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Longitudinal Evaluation of Food Safety Discussion-Based Exercises: Tool Development and Initial Validation

  • Elizabeth A. Prebles , Aylin D. Sayir , Dale C Brandenburg and Edward C. Mather
Published/Copyright: August 7, 2008
Journal of Homeland Security and Emergency Management
From the journal Journal of Homeland Security and Emergency Management Volume 5 Issue 1

This study was undertaken for three major purposes: first, to provide initial validation data on an assessment tool designed to provide evidence supporting the following two purposes; second, to analyze the lessons learned process from exercise conduct through subsequent organizational action; and third, to investigate the long-term impact of discussion-based exercises associated with improving food safety preparedness. The major hypothesis forming the basis of the investigation was a logic model containing five sets of variables selected from relevant literature on emergency/disaster preparedness, training evaluation, and instructional design. One variable set, Organizational Actions, served as the criterion of interest. The other four variables served as predictor variables; these were: a) Exercises Outcomes; b) Exercise Design Features; c) Organizational and Personal Characteristics, and d) Demographic Characteristics. The target exercises selected for investigation and evaluation were a class of discussion-based activities conducted for various audiences of food safety personnel from government, industry, public health, and academia. The four exercise sessions from which participants were selected had occurred between two years and six months previously. There were two stages of data collection—personal interviews to assure data relevance and an online survey. Fourteen participants were interviewed and 47 complete responses were obtained from the survey. Data analysis provided considerable support for assessment tool validity. First, it would appear that discussion-based exercises can have some positive long-term impact on organizational change, a finding that heretofore, has not been demonstrated in the relevant research literature. Second, empirical evidence was found for the logic model, with almost 60% of the variance in the criterion variable accounted for by the other measures. Third, given that the exercises were designed to promote coordination and collaboration across agencies and industry sectors, it was found that by tailoring the exercise to participant backgrounds and designing activities to promote long-term learning, the potential for cross-organizational action can be increased. Other conclusions highlighted specific recommendations that could improve exercise design.

Keywords: exercise evaluation; emergency response coordination; lessons learned; organizational impact
Published Online: 2008-8-7

©2011 Walter de Gruyter GmbH & Co. KG, Berlin/Boston

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https://doi.org/10.2202/1547-7355.1386
Keywords for this article
exercise evaluation; emergency response coordination; lessons learned; organizational impact

Articles in the same Issue

  1. Research Article
  2. Emergency Management: Implications from a Strategic Management Perspective
  3. Understanding Public Confidence in Government to Prevent Terrorist Attacks
  4. Assessing and Prioritizing Critical Assets for the United States Army with a Modified RFRM Methodology
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  6. Observed and Perceived Inconsistencies in U.S. Border Inspections
  7. Classification of Phishers
  8. The Contributions of State Attorneys General to Homeland Security Matters
  9. The Economic Impacts of Dirty Bomb Attacks on the Los Angeles and Long Beach Ports: Applying the Supply-Driven NIEMO (National Interstate Economic Model)
  10. Collaboration and Homeland Security Preparedness: A Survey of U.S. City Managers
  11. Organizational Transformation: Impact of Redesigning the American Red Cross Disaster Services Human Resource System
  12. Planning for Pandemic Influenza: Lessons from the Experiences of Thirteen Indiana Counties
  13. Cost Minimization and Medical Examinations: The Case of Anthrax
  14. Mass Population Displacement under an Unclear Evacuation Policy during the Israel-Lebanon War 2006
  15. Evacuating Large Urban Areas: Challenges for Emergency Management Policies and Concepts
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  20. Longitudinal Evaluation of Food Safety Discussion-Based Exercises: Tool Development and Initial Validation
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