Relationship between organizational justice and organizational safety climate: do fairness perceptions influence employee safety behaviour?

Science.gov (United States)

Gyekye, Seth Ayim; Haybatollahi, Mohammad

2014-01-01

This study investigated the relationships between organizational justice, organizational safety climate, job satisfaction, safety compliance and accident frequency. Ghanaian industrial workers participated in the study (N = 320). Safety climate and justice perceptions were assessed with Hayes, Parender, Smecko, et al.'s (1998) and Blader and Tyler's (2003) scales respectively. A median split was performed to dichotomize participants into 2 categories: workers with positive and workers with negative justice perceptions. Confirmatory factors analysis confirmed the 5-factor structure of the safety scale. Regression analyses and t tests indicated that workers with positive fairness perceptions had constructive perspectives regarding workplace safety, expressed greater job satisfaction, were more compliant with safety policies and registered lower accident rates. These findings provide evidence that the perceived level of fairness in an organization is closely associated with workplace safety perception and other organizational factors which are important for safety. The implications for safety research are discussed.

Inter-organizational network studies - a literature review

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Bergenholtz, Carsten; Waldstrøm, Christian

literature review of the last 12 years' research on inter-organizational networks, with a focus on the methodological aspects. The findings of this paper is that few of the previous studies have used the full methodological (and thus theoretical) scope of the available data and that the most cited papers...

The Explanatory Power of Reciprocal Behavior for the Inter-Organizational Exchange Context

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Martina Pieperhoff

2018-06-01

Full Text Available In order to create sustainable competitive advantages, organizations are embedded in dyadic exchange relationships, which depend on the coordination of the behavior of the actors involved. Often, coordinated behavior is explained by trust. Since trust develops in a process of reciprocal responses to presumed trustworthy behavior, it is a reciprocity-based concept. While inter-organizational exchange relationships can appear in different stages (forming, establishing, broken, different reciprocity types (direct, indirect, negative can be distinguished. The study links reciprocal behavior to different stages of inter-organizational exchange relationships in order to investigate reciprocity as a possible coordination mechanism of behavior and thus explore the basis of coordination of trust-based behavior. Qualitative Comparative Analysis as a set-theoretic approach is applied to analyze the empirical data consisting of 78 qualitative semi-structured interviews with managers of small-, medium- and large-sized companies. The results show that different reciprocity types become effective in different stages of an inter-organizational exchange relationship: For forming inter-organizational exchange relationships indirect reciprocal behavior, besides direct reciprocity, becomes effective while in establishing inter-organizational exchange relationships, direct reciprocal behavior is evident. Negative reciprocal behavior leads to a break up of relationships. Using these results, on the one hand, the concept of trust can be sharpened by deepening the understanding of the trust-building mechanisms and on the other hand, reciprocity can be seen as coordination mechanism in exchange relationships of different stages. In doing so, with this knowledge, relationships can be coordinated towards a long-term orientation in order to create sustainable advantages.

Identifying organizational cultures that promote patient safety.

Science.gov (United States)

Singer, Sara J; Falwell, Alyson; Gaba, David M; Meterko, Mark; Rosen, Amy; Hartmann, Christine W; Baker, Laurence

2009-01-01

Safety climate refers to shared perceptions of what an organization is like with regard to safety, whereas safety culture refers to employees' fundamental ideology and orientation and explains why safety is pursued in the manner exhibited within a particular organization. Although research has sought to identify opportunities for improving safety outcomes by studying patterns of variation in safety climate, few empirical studies have examined the impact of organizational characteristics such as culture on hospital safety climate. This study explored how aspects of general organizational culture relate to hospital patient safety climate. In a stratified sample of 92 U.S. hospitals, we sampled 100% of senior managers and physicians and 10% of other hospital workers. The Patient Safety Climate in Healthcare Organizations and the Zammuto and Krakower organizational culture surveys measured safety climate and group, entrepreneurial, hierarchical, and production orientation of hospitals' culture, respectively. We administered safety climate surveys to 18,361 personnel and organizational culture surveys to a 5,894 random subsample between March 2004 and May 2005. Secondary data came from the 2004 American Hospital Association Annual Hospital Survey and Dun & Bradstreet. Hierarchical linear regressions assessed relationships between organizational culture and safety climate measures. Aspects of general organizational culture were strongly related to safety climate. A higher level of group culture correlated with a higher level of safety climate, but more hierarchical culture was associated with lower safety climate. Aspects of organizational culture accounted for more than threefold improvement in measures of model fit compared with models with controls alone. A mix of culture types, emphasizing group culture, seemed optimal for safety climate. Safety climate and organizational culture are positively related. Results support strategies that promote group orientation and

Conducting organizational safety reviews - requirements, methods and experience

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Reiman, T.; Oedewald, P.; Wahlstroem, B.; Rollenhagen, C.; Kahlbom, U.

2008-03-01

Organizational safety reviews are part of the safety management process of power plants. They are typically performed after major reorganizations, significant incidents or according to specified review programs. Organizational reviews can also be a part of a benchmarking between organizations that aims to improve work practices. Thus, they are important instruments in proactive safety management and safety culture. Most methods that have been used for organizational reviews are based more on practical considerations than a sound scientific theory of how various organizational or technical issues influence safety. Review practices and methods also vary considerably. The objective of this research is to promote understanding on approaches used in organizational safety reviews as well as to initiate discussion on criteria and methods of organizational assessment. The research identified a set of issues that need to be taken into account when planning and conducting organizational safety reviews. Examples of the issues are definition of appropriate criteria for evaluation, the expertise needed in the assessment and the organizational motivation for conducting the assessment. The study indicates that organizational safety assessments involve plenty of issues and situations where choices have to be made regarding what is considered valid information and a balance has to be struck between focus on various organizational phenomena. It is very important that these choices are based on a sound theoretical framework and that these choices can later be evaluated together with the assessment findings. The research concludes that at its best, the organizational safety reviews can be utilised as a source of information concerning the changing vulnerabilities and the actual safety performance of the organization. In order to do this, certain basic organizational phenomena and assessment issues have to be acknowledged and considered. The research concludes with recommendations on

Conducting organizational safety reviews - requirements, methods and experience

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Reiman, T.; Oedewald, P.; Wahlstroem, B. [Technical Research Centre of Finland, VTT (Finland); Rollenhagen, C. [Royal Institute of Technology, KTH, (Sweden); Kahlbom, U. [RiskPilot (Sweden)

2008-03-15

Organizational safety reviews are part of the safety management process of power plants. They are typically performed after major reorganizations, significant incidents or according to specified review programs. Organizational reviews can also be a part of a benchmarking between organizations that aims to improve work practices. Thus, they are important instruments in proactive safety management and safety culture. Most methods that have been used for organizational reviews are based more on practical considerations than a sound scientific theory of how various organizational or technical issues influence safety. Review practices and methods also vary considerably. The objective of this research is to promote understanding on approaches used in organizational safety reviews as well as to initiate discussion on criteria and methods of organizational assessment. The research identified a set of issues that need to be taken into account when planning and conducting organizational safety reviews. Examples of the issues are definition of appropriate criteria for evaluation, the expertise needed in the assessment and the organizational motivation for conducting the assessment. The study indicates that organizational safety assessments involve plenty of issues and situations where choices have to be made regarding what is considered valid information and a balance has to be struck between focus on various organizational phenomena. It is very important that these choices are based on a sound theoretical framework and that these choices can later be evaluated together with the assessment findings. The research concludes that at its best, the organizational safety reviews can be utilised as a source of information concerning the changing vulnerabilities and the actual safety performance of the organization. In order to do this, certain basic organizational phenomena and assessment issues have to be acknowledged and considered. The research concludes with recommendations on

The role of organizational trust in safety climate's influence on organizational outcomes.

Science.gov (United States)

Kath, Lisa M; Magley, Vicki J; Marmet, Matthew

2010-09-01

Based on elements of social exchange theory and other conceptualizations of trust, a model was developed situating organizational trust as a central component to the relationship that safety climate has with organizational outcomes. Specifically, the model specified that two facets of safety climate--upward safety communication and management attitudes toward safety--would be positively related to organizational trust. Increased levels of trust would then predict increased motivation to engage in safe job-related behaviors, increased job satisfaction, and decreased turnover intentions. Another hypothesis investigated whether job safety relevance would moderate the relationship between safety climate and trust. Online survey research was conducted with 599 employees from 97 work groups across a New England grocery store chain. Hierarchical linear modeling indicated support for trust mediating the relationship between safety climate and organizational outcomes; further, the relationship between safety climate and trust was stronger within work groups where safety was more relevant. 2009 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Utilizing inter-organizational relationships for new product development performance: A test of possible mediation effects

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Mortensen, Thomas Bøtker; Knudsen, Mette Præst

The purpose of this paper is to investigate whether collaborative experience can act as a mediating variable on the use of inter-organizational relationships on NPD performance. The paper tests two different research questions: 1) Is there a possible mediating effect of experience on the linkage...... between inter-organizational relationships and performance? And If yes: what is the nature of the mediating effect and the resulting influence on performance? The paper is motivated by the growing literature on the importance of inter-organizational relationships created by the idea that firms operate...

Toward human resource management in inter-professional health practice: linking organizational culture, group identity and individual autonomy.

Science.gov (United States)

Tataw, David

2012-01-01

The literature on team and inter-professional care practice describes numerous barriers to the institutionalization of inter-professional healthcare. Responses to slow institutionalization of inter-professional healthcare practice have failed to describe change variables and to identify change agents relevant to inter-professional healthcare practice. The purpose of this paper is to (1) describe individual and organizational level barriers to collaborative practice in healthcare; (2) identify change variables relevant to the institutionalization of inter-professional practice at individual and organizational levels of analysis; and (3) identify human resource professionals as change agents and describe how the strategic use of the human resource function could transform individual and organizational level change variables and therefore facilitate the healthcare system's shift toward inter-professional practice. A proposed program of institutionalization includes the following components: a strategic plan to align human resource functions with organizational level inter-professional healthcare strategies, activities to enhance professional competencies and the organizational position of human resource personnel, activities to integrate inter-professional healthcare practices into the daily routines of institutional and individual providers, activities to stand up health provider champions as permanent leaders of inter-professional teams with human resource professionals as consultants and activities to bring all key players to the table including health providers. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Managing inter-organizational relationships

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Hald, Kim Sundtoft

2005-01-01

-term-orientation in relationships and relationship value we develop a conceptualmodel highlighting the components of attraction in business to business relationships.First we demonstrate how the force of attraction can be understood as partners expectedrelationship value and how expected relationship value in turn is strengthened...... maximizing own influence and control over them.Information gathering and model building are tactics normally used in this effort.However, in this article we discuss a third tactic, the tactic of attraction in dyadicrelationships. Founded on the theory of social exchange and based on literature reviewson long...... orweakened by partner- comfortability and dependability. Then we show how partnersperceived attraction towards an industrial company can be managed using a combinationof structural- and behavioral adjustments.Key words: Inter-organizational relationships; Relationship Management; Relationship-value...

Agent-based inter-organizational systems in advanced logistics operations

NARCIS (Netherlands)

M. Wasesa (Meditya)

2017-01-01

textabstract“Agent-based Inter-organizational Systems (ABIOS) in Advanced Logistics Operations” explores the concepts, the design, and the role and impact of agent-based systems to improve coordination and performance of logistics operations. The dissertation consists of one conceptual study and

The Evolution of Boundaries in Inter-organizational R&D

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Smith, Pernille

2011-01-01

carried out throughout an R&D project we derive three theoretical explanations to the emergence of boundaries in inter-organizational R&D: sensemaking, strategizing and culture. As these boundaries have both positive and negative impact on collaboration, recommendations for the management...

Runtime party switch in an inter-organizational collaboration

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Pourmirza, S.

2016-01-01

During the execution of an inter-organizational business-to-business (B2B) collaboration, a collaborating party may drop out for technical reasons or for business reasons. In such a case, the leaving party must be replaced, at runtime, by a new party. Ideally, the new party can pick up where the old

Organizational Culture and Safety

Science.gov (United States)

Adams, Catherine A.

2003-01-01

'..only a fool perseveres in error.' Cicero. Humans will break the most advanced technological devices and override safety and security systems if they are given the latitude. Within the workplace, the operator may be just one of several factors in causing accidents or making risky decisions. Other variables considered for their involvement in the negative and often catastrophic outcomes include the organizational context and culture. Many organizations have constructed and implemented safety programs to be assimilated into their culture to assure employee commitment and understanding of the importance of everyday safety. The purpose of this paper is to examine literature on organizational safety cultures and programs that attempt to combat vulnerability, risk taking behavior and decisions and identify the role of training in attempting to mitigate unsafe acts.

Tacit Knowledge Generation and Inter-Organizational Memory Development in a Supply Chain Context

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Iskander Zouaghi

2011-10-01

Full Text Available In recent years, particular attention has been paid to knowledge management and organizational learning in general and tacit knowledge management and organizational memory in particular. This interest is driven by saturation of various markets, innovation speed and increasingly uncertain environments that have led companies to organize and structure themselves as parts of supply chains, by focusing on their core competencies and outsourcing non value-added and less strategic activities. Developing distinctive competencies under such circumstances comes from tacit knowledge learning, creation and memorization. In this paper, we first analyze tacit knowledge from different perspectives; we show how individuals and organizations can learn from tacit knowledge and how they also create new relational and collaborative tacit knowledge from individual, organizational and inter-organizational learning. We then explore how this knowledge can be capitalized into inter-organizational memory which is independent of individuals and organizations within the supply chain.

Distributed inter process communication framework of BES III DAQ online software

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Li Fei; Liu Yingjie; Ren Zhenyu; Wang Liang; Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing; Chen Mali; Zhu Kejun; Zhao Jingwei

2006-01-01

DAQ (Data Acquisition) system is one important part of BES III, which is the large scale high-energy physics detector on the BEPC. The inter process communication (IPC) of online software in distributed environments is very pivotal for design and implement of DAQ system. This article will introduce one distributed inter process communication framework, which is based on CORBA and used in BES III DAQ online software. The article mainly presents the design and implementation of the IPC framework and application based on IPC. (authors)

Managing stakeholders around inter-organizational systems : A diagnostic approach

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Boonstra, A.; de Vries, J.

inter-organizational systems (IOS) are generally used in a context of many interested parties. If these parties are not identified and if their power and interests related to the IOS are not explored and taken into consideration, implementation is likely to be disappointing and troublesome. This

Inter Organizational Relationships Performance in Third Party Logistics: conceptual framework and case study

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Aziz, Romana; Aziz, R.; van Hillegersberg, Jos; Kumar, Kuldeep; Kersten, W.; Blecker, T.; Luthje, C.

2010-01-01

Supplier relationship management is an important challenge for shippers in logistics outsourcing. This paper attempts to understand the factors which affect inter organizational relationships performance in third party logistics and proposes a conceptual framework specifically for inter

Does Trust Influence the Extent of Inter-Organizational Barter?

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Sudzina, Frantisek

2014-01-01

The 1999 World Business Environment Survey investigated, among many other things, the extent of inter-organizational barter in various countries. Reported values differed a lot, e.g. it was less than 1% in Hungary but more than 30% in neighboring Croatia. Since in many such contracts goods and...

Organizational factors in nuclear safety

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wilpert, Bernhard

2000-01-01

The overall picture of factors which contributed to the event presents a panorama of a NPP where organizational and managerial characteristics were intricately intertwined and emerged as crucial for a general deterioration of the plant's capabilities to continually correct its deficiencies and optimize its operations. In the following author shall attempt to first cover various important efforts to modeling organizational factors relevant to safety. The second part of my presentation will offer an attempt towards an integrative model. The third part concludes with an agenda for research and practice. Most of the twelve different approaches above attempt to consider safety relevant organizational factors by way of pragmatic classifications. Together with their sub-categories we can count close to 160 different factors on various levels of abstraction. This is tantamount to say that most approaches lack systematic theoretical underpinnings. Thus then arises the question whether we need to develop a generic model, which promises to encompass these three major approaches altogether. Practical issues emerge particularly in the domain of organizational development, i.e. the goal oriented efforts to change the structures and the functioning of nuclear operations in such a way that the desired outputs in terms safety and reliability result in a sustained fashion. Again, these practical concerns are intimately related to developments and advances in theory and methodology. Only a close cooperation among scientists from various disciplines and of practitioners holds the promise of adequately understanding and use of organizational factors in future improving the safety record of nuclear industry worldwide. (S.Y.)

Exploring inter-organizational collaboration for innovation in a regional ecosystem

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Radziwon, Agnieszka

2017-01-01

on an organization’s development. Nevertheless, many aspects of open innovation are not yet well explored. Relatively few studies address the challenges of open innovation from the small and medium sized enterprises (SMEs) perspective, especially at the level of business ecosystems. Therefore, this research aims...... at filling this gap by providing a study immersed in an open innovation context with a particular focus on the ways how SMEs contribute to the development of the ecosystem they are embedded in. A central point of attention of this study is inter-organizational collaboration between SMEs and other...... with grounded theory and action research elements. The study was conducted in a Danish regional business ecosystem. This research project was implemented in order to facilitate the improvement of SMEs’ innovation performance through inter-organizational collaboration. The main findings offer insights...

A reference architecture for managing dynamic inter-organizational business processes

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Norta, A.H.; Grefen, P.W.P.J.; Narendra, N.C.

2014-01-01

For improving the efficiency and effectiveness of business collaboration, the need emerges to inter-organizationally match e-business services. Recent research activities show heightened attention into that direction with the ecosystems-emergence of service-oriented computing clouds. As this

Emergent collaboration infrastructures technology design for inter-organizational crisis management

CERN Document Server

Reuter, Christian

2015-01-01

​Using the domain of crisis management, Christian Reuter explores challenges and opportunities for technology design in emergent environments. He therefore empirically analyzes collaborative work in inter-organizational crisis - such as the police, fire departments, energy network operators and citizens - in order to identify collaboration practices that reveal work infrastructure limitations. He also designs, implements and evaluates novel concepts and ICT artifacts towards the support of emergent collaboration. Besides the discovery of potential organizational effects on the ability to deal

Marketing identities: Shifting circles of identification in inter-organizational relationships

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Ellis, N.; Ybema, S.B.

2010-01-01

This study explores the discursive positioning of managers involved in inter-organizational relationships (IORs) within industrial supply chains. In closely examining a series of interviews, we find a number of interpretive repertoires of boundary construction used in IOR managers' identity

Escalonamento cooperativo interorganizacional Cooperative inter-organizational scheduling

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ricardo J. Rabelo

2000-12-01

Full Text Available Este trabalho tem como objetivo essencial apresentar uma abordagem para uma ágil coordenação e supervisão das ordens de produção da empresa, dando uma nova dimensão à atividade de "escalonamento" (scheduling, não apenas numa perspectiva intra-organizacional, mas também interorganizacional, contemplando toda a cadeia produtiva. Apresenta os fundamentos de um protótipo sendo desenvolvido, baseado nos paradigmas de negociação multiagente e de sistemas de suporte à decisão. Aspectos relacionados com a modelagem e integração da informação requerida nos vários níveis do CIM são abordados. Ao final, uma série de considerações são feitas, quer em relação aos resultados atingidos com o protótipo atual, quer para com as várias dificuldades - e desafios - existentes para a realização de um escalonamento cooperativo interorganizacional.This work aims at presenting an approach for agile scheduling coordination and supervision of distributed production orders, giving rise to a new dimension of the scheduling activity, not only under the intra-organizational perspective, but also the inter-organizational, comprising the whole productive chain. It generally presents a prototype being developed, based on the paradigms of multi-agent negotiation and decision support systems. Aspects related with the information modeling and integration in the several levels of CIM are tackled. At the end, a series of considerations is made, pointing out the results reached with the current prototype, and the several difficulties - and challenges - existent for the accomplishment of cooperative inter-organizational scheduling.

An Organizational Learning Framework for Patient Safety.

Science.gov (United States)

Edwards, Marc T

Despite concerted effort to improve quality and safety, high reliability remains a distant goal. Although this likely reflects the challenge of organizational change, persistent controversy over basic issues suggests that weaknesses in conceptual models may contribute. The essence of operational improvement is organizational learning. This article presents a framework for identifying leverage points for improvement based on organizational learning theory and applies it to an analysis of current practice and controversy. Organizations learn from others, from defects, from measurement, and from mindfulness. These learning modes correspond with contemporary themes of collaboration, no blame for human error, accountability for performance, and managing the unexpected. The collaborative model has dominated improvement efforts. Greater attention to the underdeveloped modes of organizational learning may foster more rapid progress in patient safety by increasing organizational capabilities, strengthening a culture of safety, and fixing more of the process problems that contribute to patient harm.

RENGA: a systems approach to facilitating inter-organizational network development

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Akkermans, H.A.

2001-01-01

This article describes a consulting approach aimed specifically at facilitating development of intra- and inter-organizational networks, a business phenomenon of growing importance. This approach is called Renga, after the classical Japanese style of composing linked verse, with which it is shown to

Organizational analysis and safety for utilities with nuclear power plants: perspectives for organizational assessment. Volume 2

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Osborn, R.N.; Olson, J.; Sommers, P.E.

1983-08-01

This two-volume report presents the results of initial research on the feasibility of applying organizational factors in nuclear power plant (NPP) safety assessment. Volume 1 of this report contains an overview of the literature, a discussion of available safety indicators, and a series of recommendations for more systematically incorporating organizational analysis into investigations of nuclear power plant safety. The six chapters of this volume discuss the major elements in our general approach to safety in the nuclear industry. The chapters include information on organizational design and safety; organizational governance; utility environment and safety related outcomes; assessments by selected federal agencies; review of data sources in the nuclear power industry; and existing safety indicators

Inter-organizational Collaboration: Product, Knowledge and Risk

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Norbert Jastroch

2011-10-01

Full Text Available Inter-organizational collaboration is no longer entirely a free choice, but is close to a necessity imposed by economic, technical, and knowledge-related concerns. A deep understanding of collaboration will assist in making intelligent decisions on entering, operating, and evaluating collaborative ventures. The nature of the partners—industrial corporations, consultants, academic institutions and others—and the collaborative structure are important, but so too is the nature of the product. We consider its effects in the collaborative domain on knowledge, intellectual property, and catastrophic risk.

Integrated complex care model: lessons learned from inter-organizational partnership.

Science.gov (United States)

Cohen, Eyal; Bruce-Barrett, Cindy; Kingsnorth, Shauna; Keilty, Krista; Cooper, Anna; Daub, Stacey

2011-01-01

Providing integrated care for children with medical complexity in Canada is challenging as these children are, by definition, in need of coordinated care from disparate providers, organizations and funders across the continuum in order to optimize health outcomes. We describe the development of an inter-organizational team constructed as a unique tripartite partnership of an acute care hospital, a children's rehabilitation hospital and a home/community health organization focused on children who frequently use services across these three organizations. Model building and operationalization within the Canadian healthcare system is emphasized. Key challenges identified to date include communication and policy barriers as well as optimizing interactions with families; critical enablers have been alignment with policy trends in healthcare and inter-organizational commitment to integrate at the point of care. Considerations for policy developments supporting full integration across service sectors are raised. Early indicators of success include the enrolment of 34 clients and patients and the securing of funds to evaluate and expand the model to serve more children.

Inter organizational System Management for integrated service delivery: an Enterprise Architecture Perspective

OpenAIRE

Elmir, Abir; Elmir, Badr; Bounabat, Bouchaib

2015-01-01

Service sharing is a prominent operating model to support business. Many large inter-organizational networks have implemented some form of value added integrated services in order to reach efficiency and to reduce costs sustainably. Coupling Service orientation with enterprise architecture paradigm is very important at improving organizational performance through business process optimization. Indeed, enterprise architecture management is increasingly discussed because of information system r...

Organizational analysis and safety for utilities with nuclear power plants: an organizational overview. Volume 1

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Osborn, R.N.; Olson, J.; Sommers, P.E.; McLaughlin, S.D.; Jackson, M.S.; Scott, W.G.; Connor, P.E.

1983-08-01

This two-volume report presents the results of initial research on the feasibility of applying organizational factors in nuclear power plant (NPP) safety assessment. A model is introduced for the purposes of organizing the literature review and showing key relationships among identified organizational factors and nuclear power plant safety. Volume I of this report contains an overview of the literature, a discussion of available safety indicators, and a series of recommendations for more systematically incorporating organizational analysis into investigations of nuclear power plant safety

Methodology and applications for organizational safety culture

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sakaue, Takeharu; Makino, Maomi

2004-01-01

The mission of our activity is making 'guidance of safety culture for understanding and evaluations' which comes in much more useful and making it substantial by clarifying positioning of safety culture within evaluation of the quality management. This is pointed out by 'Discussion on how to implement safety culture sufficiently and possible recommendation' last year by falsification issue of TEPCO (Tokyo Electric Power Company). We have been developing the safety culture evaluation structured by three elements. One is safety culture evaluation support tool (SCET), another is organizational reliability model (ORM), third is system for safety. This paper describes mainly organizational reliability model (ORM) and its applications as well as ticking the system for safety culture within quality management. (author)

Using value models to improve the cost/benefit analysis of inter-organizational system implementations

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Eckartz, S.M.; Katsma, Christiaan; Wieringa, Roelf J.

2012-01-01

Jointly developing a business case for inter-organizational information systems (IOS) is difficult as: (1) in a business network there are benefits that may not appear at the site where costs occur, and (2) the involved stakeholders often have different or even conflicting organizational goals. This

Emissie van Chloor-IPC uit aardappelbewaarplaatsen

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Bos, D.; Schans, van der D.A.; Mosquera Losada, J.

2005-01-01

Per jaar wordt naar schatting 40.000 kg actieve stof Chloor-IPC toegepast als kiemremmingsmiddel van aardappelen. Chloor-IPC is een stof die makkelijk verdampt en weer christalliseert. Waar deze stof na toediening blijft is niet bekend. Het doel van het onderzoek was na te gaan of puntemissies

Direct Employment of Skilled Labour by Foreign Owned Subsidiaries and the Development of Autonomy and Intra and Inter Organizational Relationships

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Gammelgaard, Jens; McDonald, Frank; Tüselmann, Heinz-Josef

2006-01-01

This paper develops a conceptual framework on the strategic development of subsidiaries and the direct employment of skilled labour. The framework is based on autonomy, and intra and inters organizational relationships. The conceptual model outlines the conditions that are likely to lead to too...... much, or too little, autonomy and intra and inter organizational relationships. This model is then used to develop propositions on the links between autonomy and intra and inter organizational relationships and direct employment of skilled labour....

Engineering properties of inorganic polymer concretes (IPCs)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sofi, M.; Deventer, J.S.J. van; Mendis, P.A.; Lukey, G.C.

2007-01-01

This paper presents the engineering properties of inorganic polymer concretes (IPCs) with a compressive strength of 50 MPa. The study includes a determination of the modulus of elasticity, Poisson's ratio, compressive strength, and the splitting tensile strength and flexural strength of IPCs, formulated using three different sources of Class-F fly ash. Six IPC mix designs were adopted to evaluate the effects of the inclusion of coarse aggregates and granulated blast furnace slag into the mixes. A total of 90 cylindrical and 24 small beam specimens were investigated, and all tests were carried out pursuant to the relevant Australian Standards. Although some variability between the mixes was observed, the results show that, in most cases, the engineering properties of IPCs compare favorably to those predicted by the relevant Australian Standards for concrete mixtures

Organizational processes and nuclear power plant safety

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Landy, F.J.; Jacobs, R.R.; Mathieu, J.

1991-01-01

The paper describes the effects organizational factors have on the risk associated with the operation of nuclear power plants. The described research project addresses three methods for identifying the organizational factors that impact safety. The first method consists of an elaborate theory-based protocol dealing with decision making procedures, interdepartmental coordination of activities, and communications. The second, known as goals/means/measures protocol, deals with identifying safey related goals. The third method is known as behaviorally anchored rating scale development. The paper discusses the importance of the convergence of these three methods to identify organizational factors essential to reactor safety

Inter-organizational relationships: promoters and restrictive factors in the formation of cooperation network

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Marcos Antonio Gaspar

2014-04-01

Full Text Available The present paper had as aim to identify factors of inter-organizational relationships which promotes and restricts the formation of companies’ cooperation network, from two levels of analysis (organizational and inter-organizational. To achieve this goal, it was developed a descriptive-qualitative study, with prospecting for primary and secondary data on a cooperation network. The universe was composed by 41 participating companies associated to the analyzed network. The sampling procedure was for researcher’s accessibility and convenience. As a result, it was identified that the network is guided by goals of cooperation among the participating companies, in addition to representing the sector and provide services in the interests of the associates. The main factors influencing the formation of the network were: business center, marketing and training; but only training has been achieved satisfactorily. The business center and marketing factors have not yet been fully developed, being both identified as restrictive factors.

Organizational analysis and safety for utilities with nuclear power plants: perspectives for organizational assessment. Volume 2. [PWR; BWR

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Osborn, R.N.; Olson, J.; Sommers, P.E.; McLaughlin, S.D.; Jackson, M.S.; Nadel, M.V.; Scott, W.G.; Connor, P.E.; Kerwin, N.; Kennedy, J.K. Jr.

1983-08-01

This two-volume report presents the results of initial research on the feasibility of applying organizational factors in nuclear power plant (NPP) safety assessment. Volume 1 of this report contains an overview of the literature, a discussion of available safety indicators, and a series of recommendations for more systematically incorporating organizational analysis into investigations of nuclear power plant safety. The six chapters of this volume discuss the major elements in our general approach to safety in the nuclear industry. The chapters include information on organizational design and safety; organizational governance; utility environment and safety related outcomes; assessments by selected federal agencies; review of data sources in the nuclear power industry; and existing safety indicators.

Teamwork, organizational learning, patient safety and job outcomes.

Science.gov (United States)

Goh, Swee C; Chan, Christopher; Kuziemsky, Craig

2013-01-01

This article aims to encourage healthcare administrators to consider the learning organization concept and foster collaborative learning among teams in their attempt to improve patient safety. Relevant healthcare, organizational behavior and human resource management literature was reviewed. A patient safety culture, fostered by healthcare leaders, should include an organizational culture that encourages collaborative learning, replaces the blame culture, prioritizes patient safety and rewards individuals who identify serious mistakes. As healthcare institution staffs are being asked to deliver more complex medical services with fewer resources, there is a need to understand how hospital staff can learn from other organizational settings, especially the non-healthcare sectors. The paper provides suggestions for improving patient safety which are drawn from the health and business management literature.

Boosting Co-opetition With Fair Sharing Approach for Inter-Organizational Information Systems

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Romochkina, I.; Zuidwijk, R.; van Baalen, P.

2017-01-01

In the modern environment characterized by the competition not only among individual companies but among business networks as well, inter-organizational information systems (IOSs) play an important role as building blocks of the network information infrastructure. Despite many technological

Boosting Co-Opetition with Fair Sharing Approach for Inter-Organizational Information Systems

NARCIS (Netherlands)

I. Romochkina (Irina); R.A. Zuidwijk (Rob); P.J. van Baalen (Peter)

2017-01-01

textabstractIn the modern environment characterized by the competition not only among individual companies but among business networks as well, inter-organizational information systems (IOSs) play an important role as building blocks of the network information infrastructure. Despite many

Organizational factors influencing improvements in safety

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Marcus, A.; Nichols, M.L.; Olson, J.; Osborn, R.; Thurber, J.

1992-01-01

Research reported here seeks to identify the key organizational factors that influence safety-related performance indicators in nuclear power plants over time. It builds upon organizational factors identified in NUREG/CR-5437, and begins to develop a theory of safety-related performance and performance improvement based on economic and behavioral theories of the firm. Central to the theory are concepts of past performance, problem recognition, resource availability, resource allocation, and business strategies that focus attention. Variables which reflect those concepts are combined in statistical models and tested for their ability to explain scrams, safety system actuations, significant events, safety system failures, radiation exposure, and critical hours. Results show the performance indicators differ with respect to the sets of variables which serve as the best predictors of future performance, and past performance is the most consistent predictor of future performance

Organizational analysis and safety for utilities with nuclear power plants: an organizational overview. Volume 1. [PWR; BWR

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Osborn, R.N.; Olson, J.; Sommers, P.E.; McLaughlin, S.D.; Jackson, M.S.; Scott, W.G.; Connor, P.E.

1983-08-01

This two-volume report presents the results of initial research on the feasibility of applying organizational factors in nuclear power plant (NPP) safety assessment. A model is introduced for the purposes of organizing the literature review and showing key relationships among identified organizational factors and nuclear power plant safety. Volume I of this report contains an overview of the literature, a discussion of available safety indicators, and a series of recommendations for more systematically incorporating organizational analysis into investigations of nuclear power plant safety.

Exploring the Business Case Development Process in Inter-Organizational Enterprise System Implementations

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Eckartz, S.M.; Katsma, Christiaan; Daneva, Maia

Creating and negotiating an inter-organizational business case (BC) for multiple-stakeholder enterprise systems is a major challenge. This paper looks closer into the factors that influence the stakeholders’ willingness to share information necessary for the BC development. The authors develop an

Product design planning with the analytic hierarchy process in inter-organizational networks

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Hummel, J.M.; van Rossum, Wouter; Verkerke, Bart; Rakhorst, G

2002-01-01

In the second half of inter-organizational product developments the new product is likely to face significant design changes. Our study focused on the adequacy of the analytic hierarchy process (AHP) to support the collaborative partners to steer and align the accompanying design activities. It

The relationship between organizational leadership for safety and learning from patient safety events.

Science.gov (United States)

Ginsburg, Liane R; Chuang, You-Ta; Berta, Whitney Blair; Norton, Peter G; Ng, Peggy; Tregunno, Deborah; Richardson, Julia

2010-06-01

To examine the relationship between organizational leadership for patient safety and five types of learning from patient safety events (PSEs). Forty-nine general acute care hospitals in Ontario, Canada. A nonexperimental design using cross-sectional surveys of hospital patient safety officers (PSOs) and patient care managers (PCMs). PSOs provided data on organization-level learning from (a) minor events, (b) moderate events, (c) major near misses, (d) major event analysis, and (e) major event dissemination/communication. PCMs provided data on organizational leadership (formal and informal) for patient safety. Hospitals were the unit of analysis. Seemingly unrelated regression was used to examine the influence of formal and informal leadership for safety on the five types of learning from PSEs. The interaction between leadership and hospital size was also examined. Formal organizational leadership for patient safety is an important predictor of learning from minor, moderate, and major near-miss events, and major event dissemination. This relationship is significantly stronger for small hospitals (learning from safety events. Formal leadership support for safety is of particular importance in small organizations where the economic burden of safety programs is disproportionately large and formal leadership is closer to the front lines.

The mediating role of integration of safety by activity versus operator between organizational culture and safety climate.

Science.gov (United States)

Auzoult, Laurent; Gangloff, Bernard

2018-04-20

In this study, we analyse the impact of the organizational culture and introduce a new variable, the integration of safety, which relates to the modalities for the implementation and adoption of safety in the work process, either through the activity or by the operator. One hundred and eighty employees replied to a questionnaire measuring the organizational climate, the safety climate and the integration of safety. We expected that implementation centred on the activity or on the operator would mediate the relationship between the organizational culture and the safety climate. The results support our assumptions. A regression analysis highlights the positive impact on the safety climate of organizational values of the 'rule' and 'support' type, as well as of integration by the operator and activity. Moreover, integration mediates the relation between these variables. The results suggest to take into account organizational culture and to introduce different implementation modalities to improve the safety climate.

Towards a Competence Profile for Inter-Organizational Learning in Open Innovation Teams

Science.gov (United States)

du Chatenier, Elise; Verstegen, Jos; Biemans, Harm; Mulder, Martin

2008-01-01

While inter-organizational learning in open innovation teams has received much attention lately, research into its human dimension is lacking. This paper, therefore, explores the competencies professionals need for this process. Three studies were executed: a theoretical study, explorative interviews and focus groups. A competence profile was…

Management Control in Inter-organizational Relationships: The Case of Franchises

OpenAIRE

Magdalena Cordobés Madueño; Pilar Soldevila García

2015-01-01

There is great interest in the role of management control on theoretical and practical developments within the field of Inter-organizational Relations. This research aims to contribute at verifying how relationships between firms affect the management control tools used, as illustrated in a specific case: the relationship between the franchisor and its franchisees, which has not received much attention to date. As indicated by previous research, case studies can be helpful to determine the...

EC advances on IPC

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chynoweth, Emma.

1993-01-01

The European Commission is putting the final touches on its draft proposal for a framework directive on integrated pollution control (IPC). The commission expects to adopt the draft within the next two months, after which the European Council will debate the subject. The philosophy behind IPC-balancing emissions to air, water, and land to give the best environmental impact overall-has already been written into legislation in the U.K., which is about to implement the law for existing plants. The European approach is said to resemble the U.K. regulation. However, there is likely to be a lively debate among European Community members regarding standards to be used in the directive. Germany favors best available techniques (BAT), and the U.K. supports environmental quality standards (EQS). In the current draft, the BAT definition states that methods must be industrially feasible from a technical and economic point of view. But EQS, set by the World Health Organization or other internationally recognized or national groups, will be used if BAT is not established, says the commission. The European Chemical Industry Council (CEFIC: Brussels) is preparing guidance notes on EQS and BAT, hoping to find a common CEFIC viewpoint. Specific activities that need to be controlled and substances that require limit values will be listed in the IPC framework directive, but detail will be left to supplementary directives or national control. A European network of environmental inspectorates is being set up to try to improve consistency of enforcement

What Practitioners Think of Inter-organizational ERP Requirements Engineering Practices: Focus Group Results

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Daneva, Maia; Ahituv, Niv

2011-01-01

Empirical studies on requirements engineering for inter-organizational enterprise resource planning (ERP) systems have demonstrated that the ERP vendor-provided prescriptive models for ERP roll-outs make tacit assumptions about the ERP adopter’s context. This, in turn, leads to the implementation of

Safety culture management: The importance of organizational factors

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Haber, S.B.; Shurberg, D.A.; Jacobs, R.; Hofmann, D.

1995-01-01

The concept of safety culture has been used extensively to explain the underlying causes of performance based events, both positive and negative, across the nuclear industry. The work described in this paper represents several years of effort to identify, define and assess the organizational factors important to safe performance in nuclear power plants (NPPs). The research discussed in this paper is primarily conducted in support of the US Nuclear Regulatory Commission's (NRC) efforts in understanding the impact of organizational performance on safety. As a result of a series of research activities undertaken by numerous NRC contractors, a collection of organizational dimensions has been identified and defined. These dimensions represent what is believed to be a comprehensive taxonomy of organizational elements that relate to the safe operation of nuclear power plants. Techniques were also developed by which to measure these organizational dimensions, and include structured interview protocols, behavioral checklists, and behavioral anchored rating scales (BARS). Recent efforts have focused on devising a methodology for the extraction of information related to the identified organizational dimensions from existing NRC documentation. This type of effort would assess the applicability of the organizational dimensions to existing NRC inspection and evaluation reports, refine the organizational dimensions previously developed so they are more relevant to the task of retrospective analysis, and attempt to rate plants based on the review of existing NRC documentation using the techniques previously developed for the assessment of organizational dimensions

Perceived organizational support for safety and employee safety voice: the mediating role of coworker support for safety.

Science.gov (United States)

Tucker, Sean; Chmiel, Nik; Turner, Nick; Hershcovis, M Sandy; Stride, Chris B

2008-10-01

In the present study, we modeled 2 sources of safety support (perceived organizational support for safety and perceived coworker support for safety) as predictors of employee safety voice, that is, speaking out in an attempt to change unsafe working conditions. Drawing on social exchange and social impact theories, we hypothesized and tested a mediated model predicting employee safety voice using a cross-sectional survey of urban bus drivers (n = 213) in the United Kingdom. Hierarchical regression analysis showed that perceived coworker support for safety fully mediated the relationship between perceived organizational support for safety and employee safety voice. This study adds to the employee voice literature by evaluating the important role that coworkers can play in encouraging others to speak out about safety issues. Implications for research and practice related to change-oriented safety communication are discussed.

Safety in the c-suite: How chief executive officers influence organizational safety climate and employee injuries.

Science.gov (United States)

Tucker, Sean; Ogunfowora, Babatunde; Ehr, Dayle

2016-09-01

According to social learning theory, powerful and high status individuals can significantly influence the behaviors of others. In this paper, we propose that chief executive officers (CEOs) indirectly impact frontline injuries through the collective social learning experiences and effort of different groups of organizational actors-including members of the top management team (TMT), organizational supervisors, and frontline employees. We found support for our collective social learning model using data from 2,714 frontline employees, 1,398 supervisors, and 229 members of TMTs in 54 organizations. TMT members' experiences within a CEO-driven TMT safety climate was positively related to organizational supervisors' reports of the broader organizational safety climate and their subsequent collective support for safety (reported by frontline employees). In turn, supervisory support for safety was associated with fewer employee injuries at the individual level. We discuss the theoretical and practical implications of these findings for workplace safety research and practice. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2016 APA, all rights reserved).

Is interpersonal counselling (IPC) sufficient treatment for depression in primary care patients? A pilot study comparing IPC and interpersonal psychotherapy (IPT).

Science.gov (United States)

Kontunen, Jarmo; Timonen, Markku; Muotka, Joona; Liukkonen, Timo

2016-01-01

Psychotherapeutic treatment is underused in primary care, where even short-term psychotherapy can be perceived as too lengthy and labour-intensive. We tested here for the first time the preliminary efficacy of seven sessions of interpersonal counselling (IPC) by comparison with sixteen sessions of interpersonal psychotherapy (IPT) in regular clinical settings. Patients seeking treatment for the first time who met the DSM-IV criteria for major depressive disorder (MDD, mild/moderate) were randomized to either IPC (n=20) or IPT (n=20). The efficacy of the treatments was assessed using the 34-item Clinical Outcomes in Routine Evaluation (CORE-OM) scale and the Beck Depression Inventory (BDI) scale. 90% of the patients completed all the treatment sessions. IPC delivered by psychiatric nurses in primary care proved equally as effective as IPT delivered by psychotherapists/psychologists in secondary care. The pre-treatment to 12-month follow-up within-group effect sizes were large: 1.52 (CORE-OM) and 1.41 (BDI) in the IPC group and 1.58 (CORE-OM) and 1.40 (BDI) in the IPT group. At the 12-month follow-up 59% of the patients in the IPC group and 63% in the IPT group were classified as recovered on the CORE-OM scale, with corresponding remission rates of 61% for both groups on the BDI scale. The small sample size limited the power to detect differences between the groups and the naturalistic settings may have confounded the results. This clinical trial suggests that IPC is an appropriate and even sufficient first-phase intervention for handling previously untreated mild to moderate depression in primary health care. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Who Should They Relate To? A Study For the Identification and Analysis of Criteria to the Partners’ Selection in Inter-Organizational Networks

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Denise Rossato Quatrin

2017-01-01

Full Text Available The selection of partners is strategic in inter-organizational networks. One of the most important aspects is the definition of criteria for selection, that are the minimal characteristics required from those prospected. This study aimed to identify the most important criteria for the selection of members in horizontal inter-organizational networks, also describing their influence on network activities. First, we applied 120 questionnaires to managers of inter-organizational networks to identify the degree of importance of criteria previously treated in the literature. After, we interviewed 16 managers enabling us to identify other criteria, as well as understanding their influence on network activities. All of the 20 criteria from the literature were considered with significant importance by managers and the following criteria were added: trustworthiness, entrepreneur’s profile and company lifetime. The results aim to contribute to the selection of partners and provide information for the construction of the inter-organizational networks literature.

From boundaries to boundary work: middle managers creating inter-organizational change.

Science.gov (United States)

Oldenhof, Lieke; Stoopendaal, Annemiek; Putters, Kim

2016-11-21

Purpose In healthcare, organizational boundaries are often viewed as barriers to change. The purpose of this paper is to show how middle managers create inter-organizational change by doing boundary work: the dual act of redrawing boundaries and coordinating work in new ways. Design/methodology/approach Theoretically, the paper draws on the concept of boundary work from Science and Technology Studies. Empirically, the paper is based on an ethnographic investigation of middle managers that participate in a Dutch reform program across health, social care, and housing. Findings The findings show how middle managers create a sense of urgency for inter-organizational change by emphasizing "fragmented" service provision due to professional, sectoral, financial, and geographical boundaries. Rather than eradicating these boundaries, middle managers change the status quo gradually by redrawing composite boundaries. They use boundary objects and a boundary-transcending vocabulary emphasizing the need for societal gains that go beyond production targets of individual organizations. As a result, work is coordinated in new ways in neighborhood teams and professional expertise is being reconfigured. Research limitations/implications Since boundary workers create incremental change, it is necessary to follow their work for a longer period to assess whether boundary work contributes to paradigm change. Practical implications Organizations should pay attention to conditions for boundary work, such as legitimacy of boundary workers and the availability of boundary spaces that function as communities of practice. Originality/value By shifting the focus from boundaries to boundary work, this paper gives valuable insights into "how" boundaries are redrawn and embodied in objects and language.

A multilevel model of patient safety culture: cross-level relationship between organizational culture and patient safety behavior in Taiwan's hospitals.

Science.gov (United States)

Chen, I-Chi; Ng, Hui-Fuang; Li, Hung-Hui

2012-01-01

As health-care organizations endeavor to improve their quality of care, there is a growing recognition of the importance of establishing a culture of patient safety. The main objective of this study was to investigate the cross-level influences of organizational culture on patient safety behavior in Taiwan's hospitals. The authors measured organizational culture (bureaucratic, supportive and innovative culture), patient safety culture and behavior from 788 hospital workers among 42 hospitals in Taiwan. Multilevel analysis was applied to explore the relationship between organizational culture (group level) and patient safety behavior (individual level). Patient safety culture had positive impact on patient safety behavior in Taiwan's hospitals. The results also indicated that bureaucratic, innovative and supportive organizational cultures all had direct influence on patient safety behavior. However, only supportive culture demonstrated significant moderation effect on the relationship between patient safety culture and patient safety behavior. Furthermore, organizational culture strength was shown correlated negatively with patient safety culture variability. Overall, organizational culture plays an important role in patient safety activities. Safety behaviors of hospital staff are partly influenced by the prevailing cultural norms in their organizations and work groups. For management implications, constructed patient priority from management commitment to leadership is necessary. For academic implications, research on patient safety should consider leadership, group dynamics and organizational learning. These factors are important for understanding the barriers and the possibilities embedded in patient safety. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Configuration of inter-organizational information exchange and the differences between buyers and sellers

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Peng, G.; Trienekens, J.H.; Omta, S.W.F.; Wang, W.

