COMMUNICATION BARRIERS IN CRISIS MANAGEMENT: A LITERATURE REVIEW

Abstract

Communication between and within crisis response organizations (i.e., fire and rescue services, medical assistance, government agencies, public organizations, police) and the public (i.e., victims, volunteers, people affected by the attacks) is essential for coping with natural or man-made crises such as Hurri-cane Katrina or the terror attacks of 9/11. Research, however, emphasizes that effective communication is difficult to establish because multiple communication-related barriers arise during crisis management that impede enhanced mitigation, preparedness, response, and recovery. Although research in crisis management and crisis communication gains more and more practical and scientific notice, it still lacks a comprehensive overview. Hence, we conducted a systematic literature review to examine how com-munication between and within crisis response organizations and the public takes place during the mit-igation, preparedness, response, and recovery phases of a crisis. The results show that several techno-logical, organizational, and social barriers hinder communication between all involved. The purpose of this review is to provide a foundation based on the current literature and suggest future research direc-tions to advance knowledge on communication and barriers in communication between and within crisis response organizations and the public during crisis management.

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