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Preventive Choices: Organizations' Heuristics, Decision Processes and Catastrophic Risks

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  • Jacqueline R. Meszaros

Abstract

Organizational decision processes and criteria for making choices about reducing the chances of catastrophic accidents are examined in six case studies of large chemical firms. The processes and heuristics observed are not consistent with the compensatory decision rules presumed by strict liability laws. They are consistent with satisficing, ambiguity management, and some aspects of threat‐rigidity behaviours observed in other arenas of organization studies. They are also consistent with psychological findings about how individuals make decisions about low‐probability catastrophe risks. The heuristics may derive in part from anticipated accountability to outsiders and higher managers. They may lead to ‘too much’ attention to some catastrophe risks, ‘too little’ to others.

Suggested Citation

  • Jacqueline R. Meszaros, 1999. "Preventive Choices: Organizations' Heuristics, Decision Processes and Catastrophic Risks," Journal of Management Studies, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 36(7), pages 977-998, December.
    • Handle: RePEc:bla:jomstd:v:36:y:1999:i:7:p:977-998
    DOI: 10.1111/1467-6486.00166
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    Cited by:

    1. Gerard P. Hodgkinson & Barbara Burkhard & Nicolai J. Foss & Dietmar Grichnik & Riikka M. Sarala & Yi Tang & Marc Van Essen, 2023. "The Heuristics and Biases of Top Managers: Past, Present, and Future," Journal of Management Studies, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 60(5), pages 1033-1063, July.
    2. Alexander Budzier & Bent Flyvbjerg, 2013. "Double Whammy - How ICT Projects are Fooled by Randomness and Screwed by Political Intent," Papers 1304.4590, arXiv.org.
    3. Natalia Vuori & Tomi Laamanen & Maurizio Zollo, 2023. "Capability Development in Infrequent Organizational Processes: Unveiling the Interplay of Heuristics and Causal Knowledge," Journal of Management Studies, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 60(5), pages 1341-1381, July.

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