Pilot Development: An Empirical Mixed-method Analysis

Purpose — Pilot upgrade training is critical to aircraft and passenger safety. This study aims to identify variances in the US Air Force C-130J pilot upgrade training based on geographic location and provide a model to enhance policy that will impact future pilot training efforts that lower cost and increase operator quality and proficiency.Design/methodology/approach — This research employed a mixed-method approach. First, the authors collected data and analyzed 90 C-130J pilots\u27 aviation records and then contextualized this analysis with interviews of experts. Finally, the authors present a modified version of Six Sigma\u27s define–measure–analyze–improve–control (DMAIC) that identifies and reduces the variances in C-130J pilot training, translating into higher quality outcomes.Findings — The results indicate significant statistical variances across geographically separated C-130J pilot training organizations. This leads some organizations to have higher proficiency levels in specific tasks and others with comparative deficiencies. Additionally, the data analysis in this study enabled a recommended number of flight hours in several distinct categories that should be obtained before upgrading a pilot to aircraft commander to enhance standards.Research limitations/implications — This research was limited to C-130J pilot upgrades, but these results can be implemented within any field that utilizes hours as a measure of experience. Implications from this research can be employed to scope policy that will influence pilot training requirements across all airframes in civilian and military aviation.Originality/value — This research proposes a process improvement methodology that could be immediately implemented within the C-130J community and, more importantly, in any upgrade training where humans advance into higher echelons of a profession

Demographic change: towards a framework to manage IT- personnel in times of scarcity of talent

