630
C. B. Chrusciak et al.
4 Socio-Technical Systems and Macroergonomic Work
Analysis
An organization’s social system includes the human beings who work there, with all
their psychological and social characteristics such as values, education, and needs.
The technical system includes all the tools, techniques, devices, methods, procedures
and knowledge used by members of the organization to perceive inputs, transform
inputs into outputs. One of the basic precepts of the socio-technical theory states that
the design and implementation of a system require the joint consideration of social
and technological aspects, which must be treated as interdependent (Clegg 2000).
The socio-technical perspective, in conjunction with macro-economic interventions, which according to Hendrick (2003) is an approach to socio-technical systems,
brings benefits to companies. Reducing the error rate is one of these benefits since
it is associated with increased productivity, decreased number of accidents, injuries,
personal injuries and damage to equipment. Other benefits can be included in this
context such as reduced turnover, reduced absenteeism, reduced maintenance time,
significant increases in productivity, among others.
One way to obtain these benefits is through the Macroergonomic Work Analysis
method, proposed by Guimarães (2002), which consists of a method of ergonomic
action with a participatory approach. This method helps to identify, monitor and
change any situations that compromise the quality of life at work, which can become a
risk to the worker’s health and a source of reduced productivity. MA can be considered
a sociotechnical methodology because it uses the participatory process throughout
the study, involving users and it also uses in its methodology the ABCORE constructs
[A—environment; B—biomechanics/workstation; C—work content; O—work organization; R—risk; E—enterprise]. These constructs allow the evaluation of the most
diverse factors that involve work, mainly social and technical factors, main aspects of
the socio-technical approach (Guimarães 2002). This evaluation takes place through
quantitative data that are the result of the analysis of qualitative data obtained in a
participatory way.
5 Quality of Life and Satisfaction at Work
The evaluation of a working system is based on the ability to adapt work to man and
man to work (Guérin et al. 1997). One of the aspects that interferes with the ability to
adapt is job satisfaction, which according to Fischer and Paraguay (1989), refers to
integration, autonomy, motivation, involvement and the use of physical and mental
capacities.
According to Locke (1976), job satisfaction is an emotional state because emotion
derives from the assessment of the individual’s values, and because it is an emotional
state, satisfaction has two phenomena: joy (satisfaction) and suffering, displeasure
(dissatisfaction). Although the author reports that job satisfaction is an individual
C. B. Chrusciak et al.
4 Socio-Technical Systems and Macroergonomic Work
Analysis
An organization’s social system includes the human beings who work there, with all
their psychological and social characteristics such as values, education, and needs.
The technical system includes all the tools, techniques, devices, methods, procedures
and knowledge used by members of the organization to perceive inputs, transform
inputs into outputs. One of the basic precepts of the socio-technical theory states that
the design and implementation of a system require the joint consideration of social
and technological aspects, which must be treated as interdependent (Clegg 2000).
The socio-technical perspective, in conjunction with macro-economic interventions, which according to Hendrick (2003) is an approach to socio-technical systems,
brings benefits to companies. Reducing the error rate is one of these benefits since
it is associated with increased productivity, decreased number of accidents, injuries,
personal injuries and damage to equipment. Other benefits can be included in this
context such as reduced turnover, reduced absenteeism, reduced maintenance time,
significant increases in productivity, among others.
One way to obtain these benefits is through the Macroergonomic Work Analysis
method, proposed by Guimarães (2002), which consists of a method of ergonomic
action with a participatory approach. This method helps to identify, monitor and
change any situations that compromise the quality of life at work, which can become a
risk to the worker’s health and a source of reduced productivity. MA can be considered
a sociotechnical methodology because it uses the participatory process throughout
the study, involving users and it also uses in its methodology the ABCORE constructs
[A—environment; B—biomechanics/workstation; C—work content; O—work organization; R—risk; E—enterprise]. These constructs allow the evaluation of the most
diverse factors that involve work, mainly social and technical factors, main aspects of
the socio-technical approach (Guimarães 2002). This evaluation takes place through
quantitative data that are the result of the analysis of qualitative data obtained in a
participatory way.
5 Quality of Life and Satisfaction at Work
The evaluation of a working system is based on the ability to adapt work to man and
man to work (Guérin et al. 1997). One of the aspects that interferes with the ability to
adapt is job satisfaction, which according to Fischer and Paraguay (1989), refers to
integration, autonomy, motivation, involvement and the use of physical and mental
capacities.
According to Locke (1976), job satisfaction is an emotional state because emotion
derives from the assessment of the individual’s values, and because it is an emotional
state, satisfaction has two phenomena: joy (satisfaction) and suffering, displeasure
(dissatisfaction). Although the author reports that job satisfaction is an individual