This paper theoretically and empirically connects the literature on high-reliability organizations (HROs) to a broader set of organizations, which we call reliability-seeking organizations. Unlike HROs, which operate high-hazard technologies, reliability-seeking organizations operate in...

The present theory generalizes conjoint measurement in five major respects. (a) It is formulated in terms of partially rather than fully ordered data. (b) It applies to both ordinal and numerical data. (c) It is applicable to finite as well as infinite data structures. (d) It provides a...

On January 16, 1975, MN Industries announced their decision to phase out operations at their Great River, Michigan plant. The announcement triggered a course of events that culminated in an innovative social experiment, the impact of which cannot be fully known. The experiment melded management,...

A framework for systematic organizational development including a model for matching interventions with problem causes is developed, using concepts from social systems theory and medical science pathology. At the foundation of the framework are three basic principles of change applicable both to...