What Is an Integrity Failure Taxonomy?
A reference definition explaining how integrity failure taxonomies classify recurring patterns of system-level decision failure under stress.
Institute for Systems Integrity (ISI)
An integrity failure taxonomy is a structured classification of the ways systems lose decision integrity over time.
It identifies recurring patterns of failure that emerge from system design, governance arrangements, incentives, and information flows — rather than from individual misconduct alone.
Overview
Integrity failures rarely occur as isolated incidents. They tend to follow recognisable patterns as systems operate under sustained pressure.
A taxonomy of integrity failure provides a shared language for identifying, analysing, and comparing these patterns across organisations, sectors, and contexts.
Why a taxonomy is necessary
Without a taxonomy, integrity failures are often described inconsistently — as cultural issues, leadership problems, regulatory gaps, or isolated errors.
This fragmentation obscures systemic causes and limits learning. A taxonomy enables failures to be examined as system phenomena rather than personalised events.
What integrity failure taxonomies classify
An integrity failure taxonomy typically classifies failures according to:
- How decision authority is structured and exercised
- How information is filtered, delayed, or distorted
- How incentives shift behaviour under stress
- How accountability weakens or becomes symbolic
- How informal workarounds replace formal controls
These dimensions help distinguish different failure modes that may appear similar on the surface but arise from different system dynamics.
Common patterns of integrity failure
Across sectors, integrity failure taxonomies reveal recurring patterns, including:
- Normalisation of deviation
- Suppression of weak signals
- Diffusion or displacement of accountability
- Reliance on individual resilience as a system buffer
- Procedural compliance masking decision failure
These patterns often coexist and reinforce one another as system stress increases.
Why taxonomy matters for governance
A well-defined integrity failure taxonomy allows boards and leaders to:
- Detect early warning signs before harm occurs
- Compare failures across time, units, or institutions
- Design targeted governance interventions
- Move from blame-based responses to system redesign
Taxonomy shifts governance from reaction to diagnosis.
Relationship to other ISI concepts
Integrity failure taxonomies are grounded in:
- System integrity
- Governance failure under stress
- Compliance versus integrity
- Resilience as risk transfer
Together, these concepts support structured analysis of system-level failure.
Citation and use
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Concept definitions are maintained as stable reference material and updated only when materially required.