Very nice discussion (for a very long time on pprune)...
The basic question turns around the definition of SOP violation versus freedom of SOP flexibility. I will refrain myself from giving any definition here (not willing to take any beating
). For sure one can make a proposition around these two definitions to dig any further into the matter.
It is for sure that a simple stance, described as SOP Taliban, or words of that matter will not enlighten any of us. I am sure the writers taking this side are also able to give examples were they could wish for some more adherence (by others of course) to company procedures for the sake of professionalism.
Do not bother to come along with "roque pilots" or not having enough "airmanship". These terms do not, in my view, describe a meaningfull concept at all. How airmanship can fail is beyond my imagination. Although many efforts to describe these concepts have been made in the past I have yet to encounter a good one. Before (any of) you start a reply along these lines, answer this question first; if "airmanship fails or lacks" what concept replaces it (vacuum not taken for an answer!).
How much flexibility is really needed to do a professional job? Which or what SOP will drive me into a mountain/ground/sea etc... Although I personally prefer less on the SOP side, in the end I am being payed to do as Is written in the books. Furthermore I am still covered to go beyond anything written in case safety is at stake. But to be honest it did not happen often to really say safety was a reason not to comply. Usually any shortcoming in this way is quickly corrected.
So what remains? Culture? If defined as a collection of norms and values by a defined and closed group, it will definitely be interesting in terms of organisational behaviour. I fully agree on the notion that a company with a persistent "bad apple" has a bigger problem than the "bad apple" itself. The thread starter even sees a wider trend in the industry as a whole. Is the noticed trend already past a point where this we created a common ground (or lost ground) on SOP adherence? I don't think so. It is however worrisome that some individuals or even organisations completely underestimate the power of corporate culture. Janis wrote something along the lines where the stronger groupthink existed (esprit de corps) less independent critical thinking could exist (to the point of inhuman and irrational actions). For more reading also try and understand some of Weick's work....
As a last note I fail to see how Perrow comes into work here. In my memory he made the important point of certain industries are too complex AND suffer from tight interaction which make them prone to accidents beyond the point where humans cannot longer effectively intervene. I believe his cultural (or better political) part came from the fact that certain groups of people (poor or otherwise with less influence) within a society have bigger changes to be effected by accidents of complex and tightly coupled systems. I stand to be corrected (but give me time to find the book somewhere in between the Christmas carols and fireworks
)