Abstract Traditionally, the twin topics of safety and security have been addressed as discrete an... more Abstract Traditionally, the twin topics of safety and security have been addressed as discrete and separate entities at government, corporate and professional levels. This conceptual separation into de facto silos, typically reinforced by legislative boundaries as well as by practical issues, professional interests and dominant experience, has led to security in its broadest sense being addressed differently and by different functions, disciplines, protocols, and outlooks than those dealing with safety and health. A consequence of this separateness has been that various impacts on both public and occupational safety-and-health from key areas of security threats, for example global warming consequences, terrorism, radicalization, hate crimes, white collar crime, cyber-crime, economic crime, and trafficking, frequently have been overlooked. These developing security risks have an impact on infrastructure as well as the general public, the occupational environment and the employee (Nilsen et al., 2017). This article reviews the main factors linking ‘safety’ and ‘security’, their interfaces and interactions, and considers implications for both public and corporate policy in required responses to safety and security issues. The article concludes that greater integration of ‘safety’ and ‘security’ is warranted in theoretical, empirical, policy, and practitioner, evaluations and programs, at both state and corporate levels.
This book is both compelling and frightening in the case material it explores and the learning po... more This book is both compelling and frightening in the case material it explores and the learning points it provokes for the thoughtful and reflective reader. The material presented is of immediate relevance to those at the top of our corporate bodies accountable for prudent and responsible corporate management and covers cases from many sectors of corporate and governmental activity from around the world ranging from BP's Deepwater Horizon explosion to the production of fake and counterfeit drugs. 'Corporate Risk and Governance' is what the author describes as a 'thinking aid' rather than an attempt at offering a prescription for corporate risk management success. Its 15 chapters are organised around (i) enterprise risk management and corporate governance, (ii) corporate due diligence, (iii) fraud, corruption and organised crime, (iv) intellectual property and product risks and (v) man-made disasters. The author, with 35 years experience in risk management, is well placed to offer perspectives on such matters having been intimately involved in a number of the cases he profiles in this interesting and informative book. He uses the case material to chart abuses of trust, failures of due diligence, corporate corruption and fraud within the corridors of power and highlights how organisations can inculcate cultures that nurture risky, irresponsible and neglectful behaviour. What becomes apparent is the relative absence of robust, cogent and effective risk management systems within corporate life in general. Such a deficit leaves brands and corporate reputations at risk of the fall-out, should they become tainted by corporate fraud, environment safety disasters, product safety, financial mismanagement and adverse political comments. At the personal level, it poses risks to the health and well-being of the consumer, customers and employees. The debate between self-regulation versus compliance is explored as is the need for the construction of corporate risk architectures that are transparent enough to trigger danger signals while sufficiently opaque to protect commercial advantage and maintain an organisation's institutional integrity. The evasion of corporate responsibility, cultures of self-interest, functional incompetence, political intrigue and criminal activity variously feature as key factors in the rich array of the cases presented. Dr Waring notes how ethical issues pervade and underpin many risk management failures and it is perhaps this potential for the 'corruption of spirit'and the
This chapter first summarises the evolution of radical-right authoritarianism in the 21 st centur... more This chapter first summarises the evolution of radical-right authoritarianism in the 21 st century and its dissimulating character, seeking to align with larger established mainstream/centrist political parties and even to attempts to persuade them to enter into formal coalition. Such backdoor empowerment tactics have achieved modest success in Austria and Italy and are likely to be a continuing feature of radical-right politics generally. These tactics and overall ideological thrust are then examined in the light of growing synergies between the corporate and radical-right political worlds. Profiles are presented of wealthy corporate leaders, foundations and other committed intermediaries who have donated vast sums of money to radical-right causes, and many of whom have also been more actively involved in advancing radical-right ideology. The potential for harm to democracy and to society by the application of such 'dark money' is addressed. The impact of authoritarian reductionism on a number of risks and related matters is analysed.
Established justifications for the occupational safety & health (OSH) proposition, namely (a) mor... more Established justifications for the occupational safety & health (OSH) proposition, namely (a) moral and humanitarian, (b) legal and regulatory, (c) economic, financial, and 'business case', and (d) risk management and corporate governance, are reviewed. OSH as a human right is also considered as a potential fifth justification. These justification pillars are further considered in the context of authoritarian, and especially Alt-Right, sociopolitical climates that continue to become more prominent and permanent across Western societies. The article concludes that ultra-conservative or Alt-Right influences may severely compromise the OSH proposition to an extent that OSH advances and benefits developed over the past 200 years may be reversed.
