Abstract: The environment of many HROs in modern, western countries have undergone dramatic changes in the last decades. They have changed from High Reliability Organizations (HROs) into High Reliability Networks (HRNs). In nearly all industries, the formerly vertically integrated, state-owned monopolies were 'unbundled' and in many segments, competition was introduced. Consequently, the services of modern-day large-scale technical systems are provided by networks of organizations. In-depth research in a number of infrastructure industries explored the consequences of these changes for the reliable provision of services in networks of organizations. In networks of organizations, reliability is increasingly achieved through 'real-time' management. This paper highlights three important consequences of these findings and provides some tentative conclusions about their effect on the design and use of Information Systems in complex, large-scale technical systems.