Accident Causation in Complex Systems in Human Error - Essay Example

A general View of Accident Causation in Complex Systems in Human Error Abstract Accident causation revolves around human error but an understanding of accidents in complex systems requires clear definition of error forms and types. To begin with, errors in complex systems have to be understood as normal cognitive processes. That is, evaluation of current errors has indicated systems have had origins in fundamentally essential psychological processes. However, the thesis statement of the research it to assess the extent to which errors; particularly those for complex systems can be modeled by an extension of recognized and accepted human performance models. Nevertheless, a research that investigates whether there are limited numbers of error types is needed. While such research remains to be gap in knowledge, the thesis statement seeks to understand two error forms; frequency bias and similarity-matching forms. A review of psychological research on error as well as pre-cognitive natural science tradition has indicated that there are behaviorist explanations for different forms of errors. Schema theory and the existing difference between rationality and satisficing models to decision making remain to be areas that should be connected to accident causation in complex systems as far as human errors are concerned. Performance levels of types of error have been found to be directly linked to understanding of causation of complex systems in human error. This study therefore classifies different types of errors which from the analysis will be broader than rule-based mistakes, skill-based mistakes and knowledge-based mistakes. Researchers have been limited their studies to just these errors without linking their theses to generic error modeling systems. This study is truly generic as it amalgamates cognitive science theory with influences from previous studies. The research epitomizes the thesis statement by recognizing that there is link between human cognition and performance mechanisms in explaining errors. What remains is to assess whether errors can rise out of normally adaptive psychological processes. The Reading and Work Experience This reading epitomizes the aspect of complex systems in human error but directly suggest the events that finally led to the failure of QantasLink flight QF1466 and Bombardier Q400 aircraft. The author has indicated that helping engineers minimize project failures must first be embedded on helping such engineers understand the seriousness of workability of systems and machines. Thus the aircrafts should have evaluated against continued airworthiness assessment methodologies hazard levels. Relating the aspect of behaviorist explanations for different forms of error within the context of the planes, the engineers ought to have carried random failure models since the two engines in either projects had differing ages. It has become a common trend that engineers working on airlines work with engines of different ages so that, on a certain airplane, all engines are not of the same total cycles or hours so as to conceptualise the aspect of generic error modeling systems. Knowing what you want: measuring labile values Abstract Decision making that touches on faith, value and attitude remains to be multifaceted especially among students. In most cases, the relative option to choose does not only depend on characteristic of the choice or value to be chosen but elicitation of values which should be central pursuit in many areas of social sciences. In such cases, there will be need to evaluate ones values and critical questioning of the needed value so that the process illicit judgment that represent one’s underlying values. Behavior decision theory, survey researchers and attitude researchers agree that nature of values people are faced with differ significantly thus what is available to illicit depends on how the choice set has been ordered. These assumptions however, have led to different methodological interpretations and concerns, as well as difference in reading too little or too much into responses of people. The analyses thus characterize the available assumptions and to a larger extent, research paradigm based on the assumptions. There is need to offer an account of how the assumptions rise, based on the sociological and psychological contexts within which different researchers have functioned. When one constructs mental model regarding a given value or situation, s/he often make explicit as little information as possible so as to minimize the cognitive load. However, we assess how such mental models influence the information one can pay attention to and what information can be ignored. In the process of conceptualizing the extent of information that can be taken or ignored, the study recognizes that options available for choice are not always instinctively formulated; either verbally or in numerical form. These views leave only one option to explore; that the process of elicitation acts as neutral tools, constructed without bias so as to translate inward or subjective feelings into evidence-based expressions. Values and the choice thus remains an interest to the researcher. The Reading and Work Experience Faith, value and attitude as the author found remains poignant when making career choices. It has been a race between what one wants to be for the rest of his/her life and what precisely illicit such judgments. It was the decision my life was to make between pursuing management of business enterprises and taking engineering. From wide array of choices to make, personality traits dictated patterns of perceiving, relating to, and thinking about the environment and my life that were exhibited in a wide range of social and personal contexts. The reading explicitly discusses how mental models influence the information one can pay attention to and what information can be ignored. Relating this argument to the choice I had to make, it is essential to note that trait can be principally used to refer to the interests, abilities and personality characteristics that dictate values and choices we make when faced with challenges or options that conflict. Looking up and Looking Around Abstract The research succinctly deciphers challenges managers undergo based on different environments organisations have to adapt to. Inclusive management is premised on integrating workers or employees to conform to new requirements