1. Justification, Working Hypothesis, Methodology and Research Objective
What motivated us to carry out the work carried out below arose from the approach of a worrying problem: Does Organizational Maintenance Culture exist in Venezuela? This led us to investigate the most relevant aspects that link the variables organizational culture and industrial maintenance.
Lack of maintenance constitutes a problem, almost endemic, that has been seriously affecting the operation of equipment and systems and has caused the rampant deterioration of quality in the provision of services in the national country for many years, a situation that unfortunately still persists, without indicators of improvement, causing unquantifiable economic damages to the treasury.
In another order of ideas and considering, among a set of factors, that culture is constituted by all the activities carried out by man, we can affirm, with the support of innumerable daily events, that a good part of the Venezuelan population lacks culture in Many of its important aspects, among which one of great importance such as that related to maintenance, are analyzed both in the environment of labor practice and in the performance of managerial functions.
The above considerations seem to be sufficient reasons to formulate the following Work Hypothesis: In Venezuela there is no Organizational Maintenance Culture, which we intend to verify by carrying out a bibliographic review of works carried out by authors of recognized competence in topics related to industrial maintenance and organizational culture., information that after being complemented with news from the written press, national and regional and the contributions of our experience in the performance of management activities related to the maintenance of assets, a comparative study is applied between organizational culture and maintenance, referring to some companies of the State. The objective of this investigation is to determine a series of data that make up truthful, reliable information,verifiable, pertinent and sufficient to give due support to the proposed Work Hypothesis.
2. Conceptual and Definitive Aspects
Culture
Regarding the etymology of the word, it can be said:
The term Culture has its origin in Latin. At first, the word meant cultivation, agriculture, instruction, and its components were: cultus (cultivated) and ura (result of an action).
The Dictionary of the Royal Spanish Academy defines culture as follows: taking peoples or people out of the wild.
This does not contribute much to the modern definitions of the concept in which the different edges of culture are frequently expressed.
According to UNESCO (1994):
It is the set of the definitive, spiritual and material, intellectual and affective features that characterize a society or social group. It encompasses not only the arts and letters, but also ways of life, the fundamental rights of the human being, value systems, traditions and beliefs.
From the content of this definition, we infer that culture encompasses so many aspects that there is no human manifestation that is not contemplated in the cultural sphere. This order of ideas leads us to think that all human beings are, in one way or another, possessors of culture. Among those manifestations of culture is maintenance.
The growing interest shown by researchers in the area of culture is based on the various conclusions obtained as a result of some inquiries that demonstrate the existence of important links between culture and the successful management practices of many and varied organizations.
Because organizational culture is one of the centers of interest of this investigation, we will comment on some pertinent definitions.
Organizational culture
In this regard, Cordero (2000) believes:
The national culture then becomes an integrated set of values, beliefs, expectations and behaviors shared by a human group based in a historically and geographically delimited territory, while the organizational culture is the product of the integration of this national culture with values, beliefs, expectations and patterns of behavior typical of a particular way of organizing social work in a system called organization.
In the previous writing, two classes of cultures are defined: national and organizational; both are compared and, in the second, the systemic way of shaping work in organizations is expressed as a difference. The latter leads us to consider managerial aspects in the praxis of companies located in the universe of organizational culture.
González (2000) explains the concept of Organizational Culture associating it with that of Technological Culture; the latter, referring to all those organizations in whose work environments computerized information systems have been incorporated. Indeed, in a part of his written work it can be read:
… It is necessary to clarify that the definitions refer to agreed relationships for the achievement of objectives, but are limited to a historical environment that determines them; for this reason, it is pertinent to currently approach organizational culture as a necessary technological culture, seen from the computing and telecommunications scenarios, supports and essential tools for leadership in environments and markets.
We can understand González's proposal as a very useful contribution in terms of enriching the concept of organizational culture because if this approach includes service companies such as automotive maintenance in which vehicles are repaired every day, in some cases their Operation depends on five (5) computers, which determines the creation of new maintenance lines that must be operated with highly technical qualified personnel, which, in the best case, will expand the organizational culture of the company.
The concept of organizational culture refers to the set of beliefs, values, assumptions and behaviors shared and transmitted in an organization, which are acquired over time and have been successful in achieving its objectives (Granell, 1997).
The previous writing warns us that for the constituent elements of the organizational culture of a company to assimilate and generate the expected results, the necessary period of time must elapse.
Characteristics and Most Important Functions of a Company Submerged in the Context of an Organizational Culture.
• Managerial management, flexibility, evaluating and changing course.
• Use of communication technologies, globalization.
• The most important thing is human resources.
• Competitiveness, innovation.
• Permanent training, prospectivity, quality of the results.
• Discipline, horizontality, participation, responsibility, mutual respect, honesty.
• Train: leaders, change agents and relief personnel.
• Career plan, meritocracy.
• Comprehensive social assistance and environmental conservation programs.
