True, it still fails the game theory test. You should still assume the need to cover up, because it might work, and in a (common) poor intitutional culture, sav

True, it still fails the game theory test. You should still assume the need to cover up, because it might work, and in a (common) poor intitutional culture, save you from reprimand/job loss. Worst case, you are found out, and fired, but you had the chance to hide or obfuscate the fault. In a common blameful culture, you may have been blamed simply for (being seen as) the one causing the fault, whether volunteered or hidden. If you cover up in a genuinely blameless root cause analysis but are found out, the blameless culture would see that as a systemic fault (them not communicating the importance of blameless root cause, like the fire chief of the example), and if not found out, it is merely a less effective analysis. It is an unfortunate upfront cost imposed by the proponderance of BF cultures on BL ones. Like a market for lemons, it means you should assume CYA until a blameless culture is clearly and overtly demonstrated, not merely stated.