Application of a location model to fire stations in Rotterdam

This report is an outgrowth of a research project carried out by the Operations Research Group of Twente University of Technology in cooperation with the Department Fire-Brigade Affairs (Home Office) and the Rotterdam Fire Department. The objectives of the project were to determine the minimal number of fire stations, their locations and the number of first attendance pumpers, so that each point in town can be reached within a prescribed attendance time with sufficient equipment.\ud A road network approach was used for determining the set of possible location areas for fire stations followed by a set-covering approach for calculating the minimal number of stations. The hard points to tackle were the construction of robust networks, the determination of the possible location areas and the calculation of all the alternative locations of a minimal number of fire stations.\ud A simulation was carried out to test whether the solutions given by the network approach were realistic

Occupational stress and strains in rehabilitation service provision : some moderating affects of a sense of coherence : a thesis presented in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Arts in Psychology at Massey University

The sense of coherence was investigated as a potential moderator between psychological climate (PC) stressors and job satisfaction, intent to quit the organisation/profession and psychological well-being. Respondents were a heterogeneous group of rehabilitation providers (n=89) drawn from a list provided by the New Zealand Rehabilitation Society, and from a list of individuals who had completed a post graduate diploma in rehabilitation at Massey university. The relationships between demographic variables and other variables were examined using Pearson r's correlations and t-tests. Significant demographic variables that were entered as control variables in a series of hierarchical multiple regressions. Hierarchical multiple regressions were also performed to analyse potential moderating effects. The results of the study, found that the PC variables role ambiguity, management awareness, job variety and challenge, and leader trust and support significantly predicted job satisfaction. Role ambiguity was also found to be significant predictor of positive affect and general happiness. The SOC subscales of meaningfulness, comprehensibility and manageability were found to be significant predictors of job satisfaction. Meaningfulness was also found to be a significant predictor of intent to quit the profession and organisation, and manageability and meaningfulness significantly predicted positive affect and negative affect. The interaction analyses found that meaningfulness moderated the effects of role ambiguity on job satisfaction, and manageability moderated the effects of role ambiguity on general happiness. Meaningfulness was found to be the pivotal aspect of the SOC construct. The research limitations and implications were discussed along with recommendations for future research

WP 41 - The work-family balance on the union's agenda

h3. English summary High employment rates of both young parents and women increase the need for good childcare provi-sions. Employers can allocate time and money to their employees for this purpose, and trade unions are the appropriate actors to bargain over the relevant terms and conditions. But is the employees’ apparent need for childcare provisions reason enough for unions to make it an agenda item? What other factors can play a role in the unions’ agenda setting? A quantitative analysis of 278 distinct FNV bargaining agendas shows that, contrary to expectations, nei-ther the share of women nor the share of young parents, covered by the collective labour agreement, are related to trade union agenda setting with respect to childcare issues. Rather, central recommenda-tions and history dependence play important roles, along with the concept of communities of practice within FNV unions. h3. Nederlandse samenvatting Uit eerder onderzoek bleek dat er geen direct verband bestaat tussen vraag naar arbeid-en-zorgregelingen in CAO’s en het aanbod ervan – deze regelingen komen voornamelijk in CAO’s voor wanneer de werkgever daar de financiële ruimte voor heeft. Betekent dit dat nu ook dat vakbonden niet daar waar dat nodig is inspelen op de vraag naar arbeid-en-zorgregelingen? Met andere woorden, komt de vraag van de achterban naar dit soort regelingen terug op de onderhandelingsagenda voor de desbetreffende CAO? Onderzoek in 556 CAO’s (278 recente CAO’s en van elk de direct er aan voorafgaande CAO) laat zien dat, met uitzondering van het CAO-jaar 2001, alleen de mate waarin arbeid-en-zorgregelingen voorko-men in de vorige CAO bepalend zijn voor de onderhandelingsagenda. En in 2001, het jaar waarin de Wet arbeid & zorg tot stand kwam, is nog iets meer aan de hand. Hoe kunnen we het schijnbare gebrek aan relatie tussen vraag en aanbod van arbeid-en-zorgregelingen verklaren? Ligt hier gebrekkige communicatie tussen de sociale partners, of tussen vakbonden en hun achterban aan ten grondslag? Of moeten we de oorzaak in een andere hoek zoeken?

A strategic approach for the ambulance covering of the province of Friesland

In the summer of 1995 the University of Twente, commissioned by the Province of Friesland, carried out research into the consequences of alternative locations for ambulances. The approach to this research was based on a network model, which represents the area to be covered. With this model the attendance times for the ambulances can be determined based on a shortest route algorithm. The attendance time is the time between the dispatching of the ambulance by Central Alarm after an emergency call and its arrival at the patient. The attendance times are compared with the norm as described by the Dutch law. The research concentrated on the Southwest and Northeast of the Province. In view of the norm of 15 minutes for the attendance time, the proposed alternative in the Southwest is the closing of one site and the moving of another. This is feasible under the condition that there will always be well-trained manpower available at the stations, and especially at the site which is moved. In the Northeast the moving of one post and the closure of another has no disadvantages with regard to attendance times. These conclusions appear to give a reliable picture of the real-world situation based on a conservative approach with the network model used, and, that higher travel speeds than those assumed are possible. \u

Kommentaar op die besprekingsdokument: Die ontwikkeling van 'n kernsillabus vir omgewingsopvoeding in Suid Afrika

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