Maintenance
If maintenance is conceptualized as a human activity, it seems logical that we can consider it in the cultural environment; This criterion allows us to affirm that this occupation is present in the work of any person. Without isolating itself from the aforementioned environment, maintenance is usually conceived as a service function, provided by qualified personnel, aimed at keeping the elements of industrial production available; These ideas direct us to become aware and take responsibility in our purpose of trying to emerge an effective organizational culture with which an optimal performance of the available resources is achieved at a rational cost of operation and production that translates into an acceptable quality of final product or service, where previously educated human capital,trained and incentivized play a significant role.
Since maintenance is the other variable to examine in this investigation, it is pertinent to stop to reflect on certain aspects inherent to that function.
General Definition of Maintenance
Set of timely, continuous and permanent actions aimed at providing and ensuring the normal operation, efficiency and good appearance of systems, buildings, equipment and accessories. (Alcalá, 1998).
In this definition, terms that we must analyze are contained:
• Actions: they are the effects of doing something. The most important maintenance actions are: planning, programming, execution, supervision and control.
• Continuous: they last or are made without interruptions.
• Permanent: of firm and constant duration, persevering.
In order to guarantee the operational availability of systems, buildings, facilities, equipment and accessories, maintenance must be carried out continuously and permanently through plans that contain precise and clearly defined purposes, goals and objectives.
• Predicting means: seeing ahead. Know, guess what is going to happen. With good planning and timely routine inspection programs, the maintenance engineer is able to detect the symptoms that indicate to us, often well in advance, that the equipment is about to fail and that, consequently, it must focus on correcting the deviations before they become more important problems.
• Insure: establish, securely fix, preserve from damage to people or things.
• Operation: action to function.
• Normal: it is said that due to its nature, shape or magnitude, it complies with certain rules established in advance.
An efficient and effective maintenance division or management must be able to provide, in a safe and timely manner, an adequate maintenance service to all the dependencies of the organization.
• Efficiency: with respect to machines, we understand efficiency to be the relationship between the work done by a machine and the energy expended to make it work. Efficiency is also called performance.
The maintenance manager must be duly informed of the level of efficiency of his equipment as part of the follow-up that he must do to them and to make decisions related to repair and replacement costs.
• Finally, we must emphasize that the external appearance of the equipment influences the user's confidence and the worker's spirit. What we all want is for buildings, facilities, equipment and accessories to function optimally and look good.
Principle of Existence of Maintenance in Companies
In any company that generates goods or provides services: large, medium or small, the maintenance function always exists to a greater or lesser extent.
The preceding statement leads us to conclude that maintenance is a support activity in any type of company; that is, maintenance is an integral and essential part of all types of organization. Said function, being basically administered by human beings, constitutes a cultural manifestation.
Maintenance Philosophy
Have a minimum group of maintenance human resources capable of guaranteeing production optimization, equipment availability, and safety in the industrial plant.
If we learn, develop and effectively apply this maintenance philosophy to the production function, we will be able to offer the customer competitive quality goods and services at reasonable costs.
The Attorney General for Maintenance
It was an advisory body to the executive in the formulation of a coherent conservation and maintenance policy and ensured its application in public works and buildings, including the facilities and equipment necessary for its operation. It was created through the Law on the Conservation and Maintenance of Public Works and facilities, promulgated on August 26, 1974.
It fostered development and implemented maintenance programs and budgets.
to. It promoted the formation and operation of maintenance units in public administration organizations.
b. It trained human resources in the area.
c. She promoted the formation of a citizen conscience about maintenance.
d. It spread the knowledge and application of the legal proposals on maintenance.
Most relevant attributions
to. Established, unified and coordinated maintenance and conservation standards and procedures.
b. Reviewed and approved the general maintenance programs of public administration agencies.
c. He watched over the fulfillment of the general programs of maintenance and execution of the budgets.
d. Advised the public administration agencies in the rationalization of maintenance costs.
As the Attorney General's Office acquired such importance and importance in the task of maintaining and preserving the nation's assets and considering that all the dependencies of the Venezuelan state gave determined support to fully fulfill their functions, we can assure that, if they have not been eliminated, The Office of the Prosecutor may have been the first successful experience of an Organizational Maintenance Culture in Venezuela.
Organizational Maintenance Culture
For the purposes of this investigation, we assume that companies such as those that administer services have an organizational maintenance culture when, in addition to evidencing the characteristics of the organizational culture, they fulfill the following functions and characteristics:
• Maintenance as a fundamental activity.
• Maintenance management.
• Total Productive Maintenance.
• Saving resources, reducing costs.
• Delivery on time, zero failures, internal information, zero waste, added value.
• Use of Statistical Maintenance Parameters (Maintainability, Reliability, Availability).
• Maintenance Logistics, Maintenance Manuals.
• Technical Personnel, Maintenance Engineers, Specialized Workers.
• Permanence as an organization.
