Dynamic Work Environment Research Articles

Communicating in Dynamic Conditions: How Do On-Site Construction Project Managers Do It?

A great many of today's construction projects are characterized by high levels of dynamics, namely, the combined effect of complexity, uncertainty, and speed. Managing projects under such conditions is difficult and challenging, and the question is asked: How do managers do it? Aspiring to answer this question, ten excellent on-site construction project managers were systematically observed during one workweek each, within an extensive study that examined their performance in their dynamic management environments. The structured observation and documentation and the analysis that followed them enabled us to characterize the managers' work and exposed their unique modes of operation through which they consistently excel in their work. Among many aspects addressed by the said study, this paper focuses on communication and, using various measures, examines the intensiveness and extensiveness of communication performed by the PMs in the broad context of their work. The study found that the on-site construction PMs were strongly oriented toward verbal communication of information (during nearly 80% of their activities and time); they spent a major portion of their workdays in meetings (during 60% of their activities, and of which nearly 80% were unplanned); and they showed clear preference for interacting informally with no more than one or two other persons (during 93% of their activities and 88% of the time). The unique knowledge base resulting from this study constitutes a potential contribution for practitioners who are required to function in similar dynamic work environments, as well as for students, teachers, and researchers of construction management.

Effect of Scaffold End Frame Carrying Strategies on Worker Stepping Response, Postural Stability, and Perceived Task Difficulty

This study determined the most favorable strategy for carrying scaffold end frames while minimizing the risk of injuries from being struck by an object, falling, and overexertion. Scaffold erectors are at risk of high exposure to the aforementioned hazards associated with the dynamic human-scaffolding interface and work environments. Identifying an optimal work strategy can help reduce risk of injuries to the worker. Three carrying methods, four types of work surfaces, two weights of scaffold frames, and three directions of stepping movement were tested in a laboratory with 18 construction workers. The effects of carrying method on postural instability and task difficulty rating were significant for handling the 22-kg end frame. Response time, postural instability, and perceived task difficulty rating were significantly reduced when the 9-kg end frame was used as compared with the 22-kg frame. The symmetric side-carrying method was the best option for handling 22-kg scaffold end frames. A 9-kg end frame (e.g., made of reinforced lightweight materials) has the potential to reduce injury risk among scaffold handlers during their scaffold erection and dismantlingjobs. Scaffold erectors may want to adopt the symmetric side-carrying method as the primary technique for handling the 22-kg scaffold end frame, which is currently the one most used in the industry.

Exposure to fall hazards and safety climate in the aircraft maintenance industry

Problem Falls represent a significant occupational hazard, particularly in industries with dynamic work environments. This paper describes rates of noncompliance with fall hazard prevention requirements, perceived safety climate and worker knowledge and beliefs, and the association between fall exposure and safety climate measures in commercial aircraft maintenance activities. Methods Walkthrough observations were conducted on aircraft mechanics at two participating facilities (Sites A and B) to ascertain the degree of noncompliance. Mechanics at each site completed questionnaires concerning fall hazard knowledge, personal safety beliefs, and safety climate. Questionnaire results were summarized into safety climate and belief scores by workgroup and site. Noncompliance rates observed during walkthroughs were compared to the climate-belief scores, and were expected to be inversely associated. Results Important differences were seen in fall safety performance between the sites. The study provided a characterization of aircraft maintenance fall hazards, and also demonstrated the effectiveness of an objective hazard assessment methodology. Noncompliance varied by height, equipment used, location of work on the aircraft, shift, and by safety system. Discussion Although the expected relationship between safety climate and noncompliance was seen for site-average climate scores, workgroups with higher safety climate scores had greater observed noncompliance within Site A. Overall, use of engineered safety systems had a significant impact on working safely, while safety beliefs and climate also contributed, though inconsistently. Impact on Industry The results of this study indicate that safety systems are very important in reducing noncompliance with fall protection requirements in aircraft maintenance facilities. Site-level fall safety compliance was found to be related to safety climate, although an unexpected relationship between compliance and safety climate was seen at the workgroup level within site. Finally, observed fall safety compliance was found to differ from self-reported compliance.

