Title: Crisis decision making through a shared integrative negotiation mental model

Authors: Willem Van Santen, Catholijn Jonker, Niek Wijngaards

Addresses: TU Delft and Peak & Valley, The Netherlands. ' Delft University of Technology, The Netherlands. ' D-CIS Lab; Thales Research & Technology Netherlands, The Netherlands

Abstract: Decision making during crises takes place in (multiagency) teams in a bureaucratic political context. As a result, the common notion that during crises, decision making should be done in line with a command-and-control structure is invalid. This paper shows that the best strategy for crisis decision-making teams in a bureaucratic political context is to follow an integrative negotiation approach as a shared teamwork mental model of decision making. This conclusion is based on an analysis of crisis decision making by teams in a bureaucratic political context. First, this paper explains why, in a bureaucratic political context, the command-and-control adage does not hold. Second, this paper motivates why crisis decision making in such a context can be seen as a negotiation process. Further analysis of the given context shows that an assertive and cooperative approach best suits crisis decision making.

Keywords: shared mental models; crisis management; decision making; integrative negotiation; multiagency teamwork; team decisions; emergency management; command-and-control; bureaucratic political context; cooperation.

DOI: 10.1504/IJEM.2009.031570

International Journal of Emergency Management, 2009 Vol.6 No.3/4, pp.342 - 355

Published online: 11 Feb 2010 *

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