A Systems View of Decision‐Making for Risky Technologies: From Global to Local and Local to Global

The recent disaster at Japan's Fukushima nuclear power generation facility has caused concern on a global scale over the safety of nuclear power. In response to heightened risk perceptions caused by these crises, many stakeholders may find processes for voicing their concerns to be inadequate. For many years, an effective model for decision‐making which includes public input has been needed, a process that meets the needs of diverse stakeholders in a democratic setting. Many studies conclude that stakeholder interactions occur within a complex system, but do not articulate details of this system. This study combined case study with grounded theory methodology and utilized situational analysis. Data were mainly comprised of 30 one‐on‐one interviews with stakeholders involved in the decision‐making processes for the re‐licensing of two nuclear power generation facilities in Ontario, Canada. The purpose of this paper is to present findings from this qualitative study which illuminate the complex interactions between global, national, and local systems, such as the effect of nuclear incidents on global and local risk perceptions. The paper concludes with several recommendations for organizations concerned with protecting public safety.