A comparison of the role of voluntary organizations in disaster management

Abstract

This research aimed to compare different voluntary organizations in disaster management in the United States, Japan, and South Korea. Comparative case studies were used to evaluate the following: the specialized expertise and unsolicited goods and services approach of the United States, the collaborative relations and small-scale approach of Japan, and the additional support and unsystematic coordination approach of community-based organizations in Korea. Three variables were considered: volunteers and their organizations, financial independence, and preferred strategies. The key findings are as follows: each country has tried to enhance the role of its own voluntary organizations in disaster management; the nations studied have similarities and differences in their strategies and actions; and the specific developments in each country have been varied and reflective of its respective culture. This work, as a pioneering study, evaluated three national cases in terms of voluntary organizations in disaster management in the Asia–Pacific region.