Naim Kapucu

• Ph.D., Public and International Affairs
• Managing Director at University of Central Florida

This study combined network analysis with message‐level content analysis to investigate patterns of information flow and to examine messages widely distributed on social media during Hurricane Irma of 2017. The results show that while organisational users and media professionals dominated the top 100 information sources, individual citizens played...

As the scale and intensity of disasters and crises continue to increase, planning and managing crises have become a critical policy and governance issue. Of particular importance to this topic is crisis coordination, as effective response and recovery support the continuity of operations of governments and businesses, and are essential to the econo...

Global recognition that there are universal human rights and that governments have a duty to respect them, was one of the most important developments of the 20th century. In this century, though, human rights are challenged in many places. What role do scholars and practitioners in public administration play in protecting human rights? This questio...

Building community resilience has become a national imperative. Substantial uncertainties in dynamic environments of emergencies and crises require real‐time information collection and dissemination based on big data analytics. These, in turn, require networked communities and cross‐sector partnerships to build lasting resilience. This viewpoint ar...

As the scale and intensity of disasters continue to increase, building and enhancing resilience to disasters has become a critical policy and governance issue. This topic is crucial to urban infrastructure resilience because infrastructure systems support the continuity of operations of governments and businesses, and are essential to the economy,...

Over the years, the Federal Response Plan (FRP) and the National Response Plan (NRP) have reflected policy learning and changes that result from disasters. Since its initial release in 1992 the FRP was amended twice then replaced by the NRP in 2004. In the past, revisions to these plans have occurred in response to Hurricane Andrew and the Septembe...

A key task of emergency management is to ensure that the public is adequately prepared for impending disasters in order to minimize loss to life and property. The consecutive strikes of four major hurricanes during a six-week period in Florida in 2004 provide a unique opportunity to study how governments manage and deliver emergency information for...

The use of network analysis to understand relationships among actors and organizations in coordinated actions has grown in recent years. Examining the network structure and functions in disaster response has gained particular attention. Different methods of data collection and analysis are utilized in network research. The use of documents as a dat...

Past decades of inequality, environmental degradation, and economic disparity have led to the realization that such actions are undesirable and unsustainable. In response to the threats, the United Nations (U.N.) and member states created actions and benchmarks in 2015 known as the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The concept of sustainable de...

The paper addresses the important role of interorganizational coordination and network governance in implementing disaster response policies facing complex environments of emergencies and crises. The paper analyzes the National Response Framework (NRF) in the US and its role in disaster response coordination. A network perspective is utilized to un...

It is essential to apply a collaborative network approach to address complex issues in public management and administration; however, evaluating network effectiveness is a challenge. This study addresses the common and unique elements of network effectiveness in the context of emergency management and proposes the addition of multiplexity to the co...

Despite the increasing use of social media, interorganizational emergency communication on social media remains an understudied area of research. We examined how county emergency management offices (EMOs) used Twitter to communicate with other public, nonprofit, and for‐profit organizations for emergency communication before, during, and after Hurr...

Drawing on recent research on robust governance, we conceptualize robust crisis communication as a dynamic process centered on evolving public communication demands. We propose a three‐dimensional measurement for empirically examining the robustness of government crisis communication in the context of the COVID‐19 pandemic. We collected 43,642 Twit...

Major emergencies and crises require action from all levels of government and the involvement of numerous organizations from the private and nonprofit sectors. Thus, interorganizational coordination is a crucial element of emergency and crisis management. This study first addresses how interagency coordination is structured in American policies and...

Although network analysis has gained much attention in emergency management studies, there are few systematic reviews of emergency management network studies in public administration. After reviewing 44 journals, this article identified and reviewed a total of 58 studies that conducted network analysis in the context of emergency management. Based...

Sharing of wireless spectrum is a techno-economic challenge increasing in its importance as the common-pool resource of cellular spectrum is decreasing at a worrisome rate. Researchers as well as policymakers are focused on improving the utilization and efficiency of spectrum due to its static allocation, lack of appropriate regulatory policies, an...

Urban areas are the foundation of modern economies worldwide and act as hubs for population and investments. The increasing importance of urban areas coincides with a rise of complex social and natural threats. Urban resilience has been an emerging concept for the last decade. The term has been widely accepted and used but that still faces a lack o...

