Role of tacit knowledge in improving the effectiveness of Disaster Management Organizations

In a context where disaster losses are escalating due to increased vulnerability, frequency, and severity, it is essential to enhance the effectiveness of Disaster Management Organizations (DMOs) through the use of hidden tacit knowledge. The Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction underscores the significance of knowledge management, encompassing both explicit, formal knowledge and tacit, experiential knowledge held by individuals. However, the disaster research and practice communities has largely overlooked the role of the informal, experience-based tacit knowledge. This study examines the impact of tacit knowledge on organizational capacity, focusing on its integration into disaster management practices. By analyzing the experiences of personnel from diverse disaster management organizations—including government, private, and UN agencies—the research reveals how tacit knowledge is perceived, valued, and shared, ultimately enhancing the organizational capacity of the DMOs. Adopting a phenomenological perspective and based on over thirty plus in-depth interviews, the findings exhibit that tacit knowledge, though crucial in disaster management, is typically managed in an unsystematic manner. Officials often depend on tacit knowledge during rapid-onset disasters, yet systematic efforts to capture and utilize this knowledge are lacking. This study emphasizes the need for a structured framework to codify and manage tacit knowledge effectively. Ultimately, the research underscores the value of integrating tacit knowledge into disaster management practices to improve the effectiveness of Disaster Management Organizations (DMOs), and it proposes strategic approaches to harness this essential resource in a systematic manner.