title: A theoretical framework for negotiating the path of emergency management multi-agency coordination.
abstract: Multi-agency coordination represents a significant challenge in emergency management. The need for liaison officers working in strategic level emergency operations centres to play organizational boundary spanning roles within multi-agency coordination arrangements that are enacted in complex and dynamic emergency response scenarios creates significant research and practical challenges. The aim of the paper is to address a gap in the literature regarding the concept of multi-agency coordination from a human-environment interaction perspective. We present a theoretical framework for facilitating multi-agency coordination in emergency management that is grounded in human factors and ergonomics using the methodology of core-task analysis. As a result we believe the framework will enable liaison officers to cope more efficiently within the work domain. In addition, we provide suggestions for extending the theory of core-task analysis to an alternate high reliability environment.
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Education, University of Tasmania, Private Bag 66, Hobart, TAS 7001, Australia; Bushfire Cooperative Research Centre, 340 Albert St, East Melbourne, VIC 3002, Australia. Electronic address: Steven.Curnin@utas.edu.au.
authors.forename: Steven
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Curnin
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Education, University of Tasmania, Private Bag 66, Hobart, TAS 7001, Australia; Bushfire Cooperative Research Centre, 340 Albert St, East Melbourne, VIC 3002, Australia. Electronic address: Christine.Owen@utas.edu.au.
authors.forename: Christine
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Owen
authors.affiliation: School of Medicine (Psychology), University of Tasmania, Locked Bag 1342, Launceston, TAS 7250, Australia; Bushfire Cooperative Research Centre, 340 Albert St, East Melbourne, VIC 3002, Australia. Electronic address: Douglas.Paton@utas.edu.au.
authors.forename: Douglas
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Paton
authors.affiliation: National Centre for Ports and Shipping, Australian Maritime College, University of Tasmania, Maritime Way, Newnham, TAS 7248, Australia; Bushfire Cooperative Research Centre, 340 Albert St, East Melbourne, VIC 3002, Australia. Electronic address: Benjamin.Brooks@utas.edu.au.
authors.forename: Benjamin
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Brooks
mesh_terms: D004189:Disaster Planning / Q000458:organization & administration; D004190:Disasters; D034462:Dissent and Disputes; D004630:Emergencies; D006077:Government Agencies / Q000458:organization & administration*; D006801:Humans; D008889:Military Personnel; D017146:Models, Organizational; D017008:Negotiating; D009938:Organizations / Q000458:organization & administration*; D013597:Systems Analysis
keywords: Boundary spanning; Emergency management; Multi-organizational core-task analysis