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Uneven distribution and mistarget beneficiaries are among problems encountered during post-disaster relief operations in 2010 Mount Merapi eruption. The purpose of this paper is to develop an empirically founded agent-based simulation model addressing the evacuation dynamics and to explore coordination mechanism and other promising strategies during last-mile relief delivery.

An agent-based model which was specified and parameterized by empirical research (interviews and survey) was developed to understand the mechanism of individual decision making underlying the evacuation dynamics. A set of model testing was conducted to evaluate confidence level of the model in representing the evacuation dynamics during post-disaster of 2010 Mount Merapi eruption. Three scenarios of last-mile relief delivery at both strategic and operational levels were examined to evaluate quantitatively the effectiveness of the coordination mechanism and to explore other promising strategies.

Results indicate that the empirically founded agent-based modeling was able to reproduce the general pattern of observable Internal Displaced Persons based on government records, both at micro and macro levels, with a statistically non-significant difference. Low hazard perception and leader-following behavior which refuses to evacuate are the two factors responsible for late evacuation. Unsurprisingly, coordination through information sharing results in better performance than without coordination. To deal with both uneven distribution and long-term demand fulfillment, coordination among volunteers during aid distribution (at downstream operation) is not sufficient. The downstream coordination should also be accompanied with coordination between aid centers at the upstream operation. Furthermore, the coordination which is combined with other operational strategies, such as clustering strategy, using small-sized trucks and pre-positioning strategy, seems to be promising. It appears that the combined strategy of coordination and clustering strategy performs best among other combined strategies.

The significant role of early evacuation and self-evacuation behavior toward efficient evacuation indicates that human factor (i.e. hazard perception and cultural factor) should be considered in designing evacuation plan. Early warning system through both technology and community empowerment is necessary to support early evacuation. The early warning system should also be accompanied with at least 69 percent of the population performing self-evacuation behavior for the effective evacuation. As information sharing through coordination is necessary to avoid redundant efforts, uneven distribution and eventually to reduce unmet demand, the government can act as a coordinating actor to authorize the operation and mobilize the resources. The combination of coordination and another strategy reducing lead time such as clustering analysis, thus increasing responsiveness, is seemly strategy for efficient and effective last-mile relief distribution.

Literature on coordination is dominated by qualitative approach, which is difficult to evaluate its effectiveness quantitatively. Providing realistic setting of the evacuation dynamics in the course of the 2010 Mount Merapi eruption, the empirically founded agent-based model can be used to understand the factors influencing the evacuation dynamics and subsequently to quantitatively examine coordination mechanisms and other potential strategies toward efficient and effective last-mile relief distribution.

The purpose of this paper is to consider the leader-following formation control problem for nonholonomic vehicles based on a novel biologically inspired neurodynamics approach.

The interactions among the networked multi-vehicle system is modeled by an undirected graph. First, a distributed estimation law is proposed for each follower vehicle to estimate the state including the position, orientation and linear velocity of the leader. Then, a distributed formation tracking control law is designed based on the estimated state of the leader, where a bio-inspired neural dynamic is introduced to solve the impractical velocity jumps problem. Explicit stability and convergence analyses are presented using Lyapunov tools.

The effectiveness and efficiency of the proposed control law are demonstrated by numerical simulations and physical vehicle experiments. Consequently, the proposed protocol can successfully achieve the desired formation under connected topologies while tracking the trajectory generated by the leader.

This paper proposes a neurodynamics-based leader–follower formation tracking algorithm for multiple nonholonomic vehicles.

This paper aims to provide a new approach to address the problem of reaching the synchronous speed in the network connected multiple motors.

Practically, all the control approaches require continuous monitoring of the system thereby consuming extra energy. The method proposed in this paper uses an event-based approach with the multi-agent system (MAS) consensus control alongside with linear quadratic regulator control, thus saving a larger amount of energy. The proposed system is developed by using non-inverting buck boost chopper to provide necessary electrical power for the direct current motor, hence creating a single agent of bigger MAS with identical dynamics. The system stability is formulated by using Lyapunov stability theory. The proposed system is simulated via MATLAB.

