From linearity to complexity: Emergent characteristics of the 2006 Avian Influenza Response System in Turkey

The study utilized data from content analyses of news reports from the Turkish daily newspapers Cumhuriyet and Sabah. The network analysis, conducted with the UCINET 6.0 social network analysis software program, revealed that existing bureaucratic organizational structure, following a linear policy approach, inhibited the effective implementation of public policies. The formal structure and policies failed to anticipate the informal interactions and circumstances that occurred during the emergency operations. There were problems of coordination and integration between public agencies and other sector organizations from different jurisdictions in responding to the Avian Influenza crisis. According to the findings, a complex organizational design based on organizational flexibility is needed to harness drastic change and contribute to resiliency in local communities.