Ready on Paper? Functionality of Disaster Preparedness Strategies for Service Continuity at Julius Nyerere International Airport, Tanzania

Abstract Purpose: This study assessed the functionality of existing disaster preparedness strategies, namely early warning systems and resource preparedness, for maintaining service continuity at Julius Nyerere International Airport (JNIA), Tanzania’s busiest aviation hub. Design/methodology/approach: A mixed-methods, cross-sectional descriptive design guided by High Reliability Theory, the Resource-Based View and Crisis Management Theory was used. Questionnaires were completed by 187 respondents, including Tanzania Airports Authority managers, air traffic controllers, security, fire and rescue and operational staff and frequent passengers, and 14 key informants were interviewed. Incident reports, safety committee minutes and policy documents were reviewed. Data were analysed using descriptive statistics and thematic analysis. Findings: Early warning systems were moderately effective (M = 3.39): radar and communication redundancy (M = 3.46) and scheduled testing (M = 3.44) were rated high, but simultaneous alert dissemination (M = 3.35), failure logging (M = 3.35) and backup communication (M = 3.32) lagged. Resource preparedness was the weakest construct (M = 3.06), with dedicated and consistently disbursed budget lines rated lowest of all items (M = 2.99). Interviews revealed postponed testing, fragile backup communications, deferred maintenance and recurring causes of incidents seven years apart. Research limitations/implications: Findings rely partly on self-reported perceptions at a single airport and on documents released by aviation authorities. Practical implications: JNIA preparedness is partially functional but structurally fragile; ring-fenced budgets, protected testing schedules, resilient backup communications and enforced closure of incident recommendations are required.