Multi-actor cooperation for emergency supply support: a simulation of behavior diffusion based on social networks

The phenomenon of emergency social cooperation in disasters can hardly be separated from social networks based on relationships and actors. To explore the diffusion of cooperative behavior in the context of emergency supply support in social networks, we developed a dual-layer model featuring diverse actors. Diffusion processes for cooperation decisions were proposed by considering the learning mechanism associated with social relationships. Finally, using a small-scale case, the validity of the model was illustrated, and the roles played by regulatory measures and actors' heterogeneity in the diffusion of emergency cooperation were analyzed. The results show that both regulatory rewards and punishments are effective in increasing emergency cooperation and that an appropriate level of intensity is especially critical. When effective measures are promoted, private organizations gradually exhibit their advantages in the diffusion of cooperation, thus relieving the emergency burden on the government. This study demonstrates the role of networks in the cooperation diffusion and contributes to our understanding of policies and strategies aimed at promoting mobilization and cooperation in the context of emergency supply support.