A Framework to Identify Best Practices: Social Media and Web 2.0 Technologies in the Emergency Domain

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Author(s): Connie White (Jacksonville State University, USA)and Linda Plotnick (Jacksonville State University, USA)
Copyright: 2012
Pages: 12
Source title: Managing Crises and Disasters with Emerging Technologies: Advancements
Source Author(s)/Editor(s): Murray Jennex (San Diego State University, USA)
DOI: 10.4018/978-1-4666-0167-3.ch004

Keywords: Business Science Reference / Crisis Response and Management / Emergency & Disaster Management / Government & Law

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Abstract

Social media is used in a variety of domains, including emergency management. However, the question of which technologies are most appropriate for a given emergency remains open. We present a framework of dimensions of emergencies that can assist in selecting appropriate social media for an emergency situation. Social media is not a panacea but can be used effectively given the proper functions available from the particular services provided by each of the Web 2.0 technologies available. The main objective of this paper is to identify the best practices for social media to leverage its ability given the complexities that coincide with events. This is a conceptual paper based on the results of preliminary studies involving group interactions with emergency professionals with various backgrounds. In addition, emergency management students who are professionals in the field followed by another interview soliciting information from information systems scientist were surveyed. We found that each situation called forth various dimensions where only sub phases of the stated dimension may be used given the task type derived from the event characteristics. This lays a foundation upon which a more formal approach can be taken to help tame the social media mania into a manageable set of ‘best practices’ from which emergencies can be managed more effectively given Web 2.0 technologies and social collaborative online tools.

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A Framework to Identify Best Practices: Social Media and Web 2.0 Technologies in the Emergency Domain

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