Academic literature on the topic 'Money – Philosophy'

How often does money appear in our lives? Each of us has somehow thought about the nature of money, and also thought about the question: "what if money did not exist?" Everyone determines the importance of such a phenomenon as money for himself individually. Some people perceive money as a thing, and for some it is a whole philosophy. Nowadays, people really put money above personality and spirituality. This is a serious anthropological problem of the whole modern society. The article offers answers to questions about the role of money in human life. It also clarifies the philosophical meaning of money, how it has developed historically and its features in modern society.

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Includes bibliographical references (leaves 67-72).
This thesis examines the political idea of democratic money, within the historically specific capitalist democracy (Wood, 1995: 213), and critically evaluates counter claims to be democratizing money made by advocates of community currencies.

This thesis covers the uncertainty of empirical prediction. As opposed to objectivity, I will discuss the practicality of statistics. Practicality defined as "useful" in an unbiased sense, in relation to something in the external world that we care about. We want our model of prediction to give us unbiased inference whilst also being able to speak about something we care about. For the reasons explained, the inherent uncertainty of statistics undermines the unbiased inference for many methods. Bayesian Statistics, by valuing hypotheses is more plausible but ultimately cannot arrive at an unbiased inference. I posit the value theory of money as a concept that might be able to allow us to derive unbiased inferences from while still being something we care about. However, money is of instrumental value, ultimately being worth less than an object of “transcendental value.” Which I define as something that is worth more than money since money’s purpose is to help us achieve “transcendental value” under the value theory. Ultimately, as long as an individual has faith in a given hypothesis it will be worth more than any hypothesis valued with money. From there we undermine statistic’s practicality as it seems as though without the concept of money we have no manner of valuing hypotheses unbiasedly, and uncertainty undermines the “objective” inferences we might have been able to make.

Foucault speaks of the formation of an individual’s identity, or the process of becoming someone else, as a worthy game. For postmodernists, it is considered a life-long process of reconstruction and re-evaluation. The identities that are the focus of this research are psychiatrists, but also the self. This research follows previous post-graduate research that reflected on knowledge, power, space, surveillance, the body and organisational control. The major questions of this earlier research was; “What constituted normality in the work place and who were the arbiters of this normality” Chapter one of this work - Psychiatrists in Post-modernity, introduces the research project through the research questions, motivation for the project and the challenges to be met. Chapter two is a theoretical chapter that presents Post-modern Philosophical Perspective and discusses the history of development of post-modern thought in social research. Chapter three – History, Myth and Reality, places today’s psychiatry in Australia, in historical context. Chapter four – People, Politics and Purpose, considers the current state of mental health policy in Australia. Chapter five – Methodology and Methods, considers the methodological debate in the social sciences between qualitative and quantitative research methods. Chapter six – Outcomes and Interpretation presents an interpretation of the research interviews and discusses the connections and possible meanings of the stories told by psychiatrists, within the context of the post-modern philosophical perspective. Chapter seven – Post-modern Psychiatry considers the question: is there or can there be a post-modern psychiatry? It takes the interpretations, connections and meanings from Chapter six and locates them in the wider social context of the Australian National Mental Health Strategy

Since the late 1980s, efforts made by the international community to deal with the complex and global problem of money laundering have stimulated the creation and definition of the so-called 'international crime of money laundering', which is included in various United Nations and Council of Europe international treaties, as well as European Union Directives. The Central purpose of this thesis is to investigate if the main goal of effectiveness in the adaptation of the international crime of money laundering at the domestic level, might undermine other values that international law is seeking to protect, namely the guarantee of due process and the adequate protection of human rights principles. Then, if the adoption of any element of the crime shows to be inconsistent with civil rights and guarantees, to propose how deficiencies could be remedied.

