Gwendolyn Bakx | Netherlands Defence Academy (original) (raw)

Papers by Gwendolyn Bakx

Vooral in het domein van hoog-risico activiteiten, zoals bij Defensie en de brandweer, kan storyt... more Vooral in het domein van hoog-risico activiteiten, zoals bij Defensie en de brandweer, kan storytelling van grote waarde zijn. Storytelling is geen managementtool dat een gegarandeerde empirische uitkomst kent, maar niettemin kan het het collectieve geheugen van een organisatie dienen. Storytelling wordt binnen Defensie al toegepast, maar veelal onbewust. Een meer bewust gebruik zou bij kunnen dragen aan het creeren van een zo veilig mogelijke werkomgeving onder risicovolle omstandigheden. Een methodiek van storytelling die de Brandweer Flevoland heeft ontwikkeld lijkt een veelbelovend instrument om aan het arsenaal van het Veiligheidsmanagementsysteem Defensie toe te voegen. Een mogelijkheid is het uitvoeren van een pilot storytelling in nauwe samenwerking met de brandweerorganisatie, waarbij ervaringen van beide organisaties naast elkaar worden gelegd onder gelijktijdige uitwisseling van overige kennis en ervaring.

NL ARMS 2016 offers a collection of studies on the interrelatedness of safety and security in mil... more NL ARMS 2016 offers a collection of studies on the interrelatedness of safety and security in military organizations so as to anticipate or even prepare for dire situations. The volume contains a wide spectrum of contributions on organizing for safety and security in a military context that are theoretically as well as empirically relevant. Theoretically, the contributions draw upon international security studies, safety science and organizational studies. Empirically, case studies address the reality of safety and security in national crisis management, logistics and unconventional warfare, focusing, amongst others, on rule of law during missions in which expeditionary military forces are involved in policing tasks to restore and reinforce safety and security and on the impact of rule of law on societal security. The result is a truly unique volume that may serve practitioners, policymakers and academics in gaining a better understanding of organizing for the security-safety nexus.

Journal of Military Ethics

BSc biomedische wetenschappen, MA toegepaste ethiek. Tijdens deze studie was zij stagiaire bij de... more BSc biomedische wetenschappen, MA toegepaste ethiek. Tijdens deze studie was zij stagiaire bij de Faculteit militaire wetenschappen, Nederlandse Defensie Academie. 3. c Universitair hoofddocent Human Factors en Systeemveiligheid (in en van militaire socio-technische systemen), Faculteit militaire wetenschappen, Nederlandse Defensie Academie. 4. d Universitair docent militaire ethiek en filosofie, Faculteit militaire wetenschappen, Nederlandse Defensie Academie. Deze studie werd deels uitgevoerd in het kader van de opleiding Arts Maatschappij & Gezondheid. Op basis van deze studie werd tevens een artikel aangeboden ter publicatie in het Journal of Medical Ethics. Artikel ontvangen mei 2022. Deelnemers (n=28) Geslacht Man 11 Vrouw 17 Operationeel commando Commando Luchtstrijdkrachten (CLSK) 9 Commando Zeestrijdkrachten (CZSK) 10 Commando Landstrijdkrachten (CLAS) 9 Jaren werkervaring Categorieën 2-5 8 5-8 9 >8 11 Uitzendervaring Ja 23 Nee 5 Tabel 1: Demografische karakteristieken van deelnemend militair artsen. Focusgroepen Er zijn zes semigestructureerde focusgroepen georganiseerd (twee focusgroepen voor CLAS, twee voor CLSK en twee voor CZSK). Bij elke focusgroep werden deelnemers van één operationeel commando bevraagd. De bevraging van alle focusgroepen duurde tussen anderhalf en twee uur. De focusgroepen werden begeleid door twee moderatoren en vonden plaats tussen april en juni 2021. Er werd een semigestructureerd protocol gebruikt omwille van de vrijheid

There is still much debate in the safety literature about how to deal with the complexi- ties and... more There is still much debate in the safety literature about how to deal with the complexi- ties and dynamics of large-scale socio-technological systems especially. How, for in- stance, comes safety about in ‘high-tech’ complex systems? Also, how should assess- ments of technological (or artefactual) safety be performed in these kinds of systems? This thesis attempts to provide some practical applications and guidelines for these kinds of assessments, in real-life settings specifically. To this, four empirical studies of several high-tech military systems are discussed, and then how these studies were used for gaining a more adequate understanding of the dynamics of technological (or artefactual) safety in large-scale socio-technological systems in general. The thesis dis- cusses furthermore a study after the concept of responsible innovation, which is a field that closely relates to technological safety. This particular study points out that what was found for the assessment of techno...

The Yin-Yang Military, 2020

NL ARMS, 2016

No part of this work may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form ... more No part of this work may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, microfilming, recording or otherwise, without written permission from the Publisher, with the exception of any material supplied specifically for the purpose of being entered and executed on a computer system, for exclusive use by the purchaser of the work. The use of general descriptive names, registered names, trademarks, service marks, etc. in this publication does not imply, even in the absence of a specific statement, that such names are exempt from the relevant protective laws and regulations and therefore free for general use.

