Internal whistleblowing systems – new standards for active security management and protection against systemic risks

Abstract

Purpose: The article analyzes contemporary conditions for the emergence of complex systemic threats resulting from the development of the risk industry. The authors are looking for an answer to the question whether the obligatory incorporation of internal whistleblowing systems in organizations producing dangerous products in dangerous processes with the use of dangerous devices would minimize the systemic risks resulting from organized irresponsibility. Design/Methodology/Approach: The research carried out using the problem analysis method was aimed at the initial structuring of the research field and theoretical and conceptual preparation of tools for detailed exploration. Findings: The conducted analysis revealed surprising constellations of interests in keeping security as low as possible. The mutual interactions between the risk industry, security administration and professional science create conditions that are particularly favorable to disasters and unlimited chains of damage. To disrupt these interactions, all organizations with a security impact should be required to install credible internal whistleblowers systems. Practical Implications: The problems presented in the article will contribute to the increased awareness of the hidden dimensions of threats and the need to change the current security paradigm based on the elementarization of threats, linear-deterministic understanding of causality, Cartesian methodical skepticism, computability as the dominant objectivisation strategy, passive responsibility, crisis response and method learning trial and error. Originality: The article problematizes the hitherto unknown contexts of using internal whistleblowing systems.