Developing Systems that can Utilize Captured Command and Performance Data to Support Collaborative Adaptation in Dynamic Distributed Work Environments

In complex dynamic distributed work environments there is often a need to adapt previously prescribed operations if optimal performance is to be continually achieved. For instance, changes in an organization's personnel, structure, technological resources, procedures, or the physical environment in which work is performed can all have an impact on what adaptation is needed. With modern information systems that capture individual and collaborative decision making and performance in these organizations there is the potential to leverage that data to improve awareness and understanding of what has occurred in the past and to help decide where changes need to be made in future operations. In this paper, two case studies are presented and compared where such data has been utilized this way. The first involves the development of the Post Operations Evaluation Tool to help support adaptation by FAA and Airline operations center staff, and the second involves the development of C2 insight to help support adaptation by Army commanders in command posts. In both cases it was found important to (1) model the system in such a way that contributing factors to performance measures of interest are easily retrieved and appropriately associated with outcome; (2) provide the user with analytical tools to help identify important patterns in the system, but also provide significant freedom in searching through the captured data – starting with meaningful overviews and then providing support for coupled interactive related views on the data, as well as filtering and drill-down capabilities, and (3) provide support for collaborative discussion and problem solving on patterns that one user or group believes are evidence that adaptation is needed.

Evaluating Sensor Reliability in Classification Problems Based on Evidence Theory

This paper presents a new framework for sensor reliability evaluation in classification problems based on evidence theory (or the Dempster-Shafer theory of belief functions). The evaluation is treated as a two-stage training process. First, the authors assess the static reliability from a training set by comparing the sensor classification readings with the actual values of data, which are both represented by belief functions. Information content contained in the actual values of each target is extracted to determine its influence on the evaluation. Next, considering the ability of the sensor to understand a dynamic working environment, the dynamic reliability is evaluated by measuring the degree of consensus among a group of sensors. Finally, the authors discuss why and how to combine these two kinds of reliabilities. A significant improvement using the authors' method is observed in numerical simulations as compared with the recently proposed method.

Career Competencies for the Modern Career

Career development gains new meaning in the context of employability demands in a knowledge economy. In this context, increased mobility, a dynamic work environment, and an increased level of career support from employers are seen as characteristics of a modern career. All of these characteristics put emphasis on individual and self-management in career development. This article presents the results of an empirical study that addressed the general question as to which competencies employees need to possess to realize career self-management. In a survey of 1,579 employees (51% response) in 16 Dutch companies, 6 career factors and competencies of career self-management prove to be relevant for career development: career development ability, reflection on capacities, reflection on motives, work exploration, career control, and networking. Among the explanatory variables that are considered, mobility perspective and career support at work and private life appear to be associated most strongly (statistical significance at .01) with career competencies.

Becoming a Science Librarian

SUMMARYIncreasing concern has been expressed in the literature regarding the recruitment and retention of qualified librarians within the profession. Science and Technology Libraries share equally in considering the consequences of this trend. Two Science Librarians, neither possessing a degree in the sciences, will discuss the skills, competencies, and experiences that enable them to thrive in a challenging and dynamic work environment. Descriptive statistics from a survey of other newly hired science librarians, regardless of their science background, will also be incorporated. In addition to exploring perceived strengths, this paper will address the possible disadvantages that the lack of a science “background” may present. Science background will be discussed in terms of having previously obtained a degree in the sciences. The approach to the topic is from the perspective of the new hire (not necessarily a “new” librarian), rather than that of the hiring institution; however, strategies and methods that are useful to both groups will be offered.

Linking the Big Five‐Factors of personality to charismatic and transactional leadership; perceived dynamic work environment as a moderator

AbstractIn this multi‐source study we investigated the relationships between the Big Five personality traits and both charismatic and transactional leadership behavior, and whether dynamism (the degree that the work environment is deemed dynamic) moderates these relationships. We also tested whether dynamism moderates the relationship between leadership behavior and effectiveness. Personality was measured through self ratings using the NEO‐PI‐R. Subordinates rated their leaders' behavior, and peers and superiors provided ratings of effectiveness. Consistent with trait activation theory, results showed that perceived dynamic work environment moderated the relationships of four of the Big Five‐Factors with both charismatic and transactional leadership. Also, charismatic leadership was positively related to perceived effectiveness, but only in dynamic contexts. Copyright © 2005 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Emotional Intelligence or Emotional Blackmail

This article aims to understand what leaders should do to best support the success of a self-managing work team. The results suggest that the western concept of emotional intelligence in leadership is ineffective when applied to a Chinese setting. The article provides insights into the obligations and responsibilities of Chinese leaders and helps explain some of the potential conflicts arising from misplaced emotions felt towards followers. The study, which was based on an intensive investigation of a professional-service firm over a four-year period, was conducted in two phases. Phase one involved the observation of work behavior while phase two involved extensive interviews. The findings highlight how difficult it is for emotionally intelligent leaders to motivate followers, and identify tensions that stem from pressures on businesses in a dynamic work environment. The results and their implications for future studies of emotional intelligence in Chinese organizations are discussed.

