Two influential schools of thought that deal with the management of hazardous technology are Normal Accident Theory and High Reliability Theory. This paper presents another avenue for studying safety management by applying Argyris and SchoÈ n's theory of action. Theory of action provides a detailed explanation for why well-intentioned individuals and organizations often behave ineffectively. When applied to safety, it yields specific insights into why learning and safety performance typically fall short of desired results. This paper presents an overview of this approach and it does so by turning to the debate between the proponents of Normal Accident Theory and High Reliability Theory. Application of theory of action informs both of these dominant schools as it provides specific insights into why safety is often undermined. This approach thereby recasts the debate between these two and argues that they should be seen as complementary, not competing, perspectives.
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