NL ARMS, 2016

Safety and security are often regarded as two separate concepts, both scientifically and organiza... more Safety and security are often regarded as two separate concepts, both scientifically and organizationally. Both are often seen as two fundamentally conflicting institutional demands and their agendas as being based on two profoundly different organizing principles. Because of this, safety may get less attention in security organizations than necessary as such a distinction would mean in the perception of people that funding for the one would go at the cost of the other. This chapter points out that organizing for security and for safety may not be so different after all as both safety and security seem to develop from the same social structures and institutional complexities. The differences between the two seem to be a matter of social construction, power and policy, rather than that these differences would inevitably follow from what one would regard as their intrinsic features.

Cognition, Technology & Work, 2016

This paper brings a social science perspective (from the ethnicity and diversity literature) to b... more This paper brings a social science perspective (from the ethnicity and diversity literature) to bear on a process that is regarded by many as essentially a technical one: the safe insertion of military unmanned aircraft systems (UAS) in the (inter)national European airspace. The aim of this qualitative study was to gain a more adequate scientific socio-technological understanding of the topic, so as to strengthen issue dialogue and discussion. Indeed, studying the ''integration'' of these UASs (as this process is often referred to) through the lens of acculturation literature revealed some socio-technological processes that have been little noticed but which seem to underlie and inform this debate. For example, some voices seem to be favoured over others, a well-known phenomenon in the ethnicity and diversity literature. Safety, it could even be argued, is in this debate the pivot point around which social and other dynamics revolve. Belief and power may thus be more important factors here-''masked'' of course-than technical aspects of safety. The results of this study are important not only for the military since the incorporation of military UAS occurs, partially at least, in civilian airspace. Civil actors thus formed a substantial subset of those interviewed here.

2013 International Conference on Unmanned Aircraft Systems (ICUAS), 2013

ABSTRACT This paper brings a theory from the sociological and ethnicity literature to bear on an ... more ABSTRACT This paper brings a theory from the sociological and ethnicity literature to bear on an important UAS issue - manned and unmanned flight in the same airspace. Applying acculturation theory to this issue suggests a way forward, i.e., one that could strengthen dialogue and discussion on this issue, as well as gain a more adequate scientific understanding of the socio-technological issues that this problem raises.

Journal of Risk Research, 2015

Contemporary military practice relies more and more on technology and its artefacts and seem to h... more Contemporary military practice relies more and more on technology and its artefacts and seem to have become, thereby, large-scale socio-technological systems; systems in which the social and the technological are closely tied together. An important issue in these kinds of systems, especially military ones, is how to safely use this technology. This paper reviews the literature for research on risk and safety in large-scale socio-technological systems for their ability to account for the complex dynamics from which safety in these kinds of systems tends to emerge – or not. After this, it evaluates some current accounts of risk and safety in the military specifically, so as to assess the ‘status’ – or analytical strength – of accounts of risk and safety in this domain. More rigour is needed in evaluations of risk and safety of technology in the military so as to provide analyses with sufficient analytic strength. This rigour, it turns out, can often be found in the interdisciplinary STS (science, technology and society) literature that, until today however, does not often seem to address risk and safety of large-scale socio-technological systems directly, and which seems to pay even less attention to risk and safety in the military.

International Journal of Safety and Security Engineering, 2012

Unmanned aerial systems (UASs) in general and UAS safety in particular have so far received littl... more Unmanned aerial systems (UASs) in general and UAS safety in particular have so far received little attention in the science, technology and society (STS) literature. This paper therefore reports on several (military) cases of this relatively new technology, focusing specifi cally on issues of safety. Quite often, safety of technology is considered the result of a rational process-one of a series of rational, often calculative, linear steps. The paper's results suggest that establishing safety in military UASs is very much a social process. Approaching (military) UAS safety from this perspective could perhaps be complementary to more analytical and rational perspectives on safety of this type of technology. Further research is therefore suggested on the implications that social processes can have for safety in UASs. So far, it seems, such a position on safety in technology has been little explored in both the STS and safety literature explicitly.

Theoretical Issues in Ergonomics Science, 2013

Redundancy often is considered a safety multiplier. In complex socio-technological systems howeve... more Redundancy often is considered a safety multiplier. In complex socio-technological systems however, according to proponents of complex systems theory, the impact of social redundancy (the social counterpart of technological redundancy) can be suboptimal. Ethnographically inspired research was therefore conducted on whether and how members of a European Apache attack helicopter unit applied the concept of social redundancy in their helicopters

In this paper, differences in the assessment of mission risks and mission benefits between operat... more In this paper, differences in the assessment of mission risks and mission benefits between operators and members of the management level in the transport helicopter branch of the Royal Netherlands Air Force (RNLAF) are studied. Results were obtained from a risk analysis that was conducted in accordance with RNLAF procedures. The analysis suggests that the two organizational levels have a coherent perception on risks despite their hierarchical position. Perceived measures of control – controllability – seem to induce the inclusion or the exclusion of what is appeared to be a risk. The analysis also suggests that risk management tools may obscure these perceptual differences. Risk management tools may therefore not be sufficient to attain safe operations. In discussions and future studies on risk management and on hierarchical differences in risk perception, this is something to take well notice of. Also, managers and others involved in risk management need to recognize the implicatio...

