
Spontaneous Venturing
An Entrepreneurial Approach to Alleviating Suffering in the Aftermath of a Disaster
MIT Press
Published on 15. January 2019
Book
Hardback
232 pages
978-0-262-03887-4 (ISBN)
Description
Identifying a new approach to disaster response: spontaneous, compassionate, and impromptu actions to alleviate suffering.In Spontaneous Venturing, Dean Shepherd and Trenton Williams identify and describe a new approach for responding to disaster and suffering: the local organizing of spontaneous, compassionate, and impromptu actions-the rapid emergence of a compassionate venture. This approach, termed by the authors "spontaneous venturing," can be more effective than the traditional "command-and-control" methods of large disaster relief organizations. It can customize and target resources and deliver them quickly, helping victims almost immediately. For example, during the catastrophic 2009 bushfires in Victoria, Australia-the focal disaster for the book-residents organized an impromptu relief center that collected and distributed urgently needed goods without red tape. Special bonds and friendships formed among the volunteers and victims; some were both volunteer and victim. Many victims were able to mobilize resources despite considerable personal losses.Shepherd and Williams describe the lasting impact of disaster and tell the stories of Victoria residents who organized in the aftermath of the bushfires. They consider the limitations of traditional disaster relief efforts and explain that when victims take action to help others, they develop behavioral, emotional, and assumptive resilience; venturing leads to social interaction, community connections, and other positive outcomes. Finally, they explore spontaneous venturing in a less-developed country, investigating the activities of Haitians after the devastating 2010 earthquake. The lesson for communities hit by disaster: find opportunities for compassionate action.
More details
Series
Language
English
Place of publication
Cambridge
United States
Publishing group
MIT Press Ltd
Target group
Professional and scholarly
Interest Age: From 18 years
Product notice
Cloth over boards
Illustrations
6 figures
Dimensions
Height: 229 mm
Width: 152 mm
Thickness: 19 mm
ISBN-13
978-0-262-03887-4 (9780262038874)
Copyright in bibliographic data and cover images is held by Nielsen Book Services Limited or by the publishers or by their respective licensors: all rights reserved.
Schweitzer Classification
Other editions
Additional editions

Dean A. Shepherd | Trenton A. Williams
Spontaneous Venturing
An Entrepreneurial Approach to Alleviating Suffering in the Aftermath of a Disaster
E-Book
01/2019
MIT Press
€33.99
Available for download
Persons
Author
Ray and Milann Siegfried Professor of EntrepreneurshipUniversity of Notre Dame
Assistant Professor of EntrepreneurshipSyracuse University