The numerous set of requirements that organizations must meet to qualify as institutions that detect organizational maintenance culture have only been formalized in Venezuela by some of the large private and state companies, which include maintenance as support for production. industrial or as a provider of services to the community.
3. Comparative Study between Maintenance and Organizational Culture in Some Public Companies
Below, we present, in summary, a set of situations around the cultural particularities exhibited by some public organizations, emphasizing the characteristics of maintenance administration as one of the specific functions of these companies. The data that we were able to collect, select and classify, which mainly come from journalistic sources, constitute the basic information that we use to make a comparison between the quality of the mentioned service function and the characteristics of the organizational culture; the results obtained give due support to the hypothesis formulated in this investigation. The written material that we analyze is linked to the problems reported by those affected through the newspapers,related to the areas in which public sector companies carry out maintenance activities. It is appropriate to clarify that since the available information is varied and referred to the last ten (10) years, it is very voluminous, which is why we chose the most frequent, most relevant, highly significant events, and those that last for not having been given satisfactory solutions.
Trash Problem
The various problems that garbage causes on a daily basis cause serious difficulties for the community at the national level; This worrisome situation that is becoming more acute every day, especially in the country's large cities, is denounced permanently and systematically through the social media and with protests by the people affected; as examples we mention:
The thousands of passengers and drivers who daily transit the road that connects the capital of Mirador with the city of Caracas, can see, at kilometer zero of the Pan-American Highway in the Caracas-Los Teques sector, enormous amounts of waste and streams of sewage; This problem has been observed for several years and it seems that the health authorities are incompetent to give a definitive solution to this calamity. This unfortunate and embarrassing situation is mainly caused by many people who live in the ranches of the hills near the road, when they drop all kinds of waste and sewage produced by washing clothes, bathing, defecating and urinating. The problem that we are analyzing occurs in many other locations, such as: Caracas, Los Teques, Maracaibo, Valencia, Cumaná, San Cristóbal,El Junquito, Petare, Litoral Central, Carretera Vieja de la Guaira, Río Chico, Embalse de la Mariposa, Ciudad Ojeda, Lagunillas and Cabimas.
The Los Teques Newspaper, dated 03/23/00, denounces the current state of neglect and filth in which the Parque Los Coquitos, (Gustavo Knoop), is located in the capital Mirandina. This sad spectacle whose main actor is garbage, is common in many other Children's and Recreation Parks, Public Plazas (Plaza Miranda in Caracas), Boulevares (Sabana Grande and Catia in Caracas) and Walks (Los Próceres and Anauco in Caracas).
Most of Venezuela's maritime, river and lake beaches are affected by sewage dumps, accumulation of garbage and debris, reception of toxic substances and because they have become collection centers for various other types of waste and impurities. In the evening El Mundo on 09/28/00 it can be read: A serious abuse is committed against the environment in Camurí Grande, (Vargas State), because its condition as a Spa is not taken into account and it is being filled with rubble. The drivers of many dump trucks who, laden with sticks, scrap metal, garbage, pieces of blocks, rods, vehicle debris, belongings, mud and dirt, act irresponsibly and without any scruple, by dumping these wastes in the sea, rivers and lakes of the country.
The aforementioned problems have a very unfavorable impact on people's health, causing them, mainly, calamities such as: marriage, headaches, gastrointestinal diseases, allergies, irritation of the respiratory tract, diarrhea, hepatitis and cholera.
Government agencies (Municipal Councils, Governors, Mayors and Autonomous Institutes) have a great responsibility in the occurrence of the aforementioned events, the main causes of their inefficiency being the following:
Absence of maintenance plans and programs that guarantee the cleaning, conservation and good appearance of the respective buildings.
1. Lack of maintenance of trash transfer and disposal buildings, incinerators and waste compactor trucks.
2. Lack of an efficient environmental maintenance and garbage collection system.
3. Non-existence of effective and permanent citizen awareness campaigns regarding maintenance
Blackwater problem
We understand by sewage, served or residual, to all those waters that come from the centers of consumption and that have already been used. The residual waters come essentially from the water, previously conditioned for its consumption, which is supplied to the community after it has been contaminated by various uses to which it has been subjected. If these waters are not treated properly, they can contribute to creating undesirable situations. For example, a considerable number of people who live in marginal areas, close to highways, roads, avenues and streets, dump sewage and garbage that, when falling into the ditches, obstruct them, which causes agglomeration of filth and impoverishment in areas considerable of the mentioned routes.What is outlined is just one case of the many caused by sewage throughout our country; Below, we present and comment on other facts of interest.
