A leadership-studies professor analyzes the 1986 Challenger launch decision. Engineers at Morton Thiokol expressed O-ring concerns, but managers under schedule pressure overruled them. Within the management team, dissent was discouraged, illusions of unanimity prevailed, and the team had a strong sense of shared mission. The shuttle exploded 73 seconds after launch.
The decision-making failures most clearly illustrate:
- Acheck_circle
Groupthink, as described by Janis
- B
Bystander diffusion of responsibility
- C
Social facilitation effects
- D
Group polarization toward riskier averages
Explanation
Janis's groupthink—suppression of dissent, illusion of unanimity, high cohesion under pressure—matches Challenger management's process.