Bastien Soulé

Coupled seismic and socio-political crises: the case of Puerto Aysen in 2007

In 2007, a seismic crisis developed in the Chilean 11th region, punctuated by a devastating tsunami wave. This paper aims at explaining the parallel genesis of a socio-political crisis within the most populated city of the area: Puerto Aysen. During four months, uncertainty about the ongoing phenomenon generated debates within the scientific community, as well as anxiety among the population. Simultaneously, controversies popped out as to the best suited measures to prevent a potential disaster. Through a description of the decision making process, we intend to provide a detailed insight of the difficulties encountered, in order to eventually question the relevance of the overall risk management procedure at work. A process, rather than event-centred approach to the crisis was prioritized, grounded in a sociological and organizational perspective. Carried on in a qualitative way, this case study combined documentary analysis and semi-directive interviews. Basic results provide a quite complete picture of the combined root causes of this socio-political crisis: changing diagnoses and contradictory scientists’ reports; phenomenon novelty and lack of seismic culture; limited experience of coordinated emergency management; long lasting political dissensions; fanciful and alarmist media coverage; etc. Globally, local dissatisfaction was generated by the information and decision making processes. In the paper’s discussion, it is interpreted as a sentiment of being deprived of any hold on the situation. It also betrays unsatisfied participation expectations. Such findings must be connected to a broader tendency to reject technocratic and centralized risk management.

Innovation theories applied to the outdoor sports sector: Panorama and perspectives

Due to the diversification of its ever-changing markets, the socio-economic sector of outdoor sports constitutes a unique vantage point from which to observe intensive innovative situations. The goal of this article is to provide a multidisciplinary overview at the crossroads between sociology and management science, and to conduct a cross-sector literature review with the aim of answering the following question: How do researchers interested in outdoor sports address the topic of innovation? Model application, concept deployment, theory borrowing and, where necessary, theory refinement constitute the central theme of this contribution. After defining the accepted meanings of innovation and highlighting the influence of classic innovation paradigms, the authors will demonstrate that the case of outdoor leisure sports has provided fresh ground for two theoretical bases in particular (firstly, Lead User Theory related to Von Hippel’s theorization; secondly, socio-technical analysis related to Actor–Network Theory), giving rise to inspiring developments which have the potential to become a reference over time. Focus on their main assets, moreover, will serve as the basis for reflection on their articulation, with a view to providing a realistic and pluralistic explanation of the innovation processes at work.

Constant supervision of bathing in French public swimming pools: an unrealistic regulatory requirement?

ABSTRACT In France, to prevent drowning accidents in public swimming pools (PSPs), bathing must be constantly supervised by qualified staff. However, fatal drowning regularly occurs in supervised aquatic facilities. A review of the literature shows that human supervision is a complex task. The aim of this research is to fully assess the periods during which supervision is not carried out, or carried out in an inadequate manner. The observations made in 108 French PSPs show that supervision is not carried out 18% of the time and that it is carried out inadequately 33% of the time. The medical literature shows that, in order to expect to survive without after-effects, an immersed victim requires intervention within a time limit of not more than three minutes; however, we noted, over a total observation time of 54 hours, 147 periods (29.8%) during which the supervision system was degraded for three minutes or more. This quantification research on the periods of degraded supervision is complemented by an identification of the causes leading to these degradations, from which we can draw interesting areas for improvement, particularly from an organizational point of view, in order to improve safety management in French PSPs.

Quantification of degraded supervision of bathing in 108 French public swimming pools

To prevent drowning incidents in French public swimming pools (PSP), bathing must be constantly supervised by qualified lifeguards. However, fatal drownings regularly occurs in supervised aquatic facilities, calling into question the efficacy of the supervision chain. The aim of this research is to fully assess the periods during which supervision is not carried out, or carried out in an inadequate manner. The observations made in 108 French PSP show that constant supervision, as stipulated by regulations, represents only half of the time. Over a total observation time of 54 hours, 147 periods during which the supervision system was degraded for 3 min or more were noticed. In the worst-case scenario, this possesses a significant problem in terms of survival probability without sequelae.

From shorts to dresses: the introduction of new attire in a women’s professional basketball team as an index of change and forms of compromise

Abstract In 2010, the Lyon women’s team Lyon Basket Féminin started to appear on court in short tunic-style dresses. Was there a consensus on the desirability of this innovation? What forms of resistance were manifested, if any? Seeking to approach the question from an organisational point of view, we used the model of the economies of worth, focusing on the conduct of change, the appropriation of the new, and the communication that presents and surrounds it. After an explanatory observation, twelve semi-structured interviews were carried out. The change studied in this basketball team was not closely disputed. But lack of noticeable opposition does not mean strong support. Players actually wore the dress in spite of their more or less marked reluctance. The conventions model constitutes a means of accounting for the forms of arrangements that have allowed the acceptance and maintenance of this change in the absence of its real appropriation by the totality of the stakeholders. The situation was made acceptable thanks to a set of other congruent arguments. Switches from one polity to another have been noticed, disclosing strategies relying on pluralist arguments. Such swings, orientated towards the lifting of criticism, unveil the fluidity of organisations and their multiple setups.