Seeds of Disaster, Roots of Response : How Private Action Can Reduce 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.