When the sanitary works are not maintained, problems arise such as what was reported in the Panorama Newspaper of Maracaibo dated 09/30/00: 61 collectors in Cabinas collapsed; 4 Parishes are affected by the overflow of sewage. So that problems like this are not repeated, it is necessary to apply, among others, the following corrective measures:
1. Repair collectors, manholes and drains.
2. Electromechanically rehabilitate the sewage pumping stations.
3. Repair dashboards.
4. Repair the embedments.
5. Repave.
6. Clean.
7. Fumigate.
The problem created by sewage is a national calamity that must be resolved as soon as possible. The seriousness of the situation was announced by the Minister of the Environment Ana Elisa Osorio, in statements offered in the newspapers La Región de Los Teques (11/17/00) and Panorama de Maracaibo (11/20/00), when, Verbatim, he stated that the situation in the country's environment is very difficult, especially in the case of environmental sanitation, since only 10% of wastewater is treated.
Since wastewater is a mixture of liquids or waste-carrying waters from industries, shopping malls, hospitals, barracks, buildings, hotels, homes, markets and schools, they transport human excreta that may contain highly dangerous pathogens, it is It is necessary to deposit them in the sewers and then give them an adequate treatment in special plants. The untreated wastewater, which remains stagnant for a certain time, decomposes the organic materials they contain, which determines the generation of large amounts of bad-smelling gases. Some components of sewage are: excreta, urine, garbage, water, acids, dyes, detergents and toxic substances.
In the Miranda State newspapers: La Región (06/28/01) and Avance (7/7/01); (1/8/01), reference is made to a problem that has long affected the city of Los Teques, on the Pan-American Highway at La Redoma. This is the systematic failure of a sewage collector that keeps that sector flooded, accompanied by its characteristic stink and deterioration of the pavement of the road, this situation has occurred two (2) times in a year and a half due to the poor quality of the repairs made.
The cases outlined and others similar in the country, allow us to affirm that the institutions responsible for the respective activities (Ministry of the Environment, Hidrolara, Hidrolago, Hidrocapital, Governors and Mayors), lack organizations capable of effectively administering the maintenance function since that, among other aspects, the following prevail: (1) Lack of qualified personnel. (2) Absence of maintenance plans and programs. (3) Expedited repairs made after repeated street actions by the affected communities. (4) Hiring of external non-specialized companies. (5) Insufficient budgets.
Communication and Transport Routes
Venezuela has a road network that is quite acceptable in terms of the number of kilometers, but the permanent neglect of a considerable number of them, makes them, often, impassable and quite risky. The maintenance of ports, airports, highways and urban and rural roads, is very poor or almost does not exist; For example: (a) Around 70% of the bridges show notable deterioration. (b) Most of the tunnels in Caracas, those of the Regional del Centro and Caracas-La Guaira highways, suffer from serious failures. (c) Much of the avenues and streets of Caracas and other important inland cities are unusable due to the poor condition of the pavement.All these calamities are some of the consequences of a poor management of the State Companies involved in this function of service to the national conglomerate, a situation that has lasted for several years without satisfactory solutions in the short term. Other problems worth mentioning are the following: (1) It has been a huge year in José Gregorio Hernández. Preview (7/8/01)
… The birthday, but unhappy, will be sung today by the residents of the José Gregorio Hernández sector of Los Teques to a huge hole that completely crosses the El Zanjón alley, according to Irma Utrera, member of the Pro Rescue Committee of said Sector. Utrera said that this collapse has been in place for a year and despite the fact that there is no longer any government agency that has not been asked for help, they have not yet received a favorable response. She added that added to the road problem, there are the sewers that flood the surroundings of the multihogar and the dispensary…
An old problem that affects several citizens of the country, is the one popularly known as La Mancha Negra. This situation has been widely disseminated in the national country through vast journalistic information that currently acquires greater significance due to the persistence of the phenomenon in question. The following are some interesting news headlines: (a) The black spot reappeared on Sucre and Baralt avenues. The World (17/0101). The black stain strikes back. El Universal (01/19/01). (c) The Ministry of Infrastructure began the fight against stubborn black spot. El Universal (01/20/01). (d) The black spot extends throughout Caracas. (2001; 01/21/01). (e) Black spot appears in El Tambor descent. The Region (02/06/01). (f) The black stain appeared in the streets of the capital of Mirador. The Region (03/21/01).(g) The black spot persists in the streets and avenues of Caracas. The National (03/25/01).
The Black Spot phenomenon appeared in 1986 and despite many studies to eradicate it, the problem remains. Up to the present, the organs of the State have limited themselves to waiting for the calamity to occur to apply corrective maintenance actions using high water pressures, sweep of residues and final cleaning with water.
Another problem, derived from the non-application of effective maintenance actions, which affects the quality of life of the Venezuelan is that related to transportation; in effect: (a) Most buses and passenger vans nationwide, due to their state of neglect, can be considered as circulating scrap metal, (b) Some airplanes, helicopters and light aircraft, for civilian and military use have suffered accidents, with regrettable and irreparable losses, due to lack of maintenance. (c) The situation at hand is extremely worrying since, even, the presidential plane has failed several times during some tours abroad of President Hugo Chávez.
