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Revisiting the issue of power in safety research

Abstract

This chapter reviews some of the literature, discuss the contributions of power-oriented approaches in safety science, and delineate some of the future challenges for power-oriented safety research. In 2009, Antonsen published an article called ‘Safety Culture and the Issue of Power’ in Safety Science. The dilemma between safety as an individual or collective phenomenon has been a troublesome issue for research on safety culture in particular. ‘Boundary processes’ refers to the meetings between cultural units and the way in which different frames of reference, areas of expertise, language and method conventions all influence the way ill-structured matters of safety and security are dealt with. Power is also a topic for research on safety regulation. Power distance refers to ‘perceptions of the superior’s style of ­decision-­making and of colleagues’ fear to disagree with superiors, and with the type of decision-making which subordinates prefer in their boss’.

Category

Academic chapter

Language

English

Author(s)

  • Stian Antonsen
  • Petter Grytten Almklov

Affiliation

  • SINTEF Digital / Software Engineering, Safety and Security
  • Norwegian University of Science and Technology
  • NTNU Social Research

Year

2019

Publisher

CRC Press

Book

Safety Science Research.Evolution, Challenges and New Directions

ISBN

9781351190237

Page(s)

87 - 102

View this publication at Norwegian Research Information Repository