Social risk elicits an internal struggle between wanting to form significant relationships (i.e., connectedness goals) and avoiding rejection (i.e., self-protection goals). The current research tested an intervention designed to reduce perceptions of risk for low self-esteem individuals (LSEs). However, the intervention did not function as anticipated and regardless of self-esteem level, participants reported lower perceived acceptance and lower state self-esteem in the intervention condition compared to the control. In a post-session two weeks following the manipulation, high self-esteem individuals (HSEs) in the intervention appear to not only recover, but actually reported significantly more perceived regard and global self-esteem than HSEs in the control. A second study investigated the impact of the intervention in light of these surprising findings. Results suggest that viewing the intervention video in a socially risky situation caused both HSEs and LSEs to experience social threat. In contrast, the control video actually served to reduce social risk.

Social risk elicits an internal struggle between wanting to form significant relationships (i.e., connectedness goals) and avoiding rejection (i.e., self-protection goals). The current research tested an intervention designed to reduce perceptions of risk for low self-esteem individuals (LSEs). However, the intervention did not function as anticipated and regardless of self-esteem level, participants reported lower perceived acceptance and lower state self-esteem in the intervention condition compared to the control. In a post-session two weeks following the manipulation, high self-esteem individuals (HSEs) in the intervention appear to not only recover, but actually reported significantly more perceived regard and global self-esteem than HSEs in the control. A second study investigated the impact of the intervention in light of these surprising findings. Results suggest that viewing the intervention video in a socially risky situation caused both HSEs and LSEs to experience social threat. In contrast, the control video actually served to reduce social risk.

Risk-based regulation has grown rapidly as a component of Government decision making, and as such, the need for an established evidence-based framework for decisions about risk has become the new mantra. However, the process of brokering scientific evidence is poorly understood and there is a need to improve the transparency of this brokering process and decisions made. This thesis attempts to achieve this by using agent-based simulation to model the influence that power structures and participating personalities has on the brokering of evidence and thereby the confidence-building exercise that characterises risk-based regulation. As a prerequisite to the adoption of agent-based techniques for simulating decisions under uncertainty, this thesis provides a critical review of the influence power structure and personality have on the brokering of scientific evidence that informs risk decisions. Three case studies, each representing a different perspective on risk-based regulation are presented: nuclear waste disposal, the disposal of avian-influenza infected animal carcases and the reduction of dietary salt intake. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with an expert from each case study, and the logical sequence in which decisions were made was mapped out and used to inform the development of an agent-based simulation model. The developed agent-based model was designed to capture the character of the brokering process by transparently setting out how evidence is transmitted from the provider of evidence to the final decision maker. It comprises of two agents, a recipient and provider of evidence, and draws upon a historic knowledge base to permit the user to vary components of the interacting agents and of the decision-making procedure, demonstrating the influence that power structure and personality has on agent receptivity and the confidence attached to a number of different lines of evidence. This is a novel step forward because it goes beyond the scope of current risk management frameworks, for example, permitting the user to explore the influence that participants have in weighing and strengthening different lines of evidence and the impact this has on the final decision outcome.

Legal Regulation of the Placing of Hazardous Chemical Substances and Mixtures on the Market in European Union Environmental Law Abstract: The aim of the thesis was to explore the main features of the legal regulation of the placing of hazardous chemical substances and mixtures on the market in European Union environmental law, namely those features which significantly affect the achievement of a high level of protection of human health and the environment. In order to fulfil this aim, two regulatory regimes governing the placing on the market of substances and mixtures were analysed: a general one, mainly represented by the REACH Regulation (No. 1907/2006) and the CLP Regulation (No. 1272/2008), and a special one, where the Plant Protection Products Regulation (No. 1107/2009) was the object of analysis. The thesis first deals with general issues of the regulation of hazardous substances and mixtures: the role of private and public law, the phenomenon of the so-called proceduralisation of environmental law and the definition of basic terms (including a detailed analysis of the concepts of hazard, hazardous properties, risk and related terms). This general part is followed by an analysis of the most important legal institutions contained in the mentioned legislation (notably registration, evaluation,...

