Enterprise Manufacturing Services to enhance Energy effectiveness and Sustainability Management at Anglo American Platinum

Switzerland & US: Ciba – DPP pigments

Collaboration at the Enterprise using Real Time Data Analysis: From Data to Action

US: Degussa – precipitated silica

This paper shares Chevron's human performance initiative, and the role human performance plays in reducing serious incidents and fatalities. The paper defines what human performance is at Chevron, and how it is being integrated in the organization at the local and corporate levels. The gap analysis and prioritization tool (GAAP) has been developed to provide snapshots of the culture throughout a local organization and provide local leadership with specific actions to include in their integration planning. The GAAP takes the complex task of integrating human performance and targets areas where human performance can have the greatest impact. The GAAP is made up of 19 statements derived from the United Kingdom (UK) Health and Safety Executive (HSE) Human Factors Inspector Toolkit and the Step Change in Safety Human Factors Toolkit. The statements describe attributes of an integrated human performance organization and include statements from each of Chevron's human performance focus areas: leadership engagement; incident investigation, reporting and learning; managing safe work; process safety; human factors engineering; and physical and psychological well-being. The GAAP is administered in facilitated small group discussions at varying levels throughout an organization (i.e. operations, front-line supervisors and leadership). Participants in the discussion are asked to compare the GAAP statement against their current perspective of the organization and provide a ranking for each statement based on level of implementation. During the ranking process participants are asked to justify their ranking and provide examples where applicable. Comments and rankings are captured by a facilitator who analyzes the raw data and comments to identify themes and opportunities for the organization. The feedback is presented to the organization's leadership along with a recommendation of where to apply specific human performance tools and solutions based on the GAAP responses and data. Results from the GAAP have proven to be valuable at the local and enterprise levels. At the local level, the feedback allows the organization to identify low hanging fruit and provide specific inputs into the organization's integration plan. At the enterprise level the information has help shape the corporate strategy and influenced the next steps along the human performance initiative for Chevron.

A data base system has been developed to analyze root causes of failures and unplanned outages in combined-cycle power plants and related equipments. Raw data in the form of plant work orders and outage reports are provided by thirteen utilities. Data encompasses both scheduled and unscheduled maintenance activities involving all plant equipments of mostly combined cycle installations. Primary objectives are to evaluate combined-cycle plant maintenance records to determine root causes of equipment failures, to analyze maintenance data to identify key areas for reliability, availability, and maintainability (RAM) improvement, and to develop an automated data processing system for feedback to project participants. ERAS (EPRI Reliability Assessment System) data were analyzed to determine failure rates and mean downtimes of critical equipment used in combined-cycle plants and integrated gasification combined-cycle plants of the future. A primary ERAS data requirement is to document plant equipment failures involving planned outages, unplanned outages, and noncurtailing maintenance. Maintenance data are mailed directly from the plant on a monthly or weekly basis. In order to maintain significant coordination and feedback, documentation is also mailed by ARINC Research to manufacturers and EPRI project personnel. ERAS is foremost a repository, based on dBASE II software, of raw data records which address combined-cycle plant equipment scheduled and unscheduled maintenance activity. By using dBASE II commands, data contained in “DAILY”, “MONTHLY”, “PROBLEMS”, and “FIREHRS” data base files (DBFs) are analyzed in many ways. Data may be separated by manufacturer or utility. RAM statistics may be analyzed according to six data hierarchies, grouping data by common plant design, system, subsystem, or components. Special report forms can be developed depending on specific data processing needs. During 1982 a total of 1744 maintenance records for the thirteen participating plants were processed. Seventy percent of the events were noncurtailing, of which 612 events involved component failures. The data base included 968 failure events to over 200 different combined-cycle plant components each described by a three digit code. Component repairs accounted for over 50 percent of these failures. Detailed descriptions of these failures identifying causes and failed piece parts can be listed by the computer from the “PROBLEMS” DBF using “FRM’s SYSCOMP” (failures grouped by components) or “SYSPLANT” (failures grouped by plant). It is concluded that work orders do provide insight into possible root cause and can assist engineering in followup failure investigations, although discussions with power plant personnel are often required for additional insight into root cause. The extent of successful root cause determination in the ERAS data base is difficult to quantify due to different root cause interpretations. However, project efforts have successfully identified the failed piece part in 86 percent of equipment failures. An analysis of plant reliability problems showed that failures of combustion turbine and heat recovery boiler panel controls and remote sensing equipment are the most frequent cause of combined-cycle plant unavailability. Each plant appears to have specific problem areas generic to these control system failures. Generic problems were observed in drum level set points, control valves, panel cards and timers, computers and data links, flame scanners, and thermo-couples. Many of the control related problems documented in ERAS records identify the failed part number of the control circuit affected. It is expected that these documented control system failures will begin to yield better insight into root cause as the number of records increase, and cause and effect relationships are established.

