The Contribution of Organizational Design to Safety

Current research suggests that the time is right to assess the broader effects of the costs (human, social, economic…) induced by alternative organizational designs. A new perspective on phenomena like “Normalization of Deviance” or “Necessary Violations” would enable both the human and organizational factor specialists and managers of these organizations to better understand the conditions which generate deviations. This in turn could clarify the contribution of organizational design to safety (and safety failure). Research experience in the civil nuclear industry will be used to develop this approach.