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Shamai, M., & Ron, P. (2009). Helping direct and indirect victims of national terror: Experiences of Israeli social workers. Qualitative Health Research, 19(1), 42-54.‏

Abstract:

In this study we explored the subjective experience and the meaning attached to it by Israeli social workers who provide help to direct and indirect victims of national terror attacks. A qualitative methodology, based on grounded theory tradition, was used to conduct and analyze interviews with 29 social workers from three types of agencies (municipal social services, general hospitals, and the National Insurance Institute) from various parts of the country. Based on the data, three main themes were constructed: (a) professional and personal functioning during intervention, (b) the immediate and long-term impact of intervening with terror attacks, and (c) the meaning attached to the social worker's role in intervening with victims. Overall, the findings show that the social workers experienced symptoms similar to those of secondary traumatic stress disorder (STSD) for a few days only, but in the long-term, they perceived their experience of helping victims of terror attacks as leading to personal and professional growth.

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Shamai, M., Kimhi, S., & Enosh, G. (2007). Social systems and personal reactions to threats of war and terror. Journal of Social and Personal Relationships, 24(5), 747-764.‏

Abstract:

This study examines the impact of social systems (i.e., marital quality, significant others' stress and community resilience) on individual reactions to the threat of war and terror resulting from Israel's withdrawal from Lebanon in May 2000. Quantitative results (N = 992) revealed that proximity to the threat of war influenced marital quality, community resilience, life satisfaction, and stress among significant others. Three social system variables mediate these relationships. Qualitative analysis (N = 50 couples) highlights the role of social variables in personal reaction to stress. Differences emerged, however, in the perceived direction of the causal effects. Similarities and differences between the methodologies are discussed, and theoretical models are suggested to explain the results.

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Feiler, P., Gabriel, R. P., Goodenough, J., Linger, R., Longstaff, T., Kazman, R., Klein, M., Northrop, L., Schmidt, D., Sullivan, K. & Wallnau, K. (2006). Ultra-large-scale systems: The software challenge of the future. Technical report, Software Engineering Institute.‏

Abstract:

The U. S. Department of Defense (DoD) has a goal of information dominance to achieve and exploit superior collection, fusion, analysis, and use of information to meet mission objectives. This goal depends on increasingly complex systems characterized by thousands of platforms, sensors, decision nodes, weapons, and warfighters connected through heterogeneous wired and wireless networks. These systems will push far beyond the size of today s systems and systems of systems by every measure: number of lines of code; number of people employing the system for different purposes; amount of data stored, accessed, manipulated, and refined; number of connections and interdependencies among software components; and number of hardware elements. They will be ultra-largescale (ULS) systems. The sheer scale of ULS systems will change everything. ULS systems will necessarily be decentralized in a variety of ways, developed and used by a wide variety of stakeholders with conflicting needs, evolving continuously, and constructed from heterogeneous parts. People will not just be users of a ULS system; they will be elements of the system. Software and hardware failures will be the norm rather than the exception. The acquisition of a ULS system will be simultaneous with its operation and will require new methods for control. These characteristics are beginning to emerge in today s DoD systems of systems; in ULS systems they will dominate. Consequently, ULS systems will place unprecedented demands on software acquisition, production, deployment, management, documentation, usage, and evolution practices.

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Harbor Research (2018), Smart Systems and IoT Growth Themes to Watch in 2018, http://harborresearch.com

Abstract:

To stay competitive, original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) will need to sustain momentum while developing new technology capabilities, customer offerings, and business models.  Across diverse vertical industry segments, OEMs are becoming the “interpreters” and vertically skilled “translators” of digital and Internet of Things technologies in customer operations.  While we strongly believe Smart Systems and IoT technologies will play a central role in OEM strategy going forward, we have also observed the challenges many OEM’s have faced learning how to integrate new technologies into their core business.

Traditional management in many OEM businesses tends to assume that, whatever the OEM’s focus, their business and their peer OEMs share similar characteristics, organization structures, product development protocols and sales and marketing practices. Management attention in OEM businesses has traditionally focused on the known, the visible, and the predictable.  Anything too difficult to measure is too often treated as if it were unreal.