2014-01-01

Purpose – The aim of this paper is to extend the understanding of the configuration of inter-organizational information exchange (IOIE) and the role of each aspect of IOIE in realizing potential communication benefits. Design/methodology/approach – A conceptual framework on the configuration of IOIE

The Effect of Formal Organizational Structures on Inter-organizational Networks : A study on OEMs in the forest technology industry of Northern Sweden

OpenAIRE

Maitha, Olive; Wang'oe, Robert

2013-01-01

Purpose The purpose of this research is to investigate the effects that Formal Organizational Structures have on the formation of Inter-organizational Networks Background/ Problem When organizations are formed, they tend to lack access to resources that they need for their growth and development. The owners are forced to form interactions with relatives and close friends so as to acquire the resources they need. This results in having strong network ties. However to develop they require acces...

Irradiation study on GEM IPC preamp/shaper

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kandasamy, A.

1995-01-01

The Preamplifier/Shaper Integrated Circuit for the GEM Interpolating Pad Chamber (IPC), designed by Paul. O'Connor, Brookhaven National Laboratory is for amplifying the charge signal from the Pad cathodes into a voltage pulse which goes to the Analog Random Access Memory (ARAM) integrated circuit. The GEM IPC integrated circuit has a SemiGaussian voltage pulse output with a 30ns shaping time. The integrated circuits were fabricated using Harris Semiconductors AVLSI1-RA process in-order for the electronics on the wafer to survive up to 2 mad of ionizing radiation during its operation life time. The details of the electronics on the GEM IPC integrated circuits is explained in the design memorandum by Paul. O'Connor. The purpose of this study is to determine the ability of the electronics on this IC fabricated using the above process to withstand ionizing radiation up to the above mentioned dose level

A cross-cultural study of organizational factors on safety: Japanese vs. Taiwanese oil refinery plants.

Science.gov (United States)

Hsu, Shang Hwa; Lee, Chun-Chia; Wu, Muh-Cherng; Takano, Kenichi

2008-01-01

This study attempts to identify idiosyncrasies of organizational factors on safety and their influence mechanisms in Taiwan and Japan. Data were collected from employees of Taiwanese and Japanese oil refinery plants. Results show that organizational factors on safety differ in the two countries. Organizational characteristics in Taiwanese plants are highlighted as: higher level of management commitment to safety, harmonious interpersonal relationship, more emphasis on safety activities, higher devotion to supervision, and higher safety self-efficacy, as well as high quality of safety performance. Organizational characteristics in Japanese plants are highlighted as: higher level of employee empowerment and attitude towards continuous improvement, more emphasis on systematic safety management approach, efficient reporting system and teamwork, and high quality of safety performance. The casual relationships between organizational factors and workers' safety performance were investigated using structural equation modeling (SEM). Results indicate that the influence mechanisms of organizational factors in Taiwan and Japan are different. These findings provide insights into areas of safety improvement in emerging countries and developed countries respectively.

Understanding the organizational integration of subcontracted tasks in inter-firm projects

OpenAIRE

Stephan Scheuner

2011-01-01

Project management researchers have recently emphasized the prevalence of inter-firm projects, i.e. projects which are carried out by multiple partners and hence cut across the organizational boundaries of one firm, in today’s business world (Bakker, Knoben, de Vries, & Oerlemanns, in Press). Especially in projects concerned with the delivery of what Hobday (Hobday, 1998) named complex products and systems (CoPS), where a diverse set of technological competences and high project budgets often...

Towards automated processing of the right of access in inter-organizational Web Service compositions

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Herkenhöner, Ralph; De Meer, Hermann; Jensen, Meiko

2010-01-01

with trade secret protection. In this paper, we present an automated architecture to enable exercising the right of access in the domain of inter-organizational business processes based on Web Services technology. Deriving its requirements from the legal, economical, and technical obligations, we show...

Inter-organizational collaboration in the field of construction: the perspective of an engineering consultancy

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Nicolajsen, Hanne Westh

2006-01-01

In this work in progress we consider the challenges of inter-organizational collaboration in building projects to support higher quality and lower prices. The framework of Carlile (2004) is used to identify and categorize the current situation and needs of different knowledge processes: transfer...

Nuclear safety regulation on nuclear safety equipment activities in relation to human and organizational factors

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Li Tianshu

2013-01-01

Based on years of knowledge in nuclear safety supervision and experience of investigating and dealing with violation events in repair welding of DFHM, this paper analyzes major faults in manufacturing and maintaining activities of nuclear safety equipment in relation to human and organizational factors. It could be deducted that human and organizational factors has definitely become key features in the development of nuclear energy and technology. Some feasible measures to reinforce supervision on nuclear safety equipment activities have also been proposed. (author)

Organizational safety factors research lessons learned

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ryan, T.G.

1995-01-01

This Paper reports lessons learned and state of knowledge gained from an organizational factors research activity involving commercial nuclear power plants in the United States, through the end of 1991, as seen by the scientists immediately involved in the research. Lessons learned information was gathered from the research teams and individuals using a question and answer format. The following five questions were submitted to each team and individual: (1) What organizational factors appear to influence safety performance in some systematic way, (2) Should organizational factors research focus at the plant level, or should it extend beyond the plant level to the parent company, rate setting commissions, regulatory agencies, (3) How important is having direct access to plants for doing organizational factors research, (4) What lessons have been learned to date as the result of doing organizational factors research in a nuclear regulatory setting, and (5) What organizational research topics and issues should be pursued in the future? Conclusions based on the responses provided for this report are that organizational factors research can be conducted in a regulatory setting and produce useful results. Technologies pioneered in other academic, commercial, and military settings can be adopted for use in a nuclear regulatory setting. The future success of such research depends upon the cooperation of regulators, contractors, and the nuclear industry

IPCS implications for future supersonic transport aircraft

Science.gov (United States)

Billig, L. O.; Kniat, J.; Schmidt, R. D.

1976-01-01

The Integrated Propulsion Control System (IPCS) demonstrates control of an entire supersonic propulsion module - inlet, engine afterburner, and nozzle - with an HDC 601 digital computer. The program encompasses the design, build, qualification, and flight testing of control modes, software, and hardware. The flight test vehicle is an F-111E airplane. The L.H. inlet and engine will be operated under control of a digital computer mounted in the weapons bay. A general description and the current status of the IPCS program are given.

Organizational factors influencing improvements in safety

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Marcus, A.; Nichols, M.L.; Olson, J.; Osborn, R.; Thurber, J.

1991-01-01

Results of conceptual and empirical research conducted by this research team, and published in NUREG-CR 5437, suggested that processes of organizational problem solving and learning provide a promising area for understanding improvement in safety-related performance in nuclear power plants. In this paper the authors describe the way in which they have built upon that work and gone much further in empirically examining a range of potentially important organizational factors related to safety. The paper describes (1) overall trends in plant performance over time on the Nuclear Regulatory Commission performance indicators, (2) the major elements in the conceptual framework guiding the current work, which seeks among other things to explain those trends, (3) the specific variables used as measures of the central concepts, (4) the results to date of the quantitative empirical work and qualitative work in progress, and (5) conclusions from the research

Predicting and preventing organizational failure: learning, stability and safety culture

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Duffey, R.B.

2009-01-01

The physical definition of 'safety culture' is the creation of an organizational and operational structure that places unending emphasis on safety at every level. We propose and prefer the use of the term and the objective of sustaining a 'Learning Environment', where mistakes, outcomes and errors are used as learning vehicles to improve, and we can now define why that is true. Therefore we can manage and quantify safety effectively tracking and analyzing outcomes, using the trends to guide our needed organizational behaviors. (author)

Safety through organizational learning

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Fahlbruch, B.; Miller, R.; Wilpert, B.

1998-01-01

Systems safety is a characteristic of a system enabling it to function under the required operating conditions with a minimum of losses and unforeseen damage to the system and its environment and without any systems breakdowns. The system is influenced by human factors as those factors which, in a general way, influence people in working with a technical system, i.e., people, technology, and organization. Different approaches to learning from events, and processes of event analysis in nuclear technology are presented. The theoretical basis of the 'Safety through Organizational Learning' event analysis technique is the sociotechnical event creation model, which postulates that events can be described as a chain of individual events arising from the joint action of factors contributing directly and indirectly. (orig.) [de

Designing Agent Based Inter-Organizational Systems: Business and IOS alignment in the Port of Rotterdam

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Douma, A.M.; Moonen, Hans; van Hillegersberg, Jos; van de Rakt, Bastiaan; Schutten, Johannes M.J.

2006-01-01

Inter-organizational systems (IOS) hold high promises for improving the coordination of activities in logistics business networks. Although several successful IOS have been implemented, success is scarce in situations where different parties like to keep a large degree of autonomy, are hardly

Potential effects of organizational uncertainty on safety

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Durbin, N.E. [MPD Consulting Group, Kirkland, WA (United States); Lekberg, A. [Swedish Nuclear Power Inspectorate, Stockholm (Sweden); Melber, B.D. [Melber Consulting, Seattle WA (United States)

2001-12-01

When organizations face significant change - reorganization, mergers, acquisitions, down sizing, plant closures or decommissioning - both the organizations and the workers in those organizations experience significant uncertainty about the future. This uncertainty affects the organization and the people working in the organization - adversely affecting morale, reducing concentration on safe operations, and resulting in the loss of key staff. Hence, organizations, particularly those using high risk technologies, which are facing significant change need to consider and plan for the effects of organizational uncertainty on safety - as well as planning for other consequences of change - technical, economic, emotional, and productivity related. This paper reviews some of what is known about the effects of uncertainty on organizations and individuals, discusses the potential consequences of uncertainty on organizational and individual behavior, and presents some of the implications for safety professionals.

Potential effects of organizational uncertainty on safety

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Durbin, N.E.; Lekberg, A.; Melber, B.D.

2001-12-01

When organizations face significant change - reorganization, mergers, acquisitions, down sizing, plant closures or decommissioning - both the organizations and the workers in those organizations experience significant uncertainty about the future. This uncertainty affects the organization and the people working in the organization - adversely affecting morale, reducing concentration on safe operations, and resulting in the loss of key staff. Hence, organizations, particularly those using high risk technologies, which are facing significant change need to consider and plan for the effects of organizational uncertainty on safety - as well as planning for other consequences of change - technical, economic, emotional, and productivity related. This paper reviews some of what is known about the effects of uncertainty on organizations and individuals, discusses the potential consequences of uncertainty on organizational and individual behavior, and presents some of the implications for safety professionals

A complete public archive for the Einstein IPC

Science.gov (United States)

Helfand, David J.

1995-01-01

This report documents progress made in the period 24 Sept. 1993 - 23 Sept. 1995 on the project described in our proposal 'A Complete Public Archive for the Einstein IPC' which was approved under the Astrophysics Data Program in 1992. We have completed most of the principal objectives of the original proposal; a NFE was recently approved so that costs for publications in press can be covered and we can complete the public record for the Einstein IPC database.

A research framework of organizational factors on safety in the Republic of Korea

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kwang Seok Lee

1997-01-01

Korean nuclear society is yet unfamiliar with the topic, 'organizational factors on safety', while having shown lots of accomplishments in the area of physical and human factors on safety. However, recent large-scale accidents in other technological areas illustrate the importance of managing organization factors on safety. Recently Korea Atomic Energy Research Institute (KAERI) started paying attention to this topic and is trying to establish a future research framework of organizational factors on safety. This paper tries to explain overall direction of the framework. Our framework, as managing organizational factors on safety, considers two kinds of areas: design of management systems, which implies a feed-forward system including organizational models; and operation of those systems, which implies a feedback system including management information and implementation systems. Our framework also considers the evolution stage of a management system. Management systems evolve from visibility stage to optimization stage. To optimize a management system, we should be able to control the system. To control the system, we should be able to see how the system is going. In addition, this paper tries to share some experience of KAERI on how organizational structure and culture affects organizational performance in R and D perspective. (author). 2 refs, 1 fig

Unraveling the organizational mechanism at the root of safety compliance in an Italian manufacturing firm.

Science.gov (United States)

Avanzi, Lorenzo; Savadori, Lucia; Fraccaroli, Franco

2018-03-01

Safety performance is recognized as the more proximal and effective precursor of safety outcomes. In particular, safety compliance significantly reduces workplace accidents and injuries. However, it is not entirely clear what role organizational factors play in determining workers' safety. The present study contributes to defining which organizational factors increase safety compliance by testing a mediational model in which supervisor support is related to safety climate, which in turn is related to organizational identification that finally is related to safety compliance. We tested our hypotheses in a sample of 186 production workers of an Italian manufacturing firm using a cross-sectional design. Findings confirm our hypotheses. Management should consider these organizational factors in order to implement primary prevention practices against work accidents.

Human and organizational biases affecting the management of safety

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Reiman, Teemu, E-mail: teemu.reiman@vtt.fi [VTT, Espoo (Finland); Rollenhagen, Carl [KTH, Stockholm (Sweden)

2011-10-15

Management of safety is always based on underlying models or theories of organization, human behavior and system safety. The aim of the article is to review and describe a set of potential biases in these models and theories. We will outline human and organizational biases that have an effect on the management of safety in four thematic areas: beliefs about human behavior, beliefs about organizations, beliefs about information and safety models. At worst, biases in these areas can lead to an approach where people are treated as isolated and independent actors who make (bad) decisions in a social vacuum and who pose a threat to safety. Such an approach aims at building barriers and constraints to human behavior and neglects the measures aiming at providing prerequisites and organizational conditions for people to work effectively. This reductionist view of safety management can also lead to too drastic a strong separation of so-called human factors from technical issues, undermining the holistic view of system safety. Human behavior needs to be understood in the context of people attempting (together) to make sense of themselves and their environment, and act based on perpetually incomplete information while relying on social conventions, affordances provided by the environment and the available cognitive heuristics. In addition, a move toward a positive view of the human contribution to safety is needed. Systemic safety management requires an increased understanding of various normal organizational phenomena - in this paper discussed from the point of view of biases - coupled with a systemic safety culture that encourages and endorses a holistic view of the workings and challenges of the socio-technical system in question. - Highlights: > Biases in safety management approaches are reviewed and described. > Four thematic areas are covered: human behavior, organizations, information, safety models. > The biases influence how safety management is defined, executed

Human and organizational biases affecting the management of safety

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Reiman, Teemu; Rollenhagen, Carl

2011-01-01

Management of safety is always based on underlying models or theories of organization, human behavior and system safety. The aim of the article is to review and describe a set of potential biases in these models and theories. We will outline human and organizational biases that have an effect on the management of safety in four thematic areas: beliefs about human behavior, beliefs about organizations, beliefs about information and safety models. At worst, biases in these areas can lead to an approach where people are treated as isolated and independent actors who make (bad) decisions in a social vacuum and who pose a threat to safety. Such an approach aims at building barriers and constraints to human behavior and neglects the measures aiming at providing prerequisites and organizational conditions for people to work effectively. This reductionist view of safety management can also lead to too drastic a strong separation of so-called human factors from technical issues, undermining the holistic view of system safety. Human behavior needs to be understood in the context of people attempting (together) to make sense of themselves and their environment, and act based on perpetually incomplete information while relying on social conventions, affordances provided by the environment and the available cognitive heuristics. In addition, a move toward a positive view of the human contribution to safety is needed. Systemic safety management requires an increased understanding of various normal organizational phenomena - in this paper discussed from the point of view of biases - coupled with a systemic safety culture that encourages and endorses a holistic view of the workings and challenges of the socio-technical system in question. - Highlights: → Biases in safety management approaches are reviewed and described. → Four thematic areas are covered: human behavior, organizations, information, safety models. → The biases influence how safety management is defined

Improving Child and Adolescent Psychiatry Education for Medical Students: An Inter-Organizational Collaborative Action Plan

Science.gov (United States)

Fox, Geraldine S.; Stock, Saundra; Briscoe, Gregory W.; Beck, Gary L.; Horton, Rita; Hunt, Jeffrey I.; Liu, Howard Y.; Rutter, Ashley Partner; Sexson, Sandra; Schlozman, Steven C.; Stubbe, Dorothy E.; Stuber, Margaret L.

2012-01-01

Objective: A new Child and Adolescent Psychiatry in Medical Education (CAPME) Task Force, sponsored by the Association for Directors of Medical Student Education in Psychiatry (ADMSEP), has created an inter-organizational partnership between child and adolescent psychiatry (CAP) educators and medical student educators in psychiatry. This paper…

A study on the effects of inter-organizational factors on the supply chain performance

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Mohammad Mahdi Parhizgar

2012-10-01

Full Text Available In the current competitive environment, managers do their best to convert organizations under their supervision into competitive and responsive through creating capability of timely delivery of quality products and services. In the other word, they try to create value for their customers, which yield more profitability for stakeholders. In line with this, determining of inter-organizational factors and the relationships among these variables and supply chain performance plays an important role in achieving these objectives. The relationship modeling is a type of multiple criteria decision-making (MCDM problem, which requires applying experts to determine the relationships. The Decision Making Trial and Evaluation Laboratory (DEMATEL is an MCDM tool, which not only can convert the relationships among cause and effect criteria into a visual structural framework, but also it can be used as a technique to handle the inner dependences within a set of criteria. This paper proposes an effective solution based on DEMATEL approach to help managers evaluate the relationships between inter-organizational factors and supply chain performance.

Management and organizational indicators of process safety

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Van Hemel, S.B.; Connelly, E.M.; Haas, P.M.

1991-01-01

This study is part of a Nuclear Regulatory Commission research element on organizational factors in plant safety under the Human Factors research program. This paper reports that the study investigated the chemical industry, to find leading management or organizational tools which could be useful for the NRC. After collecting information form a variety of information sources, the authors concentrated our study on two types of indicators currently in use: the first is audit- or review-based, and concentrates on programmatic factors; the second, based on frequent behavioral observations, concentrates on the management of individual worker behaviors. The authors analyzed data on the relationships between the leading indictors and direct indictors such as accident and injury rates in three case studies, to determine whether sufficient evidence of validity and utility exists to justify consideration of these indicators as public safety indicators. This paper states that on the basis of statistical associations and other evidence, the authors concluded that the two indicator types have promise for use as plant safety performance indicators, and that further development and testing of the candidate indicators should be performed

Can intermittent pneumatic compression (IPC) reduce time to surgery for malleolar fractures?

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Arndt, K B; Jordy, A; Viberg, Bjarke

2017-01-01

BACKGROUND: Surgery of malleolar fractures are often delayed due to oedema of the ankle. The use of intermittent pneumatic compression (IPC) is thought to reduce oedema of the fracture site and thereby time to surgery in patients with malleolar fractures. PURPOSE: To investigate the influence...... of IPC on the time from admission to surgery in adult patients with internal fixated primary malleolar fractures. METHODS: February 1st 2013 IPC was introduced as a standard treatment for all patients admitted with a malleolar fracture. Data was retrieved from the hospital database 2 years prior...... for patients operated after 24h was 21.5 (4.1-57.0) hours for the control group and 18.4 (7.4-32.3) hours in the IPC group (p=0.353). INTERPRETATION: There was no benefit from IPC on time to surgery in patients with acute primary malleolar fracture in a cohort with a mean surgical delay less than 24h....

Chemical variations observed in irradiated, treated with IPC and control potato tubers; Variaciones quimica observadas en tuberculos de patata irradiados, tratados con IPC y testigo

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Mazon Matanzo, M P; Fernandez Gonzalez, J

1976-07-01

The content in soluble sugars, ascorbic acid and phenolic acids of potato tubers preserved by irradiation and IPC, during storage period of five months are studied. In the irradiated tubers, soluble sugars increased immediately after the irradiation, in relation to the control tubers reaching inferior values to those reached by the control tubers, at the end of the storage period. The content in ascorbic acid is generally kept higher in the irradiated and IPC treated tubers than in the control tubers and the content in phenolic acids increased in the irradiated and IPC treated tubers by immediate effect of this treatment. (Author) 39 refs.

Organizational safety climate and supervisor safety enforcement: Multilevel explorations of the causes of accident underreporting.

Science.gov (United States)

Probst, Tahira M

2015-11-01

According to national surveillance statistics, over 3 million employees are injured each year; yet, research indicates that these may be substantial underestimates of the true prevalence. The purpose of the current project was to empirically test the hypothesis that organizational safety climate and transactional supervisor safety leadership would predict the extent to which accidents go unreported by employees. Using hierarchical linear modeling and survey data collected from 1,238 employees in 33 organizations, employee-level supervisor safety enforcement behaviors (and to a less consistent extent, organizational-level safety climate) predicted employee accident underreporting. There was also a significant cross-level interaction, such that the effect of supervisor enforcement on underreporting was attenuated in organizations with a positive safety climate. These results may benefit human resources and safety professionals by pinpointing methods of increasing the accuracy of accident reporting, reducing actual safety incidents, and reducing the costs to individuals and organizations that result from underreporting. (c) 2015 APA, all rights reserved).

Influence of organizational factors on safety

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Haber, S.B.; Metlay, D.S.; Crouch, D.A.

1990-01-01

There is a need for a better understanding of exactly how organizational management factors at a nuclear power plant (NPP) affect plant safety performance, either directly or indirectly, and how these factors might be observed, measured, and evaluated. The purpose of this research project is to respond to that need by developing a general methodology for characterizing these organizational and management factors, systematically collecting information on their status and integrating that information into various types of evaluative activities. Research to date has included the development of the Nuclear Organization and Management Analysis Concept (NOMAC) of a NPP, the identification of key organizational and management factors, and the identification of the methods for systematically measuring and analyzing the influence of these factors on performance. Most recently, two field studies, one at a fossil fuel plant and the other at a NPP, were conducted using the developed methodology. Results are presented from both studies highlighting the acceptability, practicality, and usefulness of the methods used to assess the influence of various organizational and management factors including culture, communication, decision-making, standardization, and oversight. 6 refs., 3 figs., 1 tab

Providing supportive care to cancer patients: a study on inter-organizational relationships

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Kevin Brazil

2008-02-01

Full Text Available Background: Supportive cancer care (SCC has historically been provided by organizations that work independently and possess limited inter-organizational coordination. Despite the recognition that SCC services must be better coordinated, little research has been done to examine inter-organizational relationships that would enable this goal. Objective: The purpose of this study was to describe relationships among programs that support those affected by cancer. Through this description the study objective was to identify the optimal approach to coordinating SCC in the community. Methods: Senior administrators in programs that provided care to persons and their families living with or affected by cancer participated in a personal interview. Setting: South-central Ontario, Canada. Study population: administrators from 43 (97% eligible programs consented to participate in the study. Results: Network analysis revealed a diffuse system where centralization was greater in operational than administrative activities. A greater number of provider cliques were present at the operational level than the administrative level. Respondents identified several priorities to improve the coordination of cancer care in the community including: improving standards of care; establishing a regional coordinating body; increasing resources; and improving communication between programs. Conclusion: Our results point to the importance of developing a better understanding on the types of relationships that exist among service programs if effective integrated models of care are to be developed.

Architecture of firm dynamic capabilities across inter-organizational activities: Explaining innovativeness in the context of nanotechnology

Science.gov (United States)

Petricevic, Olga

In this dissertation I first develop a theoretical framework that explores different components of dynamic capabilities related to firm's boundary-spanning linkages across two different types of inter-organizational activities---alliances and networks. I argue that there are four different subsets of dynamic capabilities simultaneously at work: alliance opportunity-sensing, alliance opportunity-seizing, network opportunity-sensing and network opportunity-seizing. Furthermore, I argue that there are significant interaction effects between these distinctive subsets driving the firm's overall effectiveness in sensing and seizing of novel and innovative external opportunities. In order to explore potential interdependencies and draw distinctions among different dynamic capability subsets I integrate concepts from the two theoretical perspectives that often neglect the emphasis of the other---the dynamic capability view and the social network perspective. I then test the hypothesized relationships in the context of firms actively patenting in nanotechnology. Nanotechnology innovations are multidisciplinary in nature and require search and discovery across multiple inter-organizational, scientific, geographic, industry, or technological domains by a particular firm. The findings offer support for the conceptualizations of dynamic capabilities as consisting of distinct subsets of capabilities for the sensing and the seizing of external new-knowledge opportunities. The findings suggest that firm's innovativeness in an interdisciplinary scientific field such as nanotechnology is the function of the vector of multi-dimensional dynamic capabilities that are context-specific. Furthermore, the findings also suggest that there are inherent trade-offs embedded in different dimensions of dynamic capabilities when deployed across a wide range of inter-organizational relationships.

An integrative model of organizational safety behavior.

Science.gov (United States)

Cui, Lin; Fan, Di; Fu, Gui; Zhu, Cherrie Jiuhua

2013-06-01

This study develops an integrative model of safety management based on social cognitive theory and the total safety culture triadic framework. The purpose of the model is to reveal the causal linkages between a hazardous environment, safety climate, and individual safety behaviors. Based on primary survey data from 209 front-line workers in one of the largest state-owned coal mining corporations in China, the model is tested using structural equation modeling techniques. An employee's perception of a hazardous environment is found to have a statistically significant impact on employee safety behaviors through a psychological process mediated by the perception of management commitment to safety and individual beliefs about safety. The integrative model developed here leads to a comprehensive solution that takes into consideration the environmental, organizational and employees' psychological and behavioral aspects of safety management. Copyright © 2013 National Safety Council and Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Two important general organizational factors: The organizational design of the safety work and the organization autocorrective system. The Italian way to improve them through criteria for the safety organizational rules

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Moramarco, C.

1997-01-01

A complex reality, such as a nuclear power plant, requires the maximum order in the methods of operation. A state of ''organizational confusion'' is the frequent root cause of many errors. An initial situation of organizational confusion, about one or more human allocated functions, generates further malfunctions or lacks and, what is worse, tolerates them because it makes them less visible. Order in the operators society can be improved by improving the quality of the safety organizational design and can be maintained with an effective autocorrective system. (author). 16 refs

Human factors experts beginning to focus on organizational factors in safety.

Science.gov (United States)

Westrum, R

1996-10-01

The role of organizational culture in aviation safety is explored. Information flow is used to demonstrate three ranges of climate within an organization. Organizations may be pathological in which information is hidden, bureaucratic in which information is ignored, or generative in which information is actively sought. The effects of organizational change on personnel are explored with emphasis on mergers between air carriers. The relationship between safety measures and economic pressures is discussed.

Knowledge management and safety compliance in a high-risk distributed organizational system.

Science.gov (United States)

Gressgård, Leif Jarle

2014-06-01

In a safety perspective, efficient knowledge management is important for learning purposes and thus to prevent errors from occurring repeatedly. The relationship between knowledge exchange among employees and safety behavior may be of particular importance in distributed organizational systems where similar high-risk activities take place at several locations. This study develops and tests hypotheses concerning the relationship between knowledge exchange systems usage, knowledge exchange in the organizational system, and safety compliance. The operational context of the study is petroleum drilling and well operations involving distributed high-risk activities. The hypotheses are tested by use of survey data collected from a large petroleum operator company and eight of its main contractors. The results show that safety compliance is influenced by use of knowledge exchange systems and degree of knowledge exchange in the organizational system, both within and between units. System usage is the most important predictor, and safety compliance seems to be more strongly related to knowledge exchange within units than knowledge exchange between units. Overall, the study shows that knowledge management is central for safety behavior.

Inter-organizational collaboration projects in the public sector: a balance between integration and demarcation.

Science.gov (United States)

Löfström, Mikael

2010-01-01

For several years, the development of the Swedish public sector has been accompanied by a discussion about inter-organizational collaboration, which has been examined in several national experiments. The experience, however, indicates significant difficulties in implementing collaboration in local authorities' regular activities. This article argues that organizing inter-organizational collaboration in projects tends to be counterproductive, since the purpose of this collaboration is to increase the integration of local authorities. This article is based on case studies of three different collaboration projects. Each project is analyzed in relation to the way collaboration is organized within the project and how the relationship to the local authorities' activities is designed. The outcome of these studies shows that while collaboration projects increase integration between the responsible authorities, the integration stays within the projects. This is due to the fact that the projects were designed as units separate from the responsible authorities. As a result, the collaboration that occurs in the projects is not implemented in the local authorities' activities, and the viability of the increased integration of different responsible authorities does not extend beyond the projects. Copyright (c) 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

It takes two to tango: the fit between network context and inter-organizational strategic information systems planning

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Spil, Antonius A.M.; van den Broek, Tijs; Salmela, Hannu T.T.

2010-01-01

The view of evaluating Strategic Information Systems Planning (Grover & Segars, 2005) process and effectiveness has matured. However, the inter-organizational view or network view is understudied. The introduction of information strategy in networks seems more reactive than proactive; many

Evaluation of Patient Safety Culture and Organizational Culture as a Step in Patient Safety Improvement in a Hospital in Jakarta, Indonesia

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Afrisya Iriviranty

2016-07-01

Full Text Available Introduction: Establishment of patient safety culture is the first step in the improvement of patient safety. As such, assessment of patient safety culture in hospitals is of paramount importance. Patient safety culture is an inherent component of organizational culture, so that the study of organizational culture is required in developing patient safety. This study aimed to evaluate patient safety culture among the clinical staff of a hospital in Jakarta, Indonesia and identify organizational culture profile. Materials and Methods: This cross-sectional, descriptive, qualitative study was conducted in a hospital in Jakarta, Indonesia in 2014. Sample population consisted of nurses, midwives, physicians, pediatricians, obstetrics and gynecology specialists, laboratory personnel, and pharmacy staff (n=152. Data were collected using the Hospital Survey on Patient Safety Culture developed by the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ and Organizational Culture Assessment Instrument (OCAI. Results: Teamwork within units” was the strongest dimension of patient safety culture (91.7%, while “staffing” and “non-punitive response to error” were the weakest dimensions (22.7%. Moreover, clan culture was the most dominant type of organizational culture in the studied hospital. This culture serves as a guide for the changes in the healthcare organization, especially in the development of patient safety culture. Conclusion: According to the results of this study, healthcare providers were positively inclined toward the patient safety culture within the organization. As such, the action plan was designed through consensus decision-making and deemed effective in articulating patient safety in the vision and mission of the organization.

2. Coalition Collapse in the Context of Negotiation and Inter-Party Cooperation Theory

OpenAIRE

Biira, Catherine Promise

2013-01-01

Although most negotiators are primarily focused on reaching an agreement, the case of the opposition Inter-Party Cooperation coalition in Uganda demonstrates that “getting to yes” is not enough. The IPC collapsed just five months before it could participate in the very election it had been formed to commonly contest. As suggested in the previous section, while disagreement as to whether the coalition should participate in the 2011 election was publicly stated as the cause of the IPC collapse,...

Organizational safety culture and medical error reporting by Israeli nurses.

Science.gov (United States)

Kagan, Ilya; Barnoy, Sivia

2013-09-01

To investigate the association between patient safety culture (PSC) and the incidence and reporting rate of medical errors by Israeli nurses. Self-administered structured questionnaires were distributed to a convenience sample of 247 registered nurses enrolled in training programs at Tel Aviv University (response rate = 91%). The questionnaire's three sections examined the incidence of medication mistakes in clinical practice, the reporting rate for these errors, and the participants' views and perceptions of the safety culture in their workplace at three levels (organizational, departmental, and individual performance). Pearson correlation coefficients, t tests, and multiple regression analysis were used to analyze the data. Most nurses encountered medical errors from a daily to a weekly basis. Six percent of the sample never reported their own errors, while half reported their own errors "rarely or sometimes." The level of PSC was positively and significantly correlated with the error reporting rate. PSC, place of birth, error incidence, and not having an academic nursing degree were significant predictors of error reporting, together explaining 28% of variance. This study confirms the influence of an organizational safety climate on readiness to report errors. Senior healthcare executives and managers can make a major impact on safety culture development by creating and promoting a vision and strategy for quality and safety and fostering their employees' motivation to implement improvement programs at the departmental and individual level. A positive, carefully designed organizational safety culture can encourage error reporting by staff and so improve patient safety. © 2013 Sigma Theta Tau International.

Organizational learning in commercial nuclear power plant safety: An empirical analysis

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Marcus, A.A.; Bromiley, P.; Nichols, M.L.

1989-01-01

The need for knowledge in organizations that manage and run high risk technologies is very high. The acquisition of useful knowledge is referred to as organizational learning. The theoretical roots of this concept are well established in the academic literature and in practice, especially in manufacturing industries. This paper focuses on organizational problem solving and learning as it relates to the safe and efficient management of commercial nuclear power plants. The authors are co-investigators on a larger team working under contract with the Nuclear Regulatory Commission to develop a logical framework that enables systematic examination of potential linkages between management and organizational factors and safety in nuclear power plant performance. Management and organizational factors that facilitate or impede organizational learning are only a part of the larger study, but are the major focus of this paper. In this paper, the theoretical roots of the concept of organizational learning are discussed, relationships to measures of safety and efficiency of commercial nuclear power plants are hypothesized, and empirical findings which provide partial tests of the hypotheses are discussed. This line of research appears promising; implications for further research, regulatory application, and nuclear power plant management are described

Relationships between organizational and individual support, nurses' ethical competence, ethical safety, and work satisfaction.

Science.gov (United States)

Poikkeus, Tarja; Suhonen, Riitta; Katajisto, Jouko; Leino-Kilpi, Helena

2018-03-12

Organizations and nurse leaders do not always effectively support nurses' ethical competence. More information is needed about nurses' perceptions of this support and relevant factors to improve it. The aim of the study was to examine relationships between nurses' perceived organizational and individual support, ethical competence, ethical safety, and work satisfaction. A cross-sectional questionnaire survey was conducted. Questionnaires were distributed to nurses (n = 298) working in specialized, primary, or private health care in Finland. Descriptive statistics, multifactor analysis of variance, and linear regression analysis were used to test the relationships. The nurses reported low organizational and individual support for their ethical competence, whereas perceptions of their ethical competence, ethical safety, and work satisfaction were moderate. There were statistically significant positive correlations between both perceived individual and organizational support, and ethical competence, nurses' work satisfaction, and nurses' ethical safety. Organizational and individual support for nurses' ethical competence should be strengthened, at least in Finland, by providing more ethics education and addressing ethical problems in multiprofessional discussions. Findings confirm that organizational level support for ethical competence improves nurses' work satisfaction. They also show that individual level support improves nurses' sense of ethical safety, and both organizational and individual support strengthen nurses' ethical competence. These findings should assist nurse leaders to implement effective support practices to strengthen nurses' ethical competence, ethical safety, and work satisfaction.

The effect of management and organizational structure on nuclear power plant safety

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Thurber, J.A.

1986-01-01

Many informed observers have proposed that utility management is a key element underlying the safe operation of nuclear power plants (NPP). One way that management likely influences plant safety performance is through the organizational structures it consciously creates or allows to exist. This paper describes an empirical analysis of the relationships between some important dimensions of plant organizational structure and measures of plant safety performance

Research study about the establishment of safety culture. Effects of organizational factors in construction industry's safety indices

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kojima, Mitsuhiro; Hirose, Humiko; Takano, Kenichi; Hasegawa, Naoko

1999-01-01

To find the relationships between safety related activities (such as safety patrol' or '4s/5s activities') and accidents rate in the workplace, questionnaires were sent to 965 construction companies and 120 answers were returned. In this questionnaire, safety activities, safety regulations and safety policies of the companies were asked and organizational climates, company policies, philosophies and the number of accidents in workplace were also asked. There seems some relationships between accidents rate and safety activities, safety regulations and safety policies in the companies, but the deviations between estimate values and observed values are so great that it seems impossible to estimate the accidents rate in the working place from the safety activities, safety regulations and safety policies of the companies. On the other hand, some characteristics of safety activities and organizational climates in the construction industry were identified using multi variants analysis. More detailed researches using sophisticated questionnaire will be conducted in the construction industry and petrochemical industry and relationships between the accidents rate and the safety activities will be compared between different industries. (author)

The effects of organizational commitment and structural empowerment on patient safety culture.

Science.gov (United States)

Horwitz, Sujin K; Horwitz, Irwin B

2017-03-20

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to investigate the relationship between patient safety culture and two attitudinal constructs: affective organizational commitment and structural empowerment. In doing so, the main and interaction effects of the two constructs on the perception of patient safety culture were assessed using a cohort of physicians. Design/methodology/approach Affective commitment was measured with the Organizational Commitment Questionnaire, whereas structural empowerment was assessed with the Conditions of Work Effectiveness Questionnaire-II. The abbreviated versions of these surveys were administered to a cohort of 71 post-doctoral medical residents. For the data analysis, hierarchical regression analyses were performed for the main and interaction effects of affective commitment and structural empowerment on the perception of patient safety culture. Findings A total of 63 surveys were analyzed. The results revealed that both affective commitment and structural empowerment were positively related to patient safety culture. A potential interaction effect of the two attitudinal constructs on patient safety culture was tested but no such effect was detected. Research limitations/implications This study suggests that there are potential benefits of promoting affective commitment and structural empowerment for patient safety culture in health care organizations. By identifying the positive associations between the two constructs and patient safety culture, this study provides additional empirical support for Kanter's theoretical tenet that structural and organizational support together helps to shape the perceptions of patient safety culture. Originality/value Despite the wide recognition of employee empowerment and commitment in organizational research, there has still been a paucity of empirical studies specifically assessing their effects on patient safety culture in health care organizations. To the authors' knowledge, this study is the first

Relationship between organizational factors, safety culture and PSA in nuclear power plant operations

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Joksimovich, V.; Orvis, D.D.

1997-01-01

There are four nuclear safety imperatives or ''4Ms'': machine (hardware, design, QA/QC), milieux (operating conditions, environment, natural phenomena), man (human reliability) and management (organizational and management influences). Nuclear safety evaluations as well as evolution of its most powerful tool, Probabilistic Safety Assessment (PSA), followed chronologically the 4M constituents. The nuclear industry worldwide, and the nuclear safety regulators in particular, have been preoccupied with the first M almost to the point of obsession with belated and only intuitive interest in the third and fourth M (human dimension). Human factors or economics in the nuclear industry was an afterthought. Human reliability was essentially born in the aftermath of the Three Mile Island (TMI) accident. Impact of organizational factors on nuclear safety is only in the early stages of R and D. This paper describes some of the concepts being pursued by APG to link organizational factors and safety culture to Human Reliability Analysis (HRA) and to integrate such into probabilistic safety assessment (PSA), e.g. [APG, 1993]. (author). 11 refs, 4 figs, 1 tab

Railway safety climate: a study on organizational development.

Science.gov (United States)

Cheng, Yung-Hsiang

2017-09-07

The safety climate of an organization is considered a leading indicator of potential risk for railway organizations. This study adopts the perceptual measurement-individual attribute approach to investigate the safety climate of a railway organization. The railway safety climate attributes are evaluated from the perspective of railway system staff. We identify four safety climate dimensions from exploratory factor analysis, namely safety communication, safety training, safety management and subjectively evaluated safety performance. Analytical results indicate that the safety climate differs at vertical and horizontal organizational levels. This study contributes to the literature by providing empirical evidence of the multilevel safety climate in a railway organization, presents possible causes of the differences under various cultural contexts and differentiates between safety climate scales for diverse workgroups within the railway organization. This information can be used to improve the safety sustainability of railway organizations and to conduct safety supervisions for the government.

Inter-organizational networks

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Bergenholtz, Carsten

2012-01-01

Strong and trust-based ties are usually related to homogeneous and complex knowledge, while weak ties are associated with heterogeneous and simple knowledge. Interfirm communities have been shown to depend on trust-based ties, while also relying on getting access to heterogeneous knowledge. These...... goes beyond a mere structural approach to the organization of social networks and hence proposes a tighter integration between research on social networks and organizational design....

Simulation-based inter-professional education to improve attitudes towards collaborative practice: a prospective comparative pilot study in a Chinese medical centre.

Science.gov (United States)

Yang, Ling-Yu; Yang, Ying-Ying; Huang, Chia-Chang; Liang, Jen-Feng; Lee, Fa-Yauh; Cheng, Hao-Min; Huang, Chin-Chou; Kao, Shou-Yen

2017-11-08

Inter-professional education (IPE) builds inter-professional collaboration (IPC) attitude/skills of health professionals. This interventional IPE programme evaluates whether benchmarking sharing can successfully cultivate seed instructors responsible for improving their team members' IPC attitudes. Prospective, pre-post comparative cross-sectional pilot study. Thirty four physicians, 30 nurses and 24 pharmacists, who volunteered to be trained as seed instructors participated in 3.5-hour preparation and 3.5-hour simulation courses. Then, participants (n=88) drew lots to decide 44 presenters, half of each profession, who needed to prepare IPC benchmarking and formed Group 1. The remaining participants formed Group 2 (regular). Facilitators rated the Group 1 participants' degree of appropriate transfer and sustainable practice of the learnt IPC skills in the workplace according to successful IPC examples in their benchmarking sharing. For the three professions, improvement in IPC attitude was identified by sequential increase in the post-course (second month, T 2 ) and end-of-study (third month, T 3 ) Interdisciplinary Education Perception Scale (IEPS) and Attitudes Towards Healthcare Teams Scale (ATHCTS) scores, compared with pre-course (first month, T 1 ) scores. By IEPS and ATHCTS-based assessment, the degree of sequential improvements in IPC attitude was found to be higher among nurses and pharmacists than in physicians. In benchmarking sharing, the facilitators' agreement about the degree of participants'appropriate transfer and sustainable practice learnt 'communication and teamwork' skills in the workplace were significantly higher among pharmacists and nurses than among physicians. The post-intervention random sampling survey (sixth month, T post ) found that the IPC attitude of the three professions improved after on-site IPC skill promotion by new programme-trained seed instructors within teams. Addition of benchmark sharing to a diamond-based IPE simulation

A storm is coming? Collective sensemaking and ambiguity in an inter-organizational team managing railway system disruptions

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Merkus, Sander; Willems, Thijs; Schipper, Danny; van Marrewijk, Alfons; Koppenjan, Joop; Veenswijk, Marcel; Bakker, H.L.M.

2016-01-01

This paper studies the ways in which members of inter-organizational teams collectively make sense of unexpected events and how they decide upon engaging in action. Frequently, ambiguity dominates such change processes aimed to create common understanding. Using the notion of the duality of

IRSN-ANCCLI partnership. Organizational and human factors in nuclear safety - April 2014

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Jeffroy, Francois; Garron, Joel; Mercel, Philippe; Compagnat, Gilles; Gaucher, Eric; Gaillard, Pierre; Fanchini, Henri; Jacquemont, Vincent

2013-06-01

The contributions (Power Point presentations) of this seminar first address the history of the taking into account of organizational and human factors until the Fukushima accident (history of their taking into account in nuclear safety expertise in France, history of the development of policy of organizational and human factors by an operator). The next contributions discuss the main issues regarding these factors after Fukushima: report by a work-group, work performed by the the Comite d'Orientation sur les Facteurs Sociaux, Organisationnels et Humains (Committee of orientation on social, organizational and human factors). The third session addresses the implication of stakeholders in expertise on these factors: analysis of organizational and human factors by a local information commission or by a CHSCT (committee of hygiene, safety and working conditions)

The role of engineering judgement, safety culture, and organizational factors in risk assessment

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Muzumdar, Ajit; Professor, Visiting

1996-01-01

This paper reviews the role of engineering judgement, safety culture, and organizational factors in risk assessment by examining the reasons for human-based error. The need for more emphasis on producing engineers with good engineering judgement is described. The progress in quantifying the role of safety culture and organizational factors in risk assessment studies is summarized

Barriers to and Facilitators of Inter-Organizational Coordination in Response to Disasters: A Grounded Theory Approach.

Science.gov (United States)

Bahadori, Mohammadkarim; Khankeh, Hamid Reza; Zaboli, Rouhollah; Ravangard, Ramin; Malmir, Isa

2017-06-01

Coordination is a major challenge in the field of health in disasters, mostly because of the complex nature of health-related activities. This was a qualitative study based on the grounded theory approach. A total of 22 experts in the field of health in disasters participated in the study. The data were collected through in-depth interviews and literature review. The collected data were then analyzed by use of MAXQDA 2010 software (VERBI Software GmbH). The lack of a strategic view in the field of health in disasters, a lack of coordination of necessities and infrastructures, insufficient enforcement, a higher priority given to an organizational approach rather than a national approach, and the field of disasters not being a priority in the health system were noted as barriers to inter-organizational coordination. The facilitators of inter-organizational coordination noted were the importance of public participation in the field of health in disasters, having a process and systematic view in the field of health in disasters, the necessity of understanding and managing resources and information in the field of health in disasters, and having a feedback and evaluation system in the health system after disasters. It is recommended that developing common beliefs and goals be given priority in making plans and policies in the field of health in disasters. (Disaster Med Public Health Preparedness. 2017;11:318-325).

The Impact of Organizational Factors on Safety. The Perspective of Experts from the Spanish Nuclear Sector

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

German, S.; Silla, I.; Navajas, J.

2014-01-01

Previous research supports the importance of organizational factors on safety in high reliability organizations. This study aims to determine the impact of those factors in the Spanish nuclear sector. Particularly, this study focuses on examining the role of performance indicators, organizational culture, organizational factors, and organizational context. With that purpose, an electronic survey addressed to experts from the Spanish nuclear sector was carried out. Results showed that performance indicators are well-known among industry experts and are perceived as useful for improving performance. Behavioural norms that influence safety and some relevant factors that promote problem identification were identified. Additionally, findings suggested that organizational context must be taken into account to better understand the role of organizational culture. Moreover, industry experts pointed out organizational factors to be improved: organizational communication processes within the organization, positive reinforcement, and field supervisors practices. Finally, findings supported the influence of organizational context on safety. It is noteworthy the role of the social impact of international events (e.g., Chernobyl...), the relationship with the regulator and the legislative and governmental framework. (Author)

Organizational Behavior: A Brief Overview and Safety Orientation.