China embarked on water reform in 2002 by revising the “Water Law of The People’s Republic of China” to promote participatory irrigation management to ensure water users’ access to water and enhance their participation in sustainable water management. This article analyses how social and gender equity is addressed at the national, local, and institutional levels in the water reform process, with particular attention to how strategic gender needs are addressed in water policies and institutions. The article shows how social equity is only partly covered in some of the policies and that not all policies and institutions are sensitive to social and gender issues. Many water-related aspects of policy fail to address gender equity in the explicit terms of women’s strategic gender needs. To ensure gender equity in future water policy, all policies and institutions in the water sector at central and at local levels should have a clear mandate to include a perspective on social and gender equity to address women’s strategic gender needs, particularly among water users who are small-scale producers.

The United Nations’ multidimensional operations have recently been authorised to use force to protect civilians. Among their peacekeeping activities are initiatives to deal with conflict management/resolution at the local level. While contemporary peacekeeping tends to be highly concentrated at the national level, it has increasingly striven to implement initiatives at the local level. However, local level operations face certain difficulties. To address this, the UN tends to focus on the initiatives, approaches, and strategies it employs at the local level, one of which is the use of force to protect civilians during peace operations. The present analysis revolves around the argument that ‘local peace’ will not last long unless a peace agreement is achieved and sustained at the national level, and, consequently, that the connection between peace and conflict at both the local and national levels is key to tackling conflicts. This paper uses primary documents, secondary sources, and interviews, as well as specific examples from operations in South Sudan, the Democratic Republic of Congo, and the Central African Republic, to inductively confirm this argument, and discuss the difficulties that peace operations face on the issue.

Implementing clinical practice guidelines (CPGs), disease management programs, and quality improvement projects requires an understanding of the trends that will facilitate adoption at the local level. These trends include consumerism and the building of a national information technology infrastructure. The recommendations of the Presidential Advisory Commission on Consumer Protection and Quality in the Health Care Industry and the Institute of Medicine (IOM) report entitled "To Err Is Human: Building a Safer Health System" will frame developments and implementation. The relative roles and responsibilities of national entities, with coordination and integration of these activities with local efforts will need to be carefully orchestrated. Utilizing the Web to connect dialysis facilities, patients, and members of the health care delivery team has the potential to reap large benefits. Utilizing information technology at the point of care and retrospectively to improve decision making by all parties has the real potential to improve patient outcomes. Implementation of what at a local level? And what do we mean when local level is referred to? This article addresses these two questions and provides a framework for the engagement of patients, physicians, and members of the health care delivery team and organizations, at both the local and national levels, in improving patient outcomes. All have their roles, rights, and responsibilities. We are challenged to provide the right treatment, to the right patient, at the right time. And importantly, to provide the right information, to the right person, at the right time.

PurposeConsidering the relevance of operational excellence as a business strategy, organizations are striving to improve themselves by adopting best practices and universally accepted principles through the process of continuous improvement, and these principles should be embedded in the culture of an organization. Organizations pursue to align themselves by continuously improving their processes by adopting scientifically proven techniques and cultural transformation throughout the organization. However, there is a lack of scientific instruments for the assessment of operational excellence. The objective of this study is to develop a scale for the assessment of practices of operational excellence principles in the organizations. Further reliability and validity of the developed scale are measured by testing the relationship between Human Resource Practices (HRP) and Operational Excellence (OE).Design/methodology/approachThis study comprises quantitative design through exploratory and confirmatory studies and also includes qualitative analysis to develop a scale for the assessment of Operational Excellence (OE). Interviews from industry experts have been conducted to identify the major components for which organizations are striving for OE. Previous literature and excellence models, especially principles of the Shingo Operational Excellence Model (SOEM), have been reviewed and considered to finalize the scale items. Data were collected in two stages from both Telecommunication subsectors (Cellular Mobile Operators and Fixed Local Loop Operators) of Pakistan through the cross-sectional survey. In the first stage, exploratory factor analysis (EFA) was performed on the sample of 611 respondents from both Cellular Mobile and Fixed Local Loop operators of Pakistan. In the second stage, confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) was performed on the sample of 423 respondents from the Fixed local loop operators. EFA was conducted by using SPSS version 23 to finalize the OE scale, and for confirmatory factor analysis, PLS-SEM using Smart PLS was used to confirm the reliability and validity of the OE Scale.FindingsThe results of EFA reveal that OE is a multidimensional construct with three dimensions and 23 items. The dimensions of the developed OE Scale explored in this study are cultural enablers (CE), continuous process improvement (CPI) and enterprise alignment (EA). The confirmatory factor analysis of OE confirmed the scale dimensionality, reliability and validity along with the hypothesis testing to measure the impact of antecedent variable HRP on OE.Research limitations/implicationsOrganizations pursue to improve and align their operational processes but usually unable to confirm the implementation of their desired objectives. Based on the developed OE scale, managers may assess the implementation of OE principles in their organizations. This research has been conducted in the telecommunication sector of Pakistan only, and the developed instrument needs to be further tested in other organizations.Practical implicationsThe instrument developed in this study will help both researchers and practitioners to assess the principles of operational excellence in their organizations and enable them to design the strategies for improving organizational performance.Social implicationsThe results of this study will create awareness about the principles of operational excellence. The developed OE instrument will assist in identifying the gaps in organizational norms and values from the perspective of paying respect to every individual inside and outside the organization. OE instrument will be further helpful in the identification and assurance of health, safety, protection of the environment and community issues.Originality/valueThis study provides a reliable and validated scale for the scientific area of operation management and helps managers with the assessment of operational excellence in their organizations. This newly developed scale is also valid to test and use in different studies and industries by researchers and practitioners.