A number of common underlying factors in the development of human-created disasters, as cited in ... more A number of common underlying factors in the development of human-created disasters, as cited in numerous official inquiry reports, encompass in particular, safety management system defects and weaknesses in an organization's safety culture. Human factors such as faulty risk cognition, bounded rationality, groupthink, failure of foresight and organizational learning, suspect motivations, reactive attitudes, and inappropriate risk decision-making, are commonly associated characteristics of such shortcomings. This article summarizes and discusses underlying managerial and non-technical factors in human-created major hazard accidents in the light of theories of accident causation, findings from disaster inquiries and published research, and the systemic holism-versus-reductionism debate. Ideally, all site operators would know and understand disaster aetiology and preventive requirements and be motivated to enact them. However, there is sufficient empirical evidence from inquiry reports into major hazard incidents and disasters that idealized enactment rarely occurs and in many cases safety policy and strategy as enacted is distant from espoused safety policy and strategy. Research questions relating to board level thinking and actions on major hazard risks are posited and a proposal for a more holistic and potentially more effective major hazard safety research framework is put forward.
On the 11 July 2011, a quantity of mixed munitions and explosives stored unsafely at the Mari Nav... more On the 11 July 2011, a quantity of mixed munitions and explosives stored unsafely at the Mari Naval Base in Cyprus exploded. A total of 13 people were killed. The Vassilikos power station, operated as the island’s main power station which is adjacent to the Mari site, was virtually destroyed thereby knocking out 60 per cent of the country’s electricity supply. Sixty-eight people were recorded as receiving injuries and there was significant property damage to homes and businesses over a radius of several kilometres. The explosion had a dramatic impact on business activity, employment and the functioning of the public sector, to the extent that it accelerated the economy’s fall into recession. The disaster presents a sobering case of the mismanagement of man-made major hazards which was accentuated by incompetence, political intrigue, evasion of responsibility and a culture of perceived self-interest taking precedence over the objective requirements of public protection when it came to decision-making and action prior to the explosion.
This chapter first summarises the evolution of radical-right authoritarianism in the 21 st centur... more This chapter first summarises the evolution of radical-right authoritarianism in the 21 st century and its dissimulating character, seeking to align with larger established mainstream/centrist political parties and even to attempts to persuade them to enter into formal coalition. Such backdoor empowerment tactics have achieved modest success in Austria and Italy and are likely to be a continuing feature of radicalright politics generally. These tactics and overall ideological thrust are then examined in the light of growing synergies between the corporate and radical-right political worlds. Profiles are presented of wealthy corporate leaders, foundations and other committed intermediaries who have donated vast sums of money to radical-right causes, and many of whom have also been more actively involved in advancing radical-right ideology. The potential for harm to democracy and to society by the application of such 'dark money' is addressed. The impact of authoritarian reductionism on a number of risks and related matters is analysed.
This final chapter identifies and evaluates five principal categories of potential strategies for... more This final chapter identifies and evaluates five principal categories of potential strategies for combatting the threat from corporate/radicalright authoritarianism and from the fusion of mutual interests and 'dark money': legislative, regulatory and judicial; Internet, social media and related; organisational, professional and peer-group; political and economic; and grassroots action. Education as a strategy is subsumed within the 'organisational, professional and peer-group' and 'grassroots' categories. The five categories are not mutually-exclusive and, applied in combination, offer a more credible response to the overall threat than any one of them in isolation. The protective role of altruism is also discussed. Reference is made to the phenomenon of conspiracy theories, as used by radical-right interests as a weapon and discussed in depth in chapter 9. As with Volumes 1 and 2, this final chapter concludes that the essence of the overall approach recommended to combat authoritarianism is one of 'muscular moderation', so as to supplement the quiet laissez-faire tolerance of the moderate majority.