Science.gov (United States)

Waller, Mary J

2015-12-01

Organizational Behavior (OB) is a discipline of social science that seeks explanations for human behavior in organizations. OB draws on core disciplines such as psychology, sociology, anthropology, economics, communication, and law to create and investigate multilevel explanations of why people engage in particular behaviors, and which behaviors under which circumstances lead to better outcomes in organizations. Created using an applied or pragmatic lens and tested with a wide range of both quantitative and qualitative methodologies, most OB theories and research have direct implications for managers and for other organizational participants. Not surprisingly, one focal area of OB research concerns safety in organizations, and a growing body of safety-oriented literature in OB is based on data collected during simulation training across a variety of organizations such as hospitals, airlines, nuclear power plants, and other high reliability organizations. Copyright © 2015 Mosby, Inc. All rights reserved.

Technology transfer at CERN a study on inter-organizational knowledge transfer within multi-national R&D collaborations

CERN Document Server

Huuse, H; Streit-Bianchi, M

2004-01-01

This study focus on the knowledge aspect of inter-organizational technology transfer projects. We have studied two large R&D collaborations where CERN is involved as one of several participating organizations, in order to reveal the causalities related to the knowledge transfer processes within these projects. The objective of the study is to understand how knowledge transfer happens, identify influencing factors to the process, and finally investigate the outcome of such processes. The study is founded on a thorough literature review where we examine different aspects of inter-organizational knowledge transfer. Based on the theory, we develop an analytic framework and establish different elements in the knowledge transfer process to study in more detail. This framework illustrates the relation between the different elements in a knowledge transfer process and provides the structure for our empirical foundation. We perform an explanatory embedded multiple case study and analyze our findings in terms of th...

Knowledge collaborative incentive based on inter-organizational cooperative innovation of project-based supply chain

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Guangdong Wu

2013-09-01

Full Text Available Purpose: Within project-based supply chain inter-organizational cooperative innovation, the achievement of project value-adding reflects by factors such as project-based organizational effect level, the relationship between project cooperative innovation objectives etc. The purpose is to provide a reliable reference for the contractor reasonably allocate the effect level and resources between the knowledge input and innovation stage and realize the knowledge collaboration for project-based supply chain. Design/methodology/approach: Based on the assumption of equal cooperation between project-based organizations, from the view of maximizing project value-adding and the relationship of effect cost between knowledge input and innovation stage in consideration, the knowledge collaborative incentive model for project-based supply chain inter-organizational cooperative innovation was established, and solved through the first-order and second-order approach, then the digital simulation and example analysis were presented. Findings: The results show that, the project management enterprise resorted to adjust project knowledge collaboration incentive intensity and implemented knowledge input-innovation coordinative incentive strategy, not only could achieve project value-adding maximization, but also could realize net earnings Pareto improvement between project management enterprise and contractor. Research limitations/implications: To simplify the knowledge flow among project-based organizations, the knowledge flow in the model hypothesis is presented as knowledge input and knowledge innovation stage, thus it may affect the final analysis results. Originality/value: In construction project practice, knowledge is become more and more important to achieve project value-adding. The research can provide a theoretical guideline for the project-based organizations, such as the contractor, the owner, especially how to utilize their core knowledge.

Human and organizational factors in nuclear safety

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Garcia, A.; Barrientos, M.; Gil, B.

2015-01-01

Nuclear installations are socio technical systems where human and organizational factors, in both utilities and regulators, have a significant impact on safety. Three Mile Island (TMI) accident, original of several initiatives in the human factors field, nevertheless became a lost opportunity to timely acquire lessons related to the upper tiers of the system. Nowadays, Spanish nuclear installations have integrated in their processes specialists and activities in human and organizational factors, promoted by the licensees After many years of hard work, Spanish installations have achieved a better position to face new challenges, such as those posed by Fukushima. With this experience, only technology-centered action plan would not be acceptable, turning this accident in yet another lost opportunity. (Author)

Studying the Relationship between Individual and Organizational Factors and Nurses' Perception of Patient Safety Culture

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Farahnaz Abdolahzadeh

2012-11-01

Full Text Available Introduction: Safety culture is considered as an important factor in improving patient safety. Therefore, identifying individual and organizational factors affecting safety culture is crucial. This study was carried out to determine individual and organizational factors associated with nurses' perception of patient safety culture. Methods: The present descriptive study included 940 nurses working in four training hospitals affiliated with Urmia University of Medical Sciences (Iran. Data was collected through the self-report questionnaire of patient safety culture. Descriptive (number, percent, mean, and standard deviation and inferential (t-test and analysis of variance statistics were used to analyze the data in SPSS. Results: Nurses' perception of patient safety culture was significantly correlated with marital status, workplace, and overtime hours. Conclusion: The results of this study revealed that some individual and organizational factors can impact on nurses' perception of patient safety culture. Nursing authorities should thus pay more attention to factors which promote patient safety culture and ultimately the safety of provided services.

Chemical variations observed in irradiated, treated with IPC and control potato tubers

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mazon Matanzo, M. P.; Fernandez Gonzalez, J.

1976-01-01

The content in soluble sugars, ascorbic acid and phenolic acids of potato tubers preserved by irradiation and IPC, during storage period of five months are studied. In the irradiated tubers, soluble sugars increased immediately after the irradiation, in relation to the control tubers reaching inferior values to those reached by the control tubers, at the end of the storage period. The content in ascorbic acid is generally kept higher in the irradiated and IPC treated tubers than in the control tubers and the content in phenolic acids increased in the irradiated and IPC treated tubers by immediate effect of this treatment. (Author) 39 refs

Chemical variations observed in irradiated, treated with IPC and control potato tubers

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mazon Matanzo, M.P.; Fernandez Gonzalez, J.

1976-01-01

The content in soluble sugars, ascorbic acid and phenolic acids of potato tubers preserved by irradiation and IPC, during a storage period of five months are studied. In the irradiated tubers, soluble sugars increased immediately after the irradiation, in relation to the control tubers reaching inferior values to those reached by the control tubers, at the end of the storage period. The content in ascorbic acid is generally kept higher in the irradiated and IPC treated tubers than in the control tubers and the content in phenolic acids increased in the irradiated and IPC treated tubers by immediate effect of this treatment.(author) [es

Management Control in Inter-organizational Relationships: The Case of Franchises

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Magdalena Cordobés Madueño

2015-10-01

Full Text Available There is great interest in the role of management control on theoretical and practical developments within the field of Inter-organizational Relations. This research aims to contribute at verifying how relationships between firms affect the management control tools used, as illustrated in a specific case: the relationship between the franchisor and its franchisees, which has not received much attention to date. As indicated by previous research, case studies can be helpful to determine the factors affecting the type of management control tools that should be established to manage inter-firm relationships. Results have found that the franchisor uses quantitative control mechanisms in order to avoid common types of opportunistic franchise behavior related to royalty payments and other financial requirements, as well as qualitative tools to assure the fulfilment of agreement-related conditions regarding knowhow, to resolve unexpected non-economic problems and to encourage personal relationship and trust. This study also provides an outline on franchisor-franchisee relationships in the model proposed by Van der Meer-Kooistra and Vosselman (2000. To test this model, the franchisor’s perspective (outsourcer has been taken into account as performed when building the model. Findings indicate that this relationship shows many similarities to the pattern based on bureaucracy and a few similarities to patterns based on trust.

A quantitative assessment of organizational factors affecting safety using system dynamics model

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Yu, Jae Kook; Ahn, Nam Sung [Korea Electric Power Research Institute, Taejon (Korea, Republic of); Jae, Moo Sung [Hanyang Univ., Seoul (Korea, Republic of)

2004-02-01

The purpose of this study is to develop a system dynamics model for the assessment of the organizational and human factors in a nuclear power plant which contribute to nuclear safety. Previous studies can be classified into two major approaches. One is the engineering approach using tools such as ergonomics and Probability Safety Assessment (PSA). The other is the socio-psychology approach. Both have contributed to find organizational and human factors and to present guidelines to lessen human error in plants. However, since these approaches assume that the relationship among factors is independent they do not explain the interactions among the factors or variables in nuclear power plants. To overcome these restrictions, a system dynamics model, which can show cause and effect relationships among factors and quantify the organizational and human factors, has been developed. Handling variables such as the degree of leadership, the number of employees, and workload in each department, users can simulate various situations in nuclear power plant organization. Through simulation, users can get insights to improve safety in plants and to find managerial tools in both organizational and human factors.

A quantitative assessment of organizational factors affecting safety using system dynamics model

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yu, Jae Kook; Ahn, Nam Sung; Jae, Moo Sung

2004-01-01

The purpose of this study is to develop a system dynamics model for the assessment of the organizational and human factors in a nuclear power plant which contribute to nuclear safety. Previous studies can be classified into two major approaches. One is the engineering approach using tools such as ergonomics and Probability Safety Assessment (PSA). The other is the socio-psychology approach. Both have contributed to find organizational and human factors and to present guidelines to lessen human error in plants. However, since these approaches assume that the relationship among factors is independent they do not explain the interactions among the factors or variables in nuclear power plants. To overcome these restrictions, a system dynamics model, which can show cause and effect relationships among factors and quantify the organizational and human factors, has been developed. Handling variables such as the degree of leadership, the number of employees, and workload in each department, users can simulate various situations in nuclear power plant organization. Through simulation, users can get insights to improve safety in plants and to find managerial tools in both organizational and human factors

Componentes Principales (C.P. de los sistemas de calculo del IPC base 92 y sistema IPC base 2001

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Julio Pallas González

2002-01-01

Full Text Available Nueve años después de que se adoptara un cambio de base en el cálculo del IPC para el Estado Español, asistimos a un cambio de sistema en el cálculo del mismo, naciendo el sistema de índices de precios, base 2001. A lo largo de este trabajo y utilizando el programa estadístico SPSS, se tratará de realizar un análisis multivariante, sobre las distintas variables que componen el IPC base 92, del estado español, y las del índice, atendiendo al nuevo sistema base 2001, que entró en vigor en enero de 2002. De todas las técnicas multivariantes susceptibles de ser aplicadas en este trabajo, se utilizaran el análisis de componentes principales y el análisis factorial, con el fin de obtener factores no observables que permitan explicar, perdiendo la mínima información, las variables originales que representan.

A quantitative assessment of organizational factors affecting safety using a system dynamics model

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yoo, J. K.; Yoon, T. S.

2003-01-01

The purpose of this study is to develop a system dynamics model for the assessment of organizational and human factors in the nuclear power plant safety. Previous studies are classified into two major approaches. One is the engineering approach such as ergonomics and Probabilistic Safety Assessment (PSA). The other is socio-psychology one. Both have contributed to find organizational and human factors and increased nuclear safety However, since these approaches assume that the relationship among factors is independent they do not explain the interactions between factors or variables in NPP's. To overcome these restrictions, a system dynamics model, which can show causal relations between factors and quantify organizational and human factors, has been developed. Operating variables such as degree of leadership, adjustment of number of employee, and workload in each department, users can simulate various situations in nuclear power plants in the organization side. Through simulation, user can get an insight to improve safety in plants and to find managerial tools in the organization and human side

Nuclear safety culture based on the organizational and individual culture

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Li Jingxi; Ren Ou

2005-01-01

The nuclear safety culture is used increasingly and developed by countries that have nu- clear plants all over the world, since the term 'safety culture' was first introduced by IAEA in 1986. Enterprises culture reflects many terms in an enterprise, such as management level and staff quality. The safety culture is the center in a nuclear enterprises culture, and relates directly to the safety and outstanding achievement of operation. This paper discusses the nuclear safety culture from the viewpoints of the organizational and individual cultures. (authors)

Organizational Climate Determinants of Resident Safety Culture in Nursing Homes

Science.gov (United States)

Arnetz, Judith E.; Zhdanova, Ludmila S.; Elsouhag, Dalia; Lichtenberg, Peter; Luborsky, Mark R.; Arnetz, Bengt B.

2011-01-01

Purpose of the Study: In recent years, there has been an increasing focus on the role of safety culture in preventing costly adverse events, such as medication errors and falls, among nursing home residents. However, little is known regarding critical organizational determinants of a positive safety culture in nursing homes. The aim of this study…

Safety climate in university and college laboratories: impact of organizational and individual factors.

Science.gov (United States)

Wu, Tsung-Chih; Liu, Chi-Wei; Lu, Mu-Chen

2007-01-01

Universities and colleges serve to be institutions of education excellence; however, problems in the areas of occupational safety may undermine such goals. Occupational safety must be the concern of every employee in the organization, regardless of job position. Safety climate surveys have been suggested as important tools for measuring the effectiveness and improvement direction of safety programs. Thus, this study aims to investigate the influence of organizational and individual factors on safety climate in university and college laboratories. Employees at 100 universities and colleges in Taiwan were mailed a self-administered questionnaire survey; the response rate was 78%. Multivariate analysis of variance revealed that organizational category of ownership, the presence of a safety manager and safety committee, gender, age, title, accident experience, and safety training significantly affected the climate. Among them, accident experience and safety training affected the climate with practical significance. The authors recommend that managers should address important factors affecting safety issues and then create a positive climate by enforcing continuous improvements.

Relationship of hospital organizational culture to patient safety climate in the Veterans Health Administration.

Science.gov (United States)

Hartmann, Christine W; Meterko, Mark; Rosen, Amy K; Shibei Zhao; Shokeen, Priti; Singer, Sara; Gaba, David M

2009-06-01

Improving safety climate could enhance patient safety, yet little evidence exists regarding the relationship between hospital characteristics and safety climate. This study assessed the relationship between hospitals' organizational culture and safety climate in Veterans Health Administration (VA) hospitals nationally. Data were collected from a sample of employees in a stratified random sample of 30 VA hospitals over a 6-month period (response rate = 50%; n = 4,625). The Patient Safety Climate in Healthcare Organizations (PSCHO) and the Zammuto and Krakower surveys were used to measure safety climate and organizational culture, respectively. Higher levels of safety climate were significantly associated with higher levels of group and entrepreneurial cultures, while lower levels of safety climate were associated with higher levels of hierarchical culture. Hospitals could use these results to design specific interventions aimed at improving safety climate.

Inter-Organizational Knowledge Conversion and Innovative Capacity in Cooperative Networks

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Patricia Trincade Caldas

2013-04-01

Full Text Available In the current business and management environments, organizations are challenged to search for new ways of working focused on findings and practical innovation. In this sense, knowledge management constitutes a tool to support the practices of innovation, which are facilitated by the existence of physical, virtual or mental spaces, called Ba's, where knowledge can be better used. The objective of this paper is to analyze the dynamics of inter-organizational knowledge conversion into existing Ba spaces in a cooperative network. The data analysis was performed from the triangulation of primary and secondary data and from the non-participant observation, within specific variables. The results point that the network displays an unfavorable configuration regarding the favorable characteristics to dynamics of knowledge conversion, which influences negatively its performance, especially the intensity and quality of information.

A quantitative assessment of organizational factors affecting safety using a system dynamics model

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Yoo, J. K. [Systemix Company, Seoul (Korea, Republic of); Yoon, T. S. [Korea Electric Power Research Institute (Korea, Republic of)

2003-07-01

The purpose of this study is to develop a system dynamics model for the assessment of organizational and human factors in the nuclear power plant safety. Previous studies are classified into two major approaches. One is the engineering approach such as ergonomics and Probabilistic Safety Assessment (PSA). The other is socio-psychology one. Both have contributed to find organizational and human factors and increased nuclear safety However, since these approaches assume that the relationship among factors is independent they do not explain the interactions between factors or variables in NPP's. To overcome these restrictions, a system dynamics model, which can show causal relations between factors and quantify organizational and human factors, has been developed. Operating variables such as degree of leadership, adjustment of number of employee, and workload in each department, users can simulate various situations in nuclear power plants in the organization side. Through simulation, user can get an insight to improve safety in plants and to find managerial tools in the organization and human side.

QUALITY OF INTER-ORGANIZATIONAL SYSTEM (IOS FRAMEWORK FOR SUPPLY CHAIN MANAGEMENT (SCM: STUDY OF SIX COLLABORATIVE FACTORS FROM SUPPLIER AND CUSTOMER PERSPECTIVES

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Miloš Mihajlović

2010-09-01

Full Text Available This paper has identified a research gap to study how organizations collaborate together to adopt Inter- Organizational System (IOS for Supply Chain Management (SCM. We propose such a framework and then use four theories, namely resource dependency theory, organizational theory, actor-network theory and negotiated order theory, to understand how the framework supports management collaboration and interaction in the adoption of an IOS. This adoption framework is proposed to better study how senior management staff, from both supplier and customer perspectives, collaborate and interact in the IOS adoption process. The framework has been constructed from the literature identifying six major aspects for consideration namely: inter and intra organizational collaboration; strategic management approaches; supply chain design (SCD; business process redesign/reengineering (BPR; information systems (IS / information technology (IT architecture and external environmental factors. From customer and supplier perspectives the adoption of IOS for SCM, makes a significant contribution to knowledge in this field.

Aviation safety and maintenance under major organizational changes, investigating non-existing accidents.

Science.gov (United States)

Herrera, Ivonne A; Nordskag, Arve O; Myhre, Grete; Halvorsen, Kåre

2009-11-01

The objective of this paper is to discuss the following questions: Do concurrent organizational changes have a direct impact on aviation maintenance and safety, if so, how can this be measured? These questions were part of the investigation carried out by the Accident Investigation Board, Norway (AIBN). The AIBN investigated whether Norwegian aviation safety had been affected due to major organizational changes between 2000 and 2004. The main concern was the reduction in safety margins and its consequences. This paper presents a summary of the techniques used and explains how they were applied in three airlines and by two offshore helicopter operators. The paper also discusses the development of safety related indicators in the aviation industry. In addition, there is a summary of the lessons learned and safety recommendations. The Norwegian Ministry of Transport has required all players in the aviation industry to follow up the findings and recommendations of the AIBN study.

Embedding technology into inter-professional best practices in home safety evaluation.

Science.gov (United States)

Burns, Suzanne Perea; Pickens, Noralyn Davel

2017-08-01

To explore inter-professional home evaluators' perspectives and needs for building useful and acceptable decision-support tools for the field of home modifications. Twenty semi-structured interviews were conducted with a range of home modification professionals from different regions of the United States. The interview transcripts were analyzed with a qualitative, descriptive, perspective approach. Technology supports current best practice and has potential to inform decision making through features that could enhance home evaluation processes, quality, efficiency and inter-professional communication. Technological advances with app design have created numerous opportunities for the field of home modifications. Integrating technology and inter-professional best practices will improve home safety evaluation and intervention development to meet client-centred and societal needs. Implications for rehabilitation Understanding home evaluators technology needs for home safety evaluations contributes to the development of app-based assessments. Integrating inter-professional perspectives of best practice and technological needs in an app for home assessments improves processes. Novice and expert home evaluators would benefit from decision support systems embedded in app-based assessments. Adoption of app-based assessment would improve efficiency while remaining client-centred.

Servant Leadership and Follower Outcomes: Mediating Effects of Organizational Identification and Psychological Safety.

Science.gov (United States)

Chughtai, Aamir Ali

2016-10-02

This study investigated the mediating role of organizational identification and psychological safety in the relationship between servant leadership and two employee outcomes: employee voice and negative feedback seeking behavior. The sample for this study comprised of 174 full-time employees drawn from a large food company based in Pakistan. Results showed that organizational identification and psychological safety partially mediated the effects of servant leadership on voice and negative feedback seeking behavior. The theoretical and practical implications of this research are discussed.

Organizational factors and nuclear power plant safety

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Haber, S.B.

1995-01-01

There are many organizations in our society that depend on human performance to avoid incidents involving significant adverse consequences. As our culture and technology have become more sophisticated, the management of risk on a broad basis has become more and more critical. The safe operation of military facilities, chemical plants, airlines, and mass transit, to name a few, are substantially dependent on the performance of the organizations that operate those facilities. The nuclear power industry has, within the past 15 years, increased the attention given to the influence of human performance in the safe operation of nuclear power plants (NPP). While NPPs have been designed through engineering disciplines to intercept and mitigate events that could cause adverse consequences, it has been clear from various safety-related incidents that human performance also plays a dominant role in preventing accidents. Initial efforts following the 1979 Three Mile Island incident focused primarily on ergonomic factors (e.g., the best design of control rooms for maximum performance). Greater attention was subsequently directed towards cognitive processes involved in the use of NPP decision support systems and decision making in general, personnel functions such as selection systems, and the influence of work scheduling and planning on employees' performance. Although each of these approaches has contributed to increasing the safety of NPPS, during the last few years, there has been a growing awareness that particular attention must be paid to how organizational processes affect NPP personnel performance, and thus, plant safety. The direct importance of organizational factors on safety performance in the NPP has been well-documented in the reports on the Three Mile Island and Chernobyl accidents as well as numerous other events, especially as evaluated by the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC)

Safety assessment of inter-channel / inter-system digital communications: A defensive measures approach

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Thuy, N. N. Q.

2006-01-01

Inappropriately designed inter-channel and inter-system digital communications could initiate common cause failure of multiple channels or multiple systems. Defensive measures were introduced in EPRI report TR-1002835 (Guideline for Performing Defense-in-Depth and Diversity Assessments for Digital Upgrades) to assess, on a deterministic basis, the susceptibility of digital systems architectures to common-cause failures. This paper suggests how this approach could be applied to assess inter-channel and inter-system digital communications from a safety standpoint. The first step of the approach is to systematically identify the so called 'influence factors' that one end of the data communication path can have on the other. Potential factors to be considered would typically include data values, data volumes and data rates. The second step of the approach is to characterize the ways possible failures of a given end of the communication path could affect these influence factors (e.g., incorrect data values, excessive data rates, time-outs, incorrect data volumes). The third step is to analyze the designed-in measures taken to guarantee independence of the other end. In addition to classical error detection and correction codes, typical defensive measures are one-way data communication, fixed-rate data communication, fixed-volume data communication, validation of data values. (authors)

Inter-organizational relations for regional development: an expansion policy promoted by the federal network of professional education, science & technology

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Cleidson Nogueira Dias

2014-12-01

Full Text Available This research paper examines the importance of inter-organizational network management as a government policy tool to promote regional development. This pattern requires Federal Government intervention so as to compensate for the imbalance that this causes and to guarantee that economic growth resulting from government actions leads to development in all regions of the country, thereby avoiding the traditional mechanisms of wealth concentration. For this, a methodology of content analysis was used based on a relevant public policy aimed at promoting development within Brazil and by analyzing the data collected in relation to the current theory related to strategy, local development and inter-organizational networks in general.  The analysis results show that, when the policy studied in this work, applied in the federal network of professional education, science & technology, was implemented the networks had a positive influence on the outcome of the policy objectives and represented an extremely powerful support tool, being one of the most important factors to boost development.

Open innovation in SMEs: Exploring inter-organizational relationships in an ecosystem

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Radziwon, Agnieszka; Bogers, Marcel

2018-01-01

Small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) face the inherent tension of depending on external partners to complement their internal innovation activities while having limited resources to manage such open innovation processes. Given the importance of collaborative efforts between multiple...... stakeholders, we address the open innovation challenges from the SME perspective at the business-ecosystem level. We present an inductive case study of a particular regional ecosystem and focus on the inter-organizational collaboration between SMEs and other stakeholders in the ecosystem. With this focus, we...... explore how SMEs perceive, organize, and manage open innovation through strong collaborative ties with other ecosystem members. We identify a particular set of challenges for the SMEs due to the misalignment between their business model and that of their ecosystem. Specific findings include the link...

ORGANIZATIONAL CULTURE AS ONE OF THE MAIN FACTORS FOR THE SUCCESSFUL SAFETY MANAGEMENT

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Snežana Živković

2016-05-01

Full Text Available The goal of this research is to establish the influence of organizational culture on the system of safety and health at work. The research sample included 556 respondents of various activities in Russia. Based on the results, it can be concluded that there is a statistically significant connection of the Attitude towards occupational safety with 5 out of 7 aspects of organizational culture, as well as with the general factor of Usefulness of the manner of management. In addition, there is a statistically significant connection to age, total years of service and qualifications. Through a comparative analysis of results acquired in the Republic of Serbia and Russia, differences in attitudes towards safety and health activities at work were acquired i.e. there is a difference between the average answers of respondents from Serbia and Russia in the Attitude towards occupational safety which is on average slightly more prominent in respondents from Serbia. In relation to organizational culture aspects, there are differences in Vision, Credibility, Feedback and recognition as well as Responsibility. Respondents from Serbia have higher average values on all these measures, but all the differences are small (all effect sizes are below 0.2.

VAR IPP-IPC Model Simulation

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Juan P. Pérez Monsalve

2014-12-01

Full Text Available This work analyzed the relationship of the two main Price indicators in the Colombian economy, the IPP and the IPC. For this purpose, we identified the theory comprising both indexes to then develop a vector autoregressive model, which shows the reaction to shocks both in itself as in the other variable, whose impact continues propagating in the long term. Additionally, the work presents a simulation of the VAR model through the Monte Carlo method, verifying the coincidence in distributions of probability and volatility levels, as well as the existence correlation over time

Establishment and characterization of a new cell line of canine inflammatory mammary cancer: IPC-366.

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Sara Caceres

Full Text Available Canine inflammatory mammary cancer (IMC shares epidemiologic, histopathological and clinical characteristics with the disease in humans and has been proposed as a natural model for human inflammatory breast cancer (IBC. The aim of this study was to characterize a new cell line from IMC (IPC-366 for the comparative study of both IMC and IBC. Tumors cells from a female dog with clinical IMC were collected. The cells were grown under adherent conditions. The growth, cytological, ultrastructural and immunohistochemical (IHC characteristics of IPC-366 were evaluated. Ten female Balb/SCID mice were inoculated with IPC-366 cells to assess their tumorigenicity and metastatic potential. Chromosome aberration test and Karyotype revealed the presence of structural aberration, numerical and neutral rearrangements, demonstrating a chromosomal instability. Microscopic examination of tumor revealed an epithelial morphology with marked anysocytosis. Cytological and histological examination of smears and ultrathin sections by electron microscopy revealed that IPC-366 is formed by highly malignant large round or polygonal cells characterized by marked atypia and prominent nucleoli and frequent multinucleated cells. Some cells had cytoplasmic empty spaces covered by cytoplasmic membrane resembling capillary endothelial cells, a phenomenon that has been related to s vasculogenic mimicry. IHC characterization of IPC-366 was basal-like: epithelial cells (AE1/AE3+, CK14+, vimentin+, actin-, p63-, ER-, PR-, HER-2, E-cadherin, overexpressed COX-2 and high Ki-67 proliferation index (87.15 %. At 2 weeks after inoculating the IPC-366 cells, a tumor mass was found in 100 % of mice. At 4 weeks metastases in lung and lymph nodes were found. Xenograph tumors maintained the original IHC characteristics of the female dog tumor. In summary, the cell line IPC-366 is a fast growing malignant triple negative cell line model of inflammatory mammary carcinoma that can be used for the

The Role of Experience When Utilizing Inter-organizational Relationships for New Product Development

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Mortensen, Thomas Bøtker; Knudsen, Mette Præst

The purpose of this paper is to investigate the role of collaborative experience on interorganizational collaborations in the new product development (NPD) process, and whether collaborative experience can act as a mediating and moderating variable. The paper is motivated by the growing literature...... on the importance of inter-organizational relationships stimulated by the idea that firms operate in networks and should therefore be strategic about who to include in e.g. NPD projects. A growing literature has concluded that trust and experience are vital tacit skills to build, which may be crucial...... in establishing successful relationships. However, the empirical evidence reported in the literature is still relatively scarce....

SURVEYS OF ORGANIZATIONAL CULTURE AND SAFETY CULTURE IN NUCLEAR POWER

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

BROWN, B.S.

2000-01-01

The results of a survey of organizational culture at a nuclear power plant are summarized and compared with those of a similar survey which has been described in the literature on high-reliability organizations. A general-purpose cultural inventory showed a profile of organizational style similar to that reported in the literature; the factor structure for the styles was also similar to that of the plant previously described. A specialized scale designed to measure safety culture did not distinguish among groups within the organization that would be expected to differ

A preliminary study on the application of system dynamics methodology to organizational safety in nuclear power plants: Learning from past models

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Do, Giang [Sol Bridge International School of Business, Daejeon (Korea, Republic of); Kim, Sakil; Lee, Yong Hee; Lee, Yong Hee [KAERI, Daejeon (Korea, Republic of)

2012-10-15

Besides technical design, organizational and human factor are of increasing interest in literature on nuclear safety. Among the methodologies employed to study these factors, System Dynamics (SD) is considered to be suitable for addressing the complexity and dynamicity of the organizational system in nuclear power plants (NPPs). In the following sections, the method will be described and its several prior applications to studying organizational safety will be introduced. An SD model with emphasis on the role of organizational learning in organizational safety will be presented.

Bildungslandschaft or the inter-organizational cooperation network approach (ICNA) as a new approach to attracting pupils to science and technical education

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Grunwald, Annette; Henriksen, Lars Bo

2013-01-01

The paper presents a short review of the literature on attractiveness and argues for the need to consider an inter-organizational cooperation network (ICNA), which organizes out-of-school learning as a necessary and new perspective to promote attractiveness in technical education. The paper offers...

Agent-based organizational modelling for analysis of safety culture at an air navigation service provider

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Stroeve, Sybert H.; Sharpanskykh, Alexei; Kirwan, Barry

2011-01-01

Assessment of safety culture is done predominantly by questionnaire-based studies, which tend to reveal attitudes on immaterial characteristics (values, beliefs, norms). There is a need for a better understanding of the implications of the material aspects of an organization (structures, processes, etc.) for safety culture and their interactions with the immaterial characteristics. This paper presents a new agent-based organizational modelling approach for integrated and systematic evaluation of material and immaterial characteristics of socio-technical organizations in safety culture analysis. It uniquely considers both the formal organization and the value- and belief-driven behaviour of individuals in the organization. Results are presented of a model for safety occurrence reporting at an air navigation service provider. Model predictions consistent with questionnaire-based results are achieved. A sensitivity analysis provides insight in organizational factors that strongly influence safety culture indicators. The modelling approach can be used in combination with attitude-focused safety culture research, towards an integrated evaluation of material and immaterial characteristics of socio-technical organizations. By using this approach an organization is able to gain a deeper understanding of causes of diverse problems and inefficiencies both in the formal organization and in the behaviour of organizational agents, and to systematically identify and evaluate improvement options.

Organizational Culture and Safety Performance in the Manufacturing Companies in Malaysia: A Conceptual Analysis

OpenAIRE

Ong Choon Hee; Lim Lee Ping

2014-01-01

The purpose of this paper is to provide a conceptual analysis of organizational culture and safety performance in the manufacturing companies in Malaysia. Our conceptual analysis suggests that manufacturing companies that adopt group culture or hierarchical culture are more likely to demonstrate safety compliance and safety participation. Manufacturing companies that adopt rational culture or developmental culture are less likely to demonstrate safety compliance and safety participation. Give...

Organizational and safety culture in Canadian intensive care units: relationship to size of intensive care unit and physician management model.

Science.gov (United States)

Dodek, Peter M; Wong, Hubert; Jaswal, Danny; Heyland, Daren K; Cook, Deborah J; Rocker, Graeme M; Kutsogiannis, Demetrios J; Dale, Craig; Fowler, Robert; Ayas, Najib T

2012-02-01

The objectives of this study are to describe organizational and safety culture in Canadian intensive care units (ICUs), to correlate culture with the number of beds and physician management model in each ICU, and to correlate organizational culture and safety culture. In this cross-sectional study, surveys of organizational and safety culture were administered to 2374 clinical staff in 23 Canadian tertiary care and community ICUs. For the 1285 completed surveys, scores were calculated for each of 34 domains. Average domain scores for each ICU were correlated with number of ICU beds and with intensivist vs nonintensivist management model. Domain scores for organizational culture were correlated with domain scores for safety culture. Culture domain scores were generally favorable in all ICUs. There were moderately strong positive correlations between number of ICU beds and perceived effectiveness at recruiting/retaining physicians (r = 0.58; P organizational and safety culture. Differences in perceptions between staff in larger and smaller ICUs highlight the importance of teamwork across units in larger ICUs. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

On the stability of a variety of organic photovoltaic devices by IPCE and in situ IPCE analyses: the ISOS-3 inter-laboratory collaboration

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Teran-Escobar, G.; Tanenbaum, D.M.; Voroshazi, E.; Hermenau, M.; Norrman, K.; Lloyd, M.T.; Galagan, Y.O.; Zimmermann, B.; Hösel, M.; Dam, H.F.; Jorgensen, M.; Gevorgyan, S.; Kudret, S.; Maes, W.; Lutsen, L.; Vanderzande, D.; Würfel, U.; Andriessen, H.A.J.M.; Rösch, R.; Hoppe, H.; Rivaton, A.; Uzunoglu, G.Y.; Germack, D.; Andreasen, B.; Madsen, M.V.; Bundgaard, E.; Krebs, F.C.; Lira-Cantu, M.

2012-01-01

This work is part of the inter-laboratory collaboration to study the stability of seven distinct sets of state-of-the-art organic photovoltaic (OPV) devices prepared by leading research laboratories. All devices have been shipped to and degraded at RISO-DTU up to 1830 hours in accordance with

Video conference platforms: A tool to foster collaboration during inter-organizational in vivo simulations

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Cecilia Lemus-Martinez

2011-10-01

Full Text Available Inter-organizational problem solving of emergencies and extreme events are complex research fields where scarce experimental data is available. To address this problem, the Inter-GAP In Vivo System, was developed to run behavioural experiments of complex crisis. The system design and testing included three categories of participants: for pilot testing, first year university students; for theoretical validity, college students engaged in emergency management programs; and for field validity, expert decision makers who managed major crises. A comparative assessment was performed to select the most suitable video conferencing software commercially available, since it was more cost-efficient to acquire a tool already developed and customized it to the experiment needs than it was to design a new one. Software features analyzed were: ease of use, recording capabilities, format delivery options and security. The Inter-GAP In Vivo System setup was implemented on the video conference platform selected. The system performance was evaluated at three levels: technical setup, task design and work flow processes. The actual experimentation showed that the conferencing software is a versatile tool to enhance collaboration between stakeholders from different organizations, due to the audiovisual contact participants can establish, where non verbal cues can be interchanged along the problem solving processes. Potential future system applications include: collaborative and cross – functional training between organizations.

Transcending Organizational Boundaries

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Kringelum, Louise Tina Brøns

by applying the engaged scholarship approach, thereby providing a methodological contribution to both port and business model research. Emphasizing the interplay of intra- and inter-organizational business model innovation, the thesis adds insight into the roles of port authorities, business model trends......This thesis explores how processes of business model innovation can unfold in a port authority by transcending organizational boundaries through inter-organizational collaboration. The findings contribute to two fields of academic inquiry: the study of business model innovation and the study of how...... the roles of port authorities evolve. This contribution is made by combining the two fields, where the study of business model innovation is used as an analytical concept for understanding the evolution of port authorities, and where the study of port authorities is used as a contextual setting...

Open innovation in SMEs: Exploring inter-organizational relationships in an ecosystem

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Radziwon, Agnieszka; Bogers, Marcel

2018-01-01

Small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) face the inherent tension of depending on external partners to complement their internal innovation activities while having limited resources to manage such open innovation processes. Given the importance of collaborative efforts between multiple stakeho...... attention points for managing and developing open innovation in a regional business ecosystem, and they contribute both to the business-ecosystem literature as well as open innovation literature....... stakeholders, we address the open innovation challenges from the SME perspective at the business-ecosystem level. We present an inductive case study of a particular regional ecosystem and focus on the inter-organizational collaboration between SMEs and other stakeholders in the ecosystem. With this focus, we......Small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) face the inherent tension of depending on external partners to complement their internal innovation activities while having limited resources to manage such open innovation processes. Given the importance of collaborative efforts between multiple...

Reliability and Validity of the Multidimensional Locus of Control IPC Scale in a Sample of 3668 Greek Educators

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ntina Kourmousi

2015-11-01

Full Text Available The Multidimensional Locus of Control IPC Scale (IPC LOC Scale is an instrument for assessing the locus of control on adults. The aim of the present study is to translate the IPC LOC Scale and evaluate its reliability and validity in a sample of Greek teachers. Data were collected from a nationwide sample of 3668 educators of all levels and specialties. The Cronbach’s alpha coefficient was used to determine the internal consistency reliability. A confirmatory factor analysis (CFA was conducted in order to test the construct validity of the questionnaire. Validity was further examined by investigating the correlation of the IPC LOC Scale with the Rosenberg self-esteem scale (RSES and its association with several demographic and work-related data. Internal consistency reliability was satisfactory with a Cronbach’s alpha above 0.70 for all LOC dimensions. CFA confirmed that the items composing the three subscales of the IPC LOC Scale measure the same construct. Also, the root mean square error of approximation (RMSEA, the comparative fit index (CFI and the goodness of fit index (GFI values were 0.053, 0.951, and 0.937, respectively for the three-factor model, further confirming the manufacturer’s theory for the three latent variables, Internality, Powerful Others, and Chance. Intercorrelations and correlation coefficients between the IPC LOC Scale and the RSES were significant, while age and sex differences were also found. The Greek version of the IPC LOC Scale was found to have satisfactory psychometric properties and could be used to evaluate the locus of control in Greek teachers.

International Conference on Human and Organizational Aspects of Assuring Nuclear Safety. Exploring 30 years of Safety Culture. Programme and Abstracts

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

2016-01-01

Thirty years ago, the International Nuclear Safety Advisory Group concluded, in its investigation of the Chernobyl accident, that one of the key lessons to be learned from that accident was the importance of a strong safety culture to maintain safe operations. Almost five years have now passed since the accident at the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant, and the need to implement a systemic approach to safety that takes into account the complex and dynamic sociotechnical systems comprising nuclear infrastructure is one of the main lessons emerging from investigations. This conference will allow an international audience to take a step back and reflect upon the knowledge accumulated in the areas of human and organizational factors (HOF), safety culture and leadership for safety over the past 30 years. The objectives of the conference are to: • Review the experience gained with regard to HOF, safety culture and leadership for safety; • Share and gather experiences related to current developments, approaches, methods and research in the areas of HOF, safety culture and leadership for safety; and • Identify the future needs for building organizational resilience capabilities in order to further strengthen defence in depth for nuclear facilities and activities. The special focus of the conference will be on safety culture and the past 30 years of developments in this area.

Quantitative assessment of organizational culture within hospitals and its relevance to infection prevention and control strategies.

Science.gov (United States)

Borg, M A; Waisfisz, B; Frank, U

2015-05-01

It has been suggested that organizational culture (OC) is an important driver of infection prevention and control (IPC) behaviour among healthcare workers. This study examined OC in seven European hospitals using a validated assessment tool based on Hofstede's model, and identified significant variations in OC scores. Hospitals with low prevalence of meticillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) exhibited high scores for change facilitation and change readiness, whereas hospitals with high prevalence of MRSA exhibited low scores for these determinants. It is possible to use tools, available outside health care, to study OC within hospitals and gain better insight into IPC behaviour change strategies. Copyright © 2015 The Healthcare Infection Society. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Safety culture and organizational issues during transition from operation to decommissioning of NPPs

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Slavcheva, K.; Mori, M.; D'Amico, N.; Sollima, C.

2005-01-01

The paper highlights the critical safety issues in a Nuclear Power Plant (NPP) to be managed during the transition period from operation to decommissioning. Pre-shutdown is an important period of a NPP lifetime due to the changes and issues to be faced by the NPP management, which include safety culture issues, organizational issues, plant safety issues and nuclear waste issues. Preservation of staff competence and moral, management and organizational capability, preservation of knowledge and corporate memory, preservation of safety culture, surveillance and permanent control to maintain adequate level of nuclear and radiation safety, development of appropriate solutions for the new incoming issues are the key challenges to be timely faced. The uncertainty regarding the future of the site, the future of the workers and the incoming re-organization originate numerous additional issues including stress for the personnel. It is necessary to take appropriate actions to reduce the uncertainty. The regulatory regime continues with the same rules as during operation. Responsibility for safety remains with the licensee and the regulatory supervision continues and oversees the safe operation and security of the NPP, the safe management and storage of spent nuclear fuel and radioactive waste. Anticipated attention from the Operator and the Regulator to key organizational and safety culture issues during the pre-shutdown phase has shown to be an effective preventive action. The Operator has to aim to preserve staff competence and motivation, preserve corporate memory, safety culture, reinforce monitoring and control on the health risk of workers and population, preserve the technical part of the organization from external disturb and distractions, ensure transparency and develop strategies to solve forthcoming issues. The Regulator has to aim to reorient its supervision, train its personnel and adapt its tools to the new situation, keep adequate presence onsite, keep dialogue

Steps to Ensure a Successful Implementation of Occupational Health and Safety Interventions at an Organizational Level

Science.gov (United States)

Herrera-Sánchez, Isabel M.; León-Pérez, José M.; León-Rubio, José M.

2017-01-01

There is increasing meta-analytic evidence that addresses the positive impact of evidence-based occupational health and safety interventions on employee health and well-being. However, such evidence is less clear when interventions are approached at an organizational level and are aimed at changing organizational policies and processes. Given that occupational health and safety interventions are usually tailored to specific organizational contexts, generalizing and transferring such interventions to other organizations is a complex endeavor. In response, several authors have argued that an evaluation of the implementation process is crucial for assessing the intervention’s effectiveness and for understanding how and why the intervention has been (un)successful. Thus, this paper focuses on the implementation process and attempts to move this field forward by identifying the main factors that contribute toward ensuring a greater success of occupational health and safety interventions conducted at the organizational level. In doing so, we propose some steps that can guide a successful implementation. These implementation steps are illustrated using examples of evidence-based best practices reported in the literature that have described and systematically evaluated the implementation process behind their interventions during the last decade. PMID:29375413

Steps to Ensure a Successful Implementation of Occupational Health and Safety Interventions at an Organizational Level

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Isabel M. Herrera-Sánchez

2017-12-01

Full Text Available There is increasing meta-analytic evidence that addresses the positive impact of evidence-based occupational health and safety interventions on employee health and well-being. However, such evidence is less clear when interventions are approached at an organizational level and are aimed at changing organizational policies and processes. Given that occupational health and safety interventions are usually tailored to specific organizational contexts, generalizing and transferring such interventions to other organizations is a complex endeavor. In response, several authors have argued that an evaluation of the implementation process is crucial for assessing the intervention’s effectiveness and for understanding how and why the intervention has been (unsuccessful. Thus, this paper focuses on the implementation process and attempts to move this field forward by identifying the main factors that contribute toward ensuring a greater success of occupational health and safety interventions conducted at the organizational level. In doing so, we propose some steps that can guide a successful implementation. These implementation steps are illustrated using examples of evidence-based best practices reported in the literature that have described and systematically evaluated the implementation process behind their interventions during the last decade.

On the stability of a variety of organic photovoltaic devices by IPCE and in situ IPCE analyses – the ISOS-3 inter-laboratory collaboration

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Teran-Escobar, Gerardo; Tanenbaum, David; Voroshazi, Eszter

2012-01-01

This work is part of the inter-laboratory collaboration to study the stability of seven distinct sets of state-of-the-art organic photovoltaic (OPV) devices prepared by leading research laboratories. All devices have been shipped to and degraded at RISØ-DTU up to 1830 hours in accordance...

Associations of Organizational Safety Practices and Culture With Physical Workload, Perceptions About Work, and Work-Related Injury and Symptoms Among Hospital Nurses.

Science.gov (United States)

Lee, Soo-Jeong; Lee, Joung Hee

The study aim was to examine the relationships of organizational safety practices with nurses' perceptions about job and risk and experiences of work-related injury and symptoms. Nursing professions report high rates of work-related injuries. Organizational safety practices have been linked to workers' safety outcomes and perceptions about work. This study analyzed data from a random sample of 280 California RNs in a cross-sectional statewide survey. Data were collected by both postal and online surveys. Higher perceptions of organizational safety practices (safety climate, ergonomic practices, people-oriented culture) were significantly associated with lower physical workload, lower job strain, higher job satisfaction, lower risk perception, and lower work-related injury and symptom experiences. Ergonomic practices and people-oriented culture were associated with less intention of leaving job. Organizational safety practices may play a pivotal role in improving positive perceptions about jobs, reducing injury risks, and promoting nurse retention.

Organizational and methodological aspects for contemporary health and safety management system

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Sugak Evgeny

2017-01-01

Full Text Available Industrial injuries and work-related disorders considerable lowering we are facing in developed countries may be due to switching to a new health and safety management system entitled “Occupational Safety and Health Management System”. The Russian Federation has prepared certain regulatory documents prescribing some suggestions regarding implementing the contemporary system for industrial injuries prevention based upon the methods for professional risks management. However, despite the efforts made by the Russian Government, reformation of the health and safety management system at various companies is being performed rather slowly that may be as well owing to poor competence of managers and specialists regarding contemporary labor safety model content, methodical and organizational novations in the sphere of occupational safety and health management.. The article refers to a number of principal issues distinguishing the new health and safety management system from conventional approach.

Enhancing Safety Culture in Complex Nuclear Industry Projects

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gotcheva, N.

