Citation

Lister S. Disasters 2001; 25(1): 36-47.

Affiliation

Centre for Civil Society, Department of Social Policy, London School of Economics. slister@bigfoot.com

Copyright

(Copyright © 2001, John Wiley and Sons)

DOI

unavailable

PMID

11244644

Abstract

This article examines research on NGO 'scaling-up' in a disaster context and links it to a broader discussion on whether scaling-up is a useful concept for understanding NGO processes in an emergency. Using concepts of scaling-up from development literature, research findings from a study of the responses of British NGOs to Hurricane Mitch in Central America are presented. The article assesses the extent and type of scaling-up that occurred, constraints faced by the agencies and the impact of scaling-up on support to partners. Broader issues relating to scaling-up post-Mitch are also explored. The conclusion suggests that while the concept of scaling-up is useful, the tendency for its use to refer to organisational growth has limited a wider understanding and evaluation of the role of Northern NGOs in humanitarian crises.

Language: en