The acquired simulated results validate that the proposed methodology and the multi-motor system worked successfully, thereby achieving common speed, i.e. consensus. The proposed system also validates the energy-saving concept.

Presently, the multiple motor synchronous speed system found application in paper-making machines, textile printing machines, offset printing, etc. The proposed study will contribute greatly to the existing methodologies and overcome their deficiencies by making the system more flexible and error-free due to the presence of network connectivity.

The system is simulated to verify theoretical concepts.

Under the matrimonial system found in Minangkabau, West Sumatra, when a baby boy is born he is given a name eg Kasim. When he grows up and marries, he is given an after‐marriage name termed a Sutan Mudo. (Sutan = Sultan and Mudo = Young). This new name indicates that he is now an adult. His in‐laws use only his after‐marriage name, whilst the older relatives on his mother's side can still use his first name. After‐marriage names also indicate the position in the clan eg the name of an expert in religion usually begins with Tuangku. A leader is known as Datuak. If say a Sutan is appointed as a leader, following the death of such a person, he will henceforth be called Datuak. The Minangkabaus sum it up by saying Keteck Hanamo, Gadang Bagala — children have names, adults have titles.

This study seeks to: involve team members in part of the actual design of training for their own team leaders; improve team leader knowledge and skills; and demonstrate the use of skill charting (SC) for learning and performance improvement.

Using focus groups of team members and q‐sort methodology we were able to have team members identify practical performance elements regarding the behavior of their team leaders. Integrating these performance elements into the training design for team leaders and using SC as a training tool, we were able to compare two groups of team leaders: one group (the study group) whose training focused, specifically, on the team‐generated performance elements and another group (the traditional group) whose training was focused on general, team leader performance elements.

In the perceptions of the team members, the S group team leaders, following training, performed more effectively regarding: response time, positive reinforcement, and focus on desired behavior of team members, than did the T group team leaders. Mean scores of ratings of performance were higher for S group team leaders than T group team leaders on all variables save one.

Owing to the nature of SC training, sample sizes could not be large; that is, sample sizes could not exceed 35 participants per each condition. Statistical tests are thus influenced. Other limitations involve the obvious time gap between actual training and the subsequent changes in behavior and performance. The study does offer considerable support to other research that makes use of SC training tools.

The activities undertaken in the study serve to involve team members, recognize their knowledge and skill, and empower them via decision making and personal recognition.

This study points to ways to involve team members directly in performance improvement and learning.

The purpose of this paper is to examine the role played by sport organizations in the community recovery efforts in Boston following the 2013 marathon bombings.

Interview questions were created following initial site visits and content analysis of 40 media reports specifically dealing with social recovery efforts following the attacks. Six semi-structured interviews with professional team and organizational leaders were completed and analyzed to gain insight into the leader’s perspectives of the relief process. Finally, the media reports and interviews were reviewed and specific recovery efforts were classified into tangible, emotional, or informational support categories.

The findings of this case study are specific to the disaster relief efforts in Boston, Massachusetts following the 2013 marathon bombings and therefore cannot be generalized beyond this scope. This paper provided focussed analysis of the reactions of several Boston area sport organizations during the immediate disaster recovery period. The long-term impacts of these efforts require further investigation.

The examination of the viewpoints of the sport organization leaders following the disaster may provide insight for other sport organization leaders and civic officials as they prepare for future challenges.

This paper provides a detailed examination of several sport organizations responses following the community disaster in Boston. It also provides unique perspectives from the sport organization leaders.

The purpose of this paper is to explore how leadership can better respond to a crisis. It aims to integrate ideas from existentialism into a discussion of how leadership could develop and provoke debate.

A review of the literature on leadership, crisis management and existentialism was adopted for the preferred research methodology.

This paper identified a gap in the literature on leadership in an exigency and offered an alternative to the technical-rationalist conceptions of leadership behaviour.

Reference is made to the benefits of counselling for leaders following a crisis.

This paper is an original contribution to the work on leadership. Through the concept of exige-stential leadership, this paper integrates ideas taken from existentialist philosophy, to provide a new way of conceptualising leadership in an exigency.