2016-01-01

lifecycle phases has implications for the defence in depth. Recently, the Radiation and Nuclear Safety Authority in Finland (STUK) has issued new YVL guides, which specify requirements on project management and safety culture of suppliers and subcontractors (STUK, 2014). International nuclear institutions have also paid attention to safety culture in networks of organizations (e.g., INPO, 2010; Royal Academy of Engineering, 2011; IAEA 2012). Culture has been predominantly studied in safety research as an intra-organizational phenomenon. Thus, it remains unclear how to apply safety culture models in large-scale project networks, consisting of multiple heterogeneous actors with somewhat conflicting objectives. Cultural approaches traditionally emphasise that creating a culture takes time and continuity, which does not reflect well the short time frames, high diversity and temporal dynamics typical for such projects. Each project partner brings own national and work cultural features and practices, which create a complex amalgam of cultural and subcultural influences on the overall project culture. Recently, Gotcheva and Oedewald (2015) summarised safety culture challenges in different lifecycle phases of large nuclear industry projects, and many of them relate to inter-organizational setups. Project governance deals with this inter-organizational space as it aims at aligning multiple diverse stakeholders’ interests to work together towards shared goals (Turner and Simister, 2001). The current study utilises a mixed-methods approach for understanding and enhancing safety culture in complex projects, focusing on management principles, cultural phenomena and simulation modelling. The need to integrate knowledge on safety culture and project governance to support safe and effective execution of complex nuclear projects is highlighted. The study advances the concept of safety culture and its applicability in project contexts by directing the attention to inter-organizational

A method to identify dependencies between organizational factors using statistical independence test

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kim, Y.; Chung, C.H.; Kim, C.; Jae, M.; Jung, J.H.

2004-01-01

A considerable number of studies on organizational factors in nuclear power plants have been made especially in recent years, most of which have assumed organizational factors to be independent. However, since organizational factors characterize the organization in terms of safety and efficiency etc. and there would be some factors that have close relations between them. Therefore, from whatever point of view, if we want to identify the characteristics of an organization, the dependence relationships should be considered to get an accurate result. In this study the organization of a reference nuclear power plant in Korea was analyzed for the trip cases of that plant using 20 organizational factors that Jacobs and Haber had suggested: 1) coordination of work, 2) formalization, 3) organizational knowledge, 4) roles and responsibilities, 5) external communication, 6) inter-department communications, 7) intra-departmental communications, 8) organizational culture, 9) ownership, 10) safety culture, 11) time urgency, 12) centralization, 13) goal prioritization, 14) organizational learning, 15) problem identification, 16) resource allocation, 17) performance evaluation, 18) personnel selection, 19) technical knowledge, and 20) training. By utilizing the results of the analysis, a method to identify the dependence relationships between organizational factors is presented. The statistical independence test for the analysis result of the trip cases is adopted to reveal dependencies. This method is geared to the needs to utilize many kinds of data that has been obtained as the operating years of nuclear power plants increase, and more reliable dependence relations may be obtained by using these abundant data

Occupational Health and Safety and Organizational Commitment: Evidence from the Ghanaian Mining Industry.

Science.gov (United States)

Amponsah-Tawiah, Kwesi; Mensah, Justice

2016-09-01

This study seeks to examine the relationship and impact of occupational health and safety on employees' organizational commitment in Ghana's mining industry. The study explores occupational health and safety and the different dimensions of organizational commitment. A cross-sectional survey design was used for this study. The respondents were selected based on simple random sampling. Out of 400 questionnaires administered, 370 were returned (77.3% male and 22.7% female) and used for the study. Correlation and multiple regression analysis were used to determine the relationship and impact between the variables. The findings of this study revealed positive and significant relationship between occupational health and safety management, and affective, normative, and continuance commitment. Additionally, the results revealed the significant impact of occupational health and safety on affective, normative, and continuance commitment. Management within the mining sector of Ghana must recognize the fact that workers who feel healthy and safe in the performance of their duties, develop emotional attachment and have a sense of obligation to their organization and are most likely committed to the organization. Employees do not just become committed to the organization; rather, they expect management to first think about their health and safety needs by instituting good and sound policy measures. Thus, management should invest in the protection of employees' health and safety in organizations.

Positive organizational behavior and safety in the offshore oil industry: Exploring the determinants of positive safety climate.

Science.gov (United States)

Hystad, Sigurd W; Bartone, Paul T; Eid, Jarle

2014-01-01

Much research has now documented the substantial influence of safety climate on a range of important outcomes in safety critical organizations, but there has been scant attention to the question of what factors might be responsible for positive or negative safety climate. The present paper draws from positive organizational behavior theory to test workplace and individual factors that may affect safety climate. Specifically, we explore the potential influence of authentic leadership style and psychological capital on safety climate and risk outcomes. Across two samples of offshore oil-workers and seafarers working on oil platform supply ships, structural equation modeling yielded results that support a model in which authentic leadership exerts a direct effect on safety climate, as well as an indirect effect via psychological capital. This study shows the importance of leadership qualities as well as psychological factors in shaping a positive work safety climate and lowering the risk of accidents.

Work Practice, Safety and Heedfulness. Studies of Organizational Reliability in Hospitals and Nuclear Power Plants

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gauthereau, Vincent

2003-01-01

The study of safety in complex systems has focused on different issues over the past decades. This focus was often linked to the conclusions of previous accidents'/incidents' analyses. When accidents were attributed to technical causes, safety research focused on technical developments. When they were later attributed to 'human errors', safety research focused on this 'component'. And when, since the mid-eighties accidents have been attributed to 'organizational factors', safety research has focused on these very same 'organizational factors'. The present thesis argues for a 'practice view' over safety to be taken. This view is mainly drawn from the field of research on High Reliability Organizations (HRO). HRO theorists' point of view on safety is that we can operate complex systems safely despite the fact that we have made them so complex that they are prone to 'normal accidents'. Humans involved in the operation of our systems actually create safety. Safety is formed through the adaptation of work practice to local conditions, and this adaptation is part of safe operation. Safety is not only a substantial quality of our socio-technical systems: the discursive dimension of safety actually seems to be a central component of safety creation. However, the adaptive ability of HRO can sometimes become their downfall. Adaptation, which is the backbone of safety, can sometimes be a drawback as well. Consequently, the practice view of safety, proposed in the present work, argues that we need to further comprehend how work practice evolves over time, and more specifically what are the inherent characteristics of work practice that create this evolution. Empirical studies from health-care and nuclear power generation highlight different details about organizational reliability. For instance, one study of planning at a nuclear power plant draws our attention to the different roles of planning in the organization. Another study, within heath-care, underlines the evolution of

Insight and Lessons Learned on Organizational Factors and Safety Culture from the Review of Human Error-related Events of NPPs in Korea

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kim, Ji Tae; Lee, Dhong Hoon; Choi, Young Sung

2014-01-01

Event investigation is one of the key means of enhancing nuclear safety deriving effective measures and preventing recurrences. However, it is difficult to analyze organizational factors and safety culture. This paper tries to review human error-related events from perspectives of organizational factors and safety culture, and to derive insights and lessons learned in developing the regulatory infrastructure of plant oversight on safety culture

Insight and Lessons Learned on Organizational Factors and Safety Culture from the Review of Human Error-related Events of NPPs in Korea

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kim, Ji Tae; Lee, Dhong Hoon; Choi, Young Sung [Korea Institute of Nuclear Safety, Daejeon (Korea, Republic of)

2014-08-15

Event investigation is one of the key means of enhancing nuclear safety deriving effective measures and preventing recurrences. However, it is difficult to analyze organizational factors and safety culture. This paper tries to review human error-related events from perspectives of organizational factors and safety culture, and to derive insights and lessons learned in developing the regulatory infrastructure of plant oversight on safety culture.

Positive organizational behavior and safety in the offshore oil industry: Exploring the determinants of positive safety climate

Science.gov (United States)

Hystad, Sigurd W.; Bartone, Paul T.; Eid, Jarle

2013-01-01

Much research has now documented the substantial influence of safety climate on a range of important outcomes in safety critical organizations, but there has been scant attention to the question of what factors might be responsible for positive or negative safety climate. The present paper draws from positive organizational behavior theory to test workplace and individual factors that may affect safety climate. Specifically, we explore the potential influence of authentic leadership style and psychological capital on safety climate and risk outcomes. Across two samples of offshore oil-workers and seafarers working on oil platform supply ships, structural equation modeling yielded results that support a model in which authentic leadership exerts a direct effect on safety climate, as well as an indirect effect via psychological capital. This study shows the importance of leadership qualities as well as psychological factors in shaping a positive work safety climate and lowering the risk of accidents. PMID:24454524

[Inter-organizational relationship in the integration teaching-nursing service at the primary health care].

Science.gov (United States)

de Andrade, Selma Regina; Boehs, Astrid Eggert; Coelho, Bruna; Schmitt, Isabel Maria; Boehs, Carlos Gabriel Eggert

2014-01-01

This study aimed to characterize the stages of the inter-organizational relationships between educational and caring aspects of Nursing, operating in the context of primary health care in a municipality of Santa Catarina, Brazil. The qualitative approach of the case study was used by deliberately selecting the cooperation between two organizations. Eight teaching nurses and eight assistant nurses were interviewed. The data were submitted to content analysis, and the results demonstrated a number of elements in the phases of interaction (negotiation, commitment and execution of activities), as well as the variability of their content over time. It was concluded that the interaction, at an operational level, is characterized by dynamics that happen during relationship cycles, usually spanning through the school-semester, producing new negotiations and commitments for the following semester.

Network embeddedness and organizational performance. The strength of strong ties in Dutch higher education

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Schalk, J.; Torenvlied, R.; Allen, J.P.

2010-01-01

With only few exceptions, current research in public management on the effects of inter-organizational networks on organizational performance focuses either on network activity or on the inter-organizational network structure. The present paper theoretically links both approaches and tests two

Iterative tuning of feedforward IPC for two-bladed wind turbines

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Mulders, S.P.; van Solingen, E.; van Wingerden, J.W.; Beerens, J; Bossanyi, E.; Chaviaropoulos, T.; Cheng, P.W.

2016-01-01

At present, the cost of offshore wind energy does not meet the level of onshore wind and fossil-based energy sources. One way to extend the turbine lifetime, and thus reduce cost, is by reduction of the fatigue loads of blades and other turbine parts using Individual Pitch Control (IPC). This type

Organizational Behaviour Study Material

OpenAIRE

P. Sreeramana Aithal

2016-01-01

An overview of Organizational Behaviour – History of Organisational Behaviour and its emergence as a disciple-emerging perspective Organizational Behaviour. Individual process in organisation – Learning, perception and attribution- Individual differences - Basic concepts of motivation - Advanced concepts of motivation. Group process in Organisation – Group dynamics, leadership theories - Power, politics and conflict - inter- personal communication. Enhancing individu...

A longitudinal study of an intervention to improve road safety climate: climate as an organizational boundary spanner.

Science.gov (United States)

Naveh, Eitan; Katz-Navon, Tal

2015-01-01

This study presents and tests an intervention to enhance organizational climate and expands existing conceptualization of organizational climate to include its influence on employee behaviors outside the organization's physical boundaries. In addition, by integrating the literatures of climate and work-family interface, the study explored climate spillover and crossover from work to the home domain. Focusing on an applied practical problem within organizations, we investigated the example of road safety climate and employees' and their families' driving, using a longitudinal study design of road safety intervention versus control groups. Results demonstrated that the intervention increased road safety climate and decreased the number of traffic violation tickets and that road safety climate mediated the relationship between the intervention and the number of traffic violation tickets. Road safety climate spilled over to the family domain but did not cross over to influence family members' driving. (c) 2015 APA, all rights reserved.

Nano-Scale Interpenetrating Phase Composites (IPC S) for Industrial and Vehicle Applications

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Hemrick, James Gordon [ORNL; Hu, Michael Z. [ORNL

2010-06-01

A one-year project was completed at Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) to explore the technical and economic feasibility of producing nano-scale Interpenetrating Phase Composite (IPC) components of a usable size for actual testing/implementation in a real applications such as high wear/corrosion resistant refractory shapes for industrial applications, lightweight vehicle braking system components, or lower cost/higher performance military body and vehicle armor. Nano-scale IPC s with improved mechanical, electrical, and thermal properties have previously been demonstrated at the lab scale, but have been limited in size. The work performed under this project was focused on investigating the ability to take the current traditional lab scale processes to a manufacturing scale through scaling of these processes or through the utilization of an alternative high-temperature process.

The Einstein All-Sky IPC slew survey

Science.gov (United States)

Elvis, Martin; Plummer, David; Fabbiano, G.

1989-01-01

The construction of the Einstein All-Sky Imaging Proportional Counter (IPC) slew survey is considered. It contains approximately 1000 sources between 10(exp -12) and 10(exp -10) erg/sq cm/s with a concentration toward the ecliptic poles and away from the galactic plane. Several sizable samples of bright soft X-ray selected objects for follow-up ROSAT and ASTRO-D observations and statistical study are presented. The survey source list is expected to be available by late 1989. Both paper and remote access online data base versions are to be available. An identification program is considered.

Development and implementation of the IPCS conceptual framework for evaluating mode of action of chemical carcinogens

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Dybing, E.

2002-01-01

The framework developed by the International Programme on Chemical Safety (IPCS) for assessing the mode of action of tumour induction of chemicals in experimental animals has been illustrated with d-limonene, sodium saccharin, di(2-ethylhexyl)phthalate (DEHP) and sulfamethazine as examples. d-Limonene causes renal tumours only in male rats through a response associated with α 2u -globulin. Sodium saccharin induces urinary bladder tumours only in male rats through formation of a urinary precipitate causing erosion of the bladder surface and extensive regenerative hyperplasia. DEHP causes liver tumours in rats and mice through activation of the receptor PPARα leading to peroxisome proliferation and hepatocellular proliferation. Sulfamethazine induces thyroid follicular cell tumours in rats and mice through a mechanism involving altered thyroid hormone homeostasis

Organizational structures of companies versus project management effectiveness

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Joanna Haffer

2012-12-01

Full Text Available An organizational structure, indicated as one out of the four main organizational conditions supporting project management, has an essential meaning for project execution. This article, based on the research results, describes different organizational structures of project-orientated enterprises, enumerating their advantages and disadvantages, and reveals the influence of inter-organizational relations on project management effectiveness in enterprises operating in Poland. The results indicate that the more a character of inter-organizational relations is heading towards project structure, the higher project management effectiveness is. In the next sequence the project management processes are supported by strong matrix structures, whereas the worst outcomes are provided by functional structures. Simultaneously, it was concluded that project structures are conducive to high advancement of project management processes, and among them, especially project risk management processes as well as communication, time and cost management processes.

Safety culture and accident analysis-A socio-management approach based on organizational safety social capital

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Rao, Suman

2007-01-01

One of the biggest challenges for organizations in today's competitive business environment is to create and preserve a self-sustaining safety culture. Typically, Key drivers of safety culture in many organizations are regulation, audits, safety training, various types of employee exhortations to comply with safety norms, etc. However, less evident factors like networking relationships and social trust amongst employees, as also extended networking relationships and social trust of organizations with external stakeholders like government, suppliers, regulators, etc., which constitute the safety social capital in the Organization-seem to also influence the sustenance of organizational safety culture. Can erosion in safety social capital cause deterioration in safety culture and contribute to accidents? If so, how does it contribute? As existing accident analysis models do not provide answers to these questions, CAMSoC (Curtailing Accidents by Managing Social Capital), an accident analysis model, is proposed. As an illustration, five accidents: Bhopal (India), Hyatt Regency (USA), Tenerife (Canary Islands), Westray (Canada) and Exxon Valdez (USA) have been analyzed using CAMSoC. This limited cross-industry analysis provides two key socio-management insights: the biggest source of motivation that causes deviant behavior leading to accidents is 'Faulty Value Systems'. The second biggest source is 'Enforceable Trust'. From a management control perspective, deterioration in safety culture and resultant accidents is more due to the 'action controls' rather than explicit 'cultural controls'. Future research directions to enhance the model's utility through layering are addressed briefly

Probabilistic Safety Assessment: An Effective Tool to Support “Systemic Approach” to Nuclear Safety and Analysis of Human and Organizational Aspects

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kuzmina, I.

2016-01-01

The Probabilistic Safety Assessment (PSA) represents a comprehensive conceptual and analytical tool for quantitative evaluation of risk of undesirable consequences from nuclear facilities and drawing on qualitative insights for nuclear safety. PSA considers various technical, human, and organizational factors in an integral manner thus explicitly pursuing a true ‘systemic approach’ to safety and enabling holistic insights for further safety improvement. Human Reliability Analysis (HRA) is one of the major tasks within PSA. The poster paper provides an overview of the objectives and scope of PSA and HRA and discusses on further needs in the area of HRA. (author)

Organizational structures of companies versus project management effectiveness

OpenAIRE

Joanna Haffer

2012-01-01

An organizational structure, indicated as one out of the four main organizational conditions supporting project management, has an essential meaning for project execution. This article, based on the research results, describes different organizational structures of project-orientated enterprises, enumerating their advantages and disadvantages, and reveals the influence of inter-organizational relations on project management effectiveness in enterprises operating in Poland. The results indicat...

INFLUENCE OF PLANNING, ORGANIZATIONAL CHARACTERISTICS AND REGULATION ON ROAD TRAFFIC SAFETY OF PEDESTRIANS

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

G. M. Kuharenok

2011-01-01

Full Text Available The paper presents results of research on planning, organizational characteristics and regulation modes at  the regulated pedestrian crossings, located out of crossroads in the street and road network of Minsk. Some regularities pertaining to the influence of the investigated characteristics on road traffic safety of pedestrians are revealed in the paper. Practical offers on increase of road traffic safety of pedestrians in the Republic of Belarus have been developed on the basis of the executed investigations and cited in the paper. 

Safety culture and accident analysis-A socio-management approach based on organizational safety social capital

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Rao, Suman [Risk Analyst (India)]. E-mail: sumanashokrao@yahoo.co.in

2007-04-11

One of the biggest challenges for organizations in today's competitive business environment is to create and preserve a self-sustaining safety culture. Typically, Key drivers of safety culture in many organizations are regulation, audits, safety training, various types of employee exhortations to comply with safety norms, etc. However, less evident factors like networking relationships and social trust amongst employees, as also extended networking relationships and social trust of organizations with external stakeholders like government, suppliers, regulators, etc., which constitute the safety social capital in the Organization-seem to also influence the sustenance of organizational safety culture. Can erosion in safety social capital cause deterioration in safety culture and contribute to accidents? If so, how does it contribute? As existing accident analysis models do not provide answers to these questions, CAMSoC (Curtailing Accidents by Managing Social Capital), an accident analysis model, is proposed. As an illustration, five accidents: Bhopal (India), Hyatt Regency (USA), Tenerife (Canary Islands), Westray (Canada) and Exxon Valdez (USA) have been analyzed using CAMSoC. This limited cross-industry analysis provides two key socio-management insights: the biggest source of motivation that causes deviant behavior leading to accidents is 'Faulty Value Systems'. The second biggest source is 'Enforceable Trust'. From a management control perspective, deterioration in safety culture and resultant accidents is more due to the 'action controls' rather than explicit 'cultural controls'. Future research directions to enhance the model's utility through layering are addressed briefly.

A Preliminary Study on the Measures to Assess the Organizational Safety: The Cultural Impact on Human Error Potential

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lee, Yong Hee; Lee, Yong Hee

2011-01-01

The Fukushima I nuclear accident following the Tohoku earthquake and tsunami on 11 March 2011 occurred after twelve years had passed since the JCO accident which was caused as a result of an error made by JCO employees. These accidents, along with the Chernobyl accident, associated with characteristic problems of various organizations caused severe social and economic disruptions and have had significant environmental and health impact. The cultural problems with human errors occur for various reasons, and different actions are needed to prevent different errors. Unfortunately, much of the research on organization and human error has shown widely various or different results which call for different approaches. In other words, we have to find more practical solutions from various researches for nuclear safety and lead a systematic approach to organizational deficiency causing human error. This paper reviews Hofstede's criteria, IAEA safety culture, safety areas of periodic safety review (PSR), teamwork and performance, and an evaluation of HANARO safety culture to verify the measures used to assess the organizational safety

A Preliminary Study on the Measures to Assess the Organizational Safety: The Cultural Impact on Human Error Potential

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Lee, Yong Hee; Lee, Yong Hee [Korea Atomic Energy Research Institute, Daejeon (Korea, Republic of)

2011-10-15

The Fukushima I nuclear accident following the Tohoku earthquake and tsunami on 11 March 2011 occurred after twelve years had passed since the JCO accident which was caused as a result of an error made by JCO employees. These accidents, along with the Chernobyl accident, associated with characteristic problems of various organizations caused severe social and economic disruptions and have had significant environmental and health impact. The cultural problems with human errors occur for various reasons, and different actions are needed to prevent different errors. Unfortunately, much of the research on organization and human error has shown widely various or different results which call for different approaches. In other words, we have to find more practical solutions from various researches for nuclear safety and lead a systematic approach to organizational deficiency causing human error. This paper reviews Hofstede's criteria, IAEA safety culture, safety areas of periodic safety review (PSR), teamwork and performance, and an evaluation of HANARO safety culture to verify the measures used to assess the organizational safety

A home-made system for IPCE measurement of standard and dye-sensitized solar cells

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Palma, Giuseppina; Cozzarini, Luca; Capria, Ennio [Organic OptoElectronics Laboratory, Sincrotrone Trieste SCpA—SS 14.5, km 163.5, 34149 Basovizza (TS) (Italy); Fraleoni-Morgera, Alessandro, E-mail: alessandro.fraleoni@elettra.trieste.it, E-mail: afraleoni@units.it [Organic OptoElectronics Laboratory, Sincrotrone Trieste SCpA—SS 14.5, km 163.5, 34149 Basovizza (TS) (Italy); Flextronics Laboratory, Department of Engineering and Architecture, University of Trieste. V. Valerio 10, 34100 Trieste (TS) (Italy)

2015-01-15

A home-made system for incident photon-to-electron conversion efficiency (IPCE) characterization, based on a double-beam UV-Vis spectrophotometer, has been set up. In addition to its low cost (compared to the commercially available apparatuses), the double-beam configuration gives the advantage to measure, autonomously and with no need for supplementary equipment, the lamp power in real time, compensating possible variations of the spectral emission intensity and quality, thus reducing measurement times. To manage the optical and electronic components of the system, a custom software has been developed. Validations carried out on a common silicon-based photodiode and on a dye-sensitized solar cell confirm the possibility to adopt this system for determining the IPCE of solar cells, including dye-sensitized ones.

A home-made system for IPCE measurement of standard and dye-sensitized solar cells.

Science.gov (United States)

Palma, Giuseppina; Cozzarini, Luca; Capria, Ennio; Fraleoni-Morgera, Alessandro

2015-01-01

A home-made system for incident photon-to-electron conversion efficiency (IPCE) characterization, based on a double-beam UV-Vis spectrophotometer, has been set up. In addition to its low cost (compared to the commercially available apparatuses), the double-beam configuration gives the advantage to measure, autonomously and with no need for supplementary equipment, the lamp power in real time, compensating possible variations of the spectral emission intensity and quality, thus reducing measurement times. To manage the optical and electronic components of the system, a custom software has been developed. Validations carried out on a common silicon-based photodiode and on a dye-sensitized solar cell confirm the possibility to adopt this system for determining the IPCE of solar cells, including dye-sensitized ones.

Empirical research on the impact of open-book accounting on organizational performance

OpenAIRE

Wei Di; Shiqi Wang

2017-01-01

In order to optimize the cost of supply chain and seek cost reduction opportunities, the enterprise discloses the inter-enterprise cost data, which is called as open-book accounting. However, the cooperation between each enterprise across organizational boundaries also involves in the inter-organizational cost management. This paper mainly researches whether the open-book accounting can produce a positive impact on the enterprise performance when the enterprise carries out the inter-organizat...

Views on inter-enterprise relationships

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Trienekens, J.H.; Beulens, A.J.M.

2001-01-01

The paper gives an overview of major scientific approaches to inter-enterprise relationships. A distinction is made between approaches that focus on business process integration (Supply Chain Management, Costing approaches), approaches that focus on organizational collaboration (Transaction Cost

Infection prevention and control strategies in the era of limited resources and quality improvement: a perspective paper.

Science.gov (United States)

Vandijck, Dominique; Cleemput, Irina; Hellings, Johan; Vogelaers, Dirk

2013-11-01

This paper aims to describe, using an evidence-based approach, the importance of and the resources necessary for implementing effective infection prevention and control (IPC) programmes. The intrinsic and explicit values of such strategies are presented from a clinical, health-economic and patient safety perspective. Policy makers and hospital managers are committed to providing comprehensive, accessible, and affordable healthcare of high quality. Changes in the healthcare system over time accompanied with variations in demographics and case-mix have considerably affected the availability, quality and ultimately the safety of healthcare. The main goal of an IPC programme is to prevent and control healthcare-associated infections (HAI). Many patient-, healthcare provider-, and organizational factors are associated with an increased risk for acquiring HAIs and may impact both the quality and outcome of patient care. Evidence has been published in support of having an effective IPC programme. It has been estimated that about one-third of HAIs could be prevented if key elements of the evidence-based recommendations for IPC are adequately introduced and followed. However, several healthcare agencies from over the world have reported deficits in the essential resources and components of current IPC programmes. To meet its main goal, staffing, training, and infrastructure requirements are needed. Nevertheless, and given the economic crisis, policy makers and hospital managers may be tempted to not increase or even to reduce the budget as it consumes resources and does not generate sufficient visible revenue. IPC is a critical issue in patient safety, as HAIs are by far the most common complication affecting admitted patients. The significant clinical and health-economic burden HAIs place on the healthcare system speak to the importance of getting introduced effective IPC programmes. Copyright © 2013 Australian College of Critical Care Nurses Ltd. Published by Elsevier

Analysis of inter-organizational relationships in hospitality business at Curitiba (Parana State, Brazil. A comparative study

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Antônio João Hocayen-da-Silva

2009-08-01

Full Text Available Hospitality business in Curitiba City (Parana State, Brazil turned to be a good investment for national and international hotel chains due to the settlement of assembly industries as well as several multinational companies in the dwellings,  which increased demand for hospitality services.  This study sought to examine the inter-organizational relationships held by hospitality business companies in Curitiba. To achieve that goal semi-structured interviews with owners, directors and managers were conducted in two hotels belonging to locals, either persons or groups. Secondary data were collected in printed or on line newspapers and magazines. It was possible to note the absence of formal practices of alliances and partnerships between companies of the analyzed sector, which  hinders the achievement of sustainable competitive advantage.

An organizational early-warning system for safety, health, and environmental crises

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Shrivastava, P.

1992-01-01

Early-warning systems have played an important role in preventing major industrial accidents and technological disasters. These systems record critical operating and performance parameters and raise warnings or alarms if these parameters cross acceptable limits. Most early-warning systems used in hazardous industries focus on the technological system and to a lesser extent on their human operators. However, industrial disasters are caused not only by technological and human failure, but also by organizational, regulatory, infrastructural, and community preparedness failures. Hazardous industries can benefit from the development of early-warning systems that have a broader scope than the core technology. These systems could cover financial, human resource, organizational policies, regulatory, infrastructural, and community-related variables. This paper develops some basic concepts that can help build managerially useful early-warning systems for safety, health, and environmental (SHE) incidents. It identifies variables that should be tracked, the threshold levels for these variables, and possible managerial reactions to warnings

Managing organizational change in nuclear organizations

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

2014-01-01

It is widely recognized that engineering changes, if not properly considered and controlled, can have potentially major safety implications; however, organizational changes can also have potentially major safety implications. This publication is intended to assist the management of nuclear organizations in identifying, planning and implementing organizational change. The driving force for the change may be internal or external. Based on the assumption that any change made within a facility applying nuclear technology has the potential to impact safety and effectiveness, the publication provides a description of the basic principles for managing and implementing the organizational change effectively while remaining focused on safe and reliable operation. The guidance contained in the publication is relevant to all organizational changes within nuclear organizations

Organizational culture and climate for patient safety in Intensive Care Units.

Science.gov (United States)

Santiago, Thaiana Helena Roma; Turrini, Ruth Natalia Teresa

2015-02-01

Objective To assess the perception of health professionals about patient safety climate and culture in different intensive care units (ICUs) and the relationship between scores obtained on the Hospital Survey on Patient Safety Culture (HSOPSC) and the Safety Attitudes Questionnaire (SAQ). Method A cross-sectional study conducted at a teaching hospital in the state of São Paulo, Brazil, in March and April 2014. As data gathering instruments, the HSOPSC, SAQ and a questionnaire with sociodemographic and professional information about the staff working in an adult, pediatric and neonatal ICU were used. Data analysis was conducted with descriptive statistics. Results The scales presented good reliability. Greater weaknesses in patient safety were observed in the Working conditions andPerceptions of management domains of the SAQ and in the Nonpunitive response to error domain of the HSOPSC. The strengths indicated by the SAQ wereTeamwork climate and Job satisfactionand by the HSOPC, Supervisor/manager expectations and actions promoting safety and Organizational learning-continuous improvement. Job satisfaction was higher among neonatal ICU workers when compared with the other ICUs. The adult ICU presented lower scores for most of the SAQ and HSOPSC domains. The scales presented moderate correlation between them (r=0.66). Conclusion There were differences in perception regarding patient safety among ICUs, which corroborates the existence of local microcultures. The study did not demonstrate equivalence between the SAQ and the HSOPSC.

Inter-organizational ties and total customer solution strategic positioning from delta model: a research about dyad supplier-client on B2B.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Mateus Tavares da Silva Cozer

2008-12-01

Full Text Available The basic issue of the strategic management process is to determine how firmsachieve and sustain competitive advantage. In this sense, this paper aims toanalyze the links between a firm’s competitive positioning and the inter-organizationalties created with its customers as a way to achieve sustainable competitiveadvantage. The focus of the study is to describe the competitive process accordingto the Delta Model developed by Hax and Wilde II, which proposes three strategicpositioning options. The study describes the process of competitive positioningthrough inter-organizational ties and customer bonding under a strategic marketingperspective. From a methodological point of view, a literature review wasdone focusing on two theoretical subjects: competitive positioning and strategicmarketing. Finally the results of an empiric research on a public relations companyare presented. The study´s contribution is providing empirical support forthe Delta Model.

Making the PACS workstation a browser of image processing software: a feasibility study using inter-process communication techniques.

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, Chunliang; Ritter, Felix; Smedby, Orjan

2010-07-01

To enhance the functional expandability of a picture archiving and communication systems (PACS) workstation and to facilitate the integration of third-part image-processing modules, we propose a browser-server style method. In the proposed solution, the PACS workstation shows the front-end user interface defined in an XML file while the image processing software is running in the background as a server. Inter-process communication (IPC) techniques allow an efficient exchange of image data, parameters, and user input between the PACS workstation and stand-alone image-processing software. Using a predefined communication protocol, the PACS workstation developer or image processing software developer does not need detailed information about the other system, but will still be able to achieve seamless integration between the two systems and the IPC procedure is totally transparent to the final user. A browser-server style solution was built between OsiriX (PACS workstation software) and MeVisLab (Image-Processing Software). Ten example image-processing modules were easily added to OsiriX by converting existing MeVisLab image processing networks. Image data transfer using shared memory added communication based on IPC techniques is an appealing method that allows PACS workstation developers and image processing software developers to cooperate while focusing on different interests.

The natural selection of organizational and safety culture within a small to medium sized enterprise (SME).

Science.gov (United States)

Brooks, Benjamin

2008-01-01

Small to Medium Sized Enterprises (SMEs) form the majority of Australian businesses. This study uses ethnographic research methods to describe the organizational culture of a small furniture-manufacturing business in southern Australia. Results show a range of cultural assumptions variously 'embedded' within the enterprise. In line with memetics - Richard Dawkin's cultural application of Charles Darwin's theory of Evolution by Natural Selection, the author suggests that these assumptions compete to be replicated and retained within the organization. The author suggests that dominant assumptions are naturally selected, and that the selection can be better understood by considering the cultural assumptions in reference to Darwin's original principles and Frederik Barth's anthropological framework of knowledge. The results are discussed with reference to safety systems, negative cultural elements called Cultural Safety Viruses, and how our understanding of this particular organizational culture might be used to build resistance to these viruses.

Transcending Organizational Boundaries:Exploring intra- and inter-organizational processes of business model innovation in a port authority

OpenAIRE

Kringelum, Louise Tina Brøns

2017-01-01

This thesis explores how processes of business model innovation can unfoldin a port authority by transcending organizational boundaries throughinter-organizational collaboration. The findings contribute to two fields ofacademic inquiry: the study of business model innovation and the study ofhow the roles of port authorities evolve. This contribution is made by combiningthe two fields, where the study of business model innovation is usedas an analytical concept for understanding the evolution ...

A Methodology To Incorporate The Safety Culture Into Probabilistic Safety Assessments

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Park, Sunghyun; Kim, Namyeong; Jae, Moosung [Hanyang University, Seoul (Korea, Republic of)

2015-10-15

In order to incorporate organizational factors into PSA, a methodology needs to be developed. Using the AHP to weigh organizational factors as well as the SLIM to rate those factors, a methodology is introduced in this study. The safety issues related to nuclear safety culture have occurred increasingly. The quantification tool has to be developed in order to include the organizational factor into Probabilistic Safety Assessments. In this study, the state-of-the-art for the organizational evaluation methodologies has been surveyed. This study includes the research for organizational factors, maintenance process, maintenance process analysis models, a quantitative methodology using Analytic Hierarchy Process, Success Likelihood Index Methodology. The purpose of this study is to develop a methodology to incorporate the safety culture into PSA for obtaining more objective risk than before. The organizational factor considered in nuclear safety culture might affect the potential risk of human error and hardware-failure. The safety culture impact index to monitor the plant safety culture can be assessed by applying the developed methodology into a nuclear power plant.

A Methodology To Incorporate The Safety Culture Into Probabilistic Safety Assessments

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Park, Sunghyun; Kim, Namyeong; Jae, Moosung

2015-01-01

In order to incorporate organizational factors into PSA, a methodology needs to be developed. Using the AHP to weigh organizational factors as well as the SLIM to rate those factors, a methodology is introduced in this study. The safety issues related to nuclear safety culture have occurred increasingly. The quantification tool has to be developed in order to include the organizational factor into Probabilistic Safety Assessments. In this study, the state-of-the-art for the organizational evaluation methodologies has been surveyed. This study includes the research for organizational factors, maintenance process, maintenance process analysis models, a quantitative methodology using Analytic Hierarchy Process, Success Likelihood Index Methodology. The purpose of this study is to develop a methodology to incorporate the safety culture into PSA for obtaining more objective risk than before. The organizational factor considered in nuclear safety culture might affect the potential risk of human error and hardware-failure. The safety culture impact index to monitor the plant safety culture can be assessed by applying the developed methodology into a nuclear power plant

组织间信任、社会互动、知识获取对组织创新绩效的影响研究——以浙江企业为例%Impact of Inter-organizational Trust, Social Interaction and Knowledge Acquisition on Organizational Innovation Performance——Samples from Zhejiang Enterprises

Institute of Scientific and Technical Information of China (English)

曾宇容; 杨静

2013-01-01

依赖组织间的合作提高创新绩效,不能忽略信任的重要作用.东方文化背景下组织间的信任关系比较复杂.以社会互动为中介,通过实证数据探讨组织间信任通过社会互动和知识获取对企业创新绩效产生影响的作用机制.研究以浙江省高新制造企业为样本,采用结构方程方法,得到的主要结论有:组织间信任通过社会互动才能对知识获取产生影响；组织间不同的信任类型对创新绩效的影响不同,关系型信任较计算型信任对互动强度和质量更具影响性.%The important role of trust can't be ignored when depending on the cooperation between enterprises in improving the innovation performance.The eastern culture inter-organizational trust is more complicated.Taking social interaction as a mediator,the paper explores the mechanism of inter-organizational trust and innovation performance by empirical data.The study investigates high-tech manufacture enterprises in Zhejiang province,adopts structure equation,and concluds that:the inter-organizational trust affects the knowledge acquisition through social interaction; the different kinds of inter -organizational trust has different effect on enterprise's innovation performance,and the relational trust has a greater impact on social interaction than the calculation of interaction-based trust.

Preparation of the requirements for the safety regulation related to human and organizational factors

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

NONE

2013-08-15

The outline of the project in the current fiscal year is to investigate and analyze issues associated with Human and Organizational Factors involved in incidents of nuclear facilities, and to study and develop evaluation methods of these countermeasures. The guideline to evaluate licensee's safety culture and root cause analysis (RCA) had been developed for further improving safety on nuclear power plants at 2007. These guidelines have been used at regulatory inspection since that time. Based on experience of using these existing guidelines, some activities for improving guidelines are now under investigation; these are selecting candidate quantitative indicators for safety culture evaluation and researching good practices for RCA issues. JNES implemented human factor analysis about 18 domestic events including the Fukushima Dai-ichi nuclear power plant accident. (author)

The status of occupational safety among health service providers in ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

identify and bring under control at workplaces all health risks; provide ... on the status of occupational safety among hospital workers in Tanzania. ..... The assistance from the IPC/IS. National ... tions of the Healthcare Infection Prevention.

Psychosocial safety climate buffers effects of job demands on depression and positive organizational behaviors.

Science.gov (United States)

Hall, Garry B; Dollard, Maureen F; Winefield, Anthony H; Dormann, Christian; Bakker, Arnold B

2013-01-01

In a general population sample of 2343 Australian workers from a wide ranging employment demographic, we extended research testing the buffering role of psychosocial safety climate (PSC) as a macro-level resource within the health impairment process of the Job Demands-Resources (JD-R) model. Moderated structural equation modeling was used to test PSC as a moderator between emotional and psychological job demands and worker depression compared with control and social support as alternative moderators. We also tested PSC as a moderator between depression and positive organizational behaviors (POB; engagement and job satisfaction) compared with control and social support as moderators. As expected we found PSC moderated the effects of job demands on depression and further moderated the effects of depression on POB with fit to the data that was as good as control and social support as moderators. This study has shown that PSC is a macro-level resource and safety signal for workers acting to reduce demand-induced depression. We conclude that organizations need to focus on the development of a robust PSC that will operate to buffer the effects of workplace psychosocial hazards and to build environments conducive to worker psychological health and positive organizational behaviors.

The influence of partnership centrality on organizational perceptions of support: a case study of the AHLN structure.

Science.gov (United States)

Moore, Spencer; Smith, Cynthia; Simpson, Tammy; Minke, Sharlene Wolbeck

2006-10-31

Knowledge of the structure and character of inter-organizational relationships found among health promotion organizations is a prerequisite for the development of evidence-based network-level intervention activities. The Alberta Healthy Living Network (AHLN) mapped the inter-organizational structure of its members to examine the effects of the network environment on organizational-level perceptions. This exploratory analysis examines whether network structure, specifically partnership ties among AHLN members, influences organizational perceptions of support after controlling for organizational-level attributes. Organizational surveys were conducted with representatives from AHLN organizations as of February 2004 (n = 54). Organizational attribute and inter-organizational data on various network dimensions were collected. Organizations were classified into traditional and non-traditional categories. We examined the partnership network dimension. In- and out-degree centrality scores on partnership ties were calculated for each organization and tested against organizational perceptions of available financial support. Non-traditional organizations are more likely to view financial support as more readily available for their HEALTR programs and activities than traditional organizations (1.57, 95% CI: .34, 2.79). After controlling for organizational characteristics, organizations that have been frequently identified by other organizations as valuable partners in the AHLN network were found significantly more likely to perceive a higher sense of funding availability (In-degree partnership value) (.03, 95% CI: .01, .05). Organizational perceptions of a supportive environment are framed not only by organizational characteristics but also by an organization's position in an inter-organizational network. Network contexts can influence the way that organizations perceive their environment and potentially the actions that organizations may take in light of such perceptions. By

La structure sociale de l’industrie des Biotechnologies en France: une étude des relations inter-organisationnelles au niveau inter-individuel.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Piña-Stranger, Alvaro

2010-06-01

Full Text Available Various authors have shown the importance of collaborative relationships for inter-organizational performance, the mode of governance or the trajectory of biotechnology companies. Most of these works analyze the exclusive contractual agreements between companies and their main relationships among individuals. We show that this purely economic approach presents a major limitation: the nature of contractual relationships does not explore in detail how players cooperate. We propose to extend the study of these inter-organizational social relations, seen through the resource exchange in inter-individual. An empirical study on the leaders of the biotechnology industry in the area of human health in France has allowed us to map their relationships and resources they exchange them. Our results confirm the existence of a system of exchange dense and multiple. It presents a hierarchical distribution of various types of resources, where the centre is different from the periphery relations denser, more numerous and more reciprocal. However, comparative analysis of different networks reveals that the relationships of the board are highly centralized, while those of friendship following a more even distribution. We suggest that this phenomenon is part of a compensation mechanism to less central actors to maintain inter-organizational relationships. Finally, two standards of the cooperation process, revealed by the relational behaviour of actors, have been discovered. We suggest that they reflect in part the difficult process of adjustment that must cross a science project out of the realm of academic research and develop in a private structure: the biotech company.

An empirical study on the relationship between effective organizational communication and the performance of central office staff

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Abbas Monavvarian

2012-08-01

Full Text Available Inter-organizational communication plays an important role in promoting strategic collaboration among firms. It can improve productivity and increases collaboration among employees. In this paper, we present an empirical study to measure the role of inter-organizational communication on efficiency among administration employees who work for one the oldest banks in Iran, Bank Melli Iran. The study uses 380 full time employees who work for 28 different administration divisions of this bank. The survey uses a questionnaire consists of 19 questions about inter-organizational communication and 25 questions about efficiency of employees. The reliability of the survey has been approved using an initial survey and Cronbach alpha was calculated as 0.87, which is well above the minimum acceptable level. The result of our survey confirms there is a meaningful relationship between inter-organizational communication and efficiency of all administration employees who work for this bank. There is also a meaningful relationship between age and efficiency and the maximum efficiency belongs to people aged 31 to 40. According to our survey, men have more inter-organizational efficiency than women do. The result of our survey also confirms that positivism impacts more than other factors on efficiency. Among five effective factors, empathy has the most impact and responsiveness 6 efficiency dimensions.

Environment, safety, and health regulatory implementation plan

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1993-01-01

To identify, document, and maintain the Uranium Mill Tailings Remedial Action (UMTRA) Project's environment, safety, and health (ES ampersand H) regulatory requirements, the US Department of Energy (DOE) UMTRA Project Office tasked the Technical Assistance Contractor (TAC) to develop a regulatory operating envelope for the UMTRA Project. The system selected for managing the UMTRA regulatory operating envelope data bass is based on the Integrated Project Control/Regulatory Compliance System (IPC/RCS) developed by WASTREN, Inc. (WASTREN, 1993). The IPC/RCS is a tool used for identifying regulatory and institutional requirements and indexing them to hardware, personnel, and program systems on a project. The IPC/RCS will be customized for the UMTRA Project surface remedial action and groundwater restoration programs. The purpose of this plan is to establish the process for implementing and maintaining the UMTRA Project's regulatory operating envelope, which involves identifying all applicable regulatory and institutional requirements and determining compliance status. The plan describes how the Project will identify ES ampersand H regulatory requirements, analyze applicability to the UMTRA Project, and evaluate UMTRA Project compliance status

Personal, situational and organizational aspects that influence the impact of patient safety incidents: A qualitative study.

Science.gov (United States)

Van Gerven, E; Deweer, D; Scott, S D; Panella, M; Euwema, M; Sermeus, W; Vanhaecht, K

2016-07-01

When a patient safety incident (PSI) occurs, not only the patient, but also the involved health professional can suffer. This study focused on this so-called "second victim" of a patient safety incident and aimed to examine: (1) experienced symptoms in the aftermath of a patient safety incident; (2) applied coping strategies; (3) the received versus needed support and (4) the aspects that influenced whether one becomes a second victim. Thirty-one in-depth interviews were performed with physicians, nurses and midwives who have been involved in a patient safety incident. The symptoms were categorized under personal and professional impact. Both problem focused and emotion focused coping strategies were used in the aftermath of a PSI. Problem focused strategies such as performing a root cause analysis and the opportunity to learn from what happened were the most appreciated, but negative emotional responses such as repression and flight were common. Support from colleagues and supervisors who were involved in the same event, peer supporters or professional experts were the most needed. A few individuals described emotional support from the healthcare institution as unwanted. Rendered support was largely dependent on the organizational culture, a stigma remained among healthcare professionals to openly discuss patient safety incidents. Three aspects influenced the extent to which a healthcare professional became a second victim: personal, situational and organizational aspects. These findings indicated that a multifactorial approach including individual and emotional support to second victims is crucial. Copyright © 2016 SECA. Publicado por Elsevier España, S.L.U. All rights reserved.

Modes of Governance in Inter-Organizational Data Collaborations

NARCIS (Netherlands)

van den Broek, Tijs; van Veenstra, Anne Fleur

2015-01-01

Big data and data-driven innovation are drivers for economic growth. To capture this growth, data often need to be shared among organisations. However, many challenges to sharing data among organisations exist. This paper investigates how governance is organised in inter-organisational data

La estructura social de la industria biotecnológica en Francia: un estudio de las relaciones inter-organizacionales a nivel inter-individual.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Piña-Stranger, Alvaro

2010-06-01

Full Text Available Various authors have shown the importance of collaborative relationships for inter-organizational performance, the mode of governance or the trajectory of biotechnology companies. Most of these works analyze the exclusive contractual agreements between companies and their main relationships among individuals. We show that this purely economic approach presents a major limitation: the nature of contractual relationships does not explore in detail how players cooperate. We propose to extend the study of these inter-organizational social relations, seen through the resource exchange in inter-individual. An empirical study on the leaders of the biotechnology industry in the area of human health in France has allowed us to map their relationships and resources they exchange them. Our results confirm the existence of a system of exchange dense and multiple. It presents a hierarchical distribution of various types of resources, where the centre is different from the periphery relations denser, more numerous and more reciprocal. However, comparative analysis of different networks reveals that the relationships of the board are highly centralized, while those of friendship following a more even distribution. We suggest that this phenomenon is part of a compensation mechanism to less central actors to maintain inter-organizational relationships. Finally, two standards of the cooperation process, revealed by the relational behaviour of actors, have been discovered. We suggest that they reflect in part the difficult process of adjustment that must cross a science project out of the realm of academic research and develop in a private structure: the biotech company.

