Organization at the Limit: Lessons from the Columbia Disaster

Preeta M. Banerjee and Joseph T. Mahoney
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Preeta M. Banerjee: U of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
Joseph T. Mahoney: U of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

Working Papers from University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, College of Business

Abstract: We review William Starbuck and Moshe Farjoun's Organization at the Limit: Lessons from the Columbia Disaster, a book that provides a unique look at a rare empirical phenomenon: the total failure of a high-risk, high-reward organization. The National Aeronautics Space Administration (NASA) is a large, elaborate, and mature organization, which operates risky and complex technologies in an environment that emits ambiguous signals. In particular, NASA's space shuttle, Columbia, disintegrated during re-entry, after completing its 16-day scientific research mission. All seven astronauts on board the Space Shuttle were killed. The Columbia Accident Investigation Board (CAIB, 2003) stated that this disaster was a product of NASA's history, cultural traits, and long-term organizational practices. The multiple contributing factors give rise to eighteen chapters of various observers, interpretations, and evaluation criteria.

Date: 2007
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