This licentiate thesis consists of an introduction (‘kappa’) and three papers discussing various aspects of time as a commodity and the practice of valuing travel time. The first paper is an analysis of the properties of time as an economic resource taking into account literature on behavior with regard to time. The intent is to provide better understanding of the underlying assumption of transferability between time and money in the context of transportation. The second paper builds on the analysis in the first paper combined with the findings of a study of commuters travel experiences during disruptions in the train traffic on the Øresund strait between Sweden and Denmark. It contrasts the theoretical account of value of travel time with the experiences reported by commuters and argues that the view of travel time as strictly a disutility can be limiting from a planning perspective. Instead, it is argued that an alternative approach can be to make travel time ‘plannable’, meaning viewing travel time as time travellers can plan to spend in a certain way at a certain time. The third paper argues that the diversity of possible mobility solutions based on self-driving vehicles has been somewhat overlooked in the current literature on value of travel time. Thus, the complexity of valuing travel time for self-driving vehicles has not been fully addressed. The paper consists of a morphological analysis of the parameters that might impact value of travel time for self-driving vehicles and a deeper analysis of five plausible self-driving vehicle mobility concepts. It is claimed that not all such concepts can be easily mapped into transport modes and that it might be more appropriate to differentiate value of travel based on travel characteristics.
Denna licentiatavhandling består av en introduktion och treartiklar som på olika sätt berör värdering av restid. Vare sigvi vill det eller inte är vår vardag driven av och bunden av tid.Vi planerar vår tid, spenderar vår tid och stressar när tideninte räcker till. Det vi önskar, vill och måste göra tar tid; tidenvillkorar helt enkelt mycket i våra liv. Om det är så att vi villförflytta oss från en fysisk plats till en annan, kanske mellanhem och jobb eller skola, tar det tid. Den här specifika tiden,restiden, antas behövas på grund av behovet av att jobba, fikaeller handla, inte genom en önskan om att resa i sig (även omdet självklart finns resor vi gör för nöjes skull, där nöjet är självaresan). I och med att resan (och restiden) är nödvändig men intei sig önskvärd är det ett grundläggande antagande inom fältetför transportekonomi att människor vill minimera sin restid i såstor utsträckning som möjligt. Det är det här antagandet sommycket av planeringen och investeringarna i transporter grundarsig på. Genom att undersöka betalningsvilja hos resenärer kanman sätta ett monetärt värde på potentiellt insparad restid: tidblir pengar. Men är det verkligen så enkelt? Till att börja medär tid och pengar de facto inte samma sak. Vi kan inte sparatid på samma sätt som pengar utan sparad tid måste användasomedelbart. Det blir därmed rimligt att anta att vad man gör medden insparade tiden spelar roll eftersom tiden känns mer värd omden kan spenderas på något meningsfullt. Vad man har möjlighetatt göra beror ofta på sammanhanget och upplevs därför mindreflexibelt än när det gäller insparade pengar.Denna avhandling resonerar vidare kring frågor om förhållandetmellan tid och pengar, i synnerhet den vanligt förekommandeoch generellt accepterade monetära värderingen av restid. Tillviss del problematiserar avhandlingen antagandet att tid är pengar och frågar sig om inte för mycket fokus läggs på tidskvantitetframför tidskvalitet och att kan det vara värdefullt att reflekterakring vilka transportinvesteringar som detta gynnar. Syftet äratt undersöka om de vedertagna transportekonomiska modellersom tillämpas idag speglar sådant vi som samhälle värdesätteroch lyfta aspekter som möjligen förbises.Introduktionen till avhandlingen består av en metodologiskdiskussion kring filosofins roll i tvärvetenskapliga projekt, enöversiktlig teoretisk bakgrund till begrepp såsom rationalitetoch välfärdsekonomi och en genomgång av teman som på etteller annat sätt berör värdering av tid. Därefter sammanfattasartiklarna och introduktionen avslutas med slutsatser och ettavsnitt om möjliga framtida forskningsämnen.Den första artikeln i den här avhandlingen handlar om hurförhållandet mellan tid och pengar kan bättre förstås genom attutgå