Organizational Assessment

International Development Research Centre (IDRC) Digital Library (Canada)

Organizational goals differentiate organizations from other social collectives such as ... The way an organization transforms its resources into results through work ..... Maintenance (health/safety issues, gender issues, quality of working life).

Evaluation of depth of field in SEM images in terms of the information-passing capacity (IPC) and contrast gradient in SEM image

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sato, Mitsugu; Ishitani, Tohru; Watanabe, Shunya; Nakagawa, Mine

2004-01-01

The depth of field (DoF) in scanning electron microscope (SEM) images has been determined by estimating the change of image sharpness or resolution near the exact focus position. The image sharpness or resolution along the optical axis is determined by calculating the information-passing capacity (IPC) of an optical system taking into account the effect of pixel size of the image. The change of image sharpness near the exact focus position is determined by measuring the slope gradient of the line profile in SEM images obtained at various focal positions of beam. The change of image sharpness along the optical axis determined by the IPC agrees well with those determined by the slope gradient of line profiles in SEM images when a Gaussian distribution having radius 0.86L p (L p : pixel size in image) at which the intensity has fallen to 1/e of the maximum is applied to the IPC calculation for each pixel intensity. The change of image sharpness near the exact focus position has also been compared with those determined by the CG (Contrast-to-Gradient) method. The CG method slightly underestimates the change of image sharpness compared with those determined by the IPC method

Exploring perceptions of interprofessional collaboration in child mental health care

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Atle Ødegård

2006-12-01

Full Text Available Purpose: This paper proposes a tentative theoretical model (PINCOM and a measure of mental health and school professionals' perception of interprofessional collaboration (IPC. Theory: The model is based on twelve constructs derived from a pilot study, organizational and social psychology. The main aim of the model is to capture central aspects of IPC. Method: A forty-eight item self-report questionnaire (PINCOM-Q was designed to explore professionals' perceptions of IPC. The sample (n=134 included professionals who worked in primary care, specialist services and in elementary schools. Exploratory factor analyses and reliability testing were conducted to reduce the large number of variables in the questionnaire. Results: Results indicate that central aspects of IPC in the context of service delivery and case work are: interprofessional climate, organizational culture, organizational aims, professional power, group leadership and motivation. Conclusion: Preliminary empirical testing of the questionnaire demonstrated that it is possible to measure perceptions of IPC, with reasonable levels of construct validity and reliability. Discussion: Further, revision of the questionnaire is discussed to make it fit for use in large scale studies with the purpose of enhancing (a the validity of the PINCOM model, and (b the quality of mental health services that are based on IPC.

The Impact of Knowledge Management Capability, Organizational Learning, and Supply Chain Management Practices on Organizational Performance

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ingy Essam Eldin Salama

2017-03-01

Full Text Available The focus of this research is developing and examining a conceptual framework relating resource-based organizational capabilities and inter-organizational practices with organizational performance. Specifically, it investigates the relationship between knowledge management capability, organizational learning, supply chain management practices and organizational performance. Such a study is important as it contributes to the growing body of literature that links organizational capabilities and practices with organizational performance. In addition, it also contributes to empirical knowledge by applying the proposed conceptual framework in the Egyptian context, which is currently under-researched. The research approach adopted in this research includes empirical examination of the hypothesized relationships among research variables applied on 63 factories with more than 100 employees located at New Borg Al-Arab industrial city using self-administrated questionnaires. The findings of this research provide evidence that knowledge management capability has an impact on organizational learning as well as on supply chain management practices. However, none of the research variables; i.e. knowledge management capability, organizational learning and supply chain management practices have an impact on organizational performance. The main conclusion drawn from this study is that knowledge management capability may be useful to managers for predicting organizational learning and coordinating supply chain management practices between supply chain members. In addition, it could be concluded that organizational performance, in the factories under study, is affected by variables other than knowledge management capability, organizational learning and supply chain management practices.

Safety culture

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Keen, L.J.

2003-01-01

Safety culture has become a topic of increasing interest for industry and regulators as issues are raised on safety problems around the world. The keys to safety culture are organizational effectiveness, effective communications, organizational learning, and a culture that encourages the identification and resolution of safety issues. The necessity of a strong safety culture places an onus on all of us to continually question whether the safety measures already in place are sufficient, and are being applied. (author)

Incorporating organizational factors into probabilistic safety assessment of nuclear power plants through canonical probabilistic models

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Galan, S.F. [Dpto. de Inteligencia Artificial, E.T.S.I. Informatica (UNED), Juan del Rosal, 16, 28040 Madrid (Spain)]. E-mail: seve@dia.uned.es; Mosleh, A. [2100A Marie Mount Hall, Materials and Nuclear Engineering Department, University of Maryland, College Park, MD 20742 (United States)]. E-mail: mosleh@umd.edu; Izquierdo, J.M. [Area de Modelado y Simulacion, Consejo de Seguridad Nuclear, Justo Dorado, 11, 28040 Madrid (Spain)]. E-mail: jmir@csn.es

2007-08-15

The {omega}-factor approach is a method that explicitly incorporates organizational factors into Probabilistic safety assessment of nuclear power plants. Bayesian networks (BNs) are the underlying formalism used in this approach. They have a structural part formed by a graph whose nodes represent organizational variables, and a parametric part that consists of conditional probabilities, each of them quantifying organizational influences between one variable and its parents in the graph. The aim of this paper is twofold. First, we discuss some important limitations of current procedures in the {omega}-factor approach for either assessing conditional probabilities from experts or estimating them from data. We illustrate the discussion with an example that uses data from Licensee Events Reports of nuclear power plants for the estimation task. Second, we introduce significant improvements in the way BNs for the {omega}-factor approach can be constructed, so that parameter acquisition becomes easier and more intuitive. The improvements are based on the use of noisy-OR gates as model of multicausal interaction between each BN node and its parents.

Incorporating organizational factors into probabilistic safety assessment of nuclear power plants through canonical probabilistic models

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Galan, S.F.; Mosleh, A.; Izquierdo, J.M.

2007-01-01

The ω-factor approach is a method that explicitly incorporates organizational factors into Probabilistic safety assessment of nuclear power plants. Bayesian networks (BNs) are the underlying formalism used in this approach. They have a structural part formed by a graph whose nodes represent organizational variables, and a parametric part that consists of conditional probabilities, each of them quantifying organizational influences between one variable and its parents in the graph. The aim of this paper is twofold. First, we discuss some important limitations of current procedures in the ω-factor approach for either assessing conditional probabilities from experts or estimating them from data. We illustrate the discussion with an example that uses data from Licensee Events Reports of nuclear power plants for the estimation task. Second, we introduce significant improvements in the way BNs for the ω-factor approach can be constructed, so that parameter acquisition becomes easier and more intuitive. The improvements are based on the use of noisy-OR gates as model of multicausal interaction between each BN node and its parents

Multi-Organizational Collaborative Public Safety and Security Planning for the 2010 Vancouver Winter Games

Science.gov (United States)

2012-10-01

intermediaries bridging the gap between safety and security officials. The OCS also had the closest relationship to the three main organizations in the...a clearly shared mission and boundary-spanning personnel that are able to bridge organizational cultures and adapt to the complex challenges...commandement et contrôle) et le transfert des connaissances à partir d’événements semblables passés ou en fonction d’événements futurs. Pendant

Defining safety culture and the nexus between safety goals and safety culture. 1. An Investigation Study on Practical Points of Safety Management

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hasegawa, Naoko; Takano, Kenichi; Hirose, Ayako

2001-01-01

In a report after the Chernobyl accident, the International Atomic Energy Agency indicated the definition and the importance of safety culture and the ideal organizational state where safety culture pervades. However, the report did not mention practical approaches to enhance safety culture. In Japan, although there had been investigations that clarified the consciousness of employees and the organizational climate in the nuclear power and railway industries, organizational factors that clarified the level of organization safety and practical methods that spread safety culture in an organization had not been studied. The Central Research Institute of the Electric Power Industry conducted surveys of organizational culture for the construction, chemical, and manufacturing industries. The aim of our study was to clarify the organizational factors that influence safety in an organization expressed in employee safety consciousness, commitment to safety activities, rate of accidents, etc. If these areas were clarified, the level of organization safety might be evaluated, and practical ways could be suggested to enhance the safety culture. Consequently, a series of investigations was conducted to clarify relationships among organizational climate, employee consciousness, safety management and activities, and rate of accidents. The questionnaire surveys were conducted in 1998-1999. The subjects were (a) managers of the safety management sections in the head offices of the construction, chemical, and manufacturing industries; (b) responsible persons in factories of the chemical and manufacturing industries; and (c) general workers in factories of the chemical and manufacturing industries. The number of collected data was (a) managers in the head office: 48 from the construction industry and 58 from the chemical and manufacturing industries, (b) responsible persons in factories: 567, and (c) general workers: from 29 factories. Items in the questionnaires were selected from

The Impact of Organizational Factors on Safety. The Perspective of Experts from the Spanish Nuclear Sector; El Impacto de los Factores Organizativos en la Seguridad. La Vision de los Expertos del Sector Nuclear Espanol

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

German, S.; Silla, I.; Navajas, J.

2014-07-01

Previous research supports the importance of organizational factors on safety in high reliability organizations. This study aims to determine the impact of those factors in the Spanish nuclear sector. Particularly, this study focuses on examining the role of performance indicators, organizational culture, organizational factors, and organizational context. With that purpose, an electronic survey addressed to experts from the Spanish nuclear sector was carried out. Results showed that performance indicators are well-known among industry experts and are perceived as useful for improving performance. Behavioural norms that influence safety and some relevant factors that promote problem identification were identified. Additionally, findings suggested that organizational context must be taken into account to better understand the role of organizational culture. Moreover, industry experts pointed out organizational factors to be improved: organizational communication processes within the organization, positive reinforcement, and field supervisors practices. Finally, findings supported the influence of organizational context on safety. It is noteworthy the role of the social impact of international events (e.g., Chernobyl...), the relationship with the regulator and the legislative and governmental framework. (Author)

Teacher Externships as a Practice of Inter-organizational Collaboration Between Institutions of Higher Education and Public and Private Organizations

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Linde, Stine; Just, Sine Nørholm

The present paper takes a practice theoretical approach (Rouse, 2006) to investigating the extent to which the phenomenon of teacher externships can be used as an initiative for creating long-lasting and strong collaborations between institutions of higher education and public and private...... at institutions of higher education within the region of Zealand, Denmark entered into collaborations with 35 public and private organizations, we present two preliminary conclusions: existing networks are strengthened and broadened through externships, and teachers feel enlightened by the experience...... on Danish universities to ‘turn to practice’, we ask how externships may contribute to the inter-organizational collaboration between institutions of higher education and public and private organizations. Based on a qualitative analysis of an externship program in which a total of 25 lecturers...

Safety climate in the federal fire management community: Influences of organizational, environmental, group, and individual characteristics (Abstract)

Science.gov (United States)

Brooke Baldauf McBride; Anne E. Black

2012-01-01

This study examined the effects of organizational, environmental, group and individual characteristics on five components of safety climate in the US federal fire management community (HRO Practices, Leadership, Group Culture, Learning Orientation and Mission Clarity). Multiple analyses of variance revealed that all types of characteristics had a significant effect on...

BC Hydro - IPC review : report on the creation of IPC International Power Corporation and its joint venture with the British Columbia Hydro and Power Authority for the Raiwind power project

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1997-03-01

BC Hydro is one of the sponsors involved in the construction of a thermal electric power plant in Raiwind, Pakistan. As a Crown corporation, BC Hydro and its participation in the project is subject to the policies and priorities of the provincial government. This document describes the circumstances surrounding the creation of the International Power Corporation (IPC) and its joint venture with BC Hydro for the development of international power projects including the Raiwind project. The project has provoked much public discussion in British Columbia because of the involvement of Cayman Island companies in the project structure. There is concern with the intermingling of public and private interests in the project, including allegations that an IPC share offering benefited insiders of government and BC Hydro. A description of the history and structure of the Raiwind project and detailed information on the British Columbia participants is provided. Directors and shareholders of the principal corporate participants are listed. The development process in Pakistan, the key features of the project and the underlying agreements among the participants are described. An assessment of potential conflicts of interest and a review of public sector standards and guidelines regarding conflicts of interest is presented. 60 refs., 39 tabs., 6 figs

Safe patient care - safety culture and risk management in otorhinolaryngology.

Science.gov (United States)

St Pierre, Michael

2013-12-13

Safety culture is positioned at the heart of an organization's vulnerability to error because of its role in framing organizational awareness to risk and in providing and sustaining effective strategies of risk management. Safety related attitudes of leadership and management play a crucial role in the development of a mature safety culture ("top-down process"). A type marker for organizational culture and thus a predictor for an organization's maturity in respect to safety is information flow and in particular an organization's general way of coping with information that suggests anomaly. As all values and beliefs, relationships, learning, and other aspects of organizational safety culture are about sharing and processing information, safety culture has been termed "informed culture". An informed culture is free of blame and open for information provided by incidents. "Incident reporting systems" are the backbone of a reporting culture, where good information flow is likely to support and encourage other kinds of cooperative behavior, such as problem solving, innovation, and inter-departmental bridging. Another facet of an informed culture is the free flow of information during perioperative patient care. The World Health Organization's safe surgery checklist" is the most prevalent example of a standardized information exchange aimed at preventing patient harm due to information deficit. In routine tasks mandatory standard operating procedures have gained widespread acceptance in guaranteeing the highest possible process quality. Technical and non-technical skills of healthcare professionals are the decisive human resource for an efficient and safe delivery of patient care and the avoidance of errors. The systematic enhancement of staff qualification by providing training opportunities can be a major investment in patient safety. In recent years several otorhinolaryngology departments have started to incorporate stimulation based team trainings into their

[Safe patient care: safety culture and risk management in otorhinolaryngology].

Science.gov (United States)

St Pierre, M

2013-04-01

Safety culture is positioned at the heart of an organisation's vulnerability to error because of its role in framing organizational awareness to risk and in providing and sustaining effective strategies of risk management. Safety related attitudes of leadership and management play a crucial role in the development of a mature safety culture ("top-down process"). A type marker for organizational culture and thus a predictor for an organizations maturity in respect to safety is information flow and in particular an organization's general way of coping with information that suggests anomaly. As all values and beliefs, relationships, learning, and other aspects of organizational safety culture are about sharing and processing information, safety culture has been termed "informed culture". An informed culture is free of blame and open for information provided by incidents. "Incident reporting systems" are the backbone of a reporting culture, where good information flow is likely to support and encourage other kinds of cooperative behavior, such as problem solving, innovation, and inter-departmental bridging. Another facet of an informed culture is the free flow of information during perioperative patient care. The World Health Organisation's "safe surgery checklist" is the most prevalent example of a standardized information exchange aimed at preventing patient harm due to information deficit. In routine tasks mandatory standard operating procedures have gained widespread acceptance in guaranteeing the highest possible process quality.Technical and non-technical skills of healthcare professionals are the decisive human resource for an efficient and safe delivery of patient care and the avoidance of errors. The systematic enhancement of staff qualification by providing training opportunities can be a major investment in patient safety. In recent years several otorhinolaryngology departments have started to incorporate simulation based team trainings into their curriculum

THE REGRESSION MODEL OF IRAN LIBRARIES ORGANIZATIONAL CLIMATE.

Science.gov (United States)

Jahani, Mohammad Ali; Yaminfirooz, Mousa; Siamian, Hasan

2015-10-01

The purpose of this study was to drawing a regression model of organizational climate of central libraries of Iran's universities. This study is an applied research. The statistical population of this study consisted of 96 employees of the central libraries of Iran's public universities selected among the 117 universities affiliated to the Ministry of Health by Stratified Sampling method (510 people). Climate Qual localized questionnaire was used as research tools. For predicting the organizational climate pattern of the libraries is used from the multivariate linear regression and track diagram. of the 9 variables affecting organizational climate, 5 variables of innovation, teamwork, customer service, psychological safety and deep diversity play a major role in prediction of the organizational climate of Iran's libraries. The results also indicate that each of these variables with different coefficient have the power to predict organizational climate but the climate score of psychological safety (0.94) plays a very crucial role in predicting the organizational climate. Track diagram showed that five variables of teamwork, customer service, psychological safety, deep diversity and innovation directly effects on the organizational climate variable that contribution of the team work from this influence is more than any other variables. Of the indicator of the organizational climate of climateQual, the contribution of the team work from this influence is more than any other variables that reinforcement of teamwork in academic libraries can be more effective in improving the organizational climate of this type libraries.

Defining safety culture and the nexus between safety goals and safety culture. 3. A Methodology for Identifying Deficiencies in Safety Culture

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Apostolakis, George; Weil, Rick

2001-01-01

At present, the drivers of performance problems at nuclear power plants (NPPs) are organizational in nature. Organizational deficiencies and other 'latent' conditions cause human errors, resulting in incidents that impact the performance of NPPs. Therefore, the human reliability community, regulators, and others concerned with NPP safety express the view that safety culture and organizational factors play an important role in plant safety. However, we have yet to identify one complete set of organizational factors, establish links between deficient safety culture and performance, or develop adequate tools to measure safety culture. This paper will contribute to the resolution of these issues. Safety culture is not a single factor but rather is a collection of several distinct factors. This paper asserts that in order to pro-actively manage safety culture at NPPs, leading indicators and appropriate measurements must be identified and developed. Central to this effort are the identification of the distinct factors comprising safety culture and the relationships between those factors and performance. We have identified several factors important to safety culture. We have developed a methodology that is a combination of traditional root-cause analysis and theories of human error, most notably Reason's theory of accident causation. In addition to this methodology's usefulness in identifying deficiencies in safety culture, it could also be used as a starting point to identify leading indicators of deteriorating safety performance. We have identified six organizational factors as being important: communication, formalization, goal prioritization, problem identification, roles and responsibilities, and technical knowledge. In addition, we have found that certain organizational factors, although pervasive throughout the organization, have a much greater influence on the successful outcome of particular tasks of work processes, rather than being equally important to all

The Einstein database of IPC x-ray observations of optically selected and radio-selected quasars, 1.

Science.gov (United States)

Wilkes, Belinda J.; Tananbaum, Harvey; Worrall, D. M.; Avni, Yoram; Oey, M. S.; Flanagan, Joan

1994-01-01

We present the first volume of the Einstein quasar database. The database includes estimates of the X-ray count rates, fluxes, and luminosities for 514 quasars and Seyfert 1 galaxies observed with the Imaging Proportional Counter (IPC) aboard the Einstein Observatory. All were previously known optically selected or radio-selected objects, and most were the targets of the X-ray observations. The X-ray properties of the Active Galactic Nuclei (AGNs) have been derived by reanalyzing the IPC data in a systematic manner to provide a uniform database for general use by the astronomical community. We use the database to extend earlier quasar luminosity studies which were made using only a subset of the currently available data. The database can be accessed on internet via the SAO Einstein on-line system ('Einline') and is available in ASCII format on magnetic tape and DOS diskette.

Social capital and transaction cost on co-creating IT value towards inter-organizational EMR exchange.

Science.gov (United States)

Chang, Hsin Hsin; Hung, Chung-Jye; Huang, Ching Ying; Wong, Kit Hong; Tsai, Yi Ju

2017-01-01

This study adopts social capital theory and transaction cost theory to explore the feasibility of an inter-organizational cross-hospital electronic medical records (EMR) exchange system, and the factors that affect its adoption. The concept of value co-creation is also used to assess such a system, and its influence on the performance of participating medical institutes. This research collected 330 valid paper-based questionnaires from the medical staff of various institutes. The results showed that social interaction ties and shared vision positively affected medical institutes' willingness to adopt the EMR exchange system, while asset specificity and uncertainty increased the related transaction costs. With a greater willingness to invest in relation-specific assets and to meet the related transaction costs, this behavior lead to an increase in medical IT value, as well as better results for the related medical institutes, medical staff, and patients. Therefore, this study suggests that such institutes encourage their medical staff to participate in seminars or reunions in order to develop their professional and social networks, and set up clear schedules and desire for expected effects when introducing the cross-hospital EMR exchange system. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Organizational Learning in Health Care Organizations

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Savithiri Ratnapalan

2014-02-01

Full Text Available The process of collective education in an organization that has the capacity to impact an organization’s operations, performance and outcomes is called organizational learning. In health care organizations, patient care is provided through one or more visible and invisible teams. These teams are composed of experts and novices from diverse backgrounds working together to provide coordinated care. The number of teams involved in providing care and the possibility of breakdowns in communication and coordinated care increases in direct proportion to sophisticated technology and treatment strategies of complex disease processes. Safe patient care is facilitated by individual professional learning; inter-professional team learning and system based organizational learning, which encompass modified context specific learning by multiple teams and team members in a health care organization. Organizational learning in health care systems is central to managing the learning requirements in complex interconnected dynamic systems where all have to know common background knowledge along with shared meta-knowledge of roles and responsibilities to execute their assigned functions, communicate and transfer the flow of pertinent information and collectively provide safe patient care. Organizational learning in health care is not a onetime intervention, but a continuing organizational phenomenon that occurs through formal and informal learning which has reciprocal association with organizational change. As such, organizational changes elicit organizational learning and organizational learning implements new knowledge and practices to create organizational changes.

Development of the safety evaluation system in the respects of organizational factors and workers' consciousness. Pt. 1. Study of validities of functions for necessary evaluation and results obtained

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Takano, Kenichi; Tsuge, Tadafumi; Hasegawa, Naoko; Hirose, Ayako; Sasou, Kunihide

2002-01-01

CRIEPI decided to develop the safety evaluation system to investigate the safety level of the industrial sites due to questionnaires of organizational climate, safety managements, and workers' safety consciousness to workers. This report describes the questionnaire survey to apply to the domestic nuclear power plant for using obtained results as a fundamental data in order to construct the safety evaluation system. This system will be used for promoting safety culture in organizations of nuclear power plants. The questionnaire survey was conducted to 14 nuclear power stations for understanding the present status relating to safety issues. This questionnaire involves 122 items classified into following three categories: (1) safety awareness and behavior of plant personnel; (2) safety management; (3) organizational climate, based on the model considering contributing factor groups to safety culture. Obtained results were analyzed by statistical method to prepare functions of evaluation. Additionally, by applying a multivariate analysis, it was possible to extract several crucial factors influencing safety performance and to find a comprehensive safety indicator representing total organizational safety level. Significant relations were identified between accident rates (both labor accidents and facility failures) and above comprehensive safety indicator. Next, 122 questionnaire items were classified into 20 major safety factors to grasp the safety profiles of each site. This profile is considered as indicating the features of each site and also indicating the direction of progress for improvement of safety situation in the site. These findings can be reflected in developing the safety evaluation system, by confirming the validity of the evaluation method and giving specific functions. (author)

Qualitative study of views and experiences of performance management for healthcare-associated infections.

Science.gov (United States)

Brewster, L; Tarrant, C; Dixon-Woods, M

2016-09-01

Centrally led performance management regimes using standard setting, monitoring, and incentives have become a prominent feature of infection prevention and control (IPC) in health systems. To characterize views and experiences of regulation and performance management relating to IPC in English hospitals. Two qualitative datasets containing 139 interviews with healthcare workers and managers were analysed. Data directly relevant to performance management and IPC were extracted. Data analysis was based on the constant comparative method. Participants reported that performance management regimes had mobilized action around specific infections. The benefits of establishing organizational structures of accountability were seen in empirical evidence of decreasing infection rates. Performance management was not, however, experienced as wholly benign, and setting targets in one area was seen to involve risks of 'tunnel vision' and the marginalization of other potentially important issues. Financial sanctions were viewed especially negatively; performance management was associated with risks of creating a culture of fearfulness, suppressing learning and disrupting inter-professional relationships. Centrally led performance management may have some important roles in IPC, but identifying where it is appropriate and determining its limits is critical. Persisting with harsh regimes may affect relationships and increase resistance to continued improvement efforts, but leaving all improvement to local teams may also be a flawed strategy. Copyright © 2016 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.

The association of patient safety climate and nurse-related organizational factors with selected patient outcomes: a cross-sectional survey.

Science.gov (United States)

Ausserhofer, Dietmar; Schubert, Maria; Desmedt, Mario; Blegen, Mary A; De Geest, Sabina; Schwendimann, René

2013-02-01

Patient safety climate (PSC) is an important work environment factor determining patient safety and quality of care in healthcare organizations. Few studies have investigated the relationship between PSC and patient outcomes, considering possible confounding effects of other nurse-related organizational factors. The purpose of this study was to explore the relationship between PSC and patient outcomes in Swiss acute care hospitals, adjusting for major organizational variables. This is a sub-study of the Swiss arm of the multicenter-cross sectional RN4CAST (Nurse Forecasting: Human Resources Planning in Nursing) study. We utilized data from 1630 registered nurses (RNs) working in 132 surgical, medical and mixed surgical-medical units within 35 Swiss acute care hospitals. PSC was measured with the 9-item Safety Organizing Scale. Other organizational variables measured with established instruments included the quality of the nurse practice environment, implicit rationing of nursing care, nurse staffing, and skill mix levels. We performed multilevel multivariate logistic regression to explore relationships between seven patient outcomes (nurse-reported medication errors, pressure ulcers, patient falls, urinary tract infection, bloodstream infection, pneumonia; and patient satisfaction) and PSC. In none of our regression models was PSC a significant predictor for any of the seven patient outcomes. From our nurse-related organizational variables, the most robust predictor was implicit rationing of nursing care. After controlling for major organizational variables and hierarchical data structure, higher levels of implicit rationing of nursing care resulted in significant decrease in the odds of patient satisfaction (OR=0.276, 95%CI=0.113-0.675) and significant increase in the odds of nurse reported medication errors (OR=2.513, 95%CI=1.118-5.653), bloodstream infections (OR=3.011, 95%CI=1.429-6.347), and pneumonia (OR=2.672, 95%CI=1.117-6.395). We failed to confirm our

Interactive, Inter-organizational Innovations in Electronic Commerce

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Elliot, Steve; Loebbecke, Claudia

2000-01-01

Electronic commerce has been recognised as a source of fundamental change to the conduct of business. Exploitation by business of this innovative approach to payments will necessitate wide‐scale adoption of new processes and technologies and may require new thinking on how organizations adopt...... innovations. Primarily, these innovations will be interactive and inter‐organizational, i.e. a successful cash substitute will require the concurrent participation of many different organizations, as well as consumers. Current theoretical models of adoption may not cater for this type of innovation....... This paper compares four diverse pilot implementations of smart‐card payment systems with Rogers’ (1995) attributes of innovations, adoption processes and adoption decision approaches for organizations. In general, Rogers’ models do not reflect the levels of complexity and diversity found in practice...

Human and Organizational Factors

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Eshiett, P.B.S.

2016-01-01

The Human and Organizational Factors Approach to Industrial Safety (HOFS) consists of identifying and putting in place conditions which encourage a positive contribution from operators (individually and in a team) with regards to industrial safety. The knowledge offered by the HOFS approach makes it possible better to understand what conditions human activity and to act on the design of occupational situations and the organization, in the aim of creating the conditions for safe work. Efforts made in this area can also lead to an improvement in results in terms of the quality of production or occupational safety (incidence and seriousness rates) (Daniellou, F., et al., 2011). Research on industrial accidents shows that they rarely happen as a result of a single event, but rather emerge from the accumulation of several, often seemingly trivial, malfunctions, misunderstandings, incorrect assumptions and other issues. The nuclear community has established rigorous international safety standards and concepts to ensure the protection of people and the environment from harmful effects of ionizing radiation (IAEA, 2014). A review of major human induced disasters in a number of countries and in different industries yields insights into several of the human and organizational factors involved in their occurrence. Some of these factors relate to failures in: • Design or technology; • Training; • Decision making; • Communication; • Preparation for the unexpected; • Understanding of organizational interdependencies

Safety climate and self-reported injury: assessing the mediating role of employee safety control.

Science.gov (United States)

Huang, Yueng-Hsiang; Ho, Michael; Smith, Gordon S; Chen, Peter Y

2006-05-01

To further reduce injuries in the workplace, companies have begun focusing on organizational factors which may contribute to workplace safety. Safety climate is an organizational factor commonly cited as a predictor of injury occurrence. Characterized by the shared perceptions of employees, safety climate can be viewed as a snapshot of the prevailing state of safety in the organization at a discrete point in time. However, few studies have elaborated plausible mechanisms through which safety climate likely influences injury occurrence. A mediating model is proposed to link safety climate (i.e., management commitment to safety, return-to-work policies, post-injury administration, and safety training) with self-reported injury through employees' perceived control on safety. Factorial evidence substantiated that management commitment to safety, return-to-work policies, post-injury administration, and safety training are important dimensions of safety climate. In addition, the data support that safety climate is a critical factor predicting the history of a self-reported occupational injury, and that employee safety control mediates the relationship between safety climate and occupational injury. These findings highlight the importance of incorporating organizational factors and workers' characteristics in efforts to improve organizational safety performance.

The politics of gossip and denial in inter-organizational relations

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Iterson, A.; Clegg, S.R.

2008-01-01

Organizational gossip has largely been discussed in terms of effects at the individual level. In this article we turn our attention to the organization level. The article makes a research contribution that addresses gossip that spreads fact-based rumours about organizations in terms of their

Inter-organizational information exchange, supply chain compliance and performance

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Peng, G.

2011-01-01

In modern business management today's companies no longer compete as solely autonomous entities, but rather as supply chains. Supply chain collaboration can bring with substantial benefits and advantages for companies. To strenghten supply chain collaboration, inter-organisational communication is

Decommissioning: Regulatory activities and identification of key organizational and human factors safety issues

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Durbin, N.E.; Melber, B.D.; Lekberg, A.

2001-12-01

In the late 1990's the Swedish government decided to shut down Unit 1 of the Barsebaeck nuclear power plant. This report documents some of the efforts made by the Swedish Nuclear Power Inspectorate (SKI) to address human factors and organizational issues in nuclear safety during decommissioning of a nuclear facility. This report gives a brief review of the background to the decommissioning of Barsebaeck 1 and points out key safety issues that can arise during decommissioning. The main regulatory activities that were undertaken were requirements that the plant provide special safety reports on decommissioning focusing on first, the operation of both units until closure of Unit 1 and second, the operation of Unit 2 when Unit 1 was closed. In addition, SKI identified areas that might be affected by decommissioning and called these areas out for special attention. With regard to these areas of special attention, SKI required that the plant provide monthly reports on changing and emerging issues as well as self-assessments of the areas to be addressed in the special safety reports. Ten key safety issues were identified and evaluated with regard to different stages of decommissioning and with regard to the actions taken by Barsebaeck. Some key conclusions from SKI's experience in regulating a decommissioning nuclear power plant conclude the report

Patient safety in organizational culture as perceived by leaderships of hospital institutions with different types of administration

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Natasha Dejigov Monteiro da Silva

2016-06-01

Full Text Available Abstract OBJECTIVE To identify the perceptions of leaderships toward patient safety culture dimensions in the routine of hospitals with different administrative profiles: government, social and private organizations, and make correlations among participating institutions regarding dimensions of patient safety culture used. METHOD A quantitative cross-sectional study that used the Self Assessment Questionnaire 30 translated into Portuguese. The data were processed by analysis of variance (ANOVA in addition to descriptive statistics, with statistical significance set at p-value ≤ 0.05. RESULTS According to the participants' perceptions, the significant dimensions of patient safety culture were 'patient safety climate' and 'organizational learning', with 81% explanatory power. Mean scores showed that among private organizations, higher values were attributed to statements; however, the correlation between dimensions was stronger among government hospitals. CONCLUSION Different hospital organizations present distinct values for each dimension of patient safety culture and their investigation enables professionals to identify which dimensions need to be introduced or improved to increase patient safety.

Burning through organizational boundaries? Examining inter-organizational communication networks in policy-mandated collaborative bushfire planning groups

Science.gov (United States)

Rachel F. Brummel; Kristen C. Nelson; Pamela J. Jakes

2012-01-01

Collaboration can enhance cooperation across geographic and organizational scales, effectively "burning through" those boundaries. Using structured social network analysis (SNA) and qualitative in-depth interviews, this study examined three collaborative bushfire planning groups in New South Wales, Australia and asked: How does participation in policy-...

Product Safety Culture: A New Variant of Safety Culture?

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Suhanyiova, L.; Flin, R.; Irwin, A.

2016-01-01

Product safety culture is a new research area which concerns user safety rather than worker or process safety. The concept appears to have emerged after the investigation into the Nimrod aircraft accident (Haddon-Cave, 2009) which echoed aspects of NASA’s Challenger and Columbia crashes. In these cases, through a blend of human and organizational failures, the culture deteriorated to the extent of damaging product integrity, resulting in user fatalities. Haddon-Cave noted that it was due to a failure in leadership and organizational safety culture that accidents such as the Nimrod happened, where the aircraft exploded due to several serious technical failures, preceded by deficiencies in the safety case. Now some organizations are starting to measure product safety culture. This is important in day-to-day life as well, where a product failure as a result of poor organizational safety culture, can cause user harm or death, as in the case of Takata airbags scandal in 2015. Eight people have lost their lives and many were injured. According to investigation reports this was due to the company’s safety malpractices of fixing faulty airbags and proceeding to install them in vehicles, as well as secretly conducting tests to assess the integrity of their product and then deleting the data and denying safety issues as a result of the company’s cost-cutting policies. As such, organizational culture, specifically the applications of safety culture, can have far-reaching consequences beyond the workplace of an organization.

Inter-organizational information exchange, supply chain compliance and performance

OpenAIRE

Peng, G.

2011-01-01

In modern business management today's companies no longer compete as solely autonomous entities, but rather as supply chains. Supply chain collaboration can bring with substantial benefits and advantages for companies. To strenghten supply chain collaboration, inter-organisational communication is an essential enabler.

Learning and Innovation in Inter-Organizational Relationships and Networks

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Nooteboom, B.

2006-01-01

This paper gives a survey of insights into inter-firm alliances and networks for innovation, from a constructivist, interactionist perspective on knowledge, which leads to the notion of 'cognitive distance'.It looks at both the competence and the governance side of relationships.Given cognitive

Organizational Learning, Agility and Social Technologies in Contemporary Workplaces

OpenAIRE

Tikkamäki , Kati; Mavengere , Nicholas

2012-01-01

Part 8: Discussion Groups; International audience; The contemporary workplaces face demanding challenges, such as expectations to be agile, competitive, efficient and adept to using employee knowledge. There are several required virtues in order to have a conductive workplace, for example, organizational learning and agility. The discussion forum aimed to bring out the inter-related roles of organizational learning, agility and social technologies in modern workplaces. The working methods in ...

Double-layered NiO photocathodes for p-type DSSCs with record IPCE

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Li, Lin; Qin, Peng; Gorlov, Mikhail [Center of Molecular Devices School of Chemical Science and Engineering, Royal Institute of Technology (KTH), Stockholm (Sweden); Gibson, Elizabeth A.; Boschloo, Gerrit [Department of Physical and Analytical Chemistry, Uppsala University (Sweden); Hagfeldt, Anders [Center of Molecular Devices School of Chemical Science and Engineering, Royal Institute of Technology (KTH), Stockholm (Sweden); Department of Physical and Analytical Chemistry, Uppsala University (Sweden); DUT-KTH Joint Education and Research Center of Molecular Devices, State Key Laboratory of Fine Chemicals, Dalian University of Technology (DUT), Dalian (China); Sun, Licheng [Center of Molecular Devices School of Chemical Science and Engineering, Royal Institute of Technology (KTH), Stockholm (Sweden); DUT-KTH Joint Education and Research Center of Molecular Devices, State Key Laboratory of Fine Chemicals, Dalian University of Technology (DUT), Dalian (China)

2010-04-18

A way to achieve a high-efficiency dye-sensitized solar cell is to combine an n-type TiO{sub 2}-based photoanode with a p-type photocathode in a tandem configuration. The development of an efficient photocathode is, at present, the key target. We have optimized the NiO, I{sub 3}{sup -}/I{sup -} p-DSSC system to obtain record photocurrent, giving 64% incident photon-to-current conversion efficiency (IPCE) and 5.48 mAcm{sup -2} J{sub SC}. (Abstract Copyright [2010], Wiley Periodicals, Inc.)

Automated Patent Categorization and Guided Patent Search using IPC as Inspired by MeSH and PubMed.

Science.gov (United States)

Eisinger, Daniel; Tsatsaronis, George; Bundschus, Markus; Wieneke, Ulrich; Schroeder, Michael

2013-04-15

Document search on PubMed, the pre-eminent database for biomedical literature, relies on the annotation of its documents with relevant terms from the Medical Subject Headings ontology (MeSH) for improving recall through query expansion. Patent documents are another important information source, though they are considerably less accessible. One option to expand patent search beyond pure keywords is the inclusion of classification information: Since every patent is assigned at least one class code, it should be possible for these assignments to be automatically used in a similar way as the MeSH annotations in PubMed. In order to develop a system for this task, it is necessary to have a good understanding of the properties of both classification systems. This report describes our comparative analysis of MeSH and the main patent classification system, the International Patent Classification (IPC). We investigate the hierarchical structures as well as the properties of the terms/classes respectively, and we compare the assignment of IPC codes to patents with the annotation of PubMed documents with MeSH terms.Our analysis shows a strong structural similarity of the hierarchies, but significant differences of terms and annotations. The low number of IPC class assignments and the lack of occurrences of class labels in patent texts imply that current patent search is severely limited. To overcome these limits, we evaluate a method for the automated assignment of additional classes to patent documents, and we propose a system for guided patent search based on the use of class co-occurrence information and external resources.

Research organizational factors

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Coffman, F.D. Jr.

1990-01-01

Organizational processes at nuclear power plants should be sufficient to prevent accidents and to protect public health and safety upon the occurrence of an accident. The role of regulatory research is to confirm that agency assessments of organization processes are on a firm technical basis and provide for improvements in the NRC [Nuclear Regulatory Commission] programs. A firm technical basis is achieved by reducing uncertainties associated with methods and measures used to assess organization processes. The general objective for regulatory research is to confirm that the agency has a coherent understanding of the organizational processes that are individually necessary and are collectively sufficient for safe operations, methods are available to reliably characterize organizational processes, and measures exist to monitor changes in the key organizational processes. The first specific objective was to develop a method to translate organizational processes into PRAs. The discussion provides feedback and insights from experience with the past and the ongoing organizational factors research. That experience suggests a set of ingredients that appear proper for performing regulatory research on organizational processes. By keeping focused upon these proper ingredients, the research will contribute to the regulatory assessments of utility management through the use of improved methods and measures in investigations, inspections, diagnostics, performance indicators, and PRA insights

Conceptualizing and communicating organizational risk dynamics in the thoroughness-efficiency space

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Marais, K.B.; Saleh, J.H.

2008-01-01

Organizations that design and/or operate complex systems have to make trade-offs between multiple, interacting, and sometimes conflicting goals at both the individual and organizational levels. Identifying, communicating, and resolving the conflict or tension between multiple organizational goals is challenging. Furthermore, maintaining an appropriate level of safety in such complex environments is difficult for a number of reasons discussed in this paper. The objective of this paper is to propose a set of related concepts that can help conceptualize organizational risk and help managers to understand the implications of various performance and resource pressures and make appropriate trade-offs between efficiency and thoroughness that maintain system safety. The concepts here introduced include (1) the thoroughness-efficiency space for classifying organizational behavior, and the various resource/performance and regulatory pressures that can displace organizations from one quadrant to another within this space, (2) the thoroughness-efficiency barrier and safety threshold, and (3) the efficiency penalty that organizations should accept, and not trade against organizational thoroughness, in order to maintain safety. Unfortunately, many accidents share a conceptual sameness in the way they occur. That sameness can be related to the dynamics conceptualized in this paper and the violation of the safety threshold. This sameness is the sad story of the Bhopal accident, the Piper Alpha accident, and score of others. Finally, we highlight the importance of a positive safety culture as an essential complement to regulatory pressure in maintaining safety. We illustrate the 'slippery slope of thoroughness' along which organizational behavior slides under the influence of performance pressure, and suggest that a positive safety culture can be conceived of as 'pulling this slippery slope' up and preventing the violation of the safety threshold

A survey on the quantitative incorporation organizational factors into PSA

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Park, S. Z.; Jea, M. S.; Ahn, N. S.

2002-01-01

The effects of organizational factors on the human performance and safety in nuclear power plants have been known through the results of research for several years. The organizational factor, which belongs to 11 elements of PSR (Periodic Safety Review), has been an important research area. In this study the state-of-the-art of qualitative and quantitative evaluation methodologies on organizational factors has been surveyed. The results of this study may contribute to developing a quantitative evaluation methodology on organizational factors as well as the basic research for conducting the PSR research, and for incorporating the quality of organization factors into PSA

Organizational factors in Korean NPPs

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Jang, D. J.; Kim, Y. I.; Jeong, C. H.; Kim, J. W.

2003-01-01

Organizational factors are referred to as the factors that influence the achievement of a goal of an organization. Latent problems of an organization could contribute to causing human errors in such stages as design, operation and maintenance, and furthermore, leading to an severe accident. In order to evaluate an organization from the safety viewpoint, it is necessary to identify the organizational factors in a systematic fashion. In this paper, some efforts to identify the organizational factors in Korean NPPs are presented. The study was performed in the following steps: 1) Reviewing the definitions and range of the organizational factors used by the previous 13 researches, 2) Structuring the organizational factors by screening and collating factors, 3) Analysing the organizational factors that is considered to have contributed to the trip events based on the trip report of Korean NPPs, 4) Suggesting a more reliable taxonomy of organizational factors for event analysis by applying the Onion Structure Model to the selected factors

Development of the safety evaluation system in the respects of organizational factors and workers' consciousness. Pt. 4. Application of the system for contract companies

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hasegawa, Naoko; Hirose, Ayako; Hayase, Kenichi; Tsuge, Tadafumi; Sasou, Kunihide; Takano, Kenichi

2003-01-01

The purpose of our study is to develop a safety evaluation system which clarifies the safety level of an organization. As a basic method of evaluation using a questionnaire had been established, now that the generalization is needed for the system. Hence, this paper is intended to consider the applicability of the system for contract companies. Subjects were workers who belonged to contract companies engaging in the maintenance of power plants in regular inspections. The following results were obtained: 1) The Comprehensive Safety Index (CSI) taking into account individual and organizational factors was identified using the principal component analysis. 2) The validity of CSI was confirmed with significant correlations between the CSI score and the rate of accidents. 3) Careful consideration should be provided for individual factors especially when evaluating the safety level of subcontract companies. 4) It seemed necessary to take into account the influence of parent companies and occupational hazards level. 5) The comparison among different industries should be avoided because of the difference in organizational structures and subjects of attention for keeping safety. (author)

Safety culture improvement. An adaptive management framework

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Obadia, Isaac Jose

2005-01-01

After the Chernobyl nuclear accident in 1986, the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) established the safety culture concept as a proactive mean to contribute to safety improvement, starting a worldwide safety culture enhancement program within nuclear organizations mainly focused on nuclear power plants. More recently, the safety culture concept has been extended to non-power applications such as nuclear research reactors and nuclear technological research and development organizations. In 1999, the Nuclear Engineering Institute (IEN), a research and technological development unit of the Brazilian Nuclear Energy Commission (CNEN), started a management change program aiming at improving its performance level of excellence. This change program has been developed assuming the occurrence of complex causal inter-relationships between the organizational culture and the implementation of the management process. A systematic and adaptive management framework comprised of a safety culture improvement practice integrated to a management process based on the Criteria for Excellence of the Brazilian Quality Award Model, has been developed and implemented at IEN. The case study has demonstrated that the developed framework makes possible an effective safety culture improvement and simultaneously facilitates an effective implementation of the management process, thus providing some governance to the change program. (author)

Representations and types of organizational errors in nuclear power station

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Li Yongjuan; Wang Erping; Li Feng; Yu Guangtao

2003-01-01

The aim of this study is to explore the organizational errors that affect the safety of the nuclear power station,with the methods of interview and events re-analysis. Coding method has been used to change the qualitative data to quantitative data. After cluster analysis, five organizational factors in nuclear power field have been obtained, including technical management factors, non-technical management factors, information interface, organizational planning, and lack of holistic thinking. The study also finds that compared to the technical management factors, non-technical management factors have greater affects on the safety of the system. So the non-technical training is essential to insure the safety of the system

Missing focus on Human Factors - organizational and cognitive ergonomics - in the safety management for the petroleum industry.

Science.gov (United States)

Johnsen, Stig O; Kilskar, Stine Skaufel; Fossum, Knut Robert

2017-08-01

More attention has recently been given to Human Factors in petroleum accident investigations. The Human Factors areas examined in this article are organizational, cognitive and physical ergonomics. A key question to be explored is as follows: To what degree are the petroleum industry and safety authorities in Norway focusing on these Human Factors areas from the design phase? To investigate this, we conducted an innovative exploratory study of the development of four control centres in Norwegian oil and gas industry in collaboration between users, management and Human Factors experts. We also performed a literature survey and discussion with the professional Human Factors network in Norway. We investigated the Human Factors focus, reasons for not considering Human Factors and consequences of missing Human Factors in safety management. The results revealed an immature focus and organization of Human Factors. Expertise on organizational ergonomics and cognitive ergonomics are missing from companies and safety authorities and are poorly prioritized during the development. The easy observable part of Human Factors (i.e. physical ergonomics) is often in focus. Poor focus on Human Factors in the design process creates demanding conditions for human operators and impact safety and resilience. There is lack of non-technical skills such as communication and decision-making. New technical equipment such as Closed Circuit Television is implemented without appropriate use of Human Factors standards. Human Factors expertise should be involved as early as possible in the responsible organizations. Verification and validation of Human Factors should be improved and performed from the start, by certified Human Factors experts in collaboration with the workforce. The authorities should check-back that the regulatory framework of Human Factors is communicated, understood and followed.

Improvements of the Regulatory Framework for Nuclear Installations in the Areas of Human and Organizational Factors and Safety Culture

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tronea, M.; Ciurea, C.

