Factor

Those who would use surveys, content analysis, field experiments, database analysis and other such methods to gather and evaluate information should use this book -- and others. It has long been a staple of graduate-level reporting courses such as one I took at Arkansas (LR) in 1980-81 and those I have helped teach (Ohio State, late 1980s) or taught (Roosevelt, Chicago-Schaumburg, 1990s).

I am ordering a fresh copy for mark-up before teaching advanced reporting methods for the first time in 3 years.

Yes, this work uses math. No, you need not have mastered college math. A calculator that can take square roots, and the rusty skills of high school algebra, will do. A calculator or computer database or spreadsheet program with basic stats functions will pay off if you do a lot of this stuff. Some of the principles can be applied with no math. As texts of this sort go, it is quite readable.

John McClelland, associate professor of journalism Roosevelt University, Chicago and Schaumburg IL jmcclell@roosevelt.edu

E. Scott Geller has been one of the major presenters and proponents of the application of behavioural psychology approaches to safety. Now he has listened to his many contacts around the world and researched more widely to bring other branches of psychology (and other disciplines such as the quality movement) to bear on the question every manager and safety proponent asks: "Why don't people follow safety procedures?"

He rightly recognizes that the work environment has a huge role in this. If the work environment encourages unsafe behaviour, rewards production at any cost and champions swift and risky achievement over cautious system adherence then trying to influence the individual has little chance of success. He has clearly listened to behavioural safety's detractors who, rightly, are concerned with a focus on the individual rather than the system. Such a focus can quickly degenerate into a blame-the-worker culture.

Geller brings this into focus with an emphasis on the importance of the conversations that are the lifeblood of personal interaction. He asks that we chose our words carefully and with a consciousness of their impact on the listener. This seems obvious when it is explained but requires careful thought to put in place daily.

A real new area is the discussion of 'mindfulness'. This shines a light into the dark corner of human error which is evidenced in injury incidents where the person - despite training, observation, procedures and environmental safeguards - makes an inexplicable choice for an action which leads directly to an injury. Often the person cannot explain why they did the action. This problem has been known about for a long time. At times the person was blamed for carelessness or willful action, at times the impact of the person's home life has been suspected of creating distraction. Geller now opens up this with the outline of 'mindfulness'. Whether this is the end point for this issue is doubtful - but the awareness of it will clearly lead to debate and research.

A significant part of the book looks at the concepts of 'social influence' and Geller reports on (and presents) the development of a Social Influence Survey. This is an early report of a tool designed to explore whether individuals have different patterns of social influence. He makes it clear that there are no norms for this tool yet and therefore no conclusions about its long term validity and usefulness. However the early results appear to show variations and some patterns in the groups reported.

"The Participation Factor" is not the next "Working Safe". "Working Safe" is an easy to read introduction to the people side of safety and it has been read widely in workplaces - some distributing it to all staff. It continues to have great value for creating awareness and discussion.

"The Participation Factor" appears more suited to the safety practitioner and importantly to general managers. It is a thought provoking book for anyone in management. A significant highlight is the presentation of the role of "safety leadership" as different to "safety management". Careful application of the principles explained in the book could vitalise interest in safety in an organisation and, more importantly, provide a safety role for the most senior management. This group has often been ignored in the safety field apart from the superficial and condescending role of signing bland policy statements and presenting safety awards. Here are some things company leaders can do to become safety leaders - without becoming safety experts.

The book opens up new questions while providing suggestions for implementation. It is likely that the most benefit will come from readers who read, digest and apply the principles in their own interpretation.

It will be interesting to watch the debate and discussion towards the next milestone on the quest for safer workplaces.

In his hurt and disillusionment with Marissa, he has withdrawn from his child and any close entanglements for the past eighteen months.

Jessica Ross, younger sister to Shane's best friend Bailey, has had a crush on Shane,34 since preteen years. Now she is a school teacher at age 26 and needs a place to stay. She also gets along very well with Chloe.

Now with both parties in the deniel mode and living together life gets a bit more complicated. Both decide to scratch their itch and give into lust with deniel causeing more confusion.

Excellently written story of lust and premarital sex [if that is what you like] I find the morality more than loose but that is this day and age.

Good for reading once - nothing against the writers' ability -- definitely a --M --- try it you will probably like it.

Given the colossal size of the federal government in the United States and its pervasive influence on our economic lives, it is surprising that the growth of government isn't the subject of most history books written about the twentieth century. Unfortunately, the list of good books on the subject is surprisingly short. Fortunately, Price Fishback and Shawn Kantor have written a book that can be added to that short list. Indeed, their book, with its rigorous analysis of both markets and politics, is a model for others to follow.

Fishback and Kantor's exhaustive research provides new insights into why almost all states adopted workers' compensation laws between 1910 and 1921, even though related reform proposals were stillborn. [They] examine the timing of adoption across states and conclude that "progressive" politicians played only a marginal role. The strength of employer and worker interest groups was crucial. The occurrence of a crisis in the old liability system was also extremely important.

Probably the greatest shortcoming of this book is a failure to go back one more step to explain the origins of this crisis in greater detail. Whatever the reasons, the origin of the workers' compensation system, like the growth of government during much of the rest of the twentieth century, hinged crucially on a crisis.

Ultimately, the, Fishback and Kantor's painstaking analysis gives a clear picture of the operation of the American market and political system in an era when the logic of the welfare state was still generally rejected and when other programs that eventually became part of the welfare state (old-age pensions, unemployment insurance and subsidies, and sickness insurance) were not politically viable.