Hans Torvatn

Developing criteria for healthy organizational change

Abstract The objective of this study was to identify criteria for healthy change in organizations and to develop practical guidelines for intended change. We aimed to explore how change processes at the shop floor level can be better informed by consultants and labour inspectors. A total of 180 interviews were conducted with managers and employees in 90 units of public and private organizations in Norway. The interviews were analysed through four steps representing an expansion of grounded theory, and converted to qualitative analysis using QSR and N6 software. We found that organizational change processes were better managed by more attention to awareness of the local norms and diversity among employees in the perception and reactions to change efforts. An inspector or consultant should be aware of these phenomena in any change effort and tell the organization how to deal with them. The other three factors identified were early role clarification, manager availability, and using constructive conflicts to deal with change. They are all important coping mechanisms at the organizational level that will bring change processes onto a more optimal track if correctly managed. A healthy process empowers individuals instead of making them insecure and defensive in times of change. This will help them restore perceived control and promote job security, which benefits both them and the organization.

Systematic occupational health and safety work in Norway: a decade of implementation

Abstract A regulation enforcing systematic occupational health and safety work (OHS) in Norwegian enterprises was evaluated on the basis of process criteria stated in the regulation; managerial involvement, active participation from the employees, sufficient training, and a recommended systematic stepwise approach for the implementation process. Data on effects of the regulation were also collected. Results indicated that an unsystematic approach was used by those who had not finished implementing the regulation with relatively more emphasis on “OHS improvement actions” than on the expected preceding step “assessments” and “action plans”. Forty-seven percent of all enterprises in Norway, based on self-reports, fulfilled the claims of the regulation in 1999. They had higher levels of training and higher scores on the OHS-activities “assessments” and “action plans”. Data and statistics on effects were found unsatisfactory and could not be used in the evaluation due to reduction in unemployment and improved registration procedures during the mid-1990s

Using Program Theory Models in Evaluation of Industrial Modernization Programs: Three Case Studies.

Abstract Program theory oriented evaluations involve construction of a model that describes the logic and context of the program and enables the evaluator to check on program progress and impact before the program is conducted. Such constructions could be done in a multitude of ways: this paper describes the use of a particular tool called chains of reasoning. Chains of reasoning is a combination of text and a graphic image which presents the activities of a program or project, the goals to be attained, additional assumptions and the links between them. The paper uses three cases studies from Norwegian industrial modernization programs to demonstrate the strength of this tool in different settings. The first case study is a formative evaluation, the second an impact/summative evaluation and the third an additionality analysis. The paper concludes with a discussion of the strengths and weaknesses of the tool.

Towards Industry 4.0: Increased Need for Situational Awareness on the Shop Floor

Currently, much attention is given to the technological opportunities and challenges that “Industry 4.0” entails. However, though the change towards Industry 4.0 is driven by technology, this industrial revolution is not strictly technological. The human aspect of Industry 4.0 is still an emerging field, and must be further researched if modern manufacturers are to reach their full potential. While manufacturers have a high focus on modernizing production processes, the accelerating automation and consequent increasing complexity of tasks is not accompanied by the necessary support for the operator. This results in inefficiency and non-optimal use of workers’ capabilities and potential. We argue that operators need technical support systems for increased situation awareness, to be able to efficiently handle an increased pace and complexity of tasks. Our empirical evidence shows that this is not only valid for high-tech manufacturing, but can also be seen in “traditional” manufacturing. We use case studies from three Norwegian manufacturers to illustrate how digitization is yet to reach the operator.

How to ‘Get Through’ Communication Challenges in Formative Evaluation

A challenge for all formative evaluators is how to communicate advice and ‘get through’ to the evaluand in order to bring about improvements. This case study of an evaluation of a Norwegian business development program analyses three different attempts at intervention by evaluators. Based on this, the article identifies four critical challenges in formative evaluation. First, stakeholders must clearly express their expectations when hiring evaluators. Second, the evaluator and the evaluand must represent different perspectives, thus together creating diversity as a basis for innovation. Third, diversity provides a challenge in terms of communication, and creates a need for a good form of communication. Fourth, we found that the best form of communication was to construct the arguments for change in terms of the functionality (does it work?) of the program. We called this functional argumentation, as opposed to normative argumentation.

Tomorrow’s On-Board Learning System (TOOLS)

Efficient maritime training is important to build a competent workforce of seafarers, able to operate safe, following rules and regulations. The most widely used methods of onboard training is the so called Computer Based Training (CBT), which simply is a set of electronic lectures and multiple choice tests afterwards. While widely used this method has been criticized for being individualistic, difficult to apply in a practical setting, boring and demotivating for learning. Alternative methods have not been developed, partly because of the dominance of the CBT method, but also because bandwidth and connectivity issues for ships have restricted both use of more interactive and internet based tools. The Tomorrow’s onboard learning system (TOOLS) was a project to research and develop an innovative game-based learning platform for on-board training, along with a course on energy efficiency. The chosen topic was of keen interest to the ship owners that took part of the project, aiming to achieve fuel savings whilst reducing the impact on the environment. The paper describes the TOOLS platform, the course developed and the evaluation results from two vessels, one from each participating shipping company.