Enacting project resilience: Insights from Uruguayan air force flight 571′s crash in the Andes

IF 7.4 1区管理学 Q1 MANAGEMENT International Journal of Project Management Pub Date : 2025-01-01 DOI:10.1016/j.ijproman.2025.102677

Kijan Vakilzadeh , Sebastian Raetze

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Abstract

In this qualitative study, we examine how project members organize for resilience amid adversity by analyzing the case of the 1972 crash of Uruguayan Air Force Flight 571. The survivors endured 72 days in the Andes, navigating uncertainty, time pressures, interpersonal conflict, and intense emotions—challenges similar to those in modern project organizations. Using insights from the survivors' (auto-)biographies, we conclude that resilience emerges through members' daily social interactions. Our findings reveal three key elements of project resilience: (1) processing contextuality, where sensebreaking and adaptive sensemaking evolve as adversity unfolds; (2) processing communality, which forms a socio-emotional foundation for resilience; and (3) shifting between different modes of emergent responding, by which project organizations harness the stability of structured responses while retaining the flexibility to adapt under pressure. This study highlights the dynamic processes through which project resilience is cultivated, offering insights for managing resilience in high-stakes environments.

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来源期刊

International Journal of Project Management MANAGEMENT-

CiteScore

12.30

自引率

26.20%

发文量

审稿时长

59 days

期刊介绍： The International Journal of Project Management is recognized as a premier publication in the field of project management and organization studies. Our main objective is to contribute to the advancement of project management and project organizing through the publication of groundbreaking research. We are dedicated to presenting fresh insights and new knowledge in various domains, including project management, program management, portfolio management, project-oriented organizations, project networks, and project-oriented societies. We actively encourage submissions that explore project management and organizing from the perspectives of organizational behavior, strategy, supply chain management, technology, change management, innovation, and sustainability. By publishing high-quality research articles and reviews, we strive to revolutionize the academic landscape and propel the field of project management forward. We invite researchers, scholars, and practitioners to contribute to our journal and be a part of the progressive development in this exciting field.