2016-01-01

The paper presents the development of regulatory requirements in the area of human and organizational factors taking account of the lessons learned from major accidents in the nuclear industry and in particular of the factors that contributed to the Fukushima Daiichi accident and the improvement of the regulatory oversight of nuclear safety culture. New requirements have been elaborated by the National Commission for Nuclear Activities Control (CNCAN) on the nuclear safety policy of licencees for nuclear installations, on independent nuclear safety oversight, on safety conscious work environment and on the assessment of nuclear safety culture. The regulatory process for the oversight of nuclear safety culture within licencees’ organizations operating nuclear installations and the associated procedure and guidelines, based on the IAEA Safety Standards, have been developed in 2010-2011. CNCAN has used the 37 IAEA attributes for a strong safety culture, grouped into five areas corresponding to safety culture characteristics, as the basis for its regulatory guidelines providing support to the reviewers and inspectors, in their routine activities, for recognising and gathering information relevant to safety culture. The safety culture oversight process, procedure and guidelines are in process of being reviewed and revised to improve their effectiveness and to align with the current international practices, using lessons learned from the Fukushima Daiichi accident. Starting with July 2014, Romania has a National Strategy for Nuclear Safety and Security, which includes strategic objectives, associated directions for action and concrete actions for promoting nuclear safety culture in all the organizations in the nuclear sector. The progress with the implementation of this strategy with regard to nuclear safety culture is described in the paper. CNCAN started to define its own organizational culture model and identifying the elements that promote and support safety

Safety assessment of human and organizational factors in French fuel cycle facilities

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Menuet, Lise; Beauquier, Sophie

2013-01-01

According to the French law, each nuclear facility has to provide a safety demonstration every ten years. The assessment of this demonstration supports the decision of the French Safety Authority regarding the authorisation of operating for the ten years to come. In addition, transversal topics, which are linked with safety performance, such as safety management, management of competencies, maintenance's policy are periodically evaluated. One aspect of these assessments relates to Human and Organizational Factors (HOF) and their contribution to safety. Our communication will describe the assessment of the HOF-related part, performed by the Institute for Radioprotection and Nuclear Safety Institute (IRSN) the Technical Support Organisation of the French Safety Authority). It will focus on the methodological framework, the tools which are developed and used for assessing the integration of HOF in safety demonstration, and the main difficulties of this kind of assessment. Each situation will be illustrated by concrete examples coming from safety assessments concerning fuel cycle's plants: Areva's plants dedicated to uranium conversion, uranium enrichment, fuel manufacturing, spent fuel reprocessing, treatment facilities and CEA's laboratories dedicated to research and development and to interim spent fuel storage. The methodological framework for assessing HOF currently implements three main steps which will be precisely described: - checking that the nuclear plant has made an exhaustive analysis of the risks linked with HOF. Regarding to HOF, the Licensee safety demonstration is based on the description of the main human activities which are considered as hazardous regarding safety. These activities are accomplished with a human contribution and they require a safe realisation. - assessing the human, organisational and technical barriers that the nuclear plant have planed in order to make the operations safe, to avoid, prevent or detect an

Total safety management: An approach to improving safety culture

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Blush, S.M.

1993-01-01

A little over 4 yr ago, Admiral James D. Watkins became Secretary of Energy. President Bush, who had appointed him, informed Watkins that his principal task would be to clean up the nuclear weapons complex and put the US Department of Energy (DOE) back in the business of producing tritium for the nation's nuclear deterrent. Watkins recognized that in order to achieve these objectives, he would have to substantially improve the DOE's safety culture. Safety culture is a relatively new term. The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) used it in a 1986 report on the root causes of the Chernobyl nuclear accident. In 1990, the IAEA's International Nuclear Safety Advisory Group issued a document focusing directly on safety culture. It provides guidelines to the international nuclear community for measuring the effectiveness of safety culture in nuclear organizations. Safety culture has two principal aspects: an organizational framework conducive to safety and the necessary organizational and individual attitudes that promote safety. These obviously go hand in hand. An organization must create the right framework to foster the right attitudes, but individuals must have the right attitudes to create the organizational framework that will support a good safety culture. The difficulty in developing such a synergistic relationship suggests that achieving and sustaining a strong safety culture is not easy, particularly in an organization whose safety culture is in serious disrepair

Sexual Assault Response Teams (SARTs): mapping a research agenda that incorporates an organizational perspective.

Science.gov (United States)

Moylan, Carrie A; Lindhorst, Taryn; Tajima, Emiko A

2015-04-01

Multidisciplinary coordinated Sexual Assault Response Teams (SARTs) are a growing model of providing health, legal, and emotional support services to victims of sexual assault. This article conceptualizes SARTs from an organizational perspective and explores three approaches to researching SARTs that have the potential of increasing our understanding of the benefits and challenges of multidisciplinary service delivery. These approaches attend to several levels of organizational behavior, including the organizational response to external legitimacy pressures, the inter-organizational networks of victim services, and the negotiation of power and disciplinary boundaries. Possible applications to organizational research on SARTs are explored. © The Author(s) 2015.

THE INTERDEPENDENCE BETWEEN MANAGEMENT, COMMUNICATION, ORGANIZATIONAL BEHAVIOR AND PERFORMANCE

OpenAIRE

Pipas Maria Daniela

2013-01-01

The approach of this paper is based on the concepts of management, communication and organizational behavior that by implementing the appropriate strategies, by taking and prevention of organizational risk that creates a favorable organizational climate that can improve, in time, the image of the organization, leading ultimately to making a synergic organization and to increase the organizational performance. An effective communication, followed by an efficient management provides safety in a...

Inter-Religious Dialogue Models in Malaysia

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Wan Sabri Wan Yusof

2012-06-01

Full Text Available Over the years, many organizations have involved in the implementation of inter-religious dialogue in Malaysia. However, there are stillthose who doubt the role and purpose of interreligious dialogue. This might be due to lack of information and understanding regardingthe methodology of dialogue and also about different types that it may take. The present study is aimed at exploring a few models ofinter-religious dialogue that have been practised by some organizations that actively involved in dialogue. The study focuses on a review of selected organizational or institutional dialoguemodels such as Center for Civilizational Dialogue (CCD, Students Representative Council of Malaysia Science University (HealthCampus and Inter-faith Spiritual Fellowship (INSaF. This study provides information concerning the various designs of inter-religiousdialogue model in Malaysia and proposes that different designs of inter-religious dialogue rely on its different types and goals. It is found that, the commonly practiced type of dialogue in Malaysia is educational type which focuses on exploring inter-religious commonalities as well as differences which consequently willincrease understanding and foster meaningful engagement between people of different ethnic and religious background in Malaysia. Thistype of dialogue is distinguished from conflict resolution types of dialogue which aims at identifying issues and generating action plansto conflicts or disputes.

GlobePort Faces Global Business Challenges--Assessing the Organizational Side of Information Systems Projects

Science.gov (United States)

Ghosh, Biswadip

2011-01-01

Published studies have reported that Information System (IS) projects succeed or fail based on how effectively the organizational issues were understood and addressed in the specification, development and implementation stages of the project. This is particularly true in the design and delivery of Inter-Organizational Systems (IOS) that can affect…

Safety culture evaluation and asset root cause analysis

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Okrent, D.; Xiong, Y.

1995-01-01

This paper examines the role of organizational and management factors in nuclear power plant safety through the use of operating experiences. The ASSET (Assessment of Safety Significant Events Team) reports of thirteen plants (total thirty events) have been analyzed in term of twenty organizational dimensions (factors) identified by Brookhaven National Laboratory and Pennsylvania State University. For three plants detailed results are reported in this paper. The results of thirteen plants are summarized in the form of a table. The study tends to confirm that organizational and management factors play an important role in plant safety. The twenty organizational dimensions and their definitions, in general, were adequate in this study. Formalization, Safety Culture, Technical Knowledge, Training, Roles-Responsibilities and Problem Identification appear to be key organizational factors which influence the safety of nuclear power plants studied

Leadership and Management for Safety. General Safety Requirements

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

2016-01-01

This Safety Requirements publication establishes requirements that support Principle 3 of the Fundamental Safety Principles in relation to establishing, sustaining and continuously improving leadership and management for safety and an integrated management system. It emphasizes that leadership for safety, management for safety, an effective management system and a systemic approach (i.e. an approach in which interactions between technical, human and organizational factors are duly considered) are all essential to the specification and application of adequate safety measures and to the fostering of a strong safety culture. Leadership and an effective management system will integrate safety, health, environmental, security, quality, human-and-organizational factor, societal and economic elements. The management system will ensure the fostering of a strong safety culture, regular assessment of performance and the application of lessons from experience. The publication is intended for use by regulatory bodies, operating organizations (registrants and licensees) and other organizations concerned with facilities and activities that give rise to radiation risks

Why is patient safety so hard? A selective review of ethnographic studies.

Science.gov (United States)

Dixon-Woods, Mary

2010-01-01

Ethnographic studies are valuable in studying patient safety. This is a narrative review of four reports of ethnographic studies of patient safety in UK hospitals conducted as part of the Patient Safety Research Programme. Three of these studies were undertaken in operating theatres and one in an A&E Department. The studies found that hospitals were rarely geared towards ensuring perfect performances. The coordination and mobilization of the large number of inter-dependent processes and resources needed to support the achievement of tasks was rarely optimal. This produced significant strain that staff learned to tolerate by developing various compensatory strategies. Teamwork and inter-professional communication did not always function sufficiently well to ensure that basic procedural information was shared or that the required sequence of events was planned. Staff did not always do the right things, for a wide range of different reasons, including contestations about what counted as the right thing. Structures of authority and accountability were not always clear or well-functioning. Patient safety incidents were usually not reported, though there were many different reasons for this. It can be concluded that securing patient safety is hard. There are multiple interacting influences on safety, and solutions need to be based on a sound understanding of the nature of the problems and which approaches are likely to be best suited to resolving them. Some solutions that appear attractive and straightforward are likely to founder. Addressing safety problems requires acknowledgement that patient safety is not simply a technical issue, but a site of organizational and professional politics.

Structuring and capturing of radioactive strontium-90 from the polluted soil of Semipalatinsk nuclear test site by inter-polymer complexes

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bimendina, L.A.; Kudaibergenov, S.E.; Orazzhanova, L.K.; Yashkarova, M.G.; Kaliaskarova, B.

2002-01-01

The model and experiments on application of polymer-polymer complexes stabilized by hydrogen and ionic bonds for structuring of Semipalatinsk nuclear test site soils in order to prevent the wind and water erosion of radionuclides from contaminated soil are considered. It is expected that the treatment by inter-polymer complexes (IPC) would cause the structuring of soil particle. Besides IPSs are able to form thin films on the soil particles surface, aggregate and considerably protect the migration of radionuclides. Both the water soluble polymer-polyacrylic acid (PAA), polyethylene glycol (PEG), poly-N,N,-dimethyldiallylammonium chloride (PDMDAACI) and the PAA-PEG, PAA-PDMDAACI inter-polymer complexes were used as structuring agents. The treatment of soil particles was carried out by two methods: the first method is uniform splash of polymer solution and mixing with soil; the second one is pouring of soil surface by polymer solution. The obtained results are summarized as follows: - Optimal concentration of polymer solutions are arranged between 10 -4 -10 -2 mol·l -1 . The best results corresponds to concentration 10 -2 mol·l -1 ; - Pouring of soil surface is most preferential in comparison with splash of polymer solution and mixing with soil; - Both the individual polymers (PAA, PEG and PDMDAACI) and the PAA-PEG, PAA-PDMDAACI inter-polymer complexes show the structuring effect. However the best results were observed for IPC solution. The best structuring effect has been obtained for equimolar [PAA]:[PEG]=1:1 complex solution with 10 -2 mol·l -1 and at p H=3.0 when the IPC solution is poured through the soil surface. The similar results were obtained for [PAA]:[PDMDAACI]=1:1 system. The capillary moisture capacity and water stability at optimal soil treatment conditions of soil is given. Since PAA, PEG and PAA-PEG complexes form polymer-metal complexes with Sr 2+ ions the possibility of capture of soil radionuclides by means of binding into the complex particles

The Top 30 Rising Stars Program: an inter-organizational approach to leadership succession planning.

Science.gov (United States)

Dilworth, Katie; Lankshear, Sara; Cava, Maureen; Aldred, Jacqueline; Hawkes, Nancy; Lefebre, Nancy; Price, Jennifer; Lawler, Valerie

2011-01-01

An effective leadership development program is an organizational investment that advances individual performance while strengthening organizational capabilities. The Top 30 Rising Stars Program is a leadership succession program designed to enable leadership capacity building within and across organizations. Key components of the program include formal learning, stretch opportunities, and mentorship. Evaluation results reveal high participant satisfaction and an increase in reported self-confidence in their ability to assume a formal leadership position.

Organizational factors

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Holy, J.

1999-12-01

The following organizational factors are considered with respect to the human factor and operating safety of nuclear power plants: external influences; objectives and strategy; positions and ways of management; allocation of resources; working with human resources; operators' training; coordination of work; knowledge of organization and management; proceduralization of the topic; labour organizing culture; self-improvement system; and communication. (P.A.)

Organizational readiness for implementing change: a psychometric assessment of a new measure.

Science.gov (United States)

Shea, Christopher M; Jacobs, Sara R; Esserman, Denise A; Bruce, Kerry; Weiner, Bryan J

2014-01-10

Organizational readiness for change in healthcare settings is an important factor in successful implementation of new policies, programs, and practices. However, research on the topic is hindered by the absence of a brief, reliable, and valid measure. Until such a measure is developed, we cannot advance scientific knowledge about readiness or provide evidence-based guidance to organizational leaders about how to increase readiness. This article presents results of a psychometric assessment of a new measure called Organizational Readiness for Implementing Change (ORIC), which we developed based on Weiner's theory of organizational readiness for change. We conducted four studies to assess the psychometric properties of ORIC. In study one, we assessed the content adequacy of the new measure using quantitative methods. In study two, we examined the measure's factor structure and reliability in a laboratory simulation. In study three, we assessed the reliability and validity of an organization-level measure of readiness based on aggregated individual-level data from study two. In study four, we conducted a small field study utilizing the same analytic methods as in study three. Content adequacy assessment indicated that the items developed to measure change commitment and change efficacy reflected the theoretical content of these two facets of organizational readiness and distinguished the facets from hypothesized determinants of readiness. Exploratory and confirmatory factor analysis in the lab and field studies revealed two correlated factors, as expected, with good model fit and high item loadings. Reliability analysis in the lab and field studies showed high inter-item consistency for the resulting individual-level scales for change commitment and change efficacy. Inter-rater reliability and inter-rater agreement statistics supported the aggregation of individual level readiness perceptions to the organizational level of analysis. This article provides evidence in

Disentangling the roles of safety climate and safety culture: Multi-level effects on the relationship between supervisor enforcement and safety compliance.

Science.gov (United States)

Petitta, Laura; Probst, Tahira M; Barbaranelli, Claudio; Ghezzi, Valerio

2017-02-01

Despite increasing attention to contextual effects on the relationship between supervisor enforcement and employee safety compliance, no study has yet explored the conjoint influence exerted simultaneously by organizational safety climate and safety culture. The present study seeks to address this literature shortcoming. We first begin by briefly discussing the theoretical distinctions between safety climate and culture and the rationale for examining these together. Next, using survey data collected from 1342 employees in 32 Italian organizations, we found that employee-level supervisor enforcement, organizational-level safety climate, and autocratic, bureaucratic, and technocratic safety culture dimensions all predicted individual-level safety compliance behaviors. However, the cross-level moderating effect of safety climate was bounded by certain safety culture dimensions, such that safety climate moderated the supervisor enforcement-compliance relationship only under the clan-patronage culture dimension. Additionally, the autocratic and bureaucratic culture dimensions attenuated the relationship between supervisor enforcement and compliance. Finally, when testing the effects of technocratic safety culture and cooperative safety culture, neither safety culture nor climate moderated the relationship between supervisor enforcement and safety compliance. The results suggest a complex relationship between organizational safety culture and safety climate, indicating that organizations with particular safety cultures may be more likely to develop more (or less) positive safety climates. Moreover, employee safety compliance is a function of supervisor safety leadership, as well as the safety climate and safety culture dimensions prevalent within the organization. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Organizational Compliance : An agent-based model for designing and evaluating organizational interactions

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Jiang, J.

2015-01-01

The motivation of this research comes from the need of devising and evaluating solutions to achieving organizational compliance, which is an important factor in ensuring the success of business operations and the safety of business environments. Using normative multi-agent systems as the basis of

Management of safety culture

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kavsek, D.

2004-01-01

The strengthening of safety culture in an organization has become an increasingly important issue for nuclear industry. A high level of safety performance is essential for business success in intensely competitive global environment. This presentation offers a discussion of some principles and activities used in enhancing safety performance and appropriate safety behaviour at the Krsko NPP. Over the years a number of events have occurred in nuclear industry that have involved problems in human performance. A review of these and other significant events has identified recurring weaknesses in plant safety culture and policy. Focusing attention on the strengthening of relevant processes can help plants avoid similar undesirable events. The policy of the Krsko NPP is that all employees concerned shall constantly be alert to opportunities to reduce risks to the lowest practicable level and to achieve excellence in plant safety. The most important objective is to protect individuals, society and the environment by establishing and maintaining an effective defense against radiological hazard in the nuclear power plant. It is achieved through the use of reliable structures, components, systems, and procedures, as well as plant personnel committed to a strong safety culture. The elements of safety culture include both organizational and individual aspects. Elements commonly included at the organizational level are senior management commitment to safety, organizational effectiveness, effective communication, organizational learning, and a culture that encourages identification and resolution of safety issues. Elements identified at the individual level include personal accountability, a questioning attitude, communication, procedural adherence, etc.(author)

Organizational culture, intersectoral collaboration and mental health care.

Science.gov (United States)

Mitchell, Penelope Fay; Pattison, Philippa Eleanor

2012-01-01

This study aims to investigate whether and how organizational culture moderates the influence of other organizational capacities on the uptake of new mental health care roles by non-medical primary health and social care services. Using a cross-sectional survey design, data were collected in 2004 from providers in 41 services in Victoria, Australia, recruited using purposeful sampling. Respondents within each service worked as a group to complete a structured interview that collected quantitative and qualitative data simultaneously. Five domains of organizational capacity were analyzed: leadership, moral support and participation; organizational culture; shared concepts, policies, processes and structures; access to resource support; and social model of health. A principal components analysis explored the structure of data about roles and capacities, and multiple regression analysis examined relationships between them. The unit of analysis was the service (n = 41). Organizational culture was directly associated with involvement in two types of mental health care roles and moderated the influence of factors in the inter-organizational environment on role involvement. Congruence between the values embodied in organizational culture, communicated in messages from the environment, and underlying particular mental health care activities may play a critical role in shaping the emergence of intersectoral working and the uptake of new roles. This study is the first to demonstrate the importance of organizational culture to intersectoral collaboration in health care, and one of very few to examine organizational culture as a predictor of performance, compared with other organizational-level factors, in a multivariate analysis. Theory is developed to explain the findings.

A framework for the establishment of organizational risk indicators

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Oien, K.

2001-01-01

Organizational risk indicators are proposed as a tool for risk control during operation of offshore installations, as a complement to QRA-based indicators. An organizational factor framework is developed based on a review of existing organizational factor frameworks, research on safety performance indicators, and previous work on QRA-based indicators. The results comprise a qualitative organizational model, proposed organizational risk indicators, and a quantification methodology for assessing the impact of the organization on risk. The risk indicators, when validated, will aid in a frequent control of the risk in the periods between the updating of the quantitative risk assessments

Pronóstico del rendimiento del IPC (Índice de Precios y Cotizaciones mediante el uso de redes neuronales diferenciales

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Agustín Ignacio Cabrera Llanos

2012-01-01

Full Text Available A través de los años, el uso de las redes neuronales artificiales como herramienta de simulación, modelación y descripción de sistemas dinámicos no lineales se ha ido consolidando como una técnica eficaz y relativamente rápida gracias al gran desarrollo experimentado en los sistemas de cómputo. Esta técnica de uso común en algunas áreas de la ingeniería aplicada se empezó a utilizar en aplicaciones financieras a mediados de la década de los noventa. El presente trabajo utiliza una de las técnicas más recientes y poderosas en este ámbito: las redes neuronales diferenciales (RND, usada frecuentemente en análisis de procesos de la biotecnología. Mediante esta técnica se lleva a cabo el análisis y la estimación de la evolución del comportamiento del rendimiento del IPC de la Bolsa Mexicana de Valores (BMV durante el periodo comprendido del 8 de noviembre de 1991 al 27 de enero de 2011. Adicionalmente, el análisis incluye un pronóstico intradía (seis valores durante una jornada de operación de la BMV del rendimiento del IPC, el cual tiene una duración de un día después del último dato de la serie de tiempo del IPC. Cabe señalar que los resultados pronosticados mostraron una gran similitud con los datos reales.

Product design planning with the analytic hierarchy process in inter-organizational networks

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Hummel, J. Marjan; van Rossum, Wouter; Verkerke, Gijsbertus Jacob; Rakhorst, Gerhard

2002-01-01

In the second half of inter–organizational product development, the new product is likely to face significant design changes. Our study focused on the adequacy of the analytic hierarchy process (AHP) to support the collaborative partners to steer and align the accompanying design activities. It

Leadership and Management for Safety. General Safety Requirements (Arabic Edition)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

2016-01-01

This Safety Requirements publication establishes requirements that support Principle 3 of the Fundamental Safety Principles in relation to establishing, sustaining and continuously improving leadership and management for safety and an integrated management system. It emphasizes that leadership for safety, management for safety, an effective management system and a systemic approach (i.e. an approach in which interactions between technical, human and organizational factors are duly considered) are all essential to the specification and application of adequate safety measures and to the fostering of a strong safety culture. Leadership and an effective management system will integrate safety, health, environmental, security, quality, human-and-organizational factors, societal and economic elements. The management system will ensure the fostering of a strong safety culture, regular assessment of performance and the application of lessons from experience. The publication is intended for use by regulatory bodies, operating organizations and other organizations concerned with facilities and activities that give rise to radiation risks.

Leadership and Management for Safety. General Safety Requirements (Chinese Edition)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

2016-01-01

This Safety Requirements publication establishes requirements that support Principle 3 of the Fundamental Safety Principles in relation to establishing, sustaining and continuously improving leadership and management for safety and an integrated management system. It emphasizes that leadership for safety, management for safety, an effective management system and a systemic approach (i.e. an approach in which interactions between technical, human and organizational factors are duly considered) are all essential to the specification and application of adequate safety measures and to the fostering of a strong safety culture. Leadership and an effective management system will integrate safety, health, environmental, security, quality, human-and-organizational factors, societal and economic elements. The management system will ensure the fostering of a strong safety culture, regular assessment of performance and the application of lessons from experience. The publication is intended for use by regulatory bodies, operating organizations and other organizations concerned with facilities and activities that give rise to radiation risks.

Leadership and Management for Safety. General Safety Requirements (French Edition)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

2016-01-01

This Safety Requirements publication establishes requirements that support Principle 3 of the Fundamental Safety Principles in relation to establishing, sustaining and continuously improving leadership and management for safety and an integrated management system. It emphasizes that leadership for safety, management for safety, an effective management system and a systemic approach (i.e. an approach in which interactions between technical, human and organizational factors are duly considered) are all essential to the specification and application of adequate safety measures and to the fostering of a strong safety culture. Leadership and an effective management system will integrate safety, health, environmental, security, quality, human-and-organizational factors, societal and economic elements. The management system will ensure the fostering of a strong safety culture, regular assessment of performance and the application of lessons from experience. The publication is intended for use by regulatory bodies, operating organizations and other organizations concerned with facilities and activities that give rise to radiation risks.

Leadership and Management for Safety. General Safety Requirements (Spanish Edition)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

2017-01-01

his Safety Requirements publication establishes requirements that support Principle 3 of the Fundamental Safety Principles in relation to establishing, sustaining and continuously improving leadership and management for safety and an integrated management system. It emphasizes that leadership for safety, management for safety, an effective management system and a systemic approach (i.e. an approach in which interactions between technical, human and organizational factors are duly considered) are all essential to the specification and application of adequate safety measures and to the fostering of a strong safety culture. Leadership and an effective management system will integrate safety, health, environmental, security, quality, human-and-organizational factors, societal and economic elements. The management system will ensure the fostering of a strong safety culture, regular assessment of performance and the application of lessons from experience. The publication is intended for use by regulatory bodies, operating organizations and other organizations concerned with facilities and activities that give rise to radiation risks.

Safety climate and attitude as evaluation measures of organizational safety.

Science.gov (United States)

Isla Díaz, R; Díaz Cabrera, D

1997-09-01

The main aim of this research is to develop a set of evaluation measures for safety attitudes and safety climate. Specifically it is intended: (a) to test the instruments; (b) to identify the essential dimensions of the safety climate in the airport ground handling companies; (c) to assess the quality of the differences in the safety climate for each company and its relation to the accident rate; (d) to analyse the relationship between attitudes and safety climate; and (e) to evaluate the influences of situational and personal factors on both safety climate and attitude. The study sample consisted of 166 subjects from three airport companies. Specifically, this research was centered on ground handling departments. The factor analysis of the safety climate instrument resulted in six factors which explained 69.8% of the total variance. We found significant differences in safety attitudes and climate in relation to type of enterprise.

Effects of organizational safety practices and perceived safety climate on PPE usage, engineering controls, and adverse events involving liquid antineoplastic drugs among nurses.

Science.gov (United States)

DeJoy, David M; Smith, Todd D; Woldu, Henok; Dyal, Mari-Amanda; Steege, Andrea L; Boiano, James M

2017-07-01

Antineoplastic drugs pose risks to the healthcare workers who handle them. This fact notwithstanding, adherence to safe handling guidelines remains inconsistent and often poor. This study examined the effects of pertinent organizational safety practices and perceived safety climate on the use of personal protective equipment, engineering controls, and adverse events (spill/leak or skin contact) involving liquid antineoplastic drugs. Data for this study came from the 2011 National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) Health and Safety Practices Survey of Healthcare Workers which included a sample of approximately 1,800 nurses who had administered liquid antineoplastic drugs during the past seven days. Regression modeling was used to examine predictors of personal protective equipment use, engineering controls, and adverse events involving antineoplastic drugs. Approximately 14% of nurses reported experiencing an adverse event while administering antineoplastic drugs during the previous week. Usage of recommended engineering controls and personal protective equipment was quite variable. Usage of both was better in non-profit and government settings, when workers were more familiar with safe handling guidelines, and when perceived management commitment to safety was higher. Usage was poorer in the absence of specific safety handling procedures. The odds of adverse events increased with number of antineoplastic drugs treatments and when antineoplastic drugs were administered more days of the week. The odds of such events were significantly lower when the use of engineering controls and personal protective equipment was greater and when more precautionary measures were in place. Greater levels of management commitment to safety and perceived risk were also related to lower odds of adverse events. These results point to the value of implementing a comprehensive health and safety program that utilizes available hazard controls and effectively communicates

Building a World-Class Safety Culture: The National Ignition Facility and the Control of Human and Organizational Error

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bennett, C T; Stalnaker, G

2002-01-01

Accidents in complex systems send us signals. They may be harbingers of a catastrophe. Some even argue that a ''normal'' consequence of operations in a complex organization may not only be the goods it produces, but also accidents and--inevitably--catastrophes. We would like to tell you the story of a large, complex organization, whose history questions the argument ''that accidents just happen.'' Starting from a less than enviable safety record, the National Ignition Facility (NIF) has accumulated over 2.5 million safe hours. The story of NIF is still unfolding. The facility is still being constructed and commissioned. But the steps NIF has taken in achieving its safety record provide a principled blueprint that may be of value to others. Describing that principled blueprint is the purpose of this paper. The first part of this paper is a case study of NIF and its effort to achieve a world-class safety record. This case study will include a description of (1) NIF's complex systems, (2) NIF's early safety history, (3) factors that may have initiated its safety culture change, and (4) the evolution of its safety blueprint. In the last part of the paper, we will compare NIF's safety culture to what safety industry experts, psychologists, and sociologists say about how to shape a culture and control organizational error

Managing SMEs’ Collaboration Across Organizational Boundaries Within a Regional Business Ecosystem

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Radziwon, Agnieszka; Bogers, Marcel

2018-01-01

autonomy and control over the partners and indicate shared issues and responsibilities crucial for further ecosystem development. As a conclusion, we offer a set of recommendations both for managers and policymakers concerning general organizational requirements and governing structures.......’ perspective on managing and organizing inter-company collaboration within a regional business. We explore how purposefully managed mutual knowledge flows across organizational boundaries applied by SMEs contribute to the development of the ecosystem they are immersed in. Our key findings include insights...

In situ solid-state NMR and XRD studies of the ADOR process and the unusual structure of zeolite IPC-6

Science.gov (United States)

Morris, Samuel A.; Bignami, Giulia P. M.; Tian, Yuyang; Navarro, Marta; Firth, Daniel S.; Čejka, Jiří; Wheatley, Paul S.; Dawson, Daniel M.; Slawinski, Wojciech A.; Wragg, David S.; Morris, Russell E.; Ashbrook, Sharon E.

2017-10-01

The assembly-disassembly-organization-reassembly (ADOR) mechanism is a recent method for preparing inorganic framework materials and, in particular, zeolites. This flexible approach has enabled the synthesis of isoreticular families of zeolites with unprecedented continuous control over porosity, and the design and preparation of materials that would have been difficult—or even impossible—to obtain using traditional hydrothermal techniques. Applying the ADOR process to a parent zeolite with the UTL framework topology, for example, has led to six previously unknown zeolites (named IPC-n, where n = 2, 4, 6, 7, 9 and 10). To realize the full potential of the ADOR method, however, a further understanding of the complex mechanism at play is needed. Here, we probe the disassembly, organization and reassembly steps of the ADOR process through a combination of in situ solid-state NMR spectroscopy and powder X-ray diffraction experiments. We further use the insight gained to explain the formation of the unusual structure of zeolite IPC-6.

Safety Learning, Organizational Contradictions and the Dynamics of Safety Practice

Science.gov (United States)

Ripamonti, Silvio Carlo; Scaratti, Giuseppe

2015-01-01

Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to explore the enactment of safety routines in a transshipment port. Research on work safety and reliability has largely neglected the role of the workers' knowledge in practice in the enactment of organisational safety. The workers' lack of compliance with safety regulations represents an enduring problem…

Safety aspects of pressurised water reactors

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1985-01-01

This submission to the Health and Safety Executive has been prepared by the Institution of Professional Civil Servants (IPCS) as a contribution to the debate on safety aspects associated with Pressurized Water Reactors (PWRs). Although supporting an energy policy which includes the development of nuclear power, assurances are sought on a number of safety issues if it is decided that this should be generated by a PWR-type reactor. These issues are listed. In particular the following are mentioned: the wider publication of design information, the use of elastic-plastic fracture mechanics as the basis for determining pressure vessel integrity, the failure rate of steam generating units, water coolant quality control, greater investigation of two-phase flow accident conditions, the components of the reactor cooling system and training of reactor personnel in the understanding of LOCA effects. (U.K.)

Datasets on organizational citizenship behavior in the selected hospitals with different ownership.

Science.gov (United States)

Jahani, Mohammad Ali; Mahmoudjanloo, Shahrbanoo; Rostami, Fatemeh Hoseini; Nikbakht, Hosein Ali; Mahmoudi, Ghahraman

2018-08-01

Studying the role of employees as the base of an organization on achieving organizational goals has increased in recent years [1]. To have better organizational citizens, organizations should encourage their staff [2]. As the most powerful form of organizational behavior, organizational citizenship is more influential than organizational cooperation [3]. Studies have shown that cooperative behavior, such as the citizenship behavior results in easier organizational communication, promoting organizational planning, improving inter-personal cooperation and developing better organizational climate, directly influence staff satisfaction, work life quality, service-provision, job commitment and financial output [4]. As the most fundamental organizational behavior, the organizational citizenship behavior (OCB) causes so-called organizational effectiveness. This study Focused on the comparing organizational citizenship behavior components including conscientiousness, courtesy, altruism, sportsmanship and civic virtue among hospitals based on ownership. Research population included all therapeutic and non-therapeutic employees working in the five selected hospital located in Golestan province, Iran in 2016. This study is approved by Ethical committee of Islamic Azad Sari Branch. Based on Cochran׳s sampling formula, 312 employees working in different hospital sections and units (nurses and administrative personnel) were proportionally selected as the research sample. They completed the Persian version of Podsakoff׳s standard scale measuring organizational citizenship behavior. The data were analyzed using SPSS 22 and applying inferential statistics approaches such as t-test, Tukey, and ANOVA in the confidence interval of 95%.

Managing SMEs’ Collaboration Across Organizational Boundaries Within a Regional Business Ecosystem

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Radziwon, Agnieszka; Bogers, Marcel

2017-01-01

’ perspective on managing and organizing inter-company collaboration within a regional business ecosystem. We explore how purposefully managed mutual knowledge flows across organizational boundaries applied by SMEs contribute to the development of the ecosystem they are immersed in. Our key findings include...... challenges, such as low autonomy and control over the partners and indicate shared issues and responsibilities crucial for further ecosystem development. As a conclusion, we offer a set of recommendations both for managers and policymakers concerning general organizational requirements and governing...... structures....

Indicators of safety culture - selection and utilization of leading safety performance indicators

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Reiman, Teemu; Pietikaeinen, Elina (VTT, Technical Research Centre of Finland (Finland))

2010-03-15

Safety indicators play a role in providing information on organizational performance, motivating people to work on safety and increasing organizational potential for safety. The aim of this report is to provide an overview on leading safety indicators in the domain of nuclear safety. The report explains the distinction between lead and lag indicators and proposes a framework of three types of safety performance indicators - feedback, monitor and drive indicators. Finally the report provides guidance for nuclear energy organizations for selecting and interpreting safety indicators. It proposes the use of safety culture as a leading safety performance indicator and offers an example list of potential indicators in all three categories. The report concludes that monitor and drive indicators are so called lead indicators. Drive indicators are chosen priority areas of organizational safety activity. They are based on the underlying safety model and potential safety activities and safety policy derived from it. Drive indicators influence control measures that manage the socio technical system; change, maintain, reinforce, or reduce something. Monitor indicators provide a view on the dynamics of the system in question; the activities taking place, abilities, skills and motivation of the personnel, routines and practices - the organizational potential for safety. They also monitor the efficacy of the control measures that are used to manage the socio technical system. Typically the safety performance indicators that are used are lagging (feedback) indicators that measure the outcomes of the socio technical system. Besides feedback indicators, organizations should also acknowledge the important role of monitor and drive indicators in managing safety. The selection and use of safety performance indicators is always based on an understanding (a model) of the socio technical system and safety. The safety model defines what risks are perceived. It is important that the safety

Indicators of safety culture - selection and utilization of leading safety performance indicators

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Reiman, Teemu; Pietikaeinen, Elina

2010-03-01

Safety indicators play a role in providing information on organizational performance, motivating people to work on safety and increasing organizational potential for safety. The aim of this report is to provide an overview on leading safety indicators in the domain of nuclear safety. The report explains the distinction between lead and lag indicators and proposes a framework of three types of safety performance indicators - feedback, monitor and drive indicators. Finally the report provides guidance for nuclear energy organizations for selecting and interpreting safety indicators. It proposes the use of safety culture as a leading safety performance indicator and offers an example list of potential indicators in all three categories. The report concludes that monitor and drive indicators are so called lead indicators. Drive indicators are chosen priority areas of organizational safety activity. They are based on the underlying safety model and potential safety activities and safety policy derived from it. Drive indicators influence control measures that manage the socio technical system; change, maintain, reinforce, or reduce something. Monitor indicators provide a view on the dynamics of the system in question; the activities taking place, abilities, skills and motivation of the personnel, routines and practices - the organizational potential for safety. They also monitor the efficacy of the control measures that are used to manage the socio technical system. Typically the safety performance indicators that are used are lagging (feedback) indicators that measure the outcomes of the socio technical system. Besides feedback indicators, organizations should also acknowledge the important role of monitor and drive indicators in managing safety. The selection and use of safety performance indicators is always based on an understanding (a model) of the socio technical system and safety. The safety model defines what risks are perceived. It is important that the safety

Cultural Humility and Hospital Safety Culture.

Science.gov (United States)

Hook, Joshua N; Boan, David; Davis, Don E; Aten, Jamie D; Ruiz, John M; Maryon, Thomas

2016-12-01

Hospital safety culture is an integral part of providing high quality care for patients, as well as promoting a safe and healthy environment for healthcare workers. In this article, we explore the extent to which cultural humility, which involves openness to cultural diverse individuals and groups, is related to hospital safety culture. A sample of 2011 hospital employees from four hospitals completed measures of organizational cultural humility and hospital safety culture. Higher perceptions of organizational cultural humility were associated with higher levels of general perceptions of hospital safety, as well as more positive ratings on non-punitive response to error (i.e., mistakes of staff are not held against them), handoffs and transitions, and organizational learning. The cultural humility of one's organization may be an important factor to help improve hospital safety culture. We conclude by discussing potential directions for future research.

The Effect of Individual and Organizational Variables on Patient Safety Culture (PSC: A Case Study on Nurses

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Mohammad Khandan

2016-07-01

Full Text Available Background & Aims of the Study: The purpose of the hospital accreditation program is to improve the patients' safety. Prevention of mistakes in medical procedures, patients' safety risk identification and infection prevention besides the patients' safety culture (PSC are the key factors that must be considered in a successful patients' safety program.This study aimed to assess PSC and its association with demographic factors among nurses of a hospital in Qom, Iran. Materials & Methods: This research as a descriptive-analytical andcross-sectional study on the effect of individual and organizational variables on patients' safety culture among nurses was conducted in 2015. The final sample included 106 employees from one of the hospitals located in Qom province of Iran. The questionnaires consisted demographic questions and a valid questionnaire about patients' safety culture. T-test, ANOVA and Pearson correlation were conducted to analyze the data by SPSS V20. Results:The age of nurses was 35.15±10.33 (Mean±SD years. Results showed that the patients' safety climate scoreamongnurseswas 70.15±7.23. In addition, there are significant differences between groups of work shift and also education levels in the viewpoints of patients' safety (p0.05. Conclusions: Although, based on our finding,considered hospital had a suitable situation of patients' safety culture, but it is important to pay attention to continuous improvement in the scope of health care workers and patient safety to achieve criticalmission and visions of organizing. Job selection on the basis of demographic considerations and implementation of an accreditation plan for health care systems are two examples of how occupational safety and health tools can be used to provide quality improvement information for health care organizations such as hospitals.

The relationship between organizational culture and family satisfaction in critical care.

Science.gov (United States)

Dodek, Peter M; Wong, Hubert; Heyland, Daren K; Cook, Deborah J; Rocker, Graeme M; Kutsogiannis, Demetrios J; Dale, Craig; Fowler, Robert; Robinson, Sandra; Ayas, Najib T

2012-05-01

Family satisfaction with critical care is influenced by a variety of factors. We investigated the relationship between measures of organizational and safety culture, and family satisfaction in critical care. We further explored differences in this relationship depending on intensive care unit survival status and length of intensive care unit stay of the patient. Cross-sectional surveys. Twenty-three tertiary and community intensive care units within three provinces in Canada. One thousand two-hundred eighty-five respondents from 2374 intensive care unit clinical staff, and 880 respondents from 1381 family members of intensive care unit patients. None. Intensive care unit staff completed the Organization and Management of Intensive Care Units survey and the Hospital Survey on Patient Safety Culture. Family members completed the Family Satisfaction in the Intensive Care Unit 24, a validated survey of family satisfaction. A priori, we analyzed adjusted relationships between each domain score from the culture surveys and either satisfaction with care or satisfaction with decision-making for each of four subgroups of family members according to patient descriptors: intensive care unit survivors who had length of intensive care unit stay 14 days, and intensive care unit nonsurvivors who had length of stay relationships between most domains of organizational and safety culture, and satisfaction with care or decision-making for family members of intensive care unit nonsurvivors who spent at least 14 days in the intensive care unit. For the other three groups, there were only a few weak relationships between domains of organizational and safety culture and family satisfaction. Our findings suggest that the effect of organizational culture on care delivery is most easily detectable by family members of the most seriously ill patients who interact frequently with intensive care unit staff, who are intensive care unit nonsurvivors, and who spend a longer time in the intensive

The relationship between patient safety climate and occupational safety climate in healthcare - A multi-level investigation.

Science.gov (United States)

Pousette, Anders; Larsman, Pernilla; Eklöf, Mats; Törner, Marianne

2017-06-01

Patient safety climate/culture is attracting increasing research interest, but there is little research on its relation with organizational climates regarding other target domains. The aim of this study was to investigate the relationship between patient safety climate and occupational safety climate in healthcare. The climates were assessed using two questionnaires: Hospital Survey on Patient Safety Culture and Nordic Occupational Safety Climate Questionnaire. The final sample consisted of 1154 nurses, 886 assistant nurses, and 324 physicians, organized in 150 work units, within hospitals (117units), primary healthcare (5units) and elderly care (28units) in western Sweden, which represented 56% of the original sample contacted. Within each type of safety climate, two global dimensions were confirmed in a higher order factor analysis; one with an external focus relative the own unit, and one with an internal focus. Two methods were used to estimate the covariation between the global climate dimensions, in order to minimize the influence of bias from common method variance. First multilevel analysis was used for partitioning variances and covariances in a within unit part (individual level) and a between unit part (unit level). Second, a split sample technique was used to calculate unit level correlations based on aggregated observations from different respondents. Both methods showed associations similar in strength between the patient safety climate and the occupational safety climate domains. The results indicated that patient safety climate and occupational safety climate are strongly positively related at the unit level, and that the same organizational processes may be important for the development of both types of organizational climate. Safety improvement interventions should not be separated in different organizational processes, but be planned so that both patient safety and staff safety are considered concomitantly. Copyright © 2017 National Safety

Patient Safety and Organizational Learning

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Zinck Pedersen, Kirstine

pragmatism, situated learning theory and science and technology studies, the paper contrasts the notion of ‘systemic’ learning expressed by the safety policy program with notions of learning as a socio-materially situated practice. Based on fieldwork conducted in 2010 in a Danish university hospital, I...... propose that learning, and more specifically learning from critical incidents, should be understood as a practical and experience-based activity as well as an equally individual and social achievement, which is always formed in relation to the specificities of the concrete situation. Parting from......The key trope of patient safety policy is learning. With the motto of going from ‘a culture of blame to a learning culture’, the safety program introduces a ‘systemic perspective’ to facilitate openness and willingness to talk about failures, hereby making failures into a system property. Within...

Understanding the Dynamics of High Tech Knowledge Creation across Organizational Boundaries

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Smith, Pernille; Ulhøi, John Parm

. Existing literature, however, offers little in-depth insight into why and how such inter-organizational collaborations often encounter difficulties in crossing these boundaries and thus in accomplishing the expected joint knowledge creation and exchange. Departing from Carlile's (2004) integrated framework...... for managing knowledge across boundaries, in this paper we identify the knowledge boundaries present in a longitudinal R&D collaboration between six organizations. We analyzed how these boundaries were partially overcome, and present a fourth knowledge boundary, which causes major challenges in the inter...

The Telework as an Organizational Innovation in the Entities of the Third Sector

OpenAIRE

à ngel Belzunegui; Amaya Erro; Inma Pastor

2014-01-01

This article discusses the role of the telework as an organizational innovation incorporated to the activities of the third sector as well as in the creation of networks and links between these entities. The telework has become a tool that has produced important changes in the traditional organization of the work, and has improved the inter- and intra-organizational communication, in addition to promoting the creation of extensive networks of collaboration in the third sector. The online conn...

Safety requirements in the design of research reactors: A Canadian perspective

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lee, A.G.; Langman, V.J.

2000-01-01

In Canada, the formal development of safety requirements for the design of research reactors in general began under an inter-organizational Small Reactor Criteria Committee. This committee developed safety and licensing criteria for use by several small reactor projects in their licensing discussions with the Atomic Energy Control Board. The small reactor projects or facilities represented included the MAPLE-X10 reactor, the proposed SES-10 heating reactor and its prototype, the SDR reactor at the Whiteshell Laboratories, the Korea Multipurpose Research Reactor (a.k.a., HANARO) in Korea, the SCORE project, and the McMaster University Nuclear Reactor. The top level set of criteria which form a safety philosophy and serve as a framework for more detailed developments was presented at an IAEA Conference in 1989. AECL continued this work to develop safety principles and design criteria for new small reactors. The first major application of this work has been to the design, safety analysis and licensing of the MAPLE 1 and 2 reactors for the MDS Nordion Medical Isotope Reactor Project. This paper provides an overview of the safety principles and design criteria. Examples of an implementation of these safety principles and design criteria are drawn from the work to design the MAPLE 1 and 2 reactors. (author)

The impact of masculinity on safety oversights, safety priority and safety violations in two male-dominated occupations

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Nielsen, Kent; Hansen, Claus D.; Bloksgaard, Lotte

2015-01-01

Background Although men have a higher risk of occupational injuries than women the role of masculinity for organizational safety outcomes has only rarely been the object of research. Aim The current study investigated the association between masculinity and safety oversights, safety priority......-related context factors (safety leadership, commitment of the safety representative, and safety involvement) and three safety-related outcome factors (safety violations, safety oversights and safety priority) were administered twice 12 months apart to Danish ambulance workers (n = 1157) and slaughterhouse workers...

Safety Culture in Rosatom State Atomic Energy Corporation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Adamchik, S. A.

2016-01-01

The paper presents Rosatom State Atomic Energy Corporation (hereinafter “Rosatom”) current activity in safety culture enhancement. After the Chernobyl accident individual commitment to safety, organizational factors influencing on safety were put under more significant attention. Safety culture (hereinafter “SC”) should be considered like a resource to provide safety in nuclear facilities. The resource potential is in minimisation of breaches by development and existing that patterns of human performance and organizational behavior which form attitude to safety as an overriding.