of an organization. Additionally, the research provides a need for application of ethical principles that should be applied when a change in an environment of operation tend to negate conformance to the required tenets of bureaucratic functionality. Powers in corporations have been centralized at the top management while responsibility for decisions and profits pushed down the line as far as possible. As a result, critical change management should be viewed as a planned process where an organization renews its direction, structures and abilities to serve the dynamics of the organization. Organisations should be seen to be more than places of work therefore the systematic adoption and application of functional rationality should aim at maximizing profits but again valuing workers as part of the process. To conxtualise this argument, the study seeks to assess contemporary organisations, theoretical frameworks and challenges affecting decisions on organizational change management. Managers are viewed as persons of ostensibly balances in their judgment with open mindedness in tolerating others. As a result, the research assesses change in management as reactive, unpredictable and discontinuous and this is always triggered by a scenario where an organization or a manager is facing a crisis. The research adopts different models of leadership and change in an organization as a structure which links main theories and approaches in assessing organisational change management. Since the world is moving into functional rationality and short term results are what managers are judged by, the research discusses change characterized by the rate of occurrence; it sees managers and organizations entities that should embrace a fundamental model that manages through limited, successive and negotiated shifts. The Reading and Work Experience The reading, Looking up and Looking Around relates to organization situations and challenges experienced by managers in an organization. Just like Jackall notes, working in the organization showed that there may be no specific way of leading staff in the organizational environment instead, different situations will automatically create different styles of leadership and management. However, the approaches taken by managers depend on the requirements of the company or organization in question. At least, this is what Jackall found in American corporate life. Furthermore, situational leadership theory in general and contingency theory in particular is useful and relevant in connecting what the author described and practical working experience gathered. Comparing the experience and reading, there may be lack of effective leadership culture since managers or leaders are aware that if one style of leadership works in a given culture and environment, the same style may prove futile or irrelevant in another environment or culture. Society in the making: the study of technology as a tool for sociological analysis Abstract One of the distinguishing factors in the theory of actor network is the complete dependency of a given actor, and one every other actor to maintain cohesion in the network. This is basically what defines society in the making however, a critical study of technology as a tool that enhances sociological analysis stretches beyond actor network theory. A technology needs to be understood from the perspective of network. This study advances the knowledge that each part of a network should represent several different smaller part of a whole and at the same time, sociological aspect of the network is to ensure that it should be able to be minimized into a small part of a larger whole. One aspect that has made it difficult to create connectedness between technology and society is EDF engineers’ approach of attempting to prove their theories in academic arena. Working from this perspective, the brilliance or originality of this research is secondary to the true goal and the success of the project seeking to advance a technology for sociological analysis. It is for this reason that the study of technology as an approach in this case seeks to visualize current and future society that satisfies the needs of the society; not as a result of traditional means, at least not as a result of means regarded as traditional to academia. For instance, predicting the failure of internal combustion engine due to electrochemical generators but at the same time ignoring traditional consumers only create engineers who act as historians and sociologist but not technicians. The actor network therefore explains the complexities and dynamics in the society but in a totally different way; different from approaches that have been used by sociologist. It is due to this heterogamous account that the study assess to understand tenets of actor networks. The Reading and Work Experience The study of technology as a tool for sociological analysis means that there exist a number of technologies and systems developed to test importance measures in the reliability of actor networks. Practical example that can be justified is the crushing plant in Jajarm Bauxite mine of Iran. It is common issue among systems that their values and output of their structures are dependent on their ages---which also affect their reliability and availability. Therefore, as the reading integrates the aspects of a technology for sociological analysis, the requirements for these systems to be operational are reliability and or availability. Furthermore, the relationship between the actor network as the reading posits and Jajarm Bauxite mine is that engineering should be able to identify weakest areas of a machine or system. Further to this, it also ensures that there are modifications to these systems which ultimately improve maintainability and reliability. References Callon, M. (1987), ‘Society in the Making: the study of technology as a tool for sociological analysis’ in Biker, W.E et al (eds), The Social Construction of Technology Systems, The MIT Press. Fischoff, B., Slovic, P. and Lichtenstein,.S. (1980), ‘Knowing what you want: measuring labile value’, in Bell, D.E., Raiffa, H and Tversky, A., Decision Making: Descriptive, Normative, and Prescriptive Interactions, Cambridge University Press, Cambridge. Jackall, R. (1988), Chapter4, ‘Looking up and looking around', in Moral Mazes, Oxford. Reason, J. (1990), 'A general view of accident causation in complex systems’, in Human Error, Cambridge University Press, Cambridge. Read More