Date of Conferral

2020

Degree

Ph.D.

School

Public Policy and Administration

Advisor

Gregory Campbell

Abstract

Flooding is a severe threat to livelihoods and socioeconomic development in Ogbaru riverine communities of Anambra State, Nigeria. Limited success in the traditional approach of using predominantly structural measures, such as flood channels, to manage floods makes it imperative to explore nonstructural resilience initiatives that would potentially better protect vulnerable flood-prone communities. This study contributes to addressing the problems of ineffective flood management by developing vital social responsibility (SR) data and information that can enhance community flood resilience through individual and collective responsibilities for resilient action. The purpose of this quantitative correlational study was to explore SR perceptions of flood resilience and their relationships with sociodemographic factors of gender, flood experience, age, and educational attainment. The theoretical frameworks were the protective action decision model and the punctuated equilibrium theory. The snowball sampling method was used to recruit 120 participants who were members of Ogbaru communities and the telephone survey method used for data collection. Statistical analysis indicated that postsecondary and secondary education were the strongest predictors of SR perception, followed by age groups of 35 years and above. The findings imply that demographies that were weak predictors would benefit from targeted flood-related educational programs that will promote resilient-enhancing behaviors. The study will potentially enable the development of integrated and sustainable flood management and may also strengthen institutional capacity for effective flood policies. It will also lead to social change by enhancing the livelihood sustenance and sociocultural well-being of the community members.

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