**3.2.4 Coding the information**

After getting the collection of sifted literature, the papers are read fully one by one, to abstract the needed information. In order to avoid limiting the approach or excluding relevant literature, we do not apply a pre-defined coding system as in other meta-analysis research, but develop a new system which is flexible enough to be updated throughout the process as new information becomes available.

The coding needs to be done in a way that allows both quantitative and qualitative analysis of the information recorded. Quantitative analysis includes statistical analysis on the numbers and frequencies of certain kinds of information, such as how many times a particular cause of vulnerability is mentioned or how many case studies were conducted in a particular country. Qualitative analysis is aimed at gaining an improved understanding of

A Meta-Analysis Framework and

information will be simplified into vote counting.

conceptual framework.

**Southeast Asia** 

and analyzed.

study area.

Its Application for Exploring the Driving Causes to Social Vulnerability 135

other information. This information and their interrelationships (for example the causeeffect relations) will be categorized and structured according to the philosophy of the

There are 7 sections designed in the coding system: basic information, type of scale of assessment, methodology and data, definition of vulnerability, causes of vulnerability, vulnerability indicators, and recommendations for policy and management. The basic information section is about the literatures themselves, such as the article title, authors' name and disciplines. The causes of vulnerability and recommendations for policy and management sections are the main two sections, in which the list of causes and the recommendations in different scales and levels will be set up. And further analysis on the interactions will also be set up on the basis of these two sections. Other sections are aimed to detect the current situation of vulnerability community itself. Additionally, since the scientific inquiry should remain logical and straightforward(Rosenthal and DiMatteo 2001), and to make the analyzing easier and more accurately, the questions are standardized designed as yes-or-no questions. Then in the later analysis, the statistics of various

**4. Results from a case: Driving causes to vulnerability to coastal hazards in** 

The literature search results in a total of 128 eligible papers. Of these, 120 are scientific articles published in academic journals and 8 are journal editorials or communications. This body of literature is statistically analysed to reveal information on the types of study undertaken, the spatial scale of analysis, country or regional focus, hazard types, disaster

In the analyzing process, vote counting, qualitative analysis and statistical methods are employed. The selected documents are characterized in terms of the disciplinary and geographical affiliations of the authors, their epistemological approaches and methodologies, and the focus of their work within the disaster risk reduction cycle. In 128 selected articles, a total of 336 vulnerability factors and 227 recommendations are identified

• Population dynamics, development, cooperation and power relations, and institutional organization and culture are the most important driving causes to vulnerability in the

• Increase hazard awareness and knowledge, improve early warning systems and evacuation procedures, improve communication and cooperation, and strengthen environmental protection and post-disaster rehabilitation are the most popular

• Limited understanding of vulnerability patterns, recommendations ignoring the most important underlying causes of vulnerability, lack of conceptual frameworks in guiding vulnerability case study analysis, and gaps between assessment, policy and practice are

Also there are several key findings arising from this synthesis on the research communities:

management phase, conceptual approach, and research methodology.

Some of the main findings about the vulnerability are as below:

recommendations to decrease the vulnerability.

the main insufficiencies in existing researches.


the key causes of vulnerability, their complex interactions, and key lessons for vulnerability reduction.

Table 1. Searching strategy for literatures in meta-analysis of vulnerability to coastal hazards

In this study a synchronous way of coding is set up. At the very beginning there are only some basic questions in the coding system. Along with the progress of review, more and more information would be found in the literatures. These "newly" found information will be formatted into a question and added into the coding system and form a new cause to the vulnerability according to some regulation (for example the key words drawing scheme). After going through all the literature, there will be a long but unstructured list of causes and

the key causes of vulnerability, their complex interactions, and key lessons for vulnerability

**steps keywords notes** 

16 Deaths (death rate) Aspects of hazard vulnerability

Table 1. Searching strategy for literatures in meta-analysis of vulnerability to coastal hazards

In this study a synchronous way of coding is set up. At the very beginning there are only some basic questions in the coding system. Along with the progress of review, more and more information would be found in the literatures. These "newly" found information will be formatted into a question and added into the coding system and form a new cause to the vulnerability according to some regulation (for example the key words drawing scheme). After going through all the literature, there will be a long but unstructured list of causes and

1 Coastal disasters Type I:

9 South-east Asia Type II: 10 South Asia Region

15 Loss of life Type 3:

7 Marine-related infectious diseases

8 Combinations of 1-7

14 Any of the countries' name

17 Mortality (mortality rate)

22 Vulnerability (vulnerable)

2 Coastal Floods Type of hazard

reduction.

3 Hurricanes 4 Tsunamis 5 Storm surges 6 Tidal waves

11 East Asia 12 Asia 13 Islands

18 diseases 19 health 20 social 21 impacts

23 Causes 24 Consequences 25 development 26 23+15(or 16 or 17)

27 23+18 28 23+22 29 20+21 30 20+22 31 20+24 32 20+25 other information. This information and their interrelationships (for example the causeeffect relations) will be categorized and structured according to the philosophy of the conceptual framework.

There are 7 sections designed in the coding system: basic information, type of scale of assessment, methodology and data, definition of vulnerability, causes of vulnerability, vulnerability indicators, and recommendations for policy and management. The basic information section is about the literatures themselves, such as the article title, authors' name and disciplines. The causes of vulnerability and recommendations for policy and management sections are the main two sections, in which the list of causes and the recommendations in different scales and levels will be set up. And further analysis on the interactions will also be set up on the basis of these two sections. Other sections are aimed to detect the current situation of vulnerability community itself. Additionally, since the scientific inquiry should remain logical and straightforward(Rosenthal and DiMatteo 2001), and to make the analyzing easier and more accurately, the questions are standardized designed as yes-or-no questions. Then in the later analysis, the statistics of various information will be simplified into vote counting.