Operator monitoring in a complex dynamic work environment: a qualitative cognitive model based on field observations

Complex and dynamic work environments provide a challenging litmus-test with which to evaluate basic and applied theories of cognition. In this work, we were interested in obtaining a better understanding of dynamic decision making by studying how human operators monitored a nuclear power plant during normal operations. Interviews and observations were conducted in situ at three different power plants to enhance the generalizability of results across both individuals and plants. A total of 38 operators were observed for approximately 288 hours, providing an extensive database of qualitative data. Based on these empirical observations, a cognitive model of operator monitoring was developed. This qualitative model has important theoretical implications because it integrates findings from several theoretical perspectives. There is a strong human information processing component in that operators rely extensively on active knowledge-driven monitoring rather than passively reacting to changes after they occur, but there is also a strong distributed cognition component in that operators rely extensively on the external representations to offload cognitive demands. In some cases, they even go so far as to actively shape that environment to make it easier to exploit environmental regularities, almost playing the role of designers. Finally, expert operators use workload regulation strategies, allowing them to prioritize tasks so that they avoid situations that are likely to lead to monitoring errors. These meta-cognitive processes have not received much attention in the human information processing and distributed cognition perspectives, although they have been studied by European psychologists who have studied cognition in complex work environments. Collectively, these findings shed light on dynamic decision making but they also serve an important theoretical function by integrating findings from different theoretical perspectives into one common framework.

CSCW-based system development methodology for health-care information systems.

Health-care organizations are now moving toward integrated delivery systems to provide high-quality care, as they are being held to an ever-increasing scope of accountabilities. Distributed applications such as telemedicine and electronic patient records (EPR) are seen as key requirements for the future to deliver cost effective and high-quality health-care services. This initiative would provide dynamic environments for health professionals to access patient information and thereby increase the decision-making capacities on patient care procedures. Although telemedicine applications and EPR contribute to the improvement of healthcare services, poor communication mechanisms and practices negatively impact on quality of service (QoS) in teamwork environments of patient care. Awareness and responsiveness are becoming important factors in dynamic group collaborative work environments in healthcare facilities. This paper reports on a detailed case study of group communication patterns in a patient service environment. Further, an ethnographic approach that addresses group communications patterns, identifies tools and techniques in light of Computer-Supported Collaborative Work (CSCW), which requires the application of a number of disciplines including sociology, organizational science, psychology, and computer science. In cooperative work environments, it is important to understand the activities of others for human interaction and communication in general. This is very important for future development of CSCW-based distributed architectures that focus on the challenges of improving QoS in healthcare environments.

The Meaning, Development, and Career Outcomes of Breadth of Vocational Interests

Breadth of vocational interests (BVI) denotes the diversity of an individual's vocational interests. Not much is known about the meaning and development of BVI or its career outcomes. The authors' framework for conceptualizing the development of BVI includes three individual difference domains (i.e., life experiences, cognitive ability, and personality) related to the development of BVI and three possible outcomes (i.e., career commitment, job involvement, and stability of occupational classification). The framework is tested longitudinally. It appears that life experiences are more instrumental in the development of women's BVI, whereas academic achievement is more important for men. These findings have practical implications for counselors, career clients, and researchers alike. In light of the suggested changes in career management and the dynamic work environment, understanding BVI should prove insightful to all. BVI may be associated with adaptability to a changing economy and shifting job demands.

The Future of Wireless Communications

Just a few years ago, wireless LANs were seen as a strategic means of meeting the demands of today's highly dynamic work environments and mobile users. Today's 100-Mbps and 1-Gbps wired LANs have blunted this notion.