The Study of Three Organizational Enigmas; Organizational Economy, Organizational Business and Organizational Skills

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

José G. Vargas Hernández

2010-03-01

Full Text Available Organizational economics makes important contributions to management theory. The focus of structural contingency theory is on the phenomena of the economy significant in organizational management theory and other new paradigms of organizational theories. However, the theory of organizational economics has hardly taken the multiple disciplines of organizational behaviour, strategy and theory, but is aligned with the management theories of psychology, sociology and policy dealing with human motivation, induction and enforcement as distinct from the theories of structures, strategies and planning to deal with designs appropriate for a computer on which the will of member compliance is not problematic (Donaldson, 1990. This paper aims at reviewing the organizational economics in detail, its definitions, implications and feature and Elements of organizational economics and also the prescriptive and descriptive organizational economics.

Safety culture: a survey of the state-of-the-art

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sorensen, J.N.

2002-01-01

This paper discusses the evolution of the term 'safety culture' and the perceived relationship between safety culture and safety of operations in nuclear power generation and other hazardous technologies. There is a widespread belief that safety culture is an important contributor to safety of operations. Empirical evidence that safety culture and other management and organizational factors influence operational safety is more readily available for the chemical process industry than for nuclear power plant operations. The commonly accepted attributes of safety culture include good organizational communications, good organizational learning, and senior management commitment to safety. Safety culture may be particularly important in reducing latent errors in complex, well-defended systems. The role of regulatory bodies in fostering strong safety cultures remains unclear, and additional work is required to define the essential attributes of safety culture and to identify reliable performance indicators

Understanding the Institutional Dimension of Inter-Agency Collaboration: The Basic Model

Science.gov (United States)

2012-10-01

between the sociological and economic traditions in institutional analysis, led by some organizational sociologists and micro- economists . Their purpose...Spies and Spies in Canada: Undercover at Home & Abroad (2005) Edmonton, AB: Folklore Publishing. Bourdieu, P. Distinction: A Social Critique of the ...Understanding the institutional dimension of inter-agency collaboration The Basic Model Eric Ouellet Royal Military College of

Safety Cultural Competency Modeling in Nuclear Organizations

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kim, Sa Kil; Oh, Yeon Ju; Luo, Meiling; Lee, Yong Hee [Korea Atomic Energy Research Institute, Daejeon (Korea, Republic of)

2014-05-15

The nuclear safety cultural competency model should be supplemented through a bottom-up approach such as behavioral event interview. The developed model, however, is meaningful for determining what should be dealt for enhancing safety cultural competency of nuclear organizations. The more details of the developing process, results, and applications will be introduced later. Organizational culture include safety culture in terms of its organizational characteristics.

The Study of Three Organizational Enigmas; Organizational Economy, Organizational Business and Organizational Skills

OpenAIRE

José G. Vargas Hernández; Mohammad Reza Noruzi

2010-01-01

Organizational economics makes important contributions to management theory. The focus of structural contingency theory is on the phenomena of the economy significant in organizational management theory and other new paradigms of organizational theories. However, the theory of organizational economics has hardly taken the multiple disciplines of organizational behaviour, strategy and theory, but is aligned with the management theories of psychology, sociology and policy dealing with human mot...

Beyond dark and bright: towards a more holistic understanding of inter-group networks.

Science.gov (United States)

Hejnova, Petra

2010-01-01

Networks are becoming a popular organizational form for structuring human activities. To date, scholars have addressed networks in a variety of fields, including sociology, economics, public administration, criminology, political science, and international security. However, little has been done so far to systematically examine the similarities, differences, and connections between network forms of organization across different academic disciplines. This has important implications for both theory and practice. The lack of attention paid to organizational similarities and differences prevents the exchange of knowledge developed across fields. In turn, policy-makers cannot take full advantage of existing research, and may miss opportunities to improve the work of some networks and combat that of others. To address this gap in the literature, this paper uses the combination of organizational environments and organizational goals to develop a new typology of inter-group networks, and thus improve our understanding of how human behaviour is coordinated through networks.

Analýza nástrojů marketingového mixu ve společnosti IPC Plast, s.r.o.

OpenAIRE

Straka, Martin

2009-01-01

Subject of this research work is to analyze the current marketing mix of IPC Plast, spol. s r. o. and proposition the recommendations for the creation of a new mix. The theoretical part discusses the concepts of marketing mix and describe its individual components. The practical part is to evaluate the marketing mix of the company.

"You're dealing with an emotionally charged individual...": an industry perspective on the challenges posed by medical tourists' informal caregiver-companions.

Science.gov (United States)

Casey, Victoria; Crooks, Valorie A; Snyder, Jeremy; Turner, Leigh

2013-07-26

ignoring established organizational rules, routines, and expectations. Furthermore, caregiver-companions may be susceptible to stresses and health and safety risks, which would further deteriorate their own abilities to offer the patient quality care. Although caregiver-companions can pose challenges to medical tourists, health workers, and medical tourism facilities, they can also assist in enhancing best care and offering meaningful support to medical tourists. If caregiver-companions are open to collaboration with IPCs, and particularly in the form of information sharing, then their experience abroad can be safer and less stressful for themselves and, by extension, for the accompanied patients and facility staff.

Evaluating safety-critical organizations - emphasis on the nuclear industry

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Reiman, Teemu; Oedewald, Pia (VTT, Technical Research Centre of Finland (Finland))

2009-04-15

An organizational evaluation plays a key role in the monitoring, as well as controlling and steering, of the organizational safety culture. If left unattended, organizations have a tendency to gradually drift into a condition where they have trouble identifying their vulnerabilities and mechanisms or practices that create or maintain these vulnerabilities. The aim of an organizational evaluation should be to promote increased understanding of the sociotechnical system and its changing vulnerabilities. Evaluation contributes to organizational development and management. Evaluations are used in various situations, but when the aim is to learn about possible new vulnerabilities, identify organizational reasons for problems, or prepare for future challenges, the organization is most open to genuine surprises and new findings. It is recommended that organizational evaluations should be conducted when - there are changes in the organizational structures - new tools are implemented - when the people report increased workplace stress or a decreased working climate - when incidents and near-misses increase - when work starts to become routine - when weak signals (such as employees voicing safety concerns or other worries, the organization 'feels' different, organizational climate has changed) are perceived. In organizations that already have a high safety level, safety managers work for their successors. This means that they seldom see the results of their successful efforts to improve safety. This is due to the fact that it takes time for the improvement to become noticeable in terms of increased measurable safety levels. The most challenging issue in an organizational evaluation is the definition of criteria for safety. We have adopted a system safety perspective and we state that an organization has a high potential for safety when - safety is genuinely valued and the members of the organization are motivated to put effort on achieving high levels of safety

Evaluating safety-critical organizations - emphasis on the nuclear industry

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Reiman, Teemu; Oedewald, Pia

2009-04-01

An organizational evaluation plays a key role in the monitoring, as well as controlling and steering, of the organizational safety culture. If left unattended, organizations have a tendency to gradually drift into a condition where they have trouble identifying their vulnerabilities and mechanisms or practices that create or maintain these vulnerabilities. The aim of an organizational evaluation should be to promote increased understanding of the sociotechnical system and its changing vulnerabilities. Evaluation contributes to organizational development and management. Evaluations are used in various situations, but when the aim is to learn about possible new vulnerabilities, identify organizational reasons for problems, or prepare for future challenges, the organization is most open to genuine surprises and new findings. It is recommended that organizational evaluations should be conducted when - there are changes in the organizational structures - new tools are implemented - when the people report increased workplace stress or a decreased working climate - when incidents and near-misses increase - when work starts to become routine - when weak signals (such as employees voicing safety concerns or other worries, the organization 'feels' different, organizational climate has changed) are perceived. In organizations that already have a high safety level, safety managers work for their successors. This means that they seldom see the results of their successful efforts to improve safety. This is due to the fact that it takes time for the improvement to become noticeable in terms of increased measurable safety levels. The most challenging issue in an organizational evaluation is the definition of criteria for safety. We have adopted a system safety perspective and we state that an organization has a high potential for safety when - safety is genuinely valued and the members of the organization are motivated to put effort on achieving high levels of safety - it is

Health care clinicians' engagement in organizational redesign of care processes: The importance of work and organizational conditions.

Science.gov (United States)

Dellve, L; Strömgren, M; Williamsson, A; Holden, R J; Eriksson, A

2018-04-01

The Swedish health care system is reorienting towards horizontal organization for care processes. A main challenge is to engage health care clinicians in the process. The aim of this study was to assess engagement (i.e. attitudes and beliefs, the cognitive state and clinical engagement behaviour) among health care clinicians, and to investigate how engagement was related to work resources and demands during organizational redesign. A cohort study was conducted, using a questionnaire distributed to clinicians at five hospitals working with care process improvement approaches, two of them having implemented Lean production. The results show that kinds of engagement are interlinked and contribute to clinical engagement behaviour in quality of care and patient safety. Increased work resources have importance for engagements in organizational improvements, especially in top-down implementations. An extended work engagement model during organizational improvements in health care was supported. The model contributes to knowledge about how and when clinicians are mobilized to engage in organizational changes. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

National Nuclear Safety Department Experience of Supervision over Safety Culture of BNPP-1

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sepanloo, K.; Ardeshir, A.T.

2016-01-01

The analysis of the past major NPPs accidents, TMI, Chernobyl and Fukushima Daiichi shows that causes of these accidents can be explained by a complex combination of human, technological and organizational factors. One of the findings of accident investigations and risk assessments is the growing recognition of the impact of cultural context of work practices on safety. The assumed link between culture and safety, epitomized through the concept of safety culture, has been the subject of extensive research in recent years. The term “safety culture” was first introduced into the nuclear industry by the IAEA in INSAG-1 to underline the role and importance of the organizational factors. The objective of this paper is to conduct an assessment of some safety culture indicators of Bushehr Nuclear Power Plant (BNPP-1).

Objective and character of safety culture

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Aastrand, K.

2005-01-01

The main topics of the lecture include: (1) concepts of safety culture introduced in INSAG-4, (2) stages of development of safety culture, (3) general practises to develop organizational effectiveness as a means of implementing and improving safety culture, (4) specific practises to develop safety culture applying to all stages of a nuclear installation's life cycle, (5) suggestions on assessing the progress of development of safety culture in an organization and on evaluating the influence of major environmental and internal organizational factors on that culture, and (6) guidance on the detection of incipient weaknesses in safety culture that may be of particular interest to regulators and those responsible for self-assessment in organization

Voices That Care: Licensed Practical Nurses and the Emotional Labour Underpinning Their Collaborative Interactions with Registered Nurses

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Truc Huynh

2011-01-01

Full Text Available Recognizing the emotional labour underlying interprofessional collaborations (IPCs could be considered a crucial step towards building a cohesive nursing team. Although IPCs between registered nurses (RNs and licensed practical nurses (LPNs have been linked to quality nursing care, little is known about the emotions experienced by LPNs during their interactions with RNs or those factors that influence IPCs. A questionnaire administered to 309 LPNs found that (1 the professional identity of LPNs has evolved into a that of a unique social group; (2 LPNs define IPC as an interpersonal process of exploring similar or dissimilar assessments of a patient's status with RNs and, together, establishing a course of nursing actions; (3 the primary organizational factor facilitating IPCs is inclusive nursing leadership; (4 the interpersonal factor promoting IPCs is the level of trust RNs extend to LPNs; and (5 an LPN's emotional labour (i.e., internal emotional regulation is most tangible during uncollaborative interactions with RNs.

Organizational injury rate underreporting: the moderating effect of organizational safety climate.

Science.gov (United States)

Probst, Tahira M; Brubaker, Ty L; Barsotti, Anthony

2008-09-01

The goals of this study were (a) to assess the extent to which construction industry workplace injuries and illness are underreported, and (b) to determine whether safety climate predicts the extent of such underreporting. Data from 1,390 employees of 38 companies contracted to work at a large construction site in the northwestern United States were collected to assess the safety climate of the companies. Data from the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) logs kept by the contractors allowed for calculation of each company's OSHA recordable injury rate (i.e., the reported injury rate), whereas medical claims data from an Owner-Controlled Insurance Program provided the actual experienced rate of injuries for those same companies. While the annual injury rate reported to OSHA was 3.11 injuries per 100 workers, the rate of eligible injuries that were not reported to OSHA was 10.90 injuries per 100 employees. Further, organizations with a poor safety climate had significantly higher rates of underreporting (81% of eligible injuries unreported) compared with organizations with a positive safety climate (47% of eligible injuries unreported). Implications for organizations and the accuracy of the Bureau of Labor Statistics's national occupational injury and illness surveillance system are discussed.

Workplace injuries, safety climate and behaviors: application of an artificial neural network.

Science.gov (United States)

Abubakar, A Mohammed; Karadal, Himmet; Bayighomog, Steven W; Merdan, Ethem

2018-05-09

This article proposes and tests a model for the interaction effect of the organizational safety climate and behaviors on workplace injuries. Using artificial neural network and survey data from 306 metal casting industry employees in central Anatolia, we found that an organizational safety climate mitigates workplace injuries, and safety behaviors enforce the strength of the negative impact of the safety climate on workplace injuries. The results suggest a complex relationship between the organizational safety climate, safety behavior and workplace injuries. Theoretical and practical implications are discussed in light of decreasing workplace injuries in the Anatolian metal casting industry.

Staff survey of organizational structure and process for a Public Health Department.

Science.gov (United States)

Dwyer, J J

1995-01-01

A survey of 227 North York Public Health Department (NYPHD) staff provided their perspective on the organizational structure. They perceived that (a) the departmental and divisional organizational structures are effective for program delivery, (b) the Central Resources structure and divisional and departmental reporting structures are moderately effective for program delivery, (c) the decentralized office structure is an advantage for service delivery but less so for administration and intra-division and inter-division communication, (d) the mandatory program structure involves low to moderate interdisciplinary teamwork and moderately impacts service delivery, (e) intra-division and management-staff communication are fair but inter-division and office communication are between poor and fair, (f) education, research, and service are moderately integrated, and (g) the divisional and departmental work atmospheres are a little positive. Management perceived greater participation in program planning, more frequent communication with other divisions, a number of education and research opportunities from various divisions/units, and more management recognition than front line staff did.

Inter-Professional Practices of Private-Sector Physiotherapists for Low Back Pain Management: Who, How, and When?

Science.gov (United States)

Perreault, Kadija; Dionne, Clermont E; Rossignol, Michel; Poitras, Stéphane; Morin, Diane

Purpose : Although there have been increasing demands for health care providers to take part in inter-professional practices in recent years, very little attention has been paid to the actualization of such practices in the private sector. This study describes private-sector physiotherapists' inter-professional practices regarding low back pain (LBP) management and identifies organizational and provider-level variables associated with the intensity of such practices. Method : A total of 327 randomly selected physiotherapists were surveyed in the province of Quebec. Data were analyzed using descriptive and multiple regression analyses. Results : Physiotherapists reported frequent interactions with other physiotherapists (daily/weekly for 52.6%), family physicians (51.0%), and physiotherapy (PT) assistants (45.2%), but infrequent interactions with psychologists (3.6%), neurosurgeons (0.9%), and chiropractors (0.3%). Frequently reported means of interactions were written and oral messages sent through clients (55.1% and 24.1%, respectively), face-to-face unplanned discussions (41.9%), and faxed or mailed letters (23.2%). Variables associated with the intensity of inter-professional practices (mean of 6.7 [ SD 1.7] out of 10 on the Intensity of Interprofessional Practices Questionnaire for Private Sector Physiotherapists) were related to physiotherapists' clientele, social activities with other providers, and perceptions of inter-professional practices as well as organizational models, vision, and provision of PT training. Conclusions: There is room to improve inter-professional practices with private-sector physiotherapists involved in managing LBP. Targets for action include physiotherapists and their workplaces.

After the Fukushima Daiichi Accident, Extending the Human and Organizational Factors (HOF) Framework to Safety Regulation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chanton, O.; Mangeon, M.; Jeffroy, F.

2016-01-01

The accident of Fukushima-Daichi is regarded as a product of multiple failures of the nuclear risks regulation system in Japan and more particularly as a failure of the regulatory system (authorities, regulator and operator) to take into account seismic risks and flood risks caused by tsunamis. This statement conducted the French institute for radiological protection and nuclear safety (IRSN) to develop a research program dedicated to the study of the way the French nuclear regulatory system developed and addresses flood risks. A regulatory system rests upon a number of institutional and organizational devices and upon normative tools, such as technical standards or guidelines. The aim of these normative tools is to guide NPP operators during both stages of risks identification and characterisation and of the design of protections against risks. These instruments have profound and multiple effects on the stakeholders involved. They affect the design of nuclear facilities, significantly influence the safety demonstration of a plant, but also the manner in which the actions implemented by the operator are evaluated and their reality controlled by the regulator.

Organizational Determinants of Workplace Violence Against Hospital Workers.

Science.gov (United States)

Arnetz, Judith; Hamblin, Lydia E; Sudan, Sukhesh; Arnetz, Bengt

2018-04-17

To identify organizational factors contributing to workplace violence in hospitals. A questionnaire survey was conducted in 2013 among employees in a Midwestern hospital system (n = 446 respondents). Questions concerned employees' experiences of violence at work in the previous year and perceptions of the organizational safety climate. Logistic regressions examined staff interaction and safety climate factors associated with verbal and physical violence, respectively. Interpersonal conflict was a risk factor for verbal violence (OR 1.49, 95% CI 1.04-2.12, p violence (OR .98, 0.97-0.99). A poor violence prevention climate was a risk factor for verbal (OR 0.48, 0.36-0.65, p violence. Interventions should aim at improving coworker relationships, work efficiency, and management promotion of the hospital violence prevention climate.

On the role of safety culture in risk-informed regulation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sorensen, J.N.; Apostolakis, G.E.; Powers, D.A.

2000-01-01

There is a widespread belief that safety culture is an important contributor to safety of operations. The commonly accepted attributes of safety culture include good organizational communications, good organizational learning, and senior management commitment to safety. Safety culture may be particularly important in reducing latent errors in complex, well-defended systems. The role of regulatory bodies in fostering strong safety cultures remains unclear, and additional work is required to define the essential attributes of safety culture and to identify reliable performance indicators. (author)

The Role of IT Assets in Organizational Accumulation and Appropriation of Social Capital for Business Risk Mitigation and Inter-Organizational Innovation

Science.gov (United States)

Simha, Anand N.

2013-01-01

This dissertation comprises of three essays examining the interplay of information technology with various social processes that typically inhabit the organizational space. The first essay presents the concept of a Relationship Memory System (RMS). This study uses grounded theory methodology and interview data collected at a global…

Relationship of safety culture and process safety

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Olive, Claire; O'Connor, T. Michael; Mannan, M. Sam

2006-01-01

Throughout history, humans have gathered in groups for social, religious, and industrial purposes. As the conglomeration of people interact, a set of underlying values, beliefs, and principles begins to develop that serve to guide behavior within the group. These 'guidelines' are commonly referred to as the group culture. Modern-day organizations, including corporations, have developed their own unique cultures derived from the diversity of the organizational interests and the background of the employees. Safety culture, a sub-set of organizational culture, has been a major focus in recent years. This is especially true in the chemical industry due to the series of preventable, safety-related disasters that occurred in the late seventies and eighties. Some of the most notable disasters, during this time period, occurred at Bhopal, Flixborough, and Seveso. However, current events, like the September 11th terrorist attacks and the disintegration of the Columbia shuttle, have caused an assessment of safety culture in a variety of other organizations

Analysis of human error and organizational deficiency in events considering risk significance

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lee, Yong Suk; Kim, Yoonik; Kim, Say Hyung; Kim, Chansoo; Chung, Chang Hyun; Jung, Won Dea

2004-01-01

In this study, we analyzed human and organizational deficiencies in the trip events of Korean nuclear power plants. K-HPES items were used in human error analysis, and the organizational factors by Jacobs and Haber were used for organizational deficiency analysis. We proposed the use of CCDP as a risk measure to consider risk information in prioritizing K-HPES items and organizational factors. Until now, the risk significance of events has not been considered in human error and organizational deficiency analysis. Considering the risk significance of events in the process of analysis is necessary for effective enhancement of nuclear power plant safety by focusing on causes of human error and organizational deficiencies that are associated with significant risk

Influence of organizational factors on performance reliability

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Haber, S.B.; O'Brien, J.N.; Metlay, D.S.; Crouch, D.A.

1991-12-01

This is the first volume of a two-volume report. Volume 2 will be published at a later date. This report presents the results of a research project conducted by Brookhaven National Laboratory for the United States Nuclear Regulatory Commission, Office of Nuclear Regulatory Research. The purpose of the project was to develop a general methodology to be use in the assessment of the organizational factors which affect performance reliability (safety) in a nuclear power plant. The research described in this report includes the development of the Nuclear Organization and Management Analysis Concept (GNOMIC). This concept characterizes the organizational factors that impact safety performance in a nuclear power plant and identifies some methods for systematically measuring and analyzing the influence of these factors on safety performance. This report is divided into two parts; Part 1 presents an overview of the development of the methodology, while Part 2 provides more details and a technical analysis of the methodological development. Specifically, the results of two demonstration studies, the feasibility of the methodology, and a specific applications for which the methodology was developed are presented

Inter-organisational response to disasters.

Science.gov (United States)

Paturas, James L; Smith, Stewart R; Albanese, Joseph; Waite, Geraldine

2016-01-01

Inter-organisational communication failures during times of real-world disasters impede the collaborative response of agencies responsible for ensuring the public's health and safety. In the best of circumstances, communications across jurisdictional boundaries are ineffective. In times of crisis, when communities are grappling with the impact of a disaster, communications become critically important and more complex. Important factors for improving inter-organisational communications are critical thinking and problem-solving skills; inter-organisational relationships; as well as strategic, tactical and operational communications. Improving communication, critical thinking, problem-solving and decision-making requires a review of leadership skills. This discussion begins with an analysis of the existing disaster management research and moves to an examination of the importance of inter-organisational working relationships. Before a successful resolution of a disaster by multiple levels of first responders, the group of organisations must have a foundation of trust, collegiality, flexibility, expertise, openness, relational networking and effective communications. Leaders must also be prepared to improve leadership skills through continual development in each of these foundational areas.

Overview of Recent Activities on Safety Culture and Human and Organizational Factors Carried Out at the Joint Research Centre of the European Commission

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Stručić, M.; Manna, G.

2016-01-01

The Institute for Energy and Transport (IET) of the Joint Research Centre (JRC) of the European Commission (EC) is since more than ten years active in the field of Safety Culture (SC) and Human and Organizational Factors (HOF). Several activities related to SC and HOF have been and are carried out in the frame of the EU Nuclear Safety Clearinghouse for Operating Experience Feedback (Clearinghouse). The Clearinghouse was established in 2008 to enhance nuclear safety through the lessons learned from NPP events, and to provide help in Operational Experience Feedback (OEF) process primarily to nuclear safety Regulatory Authorities and to their Technical Support Organizations within the EU. Additionally to these activities, during the Fukushima accident, Clearinghouse has been regularly providing reports on the status and progress of the accident to the EU Regulatory Authorities. Moreover, experts, selected from the JRC staffing, were directly engaged in the EU-wide risk and safety assessments of nuclear power plants known as “the Stress Tests”.

16 CFR 1000.12 - Organizational structure.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-01-01

... FUNCTIONS § 1000.12 Organizational structure. The Consumer Product Safety Commission is composed of the... Commission: (1) Office of the General Counsel; (2) Office of Congressional Relations; (3) Office of the... Reduction; (3) Office of Information and Public Affairs; (4) Office of Compliance and Field Operations; (5...

Activities on safety culture study. Study status in public and private sectors

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Makino, Maomi; Takano, Kenichi

2004-01-01

Around after entering in the 21st century, organizational accidents had occurred in Japan at various industries including nuclear industry, which were caused directly by unsafe action, human error and illegal conduct of personnel but there were problems in safety culture of organization such as slow retreat of safety system stimulated by management, schedule control and procedure management becoming a dead letter, lack of safety education, and workplace climate of schedule priority. This article referred to organizational factors common to many severe accidents and introduced safety culture study in public and private sectors to overcome those factors. Safety Culture Evaluation Support Tool (SCEST) was developed for self-evaluation of safety culture of organization as well as Organizational Reliability model (OR model) for analysis of initiation and propagation process of risk event. Safety diagnosis system and feedback type risk assessment system for promoting safe organizational climate and culture were also developed. (T. Tanaka)

Special characteristics of safety organizations. Work psychological perspective

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Oedewald, P.; Reiman, T.

2007-03-15

This book deals with organizations that operate in high hazard industries, such as the nuclear power, aviation, oil and chemical industry organizations. The society puts a great strain on these organizations to rigorously manage the risks inherent in the technology they use and the products they produce. In this book, an organizational psychology view is taken to analyse what are the typical challenges of daily work in these environments. The analysis is based on a literature review about human and organizational factors in safety critical industries, and on the interviews of Finnish safety experts and safety managers from four different companies. In addition to this, personnel interviews conducted in the Finnish nuclear power plants are utilised. The authors come up with eight themes that seem to be common organizational challenges cross the industries. These include e.g. how does the personnel understand the risks and what is the right level for rules and procedures to guide the work activities. The primary aim of this book is to contribute to the nuclear safety research and safety management discussion. However, the book is equally suitable for risk management, organizational development and human resources management specialists in different industries. The purpose is to encourage readers to consider how the human and organizational factors are seen in the field they work in. (orig.)

Special characteristics of safety organizations. Work psychological perspective

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Oedewald, P.; Reiman, T.

2007-03-01

This book deals with organizations that operate in high hazard industries, such as the nuclear power, aviation, oil and chemical industry organizations. The society puts a great strain on these organizations to rigorously manage the risks inherent in the technology they use and the products they produce. In this book, an organizational psychology view is taken to analyse what are the typical challenges of daily work in these environments. The analysis is based on a literature review about human and organizational factors in safety critical industries, and on the interviews of Finnish safety experts and safety managers from four different companies. In addition to this, personnel interviews conducted in the Finnish nuclear power plants are utilised. The authors come up with eight themes that seem to be common organizational challenges cross the industries. These include e.g. how does the personnel understand the risks and what is the right level for rules and procedures to guide the work activities. The primary aim of this book is to contribute to the nuclear safety research and safety management discussion. However, the book is equally suitable for risk management, organizational development and human resources management specialists in different industries. The purpose is to encourage readers to consider how the human and organizational factors are seen in the field they work in. (orig.)

Measuring Best Practices for Workplace Safety, Health, and Well-Being: The Workplace Integrated Safety and Health Assessment.

Science.gov (United States)

Sorensen, Glorian; Sparer, Emily; Williams, Jessica A R; Gundersen, Daniel; Boden, Leslie I; Dennerlein, Jack T; Hashimoto, Dean; Katz, Jeffrey N; McLellan, Deborah L; Okechukwu, Cassandra A; Pronk, Nicolaas P; Revette, Anna; Wagner, Gregory R

2018-05-01

To present a measure of effective workplace organizational policies, programs, and practices that focuses on working conditions and organizational facilitators of worker safety, health and well-being: the workplace integrated safety and health (WISH) assessment. Development of this assessment used an iterative process involving a modified Delphi method, extensive literature reviews, and systematic cognitive testing. The assessment measures six core constructs identified as central to best practices for protecting and promoting worker safety, health and well-being: leadership commitment; participation; policies, programs, and practices that foster supportive working conditions; comprehensive and collaborative strategies; adherence to federal and state regulations and ethical norms; and data-driven change. The WISH Assessment holds promise as a tool that may inform organizational priority setting and guide research around causal pathways influencing implementation and outcomes related to these approaches.

Integrated Employee Occupational Health and Organizational-Level Registered Nurse Outcomes.

Science.gov (United States)

Mohr, David C; Schult, Tamara; Eaton, Jennifer Lipkowitz; Awosika, Ebi; McPhaul, Kathleen M

2016-05-01

The study examined organizational culture, structural supports, and employee health program integration influence on registered nurse (RN) outcomes. An organizational health survey, employee health clinical operations survey, employee attitudes survey, and administration data were collected. Multivariate regression models examined outcomes of sick leave, leave without pay, voluntary turnover, intention to leave, and organizational culture using 122 medical centers. Lower staffing ratios were associated with greater sick leave, higher turnover, and intention to leave. Safety climate was favorably associated with each of the five outcomes. Both onsite employee occupational health services and a robust health promotion program were associated with more positive organizational culture perceptions. Findings highlight the positive influence of integrating employee health and health promotion services on organizational health outcomes. Attention to promoting employee health may benefit organizations in multiple, synergistic ways.

Resolving conflicting safety cultures

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Slider, J.E.; Patterson, M.

1993-01-01

Several nuclear power plant sites have been wounded in the crossfire between two distinct corporate cultures. The traditional utility culture lies on one side and that of the nuclear navy on the other. The two corporate cultures lead to different perceptions of open-quotes safety culture.close quotes This clash of safety cultures obscures a very important point about nuclear plant operations: Safety depends on organizational learning. Organizational learning provides the foundation for a perception of safety culture that transcends the conflict between utility and nuclear navy cultures. Corporate culture may be defined as the knowledge, attitudes, and beliefs shared by employees of a given company. Safety culture is the part of corporate culture concerning shared attitudes and beliefs affecting individual or public safety. If the safety culture promotes behaviors that lead to greater safety, employees will tend to open-quotes do the right thingclose quotes even when circumstances and formal guidance alone do not ensure that actions will be correct. Safety culture has become particularly important to nuclear plant owners and regulators as they have sought to establish and maintain a high level of safety in today's plants

Organizational root causes for human factor accidents

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Dougherty, D.T.

1997-01-01

Accident prevention techniques and technologies have evolved significantly throughout this century from the earliest establishment of standards and procedures to the safety engineering improvements the fruits of which we enjoy today. Most of the recent prevention efforts focused on humans and defining human factor causes of accidents. This paper builds upon the remarkable successes of the past by looking beyond the human's action in accident causation to the organizational factors that put the human in the position to cause the accident. This organizational approach crosses all functions and all career fields

Trust and control interrelatedness: New perspectives on the trust-control nexus in organizational relations

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Costa, A.C.; Bijlsma-Frankema, K.M.

2007-01-01

This article introduces the special issue on New Perspectives on the Trust-Control Nexus in Organizational Relations. Trust and control are interlinked processes commonly seen as key to reach effectiveness in inter- and intraorganizational relations. The relation between trust and control is,

Patient safety in surgical environments: Cross-countries comparison of psychometric properties and results of the Norwegian version of the Hospital Survey on Patient Safety

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Nortvedt Monica W

2010-09-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background How hospital health care personnel perceive safety climate has been assessed in several countries by using the Hospital Survey on Patient Safety (HSOPS. Few studies have examined safety climate factors in surgical departments per se. This study examined the psychometric properties of a Norwegian translation of the HSOPS and also compared safety climate factors from a surgical setting to hospitals in the United States, the Netherlands and Norway. Methods This survey included 575 surgical personnel in Haukeland University Hospital in Bergen, an 1100-bed tertiary hospital in western Norway: surgeons, operating theatre nurses, anaesthesiologists, nurse anaesthetists and ancillary personnel. Of these, 358 returned the HSOPS, resulting in a 62% response rate. We used factor analysis to examine the applicability of the HSOPS factor structure in operating theatre settings. We also performed psychometric analysis for internal consistency and construct validity. In addition, we compared the percent of average positive responds of the patient safety climate factors with results of the US HSOPS 2010 comparative data base report. Results The professions differed in their perception of patient safety climate, with anaesthesia personnel having the highest mean scores. Factor analysis using the original 12-factor model of the HSOPS resulted in low reliability scores (r = 0.6 for two factors: "adequate staffing" and "organizational learning and continuous improvement". For the remaining factors, reliability was ≥ 0.7. Reliability scores improved to r = 0.8 by combining the factors "organizational learning and continuous improvement" and "feedback and communication about error" into one six-item factor, supporting an 11-factor model. The inter-item correlations were found satisfactory. Conclusions The psychometric properties of the questionnaire need further investigations to be regarded as reliable in surgical environments. The operating

Analysis of 'human element related trip case book in Korean NPPs' using organizational factors

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kim, S. Y.; Kim, Y. I.; Lee, Y. S.; Kim, C. S.; Jung, C. H.; Jung, W. D.

2002-01-01

There have been no studies appling organizational factors to data analysis in Korean NPPs. In this paper, data in 'human element related trip case book in Korean NPPs' are analyzed and categorized by the 20 organizational factors of NRC-BNL according to the cause of reactor trip. These inform us how organizational factors affected on the safety of Korean NPPs. Consequently important organizational factor are identified through which it is known that NPP organization would have a tendency

Examining Organizational Learning in Schools: The Role of Psychological Safety, Experimentation, and Leadership that Reinforces Learning

Science.gov (United States)

Higgins, Monica; Ishimaru, Ann; Holcombe, Rebecca; Fowler, Amy

2012-01-01

This study draws upon theory and methods from the field of organizational behavior to examine organizational learning (OL) in the context of a large urban US school district. We build upon prior literature on OL from the field of organizational behavior to introduce and validate three subscales that assess key dimensions of organizational learning…

Organizational culture and organizational commitment: Serbian case

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Mitić Siniša

2016-01-01

Full Text Available The paper presents the results of the impact of certain dimensions of organizational culture (Future Orientation, Power Distance, Human Orientation and Performance Orientation on organizational commitment in companies in Serbia. Through a survey, responses were obtained from a total of N = 400 middle managers from 129 companies. The results show a statistically significant correlation between the observed dimensions of organizational culture and organizational commitment dimensions. Also, there is a statistically significant predictive effect of certain dimensions of organizational culture on the dimensions of organizational commitment. The biggest influences on the dimensions of organizational commitment have dimensions Future Orientation - FO and Performance Orientation - PO. On the other hand, under the most affected dimension of organizational culture is the dimension of organizational commitment Organizational identification - OCM1.

Development of small reactor safety criteria in Canada

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ernst, P.C.; French, P.M.; Axford, D.J.; Snell, V.G.

1990-01-01

A number of new small reactor designs have been proposed in Canada over the last several years and some have reached the stage where licensing discussions have been initiated with the Atomic Energy Control Board (AECB). An inter-organizational Small Reactor Criteria (SRC) working group was formed in 1988 to propose safety and licensing criteria for these small reactors. Two levels of criteria are proposed. The first level forms a safety philosophy and the second is a set of criteria for specific reactor applications. The safety philosophy consists of three basic safety objectives together with evaluation criteria, and fourteen fundamental principles measured by specific criteria, which must be implemented to meet the safety objectives. Two of the fourteen principles are prime: defence in depth, and safety culture; the other twelve principles can be seen as deriving from them. A benefit of this approach is that the concepts of defence in depth and safety culture become well-defined. The objectives and principles are presented in the paper and their criteria are summarized. The second level of criteria, under development, will form a safety application set and will provide small reactor criteria in a number of general areas, such as regulatory process and safety assessment, as well as for specific reactor life-cycle activities, from siting through to decommissioning. The criteria are largely deterministic. However, the frequencies and consequences of postulated accidents are assessed against numerical criteria to assist in judging the acceptability of plant design, operation, and proposed siting. All criteria proposed are designed to be testable in some evidentiary fashion, readily enabling an assessment of compliance for a given proposal

A guideline for comprehensive evaluation of a licensee's effort to cultivate safety culture

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Makino, Maomi; Ishii, Yoichi

2009-01-01

The nuclear industry in Japan had held excellent performance in safety in the world during 90's. However recent events stem from organizational factors and defects of safety culture are pointed out in their contexts. In order to reduce accidents caused by organizational factors, the Japanese Regulatory body NISA (Nuclear and Industrial Safety Agency) decided to evaluate a licensee's effort for the cultivation of safety culture, and to order all licensses to add the provision of cultivating safety culture to their safety preservation rules. The inspection for the new safety preservation rules started in December, 2007. For a measure of evaluation by resident inspectors, NISA and the Japan Nuclear Energy Safety Organization (JNES) prepared a guideline for the prevention of degradation of safety culture and organizational climate. In this guideline, 14 items were defined as the components of the safety culture or as the viewpoints to evaluate the effort made to prevent any degradation of safety culture and organizational climate in the daily safety preservation activities. The 14 items are also used to establish the method to comprehensively evaluate the effort to prevent degradation of safety culture and organizational climate. This method consists of 10 steps: two steps to taken prior to start of the evaluation, two steps to be taken during the evaluation period, 5 steps to be taken during a comprehensive evaluation period and a final step to be taken for comprehensive findings for safety culture. This paper mainly describes the viewpoints to evaluate comprehensively a licensee's effort for cultivation of safety culture. (author)

Beyond safety accountability

CERN Document Server

Geller, E Scott

2001-01-01

Written in an easy-to-read conversational tone, Beyond Safety Accountability explains how to develop an organizational culture that encourages people to be accountable for their work practices and to embrace a higher sense of personal responsibility. The author begins by thoroughly explaining the difference between safety accountability and safety responsibility. He then examines the need of organizations to improve safety performance, discusses why such performance improvement can be achieved through a continuous safety process, as distinguished from a safety program, and provides the practic

Overcoming the organization-practice barrier in sports injury prevention: A nonhierarchical organizational model.

Science.gov (United States)

Dahlström, Ö; Jacobsson, J; Timpka, T

2015-08-01

The organization of sports at the national level has seldom been included in scientific discussions of sports injury prevention. The aim of this study was to develop a model for organization of sports that supports prevention of overuse injuries. The quality function deployment technique was applied in seminars over a two-season period to develop a national organizational structure for athletics in Sweden that facilitates prevention of overuse injuries. Three central features of the resulting model for organization of sports at the national level are (a) diminishment of the organizational hierarchy: participatory safety policy design is introduced through annual meetings where actors from different sectors of the sporting community discuss training, injury prevention, and sports safety policy; (b) introduction of a safety surveillance system: a ubiquitous system for routine collection of injury and illness data; and (c) an open forum for discussion of safety issues: maintenance of a safety forum for participants from different sectors of the sport. A nonhierarchical model for organization of sports at the national level - facilitated by modern information technology - adapted for the prevention of overuse injuries has been developed. Further research is warranted to evaluate the new organizational model in prospective effectiveness studies. © 2014 John Wiley & Sons A/S. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Organizational learning and organizational design

OpenAIRE

Curado, Carla

2006-01-01

Literature review Approach This paper explores a new idea presenting the possible relationship between organizational learning and organizational design. The establishment of this relation is based upon extensive literature review. Findings Organizational learning theory has been used to understand several organizational phenomena, like resources and competencies, tacit knowledge or the role of memory in the organization; however, it is difficult to identify fits and consequent misf...

Organizational, managerial, and institutional influences on risk management

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Perin, C.

1992-01-01

Organizational and managerial systems for risk management in nuclear power plants are under the influence of externally and internally generated goals. Externally, the NRC, public utility commissions, and such institutions as Institute of Nuclear Power Operations (INPO) establish requirements and guidelines for best practice. Internally, utility strategies define operational goals and standards for safety and production. One managerial responsibility in operating the complex, interdependent technological systems of nuclear power plants is to assure that the activities of departments, divisions, and functions are coordinated. These bridging processes need to be understood in order to suggest alternatives for organizing work and managing risk. To delineate the ways in which regulators and industry institutions affect these processes, details of their influences on daily practices can be addressed through a work system approach. The work system approach takes a dynamic view of organizational structures and managerial processes. Managers balance safety goals with efficiency and production goals through a continuous exchange of information, advice, expertise, budget allocations, personnel, and other resources, drawing on resources from within their organizations and from outside their boundaries. This exchange of resources is essential to organizational strategies for reducing and managing risk

Effects of sustainable employability policies on organizational performance

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Kraan, K.O.; Sanders, J.

2015-01-01

Presentations on the 11th International Conference on Occupational Stress and Health. Session: organizational justice and sustainability: approaches and implications for performance and the bottom line. Interactive paper session: sustainability, occupational safety and health: developing a research

Special characteristics of safety critical organizations. Work psychological perspective

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Oedewald, P.; Reiman, T.

2007-03-15

This book deals with organizations that operate in high hazard industries, such as the nuclear power, aviation, oil and chemical industry organizations. The society puts a great strain on these organizations to rigorously manage the risks inherent in the technology they use and the products they produce. In this book, an organizational psychology view is taken to analyse what are the typical challenges of daily work in these environments. The analysis is based on a literature review about human and organizational factors in safety critical industries, and on the interviews of Finnish safety experts and safety managers from four different companies. In addition to this, personnel interviews conducted in the Finnish nuclear power plants are utilised. The authors come up with eight themes that seem to be common organizational challenges cross the industries. These include e.g. how does the personnel understand the risks and what is the right level for rules and procedures to guide the work activities. The primary aim of this book is to contribute to the nuclear safety research and safety management discussion. However, the book is equally suitable for risk management, organizational development and human resources management specialists in different industries. The purpose is to encourage readers to consider how the human and organizational factors are seen in the field they work in. (orig.)

Humanitarian Information Management Network Effectiveness: An Analysis at the Organizational and Network Levels

Science.gov (United States)

Ngamassi Tchouakeu, Louis-Marie

2011-01-01

Massive international response to humanitarian crises such as the South Asian Tsunami in 2004, the Hurricane Katrina in 2005 and the Haiti earthquake in 2010 highlights the importance of humanitarian inter-organizational collaboration networks, especially in information management and exchange. Despite more than a decade old call for more research…

“You’re dealing with an emotionally charged individual…”: an industry perspective on the challenges posed by medical tourists’ informal caregiver-companions

Science.gov (United States)

2013-01-01

additional clients and by ignoring established organizational rules, routines, and expectations. Furthermore, caregiver-companions may be susceptible to stresses and health and safety risks, which would further deteriorate their own abilities to offer the patient quality care. Conclusions Although caregiver-companions can pose challenges to medical tourists, health workers, and medical tourism facilities, they can also assist in enhancing best care and offering meaningful support to medical tourists. If caregiver-companions are open to collaboration with IPCs, and particularly in the form of information sharing, then their experience abroad can be safer and less stressful for themselves and, by extension, for the accompanied patients and facility staff. PMID:23889860

Safety climate and injuries: an examination of theoretical and empirical relationships.

Science.gov (United States)

Beus, Jeremy M; Payne, Stephanie C; Bergman, Mindy E; Arthur, Winfred

2010-07-01

Our purpose in this study was to meta-analytically address several theoretical and empirical issues regarding the relationships between safety climate and injuries. First, we distinguished between extant safety climate-->injury and injury-->safety climate relationships for both organizational and psychological safety climates. Second, we examined several potential moderators of these relationships. Meta-analyses revealed that injuries were more predictive of organizational safety climate than safety climate was predictive of injuries. Additionally, the injury-->safety climate relationship was stronger for organizational climate than for psychological climate. Moderator analyses revealed that the degree of content contamination in safety climate measures inflated effects, whereas measurement deficiency attenuated effects. Additionally, moderator analyses showed that as the time period over which injuries were assessed lengthened, the safety climate-->injury relationship was attenuated. Supplemental meta-analyses of specific safety climate dimensions also revealed that perceived management commitment to safety is the most robust predictor of occupational injuries. Contrary to expectations, the operationalization of injuries did not meaningfully moderate safety climate-injury relationships. Implications and recommendations for future research and practice are discussed.

Preventing construction worker injury incidents through the management of personal stress and organizational stressors.

Science.gov (United States)

Leung, Mei-yung; Chan, Isabelle Yee Shan; Yu, Jingyu

2012-09-01

Construction workers (CWs) are positioned at the lowest level of an organization and thus have limited control over their work. For this reason, they are often deprived of their due rewards and training or sometimes are even compelled to focus on production at the expense of their own safety. These organizational stressors not only cause the CWs stress but also impair their safety behaviors. The impairment of safety behaviors is the major cause of CW injury incidents. Hence, to prevent injury incidents and enhance safety behaviors of CWs, the current study aimed to identify the impact of various organizational stressors and stress on CW safety behaviors and injury incidents. To achieve this aim, we surveyed 395 CWs. Using factor analysis, we identified five organizational stressors (unfair reward and treatment, inappropriate safety equipment, provision of training, lack of goal setting, and poor physical environment), two types of stress (emotional and physical), and safety behaviors. The results of correlation and regression analyses revealed the following: (1) injury incidents were minimized by safety behaviors but escalated by a lack of goal setting, (2) safety behaviors were maximized by moderate levels of emotional stress (i.e., an inverted U-shape relationship between these two variables) and increased in line with physical stress and inappropriate safety equipment, (3) emotional stress was positively predicted by the provision of training and inappropriate safety equipment, and (4) physical stress was predicted only by inappropriate safety equipment. Based on these results, we suggest various recommendations to construction stakeholders on how to prevent CW injury incidents. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Measurement of worker perceptions of trust and safety climate in managers and supervisors at commercial grain elevators.

Science.gov (United States)

Mosher, G A; Keren, N; Freeman, S A; Hurburgh, C R

2013-04-01

The safety climate of an agricultural workplace may be affected by several things, including the level of trust that workers have in their work group supervisor and organizational management. Safety climate has been used by previous safety researchers as a measure of worker perceptions of the relative importance of safety as compared with other operational goals. Trust has been linked to several positive safety outcomes, particularly in hazardous work environments, but has not been examined relative to safety climate in the perennially hazardous work environment of a commercial grain elevator. In this study, 177 workers at three Midwest grain elevator companies completed online surveys measuring their perceptions of trust and safety at two administrative levels: organizational management and work group supervisors. Positive and significant relationships were noted between trust and safety climate perceptions for organizational managers and for work group supervisors. Results from this research suggest that worker trust in organizational management and work group supervisors has a positive influence on the employees' perceptions of safety climate at the organizational and work group levels in an agricultural workplace.