från tiden som det primära att värdesätta. Denna analysoch de insikter som analysen leder till kan därefter förklara ochbättre underbygga antaganden som görs vid modellering av beslutrörande tid. I artikeln analyseras egenskaper av tid i relation tillpengar som framkommit i beteendevetenskaplig och psykologiskforskning. I transportekonomi, likt traditionell mikroekonomi,utgår man från ett antagande om stabila rationella preferenser hosindivider. Givet skillnader mellan hur individer verkar resonerakring tid jämfört med pengar kan man dock ställa sig frågan omdet skulle kunna vara annorlunda att vara rationell med avseendepå tid jämfört med att vara rationell med avseende på pengar. Isynnerhet då det finns egenskaper hos tid som är så pass specifikaatt motsvarande egenskaper inte finns hos andra typer av objekteller varor. Sammantaget hävdar vi att det enkla förhållandetmellan tid och pengar inte är tillräckligt rättfärdigat i ljuset av defaktiska skillnaderna mellan tid och pengar som verkar föreligga.Den andra artikeln i avhandlingen rör upplevelser av restid ochförhållandet mellan upplevelsen och de teoretiska antagandenasom görs i transportekonomi. I artikeln analyserar vi upplevelser av restid hos resenärer som påverkades av det plötsliga införandetav identitetskontroller vid resor mellan Sverige och Danmark 2015.Mot bakgrund av en studie där upplevelserna dokumenteradesvisar vi på aspekter av restid som upplevs men inte speglas i vedertagnatransportekonomiska modeller. Artikeln delar upp dessaaspekter i tre kategorier: (i) aspekter rörande den faktiska restatiden och upplevelser av själva resan, (ii) kortsiktiga anpassningartill rådande omständigheter och (iii) långsiktiga anpassningar tillrådande omständigheter. Vi menar att restiden behöver sättasi ett vidare perspektiv genom att se resan och restiden i ettsammanhang där planering av vardagen är en förutsättning föratt få livet att gå ihop. Ett möjligt sådant perspektiv är att urplaneringssynpunkt sträva efter att göra tiden så ‘planerbar’ sommöjligt, alltså att underlätta individers långsiktiga och kortsiktigaplanering av både restid och resor, istället för att enkom serestid som onytta.I tredje artikeln tillämpas till viss del insikter om vad som skiljertid från pengar och dessa appliceras på värdering av restid försjälvkörande fordon. Värdet av restid beror traditionellt (blandannat) på transportmedel, det vill säga om resan görs med bil,buss eller tåg. Självkörande bilar har i litteraturen setts som ytterligareresslag, ofta en ny sorts bil. Vi menar dock att självkörandefordon kan mynna ut i många olika typer av transportmedel därvissa kommer att likna de vi har idag medan andra kommer attvara nya sett till resegenskaper. Givet att dessa egenskaper är relateradetill aspekter som påverkar resenärers värdering av restidkommer tiden alltså vara olika mycket värd. Värdering av restidför självkörande fordon bli därför mer komplext än att lägga tillett eller ens några ytterligare transportmedel. För att belysa dettagör vi i artikeln en så kallad morfologisk analys där vi spännerupp ett lösningsfält vi menar täcker in aspekter som påverkarvärderingen av restid för självkörande fordon. Sedan analyserarvi möjliga (och troliga) lösningar, där varje lösning motsvararett möjligt transportmedel, och menar att restidsvärdet för dessa lösningar rimligen bör skilja sig åt. Det leder oss till att föreslåatt ett alternativt sätt att segmentera restidsvärde skulle kunnavara att utgå från resegenskaper, snarare än transportmedel somsådana. Sådana resegenskaper skulle kunna vara privat/deladresa eller om resan sker efter tidtabell eller är “on-demand“.Sammanfattningsvis menar jag att monetär värdering av tidkan ses från tre perspektiv: (i) det linjära förhållandet mellan tidoch pengar som sådant, (ii) aggregeringen av individers insparaderestid till faktisk samhällsnytta och (iii) restidsförkortningarsplats i kostnadsnyttoanalys och transportplanering i allmänhet.Transportinvesteringar görs på lång sikt och de samhällsekonomiskakalkyler som ligger till grund för dessa investeringar behöverdärmed spegla både vårt förhållande till tid idag men även hur vikommer att förhålla oss till tiden i framtiden. Rimligen kommervi då ha lika mycket tid som idag, men kommer vårt förhållandetill tid vara detsamma?Slutligen föreslår jag i avhandlingen möjliga framtida temanatt undersöka vidare, såsom transporträttvisa, aggregering avväldigt små restidsvinster och förhållandet mellan risker ochtidsvinster.

