With regard to mission, central goals are clear and widely shared. Staff members and the public believe failure to achieve core tasks would be disastrous. Because of their high rate of reliability, HROs are greatly valued. Similarities in management structure and resource management comprise the second set of characteristics. The management structure is a flexible hierarchy with clearly defined roles and responsibilities.
Administrators incorporate collegial decision-making when appropriate.
Staff members at all levels are empowered to deal effectively with emergencies across as many traditional boundaries as are necessary to avoid failure. Standard operating procedures, based on formal, logical decision analysis, are the norm, and vigilance against failure is highly prized. Professionalism is also a critical feature. HROs rely on the professional judgment of all staff members. To this end, they stress intensive recruitment and ongoing training.