Rate of growth of productivity in the United States has been on the decline for the past two decades. At the same time the complexion of work has changed from mostly physically demanding to more mentally taxing tasks. Fatigue is a major factor in limiting production through a decrease in efficiency in both environments. This research evaluates use of a model which proposes to reduce the influence of fatigue by setting efficient work-rest cycles for workers engaged in mental tasks. The Bechtold, Janaro, and Sumners (BJS) mathematical model assumes linear work decay and work potential recovery functions. The model furnishes rest break policies for a worker as output. Policies include the number of rest breaks to be taken, length of rest during each break, and length of work for each period during the work session. / The laboratory experiment consisted of workers mentally computing answers to four digit mathematical problems. The results showed that the BJS model significantly increased worker productivity as compared to workers taking no rest breaks or to workers using self-developed rest break policies. Workers using model developed policies tended to take more breaks of short duration than other workers. The breaks began earlier during the work session when model policies were used. The model assumption of a linear decay function was supported. However, the experimental results did not fully support the assumption of a linear recovery function. Inability to resolve the question of the proper shape of the recovery function reflect difficulties in measuring work potential recovery in a mental work environment as well as question the assumption of linearity. The utility of the BJS model does not appear to be severely diminished by the lack of support for the assumption of a linear recovery function. / Source: Dissertation Abstracts International, Volume: 45-09, Section: A, page: 2927. / Thesis (D.B.A.)--The Florida State University, 1984.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:fsu.edu/oai:fsu.digital.flvc.org:fsu_75371 |
| Contributors | BOOTHE, ROBERT STEPHENS., Florida State University |
| Source Sets | Florida State University |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | Text |
| Format | 274 p. |
| Rights | On campus use only. |
| Relation | Dissertation Abstracts International |
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