QC 20200819

Orientador: Rosangela Ballini
Tese (doutorado) - Universidade Estadual de Campinas, Instituto de Economia
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Resumo: Nesta tese buscamos compreender aspectos das dinâmicas dos fenômenos da aceitabilidade da moeda, da estrutura de taxas de juros e do processo inflacionário utilizando a abordagem dos sistemas dinâmicos complexos. Nossa justificativa é que o comportamento dos agentes econômicos ocorre de forma descentralizada e, ao menos em parte, delimitado por uma estrutura funcional que, por sua vez, também é sujeita a variação ao longo do tempo. Portanto, nossa abordagem deve considerar um fenômeno em processo e sujeito a não-linearidades. A tese está dividida em cinco capítulos. No primeiro nós expomos conceitos gerais sobre sistemas dinâmicos complexos, auto-organização, modelos baseados em agentes e lógica fuzzy e conjuntos probabilísticos. Explicitamos, assim, as características que atribuímos aos fenômenos estudados e o método empregado para análise. No segundo capítulo nós oferecemos uma teoria em processo para a emergência da aceitabilidade generalizada de uma moeda, assim como dois modelos para a demonstração das possibilidades deste processo. No terceiro capítulo nós observamos estudos sobre a dinâmica da estrutura das taxas de juros e sugerimos uma explicação para a diferença empiricamente observada entre a dinâmica das taxas de juros de curto e longo prazo. No quarto capítulo nós realizamos um estudo sobre a volatilidade e a persistência na série de variações percentuais do Índice de Preços ao Consumidor dos Estados Unidos. No capítulo final nós comparamos a abordagem do processo inflacionário da chamada nova síntese neoclássica com um modelo de dinâmica de preços fora do equilíbrio
Abstract: In this thesis we aim to understand aspects of the dynamics of the phenomena of the acceptability of the money, of the structure of interest rates and of the inflationary process using the approach of complex dynamic systems. Our explanation is that the behavior of the economic occurs in a decentralized manner, and at least partially delimited by a functional structure which, in turn, is also subject to variation over time. Therefore, our approach should consider a phenomenon in the process and subject to the nonlinearities. The thesis is divided into five chapters. At first chapter we expose the general concepts about complex dynamic systems, self-organization, agent-based models and fuzzy logic and probabilistic sets. Made explicit, so the characteristics we attribute to the phenomena studied and the analysis method. In the second chapter we offer a theory in process for the emergence of generalized acceptance of money, as well as two models for demonstrating the possibilities of this process. In the third chapter we observe dynamics studies of the structure of interest rates and suggest an explanation for the empirically observed differences between the dynamics of interest rates for short and long term. In the fourth chapter we perform a study on the volatility and persistence in the series of percentage changes in the Consumer Price Index of the United States. In the final chapter we compare the approach of the inflationary process of the so-called new neoclassical synthesis with a model of price dynamics out of balance
Doutorado
Teoria Economica
Doutor em Ciências Econômicas

Étude de la pensée philosophique et religieuse de Lamarck à propos de ses conceptions relatives à l'évolution du vivant. L’aspect religieux de sa pensée apparait plus précisément à travers les catégories métaphysiques abstraites de sa recherche explicative: la connaissance, la causalité (causalité accessible à l'expérience et finalité), le temps, la vie qui constituent les fondements d'intelligibilité du créé. Lamarck appréhende le monde vivant selon une progression de complexité et une diversification des formes au cours du temps, le temps cosmique étant à une échelle incommensurable par rapport à celle du temps biologique, ce qui rend les changements des formes biologiques imperceptibles. Pour Lamarck, les facteurs de transformation résident dans la transmission des caractères acquis associée à l'influence des circonstances, et dans un pouvoir de progression inhérent à la nature du vivant. Sa réflexion philosophique manifeste sa croyance en un créateur premier, en un au-delà du créé, en l'existence chez l'homme d'une âme immortelle parce qu'immatérielle. Pour lui, un principe métaphysique est la raison de l'organisation des conditionnements physiques en unités biologiques. Ainsi, Lamarck rejette le métaphysique dans l'observation empirique du savant qui ne s'intéresse qu'aux conditions physiques du fonctionnement des êtres, mais il pose sa réalité comme principe constitutif de l'essence des êtres dont il est le principe d'intégration des facteurs matériels multiples et divers en unités fonctionnelles vivantes. Cette réflexion à deux niveaux sur la réalité biologique constitue une ambiguïté de la pensée lamarckienne. Le thème principal de notre conclusion est de dégager la signification philosophique du "matérialisme" de Lamarck. Nous avons été conduite à qualifier sa pensée de "dualiste" puisque sa conception de l'être existant inclut simultanément les deux aspects sensible et spirituel, mais à deux plans différents du réel.

Object of philosophical analysis, money is one of the most controversial elements of culture. Money influences not only the economic life, but also the social life of a person. Philosophy had and continues to have a great contribution to the research of money in various aspects. The aim of the paper is to show the place and role of the philosophy, of the philosophy of money, in particular, for researching the essence of money.

The crisis in late 2007 and early 2008, re-questioning of capitalism and re-evaluating institutional structures have arisen. Developed countries which directing of the world economy started a process along with the comments that developed countries maintain their existence. By Western economists led to criticism of the crisis inform of "today's form of capitalism, can’t establish compliance with the changing world". The economic model based on the Balance of Imbalance is scheduled to sleep period in future years of the world management system. The sleeping process has been completed by the broken Balance of Imbalance. The process of planning in the field of application and the name given is crisis. This process should have a philosophy that mobilizing the internal dynamics of the economy. At the same time this crisis shown that money-driven economy conversion process is necessity in capitalism. The process of falling asleep economic model, in other words, the output from the crisis, not the money lead the economy but the economy lead the money. Transformation process will be realized at some point. In this study, it is introduced the philosophy of the crisis, in order to put into action the inner dynamics of capitalism’s legal infrastructure, the political preferences of the founders of the political game and to pass system into sleeping process the necessity of the transformation an economic model to the upper structure have been identified.

