sharing between governments and members of the international community, and highlights the issue of strong human relationships as a key to preventing the loss of life and better managing disasters.

Từ khóa


Tài liệu tham khảo

Bostrom, R.P. and Heinen, J.S. (1977a), “MIS problems and failures: a socio‐technical perspective – part I: the causes”, MIS Quarterly, Vol. 1 No. 3, pp. 17‐32.

Bostrom, R.P. and Heinen, J.S. (1977b), “MIS problems and failures: a socio‐technical perspective: part II: the application of socio‐technical theory”, MIS Quarterly, Vol. 1 No. 12, pp. 11‐28.

Cable Network News (CNN) (2005), “Officials: US tsunami warning system needs repairs”, available at: www.cnn.com/2005/TECH/science/02/03/quake.warning.system.reut/ index.html (accessed 10 February 2005).

Centre for Remote Imaging, Sensing and Processing – National University of Singapore (CRISP‐NUS) (2005), “SPOT‐4 and Spot‐5 Satellite images © CNES 2004”, available at: www.crisp.nus.edu.sg/tsunami/tsunami.html (accessed 5 January 2005).

Chadda, S. (2005), “Many Governments knew but did nothing to evacuate coastal areas – global conspiracy, UFO threats or concerted failure?”, India Daily, 3 January.

Channel News Asia International (2004), “First tsunami alert lost in Indian bureaucracy”, Channel News Asia International, 30 December.

Coren, M. (2005), “Getting word out: a challenge in tsunami warnings”, Cable Network News, 6 January, available at: www.cnn.com/2005/TECH/science/01/06/tsunami.science/ index.html (accessed 12 February 2005).

Fisher, C.W. and Kingma, B.R. (2001), “Criticality of data quality as exemplified in two disasters”, Information and Management, Vol. 39, pp. 109‐16.

Kayal, M. and Wald, M.L. (2004), “Pacific observers helpless to issue warnings for Indian Ocean coasts”, The New York Times, 29 December.

Knight, W. (2005), “Tsunami warning system is not simply sensors”, New Scientist Magazine, 4 January.

Lyytinen, K. and Hirschheim, R. (1987), “Information systems failures – a survey and classification of the empirical literature”, Oxford Surveys in Information Technology, Vol. 4, pp. 257‐309.

National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) (2003), Deep Ocean Assessment and Reporting of Tsunamis (DART), National Data Buoy Center, Stennis Space Center, MS, available at: www.ndbc.noaa.gov/Dart/dart.shtml (accessed 15 January 2005).

National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) (2005), “US announces plan for an improved Tsunami detection and warning system”, NOAA News Online, available at: www.noaanews.noaa.gov/stories2005/s2369.htm (accessed 21 January 2005).

Preparatory Commission for the Comprehensive Nuclear‐Test‐Ban Treaty Organisation (CTBTO) (2005), “Northern Sumatra earthquake and the subsequent tsunami on 26 December 2004”, press release, Preparatory Commission for the Comprehensive Nuclear‐Test‐Ban Treaty Organisation (CTBTO) Vienna, 5 January 2005.

Rocheleau, B. (1997), “Governmental information system problems and failures: a preliminary review”, Public Administration and Management: An Interactive Journal, Vol. 2 No. 3, available at: www.pamij.com/roche.html (accessed 5 January 2005).

Schmitt, J.W. and Kozar, K.A. (1978), “Management's role in information systems development failures: a case study”, MIS Quarterly, Vol. 2 No. 2, pp. 7‐16.

Sieh, K. (2005), “How science can save lives: we know plenty about earthquakes, but we don't always apply the knowledge”, Time Magazine Asia, 3 January.

(The) Times Newspaper (2005), “Tsunami disaster. Focus: nature's timebomb”, The Times Newspaper, 2 January.

United States General Accounting Office (1992), Information Management and Technology Issues (GAO/OCG‐93‐5TR, December 1992), US General Accounting Office, Washington, DC.

United States General Accounting Office (1994), Health Care Reform: Report Cards Are Useful but Significant Issues Need to Be Addressed (GAO/HEHS‐94‐219, September), US General Accounting Office, Washington, DC.

United States General Accounting Office (1995a), High Risk Series: Department of Housing and Urban Development (HR‐95‐11, 1 February), US General Accounting Office, Washington, DC.

United States General Accounting Office (1995b), Aviation Safety: Data Problems Threaten FAA Strides on Safety Analysis System (GAO/AIMD‐95‐27, 8 February), US General Accounting Office, Washington, DC.

Vergano, D. (2004), “Scientists in USA saw tsunami coming”, USA Today, 28 December.

Wikipedia (2005), “Indian Ocean earthquake”, available at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ 2004_Indian_Ocean_earthquake (accessed 12 January 2005).

Thông tin
Thông tin xuất bản

Emerald

Thông tin tác giả