Geographic information systems and the Workplace
Geographic information systems (GIS) can play an important role within industrial relations. GIS is a mapping and data storage process that can manipulate, analyze, standardize, display, and interpret spatial reference data. Without the use of GIS, researchers can face difficulties in processing and analyzing large amounts of data. GIS can offer researchers the ability to explore different types of phenomena across many different fields of research. For example, the workplace can offer new possibilities for GIS researchers.
North America workers have historically been cautious in allowing managers to introduce new technologies into the workplace as a means to improve working conditions. However, workers found themselves to be working harder and faster while their employer’s profits grew. Workers discovered that their cooperation with the new technology did not produce the original claims by management for improved workplace conditions. Therefore, there is no surprise that the use of GIS within the labour process can be view by workers as a means to undermine their labour power. However, if workers are aware of the possibilities and benefits of GIS they may realize a mutual interest exist in collaborating with employers over the uses of GIS in their workplace.
The capitalist mode of production requires that employers continuously eliminate non-value from their production systems. As industry develops, the demands of the workplace make it more difficult and complex for managers to identify possible surplus value within the production system. For example, employers are required to maintain a high-level communication between its workers, suppliers, community, government, and managers. As the levels of the organization increase so does the volume and complexity of information. Managers need to be able to access information so that they can manipulate, analyze, display and interpret it in a user friendly way. GIS is able to help managers to address the new demands within the workplace and consequently enhance profitability.
Managers could use GIS to promote the benefits of carpooling. For example, researchers have found that using GIS and other technologies “carpooling can become more effective for individuals that share common arrival and drop off locations” (Calvo, pg. 2277). The researchers used the internet to link up individuals and employers interested in carpooling. GIS can help individuals users identify the optimal routes to take, potential passengers, update potential road restrictions, and note any human delays that may arise. Researchers found the information collected and processed by GIS and other technologies offered a structured solution to the barriers of carpooling (Calvo, pg. 2265). For example, these researchers found that GIS and other technologies help to develop organization and communication between workers that use the carpool. However, these researchers suggested that a GIS based system for carpooling was limited on the integrity of the users, as well the need for real time portable information devices (Calvo, pg. 2277). Workers and employers needed to be mutually flexible enough to cooperate with a GIS based carpooling system. As a result, employers would receive greater productivity gains while workers would enjoy the reduce stress and cost of driving to work.
Managers can use GIS to help identify potential problem areas of pollution buildup within and surrounding the workplace. For example, researchers used GIS to help design a model to predict the “levels of industrial pollution associated with industrial parks” (Chen and Delaney in Schuurman, pg. 103). These researchers used GIS to map the levels of noise and air quality with the sample area. The researchers then compared their developed models against the Environmental Protection Agency limits for industrial pollution. The researchers found that the industry park to be within the prescribed limits. However, they found the residents near the park to consider the pollution created to be outside of safe limits.
These researchers acknowledge that GIS is limited to quantitative analysis, however, the ability to process the large size of data required by pollution modeling serves as an efficient guide for researchers (Schuurman, pg. 107). Employers could use the researcher’s model to help identify areas within their own workplace that are vulnerable to concentrations of pollution. Pollution within the workplace may take on different forms such as noise, air, or waste. In addition, pollution within the workplace can be associated to long-term cost of occupational diseases (Schwind, pg. 553). Employers need to realize occupational disease is often very difficult to isolate, since it happens over a long period and is difficult to visualize when on the shop floor. Using raster data managers can increase their ability to visualize the concentration of pollutants within specific areas, and then focus their resources to reduce the sources of pollution. As a result, employers would benefit from productivity gains, as well lowered compensation premiums.
Managers could use GIS to promote the benefits of accident prevention. For example, researchers have found that GIS was effective in mapping fall injuries in the elderly (Yiannakoulias, pg. 2965). The researchers used raster data to represent the areas around the sample hospital that reported a high rate of fall injuries for the elderly. By identifying the locations of high fall injuries, decision makers are able to focus funding for improvements to potential fall areas. However, the researchers have considered potential problems in using GIS as a tool for injury prevention. First, the accident reporting for the elderly maybe under reported. Second, the frequency of reporting and the sample used to be mapped may not be accurate enough to be “representative of the underlying patterns of risk, and may even provide a misleading representation of spatial variation” (Yiannakoulias, pg 2068). Nevertheless, the use of GIS has made it possible for researchers to process a large amount of data that was once difficult to achieve.
Employers need to take a closer look at GIS as a tool for injury prevention. Workplace policies and procedures can limit the accuracy required for effective documentation of workplace injuries. GIS could offer employers a visual representation of the workplace, in order to focus on proactive strategies to help employees avoid unnecessary risk only if workers are willing to report accurate accident reports. As a result, employers could increase in productivity as well a decrease in their compensation premiums.
GIS has the potential to help employers improve working conditions for workers by reevaluating the production system. Managers could use raster data to visualize the impact of industrial pollution and the concentration of workplace injuries. In addition, managers could use vector data to help visualize the repetitive traffic flows by their employees. Employers could enjoy productivity gains through the promotion of a clean and safe working environment. Furthermore, employers’ proactive approach to occupational health and safety could help reduce compensation premiums. Worker productivity may increase if managers take a proactive approach to use GIS to aid in the prevention of workplace hazards. Employees and employers need to identify the how information is collected and processed by managers can limit the effectiveness of GIS. Managers may use GIS to restrict the flexibility of their workers by exploiting their workers’ personal data in unlawful and unethical means. On the other hand, workers can effectively disrupt the ability of GIS to process information by refusing to cooperate with their management in providing accurate information. In order for GIS to work efficiently in the workplace, employers and employees need to be mutual involved in how information is collected and analyzed.