This paper explores what a particular strategy from the resilience engineering “tool kit” – takin... more This paper explores what a particular strategy from the resilience engineering “tool kit” – taking an alternative perspective – can do for “wicked” problems in which often numerous trade-offs have to be made. The Israeli Defence Forces have, as we will illustrate, successfully applied this strategy in their battle of Nablus in 2002. In this paper we attempt to transfer this strategy to the UAS integration debate. This is the debate around the safe introduction of unmanned systems in the current airspace structure along with its current (manned) “inhabitants.” Many trade-offs have to be addressed in this debate, some of which will be neglected as long as certain angles to the issue are ignored. It appears that a social science approach – more specifically in this case the ethnicity literature – can strengthen dialogue and discussion. Also, it can provide a more adequate scientific understanding of some socio-technological issues underlying what superficially seems to be a simple case...

In their initiatives to achieve organizational safety goals, managers, but also members of safety... more In their initiatives to achieve organizational safety goals, managers, but also members of safety institutes – such as regulators – often seem to follow what in the military might be called “normaltaktik” or “order-type tactics”. Also military attitudes towards safety seem to resemble and reinforce normaltaktik. This is somewhat ironic since the military has been forced more and more in the past decennium towards non-conventional warfare – and thus away from the application of normaltaktik. If we would approach safety not from a normaltaktiker but from an auftragstaktiker perspective, not only could this reduce accidents, it could give us a strategic advantage.

ABSTRACT Today’s battle fields are ambiguous and enemy troops may not be recognizable as such. On... more ABSTRACT Today’s battle fields are ambiguous and enemy troops may not be recognizable as such. One can only imagine what tragedies might result from this. Apache helicopters however are operated by a crew of two pilots, enabling them to benefit from something that might be called “social redundancy”. A case study was therefore conducted with a bounded system as the object of study – a flight of pilots within a European attack unit – in order to find out if and how social redundancy gets exercised in Apache cockpits. From a micro-level task analysis macro-level contextual factors were reflected upon. Research results suggest that social redundancy gets exercised extensively during Apache operations. Research results also suggest that social redundancy is a complex phenomenon, bounded above all by the inherent limitations of complexity in social systems, and that therefore we should not trust on it blindly. Social redundancy was shown to be affected by a broad series and range of contextual factors. Many of these factors – if not all – appeared to be interconnected, making it difficult to trace how factors link together in any fixed – or predictable – manner. Social redundancy, so it seems, is not a fixed attribute that can be switched on and off according to predefined logics. What further seems to have been neglected so far by traditional approaches to social redundancy is that technological innovation has redefined work and job substantially. All this has implications for how to assess crew interaction, even in hindsight as often is done with accident investigations in the aftermath of tragedy.

Journal of Military Ethics

The Yin-Yang Military, 2020

NL ARMS, 2016

Cognition, Technology & Work, 2016

2013 International Conference on Unmanned Aircraft Systems (ICUAS), 2013

Journal of Risk Research, 2015

International Journal of Safety and Security Engineering, 2012

Theoretical Issues in Ergonomics Science, 2013

There is still much debate in the safety literature about how to deal with the complexities and d... more There is still much debate in the safety literature about how to deal with the complexities and dynamics of large-scale socio-technological systems especially. How, for instance , comes safety about in 'high-tech' complex systems? Also, how should assessments of technological (or artefactual) safety be performed in these kinds of systems? This thesis attempts to provide some practical applications and guidelines for these kinds of assessments, in real-life settings specifically. To this, four empirical studies of several high-tech military systems are discussed, and then how these studies were used for gaining a more adequate understanding of the dynamics of technological (or artefactual) safety in large-scale socio-technological systems in general. The thesis discusses furthermore a study after the concept of responsible innovation, which is a field that closely relates to technological safety. This particular study points out that what was found for the assessment of technological safety could also be helpful for related allocations of responsibility in the systems studied here.

An important factor appears to be in this all, that in practice the social and the technological (or artefactual) domain are linked in these kinds of systems to an extent that is not often acknowledged. Assessments of technological or artefactual safety in large-scale socio-technological systems, as well as allocations of responsibility in these kinds of systems, require, therefore, an empirical analysis of the socio-technological dynamics involved. These assessments and moral judgments should attempt, in short, to make sense of the empirical complexities in real-life settings. Important in this is that they should take into account – but also account for – the interactions between the technologies (or artefacts) studied and the social structure(s) that these technologies (or artefacts) are embedded within.