Few studies have examined the critical role of policy and network governance mechanism in addressing sustainability and FEW nexuses. This study aims to examine the efforts in meeting the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) at the urban environment. More specifically, the study seeks to examine how growing demands on the food-energy-water (FEW)...

Crises are a time when people look to their political leaders for action. For a President who was a master of shaping political narratives, COVID-19 offered an opportunity to use his messaging skills to steer the public response. Instead, COVID-19 revealed Trump’s long-standing inability to manage governance processes reflected in a series of failu...

We examine the COVID-19 response in China by conceptualizing resilience from the complex adaptive system perspective, including a discussion of the factors contributing to the resilience of the disaster response system. Methodologically, a network-based model was employed to describe the disaster response system. In addition to a traditional networ...

This study examines the alignments between disaster policies and frameworks to disaster response practice by exploring characteristics of inter-organizational coordination operated in Florida during Hurricane Matthew in 2016. To measure the alignment between policy and practice, a set of network data was constructed from a systematic content analys...

Purpose The purpose of this viewpoint article is to understand crisis leadership during COVID-19 by examining the decision-making with respect to implementing COVID-19 mitigation measures, collaboration with stakeholders, and communication strategies of the governors of the States of California, Texas, Florida, and New York in the United States. D...

As the number of complex transnational problems have continued to grow, so too has the desire to combat them through global partnerships and collective action. In response, the United Nations (U.N.) and member states created the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in 2015. This study provides a background on international organizations and efforts...

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY Urban areas are the base of today's economy in most societies worldwide and act as a pole of attraction for population and investments. The share of urban land and the urban population continues to increase, exposing more assets to common urban hazards, shocks, and disturbances. Whether a hurricane, a heatwave, civic unrest and ri...

The integration of food-energy-water (FEW) sectors is essential for addressing the co-evolution of urban infrastructure systems during urban growth. But how these evolutionary pathways can affect an urban growth model is unclear. This review paper offers a synthesis of the current philosophy of a FEW nexus in connection with the realm of urban grow...

The failure of large-scale resettlement policies has been largely determined by the collective resistance of residents. For migrants who must leave their original residence and get resettled, mass media and interpersonal communication are important sources to get policy information, which affects their attitudes and responses to resettlement polici...

The commentary addresses the government’s role in mitigating information asymmetry problems during pandemic crisis response. We use the outbreak of COVID-19 in Wuhan, China, as a case to show the use of social media as a key mechanism in shaping the actions of the central government in its coordination with the local governments during the pandemic...

Trust in government during crisis plays a key role in effective response and maintained resilience. In recent years, online media, including social media platforms such as Weibo and WeChat and news media such as mobile news applications, have been widely adopted by the government in China for communication with the public to promote trust in govern...

This study assesses the local social vulnerability to earthquake disasters at a county (urban district) level, with a particular focus on Hanzhong City. A Rough Analytic Hierarchy Process based model was proposed for social vulnerability assessment. Based on criteria derived from the literature, the researchers determined the criteria weights using...

This essay examines basic functions of crisis decision‐making—cognition, communication, coordination, and control—in response to COVID‐19. This crisis decision‐making framework is applied to cases from South Korea, Italy, and the United States as public officials grapple with how to recognize, respond, and recover from this deadly, invisible threat...

The COVID‐19 pandemic poses unprecedented challenges to public healthcare systems and demands intergovernmental coordination to cope with the resulting medical surge. This article analyzes the operation of Paired Assistance Programs (PAPs) in China, offering a timely comparative case for researchers and practitioners to examine when reflecting on t...

This study examines the role of non‐established relief groups (NERGs) and their involvement in response to Hurricane Irma in Florida in 2017. The goal of this study is to discover more about the role of NERGs in disaster response, as well as their motivation and coordination with other emergency management agencies and organizations. We reviewed af...

Networks & Network Theory Bibliography

Participatory System Dynamics modeling is presented as a methodology to engage stakeholders in collaborative decision making in scenarios involving humanitarian logistics. Using the System Dynamics (SD) model, we simulated different scenarios, the results of which yielded factors that influence performance of humanitarian logistics. Once these were...

