Improving heterogenous team collaboration in disaster risk management: lessons from innovation

Abstract: Heterogeneous team collaboration is a fundamental component of Disaster Risk Management (DRM). However, DRM teams face complex-dynamic situations characterised by high disruptions, distributed locations and other factors, which create persistent problems for team collaboration. In these contexts, even the smallest improvement to our understanding has the potential to yield enormous benefits to DRM objectives. Innovation is a highly complementary field to DRM, facing similar complex-dynamic situations, requiring inter-disciplinary team collaboration while under significant pressure. This research proposes that the field of technology-based innovation might offer insights for DRM in how heterogeneous teams collaborate. Using a combined methods approach, primary and secondary data was generated to compare concepts and practical experiences between DRM and technology-based innovation. The two fields being highly complementary and therefore ideal for comparative analysis. Complexity theory was an essential component in the analysis, to allow for emergent themes across various team-types and contexts. Insights emerged on team themes such as: new team perspectives, management and leadership, and related variety. Related variety was the most challenging finding, as it proposes that not all diversity or heterogeneity is beneficial and therefore it must somehow be managed. Additionally, related variety recognises that dissent and divergence are essential in collaboration; however, no findings were made on how to structure this, leaving the door open for further research in this space.