En un entorno en el que el crecimiento demográfico negativo es una realidad en la mayoría de los estados europeos, las organizaciones deben enfrentar necesidades incrementos de la productividad laboral y una menor disponibilidad de empleados competentes. Uno de los sectores en que la situación expuesta es más evidente es el de las Tencnologías de la Información. Las teconologías de la información son cruciales para casi cualquier organización en cualquier sector y para cualquier persona. En un entorno socioeconómico en continuo cambio las organizaciones y sus departamentos de tecnologías de la información deben asumir los cambios en el mercado y ser capaces de desenvolverse de una forma ágil y con una orientación al cliente sin precedentes. Para las organizaciones, y en particular para sus elementos organizacionales más relacionados con las tecnologías de la información, la productividad de los empleados es un componente clave. De esta forma, la gestión de los recursos humanos, abarcando aspectos como su selección, desarrollo y retención es un aspecto clave para las organizaciones. El reto para las organizaciones es lograr la mejora en el ámbito de los procesos corporativos incluyendo como una parte importante de los mismos la gestión de los recursos humanos. La simbiosis de disciplinas como las tecnologías de la información, la economía, la psicología y la gestión puede lograr el incremento de la lealtad de los empleados. Para los profesionales modernos, los cambios de empleador se consideran dentro de la normalidad hasta encontrar un entorno adecuado que colme sus expectativas y necesidades. Dichas expectativas no se encuentran basadas únicamente en incentivos económicos, por lo que las organizaciones deben anticipar las expectativas y alinear sus estrategias a las expectativas de su fuerza laboral. La temática de este trabajo ha tenido repercusión en la literatura científica, sin embargo, no existe un estudio que identifique los factores que se presentan y determinan la retención de los trabajadores de las tecnologías de la información en los entornos organizacionales. Este es el objetivo de la presente tesis doctoral. Para ello, el primer paso que se pretende dar es concretar los aspectos organizacionales que son relevantes para el estudio del fenómeno. A partir de esta identificación, el autor diseña un marco en el que las partes identificadas se encuentran conectadas. El citado marco de trabajo presenta cinco niveles. Estos cinco niveles son: los salarios, la educación y capacidad de fuerza laboral, salud psicológica, salud fisiológica y balance de la vida laboral y profesional. Adicionalmente, el marco de trabajo presenta una aproximación jerárquica. Cada nivel presenta diferentes factores y métricas para definir y medir la situación organizacional ofreciendo oportunidades de derivar medidas para mejorar la situación. El marco de trabajo presenta 22 factores y 44 métricas. Adicionalmente, se ha desarrollado un modelo de implantación para el método propuesto. Con vistas a refinar el marco de trabajo y su modelo de implantación, se han llevado a cabo pruebas cualitativas y cuantitativas en el seno de un departamento de tecnologías de la in-formación perteneciente a una organización dedicada a los servicios financieros en Alemania. Se formularon y respondieron diversas preguntas de investigación en relación a ámbitos como el cambio demográfico, el estrés y los factores para el rendimiento laboral. Los resultados demuestran que el estrés está determinado por diferentes factores y que la mayoría de ellos deben ser tomados en consideración en la asignación de tareas y en el diseño de los entornos de trabajo. De la misma forma, se presentan diversos factores que incrementan la productividad laboral. Algunos de ellos como la conciliación de la vida laboral y la personal, la cultura organizacional o el salario deben ser tomados en consideración en las estrategias de gestión de recursos humanos en ámbitos organizacionales. Una estrategia de gestión de recursos humanos debe incluir adicionalmente aspectos relativos al reclutamiento, teniendo en cuenta la complentaridad con los factores anteriormente expuestos. Los resultados obtenidos también revelan que no existen evidencias de diferencias de género o de edad en la importancia de los factores de productividad o en los factores de estrés.Due to an unsatisfying demographic development in most European states, companies have to solve a trade-off between a needed increase of productivity on the one hand and fewer highly skilled employees on the other hand. One of the first sectors that will be influenced by this development is the Information Technology-industry (IT). Information technology is crucial for every company in every industry and for the people itself. In a permanently changing business environment, companies and especially their IT-departments must adapt to changes in the market and be more agile and customer oriented than ever before. To succeed in the IT sector, the productivity of employees is the key comonent. Therefore, the allocation and retention of these scarce resources in the best possible way is even more important. The challenge for companies is to improve the enterprise not only on the side of the organizational and process level, but to develop new strategies and approaches in human resource management. Only a symbiosis of the disciplines information technology, economics, psychology and management will enable relevant and indispensable employees to promote loyalty to the company. For a well-trained professional, frequent change of the employer, is as long associated with normality until the employees find the most suitable environment for fulfilling their needs and expectations. These expectations are no longer just based on financial incentives, consequently companies need to anticipate these expectations and align their strategies to them. Although the topic is quite popular in scientific literature, there is not a study devoted to identify these factors in organizational contexts. This Thesis is aimed to bridge this gap. The first step to achieve this goal is creating transparency over all parts of an organisation that are relevant to this topic. The author created a method that connects these relevant parts in one holistic framework. The framework consists of five layers. These layers are baseline wages, education and employee pool, psychological healthiness, physiological healthiness and work live balance. Also, the framework follows a hierarchical approach. Every layer has distinct factors and metrics to define and measure the status of the company and offers opportunities to derive measures to improve this situation. In total the framework consist of 22 factors and 44 metrics. Besides the framework, the author developed an implementation model for the proposed method. To refine the developed framework and implementation model, qualitative and quantitative tests were conductedn the IT-department of a financial service company in Germany. X Several research questions regarding demographic change, psychological stress and factors for employee performance were analysed and answered. The results show, that stress is influenced by several different stressors and the most of them need to be considered by companies when they allocate work or design workspaces. On the other side, there are several factors that promote employee productivity. Some of them, like work-life balance, company culture or salary are more important and should be a relevant part of every human resource management (HRM) strategy. A HRM strategy should involve proper measures for the recruiting and the development of employees because they complement each other and should be considered with the same importance. The results also show, that there is no evidence suggesting an age or gender related difference of the importance or the impact of productivity factors or psychological stressors.Programa Oficial de Doctorado en Ciencia y Tecnología InformáticaPresidente: Antonio de Amescua Seco.- Secretario: Edmundo Tov0ar Carlo.- Vocal: Cristina Casado Lumbrera

focus Educating Software Professionals Developing Software Engineers at the C-130J Software Factory