Cette thèse étudie la conception et l’évolution du régime de régulation de la sûreté nucléaire en France entre 1945 et 2017. En nous appuyant sur le concept de régime de régulation (Hood et al, 2001), nous avons proposé une modélisation qui permet d’identifier trois périodes, correspondant à trois « philosophies » : la première (19451969) voit la formation d’un embryon de régime de régulation au sein du CEA marqué par « l’expérimentation et l’autocontrôle ». La seconde, la « raisonnable souplesse » (19691986), est marquée par une réorganisation institutionnelle mais laisse de nombreuses marges de manœuvre aux experts et exploitants, dans un contexte de développement industriel intensif. Enfin, la troisième période (1986-2017) voit le développement d’un régime « en recherche d’auditabilité », produit d’une hybridation entre le régime de la « raisonnable souplesse » et un idéaltype standardisé répondant aux bonnes pratiques internationales (ouverture, transparence et indépendance du régulateur et de l’expert). Pour expliquer les évolutions du régime, nous nous sommes focalisés sur une de ses composantes, les règles, analysées comme des instruments de régulation, et avons qualifié de « travail de régulation », l’ensemble des activités et interactions d’un groupe d’acteurs qui agissent pour concevoir, transformer et implémenter ces instruments (pour notre cas, les règles et guides en matière d’inondation). Nous défendons l’idée que ce travail de régulation, à la fois cognitif, politique, social et organisationnel, a pour effet, au-delà de la production d’un instrument, d’explorer des évolutions du régime de régulation, tout en construisant les savoirs mobilisés dans les instruments de régulation, et simultanément, le collectif interorganisationnel qui les partage. Ce processus expliquerait la relative lenteur du processus d’hybridation en cours. / This thesis studies the design and evolution of the risk regulation regime of nuclear safety in France between 1945 and 2017. Based on the concept of “risk regulation regimes” (Hood et al, 2001), we propose a model that identifies three periods, corresponding to three types of "philosophies". During the first period (1945-1969), an embryonic regulatory regime developed within CEA is characterized by "experimentation and autocontrol". The second period of "reasonable flexibility" (1969-1986) is marked by an institutional reorganization but leaves many room for maneuver to experts and operators, in a context of intensive industrial development. Finally, during the third period (1986-2017), a regime "in search of auditability" is the product of hybridization between the regime of "reasonable flexibility" and a standardized regime responding to international good practice (openness, transparency, and regulator’s and expert’s independence). To explain the evolution of the regime, we focus on one of its components, the rules, which we analyze as regulatory instruments, and we describe as "regulatory work" all activities and interactions of a group of agents who act to design, transform and implement these instruments (for our case, flooding rules and guides). We argue that regulatory work is at the same time cognitive, political, social and organizational, and, beyond producing an instrument, it results in exploring evolutions of the regulation regime, while building both the knowledge mobilized in regulatory instruments and interorganizational collective that shares them. This process would explain the relative slowness of the ongoing hybridization process.

Kemikalier utgör en grundläggande beståndsdel av det senindustriella samhället, och en omfattande produktion av kemikalier brukar allmänt anses som en nödvändig förutsättning för teknisk utveckling och ekonomisk tillväxt. I Sverige ledde miljölarmen om DDT, PCB och kvicksilver på 1960- och 1970-talet till inrättandet av ett system för kemikaliekontroll som brukar framhållas som ett av världens främsta. Avhandlingen undersöker detta kontrollsystem och dess logik. Detta görs genom textanalys av propositioner, statliga utredningar, rapporter från Naturvårdsverket och Kemikalieinspektionen, samt genom intervjuer med anställda på sistnämnda myndigheter. Analysen identifierar kemikaliekontroll i Sverige som ett system genomsyrat av motsättningar, vilka bottnar i en epistemologisk paradox som innebär att ju mer kunskap som ackumuleras om kemikalier, desto mer ökar osäkerheten. Den konstanta ökningen av världens kemikalieproduktion, i kombination med kemikaliers epistemologiska komplexitet, placerar kontrollmyndigheterna i en omöjlig sits. Samtidigt visar avhandlingen att myndigheterna är delaktiga i att upprätthålla detta kontrollsystem som till stor del är ett system av simulerad kontroll. Dels förmedlar kontrollsystemet genom sin blotta existens intrycket av kontroll, och dels fungerar vissa centrala regulatoriska begrepp som signaler om kontroll, trots att de visar sig vara ihåliga. På så vis blir osäkerhet inom kontrollsystemet alltid ett undantag, trots att den är så utbredd. / Chemical substances have become an inextricable feature of the late-industrial society, deemed necessary for the welfare, technological development and economic growth that large parts of the world have come to expect. In Sweden, the identification in the 1960s and 1970s of DDT, PCB and mercury as serious environmental threats led to the establishment of a system of chemicals control which is widely held to be one of the most advanced in the world. The thesisexamines this control system, its possibilities, its problems and its logic, through text analysis of state reports, governmental propositions, the reports of the Swedish Environmental Protection Agency (SEPA) and the Swedish Chemicals Agency (SCA), and interviews with employees at these agencies. The analysis shows chemicals control in Sweden to be a system pervaded with contradictions, which may be explained by an epistemological paradox at its core: that the accumulation of knowledge only serve to increase uncertainty. The constant increase of chemicals production, in combination with the highly unpredictable character of chemicals in the environment, puts the monitoring agencies in an impossible situation, always working against the tide. The thesis also shows, however, that the agencies are themselves an important part of maintaining a system of control that is to a large extent simulated. This in the sense that the system, by its very existence as well as by the circulation of regulatory concepts and principles within it which are in fact without much substance, always signals control, and constitute uncertainty as the exception.