Performance evaluation of groundwater management instruments: The case of irrigation sector in Tunisia

To identify the extent to which the Homeland Security Exercise and Evaluation Program's (HSEEP) After Action Report/Improvement Plan (AAR/IP) template was followed by public health entities and facilitated the identification of detailed corrective actions and continuous improvement. Data were drawn from the US H1N1 Public Health Emergency Response (PHER) federal grant awardees (n = 62). After action report/improvement plan text was examined to identify the presence of AAR/IP HSEEP elements and characterized as "minimally complete," "partially complete," or "complete." Corrective actions (CA) and recommendations within the IP focusing on performance deficits were coded as specific, measurable, and time-bound, and whether they were associated with a problem that met root cause criteria and whether the CA/recommendation was intended to address or fix the root cause. A total of 2619 CA/recommendations were identified. More than half (n = 1480, 57%) addressed root causes. Corrective actions/recommendations associated with complete AARs more frequently addressed root cause (58% vs 51%, χ = 9.1, P < 0.003) and were more specific (34% vs 23%, χ = 32.3, P < 0.0001), measurable (30% vs 18%, χ = 37.9, P < 0.0001), and time-bound (38% vs 15%, χ = 115.5, P < 0.0001) than partially complete AARs. The same pattern was not observed with completeness of IPs. Corrective actions and recommendations were similarly specific and measurable. Recommendations significantly addressed root cause more than CAs. Our analysis indicates a possible lack of awardee distinction between CA and recommendations in AARs. As HSEEP adapts to align with the 2011 National Preparedness Goal and National Preparedness System, future HSEEP documents should emphasize the importance of root cause analysis as a required element within AAR documents and templates in the exercise and real incident environment, as well as the need for specific and measurable CAs.

Many countries, regions and towns around the world experience lack of action or delayed actions in the implementation of disaster risk reduction measures. One of the common causal explanations is the insufficient funding available to reduce risk, especially at the local level. However, so far few studies have provided an in-depth analysis of the root causes of these deadlocks in disaster risk reduction. This paper analyses risk root causes in Genova, a town situated in North West Italy and exposed to high impact weather events. The town has experienced an increase in the intensity of flood events in the past 50 years, causing casualties, evacuations, displacements and severe damage. Decisions about flood risk mitigation progressively became a highly contested issue, especially because of the delays in reinforcing the banks of the Bisagno river and the city’s flood defences. The causes of these delays are not to be found in the lack of technical solutions, but rather in the socio-political and institutional dynamics. The Risk Root Cause Analysis (RRCA) framework provided the theoretical and methodological background to identify the key root causes of the risk reduction deadlock: corruption accusations and legal conflicts, unfair criteria for funding allocation at the regional level, lack of coordination among funding agencies, side effects of austerity measures, mismatches between the political and disaster risk cycles. The results show that the strengthening of a certain system — e.g., anti-corruption measures to avoid bribery in public spending — may cause the weakening of another one — e.g., delays in protection works execution — and generate increased risk exposure and vulnerability. Another similar example regards the implementation of national austerity policies, which caused human resources’ constraints at the local level and shifts of public funding from the disaster risk reduction to other sectors such as health. Anticipation of these and other unintended side effects discussed in the paper as well as a better understanding of the root causes of the deadlocks in risk reduction, can contribute to the improvement of disaster management strategies.

