Organizations are mutually dependent, yet also independent. On the one hand, they need the support of others to realize their objectives. On the other hand, each organization has a certain amount of freedom to decide whether or not to contribute to industry developments. Considering this multifaceted situation, the decision-making process between organizations is crucial. When it stagnates, deadlocks occur.How can organizations get past deadlocks? The new study ‘Managing Deadlocks in the Netherlands Aviation Sector’ examines the decision-making process during real-life situations where a problem has arisen and actors disagree upon the way forward. Using five examples, three aspects of deadlocks are investigated:-Which interaction patterns occur during deadlocks?-Does the resolution of deadlocks involve external actors?-In which way are deadlocks resolved?All examples took place in the Netherlands aviation sector. In aviation, narrow margins exist with respect to safety, economy and the environment. Therefore solutions to deadlocks are crucial. Furthermore, Amsterdam’s Schiphol Airport has established itself as a major European hub, in spite of a relatively small domestic market and tight environmental regulations. This makes the Netherlands aviation sector a particularly interesting case for studying deadlocks.Jasper Daams is a senior manager at Air Traffic Control, The Netherlands. During his career in aviation he worked in various management positions, participating firsthand in the interface between operational processes and policymaking processes.