GEOLGR06

Research Proposal

2017 Mexico Earthquakes
Name: Alex Holderness

Candidate No: VFPV7

Submission Date: Mon 23rd April 2018

Word Count: 1627
https://www.shawngossman.com/social-media-emergency-management/
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CONTENTS:

1.0 Abstract……………………………..…………2
2.0 Introduction……………………………..…….2
3.0 Literature Review……………………………..2
4.0 Research Question ……………….…….……3
4.1 Hypothesis………………………….…….4
5.0 Methodology…………………………..……..4
5.1 Design………………….….……….……..4
5.2 Subjects……………..………..…………..4
5.3 Instruments……….……………..………..4
5.4 Procedure……………………….….……..5
6.0 Timelines…………………………….….……..5
7.0 Budget………………………...…….….……..6
8.0 Pathways to Impact………………...….……..7
9.0 References……………………………………..7

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1.0 Abstract

The 2017 September 7 Chiapas Earthquake killed 97 people and damaged 41,000
homes. 10 days later the Central Mexico Earthquake killed a further 370 people, the
majority of which were in the Mexico City area. Whilst the country is no stranger to
seismic disasters (the 1985 earthquake killed over 10,000), the rise of social media
platforms has triggered a new approach to emergency response situations. This research
proposal considers the publics’ perceptions of the use of social media platforms on the
effectiveness of the emergency response activities in the immediate aftermath of the
earthquakes. These views will be surveyed via a questionnaire which will underscore the
functions of social media platforms in emergency response. It will target key affected
areas and aim to produce results representative of those involved in the response,
including local citizens, first responders, medical professionals and local government
departments. The overall results will be used as a foundation to provide direction to local
emergency managers on how to effectively tailor social media polices during disasters.

2.0 Introduction

During the immediate aftermath of the 2017 Mexican earthquakes reputable,
international publications were flooded with articles about the effective use of social
media platforms in coordinating the emergency management response. Claims were
made that volunteers in Mexico City had organised over social media to direct relief
efforts to where they were most needed (Dorell, USA Today, 2017) and that it helped
relatives find survivors and appeal for aid (Webber, Financial Times, 2017). However,
questions remain as to whether the positive impact of this flood of information
outweighed the confusion and concern spread by its inevitable inaccuracy.

In the context of this study ‘social media’ refers to “an internet-based platform that
enables users to interact with each other through creation of content such as text and
video” (Mergel and Bretschneider, 2013). The emergency response activities shall be
restricted to those practices which take place in the immediate aftermath of the event;
including search and rescue, first aid and medical evacuation, communications and care
of the homeless. The scope of this study will not consider the longer-term effects of
social media, such as the continued ability to raise awareness and funds and the progress
of the reconstruction process.

3.0 Literature Review

The use of social media in crisis planning and management has been considered in a
number of studies and articles (Alexander, 2013). Alexander lists some of its numerous
advantages and functions including providing a listening function, monitoring a situation,
crowd-sourcing and collaborative development and social cohesion. Crowe (2012)
asserts that “the emergency management professional must begin to accept this impact
not as an arbitrary consequence of an uncontrolled disaster, but rather as a tool to help
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coordinate, manage and facilitate a safe and expected response during emergencies and
disasters”. Whilst the study of emergency management must focus on what works, it
must also consider the perceptions of those who are most affected by it; the public.

Traditional news sources are monitored and corroborated before publication and, as
such, are considered trustworthy sources (Kyungwoo, 2016). However, social media
platforms are considered more useful for real time information and coordination. The
disadvantage of this uncensored information is that it provides opportunity for both
deliberate manipulation and confusion through overwhelming channels of information.
Research into the credibility of news sources is being conducted globally (Castillo et al,
2013). However, attempts to establish credibility are hampered by the confused and
hectic nature of a disaster situation. Two equally credible sources may view the same
situation in vastly different ways and, naturally, their subsequent description or appraisal
of the situation will be different.

The American Red Cross conducted case study research into social media use in the
Joplin Tornado, Hurricane Sandy and the Boston Bombings (2013). Lessons identified
included the significance of releasing correct information, which it considered the top
priority; the benefit of having best practices for the most widely used social media
platforms; and the importance of tone. It can be seen that these lessons are being
implemented globally to prepare and manage disaster situations. However, the use of
the platforms by unregulated individuals is an equally important aspect of the response
phase.