The Caracas Metro, which due to its efficiency was the pride of Venezuela, from shortly after its inception, faults were appearing that in the last two (2) years (2000 and 2001) have not only increased but have also deepened.
Below we present some of the numerous journalistic notes that refer to the subject matter discussed: (a) In the Nacional del (12/5/93), I could read the article Responso por el Metro by Carlos Díaz Sosa, in which, among other aspects It says verbatim: The Metro fails over and over again, and there is no convincing answer, until it reaches the extremes of such a public relations statement, saying that it was the fault of the users… (b) Latest News (4/9 / 97). The Metro lesson: Without resources there is no efficiency. On this occasion, Domingo Alberto Rangel expresses… When there are no resources, the Administration of any service has to subject its equipment to exaggerated wear. Repairs are delayed or restricted… In the Metro it is practiced, to avoid the worst,the so-called cannibalism… (c) The world (01/27/01) Rails of the Caracas Metro fulfilled their useful life. (d) Latest News (7/8/01). The subway deteriorates. It is no longer the pride of quality that it was in its early days. The absence of preventive maintenance is leading to the collapse of this service. 184 damaged buses. 70 billion deficit. The Metro deteriorated. Germán Saltrón Negretti denounces… The cleaning service is not efficient, the escalators are mostly damaged, the trains in operation are less and less…Germán Saltrón Negretti denounces… The cleaning service is not efficient, the escalators are mostly damaged, the trains in operation are less and less…Germán Saltrón Negretti denounces… The cleaning service is not efficient, the escalators are mostly damaged, the trains in operation are less and less…
Hospitals and Educational Buildings
The current number of hospitals, ambulances, medical centers and public dispensaries is sufficient to meet the health needs of the Venezuelan people, but the low maintenance given to their equipment, facilities and buildings determines that the service provided is lousy. This delicate situation has had a very negative impact on the quality of life of the national population since very distant times. Below we will refer to a sample of journalistic news that allows us to form an approximate idea of the magnitude and severity of this unfortunate problem.
The Clinic owes a billion bolivars. Carmen T. Valdez EL Globo (6/19/94). In this article, Dr. Miguel Yáber, director of the Hospital Universitario de Caracas declares:
… My God, that the electricity does not go out because the emergency plant has not been reconditioned properly. Let's cross our fingers so that the water will not be lacking and hopefully the collectors have enough patience with the billions that we owe them. That the only boiler in operation is not going to agonize right now, just when the other three wait for the million and a half bolivars that each one requires to get going…
Hospitals are sick. El Universal (8/20/95) De Sousa F., author of the article, among other aspects, says verbatim:
… The fundamental causes of the Venezuelan healthcare crisis are due to the absence of a clear managerial criterion, which will reasonably and balancedly lead the interdependence relationships that must exist between the different protagonists acting in the Venezuelan healthcare-healthcare system, which eliminates administrative disorder which causes the large resources available to be used inefficiently and breaks the vice of frequent immediacy, due to the exaggerated application of "hot cloth" policies, which characterize the lack of definition of a clear and coherent health strategy…
So far this year (1995). In the San Felipe hospital (Yaracuy) 171 children have died. El Universal (10/14/95)…
… In the government palace the health authorities met where the head of the Department of Pediatrics, Dr. Pablo Leyser, ratified the number of 171 children killed, and between August and September 49, the main cause being malnutrition and contamination; in that same meeting it was reported that the mattresses are kept stored in a room where even worms have, there is a network of clogged sewers that flood part of the hospital…
A 36-year deterioration clouds the prestige of the Military Hospital. Hercilia Garnica. El Universal (2/25/97).
The complaint
Gentlemen Newspaper «El Universal»
People's Mail Section
Caracas
In recent days, I had the misfortune to visit a sick family member who was being held in the Military Hospital of this city, specifically, in the Internal Medicine room, and truly what I had to see was something else humiliating.
The wing for soldiers and non-commissioned officers is a totally abandoned area, the walls dirty, the beds deteriorated, mice, roaches and other insects are observed, not to mention the bathrooms.
The food is taken uncovered, without any sanitary norm, and incidentally, it seems more like leftovers, they drink water from the tube.
But when you look at the area dedicated to the officers, you cannot believe what you are seeing: the painted walls, flower beds, the food is carried in hermetic containers and there is a musical atmosphere. I understand that the officers should be separated from the troops, in these cases, but I think that the soldiers are also human beings and they call themselves cannon fodder. Then they don't want to talk about a classist and totally politicized army. Venezuela's enemies know this. Best regards.
Manuel Francisco García Salazar
CI V- 4,576,549
Radioactive leak threatens doctors and patients. El Universal (11/11/97).
… SENDOS REPORTS OF THE MSAS and Social Security coincide in the inadequate conditions in which the two X-ray rooms of the Health Department, of the Mayor's Office of Sucre, in Boleíta, operate, exposing workers and patients to radiation…
For the second time in less than a month, Calderas at the Victorino Santaella Hospital in Los Teques are about to collapse. Advance (09/21/00).