This chapter draws together all the preceding content to consider potential scenarios for how the... more This chapter draws together all the preceding content to consider potential scenarios for how the new corporate/radical-right symbiosis may unfold, and makes a prognosis for the most likely outcomes. In proceeding towards a prognosis, authoritarian attitudes and behaviour of some corporate leaders and of collective managements within some corporations need to be examined with caution in order to avoid inadvertently conflating distinct categories. Contexts affecting a prognosis include historical factors as well as those of a more recent and current character, such as the Covid-19 pandemic, laissez-faire policies of Internet and social media platform companies towards radicalright hate mongering and fake propaganda by users, and radical-right reactivity towards weakened US exceptionalism and Trump's re-election defeat. Of four major potential scenarios, the author concludes that (on present data) the most likely in the short-to medium-term is either a gradual or a crisis-driven rapid harshening of the present authoritarian climate in national governance and corporate conduct.
This chapter examines the authoritarian characteristics of some corporations and their leaders, d... more This chapter examines the authoritarian characteristics of some corporations and their leaders, describing how such characteristics are typically harmful to such parties as customers, employees, contractors and to society more broadly, for example corporate abuses of product safety and of Covid-19 protection rules. Case study examples from some industry sectors are described. The chapter includes an analysis of similarities and overlaps between corporate authoritarianism and radical-right authoritarianism. In contrast to pejorative critiques of corporate authoritarianism, elite deviance, and wrongdoing (e.g.
This chapter examines the phenomenon of conspiracy theories disseminated by radical-right sources... more This chapter examines the phenomenon of conspiracy theories disseminated by radical-right sources and agents and, further, the role of corporations in such dissemination. Account is taken of the comprehensive review of the conspiracy theories phenomenon by Douglas et al (2019), along with studies such as Amarasingam and Argentino (2020) on the QAnon radical-right conspiracy cult. The parsimony test and the causation test are discussed in relation to evaluating the validity of a conspiracy theory. Various kinds of potential harm caused by conspiracy theories are considered. In addition to radical-right conspiracy theorists, the motives and activities of two categories of corporate colluder are examined: ideological supporters and commercial opportunists. Among the latter are major online platform operators, most of which have been very reluctant to self-regulate and thereby control, curb or ban extremist content emanating from the radical right, including harmful fake conspiracy allegations. Methods for neutralising fake conspiracy theories are summarised. Risks to various parties are systematically identified.
Abstract Traditionally, the twin topics of safety and security have been addressed as discrete an... more Abstract Traditionally, the twin topics of safety and security have been addressed as discrete and separate entities at government, corporate and professional levels. This conceptual separation into de facto silos, typically reinforced by legislative boundaries as well as by practical issues, professional interests and dominant experience, has led to security in its broadest sense being addressed differently and by different functions, disciplines, protocols, and outlooks than those dealing with safety and health. A consequence of this separateness has been that various impacts on both public and occupational safety-and-health from key areas of security threats, for example global warming consequences, terrorism, radicalization, hate crimes, white collar crime, cyber-crime, economic crime, and trafficking, frequently have been overlooked. These developing security risks have an impact on infrastructure as well as the general public, the occupational environment and the employee (Nilsen et al., 2017). This article reviews the main factors linking ‘safety’ and ‘security’, their interfaces and interactions, and considers implications for both public and corporate policy in required responses to safety and security issues. The article concludes that greater integration of ‘safety’ and ‘security’ is warranted in theoretical, empirical, policy, and practitioner, evaluations and programs, at both state and corporate levels.
