Engineering Systems are not supposed to fail. However,
as more and more people come to depend on engineering and the application of
science and technology for housing, clean water, the removal and processing of
refuse and sewerage, transport, electricity, communications, the production of
raw materials and the growing and distribution of food the consequences of a
failure or disruption becomes greater.
When major failures do occur, there is a corresponding need for a timely and adequate recovery. The anecdotal evidence to date suggests that the management of the decision making process may well be the most significant determining factor in the immediate post disaster crisis, notwithstanding the competency of those involved to provide a solution. However, the resultant decision-making processes, perceptions and information flows are greatly influenced by the culture and defensive style of the affected organization. Resilience in organizations is also a factor of the culture and defensive style of the organization. The two are intimately related.
Tim Cousins has maintained an active program of public lectures, both internationally and locally to raise awareness of the processes, pitfalls and benefits of decision making during the recovery period. The following is a list of conference papers has has written and delivered:
Previous conference papers and feedback.
2006 EEEVic Lecture organised by the IEEE Society on Social Implications of Technology
"Surviving Engineering Disasters – Notes from the Field."2006 Melbourne University - Department of History and Philosophy of Science
"Engineering Failures and Decision Making in Organisations"2006 Emergency Management Australia
Business Continuity Education & Training - Emergency Management Australia
"Begin with the End in Mind"2006 International Symposium on Technology and Society (ISTAS`06 - New York)
Disaster Preparedness and Recovery
"When Engineering Systems Fail - The Disconnection between Plans and Organisational Behaviour, an Australian perspective."2006 Emergency Management Australia
Business Continuity Education & Training - Emergency Management Australia
"Staying on track"2006 Sydney, IIR Business Continuity Forum 2006
“Assessing why clear decision-making may be the strongest component of your BCP”
Feedback2005 Adelaide, BCMIE Information / Networking Session
“How Organisations Adapt to a Crisis - What happens when they reach the end of their contingency plan (if they have one)”2005 Emergency Management Australia
"IT & ET - Begin with the end in mind"
2005 Las Vegas, USA, CPM 2005 West
“IT & ET shifting the focus of BCM for greater success.”
Feedback2004 Emergency Management Australia
"How organizations are impacted by disasters/crises"2004 New Zealand, New Zealand Recovery Symposium
“A Holistic Framework for Recovery: What happens when and what works best”2004 Sydney, Continuity 2004 IIR Conference
“A Holistic Framework for Recovery: Shifting the Perspective of BCM to Generate Greater Success”
Feedback2003 Canberra, Australian Disaster Conference
“Patterns of Organisational Behaviour in the Recovery Phase: What Happens When and What Works Best.”
Feedback2002 Toronto, Canada - 12th World Conference of Disaster Management.
“No Plan Survives First Contact with the Enemy”2001 San Francisco, Compaq Computers Corporation
“Ionic Contamination”1999 Singapore, Insurance Industry Briefing
“Y2K Preparedness and Solutions”1998 Sydney, Claims Discussion Group
“Computer Virus Infections and Protection”1997 Melbourne, Claims Discussion Group
“Computer Virus Infections and Protection”1996 Melbourne, Claims Discussion Group
“Recovering from a Disaster”1995 Melbourne, Eastern Business Seminar
“Disaster Recovery Planning for Small Business”