Assessing and strengthening organisational resilience in a critical infrastructure system: Case study of the Slovak Republic. (March 2020)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Rehak, David
• Is Part Of: Safety science. Volume 123(2020)
• Publication Date: 2020-03
• Subjects: Critical infrastructure -- ASOR Method -- Organisational resilience -- Risk management -- Innovation processes -- Educational and development processes; Industrial accidents -- Periodicals; Accident Prevention -- Periodicals; Safety -- Periodicals; Travail -- Accidents -- Périodiques; 363.11
• DOI: 10.1016/j.ssci.2019.104573
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0925-7535

Abstract

Highlights: Resilient and safe critical infrastructure (CI) is essential for the functioning of society. Organisational resilience is an important factor in the adaptability of CI elements. The ASOR method allows the assessing and strengthening of organisational resilience. The ASOR method allows early identification of organisational resilience weaknesses. The ASOR method allows increasing the adaptability of CI subjects to disruptive events. Abstract: Critical infrastructure is a system that consists of civil infrastructures in which disruption or failure would have a serious impact on the lives and health of the population. It includes, for example, electricity, oil and gas, water supplies, communications and emergency or healthcare services. It is therefore important that technical resilience and organisational resilience is provided continuously and at a high level by the owners and operators of these civil infrastructures. Organisational resilience management mainly consists of continuously assessing determinants in order to identify weak points early so that adequate security measures can be taken to strengthen them. In the context of the above, the article presents a method for Assessing and Strengthening Organisational Resilience (ASOR Method) in a critical infrastructure system. The essence of this method lies in defining the factors that determine organisational resilience and the process of assessing and strengthening organisational resilience. The method thus allows weaknesses to be identified and the subsequent quantification of positive impacts that strengthen individual factors in organisational resilience. A benefit from applying this method is minimizing the risk and subsequent adverse impact on society of critical infrastructure system disruption or failure. The article also contributes to achieving the UN Sustainable Development Goal 9, namely Building Resilient Infrastructure. The ASOR method namely contributes to the development of quality, reliable, sustainable and resilient infrastructure, including regional and trans-border infrastructure. Finally, the article presents the results of this method's practical application on a selected electricity critical infrastructure entity in the Slovak Republic.