Coping with Errors in Organizations

Coping with Errors in Organizations presents and integrates various cutting-edge theoretical frameworks and methodologies from the operations management and organizational research literatures to use diverse methodologies in order to help organizations to excel in reliability, performance, and innovation. Through the development of learning dialogues within OM and between OM and organizational research methodologies, the authors strive to help managerial practitioners and policy makers to build a body of knowledge on errors that is more visible, inspectable, systematic, and influential on their daily practice. The ultimate goals are centered on reducing adverse error consequences while capitalizing on opportunities for positive error-related outcomes such as innovation, continuous improvement, and learning.

The monograph first introduces the key definition of errors in organizations and its relationship with other concepts. Second, it provides a well-structured review of errors in the OM literature. Third, by contrasting different research methodologies present in the fields of OM and organizational research, the authors suggest using the priority level of analysis, and temporal lenses for a more integrative, holistic approach to errors in organizations. Finally, the monograph identifies and suggests research and practical implications of the challenges and opportunities involved in reducing errors' negative consequences while increasing the learning and innovation possibilities they provide.