The relevance of high reliability theory (HRT) to reliability-seeking organizations (RSOs)

The purpose of this study was to explore the relevance and applicability of high reliability theory (HRT) to reliability-seeking organizations (RSOs) and organizations in the mainstream (MOs). RSOs are tightly coupled organizations that operate in a competitive and rapidly changing environment and have little time to respond to unexpected events. In the absence of a theory for sustained high performance (Kirby, 2005) in MOs, room exists for testing the use of HRT theory as a model or metaphor for improving reliability in non-HROs. Until now, only a few studies of RSOs provided initial evidence on the relevance and applicability concept of HRT theory to non-HROs. The present mixed-method case study selected Dish Network L.L.C and EchoStar Communications, two RSOs, as the research settings to study the relevance and applicability of HRT theory. While four research questions and two hypotheses are detailed in the study, one main research question guided this work: To what extent have Dish Network/EchoStar Communications, two RSOs, manifested the HRT principles? Data collection methods included (a) the administration of an HRO Perception Scale Survey (Barrett et al., 2006) to employees of Dish Network and EchoStar in Colorado, (b) the identification and analysis of organizational artifacts, and (c) the transcriptions of interviews conducted in a pilot study. The study findings are organized by research question with excerpts from the analyses of organizational artifacts and transcribed interviews showing how both organizations manifested the HRT principles in their operations. The HRO Perception Scale Survey revealed that employee perception of risk and organizational response to risk in both organizations is similar to that of employees in HROs and other RSOs. The analyses of the organizational artifacts and transcribed interviews revealed that Dish Network and EchoStar manifest the HRT principles via various HRO artifacts. These specific artifacts are sorted first by HRT principle and secondly as being central or tangential to that principle. The triangulation of quantitative and qualitative data provides empirical evidence that supports the relevance and applicability of HRT to RSOs in this study. Implications of findings for theory, practice, and future research are presented.