0 7 4 0 -7 4 5 9 / 0 2 / $ 1 7 . 0 0 © 2 0 0 2 I E E E S e p t e m b e r / O c t o b e r 2 0 0 2 I E E E S O F T W A R E 1 Sun workstations and PCs networked to Web servers, a configuration management server, an aircraft simulator implemented in software, and laboratories comprised of the aircraft's hardware mounted in equipment racks for easy access. A Web-based digital nervous system 2 supports software engineering activities including data collection and metrics generation for software product and process evaluation. This IPT has educational needs as diverse as the roles of the C-130J aircraft. IPT activities cover many software development domains that address corporate, Federal Aviation Administration, and national and international military and civilian requirements. Many new hires, however, lack preparation for this environment. This article discusses the IPT's diverse education and training needs, focusing on how to address shortfalls in conventional computer science and engineering education that result in mismatched expectations between the new hire and the company. The C-130J Airlifter and its software factory To appreciate this article's perspective, it's essential to understand the product we create. Lockheed Martin rolled out the first production C-130 aircraft on 10 March 1955. Since then, Lockheed Martin has built more than 2,100 C-130s, and over 60 nations worldwide fly them in dozens of variations. C-130 aircraft I Carry troops, vehicles, and armaments into battle I Drop paratroopers and supplies from the sky I Serve as airborne and ground refuelers I Serve as flying hospitals and hurricane hunters I Provide emergency evacuation and humanitarian relief I Perform airborne early warning and maritime surveillance I Operate in extreme conditions, from the Sahara deserts to the ice of Antarctica I Have helped recover space capsule

Avaliação de jogos voltados para a disseminação do conhecimento

O conhecimento é um recurso valioso que pode ser capturado, codificado, armazenado e disseminado para a sociedade por meio de diferentes tipos de mídias. Os jogos educacionais são mídias voltadas para a educação e usados para transferir e adquirir conhecimentos em diversas áreas, sendo um dos seus benefícios importantes, possibilitar que alunos possam ter experiências práticas. A engenharia de software é uma área que tem buscado nos jogos uma forma alternativa para sair do ensino excessivamente centrado no professor para tentar proporcionar uma maior aplicação prática dos conceitos. Vários jogos já foram desenvolvidos para apoiar o ensino e aprendizagem da engenharia de software. Entretanto, ao desenvolver ou utilizar jogos educacionais é importante realizar avaliações da qualidade destes artefatos para assegurar que trazem benefícios a fim de justificar sua utilização. Um jogo de qualidade é aquele que tem objetivos educacionais bem definidos, motiva os alunos para os estudos e promove a aprendizagem de conteúdos curriculares por meio de atividades divertidas, prazerosas e desafiadoras. Este trabalho propõe um modelo para a avaliação da qualidade de jogos educacionais baseado no modelo de avaliação de treinamentos de Kirkpatrick, nas estratégias motivacionais do modelo ARCS, na área de experiência do usuário e na taxonomia de objetivos educacionais de Bloom. A estrutura teórica do modelo e um questionário para a coleta de dados com base da percepção dos alunos foram criados e são apresentados. O modelo foi testado com três jogos educacionais para avaliação de sua validade e confiabilidade, com o emprego de técnicas estatísticas, além da avaliação de sua aplicabilidade e utilidade. Os primeiros resultados foram satisfatórios e espera-se que este modelo possa trazer contribuições para a qualidade de jogos educacionais e a orientar professores na seleção e uso deste tipo de material de ensino e aprendizagem.Knowledge is a valuable resource which can be captured, codified, stored and disseminated to society through different types of media. Educational games are media-oriented education and used to transfer and acquire knowledge in several areas. One of the important benefits of educational games, in addition to theoretical knowledge, is enabling students to have practical experiences in classroom. The area of software engineering has sought a game alternative in order to move away from teacher focused education and to provide a greater practical application of concepts. Several games have been developed to support teaching and learning of software engineering, however, in the process of developing or using educational games it is important to perform quality evaluation to ensure that these artifacts provide benefits and by doing so, justify its use. A quality game is one that has well-defined educational goals, motivates students to study, and promotes learning of the curricular content through enjoyable and challenging activities. This work proposes a model for evaluating the quality of educational games based on the model of training evaluation by Kirkpatrick, the ARCS model of motivational strategies, the area of user experience, and the taxonomy of educational objectives by Bloom. Both the theoretical framework of the model and the questionnaire to collect data based on the perception of students were created and here presented. The model was tested in a series of three case studies to evaluate its validity and reliability through the use of statistical techniques and evaluation of its applicability and usefulness. Early results were satisfactory and it is hoped that this model can yield insights into the quality of educational games as well as guide teachers when selecting and using such material for teaching and learning