For business organizations the concept of risk has always been important. Lately, this importance has been enhanced due to a number of corporate and societal circumstances. New and previously unconsidered risks are gaining increased significance in the overall risk management of many companies. This doctoral thesis takes a wide approach and examines factors relating to the evolving area of operational risk management. It focuses on risks that concern firms’ operations rather than merely financial risk exposures. The thesis consists of four empirical studies that address diverse but interrelated aspects of operational risk in Swedish industry settings. Building on four sets of independent data collections, they apply both quantitative and qualitative methods. The thesis reports results of operational risk management regarding organizational aspects, perceived challenges, the regulative environment, current societal and business trends, and various stakeholders. Issues like trust, risk perception, risk communication, corporate value, reputation, and brand value are also discussed. On the whole, the empirical findings indicate that a new risk paradigm has emerged. As society has boosted the management of various risks as a corporate responsibility, the costs of failing to manage such risks have increased substantially. / Diss. Stockholm : Handelshögskolan, 2009 Sammanfattning jämte 4 uppsatser

This thesis describes an impact of credit risk management and credit risk regulation on the volume and quality of credits. Consequently there is an influence on economic activity of people and companies, price level and business cycle. In the thesis the basic principles of credit risk management and regulations are described. The volume of granted credit determines the probability of default. If there is an option to transfer a credit risk to the third party, volume of granted credits increases. The volume of credit depends also on the regulatory duty to hold an adequate amount of capital. In the case the banks find the way to diminish this regulatory capital, the volume of credit increases. Credit activity of banks boosts economic activity of people and companies and it has an impact on the price level. The option of credit risk transfer to the third party together with high saturation of credit market leads to taking higher risk by lenders. At the end it has an impact on the business cycle.

p. 1-290 / Submitted by Santiago Fabio (fabio.ssantiago@hotmail.com) on 2013-04-30T20:35:03Z No. of bitstreams: 1 3333333333333333.pdf: 2022341 bytes, checksum: 509258a28eae8740edd814fa04c095a7 (MD5) / Approved for entry into archive by Maria Creuza Silva(mariakreuza@yahoo.com.br) on 2013-05-04T17:41:44Z (GMT) No. of bitstreams: 1 3333333333333333.pdf: 2022341 bytes, checksum: 509258a28eae8740edd814fa04c095a7 (MD5) / Made available in DSpace on 2013-05-04T17:41:44Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 3333333333333333.pdf: 2022341 bytes, checksum: 509258a28eae8740edd814fa04c095a7 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2007 / Este estudo analisa a regulação sanitária de equipamentos eletromédicos no Brasil e no Reino Unido. Busca identificar e analisar as semelhanças e diferenças entre os dois regimes e discutir em que medida eles protegem a saúde da população dos riscos decorrentes desses equipamentos. Optou-se por realizar pesquisa qualitativa exploratória com coleta de dados através de entrevistas, observação participante e análise de documentos, tomando-se bombas de infusão como equipamentos traçadores. Utilizando-se a Teoria dos Grupos de Interesse e a abordagem cibernética, é possível concluir que ambos os regimes estão implantados sob o modelo corporatista bipartite, priorizando a participação apenas de dois grupos de interesse, reguladores e aqueles representantes do segmento regulado. Apesar de terem legislação diferente, quanto à organização, o funcionamento deles se dá de modo fragmentado, implicando ocorrência de falhas regulatórias dos tipos captura e atenuação da ação regulatória. Têm estruturados de modo diferente os instrumentos regulatórios, controle sobre a entrada de empreendimentos no mercado, certificação de conformidade, revisão de pré-comercialização, tecnovigilância, mas guardam certa semelhança, no que diz respeito ao elemento central da ação regulatória - o equipamento em si, e não o paciente. Não utilizam os instrumentos regulatórios de forma balanceada, parecendo dar prioridade às atividades que geram recursos orçamentários para o órgão regulador e evitam conflito com o segmento regulado. Como conseqüência, aparenta que a regulação sanitária de equipamentos eletromédicos no Brasil e no Reino Unido ainda está distante de atender às necessidades de proteção da saúde da população. Para que esse objetivo seja alcançado, faz-se necessário investir em medidas educativas, esclarecendo a população sobre os riscos desses produtos e fomentando sua participação na organização do regime de regulação de risco à saúde. / Salvador