Even more misleading is the assumption that “business as usual” will prevail over a given planning period. Such assumptions leave little room for dynamic management (or creation) of change, the early identification of emerging markets or technical discontinuities, or the increased presence of unfamiliar competitors.  Traditional planning processes, with their linear view and built-in bias towards the established and predictable, will fail to prepare OEMs for the significant changes coming.

OEMs will need to be better at spotting emergent trends and being able to quickly respond to new market entrants with new technologies or evolving competitive threats. What growth themes should OEMs be focused on in the coming years?.

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Harris, K., & McCabe, A. (2017). Community Action and Social Media. Third Sector Research Centre, Working Paper 139, Birmingham University

Abstract:

The literature on the social uses of social technologies is substantial and expanding. Using over 400 sources, the current review outlines the key themes emerging from academic, grey literature and online material in this field. Much of this literature argues for the transformative power of social media, through its capacity to democratize and generate action through horizontal networks.

The literature is dominated by studies of and commentary on the political impact of social media use, in particular in forms of protest. But while these technologies may have helped to change some processes, there seems to have been little lasting impact on broader outcomes in terms of

empowerment, equalities or social justice. Nor is there evidence, at the less publicized level of the community sector, which such outcomes have been or will be affected by uses of social media.

Within the third sector literature, the dominance of material relating to marketing and fundraising for charities obscures a lack of case studies of community organizations' use of social media.

Research suggests that networked individuals may now carry out community action roles more efficiently than organizations. There is evidence that social media is changing the way social actions are organized: not just collective action but also ‘connective’ action. Community organizations will need to adjust to a changing role in the processes of knowledge generation and sharing.

This literature review has underpinned further primary research exploring the use of social media by community groups. This is published as Third Sector Research Centre Working Paper 140: Community Action and Social Media: Trouble in Utopia?.

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שטרן אלי (2016). מתודולוגיה לביצוע סקר סיכוני תקריות חומרים מסוכנים במפעלי מפרץ חיפה. אגף חומרים מסוכנים, מוגש למשרד להגנת הסביבה, מאי  2016

בכוונת המשרד להגנת הסביבה לבצע סקר סיכונים אינטגרטיבי של חומרים מסוכנים  (להלן  "סקר סיכונים מצרפי" או"סקר סיכונים" (עבור מפעלי התעשייה המצויים בתחומי מפרץ חיפה ; בין היתר על מנת להעריך את הסיכונים הנשקפים לתושבי האזור מתקריות פוטנציאליות במפעלי התעשייה הרבים הפזורים בתחומי המפרץ, לאתר נקודות חולשה במפעלים אלו או אחרים ) מבחינת גרימת סיכונים לאוכלוסייה( ולהצביע על הצעדים הנדרשים לתיקונן.

מטרת דוח זה להציע מתודולוגיה אחידה ופרטנית לביצוע הסקר, באופן ש"יכוסו" מוקדי הסיכון העיקריים המצויים בכל מפעל ומפעל וכאמור יוערכו הסיכונים הנשקפים מכל אחד מן המוקדים המפעליים ומכולם יחד לבני אדם המתגוררים סביב המפעלים.

המתודולוגיה המוצעת להלן, אמורה לאפשר, ברזולוציה טובה, להעריך את הסיכון האינטגרלי הנשקף לכל אזרח, המאופיין במיקום גיאוגרפי כלשהו, ממכלול מוקדי הסיכון העלולים להשפיע עליו, דהיינו לא רק ממוקד סיכון בודד ו/או ממקבץ מוקדי סיכון המצויים במפעל אחד אלא מכלל מוקדי הסיכון המצויים בכל המפעלים, שתקריות בהם כאמור עלולות להשפיע במידה זו או אחרת על האזרח הבודד. ברור, שכאשר ידועה ברמה טובה רמת הסיכון לאזרח בודד כלשהו, ניתן לבצע סכימה מושכלת של הסיכונים ליצירת מעין מצג של סיכון חברתיsocietal risk) )

מאמר

Bibliographic details:

Andersson, M. G., Tomuzia, K., Löfström, C., Appel, B., Bano, L., Keremidis, H., ... & Menrath, A. (2013). Separated by a common language: awareness of term usage differences between languages and disciplines in biopreparedness. Biosecurity and bioterrorism: biodefense strategy, practice, and science, 11(S1), S276-S285.‏

