A Cross-disciplinary Research Program: Risk management in a Dynamic Society

The paper present the basis of a cross-disciplinary research program focused onthe changing requirements to industrial risk management within large-scale hazardous installa-tions in a modern, dynamic society. The socio-technical system involved in risk management includes several levels ranging from legislators, managers, work planners, and operators. This system is presently stressed by a fast pace of technological change, by an increasingly aggressive, competitive environment, and by changing regulatory practices and public pressure.The need for a taxonomy of hazard sources and the related risk management strategies as a basis for research is discussed together with the cross-disciplinary research issues evolving from the present trends. In addition, the difficulties met when involving paradigm-driven,academic disciplines in cross-disciplinary programs are reviewed.The program was developed in a cooperation with the Risk Centrum, University of Karlstad, and the Center for Risk Research and Education, Institute of Technology, Lund, both Sweden.