The authors articulate a model specifying links between (a) individuals and the physical environments they occupy and (b) the environments and observers' impressions of the occupants. Two studies examined the basic phenomena underlying this model: Interobserver consensus, observer accuracy, cue utilization, and cue validity. Observer ratings based purely on offices or bedrooms were compared with self- and peer ratings of occupants and with physical features of the environments. Findings, which varied slightly across contexts and traits, suggest that (a) personal environments elicit similar impressions from independent observers, (b) observer impressions show some accuracy, (c) observers rely on valid cues in the rooms to form impressions of occupants, and (d) sex and race stereotypes partially mediate observer consensus and accuracy. Consensus and accuracy correlations were generally stronger than those found in zero-acquaintance research.

Over time, more and more organizations, whose technical and industrial activities are capable of causing perceptible adverse public effects, feel pressure from their external environment t o greatly reduce the incidence of errors or failure. This paper describes the first phase of research designed to extend the HRO findings and approaches to studying organizations that are not yet experiencing similar pressures, but may soon be. Preliminary work supports four hypotheses that were generated by literature on resource dependency which was developed and applied to the marine industry. Future research will extend observations further, dtimately returning to such primary issues of the original research as decision making, culture, adaptation to technology and structure, but applying these issues to a wider variety of cases, outcomes and approaches.Our starting point is 1984 (parenthetically, also %omas Mannadi and the year of publication of both Mitroff and ~~~~o f~u s Kilman's work and Perrow's). It seems a good of Calibomia at Berkeley, point, if for no other reason than it is the year &&-ley, califomia 94720 George Orwell (1950) chose to represent the ..Robert G. Bea. of demise of any kind of sensible organizational University of form that could be responsive to the human califomia.

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