4.0 Research Question

The question this project proposes to consider is ‘Did the use of social media have a
positive impact on the emergency response activities in the aftermath of the Mexican
earthquakes in 2017?’. The research concerning the use of social media in disasters is
limited due to the relatively short amount of time the technology has been available.
Furthermore, as the penetration of social media continues to mature in developing
countries, it is logical to assume that its function in disaster situations will also continue to
change and progress. This continual change is likely to lead to conflicting results as to
the effectiveness of the platforms. Therefore, up-to-date, comparative case studies are a
necessary advancement of this research.

The evidence suggests that, whilst civic reports were a crucial part of the early response,
the lack of coordinated information made it difficult for skilled workers to know where
they were most needed (Fraser & Carvallo-Vargas, 2017). In Mexico City confusion over
whether heavy machinery was being used to recover survivors raised concerns amongst
search and rescue but were later proved to be false (Wattenbarger, Pacific Standard,
2017). The Mexican Government recognised the issue caused by the spread of
misinformation when it issued a warning against the spread of non-corroborated
information.
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4.1 Hypothesis

First responders and local communities believe that social media did have a
positive impact on the emergency response.

Despite presenting significant challenges, the consensus on social media platforms
and in traditional media outlets is that the ability to disseminate information and
coordinate activities was beneficially supported by social media. It is expected that
local communities, whilst presenting recommendations for its improvement,
considered the access to real-time information to be an advantage.

5.0 Methodology

The research methodology for this project will utilise a predominantly quantitative,
deductive approach with a supporting qualitative subsection. It will be conducted in the
following manner:

5.1 Design

In order to ascertain an answer to the research question, the views and opinions of
both local citizens and first responders to the 2017 earthquakes will need to be
assessed. To answer the overarching question of whether social media had a
positive impact the survey will need to ensure participants are considering similar
attributes. A series of framing questions will be used to focus participants on the
key advantages and disadvantages of social media before the final question asks
for their overall view. These framing questions will correlate with the functions of
social media as outlined by Alexander (2013).

5.2 Subjects

The majority of first responders and local citizens were individuals in the vicinity of
Oaxaca and Mexico City. Therefore, these locations will form the basis for
participant access. Individuals that have been relocated to temporary camps inside
and around the cities, the local fire departments and the Secretariat of Public
Security of Mexico City will be asked to participate in the study. A sample size of
384 will be used to ensure a confidence level of 95% with a confidence interval of
51.

5.3 Instruments
1 Based on an estimated population of 13,000000 in Mexico City and Oaxaca
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A Likert scale will be used in order to measure responses to each question. The
quantitative results from this survey will provide the overall answer to the research
question posed. An opportunity for elaboration will accompany each question in
order that reasons for results as well as potential future research questions can be
drawn.
According to the EF English Proficiency Index (2017), Mexico has a rating of 51.57,
which is considered ‘low’. Therefore questions will be written in English and
translated to Spanish. Furthermore, a Spanish interpreter will be used to ask the
questions to non-English speakers. This will ensure the sample does not favour
those who speak English.

5.4 Procedure

A written questionnaire will be formulated, taking into consideration the above-
mentioned factors. This will be introduced verbally to both search and rescue
teams and affected members of the public in the identified regions. Each
participant will be asked to outline which social media platforms they utilised and
what their role was in the emergency management of the events. In this way the
results can be categorised and therefore analysed in more useful detail. The
results of the questionnaire will be used to quantitatively assess whether the
participants believed the net effect of social media was positive. Furthermore, the
open question responses will be used to provide justification for the outcome of
the results and present recommendations for future practices.

