Understanding the factors that enhance or impede learning of individuals is instrumental in achieving organizational performance goals. In this study, the effect of social network structures on the learning attitudes of emergency personnel during an emergency event was investigated. On the basis of a social influence model of learning, a theoretical framework has been proposed to investigate the effects of network structure on learning outcomes of bushfire incident management teams. To test our framework, we investigated social network data, which were extracted from the transcripts of the 2009 Victorian Bushfires Royal Commission report. Empirical results suggest that a network structure of emergency personnel can be identified, which plays a key role in the ability of those actors to engage in learning-related work activity, allowing them to adapt and improvise in complex emergency events. By presenting a model of learning-related work activity, based on a social network analysis of its structure, emergency staff members can strengthen their capacity to be flexible and adaptable.

Item Type:	Refereed Article
Keywords:	communications, networks, learning, knowledge sharing, adaptive behaviour, emergency management
Research Division:	Commerce, Management, Tourism and Services
Research Group:	Business and Management
Research Field:	Organisational Behaviour
Objective Division:	Expanding Knowledge
Objective Group:	Expanding Knowledge
Objective Field:	Expanding Knowledge in Psychology and Cognitive Sciences
UTAS Author:	Owen, C (Dr Christine Owen)
ID Code:	84248
Year Published:	2014
Web of Science® Times Cited:	3
Deposited By:	Education
Deposited On:	2013-05-01
Last Modified:	2018-02-09
Downloads:	0