The main purpose of this thesis is to increase knowledge about the conditions for developing consensus and establish a common understanding of synergy-effects, a surplus value, for knowledge meetings between individuals from different organizations when they cooperate in the emergency management system. The study seeks to understand to the following questions: 

1) What images and ideas do participants bring into the coordination group about societal crisis, how have they developed and changed?

2) How do the participants act when they have different pictures and meet? 

3) Can the basic ideas of the research circle be used for knowledge building at knowledge meetings in the emergency management-system? 

4) Can the basic ideas of the research circle be used to develop consensus and establish a common understanding of synergy-effects before societal crises happen?