This thesis focuses on the cooperative and communicative aspects of control over dynamic situations such as emergency management and military operations. Taking a stance in Cognitive Systems Engineering, Decision making and Communication studies, the role of information systems as tools for communication in dynamic situations is examined. Three research questions are examined; 1 ) How new forms of information technology affects joint control tasks in dynamic situations, and how/if microworld simulations can be used to investigate this. 2 ) What the characteristics of actual use of information systems for joint control are in dynamic situations? 3 ) What the pre-requisites are for efficient communication in joint control tasks and especially in dynamic, high-risk situations? Four papers are included. A study performed with a microworld simulation involving military officers as participants is presented, and the method of using microworlds for investigating the effects of new technology is discussed. Field observations from an emergency call centre are used to exemplify how information systems actually are used in a cooperative task. An interview study with military officers from a UN-mission describes the social aspects of human-human communication in a dynamic, high risk environment. Finally, an elaborated perspective on the role of information systems as tools for communication, and especially the relation between the social, organisational and technical layers of a joint control activity is presented.

The purpose of this study was to explore and describe the pre-disaster planning processes and practices used by Florida's community college administrators as of December 2008. FEMA's Building a Disaster Resistant University (DRU) model was the conceptual lens for this study. A mixed methods research design included 15 surveys completed by Florida community college business officers and six semi-structured interviews with staff most involved in pre-disaster planning. Data were compared to DRU guidelines to establish whether processes and practices were congruent with the DRU. Six quantitative findings were reported in this study. First, 5 of 14 (35.7%) survey respondents appointed a project manager ; second, 14 of 15 respondents (93.3%) conducted a risk assessment ; third, 13 of 15 (87%) respondents reported contacting 2 to14 stakeholders; fourth, 14 of 15 (93.3%) survey respondents conducted an inventory of buildings and infrastructure assets; fifth, majority of survey respondents ( 87.7%) reported they identified mitigation goals and objectives; sixth, 8 of 14 (57.1%) respondents' president formally adopted the pre-disaster mitigation plan. / Qualitative findings were, first, wide internal and external stakeholder representation was organized; second, advisory committees have no mission statement; third, one site identified hazards by consulting with stakeholders, but neither one could provide a list of hazards; fourth, sites used only half of the DRU's building inventory items; fifth, recording and mapping of infrastructure (i.e., utilities) are evolved at one site, while both sites backup administrative systems; sixth, neither site considered several hazard profile formula variables recommended by the DRU; seventh, Beta's internal and external stakeholders conduct a rigorous vetting process, which allows it to establish a prioritized list of mitigation goals and objectives; eighth, neither site uses an adequate formula for benefitcost an consultant has been hired to do so; ninth, only one participant could articulate how the mission guided mitigation action prioritization; tenth, key internal and external stakeholders adopted mitigation actions; eleventh, no plan for measuring mitigation action efficacy exists; and twelfth, mitigation action successes are communicated to internal stakeholders, but not external stakeholders making it difficult to achieve plan momentum and funding. Recommendations are provided for community college administrators. / by Timothy J. De Palma. / Thesis (Ph.D.)--Florida Atlantic University, 2011. / Includes bibliography. / Electronic reproduction. Boca Raton, Fla., 2011. Mode of access: World Wide Web.