There is no doubt that the first and most fundamental element in any reconstruction process is financing, given that affected areas suffer economic devastation following wars and disasters. However, the question is how can we prioritize these issues in addition to focusing on sustainability? In my opinion, the main priority is to focus on the human element, meaning people, because those who carry out reconstruction operations are trained, competent, and qualified human capital. I believe that the basis for motivating the human element to contribute and participate effectively in reconstruction is to consolidate civil and political freedoms. Evidence of the failure of reconstruction operations in most countries, such as Iraq, Afghanistan, Yemen, Libya, Sudan, and others, is their lack of focus on human capital (corruption and waste of resources).
In my research on digital transformation and institutional change in public sector contexts, especially in structurally weak and rural regions, I emphasize the importance of aligning technological innovation with institutional rebuilding. In post-war and post-disaster settings, reconstruction requires more than physical infrastructure—it demands the restoration of institutional trust, governance capacity, and resilient service delivery systems (Alexander, 2006; Tierney, 2014).
Priorities typically include:
- Rebuilding public administration and essential services, including healthcare, education, and utilities;
- Restoring digital and physical infrastructure to ensure connectivity and economic activity;
- Fostering inclusive governance and civic engagement to rebuild legitimacy and social cohesion;
- Enabling local innovation ecosystems, where municipalities and SMEs can act as agents of bottom-up recovery—echoing findings in my work on institutional isomorphism and digital capability building (Patalon & Wyczisk, 2024).
From a Technology-Organization-Environment (TOE) perspective (Tornatzky & Fleischer, 1990), recovery strategies must consider not only technological feasibility but also organizational readiness and the institutional environment. Long-term resilience, therefore, depends on balancing technocratic solutions with participatory, context-sensitive institutional reforms.
Alexander, D. (2006). Critical infrastructure and resilience: The need for a strategic approach. Disaster Prevention and Management, 15(3), 328–337.
Patalon, A., & Wyczisk, A. (2024). Mapping Digital Transformation of Municipalities through the Lens of Institutional Isomorphism. International Journal on Social and Education Sciences (IJonSES), 6(1), 51–67.
Tierney, K. (2014). The Social Roots of Risk: Producing Disasters, Promoting Resilience. Stanford University Press.
Tornatzky, L. G., & Fleischer, M. (1990). The Processes of Technological Innovation. Lexington Books.
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