Intelligent Risk Taking

Conclusion Innovative individuals, when compared to productive researchers of equal technical background, are no more highly risk-taking. Given the preparation, work, intelligence and persistence of innovators, most of what may be perceived as risks by others, are fairly sure "bets" for Innovators. 

Unlike the prescriptive approach, the goal-based methodology enables an assessment and re-assessment of risk as operational experience is gained. The intelligence gathered after system go-live provides powerful lessons from which the safety position can be re-evaluated and further evidenced. A simple prescriptive checklist fails to take these important messages into account. 

Recent developments take the risk assessment subject to a higher level within the practice of safety. By formalizing the hazard analysis and risk assessment process, a better appreciation of the significance of individual risks is achieved. As risks levels are categorized and prioritized, more intelligent decisions can be made with respect to their elimination or reduction. For the hazard analysis and risk assessment process, it is necessary to arrive at definitions of hazards, hazards analyses, risks, and risk assessments. 

The impressive amount of results which link personal variables to the occurrence of accidents cannot be overlooked. There are certain combinations of personality traits which facilitate accidents in specific situations. Kunkel (1973) points out "A model of accident proneness in which the degree of accident proneness is seen as a quality which supervenes with a certain constellation of several situational factors seems much more realistic. In these constellations, several factors can take on special meaning. For example, in one case a lack of intelligence may be of importance, whereas in another case risk behavior, or a massive disturbance in reaction behavior can be set in relation to accident proneness" (p. 73). 

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