6.0 Timeline

The project has been split into 3 phases; planning, implementation and evaluation. The
below chart outlines the key stages and events of the project:


Phase 1 Phase 2 Phase 3
2018 2019
Activity Sep Oct Nov Dec Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug
Ethics
Application

Research
Questionnaire
creation

Data
Collection 1*

Data
Collection 2**

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Data
Transcription

Study Write
Up

Check and
Submission

* Oaxaca
** Mexico City

7.0 Budget

The following table lays out the funding requirements for the planning and
implementation of the project:

Category Item Comment Cost
Personnel
Researcher salary 1 year £27,000
Translator Salary 3 months (Dec 2017 – Feb 2018) £10,000
Subtotal £37,000
T&S
Flights
London to Mexico City
International flights, car hire &
petrol
£2,500
Car Hire & Petrol 2 months, standard model £1,200
Travel
Requirements
Travel insurance, vaccinations,
visas for 2 pers
£1,500
Accommodation
2 months Mexico 2 pers (£40
per day per pers)
£4,880
Subsistence
2 months Mexico 2 pers (£20
per day per pers)
£2,440
Subtotal £12,520
Equipment
Research
equipment
Laptop, journal subscriptions as
required
£1,500
Survey equipment Dictaphone, printed information £200
Subtotal £1,700
Management
Unforeseen
expenses
TBC £2,500
Management Costs
& Overheads
15% of overall budget £8,058
Subtotal £10,558
Grand Total £61,778


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8.0 Pathways to Impact

It has been suggested that the disaster response in Mexico was led better by citizens than
by the government (Campoy, Quartz Media LLC, 2017). The aim of this project is to
provide evidence to support the effective use of social media in emergency response
events. The case study will emphasise whether existing practices were useful and, if so,
how they can be capitalised on. If the hypothesis is proved to be incorrect, this will also
provide a useful foundation to explore why the resource is not being utilised as it should.
As much social media use is conducted on an individual level, this study aims to provide
evidence to discover how the policies of organisations can be adapted to support
individuals’ own usage. This will allow departments to develop a formal social media
policy, which will aim to reduce the number of channels of information, whilst
incorporating the advantage of having real time information available.

9.0 References

Journal Articles

Alexander, D. (2014) Social Media in Disaster Risk Reduction and Crisis Management in
Science and Engineering Ethics; New York Vol. 20, Iss. 3, (Sep 2014): 717-33.

Crowe, A. (2011) The social media manifesto: A comprehensive review of the impact of
social media on emergency management in Journal of Business Continuity & Emergency
Planning, Volume 5 / Number 1 / Winter 2010-11, pp. 409-420(12). Henry Stewart
Publications.

Fraser. B & Carvallo-Vargas. F. (2017) The Emergency response after Mexico's
earthquakes in The Lancet Volume 390, No. 10102, p1575.

Kyungwoo. K, Kyujin. J, & Chilton. K. (2016) Strategies of social media use in disaster
management: Lessons in resilience from Seoul, South Korea in International Journal of
Emergency Services; Bingley Vol. 5, Iss. 2, 110-125.

Mergel. I & Bretschneider. S. (2013) A Three-Stage Process for the Adoption of Social
Media Use in Government in The American Society for Public Administration.

Media Articles

Campoy. A. (2017) In both the US and Mexico, citizens led better disaster response than
their governments in Quartz Media LLC. Available from: https://qz.com/1090417/in-
both-the-us-and-mexico-citizens-led-better-disaster-response-than-their-governments/

Dorell, O. (2017) . Mexico City volunteers use social media to direct quake relief in USA
Today. Available from: https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/world/2017/09/24/mexico-
city-volunteers-use-social-media-direct-quake-relief/698210001/

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Wattenbarger. M. (2017) How Mexico City Residents used Social Media in the Wake of
the Earthquake to Debunk Fact from Fiction in Pacific Standard. Available from:
https://psmag.com/social-justice/how-mexico-city-residents-used-social-media-to-
debunk-fact-from-fiction

Webber. J. (2017) Mexico Earthquake Kills More than 200 in The Financial Times.
Available from: https://www.ft.com/content/35ccf118-9d72-11e7-8cd4-932067fbf946

Other

American Red Cross. (2013) Social Media and Disasters: Best Practices and Lessons
Learned presented at the Disaster Preparedness Summit, August 21, 2013 (20). Available
from:
https://www.redcross.org/images/MEDIA_CustomProductCatalog/m22442828_Social_Me
dia_-_Suzanne_Bernier_-_SB_Crisis_Consulting.pdf