All ANSPs are equal, but some are more equal than others

In the late 1970s, 35 French millers decided to come together to improve the quality of baguettes in the face of declining bread consumption and competition from supermarkets using cheap flour and low prices. Their complex organizational arrangement provides a sterling example of hybridization* for Air Navigation Service Providers. How can hybridization help?

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The Day that a Zouave Soldier becomes an Air Traffic Controller

It is said that a long time ago, carpenters would make marks on their workbenches to indicate measurements and they would then use these measurements as references. Throughout time, benchmarks came to signify reference points for measuring something. As an example, the J32 benchmark that we see in the above picture, is a geodetic benchmark to indicate a reference point that was used in measuring the curvature of a part of Earth's surface.  What are our benchmarks in ATC? Do we have any? Do we need benchmarks?

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Sustainable Development

In November 2010,  at the World Summit of United Cities and Local Governments, culture was added to the mix of economic, social and environmental  dimensions to reflect a new strategic approach to sustainable development. What applications of this can we make in ATC and how can we benefit? 

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Communicating the Spaces between the Words

Paul Bernhardt's painting of Communication Breakdown portrays the view that disaster to the industrial landscape is a result of faulty communication systems. What about the human communication systems in the service industry of ATC? Can communication styles of management threaten the wellbeing of ATCOs and support staff? For example what is the link between the use of memos and the communication process? Further, how does a manager's view of chronemics impact upon her communication style? 

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The 3D View

What does pavement art and the electron microscope have in common? Both show visual effects in 3D. Thanks to the work of Nobel Prize Physicist Dénes Gabor et al, the prismatic effect of light and paint can be used to create illlusions, enlarged images and even rainbow holograms on our credit cards (Toal, 2012). When Professor Andy Neely* was describing the prismatic effect however, he was not at a seminar in physics, or art. He was describing innovative methods of performance measurement in organizations.

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Bridging the Generation Gap, Part II

Will you cross this bridge? Will you look down, hold your breath, feel the urge to go to the bathroom, take forever to cross or stop halfway because your feet do not seem to move  further? If you will pass up on the opportunity to cross any of the bridges shown throughout this post, do not be disconcerted. You probably have a fear of crossing bridges.  It is called gephyrophobia. We are going to look at gephyrophobia in ATC, fear of crossing the bridges that link the generation gaps in the workplace. 

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