Beyond Pilot Error: The Effects of Corporate Culture and Individual Sensemaking at Acme Community Air Service

Abstract

In this research study the authors examine the corporate culture of an aviation organization and how that culture and individual sensemaking influence flight crew safety decisionmaking in a less-than-optimal, high-workload environment. A quantitative methodology (content analysis) and 2 qualitative approaches (focused and individual interviews) as well as observation are employed in the study. The authors conclude flight crews clearly understand corporate cultural expectations and that such expectations frame individual sensemaking and decision processes especially when crews are faced with mission variances. The research methodology used provided the researchers a rich set of data that made clearer the link between corporate culture and individual decisionmaking processes.