This research focuses on a subset of large-scale organizations using highly technical systems known as "high reliability organizations" (HROs) -- those whose operating failures could be extremely harmful to large segments of the population. Among the questions addressed are these: what patterns of formal organization and formal rules develop in response to the pressures for highly reliable performance; what are the corresponding decision making and vertical versus horizontal communication patterns, and the components of 'organizational culture' of high reliability? How is the introduction of new technologies accomplished in such organizations? This project has undertaken a comparative study of three organizations whose performances often surpasses expectations for very reliable performance: the FAA's Air Traffic Control System, the Electric Operations department of a Pacific utility company and two nuclear aircraft carriers. This grant will facilitate observational visits, questionnaires, interviews and the collection of performance data in the first two sites, since data collection on the third site has largely been completed.
