{
  "title": "Learning from successful projects: what missing cases conceal",
  "url": "https://www.shr.swiss/blog/apprendre-des-projets-reussis-ce-que-les-cas-absents-masquent-en",
  "language": "en",
  "datePublished": "2026-05-01",
  "publisher": {
    "name": "SHR — Swiss Human Resources",
    "url": "https://www.shr.swiss",
    "address": "Esplanade de Pont-Rouge 9A, 1212 Lancy, Suisse"
  },
  "summary": "Successful projects provide convenient reference points. They do not, on their own, establish which practices deserve to be replicated.",
  "section": "Research",
  "topic": "Decision-making",
  "place": {
    "name": "Basel",
    "region": "Bâle-Ville",
    "country": "CH"
  },
  "keyPoints": [
    {
      "heading": "What the literature establishes",
      "point": "Jerker Denrell (2003, Organization Science) uses modelling to show that an underrepresentation of failures can distort the lessons drawn from organisational experience."
    },
    {
      "heading": "When a remarkable case stands in for evidence",
      "point": "James G."
    },
    {
      "heading": "The premature conclusion",
      "point": "It is tempting to conclude that studying failures instead of successes is all that is needed."
    },
    {
      "heading": "What the available references cannot establish",
      "point": "These papers offer theoretical mechanisms and an analysis of organisational learning, not an estimate of the size of the bias in Basel-based companies."
    },
    {
      "heading": "A practical check in Bâle",
      "point": "Within SHR’s « Prise de décision » programme, one exercise is to examine a recommendation based on previous projects: selecting a pharma partner, a life sciences method, a Rhine logistics provider or an international R&D structure."
    }
  ],
  "sources": [
    {
      "authors": "Denrell",
      "year": "2003",
      "source": "Organization Science"
    },
    {
      "authors": "Tamuz",
      "year": "1991",
      "source": "Organization Science"
    }
  ],
  "wordCount": 399,
  "image": "https://www.shr.swiss/img/blog-editorial-2026-05-01-en.jpg?v=4",
  "translations": {
    "fr": "https://www.shr.swiss/blog/apprendre-des-projets-reussis-ce-que-les-cas-absents-masquent",
    "en": "https://www.shr.swiss/blog/apprendre-des-projets-reussis-ce-que-les-cas-absents-masquent-en",
    "de": "https://www.shr.swiss/blog/apprendre-des-projets-reussis-ce-que-les-cas-absents-masquent-de",
    "it": "https://www.shr.swiss/blog/apprendre-des-projets-reussis-ce-que-les-cas-absents-masquent-it"
  },
  "relatedPages": {
    "programme": "https://www.shr.swiss/formation/prise-de-decision/bale",
    "city": "https://www.shr.swiss/formations-ville/bale",
    "blog": "https://www.shr.swiss/blog"
  },
  "citationPolicy": "Citation autorisée avec mention « SHR — Swiss Human Resources » et lien vers l'article."
}