Research Objectives

This paper focuses on one aspect of the organized response to the 9-11 attacks: the multi-organizational network that emerged in New York City to carry out emergency response-related tasks. After a discussion of the methods used in this research, the paper focuses on the characteristics of that response network, including its size, composition, and emergent properties, as well as the various tasks that were undertaken during the post-disaster response period. The paper concludes with a discussion of the distinctive strengths of the network as a form of organization and the manner in which networks contribute to resilience in the post-disaster environment.