Abstract Many manufacturing organizations are losing their competitive position due to a large number of reasons discussed in this paper. To regain a competitive position, organizations must clearly understand their goals. The Goal for a manufacturing organization should be making money now and in the future [1,2]. Producing products, high utilization, keeping people busy, high quality, good customer service, etc., are means to the Goal but not ‘The Goal’ itself. To achieve an organization’s goal, management must turn to OPT. OPT (Optimized Production Technology) is the original and most advanced constraint based advanced planning and scheduling system [3,4]. It is the practical implementation of the Theory of Constraints in the modeling, planning and scheduling of activity based business. OPT has proven its applicability in job shop, repetitive manufacturing and process industries all over the world. Therefore, shop floor issues, such as bottlenecks, setups, lot sizes, priorities, random fluctuations and performance measurements, are treated in great depth. The OPT philosophy incorporates nine rules which, when followed, can help move the organization towards the goal of making money. Underlying each of the rules is the understanding that effective management of an organization takes a global perspective of all resources and their interrelationship to achieve the goal. These rules coupled with a set of measurements: Throughput, Inventory and Operating Expenses, would lead any manufacturing organization to fulfilling the goal. Since few literatures have covered the general application of these measures, this paper will focus only on Throughput. The paper will discuss the step-by-step implementation procedures that would help industry in designing their systems for throughput.

This paper looks at some of the financial implications of generating electricity using a 165 MW gas turbine based power plant operating in a warm coastal environment. The engine performance model is developed using the Turbomatch in-house software package capable of simulating engine performance at both design and off-design conditions. Given the long operational life of the power plant, the economic model uses the Net Present Value (NPV) technique to simulate and account for the time value of money. This allows techno-economic comparisons between various modes of operation and variations in power demand to be made. The modelling will be used to optimise operation using key economic and performance parameters. The modelling is based on the Techno-Economic, Environmental and Risk Analysis (TERA) philosophy which allows for a broad and multidimensional analysis of the problem to aid plant operation and equipment selection. The analysis shows that 30 °C increase in ambient temperature above the design point results in 11.5% increase in the levelized cost of electricity (LCOE). The analysis also shows that the LCOE is increased by 4.3 as a result of 5% degradation in turbine compressor.

<p>The Netherlands is a densely-populated country, with many rivers and roads. As a result, there are many intersections between roads and waterways, and these intersections are heavily used. Movares is a Dutch engineering consultancy and we can draw on over 100 years’ experience with a wide range of bridges and viaducts. We are among the Netherlands’ leading consultants in the field of movable bridges. Our knowledge and experience put us in a perfect position to look after bridges from initial design through to end of service life.</p><p>Many Dutch bridges – both movable and fixed – were built in the 1950s and 1960s, and were not designed for today’s increased, heavier traffic. They are showing symptoms of fatigue and/or no longer conform (demonstrably) to current requirements. As a result, they need to be replaced. The availability of infrastructure is of great economic importance</p><p>At the same time, safety must be guaranteed. Our philosophy: “If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it!” Our ap-proach – the BridgeDoctor® – allows us to establish the condition of a bridge with the aid of a rapid analysis. In many cases, we can use smart measures to extend the life of a bridge, allowing it to remain in service for several more decades.</p><p>By an inventory based on available information. The aim is to gain insight into the status of the bridges now, but also in the future. On this basis it is possible to predict when the bridge needs to be replaced or, and of course, how and when to intervene constructively. This inventory provides quick answers to questions such as: which bridge is constructively safe and which bridge should be tackled first?</p><p>Maintenance also prevents emergency repairs and saves a lot of money (emergency repair = costly and timely maintenance can lead to less maintenance.</p>

