  Desirable system performance in the face of threats and disruptions has been
characterized by various management concepts. Through semi-structured
interviews with editors of journals in the fields of emergency response and
systems management, a literature review, and professional judgment, we
identified nine related and often interchangeably-used system performance
concepts: adaptability, agility, reliability, resilience, resistance,
robustness, safety, security, and sustainability. We analysed expert responses
and reviewed the linguistic definitions and mathematical framing of these
concepts to understand their applications. We found a lack of consensus on
their usage between interview subjects, but using a mathematical framing
enriched the linguistic definitions and enabled formulating comparative
visualizations and system-specific definitions for the concepts. We propose a
conceptual framing to relate the concepts for management purposes. A better
understanding of these concepts will allow system planners to pursue management
strategies best suited to their unique system dynamics and specific objectives
of 'goodness' that all these concepts bring.
