Assignment Muhammad Hamza

The article by Karl E. Weick discusses the Mann Gulch fire disaster that resulted in the death of
13 men. This was made famous in Norman Macleans Young Men and Fire. The purpose of the
article was to understand how the failure of an organization in accordance with the analogy of 16
individuals, who show traits of an organization. The resemblance can be articulated by the fact
that they have interlocking routines and they follow the five characteristic model of simple
organization by Mintzberg. Weick focused on two questions. The first one was concerned with
why organizations unravel. And the second question analyzed by the writer had to do with how
organizations can be made more resilient.
The Mann Gulch Disaster is a story of 16 smokejumpers. A fire started which caused a lot of
panic in the group. Dodge had a plan. He lit a fire and told everyone to lie down in the area he
had burned. No one consented to the idea proposed by Dodge. They all panicked and made a run
for the ridge. Dodge lied down in the ashes of his escape fire. Dodge survived. Only two other
people, Sallee and Rumsey, survived the fire as they were able to reach the ridge in time. The
others were either consumed by the fire or they succumbed to their injuries later. Out of a group
of 16 individuals, only 3 came out alive.
The major reason for this demise of organization was the leadership of Dodge. Dodges plan was
brilliant and saved him from the inferno. However, his inability to relay his idea effectively to
the rest of the people was a major flaw. To everyone else, Dodges idea seemed preposterous. He
wasnt assertive, or effective, in making his voice heard across the board. In any organization,
especially at times of crises, a strong leadership is very important. With strong leadership, Dodge
would have probably ensured survival of all 16 men.
Another problem was that hierarchy wasnt clearly defined. This is very essential. People need to
know and should be clear on whom to follow, or listen to. In this case, Dodge assumed command
in the group. There was no formal agreement between the rest of the people whether Dodge is
the legitimate leader whose orders should be adhered to.
The roles werent defined either. For any organization to be efficient or successful, roles should
be defined for each and every individual. This is crucial because it helps in effectively assigning
responsibilities that can then be upheld. Without defined roles and responsibilities, there would
be anarchy. A situation of cynicism would arise, like it did in this group too.
A very important reason was lack of information. The smokejumpers had no knowledge on how
to survive such a fire. They had no training it, or the relevant experience. If they had the required
knowledge, the end result would have been very different. They wouldnt have panicked either.
The group wasnt prepared for the worse, which resulted in the eventual demise of 13 men.
For any organization to survive and prosper, it needs to possess the some essential ingredients.
There should be strong teamwork that can withstand unprecedented challenges. Any challenge
can be subdued if the team is tightly integrated. Moreover, the team needs to possess abilities to
improvise in any unknown situation. Ones ability to improvise is the only way that can help in
prevention of a panic attack. Training also matters a lot, along with role assignment. If these two
are ensured, then a strong, effective team can be formed.