North America workers have historically been cautious in allowing managers to introduce new technologies into the workplace as a means to improve working conditions. However, workers found themselves to be working harder and faster while their employer’s profits grew. Workers discovered that their cooperation with the new technology did not produce the original claims by management for improved workplace conditions. Therefore, there is no surprise that the use of GIS within the labour process can be view by workers as a means to undermine their labour power. However, if workers are aware of the possibilities and benefits of GIS they may realize a mutual interest exist in collaborating with employers over the uses of GIS in their workplace.
The capitalist mode of production requires that employers continuously eliminate non-value from their production systems. As industry develops, the demands of the workplace make it more difficult and complex for managers to identify possible surplus value within the production system. For example, employers are required to maintain a high-level communication between its workers, suppliers, community, government, and managers. As the levels of the organization increase so does the volume and complexity of information. Managers need to be able to access information so that they can manipulate, analyze, display and interpret it in a user friendly way. GIS is able to help managers to address the new demands within the workplace and consequently enhance profitability.
Managers could use GIS to promote the benefits of carpooling. For example, researchers have found that using GIS and other technologies “carpooling can become more effective for individuals that share common arrival and drop off locations” (Calvo, pg. 2277). The researchers used the internet to link up individuals and employers interested in carpooling. GIS can help individuals users identify the optimal routes to take, potential passengers, update potential road restrictions, and note any human delays that may arise. Researchers found the information collected and processed by GIS and other technologies offered a structured solution to the barriers of carpooling (Calvo, pg. 2265). For example, these researchers found that GIS and other technologies help to develop organization and communication between workers that use the carpool. However, these researchers suggested that a GIS based system for carpooling was limited on the integrity of the users, as well the need for real time portable information devices (Calvo, pg. 2277). Workers and employers needed to be mutually flexible enough to cooperate with a GIS based carpooling system. As a result, employers would receive greater productivity gains while workers would enjoy the reduce stress and cost of driving to work.
Managers can use GIS to help identify potential problem areas of pollution buildup within and surrounding the workplace. For example, researchers used GIS to help design a model to predict the “levels of industrial pollution associated with industrial parks” (Chen and Delaney in Schuurman, pg. 103). These researchers used GIS to map the levels of noise and air quality with the sample area. The researchers then compared their developed models against the Environmental Protection Agency limits for industrial pollution. The researchers found that the industry park to be within the prescribed limits. However, they found the residents near the park to consider the pollution created to be outside of safe limits.
These researchers acknowledge that GIS is limited to quantitative analysis, however, the ability to process the large size of data required by pollution modeling serves as an efficient guide for researchers (Schuurman, pg. 107). Employers could use the researcher’s model to help identify areas within their own workplace that are vulnerable to concentrations of pollution. Pollution within the workplace may take on different forms such as noise, air, or waste. In addition, pollution within the workplace can be associated to long-term cost of occupational diseases (Schwind, pg. 553). Employers need to realize occupational disease is often very difficult to isolate, since it happens over a long period and is difficult to visualize when on the shop floor. Using raster data managers can increase their ability to visualize the concentration of pollutants within specific areas, and then focus their resources to reduce the sources of pollution. As a result, employers would benefit from productivity gains, as well lowered compensation premiums.
Managers could use GIS to promote the benefits of accident prevention. For example, researchers have found that GIS was effective in mapping fall injuries in the elderly (Yiannakoulias, pg. 2965). The researchers used raster data to represent the areas around the sample hospital that reported a high rate of fall injuries for the elderly. By identifying the locations of high fall injuries, decision makers are able to focus funding for improvements to potential fall areas. However, the researchers have considered potential problems in using GIS as a tool for injury prevention. First, the accident reporting for the elderly maybe under reported. Second, the frequency of reporting and the sample used to be mapped may not be accurate enough to be “representative of the underlying patterns of risk, and may even provide a misleading representation of spatial variation” (Yiannakoulias, pg 2068). Nevertheless, the use of GIS has made it possible for researchers to process a large amount of data that was once difficult to achieve.
Employers need to take a closer look at GIS as a tool for injury prevention. Workplace policies and procedures can limit the accuracy required for effective documentation of workplace injuries. GIS could offer employers a visual representation of the workplace, in order to focus on proactive strategies to help employees avoid unnecessary risk only if workers are willing to report accurate accident reports. As a result, employers could increase in productivity as well a decrease in their compensation premiums.
GIS has the potential to help employers improve working conditions for workers by reevaluating the production system. Managers could use raster data to visualize the impact of industrial pollution and the concentration of workplace injuries. In addition, managers could use vector data to help visualize the repetitive traffic flows by their employees. Employers could enjoy productivity gains through the promotion of a clean and safe working environment. Furthermore, employers’ proactive approach to occupational health and safety could help reduce compensation premiums. Worker productivity may increase if managers take a proactive approach to use GIS to aid in the prevention of workplace hazards. Employees and employers need to identify the how information is collected and processed by managers can limit the effectiveness of GIS. Managers may use GIS to restrict the flexibility of their workers by exploiting their workers’ personal data in unlawful and unethical means. On the other hand, workers can effectively disrupt the ability of GIS to process information by refusing to cooperate with their management in providing accurate information. In order for GIS to work efficiently in the workplace, employers and employees need to be mutual involved in how information is collected and analyzed.
posted by Barry at
Friday, May 05, 2006
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