Exploring the Culture of Procedures

In this article we present the findings of a field study conducted to explore the influence of culture on procedure use in the petrochemical refining industry. We argue that anthropological approaches to the study of sociological culture suggest a methodology through which we can explore the roles played by procedures. We establish five dimensions of culture in process operations settings and give examples of how the dimensions manifest. We discuss the limitations and trade-offs associated with different approaches to procedure strategies and offer some tentative recommendations for putting this knowledge to use.

Jamieson, G., & Miller, C. (2000). "Exploring the Culture of Procedures". Paper presented at the 5th International Conference on Human Interaction with Complex Systems, Los Alamitos, CA.