We use the case of the now-dead Shoreham Nuclear Power Station to pose some questions, and a few answers, about organizational failure. The analysis centers on the symbolism of organizational plans, specifically how organizations use plans to justify increasingly complex systems to themselves and to others. That such plans are based on sparse or nonexistent experience, and that they are often wildly unrealistic, suggests some reasons why high-technology, high-risk systems do not foster organizational learning.
Get full access to this article
View all access options for this article.
References
1.
Clarke, L. (forthcoming). Controlling the uncontrollable.
2.
Erikson, K. (1994). A new species of trouble. New York: Norton.
3.
Federal Emergency Management Agency. (1986). Post exercise assessment: February 13, 1986. Exercise of the Local Emergency Response Organization (LERO), as specified in the LILCO Transition Plan for the Shoreham Nuclear Power Station, Shoreham, NY, April 17.
4.
Impell Corporation. (1986). Drill report for June 6, 1986 for LERO facilities, ECO, ENC, and Riverhead staging area. Attachment 7 in USA, NRC, Docket No. 50-322-OL-5, March 20, 1987, Regarding Contention EX 50, Training of off-site emergency response personnel, October 31.
5.
Kreps, G. A. (1984). Sociological inquiry and disaster research. Annual Review of Sociology, 10, 309-330.
6.
McCaffrey, D. (1991). The politics of nuclear power. Boston: Kluwer.
7.
Meyer, M. , & Zucker, L. (1989). Permanently failing organizations. Newbury Park, CA: Sage.
8.
Nuclear Regulatory Commission. (1983). Before the Atomic Safety and Licensing Board, in the matter of Long Island Lighting Company, Shoreham Nuclear Power Station (Unit 1, Docket No. 50-322-OL-3). Emergency Planning Proceeding, Testimony of Matthew C. Cordaro, Russell R. Dynes, William G. Johnson, Dennis S. Mileti, John H. Sorensen, and John A. Weismantle on behalf of The Long Island Lighting Company on Phase II Emergency Planning, Contention 25 (Role Conflict), November 18.
9.
Nuclear Regulatory Commission. (1986). Emergency planning contentions relating to the February 13, 1986 exercise (Docket No. 50-322-OL-5). In the matter of Long Island Lighting Company, Shoreham Nuclear Power Station, Unit 1, United States of American Nuclear Regulatory Commission, Before the Atomic Safety and Licensing Board, August 1, 1986.
10.
Nuclear Regulatory Commission. (1987a). Before the Atomic Safety and Licensing Board (Docket No. 50-322-OL-5). Regarding Contention EX 50—Training of Offsite Emergency Response Personnel, March 20.
11.
Philip McGuire, and Deputy Inspector Edwin J. Michel on behalf of Suffolk County regarding Contention EX 41—Mobilization and dispatch of road crew and removal of impediments from the roadways during the February 13, 1986 Shoreham Exercise.
12.
Nuclear Regulatory Commission. (1989). Nuclear Regulatory Commission, Before the Atomic Safety and Licensing Board, In the Matter of the Long Island Lighting Company (Docket No. 50-322-OL-5R). Regarding Contention 20, Fundamental Flaws in LILCO's Training Program, 2 February.
13.
Perrow, C. (1984). Normal accidents. New York: Basic Books.
14.
Quarantelli, E. L. , & Dynes, R. R. (1977). Response to social crisis and disaster. Annual Review of Sociology, 3, 23-49.
15.
Sagan, S. (1993). The limits of safety. Princeton: Princeton University Press.