Due to the obsolescence of the equipment, the Gastroenterology Unit of the Victorino Santaella Hospital in Los Teques has been closed for 8 months. Esther Quiaro. Advance (11/1/00).
… The head of the unit, Dr. Pedro Sacramento explained that “the equipment that the unit has has more than 10 years of continuous use, they can no longer support it, and that led us to the decision to suspend all studies. Since February we are waiting for the Regional Directorate of Health for a response on the acquisition of new equipment, but there has only been silence…
The Algodonal (José Ignacio Baldó hospital, Caracas) is slowly deteriorating. Pathological waste is thrown onto the street, as the crematorium is useless. Mabel S. Garmendia. Latest News (06/09/01).
Surgeries suspended at the Central Hospital of Maracaibo. Paralysis of elevators delays canopy and trauma areas. Lorena Pereira. Panorama (06/15/01).
For six months at the University Hospital of Maracaibo, the Zulia's only radiation machine has not worked. Yennys Rojas. Panorama (06/23/01).
Hospital garbage contaminates the Ciudad Ojeda Hospital, (Edo. Zulia). The incinerator has been damaged for six months. Nancy Faría. Panorama (7/16/01).
Labor protest at the Military Hospital of Caracas. Olga M. Navas Latest News. (3/8/01). In addition to demanding payment of their labor liabilities, the workers denounce:
… In the Military Hospital there are about 20 elevators, of which only 3 work. Two of them are used by patients and workers, the other has been enabled to drop the garbage, the corpses of the patients who die there and to transport the food of hospitalized people.
The hemodialysis area has had serious leaks for a year, the plumbing system has collapsed and the basements are flooded by sewage. The degree of contamination that has been generated is very high…
Psychiatric Hospital of Caracas closed its emergency. The closure will be indefinite until the remodeling work halted a year ago resumes. Marcos Torres. Latest News (8/15/01).
Among the different governments that Venezuela has had, many have dealt with schools of all kinds and different categories of universities; but there are very few state agencies that have ensured its maintenance and conservation. But the most surprising and worrying thing about this situation is that laziness and disinterest have its origin in the high educational authorities, for example, from the commissioning of the headquarters building of the Ministry of Education, in Caracas, to the present, this It has been undergoing a serious process of accelerated deterioration whose fundamental cause is the lack of maintenance which is evidenced by: dirt, unusable elevators, air conditioning failures, darkness and sanitary facilities not suitable to provide service.
Below we analyze some of the innumerable journalistic articles that support the problem that is the object of this part of the study, the severity of which is reflected in the article published in Primicia No. 188, (7/8/01), entitled: 53 billion Bolivars have not been enough to rehabilitate the Bolivarian Schools, whose author, González Lum Lamking, among other issues, states… If we consider that there are 20,000 deteriorated schools in the country, it requires a budget of four billion bolivars…
Without an educational center, in Caracas, the Pan American sports champions remain. Casto Ocando Hernández. El Universal (5/16/95).
When the Venezuelan champions of the recent Pan-American Games returned, they were received by President Caldera and decorated in Miraflores. Several of these athletes, who had the presidential promise of being supported in their activities, are on the verge of losing their studies. They are students of the Liceo Germán Villalobos, located in the Teo Capriles Velodrome in La Vega, the same one that a month ago suffered the collapse of a flat roof. They have been without activities since, and risk losing the school year…
Carrizal Farm School (Edo. Miranda): From abandonment to oblivion. Esther Quiaro. Advancement (6/20/00).
… The deep well that supplies the institution has been working for more than 50 years. Two months ago the people from Hidrocapital came, cleaned and fixed the pump, but they warned us that it would soon collapse again and that a new well was necessary.
- The mayor of Carrizal, Félix Palacios, promised to make us a new one a little over a month ago, when we took office; However, we are again in the same situation and the bedrooms smell moldy, in view of the 10 years of use that the mats have (María Fuzeau) Alcalde does not face us. We went to talk to the councilors and they told us that they can't do anything because Palacios was the one who got engaged.
90% of public schools are in bad shape, admits Deputy Minister of Education Maryann Hanson. Carolina Páez. Last News. (8/17/00).
.. Among the main problems, he pointed out leaks in ceilings, wear and tear of electrical and sanitary installations, and provision of supplies for work…
Abandoned in Los Teques preschool Doña Clara de Mendoza. Marieta Hernández. The Region (9/23/00).
… On the other hand, as a result of the torrential downpours, a tree fell on one of the walls of the preschool, causing enormous damage, which is why the teachers who have had to carry out repair work with their own hands, in order to start the classes, for the little ones. It was also possible to perceive that the rest of the walls are invaded by leaks…
Classes at the high school Santos Michelena (Caracas) are paralyzed. Miriam Morillo. Last News. (10/15/00).
