Title: Improving emergency response capability: an approach for strengthening learning from emergency response evaluations

Authors: Jonas Borell, Kerstin Eriksson

Addresses: Lund University Centre for Risk Analysis and Management (LUCRAM), Ergonomics and Aerosol Technology, Lund University, P.O. Box 118, SE-22100 Lund, Sweden. ' Lund University Centre for Risk Analysis and Management (LUCRAM), Fire Safety Engineering and Systems Safety, Lund University, P.O. Box 118, SE-22100 Lund, Sweden

Abstract: The objectives of this study are to develop and demonstrate an approach to improve emergency response capability by strengthening individual and organisational learning from the evaluations of specific emergency responses. An approach was developed based on theories of individual and organisational learning. It was applied to evaluations of three instances of emergency response in the city of Malmo. The findings indicate that the approach can improve experience-based learning in organisations and, thus, improve emergency response capability.

Keywords: emergency response capability; evaluation; individual learning; organisational learning; transfer; emergency management; disaster response; crisis management; Sweden.

DOI: 10.1504/IJEM.2008.025101

International Journal of Emergency Management, 2008 Vol.5 No.3/4, pp.324 - 337

Published online: 12 May 2009 *

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