Blame cultures and process cultures are both problems in different ways. Blame cultures don't care about individual accountability, only that someone suffers. Process cultures only care that no one suffers, not that individuals are accountable. Both have some misguided notion that something other than personal accountability can lead to good results. Misattributed blame and suffering does not deter poor performance or mistakes. Not even correctly aimed punishments are very good at that. Accountability isn't about punishment, it is about limiting power to the level of responsibility demonstrated. Rules and procedures don't prevent poor performance, they can in fact entrench and guard it, and they only mildly impact mistakes. Best practice can mitigate mistakes to the same extent or better (due to easier adaptability), but people keep trying to turn them into rules, and that has to be fought. If you followed all the rules but didn't get the job done, you still shouldn't be handed the same task again, but not out of blame.