In this paper the results of a broad survey under all students (response 69%, n=12,481) and management of all faculties of Saxion University will be presented. Saxion is a university of applied sciences located in the East of the Netherlands with 18.000 students divided over 13 faculties and 64 studies. The survey was held in the summer of 2007 and will be repeated for several years. It is shown that the interest of students to start their own company is large (over 55% in the general population) and varies over the several faculties (range 13% - 81%). A total number of 287 student companies is identified for further in depth study. Some of these cases of student companies are included in the paper. The total number of student companies at Saxion University can be estimated at 415. Based on the results of the survey a funnel type of approach is suggested to boost the number and quality of the Saxion University spin off firms to reach a total number to a turnover of 250 companies a year, to double the recent output since this doubling is the ambition of the management of Saxion University. A rather traditional approach of stimulating measures is the backbone of this funnel but the philosophy behind it is going much deeper. The authors suggest to use a model for the development of a spin off company based on three independent sub processes : - development of formula - development of organization - development of ambition The most important sub process here is the development of ambition. One of the basic rules of supporting instruments should be the nurturing of the real and deep ambition of the young entrepreneur. This may seem in contrast with the more traditional supporting instruments like providing shovel money and helping to make a business plan. New instruments should be developed to nurture and stimulate ambition. But first of all : When a university wants to attract ambitious young entrepreneurial students it starts with the ambition of the university itself.

Minimalism has appeared in recent years as a lifestyle that helps people regain control over their lives when they are feeling overwhelmed by work and expectations. It seems that what most of us perceive as our personal failure to meet demands is in reality a perfectly normal phenomenon in today’s world governed by consumerism. As observed by philosopher Herbert Marcuse, people have become trapped in consumerism. Consumerism has embedded in us a need for consumption, a need that we can no longer identify as false because it subjectively feels as our own. Minimalism is an attempt to simplify one’s life in order to gain more enjoyment and fulfilment and it involves becoming aware of the trap of consumerism. By consciously choosing to own fewer material possessions people have been able to free themselves from unfulfilling pursuits and exhausting work hours. The main idea is that the fewer material needs we have, the more freedom we gain and this idea is nothing new. The very same principle was taught by Diogenes in Ancient Greece. Diogenes lived with minimal material possessions to show that happiness was possible even without money or social status and this ancient wisdom is still relevant today. Key words: minimalism, consumerism, Marcuse, Diogenes

