Management system
Contents
Definition
A single coherent system in which all the component parts of an organization are integrated to enable the organization’s objectives to be achieved
Note: The IAEA Safety Glossary 2007 edition contains two separate definitions for "Management System" (defined as a set of interrelated or interacting elements (system) for establishing policies and objectives and enabling the objectives to be achieved in an efficient and effective manner), and "integrated management system". However, this distinction has been dropped in favour of using a single term "Management System" subsuming integration.
Description
Management is defined (in ISO 9000) as coordinated activities to direct and control an organization. A management system is a integrates all components of a business into one coherent system so as to enable the achievement of its purpose and mission. Anything which has an effect on business results must be part of the management system. Therefore, a management system should enclose all currently formalized systems focusing on quality, health and safety, environment, personnel, finance, security etc.; all organizational processes, the organization's structure and its resources should perform in a coordinated, integrated way. Also, personnel, equipment and organizational culture, as well as the documented policies and processes, form parts of the management system. The organizational processes have to address the totality of the requirements on the organization, as established by or in, for example, interested parties, IAEA safety standards and other international codes and standards.
IAEA Guidance on Integrated Management Systems
To assist Member States the IAEA developed a set of Safety Standards that establishes requirements and provides guidance for applying a a Management System for facilities and activities. The main objective of the Management System requirements is that all safety, health, environmental, security, quality and economical elements are combined in one integrated Management System in order to assure that safety is not compromised by considering the implications of all actions with regard to safety as a whole and not in separate Management Systems.
The present set of Safety Standards for Management Systems gives clear recommendation and guidance for management systems for facilities and activities and comprises the various phases of a nuclear facility, including construction, commissioning, operation and decommissioning. A list of the relevant Safety Standards is available on this page.
Knowledge management in an Integrated Management System
"Knowledge management must be integrated into strategic planning; analysis and decision-making; implementation of plans; and, evaluation of results. This is why KM is vital to an integrated management system and is advocated by the IAEA for protecting people and the environment" [1].
Central to the management system are the business processes which accomplish specific organizational goals. The task of knowledge management, from the viewpoint of an integrated management system, consists in providing support to business processes. The approach to knowledge management addressing the issues of supporting business processes is defined as process-oriented knowledge management.
References
{1] INTERNATIONAL ATOMIC ENERGY AGENCY, Knowledge Management for Nuclear Industry Operating Organizations, TECDOC Series No.1510, October 2006
