Organizational Problems: Potential Causes and Unintentional Consequences — Some Personal Views

Malcolm Jones

doi:10.56094/jss.v53i2.92

Authors

Malcolm Jones Atomic Weapons Establishment (AWE)

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.56094/jss.v53i2.92

Keywords:

organization, system safety, process, root cause, knowledge management

Abstract

It is not uncommon today for companies to suffer a range of program difficulties, which broadly lie under the headings of “lack of efficiency,” “schedules moving to the right,” “cost overruns” and “having to repair past poor decisions.” Although senior management may appear to be well aware of these problems and their consequences, inherent difficulties in rectifying these problems exist. Often, responses are more directed to corrective action and damage limitations rather than assessing what is wrong at a fundamental level. Of course, most — if not all — safety mishaps can be associated with technical or human faults. However, it is also generally accepted that these are not the root-cause reasons for mishaps but rather, a result of faults higher up in the organization’s structure.

Author Biography

Malcolm Jones, Atomic Weapons Establishment (AWE)

Malcolm Jones has previously led the Distinguished Scientists group at the Atomic Weapons Establishment (AWE). He currently holds the position of Scientific Adviser to AWE’s Chief Scientist and directly supports AWE’s Chief of Product Assurance. His career at AWE has taken him through a wide range of scientific and engineering topics, but he has maintained a continuous association with nuclear weapon design and process safety and top-level nuclear safety standards. His interests extend to corporate safety cultures and the root-cause reasons for failures. He is a Fellow of the International System Safety Society and is an adviser to a number of senior U.K. Ministry of Defence and AWE safety bodies. He has been awarded an MBE in the Queen’s Birthday Honours List for contributions to the U.K. defense industry and is a recipient of the John Challens’ Medal, which is AWE’s highest award for lifetime contributions to science, engineering and technology. He has also been honored by VNIIA in the Russian Federation for his work in fostering nuclear weapon safety collaboration between the U.K. and the R.F.