A theoretical perspective of man-made system disasters: Social-technical analysis and design

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to study major man‐made system disasters and to suggest a solution for filling the noted gaps in control systems interfaces and to render those vital considerations for the next‐generation disaster management control systems.Design/methodology/approach – This research analyzes the nature of large‐scale disasters and observes that most man‐made system disasters are composed of many related events that interact with one another.Findings – The findings show evidence of a common path to catastrophe. These functional failures resulted from the information gaps that eventually contribute to the development of a tragedy. Because of the intricate interconnections among related events of a developed calamity, an integrated approach to man‐made disaster detection and prevention as well as emergency management is required.Practical implications – Conducting an analysis of the typical contingency control structures, the authors suggest that disaster or emergency managers adopt a...

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