Integrating Organizational and Design Perspectives in Addressing Challenges of Renewal: A Case Study of NASA’s Workforce Transition as a Result of Space Shuttle Retirement

As organizations become increasingly complex and technology-dependent, likewise their challenges become increasingly complex and technology-driven. Although implicitly applied, need remains for an explicit framework integrating organizational and design perspectives to better address the challenges faced by contemporary organizations. This need is evident through a case study of NASA’s transition after the retirement of the space shuttle. NASA’s challenge is both organizational and technological – the end of the Space Shuttle Program left the agency without an operational vehicle and the risk of losing an expert workforce. Approaching these challenges from an integrated perspective could foster an environment of innovation and renewal.