Learning From Complexity: Effects Of Prior Accidents And Incidents On Airlines' Learning

Using data on accidents and incidents experienced by U.S. commercial airlines from 1983 to 1997, we investigated variation in firm learning by examining whether firms learn more from errors with heterogeneous or homogeneous causes. We measured learning by a reduction in airline accident and incident rates, while controlling for other factors related to accidents and incidents. Our results show that heterogeneity is generally better for learning, as prior heterogeneity in the causes of errors decreases subsequent accident rates, producing a deeper, broader search for causality than simple explanations like >blame the pilot.> The benefits of heterogeneity, however, apply mainly to specialist airlines. Generalist airlines learn, instead, from outside factors such as the experience of others and general improvements in technology. These results suggest a theory of learning across organizational forms: complex forms benefit from simple information, and simple forms benefit from complex information. The implications of our study for learning theories and work on organizational errors are discussed.Business Administratio

Properties of nonaqueous electrolytes First quarterly report, 20 Jun. - 19 Sep. 1966

Solvent purification and water content determined by gas chromatography for nonaqueous electrolyte

Magnetic properties of microtektites Semiannual status report, 1 Jan. - 31 Jun. 1969

Magnetic susceptibility, magnetization, and Curie constants for normal and bottle-green microtektites found in deep-sea sediment core

Operational experience with VAWT blades

The structural performance of 17 meter diameter wind turbine rotors is discussed. Test results for typical steady and vibratory stress measurements are summarized along with predicted values of stress based on a quasi-static finite element model

Impact of disorder on the 5/2 fractional quantum Hall state

We compare the energy gap of the \nu=5/2 fractional quantum Hall effect state obtained in conventional high mobility modulation doped quantum well samples with those obtained in high quality GaAs transistors (heterojunction insulated gate field-effect transistors). We are able to identify the different roles that long range and short range disorders play in the 5/2 state and observe that the long range potential fluctuations are more detrimental to the strength of the 5/2 state than short-range potential disorder.Comment: PRL 106, 206806 (2011