A typology to facilitate multi-agency coordination

Multi-agency coordination in emergency management presents many challenges. Agencies that normally operate independently have to assemble into a unified supra organization to achieve a common goal. To achieve successful multi-agency coordination organizations need to span organizational boundaries and provide linkages with multiple agencies. This requires interorganizational compatibility of information and communication systems. Necessary for this success are the stakeholders responsible for facilitating these organizational boundary spanning activities. This paper proposes that the preliminary research findings can create a typology of dimensions crucial to facilitating multi-agency emergency management coordination. It is envisaged that the typology will culminate into a diagnostic tool that will enable stakeholders to examine the breakdowns and successes of multi-agency emergency management coordination.