This article assesses the administrative reform transferring by evaluating its necessity and major themes of the administrative reform transferring. Strategies for successful administrative reform transferring are emphasized. Special reference is given to New Public Management reforms perceived as a standard model of administrative reform for most...

The paradigm shift from the traditional model of public administration to new public management since the mid-1980s in the western countries, coupled with the opportunities and challenges of the globalisation for the governments, puts public servants at the crossroads requiring them to adapt to new principles of public sector management. Public ser...

Managing collaboration in public security networks in the fight against terrorism and organized crime The fight against terrorism and organized crime requires collaboration between public security organizations. Due to a lack of strong hierarchical structure, managing networks is not similar to managing a single government agency. This study examin...

A Fuzzy Analytic Hierarchy Process based model was proposed and evaluated for social vulnerability assessment using a case study. The evaluation process is formulated as a multiple criteria decision making problem under uncertainty, where the subjective and imprecise judgements of multiple decision makers are represented as fuzzy numbers. Based on...

Traditional regulatory methods for spectrum licensing have been recently identified as one of the causes for under-utilization of the valuable radio spectrum. Governmental regulatory agencies such as the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) are seeking ways to remove stringent regulatory barriers and facilitate broader access to the spectrum res...

The emerging arena of community-based research (CBR) and service-learning incorporates a collaborative approach of civic engagement for students to analyze and develop solutions to complex problems and bring about social change and strengthen communities. Focusing specifically on the student population, a culture of engagement supports moral, cogni...

Among Public Safety Communication (PSC) systems there is a mounting concern over interoperability. To mitigate such interoperability issues, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) created the National Emergency Communications Plan (NECP) to guide the implementation of a nationwide PSC system; however, this system hinges on the effective integrat...

Purpose Although many disaster resettlement programs are implemented throughout the world, their ramifications continue to challenge our understanding of scope, impact, context, and nature of efforts to rebuild livelihoods. The purpose of this paper is to examine involved rural farmers’ livelihood risk perceptions (LRPs) in Southern Shaanxi Disast...

The development and use of the portfolio has become a critical feature of many Master of Public Administration (MPA) programs. The portfolio assignment has grown out of deepened appreciation of learning theory and the application of both performance measurement and management systems in MPA program curricula. The portfolio assignment as part of a c...

This study examines the effects of public service motivation (PSM) in predicting decision making of criminal justice personnel (reentry managers) in the management of former prisoners. The overarching research question seeks to answer if, and in what way, PSM score influences reentry managers’ approach to their work with the formerly incarcerated w...

Disaster resettlement, as a mitigation and preparedness measure, entails significant economic, physical, and social impacts, which continue to challenge understanding of recovery from major events, especially regarding the extent of the context and environmental efforts to rebuild livelihoods. Based on a case study of Qinling Mountains, China, this...

The Network of Schools of Public Policy, Affairs, and Administration (NASPAA) recommends that Master of Public Administration (MPA) programs adopt five core competencies as part of the accreditation process. Implementation of a competency-based curriculum may help ensure student learning and career preparedness for public service. This exploratory...

The fight against terrorism and organized crime requires collaboration between public security organizations. Due to a lack of strong hierarchical structure, managing networks is not similar to managing a single government agency. This study examines the factors influencing network effectiveness in the public security sector. The study highlighted...

The goal of this article is to discover how leadership competencies affect the perceived effectiveness of crisis management. The study, based on a self-reported survey of executive public leaders in Turkey, found that the core leadership competencies have a positive relationship with the effectiveness of crisis management. Among task–oriented, peop...

This article examines risk communication and perception differences via social media in the context of crisis management. Based on data from the Shifang Protest, this study constructed a relational matrix identifying how critical actors facilitated risk communication and interactions. In addition, the article identified measures of network structur...

Networks have become an important tool for government service delivery. Disaster management systems, particularly in the United States, rely heavily on networks of partners from public, private, and nonprofit sectors. This chapter presents an overview of theory and practice of interorganizational networks in disaster management. Disaster management...

As public safety communication evolved, each disaster or emergency presented unique challenges for emergency managers and others response to disasters. Yet, a foundational focus is the timely dissemination of accurate information to keep communities informed and able to prepare, mitigate, respond, and recover. For the campus community, the increase...

