Review of: Organizations, Uncertainties, and Risk (James F. Short, Jr. & Lee Clarke eds., Westview Press 1992) Acknowledgements, contributor biographies, author and subject indices, foreword, references. ISBN: 0-8133-8562-8. [383 pp. Cloth $52.50. 500 Central Ave., Boulder CO 80301-2847.

Sheikerz, Mehdi

English

University of New Hampshire

RISK: Health, Safety & Environment (1990-2002)
Volume 6 | Number 1 Article 11
January 1995
Review of: Organizations, Uncertainties, and Risk
( James F. Short, Jr. & Lee Clarke eds.)
Mehdi Sheikerz
Follow this and additional works at: https://scholars.unh.edu/risk
Part of the Law Commons, Life Sciences Commons, Physical Sciences and Mathematics
Commons, and the Social and Behavioral Sciences Commons
This Book Review is brought to you for free and open access by the University of New Hampshire – School of Law at University of New Hampshire
Scholars' Repository. It has been accepted for inclusion in RISK: Health, Safety & Environment (1990-2002) by an authorized editor of University of
New Hampshire Scholars' Repository. For more information, please contact ellen.phillips@law.unh.edu.
Repository Citation
Mehdi Sheikerz, Review of: Organizations, Uncertainties, and Risk (James F. Short, Jr. & Lee Clarke eds.), 6 RISK 89 (1995).
BookReviews 93
Organizations, Uncertainties, and Risk (James F. Short, Jr. & Lee
Clarke eds., Westview Press 1992) Acknowledgements, contributor
biographies, author and subject indices, foreword, references. ISBN: 0-8133-8562-8.
[383 pp. Cloth $52.50. 500 Central Ave., Boulder CO 80301-2847.]
The well-written and well-organized essays in this book address risk
assessment and competing approaches to its management by
organizations such as governmental agencies and corporations. The
focus is "organizational decision making under conditions of risk and
uncertainty."1 Most contributors are sociologists or at least involved in
the study of law and society, and their papers discuss and critique a
wide range of competing concepts and theories believed to guide and
explain how organizations manage risk in the U.S. and elsewhere.
In the foreword, Charles Tilly begins:
2
Sociology is a second-guessing science. Much of its work
consists of examining how people account for their own
actions, then confronting these accounts with ostensibly
deeper explanations.... Some of sociology's subversive
reputation results from this will to challenge people's own
cherished beliefs about their behavior ...
Second-guessing does not mean second-rate.
From that alone, it is clear that this book was not prepared for
sociologists only. Readers with little or no knowledge of the
sociological study of risk will find the materials presented so that they,
by the end, can have a better understanding of how risk-related
decisions are made. The concepts and theories, however, are discussed
at a level that require close attention.
Organizations, Uncertainty, and Risk is divided into six parts, each
consisting of one or more chapters. In Part One, Short provides an
introduction and overview of the study of risk and sets the stage for the
remainder by discussing "risk" in the context of identifying and
managing risks. 3 Part Two, "Decision Making Contexts and Networks
of Risk," discusses two theoretical perspectives regarding risk analysis.
Parts Three through Five, "Corporate Contexts of Decision Making,"
1 At xiii.
2 Atix.
3 At 13 Short details the book's organizational scheme.
6 Risk Health, Safety & Environment 89 [W'mter 1995]
"Institutional Responses to Uncertainty," and "Choosing Technologies,
Managing and Regulating Risks," provide empirical analyses of decision
making in organizations faced with risk. Part Six, "Institutionalizing
Risk," attempts to pull everything together, and the final chapter is
written by Short and Lee.
Although researchers, particularly sociologists should find this book
valuable - particularly in view of its comprehensive reference section
- managers, policy makers and lawyers will also find it helpful.
Indeed, several chapters are explicitly concerned with sociolegal
problems. 4 Because Short and Lee provide both theoretical perspectives
and empirical studies, readers without extensive prior knowledge can
bridge the gap between decision making practices and theories that
attempt to explain processes organizations use in coping with risk and
uncertainty. Chapter 4, for example, would be of special interest to in-
house corporate lawyers who must advise managers on how adopting
and enforcing internal manufacturing compliances rules will increase
product safety and help to avoid the legal uncertainties of product
liability.
Mehdi Sheikerzt
4 Also, several chapters were earlier published in a special issue of Law and Policy;
see at xiii.
t Mr. Sheikerz received a B.S. (Computer Science) from Virginia Polytechnic
Institute and State University. Following four years as a software developer, he is a
candidate for the J.D. at FPLC, with an interest in intellectual property.


