Who’s the Boss in Risky Business? Clarity around responsibility for decision making becomes critical during a crisis

Abstract

This research uses a case study of the Ocean Ranger (OR) oil rig disaster to explore how the lack of clarity regarding decision makers contributes to crisis. The paper contributes to the literature by applying sensemaking and social construction theory to explain the OR disaster. While prior research focused on specific topics related to lack of clarity such as virtual work environments or communications, this study adds to the literature since it encompasses a wider lens by considering the impact of how the distributed nature of the offshore oil sector compounded by lack of clarity around the identity of decision makers, multiple companies involved and overlapping American and Canadian regulations all contributed to the OR disaster.