Organizations and Systematic Distortion of Information

Abstract

Modern society depends upon organizational systems for much of its information, particularly with respect to the assessment of large scale technological projects. It is reasoned that organizations tend to distort information to meet organizational needs. Such distortions do not depend upon dishonest behavior on the part of individuals. Rather, tendencies to distort information are systemic properties of the organizational systems themselves. As the power of modern technology grows, the consequences of distorted assessments become more serious and potentially catastrophic. The shuttle explosion and the nuclear reactor accident at Chernobyl provide tragic lessons.