Digging deeper! Insights from a multi-method assessment of safety culture in nuclear power plants based on Schein’s culture model

This article describes the development, application and validation of a safety culture assessment approach for nuclear power plants based on Schein's culture model. The developed multi-method approach aimed to unfold deeper levels of culture, and, at the same time, to be applicable by practitioners and transparent in producing meaningful results. In Study 1 we describe the development of the method and its application in a German nuclear power plant. Study 2 presents a crossvalidation of the approach in a second German nuclear power plant. The evaluation results of the approach reveal adequate validity with regard to the obtained results and its perceived congruence to safety culture in both plants. It becomes evident that the approach allows for deriving basic assumptions of plant members and demonstrating their significance for safety performance. Moreover, it can be shown that it is worthwhile to go beyond the assessment of artifacts and espoused values in understanding cultural dynamics on a plant level. Finally, insights and limitations of the developed approach are discussed and reflected.BMWi, 1501340, Entwicklung einer Analysemethodik von Sicherheitskultur (SIKUMETH

Trainings in human factors. Strategies supporting the development of causal models

Durch die technische Weiterentwicklung von Arbeitssystemen entsteht ein Bedarf an neuen Trainings- und Ausbildungskonzepten, in deren Fokus die Qualifizierung für die veränderten Aufgaben stehen sollte, die mit einer zunehmenden Automatisierung einhergehen. Neben traditionellen Lehr- und Lernmethoden bieten neue Ansätze, wie computerbasierte Trainingsmethoden, eine zusätzliche Möglichkeit, spezifische Wissensinhalte zu trainieren. In der vorliegenden Arbeit wurden Möglichkeiten zur Gestaltung von computerbasierten Trainingsstrategien für Aufgaben in komplexen Mensch-Maschine-Systemen entwickelt und einer empirischen Überprüfung unterzogen. Der theoretische Beitrag der Arbeit zur Erfor-schung der Mensch-Technik-Interaktion liegt in der Formulierung eines Rahmenmodells zum Erwerb mentaler Kausalmodelle, in dem verschiedene Ansätze zu mentalen Modelltheorien integriert und auf den Kontext des Wissenserwerbs in komplexen Mensch-Maschine-System übertragen werden. Auf der Grundlage des Rahmenmodells wurde ein Trainingskonzept für komplexe Systeme entwickelt. Der empirische Beitrag der Arbeit liegt im experimentellen Nachweis der Potenziale des Rahmenmodells als Grundlage für die Untersuchung von Trainingsstrategien. In der Praxis kann das entwickelte Rahmenmodell als Grundlage für die Gestaltung von Trainings eingesetzt werden und für jede Ebene des Wissenserwerbspro-zesses Ansatzpunkte zur Gestaltung von Trainingseinheiten liefern. Gerade in frühen Phasen der Entwicklung oder Umgestaltung von Anlagenkomponenten und Automationskonzepten trägt ein Vorgehen in enger Orientierung an dem Rahmenmodell und dem Trainingskonzept dazu bei, die relevanten Informationen, die es zu vermitteln gilt, zu bestimmen und zu struk-turieren und es dem Operateur zu ermöglichen, ein gutes mentales Kausalmodell über das zu bedienende System zu erwerben. In Anlehnung an das Trainingskonzept ließen sich bei-spielsweise die Trainingsinhalte dahingehend strukturieren, welche Wissensinhalte am besten durch eine Visualisierung der Ursache-Wirkungs-Beziehungen dargestellt werden können, für welche Aufgaben sich Phasen der Interaktion eignen oder für welche Wissensinhalte eine Anleitung von Envisioning-Prozessen sinnvoll ist. Insgesamt liefern die Erkenntnisse der vorliegenden Arbeit einen wichtigen Ansatzpunkt zur Beschreibung der Wissensanforderungen und Trainingsinhalte für die neuen Aufgaben und damit einen praktischen Ausgangspunkt für die prospektive Gestaltung von computerbasierten Trainingskonzepten für die Ausbildung von Operateuren in komplexen Mensch-Maschine-Systemen.The present work deals with the theoretical development of assumptions concerning the acquisition of mental causal models of complex systems and the empirical testing of computer-based training strategies for the enhancement of mental causal model acquisition. Complex technical systems have a high degree of automation, and integration of system components; they are highly dynamic and non-transparent. This implies high requirements for the cognitive performance of the operators working in these systems. Accordingly, operator trainings and development play an important role, and a wide variety of training approaches exist in practice. Beside traditional operator trainings, computerbased trainings are applied increasingly. They are especially useful for the training of specific knowledge contents, e.g. knowledge about cause-and effect relations of subprocesses. When developing training systems, a first requirement is that insights about human knowledge acquisition and information processing should be considered, in order to guarantee an optimal qualification of operators for the cognitively varying tasks. As a second requirement, the didactic format of the training material should rely on theories of multimodal learning. The aim of the present work is to provide a contribution to these requirements. Based on theories of causal knowledge acquisition, a framework for mental causal model acquisition of complex technical systems was developed. This framework forms the basis for the examination of relevant multimedia design principles. In close dependence on the framework, didactic strategies for computer-based knowledge transfer and multimedia psychology principles are presented and discussed. These strategies and the framework provide the basis for the deduction of a training concept for the enhancement of causal mental model acquisition. In three empirical studies different training strategies have been developed and tested. The focus was on the effects of the training strategies on the performance in system interaction and in knowledge tests, both forming indicators for the quality of the mental causal model. The simulation of a technical system served as experimental platform. The first empirical study investigated holistic, gradual and text-based training strategies, combined with a varying degree of learner participation. The results concerning system knowledge show a slight advantage of the holistic and gradual trainings over the text-based training, although there could be shown no differences concerning the cause-and-effect knowledge and the system performance. In the second empirical study, the presentation of the gradual training strategy was optimised and compared to a text-based training. As a second factor, the system interaction was varied. Results show that a combination of gradual visualisation and system interaction has a positive influence on both knowledge acquisition and performance in system interaction. The third empirical study aimed at investigating the influence of guided mental simulation (envisioning) compared to unguided system interaction. Results show that guided mental simulation is beneficial for the causal knowledge acquisition, yet there is no provided evidence for advantages for the performance in system interaction. The results of this thesis can be recapitulated regarding three aspects. The first one concerns the theoretical contribution. In the theoretical part of the thesis, various mental model theories have been integrated into a framework for mental causal model acquisition. This framework serves as the basis for the development of a training concept. The second aspect concerns the experimental examination of training strategies referring to the framework, in the course of which the potentials of the framework and the training concept could be demonstrated. The third aspect relates to both the practical and the epistemological contribution. The framework can be seen as the basis for a holistic training concept, since it offers starting points for the design of training units for every level of the knowledge acquisition process. This procedure was demonstrated exemplary for parts of the training concept; an examination of the further components of the training concept thus seems very promising