..The collapse of the sewers does not allow the use of toilets, the stench is unbearable, there are no desks, there are no telephones and insecurity is permanent…
In poor condition Guaicaipuro Educational Unit in Los Teques. Carolina Espidel. The Region (10/24/00).
… The Guaicaipuro educational unit next December 8th reaches its 100th birthday and its physical structure has major drawbacks that must be resolved as soon as possible. Walls that need painting, a court in poor condition and a large amount of forest that is taking over the campus, are the results of a lack of government that apparently has done nothing to rush the budget that will provide the necessary resources to repair …
Barutena school sinks. Berta Julieta Piñango. Latest News (11/30/00).
… The physical structure of the «Adolfo Navas Coronado» State School, in Las Minas de Baruta, is gradually sinking, as a ravine passes under the structure, overflowing every time it rains. The cracks in the walls, the raising of the floors, the removal of the doors and the ceilings are the most evident examples of the damage that the creek is causing to the educational building, which dates back almost 40 years and is located in the center of this sector of the Baruta municipality. There, more than 800 children study…
The roof of the Juan Antonio Pérez Bonalde School falls (Catia, Caracas). Marjorie Rangel Latest News. (11/12/00)
… Of the four bathrooms that exist, only two work for 1,500 students. The boxes where the light wiring is located have no covers because the vandals stole them. The canteen and many salons have been victims of vandalism…
Public spaces
Throughout the national country, it is possible to observe with bitter sadness the galloping state of deterioration that, for several years, have been suffering mainly: sports facilities, squares, historical places, walks, streets, elevations, buildings and recreational parks.
Below we offer some selected examples of the numerous set of calamities caused by the lack of maintenance of the different components of certain areas of citizen utility.
Laziness took over Brígido Iriarte. Néstor Beaumont El Universal. (7/30/94).
… Erick Phillips, recently appointed coordinator of this Caracas facility, faces the challenge of rescuing the spaces on this important stage. One of the summit works of Los Panamericanos de Caracas in 1983, has lacked a simple maintenance plan, which has led to the deterioration of much of its areas…
Bolívar's Birthplace is lifeless. Zavira Arenas. The National. (2/12/96).
Since the 1970s this national monument has suffered from the laziness and disinterest of official organizations. Proof of this is that during these last 26 years the state of abandonment in which this large house is found has been denounced, without until now effective steps have been taken to prevent it…
Maiquetía air customs is a disaster. Mirna Mendoza. The universal. (5/31/96).
In completely deteriorated facilities, battered by the passing of the years and lack of maintenance, the country opens its doors to a wide range of products that enter and exit through an air customs office that is falling apart…
Maintenance disappeared from La Romerita de San Cristóbal park. Emis de Garmendia La Nación. (1/3/00).
The users of the park indicated that the state of abandonment of La Romerita is due to the fact that the Mayor's Office has not permanently designated a crew of workers, or at least that they leave a trio of workers especially to undertake the general maintenance of the park, they should not send crews sporadically, but should be appointed in a fixed way so that maintenance is guaranteed in this way…
Paseo Vargas in Caracas: an unpleasant tour. Marinellys Tremamunno. The National. (8/31/00).
The wooden benches, the bars and the light posts show a great deterioration, the tiles are detached everywhere, as well as the garbage, the detached posts and the exposed electrical installations, adorn the complex…
In complete abandonment of public squares in Caracas. Berta Piñango. Last News. (9/3/00).
… One of those in the worst state is the Plaza Diego Ibarra, where traveling is almost impossible due to the invasion of informal workers who have installed their tarantines there for years. What were once crystalline fountains, today are pools of putrid waters that serve as a breeding ground for infected mosquitoes. Children, innocent of risk, play unprepared in the surroundings. Trash abounds, as do bad smells…
Highs of Caracas fall apart due to neglect and neglect. Marinellys Tremamunno El Nacional. (9/12/00).
After years of neglect and neglect, the Caracas highlands have become immersed junk. Initially, these structures were put in place to order vehicular flow and reduce queues in the congested capital. But now, far from being functional and safe, they appear as a set of twisted metals that makes drivers tremble, who, daily, have no choice but to cross them…
The towers of El Silencio are the symbol of the city. Isaías Díaz Zurita. The universal. (9/18/00).
The stench of urine spreads everywhere, so much so that the many passers-by have a characteristic pout that something smells bad.
Garbage, organic waste, crime, peddlers, tin pickers, street children, leaks, cracks and broken walls, roofs about to fall… There are many problems with the towers of the Simón Bolívar Center, or El Silencio, as it is popularly known. know.