This brief editorial introduction highlights the importance of policies and effective governance for disaster resilience including communities, individuals, institutions, and organizations through the execution of deliberate choice and collective action. Effective facilitation of development and implementation of disaster policies can lead to more...

Curriculum mapping (CM) is an assessment tool used to articulate and revise an academic curriculum. Network of Schools of Public Policy, Affairs and Administration (NASPAA) accredited graduate programs in public policy, public affairs, and public administration are required to demonstrate a competency-based curriculum development and assessment met...

Information communication technology (ICT) is a crucial tool to support effective communication and decision-making under complex and uncertain environments of disasters by enhancing cognitive capacity of emergency managers. With the continuous influence and evolution of communication technologies, information sharing and decision-making has drasti...

The field of emergency and crisis management continuously strives to enhance collaboration, communication, and coordination among public safety organizations. Successful integration is challenging due to current policies and regulations. Moreover, policymakers must predict future needs. Regardless of the challenges, development and growth of a nati...

With the vast number of fragmented, independent public safety wireless communication systems, the United States is encountering major challenges with enhancing interoperability and effectively managing costs while sharing limited availability of critical spectrum. The traditional hierarchical approach of emergency management does not always allow f...

The study examines the predictors of effective performance measurement in the context of Turkish municipalities. Theoretical guidance of context-design-performance model has been utilized to examine the contextual and design factors which have influenced the effective use of performance measurement systems in Turkish municipalities. It is hypothesi...

In this study, we present a longitudinal analysis of the evolution of interorganizational disaster coordination networks (IoDCNs) in response to natural disasters. There are very few systematic empirical studies which try to quantify the optimal functioning of emerging networks dealing with natural disasters. We suggest that social network analysis...

Next-generation public safety communications (PSC) systems must sustain high-speed, ultra reliable wireless data transmissions. Moving toward this next generation of PSCs warrants a new perspective of increased heterogeneity in emerging wireless architectures and increased multiplexing of wireless spectrum. To realize this vision, models that incen...

Public complacency is one of the problems complicating emergency preparedness and response operations for disaster managers. Effective disaster management is possible to the extent that affected communities cooperate with disaster management. Focusing on the 2006 avian influenza crisis in Turkey, this article analyzes whether the strategies and too...

In recent years, interorganizational collaboration has become a prominent aspect of organizational functioning for many different types of organizations. Central Florida non-profit organizations are catching on to this trend as they find increasing value in the empowerment of partnership. This study aims to contribute to the advancement of the cur-...

The rapid growth of network research in public administration calls for a systematic review of existing network scholarship. We performed bibliometric analysis and content analysis to identify the research that has had impact on empirical network research in public administration. We examined the key theoretical foundations of existing network rese...

In this article we examined how voluntary and self-organizing efforts contributed to disaster resiliency in a rural community in Central Florida. We analyzed data from a focus group with farmworkers in Central Florida to investigate how self-organizing collective action can help develop more resilient communities in socially vulnerable populations....

Effective disaster response requires well-coordinated efforts among individuals and agencies. Although collaborative disaster response increases in popularity, little has been accomplished within the hierarchical, centralized command and control context of China. This study examined collaborative disaster response in China based on the case of extr...

There is still debate regarding the definition of civil society and its development. However, today civil society is perceived as one of the main actors in public policy and decision-making processes. This chapter defines the concept of civil society and its development in western societies. Further, the chapter presents a brief background of civil...

The growth in studying complexity, governance, and networks is a noticeable fact. Complex public policy problems require productive collaborations among multiple actors from different sectors. Public, private, and not-for-profit organizations work through governance networks and collaborative governance to solve complex public policy problems. Ther...

This monograph provides valuable lessons in building disaster resilience for rural communities and beyond. With a focus on Florida, the authors present a comprehensive review of the current debates surrounding the study of resilience, from federal frameworks, state plans and local initiatives. They also review evaluation tools and feature first-han...

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to propose a modified network performance assessment method to address issues of coordination among organizations in the context of disaster response. Design/methodology/approach – The study introduces affiliation networks to map disaster response system integrated with task/function and unit identifications....

We present longitudinal analysis of the evolution of inter-organizational disaster coordination networks during natural disasters. We suggest that social networks are a useful paradigm for exploring this complex phenomenon from both theoretical and methodological perspective aiming to develop a quantitative assessment framework which could aid in d...