Attention to safety and health are of ever-increasing priority to industrial organizations. Good Safety is demanded by stockholders, employees, and the community while increasing injury costs provide additional motivation for safety and health excellence. Safety has always been a strong corporate value of DuPont and a vital part of its culture. As a result, DuPont has become a benchmark in safety and health performance. Since 1990, DuPont has re-engineered itself to meet global competition and address future vision. In the new re-engineered organizational structures, DuPont has also had to re-engineer its safety management systems. A special Discovery Team was chartered by DuPont senior management to determine the “best practices’ for safety and health being used in DuPont best-performing sites. A summary of the findings is presented, and five of the practices are discussed. Excellence in safety and health management is more important today than ever. Public awareness, federal and state regulations, and enlightened management have resulted in a widespread conviction that all employees have the right to work in an environment that will not adversely affect their safety and health. In DuPont, we believe that excellence in safety and health is necessary to achieve global competitiveness, maintain employee loyalty, and be an accepted member of the communities in which we make, handle, use, and transport products. Safety can also be the “catalyst” to achieving excellence in other important business parameters. The organizational and communication skills developed by management, individuals, and teams in safety can be directly applied to other company initiatives. As we look into the 21st Century, we must also recognize that new organizational structures (flatter with empowered teams) will require new safety management techniques and systems in order to maintain continuous improvement in safety performance. Injury costs, which have risen dramatically in the past twenty years, provide another incentive for safety and health excellence. Shown in the Figure 1, injury costs have increased even after correcting for inflation. Many companies have found these costs to be an “invisible drain” on earnings and profitability. In some organizations, significant initiatives have been launched to better manage the workers’ compensation systems. We have found that the ultimate solution is to prevent injuries and incidents before they occur. A globally-respected company, DuPont is regarded as a well-managed, extremely ethical firm that is the benchmark in industrial safety performance. Like many other companies, DuPont has re-engineered itself and downsized its operations since 1985. Through these changes, we have maintained dedication to our principles and developed new techniques to manage in these organizational environments. As a diversified company, our operations involve chemical process facilities, production line operations, field activities, and sales and distribution of materials. Our customer base is almost entirely industrial and yet we still maintain a high level of consumer awareness and positive perception. The DuPont concern for safety dates back to the early 1800s and the first days of the company. In 1802 E.I. DuPont, a Frenchman, began manufacturing quality grade explosives to fill America’s growing need to build roads, clear fields, increase mining output, and protect its recently won independence. Because explosives production is such a hazardous industry, DuPont recognized and accepted the need for an effective safety effort. The building walls of the first powder mill near Wilmington, Delaware, were built three stones thick on three sides. The back remained open to the Brandywine River to direct any explosive forces away from other buildings and employees. To set the safety example, DuPont also built his home and the homes of his managers next to the powder yard. An effective safety program was a necessity. It represented the first defense against instant corporate liquidation. Safety needs more than a well-designed plant, however. In 1811, work rules were posted in the mill to guide employee work habits. Though not nearly as sophisticated as the safety standards of today, they did introduce an important basic concept — that safety must be a line management responsibility. Later, DuPont introduced an employee health program and hired a company doctor. An early step taken in 1912 was the keeping of safety statistics, approximately 60 years before the federal requirement to do so. We had a visible measure of our safety performance and were determined that we were going to improve it. When the nation entered World War I, the DuPont Company supplied 40 percent of the explosives used by the Allied Forces, more than 1.5 billion pounds. To accomplish this task, over 30,000 new employees were hired and trained to build and operate many plants. Among these facilities was the largest smokeless powder plant the world had ever seen. The new plant was producing granulated powder in a record 116 days after ground breaking. The trends on the safety performance chart reflect the problems that a large new work force can pose until the employees fully accept the company’s safety philosophy. The first arrow reflects the World War I scale-up, and the second arrow represents rapid diversification into new businesses during the 1920s. These instances of significant deterioration in safety performance reinforced DuPont’s commitment to reduce the unsafe acts that were causing 96 percent of our injuries. Only 4 percent of injuries result from unsafe conditions or equipment — the remainder result from the unsafe acts of people. This is an important concept if we are to focus our attention on reducing injuries and incidents within the work environment. World War II brought on a similar set of demands. The story was similar to World War I but the numbers were even more astonishing: one billion dollars in capital expenditures, 54 new plants, 75,000 additional employees, and 4.5 billion pounds of explosives produced — 20 percent of the volume used by the Allied Forces. Yet, the performance during the war years showed no significant deviation from the pre-war years. In 1941, the DuPont Company was 10 times safer than all industry and 9 times safer than the Chemical Industry. Management and the line organization were finally working as they should to control the real causes of injuries. Today, DuPont is about 50 times safer than US industrial safety performance averages. Comparing performance to other industries, it is interesting to note that seemingly “hazard-free” industries seem to have extraordinarily high injury rates. This is because, as DuPont has found out, performance is a function of injury prevention and safety management systems, not hazard exposure. Our success in safety results from a sound safety management philosophy. Each of the 125 DuPont facilities is responsible for its own safety program, progress, and performance. However, management at each of these facilities approaches safety from the same fundamental and sound philosophy. This philosophy can be expressed in eleven straightforward principles. The first principle is that all injuries can be prevented. That statement may seem a bit optimistic. In fact, we believe that this is a realistic goal and not just a theoretical objective. Our safety performance proves that the objective is achievable. We have plants with over 2,000 employees that have operated for over 10 years without a lost time injury. As injuries and incidents are investigated, we can always identify actions that could have prevented that incident. If we manage safety in a proactive — rather than reactive — manner, we will eliminate injuries by reducing the acts and conditions that cause them. The second principle is that management, which includes all levels through first-line supervisors, is responsible and accountable for preventing injuries. Only when senior management exerts sustained and consistent leadership in establishing safety goals, demanding accountability for safety performance and providing the necessary