Advanced Search

Journal Navigation

Journal Home

Subscriptions

Archive

Contact Us

Table of Contents

Click here to sign up for SAGE Journal Email Alerts today!

Sign In to gain access to subscriptions and/or personal tools.
Human Factors: The Journal of the Human Factors and Ergonomics Society
This Article
Right arrow Abstract Freely available
Right arrow Full Text (PDF)
Right arrow Alert me when this article is cited
Right arrow Alert me if a correction is posted
Services
Right arrow Email this article to a friend
Right arrow Similar articles in this journal
Right arrow Alert me to new issues of the journal
Right arrow Add to Saved Citations
Right arrow Download to citation manager
Right arrowRequest Permissions
Right arrow Request Reprints
Right arrow Add to My Marked Citations
Citing Articles
Right arrow Citing Articles via Google Scholar
Right arrow Citing Articles via Scopus
Google Scholar
Right arrow Articles by Kleiner, B. M.
Right arrow Search for Related Content
PubMed
Right arrow Articles by Kleiner, B. M.
Social Bookmarking
 Add to CiteULike   Add to Complore   Add to Connotea   Add to Del.icio.us   Add to Digg   Add to Reddit   Add to Technorati   Add to Twitter  
What's this?

Macroergonomics: Work System Analysis and Design

Brian M. Kleiner

Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, Blacksburg, Virginia, bkleiner{at}vt.edu

Objective: Our goal was to briefly describe how macroergonomics was developed to fill a void in human factors and ergonomics. Background: A study commissioned by the Human Factors Society in 1978 resulted in the formalization of a new subdiscipline of human factors, called organizational design and management, which eventually was coined macroergonomics. Method: Differentiators of macroergonomics are presented along with methods adapted from other domains as well as unique methods. Results: Based on laboratory and field studies conducted at multiple universities, government facilities, and industries, work system factors can be manipulated in the laboratory and studied in the field successfully. Also, case studies in academia, industry, and government demonstrate 60% to 90% performance impact and positive qualitative changes such as culture change. Conclusion: Macroergonomics offers a perspective as well as methods and tools for more successful human factors and ergonomics design, development, intervention, and implementation. Application: Human factors engineers or psychologists and ergonomists can use the perspective of macroergonomics to achieve better results or can expand their involvement of macroergonomics through the use of methods and tools.

