A Case Study of NASA's Columbia Tragedy: An Organizational Learning and Sensemaking Approach to Organizational Crisis.

No other government agency receives as much attention as the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA). The high-profile agency frequently captures attention of the media in both positive and negative contexts. This thesis takes a case study approach using organizational learning and sensemaking theories to investigate crisis communication within NASA's 2003 Columbia tragedy. Eight participants, who in some capacity had worked for NASA during the Columbia tragedy in a communication centered position, were interviewed. Using a grounded theory framework, nine themes emerged pertaining to organizational learning, leadership, structure, and organizational culture. The results of the study aid in understanding how high risk organization's (HROs) can learn from previous failures and details how organizational culture can hinder organizational change.

Grantor dc:publisher

University of North Texas

Year dc:date

2007

Author dc:creator

• James, Eric Preston

Contributors dc:contributor

• Richardson, Brian K.
• Anderson, Karen A.
• Allison, John M., Jr.

• organizational culture
• organizational communication
• organizational learning
• sensemaking
• NASA
• Columbia (Spacecraft) -- Accidents.
• Space shuttles -- Accidents -- Case studies.
• Space vehicle accidents -- United States -- Case studies.
• United States. National Aeronautics and Space Administration -- Management.
• Organizational behavior -- Case studies.
• Corporate culture -- Case studies.
• Organizational sociology -- Case studies.

Statement dc:rights

• Public
• Copyright
• James, Eric Preston
• Copyright is held by the author, unless otherwise noted. All rights reserved.

Language dc:language

English

Identifier

oclc: 227161815
https://digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc5161/
ark: ark:/67531/metadc5161

OAI identifier oai:identifier

info:ark/67531/metadc5161