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Studies show failure comes to the rescue


Some of the world’s greatest disasters could have been avoided if those behind them had experienced more failure, according to new research. The sinking of the Titanic, the loss of the space shuttles Columbia and Challenger, two BP oil refinery explosions with huge loss of life, and the international recall of more than eight million cars by Toyota all have in common an inflated degree of confidence.


Based on case studies of high-profile disasters, avoiding over-confidence is among a list of ’tools’ designed to help organisations and managers understand reasons for disasters. The study, by Prof Ashraf Labib and Dr Martin Read, of the University of Portsmouth Business School, is published in the journal of Safety Science.


The report’s authors argue that organisations learn more effectively from failures than from successes, but organisations vary at learning from them. They also say that organisations often learn vicariously from the failures and near-failures of other organisations.


Labib said: “A lack of failure can lead to over- confidence and blindness to the possibility of problems. Some managers and organisations see their role as akin to re-arranging the


deckchairs on the Titanic, but disasters, when you study them, are often built on futile exercises that don’t help avoid problems.“


The researchers say that for organisations to successfully avoid major disasters, policy makers need to balance their punishment and incentive systems and ensure they are proportional to the significance of hazardous incidents.


“Failures in general and disasters in particular can stimulate a blame culture that can act as a barrier to learning from mistakes, but it is important to note human beings are naturally programmed to learn, whereas organisations are not,“ Labib continued.


The authors have identified 10 tools based on the root causes of major problems and an understanding of how those problems unfold over time for organisations to use to avoid major failure. They are: too much belief in previous successes; coping with growth; misunderstanding fashionable paradigms; legislation; the ’I operate, you fix’ attitude; no news is good news; bad news, bad person; everyone’s own machine is the highest priority to him; solving a crisis is a forgotten experience, and skill levels’ dilemma.


Apprentice winner backs Catalyst Centre


On November 19, Ricky Martin, winner of the BBC’s The Apprentice 2012, visited Southampton Science Park to officially open the Catalyst Centre and meet the winners of the Catalyst competition which has given four innovative start-up companies the opportunity to join the entrepreneurial community on the science park.


He was welcomed by Peter Birkett, CEO of Southampton Science Park, before tenants from around the park assembled to watch him cut the ribbon and officially declare the centre open.


The Catalyst Centre is an initiative from Southampton Science Park which has been developed to provide support to start-ups in the science and technology sectors, giving them free office and meeting space, IT services, expert mentoring and up to £1,000 towards business costs.


Birkett said: “We were delighted to welcome Ricky to the park to support the Catalyst Centre. He is a great example of the success that can follow from taking a great idea and turning it into a viable business“.


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The Portsmouth MBA has been a life- changing experience and one that I wouldn’t have wanted to miss.’


Heather Short, Entrepreneur www.port.ac.uk


THE BUSINESS MAGAZINE – SOLENT & SOUTH CENTRAL – DECEMBER 12/JANUARY 13


For more information or to apply:


T: +44 (0)23 9284 8200 E: pbs.postgradadmissions@ port.ac.uk


W: www.port.ac.uk/mba


www.businessmag.co.uk


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