Discuss The Roles of Strategic Alliances During Time of Disaster
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The Roles of Strategic Alliances During Time of Disaster
Disaster is defined as an unexpected occurrence that disrupts the normal functioning of society. Accidents are beyond human control and affect the economic, social, and environmental operation of the organization. Disasters are categorized into four, namely; natural, pandemic, complex emergencies, and environmental emergencies. Natural disasters happen in two forms, those which cause immediate impact to be human such as floods and earthquakes, and those who have secondary results to humankind, such as landslides. Pandemic emergencies which cause immediate disruption of the economy and social functioning of the society. Pandemics include diseases such as Covid-19, commonly known as Corona Virus. Environmental disasters are a result of industrialization, and technological advancements brought about by human beings. They include production and forest fires caused by social activities. Environmental emergencies affect the area where this particular activity is being carried out. Complex emergencies involving things such as war and authority break-down. Strategic alliance refers to an agreement between two organizations to work together towards achieving a specific objective. For instance, the World Health Organization (WHO) and United Nations Environmental Programme (UNEP) could combine forces to minimize air pollution to prevent adverse human health effects. During a time of the disaster, strategic alliances play the following roles.
To start with, prevent the occurrence of a disaster. For instance, During World War 2, the United Nations was formed to restore global peace and prevent further damage. This lies in Complex emergencies and is disastrous in the sense that it leads to loss of mass deaths as well as economic disruption.
Secondly, strategic alliances in providing shelter to disaster-affected countries. For instance, in April 2015, there was an earthquake in Nepal. The quake killed close to 900000 people and destroyed many houses. In response to this, the Nepal Red Cross and Nepalese Department of Urban Development and Building Construction led the Nepal Shelter cluster with the help of over 120 other partners in coordinating house construction.
Besides, alliances work tirelessly to promote the livelihood of affected communities after a disaster. This is evident when the China Red Cross through “toa” helped some people to regain and expand their business after the Sichuan earthquake occurred before 2008 that wiped the entire village. Through “toa,” people were able to borrow subsidized loans.
Moreover, alliances help in preventing further damage. A good example is when there is an outbreak of pandemics like diseases such as Covid-19. Here, organizations, both private, states, and global ones, come together to inform the public about the outbreak. They start finding out solutions to break chains of the disease. Regarding pandemics, health sectors and heads of the state create awareness of how the condition is spread, signs and symptoms, and how the disease can be prevented.
In conclusion, fighting as a group is powerful than fighting alone. Let us consider an instance where one terrorist is fighting against a hundred soldiers. The terrorist will lose. The same case applies to manage disasters. If it occurs and humankind joins forces, then the accident is doomed to fail. This is the power of strategic alliance. Thus, I support collaborations that are working towards preventing, reducing risk, and promoting the livelihood of communities affected by the disaster.