The Field Guide › Paper
Analysis of the 1949 Mann Gulch fire in which 13 smokejumpers died, treated as a case study in the collapse of sensemaking and role structure under extreme conditions. Proposes four sources of organisational resilience — improvisation, virtual role systems, the attitude of wisdom, and respectful interaction — that can forestall disintegration when structure fails. A foundational text for understanding how organisations fall apart under pressure.