Municipal risk management : implications of the use of different risk tools

PhD thesis in Risk management and societal safetyThis thesis is based on the following papers:PAPER 1: Nilsen, A. S. & Olsen, O. E. (2004) Universal and contextual tools as a double strategy in emergency planning. International Journal of Emergency Management, 2, 81-97.PAPER 2: Nilsen, A. S. & Olsen, O. E. (2005) Different strategies equal practice? Risk assessment and management in municipalities. Risk Management: An International Journal, 7, 37-47.PAPER 3: Nilsen, A. S. & Olsen, O. E. (2007) Resistance or acceptance? Mitigation strategies in risk management. Risk management. An International Journal. 9, 255–270PAPER 4: Nilsen, A. S. (2008) Tools for empowerment in local risk management. Safety Science, 5, 858-868The municipalities are part of an overall emergency and risk management system in Norway. The municipalities have a sole responsibility for daily social welfare and safety at the local level. The Supervisory Authorities‟ (SA) tasks are to guide and inspect how municipalities conduct emergency and risk management. The intention of the thesis is to contribute knowledge for improving the quality of municipal risk management. The main research question addressed in this thesis is: How does the use of different risk tools influence risk management in municipalities? The risk tools that are analysed and compared are Risk and Vulnerability Analysis (RAV) and Mini Risk Analysis (MRA). Part 1 Part one covers the main research question and background, addressing the research as a whole and considering both theoretical and methodological issues common to the articles presented in part 2. Theories of planning, organisation and risk have given a wide variety of perspectives with which to examine the tools. Rational and communicative planning perspectives have provided a useful way of analysing the different approaches to municipal risk management revealed in the empirical material. In 1994, the Directorate for Civil Protection and Emergency Planning (DCPEP) made the Risk and Vulnerability analysis guideline (RAV), which is still a risk tool recommended for use in municipalities. RAV can be considered as a rational planning approach due to an underlying assumption of having an overview of all possible risks and their consequences. RAV is used within a top-down strategy, where the top management and experts conduct the analysis. The Mini Risk Analysis guideline (MRA), developed in Klepp municipality in 2002, is a risk tool made to fit a municipal context and is thus of interest to this research. MRA shares elements with a communicative approach. It is mostly used in a bottom-up strategy where the middle and street level bureaucrats in the municipal organisation conduct MRA as a tool for assessing daily risks. This is a qualitative study based on a case study design. The context is the municipalities Klepp and Time, who use MRA and RAV respectively. Klepp has developed MRA. Time uses the ordinary RAV ..

Management of risks - a Paradox?

Session description from the NEON Conference (Nettverk for organisasjonsforskning i Norge). The conference was held 23.11.16 - 24.11.16, in Tromsø

Marine stewardship and complexity – How to enhance a better process of risk governance in the Norwegian area of the Arctic Ocean?

Conference presentation, Arctic Frontiers 2016

International collaboration for meeting the challenges of huge and cascading disasters

Presentation at the online NEEDS conference 2021, 21. - 23. september. https://www.needs2021.com/Some crisis have an international impact. How is it possible to enhance collaboration between nations in huge and cascading disasters? We will present Barents Rescue (BR) as an inspiration for our Student Barents Rescue (SBR) and thereafter show examples from a student pilot with an international scenario

How and why develop scenarios for training students to use their knowledge in practice?

To be able to handle crisis and risks there is a need for different skills. We will focus on learning by combining theory and practice. Since NEEDS is a disaster management community, scenarios in line with this theme are wanted. This colloquium can be an experience transfer between educators that work with scenario-based training and want to develop this further. Drawing on different experiences from different countries can be a way to facilitate each other. Some institutions have labs, others have practical experimental facilities and other have long experience in using scenarios in education. This is a way to combine theory and practice. How can we use scenarios a.o. in teaching students about risk and disaster management? What are the challenges in making fruitful scenarios? How complex can they be? What level is the scenario suited for, strategic- tactic or operational? These are amongst the issues of relevance in this colloquium

Risk governance - a more procedural view

Abstract presented at 'NEONdagene' a conference arranged by 'NEONnet-nettverk for organisasjonsforskning i Norge', Stavanger, 25-27.11.2014

How and why develop scenarios for training students to use their knowledge in practice?

Presentation at the online NEEDS 2021 conference 21. - 23. September 2021: https://www.needs2021.com/. . Source at https://www.needs2021.com/programme/panels/.To be able to handle crisis and risks there is a need for different skills. We will focus on learning by combining theory and practice. Since NEEDS is a disaster management community, scenarios in line with this theme are wanted. This colloquium can be an experience transfer between educators that work with scenario-based training and want to develop this further. Drawing on different experiences from different countries can be a way to facilitate each other. Some institutions have labs, others have practical experimental facilities and other have long experience in using scenarios in education. This is a way to combine theory and practice. How can we use scenarios a.o. in teaching students about risk and disaster management? What are the challenges in making fruitful scenarios? How complex can they be? What level is the scenario suited for, strategic- tactic or operational? These are amongst the issues of relevance in this colloquium

Risk management and governance - a more procedural view

Conference presentation held at the NEON Nettverk for organisasjonsforskning-confernce, 26.11-27.11, 2001

What similarities can municipalities experience in crisis management?

Municipalities have an important role in crisis management. The Norwegian emergency principles of responsibility, parity and proximity are central, and the government expects municipalities to take care of crises in their area in accordance with the civil protection law. Due to the varying natures of different crises, one can expect crisis management to take different paths. This paper challenges that viewpoint and looks for similarities in municipal crisis management. Theoretical guidelines on preparedness and evaluation of crisis management show some hallmarks, which can encourage uniform practice. Findings from interviews with key personnel in municipalities and a literature review give the conclusion that there are some similarities in municipal crisis management