References

  • Bedeian, A.G., & Zammuto, R.F. (1991). Organizations: Theory and design. Chicago: Dryden.
  • Boehm-Davis, D.A., Casali, J.G., Kleiner, B.M., Lancaster, J., Saleem, J., & Wochinger, K. (2007). Pilot performance, strategy, and workload while executing approaches at steep angles and with lower landing minima. Human Factors, 49, 759-772.[Abstract/Free Full Text]
  • Burns, C.M., Bisantz, A.M., & Roth, E.M. (2004). Lessons from a comparison of work domain models: Representational choices and their implications. Human Factors, 46, 711-727.[CrossRef][Medline] [Order article via Infotrieve]
  • Carayon, P., & Haims, M.C. (2003). Balanced work system and participation in quality management: Applications in the community. AI and Society, 17, 97-113.[CrossRef]
  • Carayon, P., Smith, M.J., & Haims, M.C. (1999). Work organization, job stress and work-related musculoskeletal disorders. Human Factors, 41, 644-663.[Abstract/Free Full Text]
  • Haines, H., Wilson, J.R., Vink, P., & Koningsveld, E. (2002). Validating a framework for participatory ergonomics (the PEF). Ergonomics, 45, 309-327.[Medline] [Order article via Infotrieve]
  • Hendrick, H.W. (1991). Ergonomics in organizational design and management. Ergonomics, 34, 743-756.
  • Hendrick, H.W. (1996). Economics of ergonomics. Santa Monica, CA: Human Factors and Ergonomics Society.
  • Hendrick, H.W. (2003). Determining the cost-benefits of ergonomics projects and factors that lead to their success. Applied Ergonomics, 34, 419-427.[CrossRef][Medline] [Order article via Infotrieve]
  • Hendrick, H.W., & Kleiner, B.M. (2001). Macroergonomics: An introduction to work system design. Santa Monica, CA: Human Factors and Ergonomics Society.
  • Hendrick, H. W., & Kleiner, B. M. (Eds.). (2002). Macroergonomics: Theory, methods and applications. Mahwah, NJ: Erlbaum.
  • Kleiner, B.M. (2002). Macroergonomics in large-scale organizational change. In H. W. Hendrick & B. M. Kleiner (Eds.), Macroergonomics: Theory, methods and applications (pp. 273-289). Mahwah, NJ: Erlbaum.
  • Kleiner, B.M., & Booher, H.R. (2003). Human systems integration education and training. In H. R. Booher (Ed.), Handbook of human systems integration (pp. 121-163). Hoboken, NJ: Wiley.
  • Kleiner, B.M., & Hendrick, H.W. (1999). Revisiting macroergonomics as an integrating mechanism for TQM and ergonomics. In J. Axelsson, J. Eklund, & B. Bergman (Eds.), Proceedings of the International Conference on TQM and Human Factors (pp. 128-133). Linkoping, Sweden: CMTO.
  • Nagamachi, M., & Imada, A. (1992). A macroergonomic approach for improving safety and work design. In Proceedings of the Human Factors Society 36th Annual Meeting - 1992 (pp. 859-861). Santa Monica, CA: Human Factors and Ergonomics Society.
  • Pew, R. W. (Ed.). (1983). Research needs for human factors. Washington, DC: National Academy Press.
  • Pew, R. W., & Mavor, A. S. (Eds.). (2007). Human-system integration in the system development process: A new look. Washington, DC: National Academies Press.
  • Robbins, S.R. (1983). Organization theory: The structure and design of organizations. Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice Hall.
  • Saleem, J.J., & Kleiner, B.M. (2006). Acase-based review of critical incidents in general aviation for improved safety. International Journal of Applied Aviation Studies, 6, 271-281.
  • Smith, M.J., & Sainfort, P.C. (1989). A balance theory of job design for stress reduction. International Journal of Industrial Ergonomics, 4, 67-79.[CrossRef]
  • Stanton, N., Hedge,A., Brookhuis, K., Salas, E., & Hendrick, H. (Eds.). (2005). Handbook of human factors and ergonomics methods. Boca Raton, FL: CRC Press.
  • Stevenson, W.B. (1993). Organizational design. In R. T. Golembiewski (Ed.), Handbook of organizational behavior (pp. 141-168). New York: Marcel Dekker.

Human Factors: The Journal of the Human Factors and Ergonomics Society, Vol. 50, No. 3, 461-467 (2008)
DOI: 10.1518/001872008X288501


Add to CiteULike CiteULike   Add to Complore Complore   Add to Connotea Connotea   Add to Del.icio.us Del.icio.us   Add to Digg Digg   Add to Reddit Reddit   Add to Technorati Technorati   Add to Twitter Twitter    What's this?



This Article
Right arrow Abstract Freely available
Right arrow Full Text (PDF)
Right arrow Alert me when this article is cited
Right arrow Alert me if a correction is posted
Services
Right arrow Email this article to a friend
Right arrow Similar articles in this journal
Right arrow Alert me to new issues of the journal
Right arrow Add to Saved Citations
Right arrow Download to citation manager
Right arrowRequest Permissions
Right arrow Request Reprints
Right arrow Add to My Marked Citations
Citing Articles
Right arrow Citing Articles via Google Scholar
Right arrow Citing Articles via Scopus
Google Scholar
Right arrow Articles by Kleiner, B. M.
Right arrow Search for Related Content
PubMed
Right arrow Articles by Kleiner, B. M.
Social Bookmarking
 Add to CiteULike   Add to Complore   Add to Connotea   Add to Del.icio.us   Add to Digg   Add to Reddit   Add to Technorati   Add to Twitter  
What's this?