Extending the technology-community-management model to disaster recovery : assessing vulnerability in rural Asia

• Main Authors: Komathi, A. L. E., Chib, Arul
• Other Authors: Wee Kim Wee School of Communication and Information
• Format: Conference or Workshop Item
• Language: English
• Published: 2013
• Subjects: DRNTU::Social sciences::Communication::Communication theories and models
• Online Access: https://hdl.handle.net/10356/101137; http://hdl.handle.net/10220/18236
• Institution: Nanyang Technological University

The recent increase in natural disasters has a significant impact on the lives and livelihoods of the poor in Asia. The ubiquitous spread of information communication technologies (ICTs) in this region’s rural areas, suggests the potential of technologies to enhance recovery efforts. While many ICT initiatives have been implemented to aid disaster management, from providing early warning to immediate relief, there exists a gap in the theoretical understanding of the role of technologies in disaster recovery. In this paper, we propose a conceptual framework for the implementation of ICTs in recovery operations, drawing the attention to vulnerability reducing potential of the initiatives. We review theories on disaster management and ICT use, and propose the Technology-Community-Management Vulnerability Assessment (TCMV) model for the design and implementation of ICT programs for development in rural areas. The TCMV model illustrates four vulnerabilities in disaster recovery – physiological/psychological, informational, economic, and socio-cultural, against the technology used, its management and the community involved. We validate this model using case examples from ICT deployments in post-disaster Asia, particularly India, Indonesia, Sri Lanka and China, and suggest implications for theory and practice.