In contrast to the view of pastoralism as being driven by risk aversion, new disequilibrium-based models of ecological dynamics on rangelands enable us to see pastoralism as what organization theorists term as high reliability institution. Such institutions seek and attain reliable peak performance by managing highly complex technologies to better manage risk. Nine features of high-reliability organizations are described and linked to published observations of pastoralist organization and practice. Although superficially similar, thinking of pastoralist objectives in terms of searching for reliability, rather than escaping from hazard, has important implications for interpreting pastoralist behavior, and for development policy. --co. 1998 Academic Press Limited