The Challenger Launch Decision
Nonfiction | Book | Adult | Published in 1996
620
Book • Nonfiction
United States • 1980s
1996
Adult
18+ years
In her sociological work The Challenger Launch Decision: Risky Technology, Culture, and Deviance at NASA, Diane Vaughan explains the Challenger disaster by analyzing NASA's corporate culture. Using extensive interviews and NASA records, she details how the process of "normalization of deviance" led managers and engineers to accept known risks, culminating in the tragic launch decision.
Informative
Challenging
Unnerving
Mysterious
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Diane Vaughan’s The Challenger Launch Decision is widely praised for its meticulous sociological analysis and detailed narrative of the events leading up to the Challenger disaster. Reviewers commend its depth and rigorous research, though some criticize its dense, academic prose, making it less accessible to general readers. Overall, a thorough and insightful study.
A reader with an interest in sociology, organizational behavior, and the intricacies of decision-making in high-stakes environments will appreciate Diane Vaughan's The Challenger Launch Decision. Fans of Charles Perrow's Normal Accidents and James Reason's Human Error will find this book particularly compelling.
551 ratings
Loved it
Mixed feelings
Not a fan
620
Book • Nonfiction
United States • 1980s
1996
Adult
18+ years
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