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INSTITUTIONAL ADAPTATION IN THE UK NUCLEAR TECHNOLOGY INDUSTRY
Author(s) -
KEMP RAY
Publication year - 1986
Publication title -
public administration
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.313
H-Index - 93
eISSN - 1467-9299
pISSN - 0033-3298
DOI - 10.1111/j.1467-9299.1986.tb00626.x
Subject(s) - adaptation (eye) , process (computing) , subject (documents) , raising (metalworking) , electricity , nuclear power , political science , business , public administration , public relations , law and economics , sociology , engineering , computer science , psychology , mechanical engineering , library science , biology , operating system , ecology , electrical engineering , neuroscience
Public inquiries into controversial development proposals have themselves become increasingly controversial in recent years. Despite their increasing length and cost, such proceedings remain part of the administrative process – the Inspector's report serving to‘inform the minister's mind. This paper examines certain features of the Sizewell B Inquiry and draws attention to the ability of the applicants to respond to criticisms raised at the hearings through various forms of institutional adaptation. Changes to the Central Electricity Generating Boards case on the organization of project management, to the management of the nuclear site licencing process, and to provisions for future nuclear reactor choice are highlighted. Significantly, each of these areas had been the subject of particular investigations undertaken at the behest of the inquiry Inspector. The paper concludes by raising a number of questions concerning the implications of this singularly interactive process.