Running head: NASA DISASTERS – SUSTAINING CHANGE 1

Option #1: The Challenger and Columbia Shuttle Disasters

(Exercise 11.4)
Read the “The Challenger and Columbia Shuttle Disasters” case study from
the Managing Organizational Change textbook. In a carefully constructed document,
address the following course constructs as they relate to the case study:

 Images of managing change

 Types of change
 Challenges for change
 Resistance to change
 Implementing change
 NASA vision and change
 Sustaining change

NASA Disasters – Sustaining Change

MGT351 – Organizational Innovation and Change

Colorado State University – Global Campus

Demuth, Leroy

February 10, 2019

NASA DISASTERS – SUSTAINING CHANGE 2

Abstract

This essay will deliver a brief summary of the events that influenced NASA's first space

disaster that transpired in 1986 and will also examine the essential constructs of organizational

change in which NASA neglected to utilize in order to evade any future disasters. The essay will

finish with a review of NASA’s failure to not demonstrate effective change management but also

in executing the recommended changes that could have prevented additional disasters.
NASA DISASTERS – SUSTAINING CHANGE 3

Table of Contents

NASA Challenger Disaster________________________________________________________4

Constructs of Organizational Change________________________________________________5

Change Management Images____________________________________________________5

Types of Change______________________________________________________________6

Challenges for Change_________________________________________________________7

Resistance to Change__________________________________________________________7

Implementing Change__________________________________________________________9

Sustaining Change____________________________________________________________10

NASA’s Vision and Change______________________________________________________10

Conclusion___________________________________________________________________11

References____________________________________________________________________12
NASA DISASTERS – SUSTAINING CHANGE 4

NASA Disasters – Sustaining Change

All organizational leaders comprehend that change is imminent and ongoing. With these

organizational changes, they can be small and relatively easy to correct; however, others require

monumental efforts that demand a transformation in all elements of the company. The primary

purpose of organizational change leaders is to identify the change needed, implement it, and

encourage others to embrace it. In the case of the Challenger Disaster, failure on behalf of the

change leader led to unfortunate events. This essay will discuss the background of the events that

influenced the first space shuttle disaster and will also illustrate how utilizing change tactics

could have changed the outcome.

NASA Challenger Disaster

In 1986, NASA’s space shuttle, the Challenger, set out for exploration but only minutes

after take-off, the shuttle disintegrated which caused the lives of all crew members. One apparent

cause was discovered to be the malfunction in the O-ring seals during take-off due to the rigid

cold climate at the time of the event. However, the fundamental cause is believed to be failure in

various foundations propelling from the organizational culture within NASA’s. (Wanat, 1996, p.

A8). The organization culture during the event is an example of an ill-fated measures involving

poor communication, deficient safety measures, nonexistent learning opportunities, and consisted

of a prompt, cheap strategy to completing the project.

Organizational Change Constructs

In order for adequate organizational change to transpire, six constructs should be utilized

and include: change images, types, challenges, resistance, implementation, and sustaining

change. Following the first disaster in 1986, the agents assigned to review and conclude any

needed commendations for change declared that they should restructure management, enhance
NASA DISASTERS – SUSTAINING CHANGE 5

internal controls, implement and improve their current safety standards, while improving

communication internally and externally (Palmer, et al., 2016, p. 376). Given the guidance; it is

essential for NASA to examine each construct involved, and they are enforced when performing

these required measures.

Change Management Images

The six images of change management that will need to be examined to better direct a

change are as follows:

 Director: Managerial skills can be acquired to overcome the change.

 Navigator: Whether controlled or not, this image guides organizations through the

change.

 Caretaker: This image cannot be controlled by management but guides an organization

through it the best it can.

 Coach: Using values, skill building, and training, this image encourages organizational

change.

 Interpreter: Through this image, management clarifies and interprets the meaning of

change.

 Nurturer: With positivity, this image encourages organizational changes that cannot be

controlled.

A prosperous change leader should maintain the competence to correlate change with an

intuitive understanding of which image or images to employ that would best fit that specific

change. (Weick, 2011). Strong change agents should also have the experience to accommodate

any change image and to recognize the possibilities in any change event. During any change

event, agents should recognize their position in communicating change effectively and the
NASA DISASTERS – SUSTAINING CHANGE 6

purpose of which they participate among front-line employees. NASA portrayed both director

and navigator images in their culture. However, regarding the adjustments required in

communication, learning, culture, and management approaches, they should acquire the

following: coach image to exercise the distinct skills and aids that were suggested; interpreter

image to secure understanding of their cultural developments, and caretaker image to promote

stringent management within the procedures found internal and external. Those change leader

tactics would have been supreme for NASA to assimilate prior to following the subsequent

constructs.

Types of Change

A change leader should be attentive to the specific type of change that is desired then

decide on which change agent is best matched for the successful execution of the change. NASA

was confronted with improving their internal systems and organizational culture which is

transformational. It is recommended to utilize the coach, caretaker, and interpreter images of

change to demonstrate an effective transformational change effort. According to Pamela, she

declares some cornerstones are useful for transformational changes as they frame their meaning.

