Collaboration amid Crisis: The Department of Defense during Hurricane Katrina

Abstract

This case study is about the response given by public authorities to the crisis caused by Hurricane Katrina in New Orleans / USA. The narrative focuses on the critical relationship between the Federal Emergency Management Agency - FEMA, the coordinator of federal efforts in response to the disaster, and the Department of Defense - DOD. The aim of this case study is to understand the dynamics of collaboration developed between the authorities accountable for readily responding to Katrina, and, more generally, assess the operation of networks of federal, state and local authorities in emergency conditions. The case raises discussions in the classroom that can foster reviews of: the functioning of the coordination of the network accountable for the response to the crisis, the role of bureaucracy in emergencies, the importance of leadership, and the effect of organizational culture for collaboration.