Learning From Complexity: Effects Of Prior Accidents And Incidents On Airlines' Learning

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dc.contributor.utaustinauthorHaunschild, Pamela R.en
dc.creatorHaunschild, P. R.en
dc.creatorSullivan, B. N.en
dc.date.accessioned2015-04-16T13:57:21Zen
dc.date.available2015-04-16T13:57:21Zen
dc.date.issued2002-12en
dc.description.abstractUsing data on accidents and incidents experienced by U.S. commercial airlines from 1983 to 1997, we investigated variation in firm learning by examining whether firms learn more from errors with heterogeneous or homogeneous causes. We measured learning by a reduction in airline accident and incident rates, while controlling for other factors related to accidents and incidents. Our results show that heterogeneity is generally better for learning, as prior heterogeneity in the causes of errors decreases subsequent accident rates, producing a deeper, broader search for causality than simple explanations like >blame the pilot.> The benefits of heterogeneity, however, apply mainly to specialist airlines. Generalist airlines learn, instead, from outside factors such as the experience of others and general improvements in technology. These results suggest a theory of learning across organizational forms: complex forms benefit from simple information, and simple forms benefit from complex information. The implications of our study for learning theories and work on organizational errors are discussed.en
dc.description.departmentBusiness Administrationen
dc.identifier.citationPamela R. Haunschild and Bilian Ni Sullivan. Administrative Science Quarterly. Vol. 47, No. 4 (Dec., 2002), pp. 609-643. DOI: 10.2307/3094911en
dc.identifier.doi10.2307/3094911en
dc.identifier.issn0001-8392en
dc.identifier.urihttp://hdl.handle.net/2152/29294en
dc.language.isoEnglishen
dc.relation.ispartofserialAdministrative Science Quarterlyen_US
dc.rightsAdministrative deposit of works to UT Digital Repository: This works author(s) is or was a University faculty member, student or staff member; this article is already available through open access or the publisher allows a PDF version of the article to be freely posted online. The library makes the deposit as a matter of fair use (for scholarly, educational, and research purposes), and to preserve the work and further secure public access to the works of the University.en
dc.subjectorganizational-changeen
dc.subjectniche widthen
dc.subjectperformanceen
dc.subjectexperienceen
dc.subjectindustryen
dc.subjectfailureen
dc.subjectdiversityen
dc.subjectdynamicsen
dc.subjectsafetyen
dc.subjectpoweren
dc.subjectbusinessen
dc.subjectmanagementen
dc.titleLearning From Complexity: Effects Of Prior Accidents And Incidents On Airlines' Learningen
dc.typeArticleen

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