Introduction

Given the growth in variety and scope of computer-based tools developed this century to understand and manage crises, it may be somewhat perplexing that our recent track record in crisis mitigation and disaster management is decidedly mixed. This is partly explained by the implementation gap accompanying any complex evolving technology, but it goes beyond that. In particular, the promise of higher level fusion technology has not yet been widely realized outside the military and security domains. The principal goals of this volume are to explore this gap, identify strengths and weaknesses of existing theory and technology, and suggest the most promising avenues for future research and development. In this introductory chapter, the set of issues binding high level fusion and crisis management will be identified, and some recent disaster case studies discussed. These topics will be further developed in the chapters to follow.