Stairway to Heaven - Please Hold the Handrail. A study on the organizational safety in Norske Shell.

Abstract

This study is based on the vast focus on safety in today's oil and gas industry. Two perspectives seem to prevail within the field of organizational safety; the Normal Accident Theory (NAT) and the High Reliability Organization Theory (HROT). The HRO theorists promote a decentralized organizational strategy, but hold the decentralization dependent on a strong and uniform culture that ensures that the correct" decisions are made in all levels of the organization. This study has been conducted to test the premises of the HROT, and question the possibility of creating cultural uniformity in multinational organizations. The findings of the study show the difficulties related to creating such a culture. The paradox is that attempting to create cultural uniformity can have the opposite effect; stronger subcultural identification and increased internal heterogeneity. Also, this thesis includes a discussion on the risk understanding in the industry, promoting a differentiation in the safety work according to risk level.

This study is based on the vast focus on safety in today's oil and gas industry. Two perspectives seem to prevail within the field of organizational safety; the Normal Accident Theory (NAT) and the High Reliability Organization Theory (HROT). The HRO theorists promote a decentralized organizational strategy, but hold the decentralization dependent on a strong and uniform culture that ensures that the correct" decisions are made in all levels of the organization. This study has been conducted to test the premises of the HROT, and question the possibility of creating cultural uniformity in multinational organizations. The findings of the study show the difficulties related to creating such a culture. The paradox is that attempting to create cultural uniformity can have the opposite effect; stronger subcultural identification and increased internal heterogeneity. Also, this thesis includes a discussion on the risk understanding in the industry, promoting a differentiation in the safety work according to risk level.