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Abstract
ABSTRACTJOELLEN VICTORIA POPE. Flooded with complexity: Do organizational structures and budgetary flexibility influence natural disaster preparedness? (Under the direction of DR. SUZANNE M. LELAND)The number of natural disaster declarations in the United States is increasing. Hurricane Katrina alone affected 31 colleges and universities in the areas along the Gulf Coast. Improved preparedness performance in universities and colleges can impact response and recovery effectiveness. This study asks: How does the level of natural disaster preparedness of an institution of higher education (IHE) vary with organizational structural complexity? How does the level of natural disaster preparedness of an institution of higher education vary with its degrees of centralization, red tape, and budgetary flexibility? Using contingency theory and the New Public Management (NPM) perspective, this study uses original survey data merged with secondary data to perform regression analyses to answer these questions. The study finds evidence that preparedness outputs are measured by not one concept but four: exercise and training, internal awareness, external collaboration, and planning. Results include support for the theoretical hypotheses comprising the assertion that red tape is negatively associated with exercise and training performance, while budgetary flexibility and directly integrated coordination are related to improvements in exercise and training performance. However, other measurements of performance do not depend on organizational structure and budgetary flexibility. In addition to theoretical contributions, this research contributes to safety. Students and faculty must feel safe on campus to be able to complete mission-essential functions, such as researching, learning, teaching, and connecting with the community.