A social identity perspective on interoperability in the emergency services: Emergency responders' experiences of multiagency working during the COVID‐19 response in the UK

Davidson, Louise; Carter, Holly; Amlôt, Richard; Drury, John; Haslam, S. Alexander; Radburn, Matthew; Stott, Clifford

Abstract

Recent research has shown that multiagency emergency response is beset by a range of challenges, calling for a greater understanding of the way in which these teams work together to improve future multiagency working. Social psychological research shows that a shared identity within a group can improve the way in which that group works together and can facilitate effective outcomes. In the present study, 52 semistructured interviews were conducted with 17 strategic and/or tactical responders during the COVID-19 pandemic to understand the possible role of shared identity in the multiagency response to COVID-19 and whether this was linked to factors that facilitated or challenged interoperability. Findings show evidence of a shared identity at a horizontal intergroup level among responders locally. However, there was limited evidence for a shared identity at the vertical intergroup level between local and national responders. Three key factors linked to shared identity appeared to contribute to effective multiagency working. First, pre-existing relationships with other responders facilitated the ease with which responders were able to work together initially. Second, a sense of ‘common fate’ helped bring responders together, and finally, group leaders were able to strategically reinforce a sense of shared identity within the group.

Citation

Davidson, L., Carter, H., Amlôt, R., Drury, J., Haslam, S. A., Radburn, M., & Stott, C. (2022). A social identity perspective on interoperability in the emergency services: Emergency responders' experiences of multiagency working during the COVID‐19 response in the UK. Journal of Contingencies and Crisis Management, 31(3), 353-371. https://doi.org/10.1111/1468-5973.12443

• Journal Article Type: Article
• Acceptance Date: Dec 12, 2022
• Online Publication Date: Dec 26, 2022
• Publication Date: Dec 26, 2022
• Publicly Available Date: May 30, 2023
• Journal: Journal of Contingencies and Crisis Management
• Print ISSN: 0966-0879
• Publisher: Wiley
• Volume: 31
• Issue: 3
• Pages: 353-371
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.1111/1468-5973.12443
• Keywords: Management, Monitoring, Policy and Law, Management Information Systems
• Publisher URL: https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/1468-5973.12443
• Additional Information: This is an open access article under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits use, distribution and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited. © 2022 Crown copyright and The Authors. Journal of Contingencies and Crisis Management published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd. This article is published with the permission of the Controller of HMSO and the King's Printer for Scotland.