Chang, Y; Wilkinson, S; Potangaroa, R and Seville, E (2012) Managing resources in disaster recovery projects. Engineering, Construction and Architectural Management, 19(5), pp. 557-580. ISSN 0969-9988
Abstract
Purpose - The purpose of this paper is to provide a basis for the construction professionals and stakeholders to understand the critical factors influencing resource availability in a post-disaster situation. The study reported in this paper is part of ongoing research concerned with developing a methodology to improve the outcomes of resource availability for projects in post-disaster environments. This study attempts to address the following questions: what factors impinge upon the availability of resources in a disaster recovery project and what are the common resource availability determinants across different recovery environments? Design/methodology/approach - The method of analysis in this investigation is a comparative case study. The researchers took part in disaster field trips to Indonesia, China and Australia during their recovery from natural disasters. By using case studies and a triangulation method, critical factors that affected resource availability in the three examined countries were identified and compared. Findings - A comparative analysis shows that specific cultural elements, the socio-economic environment and the political agenda in the three countries influenced their resourcing problems and the solutions they adopted. Despite different resourcing approaches in the three cases, competence of construction professionals, and government response and intervention were identified as common determinants to resourcing disaster recovery projects. Research limitations/implications - The research findings contribute to the project management methodology to post-disaster reconstruction. Practical implications - From this research, decision makers and construction practitioners can have a clearer direction for improving their resourcing effort in a post-disaster situation. This study provides a basis for the construction professionals and stakeholders to understand the critical factors influencing resource availability in a post-disaster situation, with a view to enhancing their capability of managing disaster recovery projects. Social implications - A comparative analysis of three cases provides a multi-perspective view of the resourcing issues in a post-disaster situation. As many problems are faced in disaster recovery projects, resource availability intrinsically links to chronic conditions of vulnerability in existence in the broader social system prior to a disaster. The five aspects of resourcing discussed in the paper show the key areas of recovery planning in relation to resource availability. Originality/value - In large and complex disaster recovery operations, the availability of resources is bound to be limited. Identified resourcing problems are likely to be universal and can be anticipated and pre-planned for, irrespective of the environment when a disaster happens. The paper provides a basis for the construction professionals and stakeholders to understand the critical factors influencing resource availability in a post-disaster situation.
| Item Type: | Article |
|---|---|
| Uncontrolled Keywords: | Australia; China; disaster recovery projects; disasters; Indonesia; large-scale disaster; post-disaster reconstruction; resource availability; resource management |
| Index terms: | natural disaster, disaster recovery, comparative analysis, construction practitioner, methodology, competence, vulnerability, China, triangulation, recovery, Indonesia, case study, social system, Australia, critical factor, construction professional, investigation, post-disaster reconstruction, determinant, resource management, project management |
| Subjects: | data analysis and analytics, operations management, control systems, research design and methodology, data collection methods, risk assessment, environmental hazards, emergency and crisis management, professional development, project management theory and practice, personnel development, social theory, Geography, research methods, post-disaster and reconstruction |
| Topics: | Human Resources, Urban Studies, Sustainability, Risk Management, Information Management, Project Management, Geographical Context, Research Practice |
| Descriptive scope: | 5 PCTEA |
N.B. Descriptive scope is a count of how many of the five facets of empirical research are indicated by the words used in title, abstract and keywords. It is not intended as a judgement on the research; merely a count of the kind of word we would expect to indicate Phenomenon, Concepts, Theoretical framing, Empirical techniques, Analytical techniques. If all five are present, then a code of “5 PCTEA” will indicate this. If you feel the coding for this record is questionable, we welcome discussion around the terms we matched or the way we categorized them. The facet you would expect may not be coded, or a facet may be coded inappropriately. This can also bear on a larger question, of which facets should be treated as defining in construction management research. Please get in touch, and we will look at it. More details here