Culture of denial

A culture of denial is seen to exist in an organisation when a series of mechanisms operate with the effect that when problems arise, or risks develop, they are ignored, dismissed, or the available evidence, suggesting there is a problem, is conveniently adjusted. Adjustment may occur where contrary evidence is considered unreliable, erroneous or unrepresentative, or when others who wield more power convince less powerful individuals how they should think. Also see cognitive dissonance, systems of meaning, and systems of knowledge-power.