Klimaneutrale Energieversorgung: Strategien für kleine und mittlere Unternehmen

In diesem Weißbuch stellen wir Methoden und Maßnahmen vor, die Unternehmen dabei unterstützen, ihre Energieversorgung auf erneuerbare Energien umzustellen, sich von den Preisschwankungen an den fossilen Weltmärkten unabhängiger zu machen und Entscheidungen für eine Klimastrategie für die nächsten Jahrzehnte zu treffen. Es werden drei mögliche Energiewelten der Zukunft skizziert. Informationen zum Thema Eigenstromerzeugung und zu Effizienzmaßnahmen werden anschaulich dargestellt sowie Links zu Fördermöglichkeiten genannt. Wir zeigen drei verschiedene Szenarien für die Energieversorgung von Unternehmen in der Zukunft auf. Sie geben Unternehmen eine Entscheidungshilfe für die eigene Klimastrategie. Die drei Szenarien haben Unterschiede, aber auch Gemeinsamkeiten. Die EU hat im „Green Deal“ Maßnahmen festgelegt, damit Europa im Jahr 2050 klimaneutral ist. Deutschland hat seine Klimaziele zuletzt noch einmal verschärft und sich als Ziel die Klimaneutralität bis 2045 gesetzt. Um diese Ziele zu erreichen, stehen Industrie und Gewerbe vor der Herausforderung, ihre Energieversorgung auf erneuerbare Energien umzustellen und in Zukunft fossile Brenn- und Kraftstoffe zu ersetzen. Dies gilt für kleine und mittlere Unternehmen (KMU) ebenso wie für die Großindustrie. Es stellt sich also die Frage, wie Unternehmen sich mit Strom, Wärme, Dampf, Kälte und weiteren Energieformen versorgen. Welches ist dabei aus heutiger Sicht die günstigste Technologie? Zentrale Rollen hierbei spielen Energieeffizienzmaßnahmen und die Substitution fossiler durch regenerative Energieträger. Lösungen müssen sowohl technisch als auch ökonomisch realisiert werden können. Im Vorteil ist, wer heute schon eine unternehmensinterne Klimaschutzstrategie verfolgt und die ersten Schritte in Richtung Klimaneutralität unternimmt

Behavioural Couples Therapy as an adjunct to opioid substitution therapy for drug dependent parents: A feasibility study - Final Report for Chief Scientist Office

AimTo test whether Behavioural Couples Therapy (BCT), a USA-developed evidence-based psychological therapy for the treatment of addiction, can be successfully delivered within NHS drug treatment services with drug-dependent parents who have children living in the home, and whether it is possible to collect outcome data on families for a future trial.Project Outline/MethodologyMixed methods feasibility study comprising staff training in BCT, recruitment of couples from NHS addiction services and delivery of the 12-week out-patient programme. Inclusion criteria: one or both parents receiving Opioid Substitution Therapy (OST), caring for at least one child aged 0-16 years. Data collection: standard measures on substance use, couple relationship functioning, parenting, child welfare, administered before commencing BCT and after completion/drop out. Drug toxicology and breathalyser results, OST prescription data, child protection Social Work Scotland records, health economic data and fidelity testing were also included. Qualitative data was generated through interviews with BCT couples (n=13), other drug-dependent parents (n=11); BCT therapists (n=6), and five focus groups with referrers (n=24). Analysis focused on uptake, attrition and completion rates, acceptability of BCT, and barriers/facilitators to implementation.Key ResultsThirteen couples (out of a target 18), were enrolled in the study between June 2016–June 2017. Parents reported complex needs related to multiple co-morbidities. Only 7/13 couples engaged in the intervention following enrolment. None completed the programme. Session attendance for the cohort was 14%. Average number of sessions completed was 1.8 (3.4 by those who started the intervention). Barriers to implementation were multi-level and inter-related. They included patient, clinician, intervention, service, operational and structural-level obstacles to acceptability, suitability, engagement, retention, and delivery of BCT. Strategies which facilitated implementation, as well as potential solutions to implementation problems, were identified. Reported benefits of BCT mainly related to improvements in couple relationships and indirect benefits on the caregiving environment and child wellbeing.ConclusionsFindings from this study suggest that a trial of BCT with this population is not feasible at this time. Barriers and facilitators to implementation need further consideration. Adapting the intervention and its mode of delivery may improve implementation. Adopting a proactive family-focused model of care in drug treatment services and closer joint working between adult and children’s services could lead to improved accessibility, engagement and retention

Intravenous versus subcutaneous immunoglobulin \u2013 Authors' reply

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