Organizational Learning In Adapting To Dynamic Disaster Environments In Southern Turkey

Using a theoretical framework based on complex adaptive systems and organizational learning, the study compares and contrasts the network structures of two disaster response systems following the 2006 avian influenza crisis and the 2011 Van earthquake in Turkey. This study emphasizes the reorganization of Turkish disaster response in 2009 and its impact in response to 2011 Van earthquake. The research utilizes data from content analysis of news reports from the Turkish daily newspapers Cumhuriyet and Sabah from 28 December 2005 to 17 January 2006 for the avian influenza, and Hurriyet from 23 October 2011 to 8 November 2011 for the 2011 Van earthquake, respectively. The research has used social network analysis and small world ratio based on the content analysis data to compare and evaluate the network structures of the two response systems. Findings indicate that the Turkish disaster system, to some degree, learned from the previous disaster and was therefore better managed. However, the system still remained very centralized and multi-sectoral involvement is still weak.