Organizational Challenges Regarding Risk Management in Critical Infrastructures

Understanding the interconnections between critical infrastructures is a demanding task. This is even more the case when one includes their organizational contexts. In this chapter, we discuss some of the organizational challenges that have to be addressed when analysing and managing risks that involve several infrastructure sectors. The infrastructures of today are often run by networks of private and public entities, rather than single utility companies. Consequently, the number of organizations that need to be involved to map, analyse and manage risks that cross-sectors is increasing. The organizational changes also imply that work is managed and coordinated in ways that imply a stricter focus on efficiency and accountability with regard to core tasks and responsibilities. We argue that cross-sectorial safety management requires other organizational qualities as well. We outline a landscape where technologies become increasingly interconnected at the same time that the organizations managing them become increasingly fragmented. Risk identification and management requires increased transparency between companies that have few incentives to share information or cooperate. We present a set of recommendations and suggestions with relevance for public agencies and for infrastructure owners on how to address the organizational and institutional challenges born out of these processes.