This book is both compelling and frightening in the case material it explores and the learning po... more This book is both compelling and frightening in the case material it explores and the learning points it provokes for the thoughtful and reflective reader. The material presented is of immediate relevance to those at the top of our corporate bodies accountable for prudent and responsible corporate management and covers cases from many sectors of corporate and governmental activity from around the world ranging from BP's Deepwater Horizon explosion to the production of fake and counterfeit drugs. 'Corporate Risk and Governance' is what the author describes as a 'thinking aid' rather than an attempt at offering a prescription for corporate risk management success. Its 15 chapters are organised around (i) enterprise risk management and corporate governance, (ii) corporate due diligence, (iii) fraud, corruption and organised crime, (iv) intellectual property and product risks and (v) man-made disasters. The author, with 35 years experience in risk management, is well placed to offer perspectives on such matters having been intimately involved in a number of the cases he profiles in this interesting and informative book. He uses the case material to chart abuses of trust, failures of due diligence, corporate corruption and fraud within the corridors of power and highlights how organisations can inculcate cultures that nurture risky, irresponsible and neglectful behaviour. What becomes apparent is the relative absence of robust, cogent and effective risk management systems within corporate life in general. Such a deficit leaves brands and corporate reputations at risk of the fall-out, should they become tainted by corporate fraud, environment safety disasters, product safety, financial mismanagement and adverse political comments. At the personal level, it poses risks to the health and well-being of the consumer, customers and employees. The debate between self-regulation versus compliance is explored as is the need for the construction of corporate risk architectures that are transparent enough to trigger danger signals while sufficiently opaque to protect commercial advantage and maintain an organisation's institutional integrity. The evasion of corporate responsibility, cultures of self-interest, functional incompetence, political intrigue and criminal activity variously feature as key factors in the rich array of the cases presented. Dr Waring notes how ethical issues pervade and underpin many risk management failures and it is perhaps this potential for the 'corruption of spirit'and the
This chapter first summarises the evolution of radical-right authoritarianism in the 21 st centur... more This chapter first summarises the evolution of radical-right authoritarianism in the 21 st century and its dissimulating character, seeking to align with larger established mainstream/centrist political parties and even to attempts to persuade them to enter into formal coalition. Such backdoor empowerment tactics have achieved modest success in Austria and Italy and are likely to be a continuing feature of radical-right politics generally. These tactics and overall ideological thrust are then examined in the light of growing synergies between the corporate and radical-right political worlds. Profiles are presented of wealthy corporate leaders, foundations and other committed intermediaries who have donated vast sums of money to radical-right causes, and many of whom have also been more actively involved in advancing radical-right ideology. The potential for harm to democracy and to society by the application of such 'dark money' is addressed. The impact of authoritarian reductionism on a number of risks and related matters is analysed.
Established justifications for the occupational safety & health (OSH) proposition, namely (a) mor... more Established justifications for the occupational safety & health (OSH) proposition, namely (a) moral and humanitarian, (b) legal and regulatory, (c) economic, financial, and 'business case', and (d) risk management and corporate governance, are reviewed. OSH as a human right is also considered as a potential fifth justification. These justification pillars are further considered in the context of authoritarian, and especially Alt-Right, sociopolitical climates that continue to become more prominent and permanent across Western societies. The article concludes that ultra-conservative or Alt-Right influences may severely compromise the OSH proposition to an extent that OSH advances and benefits developed over the past 200 years may be reversed.
A number of common underlying factors in the development of human-created disasters, as cited in ... more A number of common underlying factors in the development of human-created disasters, as cited in numerous official inquiry reports, encompass in particular, safety management system defects and weaknesses in an organization's safety culture. Human factors such as faulty risk cognition, bounded rationality, groupthink, failure of foresight and organizational learning, suspect motivations, reactive attitudes, and inappropriate risk decision-making, are commonly associated characteristics of such shortcomings. This article summarizes and discusses underlying managerial and non-technical factors in human-created major hazard accidents in the light of theories of accident causation, findings from disaster inquiries and published research, and the systemic holism-versus-reductionism debate. Ideally, all site operators would know and understand disaster aetiology and preventive requirements and be motivated to enact them. However, there is sufficient empirical evidence from inquiry reports into major hazard incidents and disasters that idealized enactment rarely occurs and in many cases safety policy and strategy as enacted is distant from espoused safety policy and strategy. Research questions relating to board level thinking and actions on major hazard risks are posited and a proposal for a more holistic and potentially more effective major hazard safety research framework is put forward.
On the 11 July 2011, a quantity of mixed munitions and explosives stored unsafely at the Mari Nav... more On the 11 July 2011, a quantity of mixed munitions and explosives stored unsafely at the Mari Naval Base in Cyprus exploded. A total of 13 people were killed. The Vassilikos power station, operated as the island’s main power station which is adjacent to the Mari site, was virtually destroyed thereby knocking out 60 per cent of the country’s electricity supply. Sixty-eight people were recorded as receiving injuries and there was significant property damage to homes and businesses over a radius of several kilometres. The explosion had a dramatic impact on business activity, employment and the functioning of the public sector, to the extent that it accelerated the economy’s fall into recession. The disaster presents a sobering case of the mismanagement of man-made major hazards which was accentuated by incompetence, political intrigue, evasion of responsibility and a culture of perceived self-interest taking precedence over the objective requirements of public protection when it came to decision-making and action prior to the explosion.
