Analysis and utilization of operating experience for organizational learning

Thesis (Ph. D.)--Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Dept. of Nuclear Engineering, 2001.

Bibliographic Details
Main Author: Weil, Richard Scott, 1976-
Other Authors: George Apostolakis.
Format: Thesis
Language:eng
Published: Massachusetts Institute of Technology 2005
Subjects:
Online Access:http://hdl.handle.net/1721.1/8181
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author Weil, Richard Scott, 1976-
author2 George Apostolakis.
author_facet George Apostolakis.
Weil, Richard Scott, 1976-
author_sort Weil, Richard Scott, 1976-
collection MIT
description Thesis (Ph. D.)--Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Dept. of Nuclear Engineering, 2001.
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spelling mit-1721.1/81812022-01-25T17:12:10Z Analysis and utilization of operating experience for organizational learning Weil, Richard Scott, 1976- George Apostolakis. Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Dept. of Nuclear Engineering. Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Department of Nuclear Engineering Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Department of Nuclear Science and Engineering Nuclear Engineering. Thesis (Ph. D.)--Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Dept. of Nuclear Engineering, 2001. Includes bibliographical references. The objective of this thesis is to clarify the ways that organizational factors influence nuclear power plant performance in order to improve performance. Therefore, this thesis studied the nuclear power plant organizational environment by identifying and detailing its important work processes. These work processes are: the Work Request Work Process; the Condition Reporting Work Process; the External Operating Experience Work Process; the Design Change Process; and the Procedure Change Work Process. Using this information, a methodology of incident investigation that targets organizational deficiencies contributing to events was developed. Using this methodology to analyze recent significant incidents, a list of important organizational factors and the context within which they influence the successful completion of tasks was identified. These factors and the context within which they influence performance are: 1) Communication-Pervasive-Most important between different units and departments; 2) Formalization-Execution; 3) Goal Prioritization-Prioritization; 4) Problem Identification-Planning, scheduling, and return to normal line-up; 5) Roles and Responsibilities-Execution; and 6) Technical Knowledge (job specific knowledge and broad based knowledge)-Job specific knowledge-execution/Broad based knowledge -prioritization, planning, scheduling, and other tasks. Although safety culture and organizational learning are not listed, they are important. (cont.) The reason for their exclusion was that they are not single organizational factors useful when cited in incident investigations. Rather, safety culture is a term used to describe all organizational factors, including organizational structure that impact performance. Similarly, organizational learning was excluded because it is a collection of programs, processes, individual attitudes and culture responsible for learning. Although organizational learning was not listed, it was studied resulting in the development of the Utilization of Operating Experience Work Process. The Utilization of Operating Experience Work Process consists of the following seven steps: 1) Identification; 2) Screening/Prioritization/Dissemination; 3) Investigation/Evaluation; 4) Development; 5) Implementation; 6) Closeout; and 7) Verification/Validation. Since prioritization was identified as important in the above work process and the analysis of significant events, a methodology for the prioritization of work activities at nuclear power plants was developed. This methodology produces a prioritization tool that assigns a numerical performance index to each item requiring prioritization is developed. Applying the methodology at Seabrook Station produced a tool that allowed those who prioritize external operating experience to more efficiently and accurately prioritize. In addition to the success of the application at Seabrook, a workshop held at MIT with experts in prioritizing external operating experience who further validated the methodology and the resulting tool. by Richard Scott Weil. Ph.D. 2005-08-23T18:05:39Z 2005-08-23T18:05:39Z 2001 2001 Thesis http://hdl.handle.net/1721.1/8181 50046869 eng M.I.T. theses are protected by copyright. They may be viewed from this source for any purpose, but reproduction or distribution in any format is prohibited without written permission. See provided URL for inquiries about permission. http://dspace.mit.edu/handle/1721.1/7582 [284] p. in various pagings 26802979 bytes 26802735 bytes application/pdf application/pdf application/pdf Massachusetts Institute of Technology
spellingShingle Nuclear Engineering.
Weil, Richard Scott, 1976-
Analysis and utilization of operating experience for organizational learning
title Analysis and utilization of operating experience for organizational learning
title_full Analysis and utilization of operating experience for organizational learning
title_fullStr Analysis and utilization of operating experience for organizational learning
title_full_unstemmed Analysis and utilization of operating experience for organizational learning
title_short Analysis and utilization of operating experience for organizational learning
title_sort analysis and utilization of operating experience for organizational learning
topic Nuclear Engineering.
url http://hdl.handle.net/1721.1/8181
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