Toward a Typology of Dynamic and Hazardous Work Environments

The most hazardous work environments share one feature in common: constant change. Many different, but constantly changing hazards are found in agriculture, construction, mining, and transport. This dynamic feature of workplace hazards varies by: (1) degree of control, (2) predictability, (3) visibility, (4) movement, and (5) degree of speed and force. In some cases the actions of the dynamic hazards are required for production to take place, and in many cases, several different hazards may overlap and interact. Finally, whether intentional or unintentional, some dynamic hazards are human generated. These are some of the features that distinguish dynamic and hazardous work environments across a variety of industries. The authors propose a preliminary typology of dynamic and hazardous work environments, along with a schema to systematically observe the dynamic characteristics of these hazards. The implications of this typology are considered with respect to worker training, hazard awareness, and safe work practices. For example, the implementation of the Hierarchy of Control is shown to require active worker involvement at every level in the hierarchy, except where an environmental hazard has been completely eliminated.

The Influence of Family and Community Social Capital on Educational Achievement*

Abstract It is increasingly recognized that families and communities are important in helping youths develop the knowledge and skills they need to obtain technologically sophisticated jobs, which are an emerging part of the global economy. In this paper we adopt social capital as a framework for examining the influence of family and community on promoting educational achievement among public school students. We explore more fully the role of community social capital in influencing educational performance beyond that attributed to family social capital. Using data from the National Education Longitudinal Survey (NELS), we find that both process and structural attributes of family social capital are key factors affecting high school students' educational achievement. Process and structural attributes of community social capital also help youths to excel, though they contribute less strongly to achievement. These findings suggest that policies designed to promote educational achievement must extend beyond the school and must seek to strengthen social capital in the family and the community.

Trends in Human Factors Evaluation of Work Support Systems

Society is becoming increasingly integrated, effects of disturbances and design deficiencies propagate rapidly and widely, and work is becoming increasingly dynamic. Furthermore, organizations have to face an increasingly competitive environment, where success very likely is granted those operating at the border of established practice. This raises new requirements for the design and evaluation of work systems. For discretionary tasks in a dynamic work environment, a map of the deep structure of the work content is more effective than a route instruction. Rather than an interface matching the mental models of the users, the interface should make visible the affordances and the internal constraints of the workspace, including the boundaries of acceptable conditions. That is, the interface should induce a proper mental model. Design and evaluation then cannot be based only on user involvement and empirical evaluation tests. In addition, intimate knowledge of the deep structure of the workspace is necessary and domain experts must be involved in an analytical evaluation, which is outlined.

Nurses' job satisfaction and organizational climate in a dynamic work environment

The infrastructure and organization of hospitals are changing rapidly as a result of major transitions in health care. Downsizing in hospitals has caused employees to have to take on new tasks and, often, multiple tasks with a decrease in available resources and an increase in job complexity. Naturally, such organizational changes have a profound effect on the nature and duration of patient hospitalization and on the job responsibilities and roles of inpatient staff. In many hospitals, there is a perception of chaos, sometimes resulting in frustration among the nursing personnel. The purpose of this study was to describe the relationship between nurses' job satisfaction and organizational climate.

Learning Our Limits: The Science Libraries at Duke University Retreat to Respond to Our Changing Environment

In times of rapid change, we must periodically reinvent ourselves. In general, technological advances and the changing needs and skills of our users are affecting our libraries. The Heads of the Science Libraries (Biological and Environmental Sciences; Chemistry, Engineering and Math-Physics) at Duke University spent a day examining our operations, defining our goals and exploring options to help us achieve these goals in a dynamic work environment. A mixture of cost/impact analysis and decision matrix models were used by each librarian to analyze his/her activities on the basis of their direct impact on his/her users. Recognizing that additional staff is rarely an option, the cost/impact model enabled us to prioritize our functions and to better deploy our limited resources to those areas that best serve our users. Our paper will explain this process and the results of our retreat.

The Changing Nature of Careers: A Review and Research Agenda

This review analyzes how the changing nature of careers can be conceptualized by examining two major categories of careers research. Specifically, the developmental stage theories of Super (1957) and Levinson (1978, 1986, 1996) and the boundaryless career concept (Arthur & Rousseau, 1996) are used to assess our understanding of careers in today’s dynamic work environment. Directions for future research on existing topics, as well as five major recommendations for a new research agenda, are offered.

The changing nature of careers: a review and research agenda

This review analyzes how the changing nature of careers can be conceptualized by examining two major categories of careers research. Specifically, the developmental stage theories of Super (1957) and Levinson (1978, 1986, 1996) and the boundaryless career concept (Arthur & Rousseau, 1996) are used to assess our understanding of careers in today’s dynamic work environment. Directions for future research on existing topics, as well as five major recommendations for a new research agenda, are offered.