"It is easier to know what problem the towers do not have than to list those that exist," explains María del Pilar Lobo, secretary of the civil association of merchants of the towers of El Silencio…
Study Results
When comparing the selected facts, inherent to various public companies, with the peculiarities that for the purposes of our study should characterize the institutions that have a solid organizational maintenance culture, we observed a lot of contrast, the most important aspects being listed below:
1. Permanence and increase of failures in equipment, facilities, systems and buildings, for long periods.
2. Reiteration, in short periods, of corrective activities to the elements of the same system.
3. Maintenance actions are carried out when emergencies occur.
4. Repairs are carried out with inexperienced human resources and low-quality materials.
5. Sufficient financial resources are not allocated to organizations responsible for providing maintenance services.
6. Many state companies carry out corrective activities after insistent complaints through the social media or street protests by the affected communities.
7. The importance of maintenance personnel is unknown, does not have job stability, is not adequately remunerated and is not given professional growth facilities.
8. The study carried out was brief due to the reduced content, the non-consideration of all the areas of application of the maintenance function and because it was only referred to some public companies, which was due to reasons related to the limitations of the type of written; However, the characteristics of the sample of the analyzed cases allow us to affirm that in Venezuela there is no organizational maintenance culture.
4. Conclusions
It will take a long time for a national attitude to become collective that effectively addresses the problem of lack of maintenance and the respective organizational culture that contributes to the well-being of the country is established.
The organizational culture of maintenance in Venezuela has to be designed based on who we are as people and our particular attitudes and values towards productive work, eliminating those distracting factors that could hinder the possibilities of transformation. The emergence of such a culture should promote better knowledge and understanding of the characteristics of the participants in the corresponding labor practice.
It is quite probable that in Venezuela long-term behaviors can be modified by internalizing the maintenance philosophy to generate an organizational culture of a technological nature that is oriented towards obtaining an optimal final product.
Maintenance must have a managerial vision, with which it is possible to maximize the effectiveness of its resources, adequately analyze the information for decision-making and contribute to the formation of an organizational culture that raises awareness of the need for maintenance and participates to all the people involved, directly and indirectly, in the corresponding process.
5. Bibliographic Support
Alcalá, Adolfo (1998). Introduction to Maintenance. Illustrated text. Caracas Venezuela.
Alcalá, Adolfo (2000). Maintenance, Hygiene and Security. Illustrated text. Caracas Venezuela.
Ávila, R. (1987). Maintenance Fundamentals. Editorial Limusa. Mexico.
Baldin, R. and Others (1982). Industrial Facilities Maintenance Manual. Editorial GG Barcelona, Spain.
Cordero H., Aleska (2000). The Organizational Culture of Latin American Distance Institutions as an Object of Study. UNADOCUMENTA magazine. Years 13. Vol. 1 and 2. UNA Caracas, Venezuela.
IESA debates (1997). Management and Culture. Vol. 3. No. 2. Caracas, Venezuela.
Denison, D. (1990). Corporate culture and organizational productivity. Legis Editores, SA Bogotá, Colombia.
Polar Companies (1984). Organizational culture. Edited by Empresas Polar. Caracas Venezuela.
Attorney General for Maintenance (1982). Maintenance Management Manual. Edited by the FGM Caracas, Venezuela.
Sivensa Foundation (1995). The Culture of Work. Impresos Concentra, CA Caracas, Venezuela.
Granell, E.; Garaway, D. and Malpica, C. (1997). Management Success and Culture. IESA editions. Caracas Venezuela.
González, Isabel (2000). Multilateral Projects in New Instructional Technologies and their Effect on Organizational Culture Change: Technological Culture. UNADOCUMENTA magazine. Year 13. Vol. 1 and 2. UNA Caracas, Venezuela.
INTEVEP (1995). Organization Manual. PDVSA editions. Caracas Venezuela.
Mexican Institute of Social Security (1982). Conservation Manual. Edited by the Ministry of Health. Mexico.
Martínez, L. (1996). Maintenance Systems Planning and Design Manual. Edited by UGMA Barcelona, Venezuela.
Morrow, L. (1984). Industrial Maintenance Manual. Editorial Continental, SA Mexico.
Romero, L. (1970). Maintenance of Military Buildings and Installations. Edited by the technical office of the Ministry of Defense. Caracas Venezuela.
PDVSA. (nineteen ninety six). Maintenance manual. PDVSA editions. Caracas Venezuela.
Summary
The broadest definition of the concept of culture encompasses all activities carried out by human beings; This way of approaching culture, which we share, is very useful for this study because it allows, among other aspects, to be able to form within the framework of this immense area, for example, a service organization capable of achieving maintenance objectives and goals industrial. The research work described below originated as a consequence of our permanent concern to inquire whether there is an organizational maintenance culture in Venezuela, a situation that led us to formulate a hypothesis that denies the possibility of such a culture;We support this hypothesis by collecting reliable information and specific data related to the variables organizational culture and equipment maintenance, from a bibliographic review of the relevant literature and a set of journalistic data; all this, complemented by our experience in maintenance management and a comparative study between the variables mentioned referring to public companies.
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