Social innovation to address power asymmetry in cross-sector partnerships: a two-mode social network analysis

Purpose Managing natural disasters in developing countries is a crucial societal concern. Communities are attempting to address this issue through network formation and cross-sector partnerships. However, a systematic analysis of disaster management-related organizations and the role of social innovation in facilitating their relationships has been neglected. This paper aims to review power asymmetry in cross-sector partnerships For natural disaster management and mitigation using “social innovation.” Design/methodology/approach To achieve the goal of this research through a case study, this paper has developed a two-mode social network model using semistructured interviews and Gephi software to review organizations’ access to disaster management-related resources. This paper identified influential organizations regarding resource access. Following this, this paper facilitated interactions among these organizations through a social innovation initiative. Finally, this paper analyzed the level of interactions before and after the intervention using paired sample tests. Findings Based on the empirical results, this paper demonstrated that expanding interactions among organizations within a CSP network, as a form of social innovation intervention, can enhance resource sharing and decrease power asymmetry. Eliminating these power asymmetries improves the network’s overall performance, leading to increased resilience. Originality/value This study significantly contributes to the literature by addressing the challenges of power asymmetry in CSP networks with social innovation intervention for enhancing natural disaster resilience.