The Legacy of the Theory of High Reliability Organizations: An Ethnographic Endeavor

The working paper looks back over two decades of work pioneered by Todd LaPorte and colleagues, under the banner of High Reliability Theory (HRT). It revisits the American roots of the Berkely-based group and comments on its early and decisive fieldwork choices. It discusses the legacy of HRT and the ethnographical twist given to "normal operations" studies. It helps understand how and why ethnographical and sociological methodologies provide new insights to the study of High-Risks Industries.

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