Review of: Organizations, Uncertainties, and Risk (James F. Short, Jr. & Lee Clarke eds.)

UNH Scholars' Repository

RISK: Health, Safety & Environment (1990-2002)Volume 6 | Number 1 Article 11January 1995Review of: Organizations, Uncertainties, and Risk( James F. Short, Jr. & Lee Clarke eds.)Mehdi SheikerzFollow this and additional works at: https://scholars.unh.edu/riskPart of the Law Commons, Life Sciences Commons, Physical Sciences and MathematicsCommons, and the Social and Behavioral Sciences CommonsThis Book Review is brought to you for free and open access by the University of New Hampshire – School of Law at University of New HampshireScholars' Repository. It has been accepted for inclusion in RISK: Health, Safety & Environment (1990-2002) by an authorized editor of University ofNew Hampshire Scholars' Repository. For more information, please contact ellen.phillips@law.unh.edu.Repository CitationMehdi Sheikerz, Review of: Organizations, Uncertainties, and Risk (James F. Short, Jr. & Lee Clarke eds.), 6 RISK 89 (1995).BookReviews 93Organizations, Uncertainties, and Risk (James F. Short, Jr. & LeeClarke eds., Westview Press 1992) Acknowledgements, contributorbiographies, author and subject indices, foreword, references. ISBN: 0-8133-8562-8.[383 pp. Cloth $52.50. 500 Central Ave., Boulder CO 80301-2847.]The well-written and well-organized essays in this book address riskassessment and competing approaches to its management byorganizations such as governmental agencies and corporations. Thefocus is "organizational decision making under conditions of risk anduncertainty."1 Most contributors are sociologists or at least involved inthe study of law and society, and their papers discuss and critique awide range of competing concepts and theories believed to guide andexplain how organizations manage risk in the U.S. and elsewhere.In the foreword, Charles Tilly begins:2Sociology is a second-guessing science. Much of its workconsists of examining how people account for their ownactions, then confronting these accounts with ostensiblydeeper explanations.... Some of sociology's subversivereputation results from this will to challenge people's owncherished beliefs about their behavior ...Second-guessing does not mean second-rate.From that alone, it is clear that this book was not prepared forsociologists only. Readers with little or no knowledge of thesociological study of risk will find the materials presented so that they,by the end, can have a better understanding of how risk-relateddecisions are made. The concepts and theories, however, are discussedat a level that require close attention.Organizations, Uncertainty, and Risk is divided into six parts, eachconsisting of one or more chapters. In Part One, Short provides anintroduction and overview of the study of risk and sets the stage for theremainder by discussing "risk" in the context of identifying andmanaging risks. 3 Part Two, "Decision Making Contexts and Networksof Risk," discusses two theoretical perspectives regarding risk analysis.Parts Three through Five, "Corporate Contexts of Decision Making,"1 At xiii.2 Atix.3 At 13 Short details the book's organizational scheme.6 Risk Health, Safety & Environment 89 [W'mter 1995]"Institutional Responses to Uncertainty," and "Choosing Technologies,Managing and Regulating Risks," provide empirical analyses of decisionmaking in organizations faced with risk. Part Six, "InstitutionalizingRisk," attempts to pull everything together, and the final chapter iswritten by Short and Lee.Although researchers, particularly sociologists should find this bookvaluable - particularly in view of its comprehensive reference section- managers, policy makers and lawyers will also find it helpful.Indeed, several chapters are explicitly concerned with sociolegalproblems. 4 Because Short and Lee provide both theoretical perspectivesand empirical studies, readers without extensive prior knowledge canbridge the gap between decision making practices and theories thatattempt to explain processes organizations use in coping with risk anduncertainty. Chapter 4, for example, would be of special interest to in-house corporate lawyers who must advise managers on how adoptingand enforcing internal manufacturing compliances rules will increaseproduct safety and help to avoid the legal uncertainties of productliability.Mehdi Sheikerzt4 Also, several chapters were earlier published in a special issue of Law and Policy;see at xiii.t Mr. Sheikerz received a B.S. (Computer Science) from Virginia PolytechnicInstitute and State University. Following four years as a software developer, he is acandidate for the J.D. at FPLC, with an interest in intellectual property.

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Review of: Organizations, Uncertainties, and Risk (James F. Short, Jr. & Lee Clarke eds.)

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