고신뢰조직(HRO)과 오류경험공유: 공군 조종사 대상 연구

Abstract

In the 21st century, the approach to failure is evolving. While viewing errors or failures as negative outcomes was the norm in a stable environment, they are now considered essential elements for learning, especially as changes become more commonplace in today’s dynamic business context. Thus, managing failures effectively and harnessing their learning outcomes seem more appropriate than merely avoiding them. In this regard, High-Reliability Organizations (HROs) hold significant implications. According to prominent motivational theories like social learning theory, individuals experiencing errors may undergo negative states of deflation and reduced self-efficacy, which may lead them to conceal their error experiences and even impair their resilience. Yet, findings from HROs highlight that teams with management practices and an atmosphere that embraces failure feature members that tend to share their errors and adopt a learning-oriented approach based on their own error experiences and those of their peers. This paper empirically examines these discussions using survey data collected from 308 Republic of Korea Air Force pilots across 35 squadrons (teams). Results revealed that, although individual error experiences did not have a significant effect on error reporting and negatively impacted resilience, in teams with a high level of safety priority, members’ error experiences generated positive effects on error reporting. These findings effectively integrate motivational theories and discussions on HROs to explain both individual- and team-level phenomena, further offering practical implications for failure and error management.