BP Deepwater Horizon Spill Flashcards
(11 cards)
What was the BP Deepwater Horizon disaster?
A 2010 oil rig explosion in the Gulf of Mexico, causing 11 deaths and a massive oil spill, due to ignored safety evidence and poor decision-making. (The Guardian, 2015)
Why is the BP case relevant to Evidence-Based Management?
It highlights what happens when scientific, ethical, and practitioner evidence are ignored in favor of short-term profits and efficiency. (National Commission, 2011)
How does this case support critiques of EBMgt?
It shows that even when evidence is available, decision-makers may ignore it due to organizational culture, power structures, or misaligned incentives.
Why wasn’t scientific evidence followed in BP’s decisions?
Warnings about the blowout preventer and pressure data were disregarded due to time constraints, cost pressures, and a focus on operational speed. (Hopkins, 2012)
Why is practitioner evidence hard to collect in high-risk industries like oil drilling?
Frontline workers may fear retaliation, lack formal reporting channels, or be overruled by higher management. (National Commission, 2011)
What external pressures affected BP after the disaster?
Public outrage, media coverage, political pressure, and legal action led to a $20B settlement and regulatory reforms. (The Guardian, 2015)
What ethical failures were evident in the BP spill?
BP failed to consider the moral implications of their risk-taking, harming people, ecosystems, and communities. (BP, 2010)
What is a key EBMgt takeaway from the BP disaster?
Ignoring multiple sources of evidence (scientific, organizational, practitioner, stakeholder) can lead to catastrophic failure.
How can this case be used in EBMgt exams?
As an example of failed evidence-based decision-making, ignored stakeholder input, weak organizational learning, and ethical neglect.
Which report provides the official investigation into BP’s failure?
National Commission on the BP Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill (2011). ‘Deep Water: The Gulf Oil Disaster and the Future of Offshore Drilling.’
How to reference
(The Guardian, 2015)
