Seeds of Disaster, Roots of Response

How Private Action Can Reduce Public Vulnerability

Lewis M Branscomb editor Philip E Auerswald editor Todd M La Porte editor Erwann O Michel-Kerjan editor

Format:Hardback

Publisher:Cambridge University Press

Published:18th Sep '06

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Seeds of Disaster, Roots of Response cover

Seeds of Disaster, Roots of Response is the first systematic attempt to understand how private decisions affect public vulnerability.

Seeds of Disaster, Roots of Response describes the economic, organizational, and institutional actions required to improve the continuity and recovery of vital public services in event of disaster. This is the first book to describe the fundamental trade-offs between private efficiency and public vulnerability in an open society.In the wake of 9/11 and hurricane Katrina, executives and policymakers are increasingly motivated to reduce the vulnerability of social and economic systems to disasters. Most prior work on 'critical infrastructure protection' has focused on the responsibilities and actions of government rather than on those of the private sector firms that provide most vital services. Seeds of Disaster, Roots of Response is the first systematic attempt to understand how private decisions and operations affect public vulnerability. It describes effective and sustainable approaches - both business strategies and public policies - to ensure provision of critical services in the event of disaster. The authors are business leaders from multiple industries and are experts in risk analysis, economics, engineering, organization theory and public policy. The book shows the necessity of deeply rooted collaboration between private and public institutions, and the accountability and leadership required to progress from words to action.

'With 85% of America's critical infrastructure in private hands, the American people - and America's economy - are not going to be safe without strong, collaborative action by the public and private sector. Seeds of Disaster, Roots of Response is thus a timely and important volume that is a must-read for anyone concerned about our nation's security. ' Lee Hamilton, President, Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars and Vice Chair, 9/11 Commission
'Industries that provide critical infrastructure are becoming more efficient, but more vulnerable. This book introduces 'security externalities', a phenomenon that inhibits private investments that would make critical infrastructure services more resilient to potential disaster from any source. It calls not only for more leadership but for more realistic policies from both the private and the public sector. ' Prof. Thomas C. Schelling, Distinguished University Professor, University of Maryland and 2005 Nobel Prize Laureate in Economics
'This important book calls for a public-private national infrastructure protection plan to replace the current disorganized and dysfunctional response to catastrophic threats from terrorism, natural disasters and gargantuan operational errors. It asks the hard questions about how government and business can define and finance respective roles and stop the Alphonse and Gaston routine which makes disasters even more disastrous.' Ben W. Heineman, Jr, Senior Fellow at Harvard Law School and Harvard's Kennedy School of Government, Former Senior Vice President and General Counsel of GE

ISBN: 9780521857963

Dimensions: 242mm x 164mm x 30mm

Weight: 897g

576 pages