The Study of Natural Disaster Management Models Using the Concepts of Thematic Analysis

Different models have been proposed for disaster management. Considering their weaknesses so far, despite their efficiency in some locations and under certain circumstances, natural disasters are still a fundamental challenge in the way of sustainable development. The purpose of this research is to analyse disaster management models to be used as a theoretical tool in analyzing the current condition and to achieve the desired condition.

Material and Methodogy:

 To achieve the goals, qualitative approach and combinations of the concepts of thematic analysis, classification and typology are used. In this regard, first, the models of disaster management from 1941 to 2016 are collected. In the next stage the themes of each model are extracted and categorized in three phases. In the first phase which is descriptive coding, available elements in each model are extracted as code and the basic themes are recognized. Then, in the phase of interpretive coding, basic themes are classified in three categories which are called organizing themes. The final phase is determination of global or overarching theme which is consisted of all the other mentioned themes.

Basic themes which were obtained during the interpretive coding are the themes of operations management, risk management and hazard assessment. Based on thematic analysis, it can be concluded that disaster management has three main elements. Therefore, comprehensive model of disaster management should include these three elements and their sub basic themes that is called the ideal or criterion type.

Results showed that in some models, one dimension is emphasized. Even in two-dimensional models, one dimension has advantage over the other one. While the proposed typology showed that, considering the ideal type, the comprehensive model should include all the three mentioned elements. According to the ideal type, the strategic plan of disaster management should be performed under a comprehensive management considering all the elements of disasters.