Abstract:

Preparedness for bioterrorism is based on communication between people in organizations who are educated and trained in several disciplines, including law enforcement, health, and science. Various backgrounds, cultures, and vocabularies generate difficulties in understanding and interpreting terms and concepts, which may impair communication. This is especially true in emergency situations, in which the need for clarity and consistency is vital. The EU project AniBioThreat initiated methods and made a rough estimate of the terms and concepts that are crucial for an incident and a pilot database with key terms and definitions has been constructed. Analysis of collected terms and sources has shown that many of the participating organizations use various international standards in their area of expertise. The same term often represents different concepts in the standards from different sectors, or, alternatively, different terms were used to represent the same or similar concepts. The use of conflicting terminology can be problematic for decision makers and communicators in planning and prevention or when handling an incident. Since the CBRN area has roots in multiple disciplines, each with its own evolving terminology, it may not be realistic to achieve unequivocal communication through a standardized vocabulary and joint definitions for words from common language. We suggest that a communication strategy should include awareness of alternative definitions and ontologies and the ability to talk and write without relying on the implicit knowledge underlying specialized jargon. Consequently, cross-disciplinary communication skills should be part of training of personnel in the CBRN field. In addition, a searchable repository of terms and definitions from relevant organizations and authorities would be a valuable addition to existing glossaries for improving awareness concerning bioterrorism prevention planning.

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Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, & Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2011). Public health preparedness capabilities: National standards for state and local planning. Atlanta, GA: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.‏

Abstract:

In 2011, CDC established 15 capabilities that serve as national standards for public health preparedness planning. Since then, these capability standards have served as a vital framework for state, local, tribal, and territorial preparedness programs as they plan, operationalize, and evaluate their ability to prepare for, respond to, and recover from public health emergencies.

Public health departments have made progress since 2001, as demonstrated in CDC’s state preparedness reports (http://www.cdc.gov/phpr/reportingonreadiness.htm).

However, state and local public health departments continue to face multiple challenges, including an ever-evolving list of public health threats.  Regardless of the threat, an effective public health response begins with an effective public health system with robust systems in place to conduct routine public health activities.

The resulting body of work, Public Health Preparedness Capabilities: National Standards for State and Local Planning, hereafter referred to as public health preparedness capabilities, creates national standards for public health preparedness capability-based planning and will assist state and local planners in identifying gaps in preparedness, determining the specific jurisdictional priorities, and developing plans for building and sustaining capabilities. These standards are designed to accelerate state and local preparedness planning, provide guidance and recommendations for preparedness planning, and, ultimately, assure safer, more resilient, and better prepared communities.  

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Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (U.S.) (2018). Public Health Preparedness and Response 2018 National Snapshot. Pp 1-57.Available at:https://www.cdc.gov/phpr/pubs-links/2018/documents/2018_Preparedness_Report.pdf.‏

Abstract:

"An emergency can happen at any moment, and the U.S. must be ready to respond to pandemics, natural disasters, or chemical or radiological threats. Our actions in this area directly serve to protect the health of the American people and is a matter of national security. The terrorist and anthrax attacks of 2001 revealed critical gaps in our nation's preparedness and our ability to connect around response efforts. Emerging diseases like H7N9, MERS [Middle East Respiratory Syndrome], Ebola, and Zika continue to show us that we cannot let our guard down. Preparedness demands constant vigilance and investment to keep up with public health threats as they evolve."

The Snapshot highlights preparedness activities and investments at the federal, state, and local levels, and features stories that demonstrate the impact of these activities. There are two sections to this report: the Narrative and PHEP Program Fact Sheets. The Narrative describes CDC preparedness and response activities in 2016 and 2017 and demonstrates how investments in preparedness enhance the nation’s ability to respond to public health threats and emergencies. The PHEP Program Fact Sheets provide information on PHEP funding from 2015 to 2017 and trends and progress related to the 15 public health preparedness capabilities defined in the PHEP Cooperative Agreement

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Federal Emergency Management Agency (2016). Protection Federal Interagency Operational Plan. Available at: https://www.fema.gov/federal-interagency-operational-plans.‏

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