Psychological and Cultural Components Affecting Rail Worker Culture: A Literature Review

Developing and maintaining a healthy work environment is an important consideration to the rail industry. Several theories have been advanced to examine, understand, and influence how workers function and interact within their working environments. These include motivational theories such as Taylor’s Theory of Scientific Management and Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs, models of moral develop such as developed by Kohlberg and Gilligan, theories of personality types like Myers–Brigg and Keirsey, and the theory of cultural dimensions developed by Hofstede. Positive work environments can contribute to safe and efficient operations, while negative work environments almost inevitably degrade performance and increase the potential for injury and accidents. Therefore understanding and managing these elements properly can greatly contribute to better organizational outcomes. This paper will then examine the underlying role of human behavior as determined by these theories appear to have played in 5 incidents at Metro–North Railroad in 2013–2014.