Uses empirical case studies to analyse how organizational failure can lead to human tragedy
Focuses on 'Black Swan' events that are difficult to predict, rather than crisis-prone organisations
Demonstrates how causal analytic processes can trace theory-based inferences
Chapter 1. Introduction: Black Swans and Sinatra Inferences
Chapter 2. Evaporated Responsibility: The Collapse of the West Gate Bridge in Melbourne 1970
Chapter 3. Intended Ignorance: The Collapse of the I-35W Mississippi River Bridge 2007
Chapter 4. Erosion of Professional Integrity: The Collapse of the Canterbury TV Building in Christchurch on 22 February 2011
Chapter 5. Politicization of the Non-Politicizable: The Collapse of the Ice Skating Rink in Bad Reichenhall 2006
Chapter 6. Conclusion: Strategic Learning and Situational High Reliability
This book is about mismanagement of public agencies as a threat to life and limb. Collapsing bridges and buildings kill people and often leave many more injured. Such disasters do not happen out of the blue nor are they purely technical in nature since construction and maintenance are subject to safety regulation and enforcement by governmental agencies. This book analyses four relevant cases from Australia, New Zealand, the USA and Germany. Arguing that, while preventing disaster through public oversight is essentially easy, the difficult part for public officials and private contractors and consultants alike is to resist incentives that threaten professional skills and standards. Rather than stressing well-known pathologies of bureaucracy as a potential source of disaster, this book argues, learning for the sake of prevention should aim at neutralizing threats to integrity and strengthening a sense of responsibility among public officials.
Wolfgang Seibel is Professor of Politics and Public Administration at the University of Konstanz, and an Adjunct Professor of Public Administration at the Hertie School in Berlin, Germany. His new book is an outcome of the research project "Black Swans in Public Administration: Rare Organizational Failure with Severe Consequences” funded by the German Research Foundation (DFG).
This open access book is about mismanagement of public agencies as a threat to life and limb. Arguing that, while preventing disaster through public oversight is essentially easy, the difficult part for public officials and private contractors and consultants alike is to resist incentives that threaten professional skills and standards.
This open access book is about mismanagement of public agencies as a threat to life and limb. Collapsing bridges and buildings kill people and often leave many more injured. Such disasters do not happen out of the blue nor are they purely technical in nature since construction and maintenance are subject to safety regulation and enforcement by governmental agencies. This book analyses four relevant cases from Australia, New Zealand, the USA and Germany. Arguing that, while preventing disaster through public oversight is essentially easy, the difficult part for public officials and private contractors and consultants alike is to resist incentives that threaten professional skills and standards. Rather than stressing well-known pathologies of bureaucracy as a potential source of disaster, this book argues, learning for the sake of prevention should aim at neutralizing threats to integrity and strengthening a sense of responsibility among public officials.
1. Introduction: Black Swans and Sinatra Inferences.- 2. Evaporated Responsibility: The Collapse of the West Gate Bridge in Melbourne on 15 October 1970.- 3. Intended Ignorance: The Collapse of the I-35 W Mississippi River Bridge on 1 August 2007.- 4. Erosion of Professional Integrity: The Collapse of the Canterbury TV Building in Christchurch on 22 February 2011.- 5. Politicization of the Non-Politicizable: The Collapse of the Ice Skating Rink in Bad Reichenhall on 2 January 2006.- 6. Conclusion: Strategic Learning and Situational High Reliability.
Wolfgang Seibel is Professor of Politics and Public Administration at the University of Konstanz, and an Adjunct Professor of Public Administration at the Hertie School in Berlin, Germany. His new book is an outcome of the research project "Black Swans in Public Administration: Rare Organizational Failure with Severe Consequences" funded by the German Research Foundation (DFG).
Über den Autor
Wolfgang Seibel is Professor of Politics and Public Administration at the University of Konstanz, and an Adjunct Professor of Public Administration at the Hertie School in Berlin, Germany. His new book is an outcome of the research project "Black Swans in Public Administration: Rare Organizational Failure with Severe Consequences" funded by the German Research Foundation (DFG).
Inhaltsverzeichnis
1. Introduction: Black Swans and Sinatra Inferences.- 2. Evaporated Responsibility: The Collapse of the West Gate Bridge in Melbourne on 15 October 1970.- 3. Intended Ignorance: The Collapse of the I-35 W Mississippi River Bridge on 1 August 2007.- 4. Erosion of Professional Integrity: The Collapse of the Canterbury TV Building in Christchurch on 22 February 2011.- 5. Politicization of the Non-Politicizable: The Collapse of the Ice Skating Rink in Bad Reichenhall on 2 January 2006.- 6. Conclusion: Strategic Learning and Situational High Reliability.
Klappentext
This open access book is about mismanagement of public agencies as a threat to life and limb. Collapsing bridges and buildings kill people and often leave many more injured. Such disasters do not happen out of the blue nor are they purely technical in nature since construction and maintenance are subject to safety regulation and enforcement by governmental agencies. This book analyses four relevant cases from Australia, New Zealand, the USA and Germany. Arguing that, while preventing disaster through public oversight is essentially easy, the difficult part for public officials and private contractors and consultants alike is to resist incentives that threaten professional skills and standards. Rather than stressing well-known pathologies of bureaucracy as a potential source of disaster, this book argues, learning for the sake of prevention should aim at neutralizing threats to integrity and strengthening a sense of responsibility among public officials.
This book is open access, which means that you have free and unlimited access.
Uses empirical case studies to analyse how organizational failure can lead to human tragedy
Focuses on 'Black Swan' events that are difficult to predict, rather than crisis-prone organisations
Demonstrates how causal analytic processes can trace theory-based inferences
