The price of success? Security-oriented cultures and high reliability organizations

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Abstract
A review of culture studies in high reliability organizations demonstrates the predominance of a highly controlling security-oriented culture in such diverse organizations as the Federal Aviation Administration, Naval Air Squadrons and aircraft carrier deck operations. The organizations share behavioral norms supporting hierarchical referral of decisions and avoidance of conflict. Such norms tend to be behavior-inhibiting and are associated with member dissat isfaction and role conflict. Little evidence is indicated for use of operator dis cretion and problem solving despite repeated calls for more decentralization in high reliability organizations during crises. High reliability organizations need to learn to manage the transition between the centralization and control appro priate for standard operating conditions and the flexibility and discretion crises necessitate.

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