Thesis (Ph.D.) -- University of Canberra, 2007. / Includes bibliography (p. 238 - 260) Also available online.

<p> Disaster management requires collaboration for effective and efficient outcomes. Current disaster management requires utilization of the National Incident Management&rsquo;s Incident Command System (ICS), which bases its fundamentals in command and control. The study examined the problem of misalignment in needed knowledge, skills and abilities for effective collaboration between the fire department and the local emergency management agency (EMA) as compared to the current edition of the National Incident Management System. The purpose of the study involved extending current collaboration theories into collaboration between the fire department and the local EMA, as well as, identifying differences in current ICS curricula. The qualitative multiple case study surveyed and interviewed 17 local EMA and fire department personnel within the original Urban Area Security Initiate areas in the State of Ohio and compared the findings of the interviews to the current ICS curriculum to determine gaps and contradictions. The study found communication, management of personnel and process, and trust as the leadership, management, and personal trait themes needed to enhance collaboration between the local EMA and the fire department. When compared to the ICS curricula only a small percentage (12%) of the collaboration themes existed within the curriculum. A recommendation for further research included expansion of the study to include all 50 states. Recommendations for practical application included the addition of a course in two-way communication within the ICS and fire administration higher education curriculums. </p>

<p> Several researchers have identified social capital as a means to improve the social sustainability of communities. While there have been many studies investigating the benefits of social capital in homogeneous White communities, few have examined it in Black homogeneous communities. Also, there has been limited research on the influence of racism on social capital in African American communities. In this dissertation a comparative case study was used within a critical race theory framework. The purpose was to explore the role of racial oppression in shaping social capital in majority African American communities. Data were collected from 2 majority Black communities in Florida. The collected data included reviews of local news reports, voter turnout reports, and community health assessments, along with focus groups and semi structured interviews with a purposive sample of 20 of the communities&rsquo; African American residents. Benet&rsquo;s polarities of democracy model was employed to analyze the relationship between racism and social capital. Analysis included inductive coding followed by pattern matching to identify overarching themes between the selected cases. One key theme was that perceived racial disparity inhibited bridging and linking social capital in the selected communities. Another key theme was that racism created social capital deficiencies and a dysfunctional community culture, which limited the capacity to address collective issues. Social change implications include specific policy recommendations to state and local leaders to increase the participation of Black community members in democratic processes. Additionally, this research has potential to improve understanding of the various ways that racism may affect Black Communities.</p>

<p> In recent years, emergency managers have recognized the importance of building and sustaining resilience in communities. U.S. disaster preparedness has long been centered at the local and state municipality level. However, there has been an increase in federal policy and grant funding to better prepare communities. These federal initiatives may actually be prohibitive when the money runs out. This funding discontinuity can impede progress toward creating resilient and prepared communities. The relationship between existing hazards and dynamic issues showcase the need for refining future approaches to mitigation. One piece of this forward movement includes the evaluation of mitigation grants that embraces concepts of sustainability. A good practice in this area is already underway in the State of California. It utilizes an evaluative process termed SMART and has shown possibility for adapting to a wider use. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with mitigation experts to further inform the adaptation of the instrument. Concepts from the Strategic Foresight Initiative (SFI) were infused together to build community resilience. The adapted mitigation evaluation instrument has been designed to follow current mitigation practices and includes concepts of sustainability, resiliency, and foresight to choose grants that will improve communities. The aim is to better inform the way mitigation project grants are chosen and applied, and to reduce expenditure. Finally, the assessment tool has been adapted to encompass a wider geography.</p>

<p> In the last twenty years, anchor institutions such as universities and academic medical centers have been addressing societal problems in building a more democratic, just, and equitable society (Taylor, 2013). Anchor institutions are those nonprofit or corporate entities that, by reason of mission, invested capital, or relationships to customers or employees, are geographically tied to a certain location (Porter, 2002; Taylor, 2013).</p><p> This study sought to understand what organizational capacity is needed by urban universities in order to undertake large-scale neighborhood revitalization efforts. This study used qualitative research methods to examine the University of Chicago&rsquo;s Washington Park Incubator project, established in 2011, and Johns Hopkins University&rsquo;s East Baltimore Development Initiative, established in 2001. Through 22 interviews with executive and senior university officials, leaders of community-based organizations and neighborhood residents, this study sought to answer two research questions: What strategies do anchor institutions use to seed, support and sustain their anchor initiatives? What are the barriers or complexities to forming sustainable agreements and cohesion around partnership collaboration?</p><p> This study found that IHE anchors use three critical strategies to sustain their work: the role and actions of a university&rsquo;s president, the role of the board of trustees, and the use of community boundary spanners as leaders of partnerships. A major barrier to sustainability and a primary challenge to achieving cohesive partnership agreements with partners is historical mistrust. The findings were situated within a university real estate investment model (Austrian &amp; Norton, 2005), an engaged institutions leadership model (Sandmann &amp; Plater, 2009), and a framework for community boundary spanners (Weerts &amp; Sandmann, 2010) to explain how these models impact the sustainability of IHE anchor initiatives.</p><p> Conclusions drawn from this study will equip urban college and university executive and senior leaders and operational administrators as well as community leaders with insight into how to sustain anchor institution partnerships. </p>

Thesis (M.P.H.)--University of Michigan, 1942.

Thesis (M.S.P.H.)--University of Michigan, 1938.

Thesis (M.S.P.H.)--University of Michigan, 1932.

Thesis (M.P.H.)--University of Michigan, 1946.

Thesis (Ph.D.)--Cleveland State University, 2008. / Abstract. Title from PDF t.p. (viewed on Oct. 8, 2008). Includes bibliographical references (p. 208-224) and appendices. Available online via the OhioLINK ETD Center. Also available in print.