Pangani River Basin over time and space: On the interface of local and basin level responses

Sustainable forest management aims to maintain and enhance the economic, social and environmental value of all types of forests, for the benefit of present and future generations. In Swaziland, despite the existence of numerous local, national, regional and international policies and legislation, sustainable forest management is far fetched. The objective of this paper was to review previous studies on policy reviews, the current status of the non-timber forest products (NTFP) sector, community consultations on resource use and management, user surveys to determine the actual quantities of harvested and utilized edible and medicinal NTFPs, and economic analyses for their direct use value, and inventory and economic valuation of standing stock of various NTFPs. Ulimatelty, this paper has made policy recommendations for the development of a theoretical framework for the sustainable management of NTFPs at the local, national, regional and international levels. This theoretical framework is divided into a set of eleven strategies. These are: Information and social communication; secure rights and access to products from natural forests and woodlands; adoption of innovative policies, revising and updating legislation and elaborating national forestry programmes; development and implementation of national level criteria and indicators for sustainable forest management; project planning and control techniques; local level guidelines for sustainable NTFP management; conservation and financing mechanisms; collaboration and networking between all institutions involved in research and development of NTFPs; institutional strengthening and capacity building; education and training at all levels of community structures; and research and development. Key words: Non-timber forest products (NTFPs), policy, strategy, policies, legislation, economic valuation, sustainable management, assessment, sustainable resource use.

Integrated strategic urban planning in many cities and countries, as well as analysis of current situation in local development, urban transformation and urban conservation together with the participation of all stakeholders in various activities, poses an impact on the success of a project. It is possible to create a useful model with the participation of local people and other stakeholders in the use of urban space, conservation of areas and monuments of natural and historical value and in this way, the success of sustainable urban revitalization at the local level can be improved. In order to develop sustainable approaches to the conservation and revitalization of archaeological, historical and urban areas, it is necessary to increase compliance with local community values, contemporary needs, public participation and stakeholder satisfaction levels. Because, in the analysis of urban development, conservation and real estate projects through a strategic planning approach with the participation of local people and the private sector is considered among the main conditions for ensuring the sustainability of projects. In recent years, importance and priority have been given to the analysis of open and green areas, parks, conservation areas and urban transformation implementation projects in cities, and integrating strategic planning model has adding value in the process. In the city centre of Ankara province, which is the capital of Turkey, there are several large areas among which the most important is Ataturk Cultural Center (AKM) area, which is an historical centre of the city in the Zubeyde Hanım neighborhood of Altindag District. In this study, physical, economic, legal, social and environmental indicators of Atatürk Cultural Center area were determined. In addition to ensuring the preservation and development of historic urban spaces, opportunities for the development of an adequate and effective strategic model and practice-based management tools were evaluated. In the analysis of AKM case study, the relationship between the historical development and the environment of the area was revealed by using the current situation analysis and region data. Based on historical and cultural characteristics and stakeholder views of the area, current use of status and problem analysis of region called the green belt and historical city centre of Ankara Province was conducted. With the data obtained, the difference/gap analysis related to the region was performed and the possible risks were examined in various aspects. In addition to the survey work, project alternatives were determined by taking into account the property and zoning data related to the region, the historical, cultural and symbolic characteristics of the region, and the most appropriate alternative was selected using the Analytical Hierarchy Process (AHP). According to the most appropriate alternative, market and competitiveness conditions were examined, and strategic goals were determined at the real estate level by taking into account the compatibility of the project alternative with the relevant existing corporate-macro strategic plans. According to the income-generating approaches included in the selected project, the path of cost and income estimation was taken and the outline of the strategic action plan was presented by designing the process for the strategic spatial plan. According to the research results, it has emphasized that in real estate development project model with the strategic planning approach, competitive real estate markets and the functioning logic of the current region for sustainable (economic, environmental and social) impacts, the potentials and benefits should be taken into account. According to the results of the field study, it has revealed that the AKM area should be a cultural centre by function; and if integrated with its surroundings, especially the historical city centre it will have a modern appearance that preserves its historical and cultural nature. In addition, according to the results of the competitor analysis and gap analysis, it was determined that the project alternative envisaged to be carried out in the region has a competitive advantage and is compatible with the strategic plans already in practice. The fact that the strategic action plan is compatible with the results of fieldwork shows that the strategic planning approach is consistent in itself. Finally, monitoring and evaluation of the strategic plan with the perspective of 10P model for providing corporate level action. In addition, considering that corporate real estate needs to be increasingly integrated into business strategy, it should be emphasized that corporate real estate strategy and corporate strategy should be harmonized in specialized areas such as AKM.