resources, can a safety program be effective in an industrial environment. The third principle states that, while recognizing management responsibility, it takes the combined energy of the entire organization to reach sustained, continuous improvement in safety and health performance. Creating an environment in which employees feel ownership for the safety effort and make significant contributions is an essential task for management, and one that needs deliberate and ongoing attention. The fourth principle is a corollary to the first principle that all injuries are preventable. It holds that all operating exposures that may result in injuries or illnesses can be controlled. No matter what the exposure, an effective safeguard can be provided. It is preferable, of course, to eliminate sources of danger, but when this is not reasonable or practical, supervision must specify measures such as special training, safety devices, and protective clothing. Our fifth safety principle states that safety is a condition of employment. Conscientious assumption of safety responsibility is required from all employees from their first day on the job. Each employee must be convinced that he or she has a responsibility for working safely. The sixth safety principle: Employees must be trained to work safely. We have found that an awareness for safety does not come naturally and that people have to be trained to work safely. With effective training programs to teach, motivate, and sustain safety knowledge, all injuries and illnesses can be eliminated. Our seventh principle holds that management must audit performance on the workplace to assess safety program success. Comprehensive inspections of both facilities and programs not only confirm their effectiveness in achieving the desired performance, but also detect specific problems and help to identify weaknesses in the safety effort. The Company’s eighth principle states that all deficiencies must be corrected promptly. Without prompt action, risk of injuries will increase and, even more important, the credibility of management’s safety efforts will suffer. Our ninth principle is a statement that off-the-job safety is an important part of the overall safety effort. We do not expect nor want employees to “turn safety on” as they come to work and “turn it off” when they go home. The company safety culture truly becomes of the individual employee’s way of thinking. The tenth principle recognizes that it’s good business to prevent injuries. Injuries cost money. However, hidden or indirect costs usually exceed the direct cost. Our last principle is the most important. Safety must be integrated as core business and personal value. There are two reasons for this. First, we’ve learned from almost 200 years of experience that 96 percent of safety incidents are directly caused by the action of people, not by faulty equipment or inadequate safety standards. But conversely, it is our people who provide the solutions to our safety problems. They are the one essential ingredient in the recipe for a safe workplace. Intelligent, trained, and motivated employees are any company’s greatest resource. Our success in safety depends upon the men and women in our plants following procedures, participating actively in training, and identifying and alerting each other and management to potential hazards. By demonstrating a real concern for each employee, management helps establish a mutual respect, and the foundation is laid for a solid safety program. This, of course, is also the foundation for good employee relations. An important lesson learned in DuPont is that the majority of injuries are caused by unsafe acts and at-risk behaviors rather than unsafe equipment or conditions. In fact, in several DuPont studies it was estimated that 96 percent of injuries are caused by unsafe acts. This was particularly revealing when considering safety audits — if audits were only focused on conditions, at best we could only prevent four percent of our injuries. By establishing management systems for safety auditing that focus on people, including audit training, techniques, and plans, all incidents are preventable. Of course, employee contribution and involvement in auditing leads to sustainability through stakeholdership in the system. Management safety audits help to make manage the “behavioral balance.” Every job and task performed at a site can do be done at-risk or safely. The essence of a good safety system ensures that safe behavior is the accepted norm amongst employees, and that it is the expected and respected way of doing things. Shifting employees norms contributes mightily to changing culture. The management safety audit provides a way to quantify these norms. DuPont safety performance has continued to improve since we began keeping records in 1911 until about 1990. In the 1990–1994 time frame, performance deteriorated as shown in the chart that follows: This increase in injuries caused great concern to senior DuPont management as well as employees. It occurred while the corporation was undergoing changes in organization. In order to sustain our technological, competitive, and business leadership positions, DuPont began re-engineering itself beginning in about 1990. New streamlined organizational structures and collaborative work processes eliminated many positions and levels of management and supervision. The total employment of the company was reduced about 25 percent during these four years. In our traditional hierarchical organization structures, every level of supervision and management knew exactly what they were expected to do with safety, and all had important roles. As many of these levels were eliminated, new systems needed to be identified for these new organizations. In early 1995, Edgar S. Woolard, DuPont Chairman, chartered a Corporate Discovery Team to look for processes that will put DuPont on a consistent path toward a goal of zero injuries and occupational illnesses. The cross-functional team used a mode of “discovery through learning” from as many DuPont employees and sites around the world. The Discovery Team fostered the rapid sharing and leveraging of “best practices” and innovative approaches being pursued at DuPont’s plants, field sites, laboratories, and office locations. In short, the team examined the company’s current state, described the future state, identified barriers between the two, and recommended key ways to overcome these barriers. After reporting back to executive management in April, 1995, the Discovery Team was realigned to help organizations implement their recommendations. The Discovery Team reconfirmed key values in DuPont — in short, that all injuries, incidents, and occupational illnesses are preventable and that safety is a source of competitive advantage. As such, the steps taken to improve safety performance also improve overall competitiveness. Senior management made this belief clear: “We will strengthen our business by making safety excellence an integral part of all business activities.” One of the key findings of the Discovery Team was the identification of the best practices used within the company, which are listed below: ▪ Felt Leadership – Management Commitment ▪ Business Integration ▪ Responsibility and Accountability ▪ Individual/Team Involvement and Influence ▪ Contractor Safety ▪ Metrics and Measurements ▪ Communications ▪ Rewards and Recognition ▪ Caring Interdependent Culture; Team-Based Work Process and Systems ▪ Performance Standards and Operating Discipline ▪ Training/Capability ▪ Technology ▪ Safety and Health Resources ▪ Management and Team Audits ▪ Deviation Investigation ▪ Risk Management and Emergency Response ▪ Process Safety ▪ Off-the-Job Safety and Health Education Attention to each of these best practices is essential to achieve sustained improvements in safety and health. The Discovery Implementation in conjunction with DuPont Safety and Environmental Management Services has developed a Safety Self-Assessment around these systems. In this presentation, we will discuss a few of these practices and learn what they mean. Paper published with permission.