Does the implementation of quality standards freeze action modes?

Abstract

Leaping between possible action modes is a vital rescue move for patient care, R&D projects, etc. We define ‘frozen action mode’ as, when in the face of an obvious gap between the expected and the actual results, leaping from current action mode to a more appropriate one is not considered or done on time. Freezing within an action mode may kill either the patient or the project. Quality standards are considered beneficial. However, when a need for leaping to an alternative action mode occurs, acting stringently according to quality standards may cause harm.‏ The importance of this unique study is that it defines and explains the idea of frozen action mode, and examines the possible correlation between working according to quality standards and the tendency to freeze within an action mode in R&D projects. We analysed 144 leaping events in 52 R&D projects.‏ All leaping events resulted from significant changes in the level of risk associated with the current mode. Project teams who obtained high quality assurance scores had low likelihood of leaping on time, whereas those who scored low had the highest likelihood to leap on time. The conclusion is that implementation of quality standards may intensify the frozen action mode problem in R&D projects.