Assessing Governments’ Emergency Responses to COVID-19 Outbreak Using a
Social Network Analysis (SNA)
Abstract
This study aims to assess organisational emergency responses to COVID-19
from a social network analysis (SNA) perspective. This is the first
study to evaluate the government’s emergency response to COVID-19.
Study design used content analyse focused on the Indonesia Taskforce
Response to COVID-19. Taskforce members identified and analysed were 150
people. Data were obtained from a weekly Indonesian magazine, TEMPO,
which reported on the government’s response to COVID-19 from early March
to early April 2020. Data analysis used a Social Network Analysis tool.
The study found that the emergency response to a COVID-19 consisted of
less solid, non-traditional structural interactions, and that the head
of the task force played a lesser role in the response to such an
outbreak. The dynamic roles of actors and their relationships within the
group reflect the weaknesses of the organisational emergency response to
COVID-19. Cultural aspects, the overlapping of regulations and the lack
of communication between central and local governments may have
contributed to the lack of cohesion in the organisational response. The
content analysis found that the issues of concern to the team members
included coordination, hoax, social distancing and the lack of testing
equipment.
The results of the study are expected to add literatures of research on
emergency response to pandemics. This study can assist decision makers
and practitioners to design and manage cooperation amongst actors and
their networks in future emergency response systems.