(Pamela, 2010, p. 328). These cornerstones are very similar to bot the interpreter, coach, and

caretaker images and incorporate step-by-step framing and connective framing.

Challenges for Change

Organizational change leaders should understand what internal challenges exist in the

change process. The challenges NASA faced when implementing transformational

organizational changes were identified as follows:

 Culture: Their culture involved poor communication, learning barriers, and the

management would restrain their ability to change.

NASA DISASTERS – SUSTAINING CHANGE 7

 Demographics: They had no immediate chain of command, even with having various

locations.

 Disinclination: They carried a robust perspective that change was not needed nor

necessary.

Another critical element in the effective implementation of change is possessing an efficient

organizational structure, and their current structure did not encourage change. Concisely, the

following measures in implementing change would have secured their change had they

eliminated the demographic and cultural challenges that prevented them from transpiring.

Resistance to Change

A change leader should also identify and correct any resistance when implementing

change. Resistance to change can be identified either naturally active or passive. Active

resistance transpires when a rebellious opposition to execute changes transpires after a

confrontation, which NASA demonstrated concerning their safety measure changes. Passive

resistance presents itself when a company is stuck in their behaviors and begins to build

organizational blocks to prevent change. According to Palmer et al. (2016), NASA presented

passive resistance by not obeying to the recommended safety measures implemented by the

board. NASA showed frequent resistance to change, and there were no change leaders capable of

overcoming that resistance. Within these challenges, NASA should have exerted the chance to

identify and develop a proper plan to correct the problem.

Implementing Change

Implementing change should occur when a company transforms from passive learning

into active learning. Duffield and Whitty recommend that companies that aggressively absorb the

lessons from past failures or successes can incorporate valuable lessons learned which then begin
NASA DISASTERS – SUSTAINING CHANGE 8

to produce sufficient changes. (Duffield & Whittey, 2015). Furthermore, it is crucial to obtain the

perception of change as a continuous situation. (Suran, 2015). Change leaders should regularly

offer training and knowledge in implementing changes effectively. According to Palmer et al.

(2016), NASA did not learn from their past failures and failed to address the safety changes

required by the commissioners.

Sustaining Change

Sustaining change is of the ultimate crucial process in change management. If a change

leader is inadequate in sustaining changes that occur, the change event unavoidably breaks. “To

achieve sustainable change, quality improvement initiatives must become the new way of

working rather than something added on to routine clinical care.” (Silver, et al., 2016).

Additionally, change leaders should expect the unexpected to occur while advocate failures and

interpret them as learning possibilities. Since NASA neglected to perform the fundamental

changes after their first disaster, the sustaining change action never transpired which led to the

subsequent disaster.

NASA’s Vision and Change

In 2003, the space shuttle, Columbia, crumbled as it crashed into Earth’s atmosphere,

ending the lives of yet another space crew. The consequences of their failures to execute

necessary transformational changes were apparent. Unfortunately, NASA continues to show

examples of neglected organizational change management. Their incompetence to correct the

failures and lack of obedience to the fundamental change constructs not only prompted the cost

of several lives, but also caused a loss in money, precious time, and their reputation.
NASA DISASTERS – SUSTAINING CHANGE 9

Conclusion

The vital purpose of organizational change leaders or agents is to identify change,

implement change, and assist in promoting individuals to embrace the required transformation.

The readiness to execute and sustain change will direct a healthy inclination for an organization

to prosper and pursue prospective objectives. Utilizing the change images and sustaining change

are essential for all organizations and should be their primary focus when implementing any

change situation. NASA is an excellent example of what not to do when change is needed as

their failure to do so had significant consequences which led to damaging their success,

reputation of the company.

NASA DISASTERS – SUSTAINING CHANGE 10

References

Duffield, S., Whittey, S. (2015). Developing a systemic lessons learned knowledge model for

organisational learning through projects. International Journal of Project Managment,

33(2), 311-324.

Palmer, I., Dunford, R., & Akin, G. (2016). Managing organizational change: A multiple

perspectives approach (3 ed.). New York: McGraw Hill.

Pamela, E. (2010). Leaders as linchpins for framing meaning. Community College Review, 37(4),

313-332.

Silver, S. A., Mcquillan, R., Harel, Z., Weizman, A. V., Thomas, A., Nesrallah, G., Chertow, G.

M. (2016). How to Sustain Change and Support Continuous Quality Improvement.

Clinical Journal of the American Society of Nephrology, 11(5), 916-924.

Suran, S. (2015). How to effectively implement change. The Journal of Corporate Accounting

and Finance, 5-13.

Weick, K. (2011). Reflections: change agents as change poets – on reconnecting flux and

hunches. Journal of Change Management, 11(1), 7-20.

Wanat, T. (1996). The organizational breakdown behind the challenger disaster. The Chronicle

of Higher Education, 42(23), A8.