Managing without measuring: A study of an electricity distribution company

Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to present an exception to the common belief "If you can't measure it, you can't manage it". It aims to show how in certain situations particular practices, attitudes and cultures can remove the need for individual performance measurement. Design/methodology/approach: First, the paper identifies the usual roles of performance measurement in managing individual employees as described by control and motivation theorists. Second, it identifies a market-leading organisation where managers deliberately refuse to use their top-level performance measurement system to manage the performance of individual employees. A case study is carried out to test what non-measurement mechanisms fulfil the roles of individual performance measurement in this organisation. Findings: Building on situations observed at this company, a set of possible characteristics of companies that do not require formalised individual performance measurement systems in order to achieve high performance standards is put forward. Practical implications: Managers should not always assume that individual performance measurement is the only way to achieve excellent performance. This study shows that, by granting responsibilities and providing appropriate support, managers can channel workers' enhanced motivation towards meeting wider organisational goals. Originality/value: This work broadens the understanding of how excellent performance can be achieved. It shows that excellence can be achieved through practices based on shared values linked to motivation, trust, and a common sense of mission, without the need to install individual performance measurement systems based on cybernetic principles. © Emerald Group Publishing Limited

On the interpretation of the needle probe test results: thermal conductivity measurement of clayey soils

Recently, there is an increasing need for accurate and rapid thermal measurement of soils. Within a variety of available methods a needle probe test is most widely used. The needle probe method was standardized for the measurement of thermal conductivity of soils and soft rocks. In the paper, two different interpretation methods of the needle probe test were used for determination of thermal conductivity of selected soils. The first method (ASTM D5334-05 Standard approach) takes into account only the data which are recorded during heating while the second approach is based on fitting the known analytical solution to the data obtained within both heating and cooling phases. The soil samples used were classified as clayey ones. Laboratory tests were performed using the KD2Pro thermal conductivity meter (Decagon Devices) with a TR-1 sensor. The main goal of the paper is to show that the selection of interpretation method is very important and may lead to significant differences in resulting thermal conductivities

A procedure of underground excavations shape optimization

W artykule formułuje się energetyczny warunek optymalizacji kształtu wyrobisk podziemnych. Rozważania ograniczono do traktowania górotworu jako ośrodka liniowo sprężystego. Rozpatrywano eliptyczne i półeliptyczne kształty wyrobisk podziemnych. W celu zweryfikowania słuszności przyjętego kryterium wyniki, uzyskane z analiz numerycznych, porównano z rozwiązaniem Sałustowicza. Artykuł kończą przykłady symulacji numerycznych oraz wynikające z nich wnioski.A new condition in view of underground excavation shape optimization is proposed. Linear elastic model of rock mass is assumed. Both ellipsoidal and half-ellipsoidal excavation shapes are considered. In order to verify the proposed criterion numerical results are compared with the solution formulated by Sałustowicz. Numerical simulations are performed and the conclusions are formulated

State of strength in massive concrete structure subjected to non-mechanical loads

The paper deals with an impact of non-mechanical loads on the state of strength in massive concrete hydraulic structures. An example of hydroelectric plant subjected to the effect of water temperature annual fluctuation is considered. Numerical analysis of transient thermal-elasticity problem was performed. After determining the temperature distributions within the domain, the Duhamel–Neumann set of constitutive equations was employed to evaluate fields of mechanical quantities: displacement, strain and stress. The failure criterion proposed by Pietruszczak was adopted in assessing whether the load induces exceeding of strength of concrete within the structure volume. The primary finding is that the temperature effect can lead to damage of concrete in draft tubes and spirals, especially in winter months

A verification of shape optimization procedures of tunnel underground excavations

W artykule przedstawiono weryfikację warunków optymalności kształtu wyrobisk podziemnych, wykonaną na podstawie analizy numerycznej wyrobisk eliptycznych ze sztywną obudową ciągłą. Dla różnych wartości stosunku naprężeń pierwotnych poziomych do pionowych poszukuje się optymalnych stosunków półosi minimalizujących zaciskanie się tunelu, energię odkształcenia objętościowego rdzenia oraz maksymalne naprężenie normalne w obudowie. Dla wybranej wartości stosunku naprężeń sprawdzany jest także wpływ sztywności obudowy. Podstawą do formułowania wniosków jest porównanie optymalnych stosunków półosi ze względu na maksymalne naprężenia, zaciskanie i energię odkształcenia objętościowego w rdzeniu z wynikami uzyskanymi z wykorzystaniem energetycznego warunku optymalności, sformułowanym w poprzedniej pracy.A verification of shape optimization procedures of tunnel underground excavations is presented. Elliptic shapes of underground excavation with permanent support are investigated. For different values of a ratio of horizontal and vertical initial stresses an optimum ratio of main axes of ellipse is quested. Three different quantities are considered to determine optimum shape: a convergence, an energy of volumetric strain in a core and maximum normal stress within the support. For chosen value of initial stresses ratio also an influence of support stiffness is examined. Conclusions are formulated on the basis of comparison of obtained results with the results from shape optimization procedure presented in previous paper