Automating the Paris Subway (Essay Sample)

Automating the Paris Subway (A)
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Automating the Paris Subway (A)
Introduction
The case under study involves the automation of the Paris Subway. The decision to automate the subway stems from a subway accident that resulted in the injury of 25 people after a train derailed. This is thought to have been caused by the inattentiveness of the driver, coupled with the malfunctioning of the automatic pilot mode. Therefore, in order to avoid a situation where the drivers drift off during the pilot mode and forget to monitor the speed of the train, the Régie Autonome des Transports Parisiens (RATP) has plans underway to monitor the speed of the train. This system is expected to check the train speed and stop it automatically should the speed exceed the limit. According to the head of the subway, Serge Lagrange, this measure is expected to improve performance and security at the subway.
This paper outlines the problems that the company is bound to face, given the endeavors towards automating the subway. In addition to this, there will be a look into some of the possible solutions. The paper also presents the best recommendations for tackling the issues outlined and some of the possible fallouts that could originate from implementing the recommendations.
Problems
Even though Serge Lagrange visualizes better performance following the automation of the subway line, the project is faced with numerous potential challenges.
Downsizing of Workers
The first possible challenge from automating the subway is that it will translate to the downsizing of 219 drivers. This alone spells major problems for the company, given the numerous efforts that have gone into cultivating a positive working relationship with the RATP Trade Unions. Lagrange foresees the social fallout that could emanate from the downsizing. Lagrange is tasked with the duty to convince trade unions that downsizing is in the best interest of the employees. Should he fail to convince them, one of the potential consequences will be a law-suit for the subway (Brockner et al., 2008). Another potential consequence is that the trade unions may act as an advocate against the subway in the future, withholding other employees from working in the subway (Ichniowski & Shaw, 2003). In addition, the subway exposes itself to costly strikes courtesy of the trade unions if it should push through with the plans to downsize against the advice of the unions. Strained relations with the trade unions imply a poor future working relationship with the employees that will survive the downsizing (Brockner et al., 2008).
Downsizing brings about new attitudes towards and within the company. For example, when the Relaince Mart underwent a downsizing in the year 2008, there were immediate changes in the attitudes of workers who survived this. One of the most commonly reported impacts of any major downsizing exercise is that it injures the reputation of the firm (Hogan, 2005). Specifically, the company image is undermined as potential clients and future employees lose faith in the ability of the firm to hold its own, seeing as downsizing is an indicator of the firm going through financial difficulty. In addition to this, downsizing means that the surviving employees feel insecure about their positions at the firm. In a sense, the psychological contracts are violated. What is more, it means that the company loses very productive employees in many cases (Buch, 2002). This could be a direct effect of the downsizing, or due to the instability brought about by laying off employees, which causes survivors to seek out more stable working environments (Hogan, 2005).
Technical Challenges
Another possible challenge from automating the subway is confined to the threat of challenges that come about due to automating the system. Lagrange’s decision to automate the subway, just like any other new system at the work place, will have to ace a few kinks, especially at the onset. For example, many of the experienced drivers have limited experience with the automatic system as compared to the manual. This means that following the automation, or right before, Lagrange will have to implement a system whereby drivers take up training on how to use the automated subway system effectively (O’Reilly, 2007). This is bound to cost the company in terms of both time and money. Apart from training the drivers alone, other workers also have to familiarize themselves with the new system to facilitate synchrony in their various activities at the subway (Thomas & Grey, 2005). For instance, there will be a need to ensure that the engineers working at the station are conversant with the new system.
The other challenge in connection to the technical issues is due to the costs of changing the mode of operation at the work place. In the case study, it is estimated that the automation project should cost the company about six hundred million pounds. Some new equipment that has to be installed includes platforms that are protected by entry doors, equipping the rails with the necessary material, modernizing the stations, raising platforms, and acquiring new trains (Anteby, Corsi, & Billaud, 2012). Both employees at the subway and clients will have to get used to the new systems implemented.
What is more, the subway would have to change its operations in a way that may not be in synchrony with the ancient designs. For example, the study reports that some of the rails are very steep, and the tunnels too narrow (Anteby, Corsi, & Billaud, 2012). All these have to be factored in while automating the line. Obviously, some adjustments would have to be made in order to incorporate the new system. An example of a mandatory change is in the slope of the rails. Effective working of the automated trains requires a relatively flat terrain. These pre-existing inconvenient attributes of the terrain, according to Anteby, Corsi and Billaud (2012), presented such challenges as interruption of traffic and finding a way to permit both the automatic and manual trains running on the same rails without any major issues.
Convincing Concerned Parties
One more issue is that of getting all the concerned parties on board with the plans for the company. These include the concerned investors, the workers, particularly the drivers, and the trade unions. Each of these parties has a stake in the decisions undertaken by Lagrange. For example, the investors might feel as though the automation is unnecessary at the time or unviable financially (Sutton, Eisenhardt, & Jucker, 2004). The workers’ concerns are as addressed in the preceding paragraphs, whereby they stand to lose their jobs.
Failure to convince the trade unions and workers to back his intentions would mean that they paralyze the operations of the subway. If Langrage does not convince investors, then he will fails to acquire the permission or financial empowerment to proceed with the project (Sutton, Eisenhardt, & Jucker, 2004). This means that workers and clients are subjected to the same unsafe conditions of operation. Particularly, in this case, the human error continues to pose a major challenge to the safety of travel via subway. In addition, passengers and workers may continue to fall onto the rails given the conspicuous lack of structures, such as the use of entry doors, that should prevent them from falling.
These mistakes, should they not be rectified, would also spell dire consequences for the subway company. For example, given the fact that the system continues to deteriorate by the day, it could mean an increased rate of accidents that involve trains that have not been automated properly. In addition, the company exposes itself to numerous law suits, following the risks that passengers and workers are exposed to, for instance, because there are no entry door to the rails (Anteby, Corsi, & Billaud, 2012). The opportunities for something going wrong without the implementation of the project are endless.
Possible Solutions
All the problems discussed spell negative consequences to the company, workers and the trade unions. As such, it is important to address the issues, if only negate some of the negative consequences of taking measures as drastic as laying off over thirty percent of all the workers. This section looks at some of the possible solutions to these problems.
Downsizing
Downsizing is unpleasant, since its effects can be felt to both those who are laid off and those who survive the lay-off within the company. One of the viable alternatives to downsizing the company is introducing pay cuts to all the workers (Lazear, 2012). The subway administration could consider adopting this strategy. One of the advantages of adopting this move as opposed to laying off workers is that should the subway acquire the resources enabling them to expand, they would not have hire new employees that have been out of touch with the evolution of the company.
Another possible solution to downsizing is maximizing resources in the company (Brockner et al., 2008). The subway, if it has the means to do so, could consider moving labour around in order to fill any gaps within the company (Thomas & Gray, 2005). For example, if there is a shortage of labour in one of the offices, a driver discovered to have the right qualifications could be directed to take up the job. This move would require the company to go through the employee files in order to find out if their qualifications can be applicable in another department.
A final solution to the option of downsizing is minimizing waste. The subway could try to ensure that all its operations are geared towards using as little resources as possible (Johnson, 2011). Some companies have benefited from cutting down on luxuries such as office snacks and flowers (Brockner et al., 2005) in order to save on as many financial re...