Title: A framework for team-level reliability through a lens of collaboration

Authors: Oscar Rantatalo

Addresses: Department of Education, Umeå University, 901 87 Umeå, Sweden

Abstract: The aim of this paper is to develop a behavioural framework for team-level reliability assessment in which different forms of collaboration are used as measures. The paper draws on current theorising on collaboration wherein the concept is divided into a regulatory and a social dimension. This definition of collaboration is further related to research on team-level reliability and principles and conditions for reliable collaboration are proposed. The framework is tested empirically in an explorative observation study conducted in the context of a police operational command centre during large-scale critical incident management. In the study, frequencies and variance in interpersonal collaboration are examined. Further, an assessment of team-level reliability is conducted based on the findings. The paper concludes by discussing the potential for using collaboration as an empirical framework for the assessment of team-level reliability.

Keywords: collaboration; HRO; high reliability organisations; HRT; high reliability teams; incident command; crisis management; law enforcement; operational command centres; group interactions; team process; police incident management; team-level reliability; emergency management.

DOI: 10.1504/IJEM.2012.047529

International Journal of Emergency Management, 2012 Vol.8 No.3, pp.264 - 279

Received: 15 Jul 2011
Accepted: 03 Apr 2012

Published online: 26 Jun 2012 *

Full-text access for editors Full-text access for subscribers Purchase this article Comment on this article