| Abstract: | Coordinating response operations to extreme events is an extraordinarilycomplex task for public managers. The performance of the intergovernmentalsystem is examined in the context of the events of 11 September2001 from the theoretical perspective of complex adaptive systems.A model of auto-adaptation is proposed to improve intergovernmentalperformance in extreme events. This model is based on the conceptof individual, organizational, and collective learning in environmentsexposed to recurring risk, guided by a shared goal. Such a modelrequires public investment in the development of an informationinfrastructure that can support the intense demand for communication,information search, exchange, and feedback that characterizesan auto-adaptive system. |