This chapter first summarises the evolution of radical-right authoritarianism in the 21 st centur... more This chapter first summarises the evolution of radical-right authoritarianism in the 21 st century and its dissimulating character, seeking to align with larger established mainstream/centrist political parties and even to attempts to persuade them to enter into formal coalition. Such backdoor empowerment tactics have achieved modest success in Austria and Italy and are likely to be a continuing feature of radicalright politics generally. These tactics and overall ideological thrust are then examined in the light of growing synergies between the corporate and radical-right political worlds. Profiles are presented of wealthy corporate leaders, foundations and other committed intermediaries who have donated vast sums of money to radical-right causes, and many of whom have also been more actively involved in advancing radical-right ideology. The potential for harm to democracy and to society by the application of such 'dark money' is addressed. The impact of authoritarian reductionism on a number of risks and related matters is analysed.
This final chapter identifies and evaluates five principal categories of potential strategies for... more This final chapter identifies and evaluates five principal categories of potential strategies for combatting the threat from corporate/radicalright authoritarianism and from the fusion of mutual interests and 'dark money': legislative, regulatory and judicial; Internet, social media and related; organisational, professional and peer-group; political and economic; and grassroots action. Education as a strategy is subsumed within the 'organisational, professional and peer-group' and 'grassroots' categories. The five categories are not mutually-exclusive and, applied in combination, offer a more credible response to the overall threat than any one of them in isolation. The protective role of altruism is also discussed. Reference is made to the phenomenon of conspiracy theories, as used by radical-right interests as a weapon and discussed in depth in chapter 9. As with Volumes 1 and 2, this final chapter concludes that the essence of the overall approach recommended to combat authoritarianism is one of 'muscular moderation', so as to supplement the quiet laissez-faire tolerance of the moderate majority.
This chapter draws together all the preceding content to consider potential scenarios for how the... more This chapter draws together all the preceding content to consider potential scenarios for how the new corporate/radical-right symbiosis may unfold, and makes a prognosis for the most likely outcomes. In proceeding towards a prognosis, authoritarian attitudes and behaviour of some corporate leaders and of collective managements within some corporations need to be examined with caution in order to avoid inadvertently conflating distinct categories. Contexts affecting a prognosis include historical factors as well as those of a more recent and current character, such as the Covid-19 pandemic, laissez-faire policies of Internet and social media platform companies towards radicalright hate mongering and fake propaganda by users, and radical-right reactivity towards weakened US exceptionalism and Trump's re-election defeat. Of four major potential scenarios, the author concludes that (on present data) the most likely in the short-to medium-term is either a gradual or a crisis-driven rapid harshening of the present authoritarian climate in national governance and corporate conduct.
This chapter examines the authoritarian characteristics of some corporations and their leaders, d... more This chapter examines the authoritarian characteristics of some corporations and their leaders, describing how such characteristics are typically harmful to such parties as customers, employees, contractors and to society more broadly, for example corporate abuses of product safety and of Covid-19 protection rules. Case study examples from some industry sectors are described. The chapter includes an analysis of similarities and overlaps between corporate authoritarianism and radical-right authoritarianism. In contrast to pejorative critiques of corporate authoritarianism, elite deviance, and wrongdoing (e.g.
This chapter examines the phenomenon of conspiracy theories disseminated by radical-right sources... more This chapter examines the phenomenon of conspiracy theories disseminated by radical-right sources and agents and, further, the role of corporations in such dissemination. Account is taken of the comprehensive review of the conspiracy theories phenomenon by Douglas et al (2019), along with studies such as Amarasingam and Argentino (2020) on the QAnon radical-right conspiracy cult. The parsimony test and the causation test are discussed in relation to evaluating the validity of a conspiracy theory. Various kinds of potential harm caused by conspiracy theories are considered. In addition to radical-right conspiracy theorists, the motives and activities of two categories of corporate colluder are examined: ideological supporters and commercial opportunists. Among the latter are major online platform operators, most of which have been very reluctant to self-regulate and thereby control, curb or ban extremist content emanating from the radical right, including harmful fake conspiracy allegations. Methods for neutralising fake conspiracy theories are summarised. Risks to various parties are systematically identified.
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