Book chapter
OA Policy
English

The Coziness of the Silo

ContributorsBourrier, Mathildeorcid
Published inWiig, S., Calderwood, C. & Reiman, T. (Ed.), Organizational Silos and System Safety, p. 7-15
PublisherCham : Springer
Collection
  • SpringerBriefs in Safety Management
First online date2026-07-12
Abstract

In organizational studies, the phenomenon of the silo is well-known. Organizations can be studied from many angles, but one of their defining characteristics—especially when they are plagued by bureaucracy—is that they operate in silos. It is widely accepted that this is not an effective way of working, especially when safety challenges are at stake. Silos have a bad reputation. In this chapter, we will revisit this notion. Why do silos form? What are their benefits and disadvantages for social systems? What are the boundaries and limitations of learning and working together without silos? What potential dilemmas may emerge when breaking down silos, and how can these be handled?

Keywords
  • Silo Effect
  • Bureaucratization
  • Power Relations
  • Structural Secrecy
  • Autonomy
Citation (ISO format)
BOURRIER, Mathilde. The Coziness of the Silo. In: Organizational Silos and System Safety. Wiig, S., Calderwood, C. & Reiman, T. (Ed.). Cham : Springer, 2026. p. 7–15. (SpringerBriefs in Safety Management) doi: 10.1007/978-3-032-25104-6_2
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Book chapter (Published version)
Identifiers
ISBN978-3-032-25103-9
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Technical informations

Creation30/07/2026 11:23:18
First validation31/07/2026 08:19:44
Update31/07/2026 08:19:44
Status update31/07/2026 08:19:44
Last indexation31/07/2026 08:19:45
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