Organizational determinants of interprofessional collaboration in integrative health care: systematic review of qualitative studies.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Vincent C H Chung

Full Text Available CONTEXT: Inteprofessional collaboration (IPC between biomedically trained doctors (BMD and traditional, complementary and alternative medicine practitioners (TCAMP is an essential element in the development of successful integrative healthcare (IHC services. This systematic review aims to identify organizational strategies that would facilitate this process. METHODS: We searched 4 international databases for qualitative studies on the theme of BMD-TCAMP IPC, supplemented with a purposive search of 31 health services and TCAM journals. Methodological quality of included studies was assessed using published checklist. Results of each included study were synthesized using a framework approach, with reference to the Structuration Model of Collaboration. FINDINGS: Thirty-seven studies of acceptable quality were included. The main driver for developing integrative healthcare was the demand for holistic care from patients. Integration can best be led by those trained in both paradigms. Bridge-building activities, positive promotion of partnership and co-location of practices are also beneficial for creating bonding between team members. In order to empower the participation of TCAMP, the perceived power differentials need to be reduced. Also, resources should be committed to supporting team building, collaborative initiatives and greater patient access. Leadership and funding from central authorities are needed to promote the use of condition-specific referral protocols and shared electronic health records. More mature IHC programs usually formalize their evaluation process around outcomes that are recognized both by BMD and TCAMP. CONCLUSIONS: The major themes emerging from our review suggest that successful collaborative relationships between BMD and TCAMP are similar to those between other health professionals, and interventions which improve the effectiveness of joint working in other healthcare teams with may well be transferable to promote better

A Study on Predictor Variables of Organizational Climate in Educational Institutes

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Gudivada Venkat Rao

2014-12-01

Full Text Available The Organization Climate is a fancied term which is relevant at any point of time and is transient. The contextual reference of Organizational Climate is made for its ability to attract, retain and nurture talent. But, even though higher education in India is important; it failed to attract the best talent. The Organizational Climate and its contents were subjected to further scrutiny in this paper in Institutes of Higher Education in Visakhapatnam. The study examines the profile factors and their influence on the components of Organizational Climate. Further, the intra and inter relationships were also tested. The results show direction to the practioners for improving the significant influencing factors. The sample of 150 faculty members was drawn from five Institutes of Higher Education in Visakhapatnam. The human resources practices relating to Working Conditions, Job Design, Performance Management, Compensation, Relations, Communications, Training and Development, Objectivity and Rationality, Grievance Handling and Welfare were considered for estimating the organizational climate. The multi-regression and mean analysis find organizational climate as moderate. The gender diversity and female influence were there in the Educational Institutes. However, Compensation has a very low mean. The Performance Management, Objectivity & Rationality and Relations were found to be the major influencers.

Diuron-induced rat urinary bladder carcinogenesis: mode of action and human relevance evaluations using the International Programme on Chemical Safety framework.

Science.gov (United States)

Da Rocha, Mitscheli Sanches; Arnold, Lora L; De Oliveira, Maria Luiza Cotrim Sartor; Catalano, Shadia M Ihlaseh; Cardoso, Ana Paula Ferragut; Pontes, Merielen G N; Ferrucio, Bianca; Dodmane, Puttappa R; Cohen, Samuel M; De Camargo, João Lauro V

2014-05-01

Diuron, a high volume substituted urea herbicide, induced high incidences of urinary bladder carcinomas and low incidences of kidney pelvis papillomas and carcinomas in rats exposed to high doses (2500 ppm) in a 2-year bioassay. Diuron is registered for both occupational and residential uses and is used worldwide for more than 30 different crops. The proposed rat urothelial mode of action (MOA) for this herbicide consists of metabolic activation to metabolites that are excreted and concentrated in the urine, leading to cytotoxicity, urothelial cell necrosis and exfoliation, regenerative hyperplasia, and eventually tumors. We show evidence for this MOA for diuron using the International Programme on Chemical Safety (IPCS) conceptual framework for evaluating an MOA for chemical carcinogens, and the United States Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) and IPCS framework for assessing human relevance.

Organizational culture: an important context for addressing and improving hospital to community patient discharge

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Hesselink, G.J.; Vernooij-Dassen, M.J.F.J.; Pijnenborg, L.; Barach, P.; Gademan, P.; Dudzik-Urbaniak, E.; Flink, M.; Orrego, C.; Toccafondi, G.; Johnson, J.K.; Schoonhoven, L.; Wollersheim, H.C.H.; et al.,

2013-01-01

BACKGROUND: Organizational culture is seen as having a growing impact on quality and safety of health care, but its impact on hospital to community patient discharge is relatively unknown. OBJECTIVES: To explore aspects of organizational culture to develop a deeper understanding of the discharge

Regulatory Oversight of Safety Culture in Finland: A Systemic Approach to Safety

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Oedewald, P.; Väisäsvaara, J.

2016-01-01

In Finland the Radiation and Nuclear Safety Authority STUK specifies detailed regulatory requirements for good safety culture. Both the requirements and the practical safety culture oversight activities reflect a systemic approach to safety: the interconnections between the technical, human and organizational factors receive special attention. The conference paper aims to show how the oversight of safety culture can be integrated into everyday oversight activities. The paper also emphasises that the scope of the safety culture oversight is not specific safety culture activities of the licencees, but rather the overall functioning of the licence holder or the new build project organization from safety point of view. The regulatory approach towards human and organizational factors and safety culture has evolved throughout the years of nuclear energy production in Finland. Especially the recent new build projects have highlighted the need to systematically pay attention to the non-technical aspects of safety as it has become obvious how the HOF issues can affect the design processes and quality of construction work. Current regulatory guides include a set of safety culture related requirements. The requirements are binding to the licence holders and they set both generic and specific demands on the licencee to understand, monitor and to develop safety culture of their own organization but also that of their supplier network. The requirements set for the licence holders has facilitated the need to develop the regulator’s safety culture oversight practices towards a proactive and systemic approach.

Safety in times of crises - the importance of industrial emergency plans

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Rademacher, H.; Schulten, R.

1989-01-01

Technical and organizational precautions cannot always avoid everyday risks such as accidents, fire, explosions, and other critical situations which without appropriate countermeasures can easily develop into emergencies. While in recent years considerable efforts have been going into improving the technical safety of industrial plants particularly susceptible to accidents (e.g. the nuclear and chemical industry), organizational safety seems to have been neglected. An analysis of different accidents reveals human fallibility rather than technical failures to be causing damage in many cases. Industrial emergency plans are considered to be contributing to the improvement of organizational safety. (orig.) [de

Safety culture

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1991-01-01

The response to a previous publication by the International Nuclear Safety Advisory Group (INSAG), indicated a broad international interest in expansion of the concept of Safety Culture, in such a way that its effectiveness in particular cases may be judged. This report responds to that need. In its manifestation, Safety Culture has two major components: the framework determined by organizational policy and by managerial action, and the response of individuals in working within and benefiting by the framework. 1 fig

Safety Management Characteristics Reflected in Interviews at Swedish Nuclear Power Plants: A System Perspective Approach

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Salo, Ilkka (Risk Analysis, Social and Decision Research Unit, Dept. of Psychology, Stockholm Univ., Stockholm (Sweden))

2005-12-15

The present study investigated safety management characteristics reflected in interviews with participants from two Swedish nuclear power plants. A document analysis regarding the plants' organization, safety policies, and safety culture work was carried out as well. The participants (n=9) were all nuclear power professionals, and the majority managers at different levels with at least 10 years of nuclear power experience. The interview comprised themes relevant for organizational safety and safety management, such as: organizational structures and organizational change, threats to safety, information feedback and knowledge transfer, safety analysis, safety policy, and accident and incident analysis and reporting. The results were in part modeled to important themes derived from a general system theoretical framework suggested by Svenson and developed by Svenson and Salo in relation to studies of 'non-nuclear' safety organizations. A primer to important features of the system theoretical framework is presented in the introductory chapter. The results from the interviews generated interesting descriptions about nuclear safety management in relation to the above themes. Regarding organizational restructuring, mainly centralizations of resources, several examples of reasons for the restructuring and related benefits for this centralization of resources were identified. A number of important reminders that ought to be considered in relation to reorganization were also identified. Regarding threats to the own organization a number of such was interpreted from the interviews. Among them are risks related to generation and competence change-over and risks related to outsourcing of activities. A thorough picture of information management and practical implications related to this was revealed in the interviews. Related to information feedback is the issue of organizational safety indicators and safety indicators in general. The interview answers indicated

Safety Management Characteristics Reflected in Interviews at Swedish Nuclear Power Plants: A System Perspective Approach

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Salo, Ilkka

2005-12-01

The present study investigated safety management characteristics reflected in interviews with participants from two Swedish nuclear power plants. A document analysis regarding the plants' organization, safety policies, and safety culture work was carried out as well. The participants (n=9) were all nuclear power professionals, and the majority managers at different levels with at least 10 years of nuclear power experience. The interview comprised themes relevant for organizational safety and safety management, such as: organizational structures and organizational change, threats to safety, information feedback and knowledge transfer, safety analysis, safety policy, and accident and incident analysis and reporting. The results were in part modeled to important themes derived from a general system theoretical framework suggested by Svenson and developed by Svenson and Salo in relation to studies of 'non-nuclear' safety organizations. A primer to important features of the system theoretical framework is presented in the introductory chapter. The results from the interviews generated interesting descriptions about nuclear safety management in relation to the above themes. Regarding organizational restructuring, mainly centralizations of resources, several examples of reasons for the restructuring and related benefits for this centralization of resources were identified. A number of important reminders that ought to be considered in relation to reorganization were also identified. Regarding threats to the own organization a number of such was interpreted from the interviews. Among them are risks related to generation and competence change-over and risks related to outsourcing of activities. A thorough picture of information management and practical implications related to this was revealed in the interviews. Related to information feedback is the issue of organizational safety indicators and safety indicators in general. The interview answers indicated that the area

Promotion and Support of Strong Safety Culture at the Hungarian Regulatory Body

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bódis, Z.

2016-01-01

The Hungarian Atomic Energy Authority (HAEA) in 2014 carried out a self-assessment in order to preparation for IAEA IRRS mission. As a result of the SWOT analysis it was concluded that for the promotion, development and improvement of safety culture at the HAEA is displayed only on the policy level. In order to obtain a greater emphasis on safety culture within the organization a working group was created. The task of the working group was to define the proposed actions to develop the organizational safety culture. The working group reviewed the current situation, the international experiences and proposed on this basis the elaboration of a guideline regarding to organizational safety culture, to integrate this guideline into the organizational training program so as to apply to all levels of the organization and presentation of the safety culture as part of the training of new comers. Results so far: The working group has defined the main tasks and the connecting milestones in order to develop and improve the organizational safety culture at the HAEA. HAEA has elaborated a guideline for performing safety culture self-assessment based on IAEA and other relevant documents.

Using community-based participatory research and organizational diagnosis to characterize relationships between community leaders and academic researchers.

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, Karen H; Ray, Natasha J; Berg, David N; Greene, Ann T; Lucas, Georgina; Harris, Kenn; Carroll-Scott, Amy; Tinney, Barbara; Rosenthal, Marjorie S

2017-09-01

Sustaining collaborations between community-based organization leaders and academic researchers in community-engaged research (CEnR) in the service of decreasing health inequities necessitates understanding the collaborations from an inter-organizational perspective. We assessed the perspectives of community leaders and university-based researchers conducting community-engaged research in a medium-sized city with a history of community-university tension. Our research team, included experts in CEnR and organizational theory, used qualitative methods and purposeful, snowball sampling to recruit local participants and performed key informant interviews from July 2011-May 2012. A community-based researcher interviewed 11 community leaders, a university-based researcher interviewed 12 university-based researchers. We interviewed participants until we reached thematic saturation and performed analyses using the constant comparative method. Unifying themes characterizing community leaders and university-based researchers' relationships on the inter-organizational level include: 1) Both groups described that community-engaged university-based researchers are exceptions to typical university culture; 2) Both groups described that the interpersonal skills university-based researchers need for CEnR require a change in organizational culture and training; 3) Both groups described skepticism about the sustainability of a meaningful institutional commitment to community-engaged research 4) Both groups described the historical impact on research relationships of race, power, and privilege, but only community leaders described its persistent role and relevance in research relationships. Challenges to community-academic research partnerships include researcher interpersonal skills and different perceptions of the importance of organizational history. Solutions to improve research partnerships may include transforming university culture and community-university discussions on race

Impact of organizational climate on organizational commitment and perceived organizational performance: empirical evidence from public hospitals.

Science.gov (United States)

Berberoglu, Aysen

2018-06-01

Extant literature suggested that positive organizational climate leads to higher levels of organizational commitment, which is an important concept in terms of employee attitudes, likewise, the concept of perceived organizational performance, which can be assumed as a mirror of the actual performance. For healthcare settings, these are important matters to consider due to the fact that the service is delivered thoroughly by healthcare workers to the patients. Therefore, attitudes and perceptions of the employees can influence how they deliver the service. The aim of this study was to evaluate healthcare employees' perceptions of organizational climate and test the hypothesized impact of organizational climate on organizational commitment and perceived organizational performance. The study adopted a quantitative approach, by collecting data from the healthcare workers currently employed in public hospitals in North Cyprus, utilizing a self-administered questionnaire. Collected data was analyzed with the help of Statistical Package for Social Sciences, and ANOVA and Linear Regression analyses were used to test the hypothesis. Results revealed that organizational climate is highly correlated with organizational commitment and perceived organizational performance. Simple linear regression outcomes indicated that organizational climate is significant in predicting organizational commitment and perceived organizational performance. There was a positive and linear relationship between organizational climate with organizational commitment and perceived organizational performance. Results from the regression analysis suggested that organizational climate has an impact on predicting organizational commitment and perceived organizational performance of the employees in public hospitals of North Cyprus. Organizational climate was found to be statistically significant in determining the organizational commitment of the employees. The results of the study provided some critical

Drawbacks and benefits associated with inter-organizational collaboration along the discovery-development-delivery continuum: a cancer research network case study.

Science.gov (United States)

Harris, Jenine K; Provan, Keith G; Johnson, Kimberly J; Leischow, Scott J

2012-07-25

realized. In the development network, those who collaborated were less likely to see 'enhanced influence on treatment and policy' and 'greater quality or frequency of publications' as benefits of collaboration. With the exception of the positive association between knowledge transfer and collaboration and the negative association between geography and collaboration, the significant relationships identified in this study all reflected challenges associated with inter-organizational collaboration. Understanding network structures and the perceived drawbacks and benefits associated with collaboration will allow researchers to build and funders to support successful collaborative teams and perhaps aid in closing the discovery to delivery gap.

A Risk Analysis Methodology to Address Human and Organizational Factors in Offshore Drilling Safety: With an Emphasis on Negative Pressure Test

Science.gov (United States)

Tabibzadeh, Maryam

According to the final Presidential National Commission report on the BP Deepwater Horizon (DWH) blowout, there is need to "integrate more sophisticated risk assessment and risk management practices" in the oil industry. Reviewing the literature of the offshore drilling industry indicates that most of the developed risk analysis methodologies do not fully and more importantly, systematically address the contribution of Human and Organizational Factors (HOFs) in accident causation. This is while results of a comprehensive study, from 1988 to 2005, of more than 600 well-documented major failures in offshore structures show that approximately 80% of those failures were due to HOFs. In addition, lack of safety culture, as an issue related to HOFs, have been identified as a common contributing cause of many accidents in this industry. This dissertation introduces an integrated risk analysis methodology to systematically assess the critical role of human and organizational factors in offshore drilling safety. The proposed methodology in this research focuses on a specific procedure called Negative Pressure Test (NPT), as the primary method to ascertain well integrity during offshore drilling, and analyzes the contributing causes of misinterpreting such a critical test. In addition, the case study of the BP Deepwater Horizon accident and their conducted NPT is discussed. The risk analysis methodology in this dissertation consists of three different approaches and their integration constitutes the big picture of my whole methodology. The first approach is the comparative analysis of a "standard" NPT, which is proposed by the author, with the test conducted by the DWH crew. This analysis contributes to identifying the involved discrepancies between the two test procedures. The second approach is a conceptual risk assessment framework to analyze the causal factors of the identified mismatches in the previous step, as the main contributors of negative pressure test

Keeping patients safe in healthcare organizations: a structuration theory of safety culture.

Science.gov (United States)

Groves, Patricia S; Meisenbach, Rebecca J; Scott-Cawiezell, Jill

2011-08-01

This paper presents a discussion of the use of structuration theory to facilitate understanding and improvement of safety culture in healthcare organizations. Patient safety in healthcare organizations is an important problem worldwide. Safety culture has been proposed as a means to keep patients safe. However, lack of appropriate theory limits understanding and improvement of safety culture. The proposed structuration theory of safety culture was based on a critique of available English-language literature, resulting in literature published from 1983 to mid-2009. CINAHL, Communication and Mass Media Complete, ABI/Inform and Google Scholar databases were searched using the following terms: nursing, safety, organizational culture and safety culture. When viewed through the lens of structuration theory, safety culture is a system involving both individual actions and organizational structures. Healthcare organization members, particularly nurses, share these values through communication and enact them in practice, (re)producing an organizational safety culture system that reciprocally constrains and enables the actions of the members in terms of patient safety. This structurational viewpoint illuminates multiple opportunities for safety culture improvement. Nurse leaders should be cognizant of competing value-based culture systems in the organization and attend to nursing agency and all forms of communication when attempting to create or strengthen a safety culture. Applying structuration theory to the concept of safety culture reveals a dynamic system of individual action and organizational structure constraining and enabling safety practice. Nurses are central to the (re)production of this safety culture system. © 2011 Blackwell Publishing Ltd.

HUBUNGAN PERCEIVED ORGANIZATIONAL SUPPORT TERHADAP ORGANIZATIONAL CITIZENSHIP BEHAVIOR MELALUI ORGANIZATIONAL COMMITMENT PADA BEBERAPA PUSKESMAS DI DKI JAKARTA

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Catalia Rafsiah Sari Sari

2015-03-01

relationship Perceived Organizational Support on Organizational Citizenship Behavior through Organizational Commitment. Keywords: Perceived Organizational Support, Organizational Citizenship Behavior,Organizational Commitment

Signal dependence of inter-pixel capacitance in hybridized HgCdTe H2RG arrays for use in James Webb space telescope's NIRcam

Science.gov (United States)

Donlon, Kevan; Ninkov, Zoran; Baum, Stefi

2016-08-01

Interpixel capacitance (IPC) is a deterministic electronic coupling by which signal generated in one pixel is measured in neighboring pixels. Examination of dark frames from test NIRcam arrays corroborates earlier results and simulations illustrating a signal dependent coupling. When the signal on an individual pixel is larger, the fractional coupling to nearest neighbors is lesser than when the signal is lower. Frames from test arrays indicate a drop in average coupling from approximately 1.0% at low signals down to approximately 0.65% at high signals depending on the particular array in question. The photometric ramifications for this non-uniformity are not fully understood. This non-uniformity intro-duces a non-linearity in the current mathematical model for IPC coupling. IPC coupling has been mathematically formalized as convolution by a blur kernel. Signal dependence requires that the blur kernel be locally defined as a function of signal intensity. Through application of a signal dependent coupling kernel, the IPC coupling can be modeled computationally. This method allows for simultaneous knowledge of the intrinsic parameters of the image scene, the result of applying a constant IPC, and the result of a signal dependent IPC. In the age of sub-pixel precision in astronomy these effects must be properly understood and accounted for in order for the data to accurately represent the object of observation. Implementation of this method is done through python scripted processing of images. The introduction of IPC into simulated frames is accomplished through convolution of the image with a blur kernel whose parameters are themselves locally defined functions of the image. These techniques can be used to enhance the data processing pipeline for NIRcam.

The Link between Organizational Learning Culture and Customer Satisfaction: Confirming Relationship and Exploring Moderating Effect

Science.gov (United States)

Pantouvakis, Angelos; Bouranta, Nancy

2013-01-01

Purpose: The aim of this paper is to develop a theoretical framework and conduct an empirical study across different service sectors to investigate the inter-relationships between organizational learning culture, employee job satisfaction and their impact on customer satisfaction. It also aims to examine an individual-level variable (educational…

Simulation modeling on the growth of firm's safety management capability

Institute of Scientific and Technical Information of China (English)

LIU Tie-zhong; LI Zhi-xiang

2008-01-01

Aiming to the deficiency of safety management measure, established simulation model about firm's safety management capability(FSMC) based on organizational learning theory. The system dynamics(SD) method was used, in which level and rate system, variable equation and system structure flow diagram was concluded. Simulation model was verified from two aspects: first, model's sensitivity to variable was tested from the gross of safety investment and the proportion of safety investment; second, variables dependency was checked up from the correlative variable of FSMC and organizational learning. The feasibility of simulation model is verified though these processes.

Community-Based Rural Tourism in Inter-Organizational Collaboration: How Does It Work Sustainably? Lessons Learned from Nglanggeran Tourism Village, Gunungkidul Regency, Yogyakarta, Indonesia

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Asnawi Manaf

2018-06-01

Full Text Available In recent years, socio-economic disparities, especially between rural and urban areas (Gini index up to 0.4 have attracted significant concern from the Government of Indonesia, which developed a community-based rural tourism program as one of the attempts to overcome this problem. Though the program seems quite promising, the implementation was challenging, especially regarding sustainability. Therefore, successful and sustainable practical examples are needed. This paper analyzes the results of a case study from the experiences of community-based tourism implementation in Nglanggeran Tourism Village, Gunungkidul Regency, Yogyakarta, Indonesia, which was considered as successful and sustainable. The main focus of this research is on how the collaboration and involvement of the related inter-organizational stakeholders, initiated by the local community, particularly the youth, has contributed to the program sustainability. Data and information for this study were obtained through in-depth interviews, observation, and documents review. This study found that the local community has a major role in implementing the program, among those various entities of stakeholders. Hence, the paper states this is the key to the success and sustainability of the program.

Use of Influence Diagrams and Fuzzy Theory to Develop Assessment Method of Organizational Influences on Component Maintenance

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yoonik Kim; Kwang-Won Ahn; Chang-Hyun Chung; Kil Yoo Kim; Joon-Eon Yang

2002-01-01

Organization can make influences on all the systems. Especially in case of nuclear power plants in which safety is established to be one of the most important operating goals, there have been a lot of research efforts for the hardware advancement. However in recent years, it has been widely recognized that organizational factors in nuclear power plants have an important influence on the safety attitudes and the safe behavior of individuals. Until now, any means to include assessments of organizational structure in probabilistic risk assessments have not been universally accepted. The objective of this work is to develop a method to assess organizational influences on component maintenance. Influence diagrams are introduced in this method as a decision making tool and fuzzy theory is used to reflect the vagueness in considering relevance of human activities in maintenance tasks. Introducing fuzzy theory to assess the organizational factors is deemed to a somewhat new trial, which makes it possible to convert linguistic vague descriptions into mathematical ones. Fuzzy linguistic descriptions offer an alternative and often complementary language to conventional, i.e., analytic approaches to modeling systems. Among the existing methodologies to assess organizational factors, the concept of the ω-factor model is utilized and the mechanism that organizational factors have influences on component maintenance is evaluated through composing influence diagrams. These influences go to failure rates and eventually affect component unavailability. Further study will make it possible that the influences of organizational factors on human error probabilities are incorporated into human reliability analysis and furthermore probabilistic safety assessment. (authors)

The influence of empowerment, authentic leadership, and professional practice environments on nurses' perceived interprofessional collaboration.

Science.gov (United States)

Regan, Sandra; Laschinger, Heather K S; Wong, Carol A

2016-01-01

The aim of this study was to examine the influence of structural empowerment, authentic leadership and professional nursing practice environments on experienced nurses' perceptions of interprofessional collaboration. Enhanced interprofessional collaboration (IPC) is seen as one means of transforming the health-care system and addressing concerns about shortages of health-care workers. Organizational supports and resources are suggested as key to promoting IPC. A predictive non-experimental design was used to test the effects of structural empowerment, authentic leadership and professional nursing practice environments on perceived interprofessional collaboration. A random sample of experienced registered nurses (n = 220) in Ontario, Canada completed a mailed questionnaire. Hierarchical multiple regression analysis was used. Higher perceived structural empowerment, authentic leadership, and professional practice environments explained 45% of the variance in perceived IPC (Adj. R² = 0.452, F = 59.40, P authentic leadership and a professional nursing practice environment may enhance IPC. Nurse leaders who ensure access to resources such as knowledge of IPC, embody authenticity and build trust among nurses, and support the presence of a professional nursing practice environment can contribute to enhanced IPC. © 2015 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Development of reliability-based safety enhancement technology; development of organization concept model in nuclear power plants

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Jeong, Chang Hyun; Kim, Ju Youl; Kim, Yoon Ik; Yang, Hui Chang; Lee, Yong Sik; Kim, Se Hyung [Seoul National University, Seoul (Korea)

2002-03-01

The influences of organizational factors on safety of nuclear power plants are mentioned in the early 1970s and noticed after being focused on in the accident report of TMI in 1979. These needs let us implement this research and the purposes of this research are to assess the organizational influences and to develop the organizational conceptual model to establish the basis of identifying the organizational factors, using this model to contribute to enhance safety and economics in nuclear power plants. Eventually research on the organizational influences is expected to have two effects, which are to improve safety through identifying potential causes of accidents and to elevate economics as a new approach to more efficient operation of nuclear power plants. In this study, recent studies were surveyed on the organizational conceptual model, the identification of organizational factors, assessment of organizational influences and evaluation methods of organizational factors and organizational influences among the overseas and domestic researches. In addition specific characteristics of domestic nuclear power plants were tried to identify through plant visit and an evaluation method of organizational influences on component maintenance and human performance were developed and presented. 71 refs., 40 figs., 18 tabs. (Author)

The Mediating Role of Organizational Learning in the Relationship of Organizational Intelligence and Organizational Agility.

Science.gov (United States)

Bahrami, Mohammad Amin; Kiani, Mohammad Mehdi; Montazeralfaraj, Raziye; Zadeh, Hossein Fallah; Zadeh, Morteza Mohammad

2016-06-01

Organizational learning is defined as creating, absorbing, retaining, transferring, and application of knowledge within an organization. This article aims to examine the mediating role of organizational learning in the relationship of organizational intelligence and organizational agility. This analytical and cross-sectional study was conducted in 2015 at four teaching hospitals of Yazd city, Iran. A total of 370 administrative and medical staff contributed to the study. We used stratified-random method for sampling. Required data were gathered using three valid questionnaires including Alberkht (2003) organizational intelligence, Neefe (2001) organizational learning, and Sharifi and Zhang (1999) organizational agility questionnaires. Data analysis was done through R and SPSS 18 statistical software. The results showed that organizational learning acts as a mediator in the relationship of organizational intelligence and organizational agility (path coefficient = 0.943). Also, organizational learning has a statistical relationship with organizational agility (path coefficient = 0.382). Our findings suggest that the improvement of organizational learning abilities can affect an organization's agility which is crucial for its survival.

How organizational learning is associated with patient rights: a qualitative content analysis.

Science.gov (United States)

Heidari, Shahin; Nayeri, Nahid Dehghan; Ravari, Ali; Sabzevari, Sakineh

2016-01-01

Nowadays, patient rights, particularly receiving favorable health care based on modern knowledge, informed consent, and privacy, are important issues in health care delivery systems. Organizational learning is considered an important factor influencing health care quality and patient rights. However, there is little evidence regarding this issue. The present study was conducted to explore the role of organizational learning in patient rights from clinical nurses' viewpoint. This qualitative study was conducted through conventional content analysis. In total, 18 nurses who met the inclusion criteria participated in this study through purposive sampling with maximum variation. Data were gathered through 20 in-depth, semi-structured interviews, which continued until data saturation was achieved. Data collection also included constant and simultaneous comparative analyses. Data analysis led to four major themes: conservation of patient safety, providing favorable care, being the patient's advocate, and informing the patients. All the participants believed that organizational learning could play a vital role in respecting patient rights and interests. Participants believed that their efforts to conduct organizational learning, tried to improve respecting the patient rights via conservation of patient safety, trying to improve quality of care, being an advocate, and informing the patient. It would be appreciable if nursing managers honored the commitment of the nurses for learning, highlight their role as defenders of patient rights, and encourage them to initiate organizational learning.

How organizational learning is associated with patient rights: a qualitative content analysis

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Shahin Heidari

2016-07-01

Full Text Available Background: Nowadays, patient rights, particularly receiving favorable health care based on modern knowledge, informed consent, and privacy, are important issues in health care delivery systems. Organizational learning is considered an important factor influencing health care quality and patient rights. However, there is little evidence regarding this issue. Objective: The present study was conducted to explore the role of organizational learning in patient rights from clinical nurses’ viewpoint. Design: This qualitative study was conducted through conventional content analysis. In total, 18 nurses who met the inclusion criteria participated in this study through purposive sampling with maximum variation. Data were gathered through 20 in-depth, semi-structured interviews, which continued until data saturation was achieved. Data collection also included constant and simultaneous comparative analyses. Results: Data analysis led to four major themes: conservation of patient safety, providing favorable care, being the patient's advocate, and informing the patients. All the participants believed that organizational learning could play a vital role in respecting patient rights and interests. Conclusions: Participants believed that their efforts to conduct organizational learning, tried to improve respecting the patient rights via conservation of patient safety, trying to improve quality of care, being an advocate, and informing the patient. It would be appreciable if nursing managers honored the commitment of the nurses for learning, highlight their role as defenders of patient rights, and encourage them to initiate organizational learning.

Monitoring human and organizational factors influencing common-cause failures of safety-instrumented system during the operational phase

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Rahimi, Maryam; Rausand, Marvin

2013-01-01

Safety-instrumented systems (SISs) are important safety barriers in many technical systems in the process industry. Reliability requirements for SISs are specified as a safety integrity level (SIL) with reference to the standard IEC 61508. The SIS reliability is often threatened by common-cause failures (CCFs), and the beta-factor model is the most commonly used model for incorporating the effects of CCFs. In the design phase, the beta-factor, β, is determined by answering a set of questions that is given in part 6 of IEC 61508. During the operational phase, there are several factors that influence β, such that the actual β differs from what was predicted in the design phase, and therefore the required reliability may not be maintained. Among the factors influencing β in the operational phase are human and organizational factors (HOFs). A number of studies within industries that require highly reliable products have shown that HOFs have significant influence on CCFs and therefore on β in the operational phase, but this has been neglected in the process industry. HOFs are difficult to predict, and susceptible to be changed during the operational phase. Without proper management, changing HOFs may cause the SIS reliability to drift out of its required value. The aim of this article is to highlight the importance of HOFs in estimation of β for SISs, and also to propose a framework to follow the HOFs effects and to manage them such that the reliability requirement can be maintained

Making work safer: testing a model of social exchange and safety management.

Science.gov (United States)

DeJoy, David M; Della, Lindsay J; Vandenberg, Robert J; Wilson, Mark G

2010-04-01

This study tests a conceptual model that focuses on social exchange in the context of safety management. The model hypothesizes that supportive safety policies and programs should impact both safety climate and organizational commitment. Further, perceived organizational support is predicted to partially mediate both of these relationships. Study outcomes included traditional outcomes for both organizational commitment (e.g., withdrawal behaviors) as well as safety climate (e.g., self-reported work accidents). Questionnaire responses were obtained from 1,723 employees of a large national retailer. Using structural equation modeling (SEM) techniques, all of the model's hypothesized relationships were statistically significant and in the expected directions. The results are discussed in terms of social exchange in organizations and research on safety climate. Maximizing safety is a social-technical enterprise. Expectations related to social exchange and reciprocity figure prominently in creating a positive climate for safety within the organization. Copyright 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Human factor in the problem of Russian nuclear industry safety

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Abramova, V.

2002-01-01

The approach to human factor definition, considered in the paper, consists of recognition of as many as possible factors for developing a complete list of factors, which have influence on mistakes or successful work of NPP personnel. Safety culture is considered as the main factor. The enhancement in nuclear power industry includes an optimization of organizational structures and development of personnel safety attitudes. The organizational factors, as possible root causes for human errors, need to be identified, assessed and improved. The organizational activities taken in Russia are presented

The Role of Relative Performance in Inter-firm Mobility of Inventors

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Lorenzo, Francesco Di; Almeida, Paul

2017-01-01

Prior research has emphasized the influence of inter-firm mobility on knowledge flows and innovation, yet we have an incomplete picture of the antecedents of inventor mobility. Building on theoretical traditions related to decision-making based on limited, asymmetric, bounded information, and eco......Prior research has emphasized the influence of inter-firm mobility on knowledge flows and innovation, yet we have an incomplete picture of the antecedents of inventor mobility. Building on theoretical traditions related to decision-making based on limited, asymmetric, bounded information......, and economic and other incentives, our paper suggests that after controlling for individual performance and other variables previously shown to affect inter-organizational mobility, an inventor's performance relative to his co-patenting group alters his likelihood of mobility. Our analysis of 2648 inventors...... in the pharmaceutical industry shows that for those performing above their reference group (of past and current co-inventors in patenting), an increase in relative performance decreases the likelihood of mobility, and for those performing below the reference group, a decrease in relative performance decreases...

Management Commitment to Safety, Teamwork, and Hospital Worker Injuries.

Science.gov (United States)

McGonagle, Alyssa K; Essenmacher, Lynnette; Hamblin, Lydia; Luborsky, Mark; Upfal, Mark; Arnetz, Judith

2016-01-01

Although many studies link teamwork in health care settings to patient safety, evidence linking teamwork to hospital worker safety is lacking. This study addresses this gap by providing evidence linking teamwork perceptions in hospital workers to worker injuries, and further, finds a linkage between manager commitment to safety and teamwork. Organizational records of worker injuries and survey responses regarding management commitment to safety and teamwork from 446 hospital workers within 42 work units in a multi-site hospital system were examined. Results underscored the particular importance of teamwork on worker injuries as well as the importance of management commitment to safety as relating to teamwork. To improve worker safety, organizational leaders and unit managers should work to maintain environments wherein teamwork can thrive.

Nuclear safety in France

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Queniart, D.

1989-12-01

This paper outlines the organizational and technical aspects of nuclear safety in France. From the organization point of view, the roles of the operator, of the safety authority and of the Institute for Protection and Nuclear Safety are developed. From the technical viewpoint, the evolution of safety since the beginning of the French nuclear programme, the roles of deterministic and probabilistic methods and the severe accident policy (prevention and mitigation, venting containment) in France are explained

The safety performance management system: A tool for diagnosis, intervention and measurement

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Haber, S.B.; Shurberg, D.A.

2002-01-01

Many organizations depend on human performance to avoid incidents involving significant adverse consequences. Such organizations are typically termed high reliability organizations (HROs). While heavy emphasis has been placed on designing system hardware and software to intercept and mitigate events that could cause adverse consequences, dealing with the design of the human component has proven to be more complicated. Examination of various safety-related incidents makes it clear that human performance, and in particular organizational processes, plays a dominant role. The human errors are of various origins and are typically part of larger organizational processes that encourage unsafe acts that ultimately produce system failures. It is generally postulated that without an effective organizational safety culture, a safe working environment is impossible. While many different perspectives exist from which safety issues might be addressed, a method that allows the quantitative measurement of organizational processes deemed to impact overall safety performance is considered useful to understand the potential for future inadequate safety performance. This paper describes the Safety Performance Management System, a method useful for diagnosis, subsequent intervention and follow-on measurement. Implications for use of this method are presented and the concluding discussion includes insights regarding the general application of the method to improved facility safety performance. (author)

'A device for being able to book P&L': the organizational embedding of the Gaussian copula.

Science.gov (United States)

MacKenzie, Donald; Spears, Taylor

2014-06-01

This article, the second of two articles on the Gaussian copula family of models, discusses the attitude of 'quants' (modellers) to these models, showing that contrary to some accounts, those quants were not 'model dopes' who uncritically accepted the outputs of the models. Although sometimes highly critical of Gaussian copulas - even 'othering' them as not really being models --they nevertheless nearly all kept using them, an outcome we explain with reference to the embedding of these models in inter- and intra-organizational processes: communication, risk control and especially the setting of bonuses. The article also examines the role of Gaussian copula models in the 2007-2008 global crisis and in a 2005 episode known as 'the correlation crisis'. We end with the speculation that all widely used derivatives models (and indeed the evaluation culture in which they are embedded) help generate inter-organizational co-ordination, and all that is special in this respect about the Gaussian copula is that its status as 'other' makes this role evident.

A study on safety climate at nuclear power plants

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Fukui, Hirokazu; Yoshida, Michio; Yoshiyama, Naohiro

2001-01-01

In the current study, we define safety climate as an organizational environment that induces members of the organization to give consideration to safety or take safety actions. It is of utmost importance that people holding managerial positions in an organization have a good understanding of the characteristics of the safety climate of the organization and implement safety promotion activities effectively. In the current research, we studied the rating scales and the characteristics of a safety climate. A survey was conducted, targeting technical engineers who belong to the three power stations of Kansai Electric Power Co., Inc. The questionnaire mainly consisted of questions concerning safety measures taken by individuals and questions concerning safety measures taken by the organization, to which the individuals belong. As a result of a factor analysis of the responses, we extracted five factors, namely, 'confidence in knowledge and skill', attitude of supervisors,' 'safety education in workplace', 'clarity of tasks' and 'safety confirmation/report'. In studying the rating scales of the safety climate, we selected five items from each of the above five factors, and used the total scores of the ratings of the five items as scores of each factor. Then, we examined the correlation between scores of personal factors and scores of organizational environment factors. We treated the scores of safety confirmation/report' and 'confidence in knowledge and skill', which are personal factors, as criterion variables, and the scores of 'attitude of supervisors', 'safety education in workplace' and 'clarity of tasks', which are organizational environment factors, as predictor variables. As a result, we found that levels of 'safety confirmation/report' and 'confidence in knowledge and skill' can be deduced from the scores of 'attitude of supervisors', 'safety education in workplace' and 'clarity of tasks.' Hence, we have decided to use these three organizational environment

Randomized controlled trial of enoxaparin versus intermittent pneumatic compression for venous thromboembolism prevention in Japanese surgical patients with gynecologic malignancy.

Science.gov (United States)

Nagata, Chie; Tanabe, Hiroshi; Takakura, Satoshi; Narui, Chikage; Saito, Motoaki; Yanaihara, Nozomu; Okamoto, Aikou

2015-09-01

The aim of this study was to compare the efficacy and safety of enoxaparin and intermittent pneumatic compression (IPC) for venous thromboembolism (VTE) prevention in Japanese surgical patients with gynecologic malignancy. Patients ≥ 40 years old undergoing major surgery for gynecologic malignancy without preoperative VTE were included. Written informed consent was obtained. Enrolled patients received IPC immediately before surgery. After surgery, they were randomly assigned to either an enoxaparin group or an IPC-alone group. The enoxaparin group received enoxaparin injection (20 mg, subcutaneous, every 12 h) from postoperative day 2 to 8. IPC was discontinued after the first injection. In the IPC-alone group, IPC was continued until full ambulation. The primary end-point was incidence of VTE, including pulmonary embolism and deep vein thrombosis, regardless of symptoms. An interim analysis was to be conducted when the first 30 patients had completed the study protocol. A Data and Safety Monitoring Board was established for making recommendation on the continuation or termination of the study based on the interim results. At the time of the interim analysis, six cases of VTE were found: five in the IPC-alone group and one in the enoxaparin group (Fisher's exact test, P = 0.08). Three patients in the IPC-alone group developed pulmonary embolism, but none in the enoxaparin group did so (Fisher's exact test, P = 0.10). The study was terminated following the Data and Safety Monitoring Board's recommendation. Enoxaparin might have lowered the risk of VTE among surgical patients with gynecologic malignancy. Further studies are necessary to confirm this. © 2015 Japan Society of Obstetrics and Gynecology.

Organizational Commitment through Organizational Socialization Tactics

Science.gov (United States)

Filstad, Cathrine

2011-01-01

Purpose: The aim of this paper is to investigate how organizational socialization tactics affect newcomers' organizational commitment and learning processes. Design/methodology/approach: A survey was conducted using a measurement tool based on Van Maanen and Schein's theory on organizational socialization tactics and Kuvaas' measurement tools of…

Organization and safety in nuclear power plants

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Marcus, A.A.; Nichols, M.L.; Bromiley, P.; Olson, J.; Osborn, R.N.; Scott, W.; Pelto, P.; Thurber, J.

1990-05-01

Perspectives from industry, academe, and the NRC are brought together in this report and used to develop a logical framework that links management and organization factors and safety in nuclear power plant performance. The framework focuses on intermediate outcomes which can be predicted by organizational and management factors, and which are subsequently linked to safety. The intermediate outcomes are efficiency, compliance, quality, and innovation. The organization and management factors can be classified in terms of environment, context, organizational governance, organizational design, and emergent processes. Initial empirical analyses were conducted on a limited set of hypotheses derived from the framework. One set of hypotheses concerned the relationships between one of the intermediate outcome variables, efficiency, as measured by critical hours and outage rate, and safety, as measured by 5 NRC indicators. Results of the analysis suggest that critical hours and outage rates and safety, as measured in this study, are not related to each other. Hypotheses were tested concerning the effects on safety and efficiency of utility financial resources and the lagged recognition and correction of problems that accompanies the reporting of major violations and licensee event reports. The analytical technique employed was regression using polynomial distributed lags. Results suggest that both financial resources and organizational problem solving/learning have significant effects on the outcome variables when time is properly taken into account. Conclusions are drawn which point to this being a promising direction to proceed, though with some care, due to the current limitations of the study. 138 refs., 36 figs., 9 tabs

Characteristics of self-rating and rating by others of safety behavior

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Fukui, Hirokazu; Yoshida, Michio; Sugiman, Toshio; Watanabe, Toshie

2002-01-01

It is known that in questionnaire surveys in general, behavior that are recognized as socially desirable are more highly rated by the actors themselves than by others. Safety behavior can be viewed as behavior closely related to social desirability. Therefore, in the present study, multiple regression analysis was conducted to examine how the self-rating and rating by others of 'safety confirmation/report', which serves as one of the rating scales of safety climate and criterion for safety behavior rating, are related to other factors of safety climate. The analysis results reveal that the self-rating of 'safety confirmation/report' tends to give better scores than rating by others and is more strongly related to individual factors than organizational environmental factors. Meanwhile, the rating by others of safety confirmation/report' is strongly related to organizational environmental factors and demonstrates little or no link with individual factors. It can be said, therefore, that the rating by others of 'safety confirmation/report' reflects more accurately the influence of the organizational environment concerned than self-rating, and hence is more appropriate as a rating scale for safety climate. (author)

Characteristics of self-rating and rating by others of safety behavior

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Fukui, Hirokazu [Institute of Nuclear Safety System, Inc., Mihama, Fukui (Japan); Yoshida, Michio; Sugiman, Toshio; Watanabe, Toshie [Japan Institute for Group Dynamics, Fukuoka (Japan)

2002-09-01

It is known that in questionnaire surveys in general, behavior that are recognized as socially desirable are more highly rated by the actors themselves than by others. Safety behavior can be viewed as behavior closely related to social desirability. Therefore, in the present study, multiple regression analysis was conducted to examine how the self-rating and rating by others of 'safety confirmation/report', which serves as one of the rating scales of safety climate and criterion for safety behavior rating, are related to other factors of safety climate. The analysis results reveal that the self-rating of 'safety confirmation/report' tends to give better scores than rating by others and is more strongly related to individual factors than organizational environmental factors. Meanwhile, the rating by others of safety confirmation/report' is strongly related to organizational environmental factors and demonstrates little or no link with individual factors. It can be said, therefore, that the rating by others of 'safety confirmation/report' reflects more accurately the influence of the organizational environment concerned than self-rating, and hence is more appropriate as a rating scale for safety climate. (author)

Perinatal safety: from concept to nursing practice.

Science.gov (United States)

Lyndon, Audrey; Kennedy, Holly Powell

2010-01-01

Communication and teamwork problems are leading causes of documented preventable adverse outcomes in perinatal care. An essential component of perinatal safety is the organizational culture in which clinicians work. Clinicians' individual and collective authority to question the plan of care and take action to change the direction of a clinical situation in the patient's best interest can be viewed as their "agency for safety." However, collective agency for safety and commitment to support nurses in their role of advocacy is missing in many perinatal care settings. This article draws from Organizational Accident Theory, High Reliability Theory, and Symbolic Interactionism to describe the nurse's role in maintaining safety during labor and birth in acute care settings and suggests actions for supporting the perinatal nurse at individual, group, and systems levels to achieve maximum safety in perinatal care.

Perinatal Safety: From Concept to Nursing Practice

Science.gov (United States)

Kennedy, Holly Powell

2010-01-01

Communication and teamwork problems are leading causes of documented preventable adverse outcomes in perinatal care. An essential component of perinatal safety is the organizational culture in which clinicians work. Clinicians’ individual and collective authority to question the plan of care and take action to change the direction of a clinical situation in the patient’s best interest can be viewed as their “agency for safety.” However, collective agency for safety and commitment to support nurses in their advocacy role is missing in many perinatal care settings. This paper draws from Organizational Accident Theory, High Reliability Theory, and Symbolic Interactionism to describe the nurse’s role in maintaining safety during labor and birth in acute care settings, and suggests actions for supporting the perinatal nurse at individual, group, and systems levels to achieve maximum safety in perinatal care. PMID:20147827

Exploring the Effects of Cultural Variables in the Implementation of Behavior-Based Safety in Two Organizations

Science.gov (United States)

Bumstead, Alaina; Boyce, Thomas E.

2005-01-01

The present case study examines how culture can influence behavior-based safety in different organizational settings and how behavior-based safety can impact different organizational cultures. Behavior-based safety processes implemented in two culturally diverse work settings are described. Specifically, despite identical implementation plans,…

Safety KPIs - Monitoring of safety performance

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Andrej Lališ

2014-09-01

Full Text Available This paper aims to provide brief overview of aviation safety development focusing on modern trends represented by implementation of Safety Key Performance Indicators. Even though aviation is perceived as safe means of transport, it is still struggling with its complexity given by long-term growth and robustness which it has reached today. Thus nowadays safety issues are much more complex and harder to handle than ever before. We are more and more concerned about organizational factors and control mechanisms which have potential to further increase level of aviation safety. Within this paper we will not only introduce the concept of Key Performance Indicators in area of aviation safety as an efficient control mechanism, but also analyse available legislation and documentation. Finally we will propose complex set of indicators which could be applied to Czech Air Navigation Service Provider.