Emergency Management Theory (EMT) - Does it exist? What is it? - PART 1: What is Theory? PART 2: What are the Barriers to EMT PART 3: What should EMT Include?

Part 1: What is Theory? (McEntire 2004)  Theory is  the ideal or preferred conditions  the entire body of knowledge available  concepts which are heuristic devices  The purpose of Theory  clarify terms ex> general consensus on what a “hazard” is  promote ethics and standards ex> “an ounce of prevention is better than a pound of cure”

What is Theory?  The different names of Theory  Classifications: show the differences among similar types of theory  Typologies: organized categorizations  Models: show theoretical links between different variables ex> The Incident Management System  Causal relationships ex> a disaster (D) = a triggering agent (I) + vulnerability (V)

Part2 : 10 Barriers to EMT (McEntire and Marshall 2003) What is a disaster? What is emergency management? What hazards should we focus on? Should we continue to give preference to the concept of hazards? What variables should be explored in academic research? What actors should be incorporated into academic studies? What phases should be given priority? What disciplines should contribute to emergency management? What paradigms should guide our field? What is the proper balance for knowledge generation?

Part3 : What Should a EMT Include?  the findings from prior research  search for an accepted definition of disasters  seek an alternative name  acknowledge all types of hazards

Part3 : What Should a EMT Include?  a multi-causal view of disasters  embrace each of the different actors  maintain a reliance on the phases of disasters  integrate research from each of the contributing disciplines

Implication & Discussion  Implication  A “theory of emergency management” differs from “theories relevant to emergency management”  vital disciplines and numerous normative theories of emergency management  Discussion Question  The goal of constructing a general theory of emergency management should be a top priority within the disaster research community or not?  Variety in approach and perspective should be encouraged or not?