Big 5 Personality – Openness to new experience

This is no revelation to me. I belong to the openness to new experiences trait, as I know first-hand that I am an adventurer type of a person. Always a yes to new journey. 

I used to be timid and shy, with lots of reservations to people around me. Apprehended to try out new things and afraid to engage outside the ordinary. In short, my shell has not yet crack sort of thing.

Then life happens.

I was introduced to trials, failures, losses, betrayals, heartaches, etc. I finally realized that I need to distance myself to bad vibrations. I have realized that a happy perspective is far better than lingering in the past. I have embraced a culture of positivity in all aspect of my life; instead of seeing the negative side of failure, I see to it to always check the good side it brings. And finally, my shell cracked open that introduced me to a new wonderful me.

My life was on a reset, and everything was colourful after that. As separation leads to reset initiating new experiences. (Körner, A., Strack, F., 2021). I am on a journey right now to inspire anyone that have experience what I have had experience. I understand the pain they are suffering and would want to help in any way I can. I want to inspire the uninspired.

Having a personality of openness can sometimes be an avenue for disaster. I have had some episodes that tested my character. Being eager to meet new people and start an adventure with them sometimes you ignore obvious red flags along the way. You failed to see that you are just being used and abused. I understand the feeling of being duped, having a tamed heart, it’s a shocker of an experience. But as painful as it seems, one should learn to just charge it to experience and move on. It is still an experience to cherish, and a lesson to ponder. Eventually your maturity will settle in, and you will learn to see the positive side of the negativity you have had experienced.

 

Reference

Körner, A., & Strack, F. (2021). Specifying separation: avoidance, abstraction, openness to new experiences. Behavioral and Brain Sciences, 44https://doi.org/10.1017/S0140525X20000497

 

Methods used to get the most out of learning style to be successful learners

 As suspected, based on the Learning Style Inventory Self-Assessment Questionnaire (SAQ), I learn more through visual and tactile preference.

Since I was a child, I am more intrigue in learning through visual aids in front of me. I get excited whenever my parents were putting drawings in our small black board at home; my father set-up a black board at home as his way of teaching us at home. I can retain more information that way and I can still vividly recall some of the learning experience I have had during my kindergarten class; those clay moulding still sticks in me.

Fast forward to my apprenticeship in a power plant, I prefer and learn more if am to write down all the specific data, set points, alarms and logic diagram in a small notebook, and then browsing it every now and then for reference, eventually memorising it by heart. I still have those commissioning records from about 15 years ago written in a small pocketbook.

Most of the time, I can easily explain certain scenarios involving my job as a power plant controller by using visual aids, drawings, and piping and instrument diagrams (P&ID) to my colleagues and managers. I can easily visualise what’s on the field through process flow diagrams and learn from actual tracing those process flow diagrams in the field rather than someone explaining it to me verbally.

In my technical background in power plant, where a lot of technical aspects should be learned and heaps of parameters need to be known by heart, I find it helpful to use highlight items for easy referencing. This technique works also in the Piping and Instrument Diagrams (P&ID) wherein common practise in the field is to highlight valves and instrumentation that needs to be isolated or closed for maintenance to proceed with their troubleshooting. As a common practise in my field as well is to double check all relevant isolation before and after maintenance to avoid incidents and accidents.

In an engineering background, colour coding is a legislation as part of a code in designs and specifications. As an Engineer, we are trained to follow certain sets of colour coding in all aspects of civil, electrical, mechanical, architecture, and instrumentation. (AS1100)

I am equally interested to read books or magazines if the visual representation or cover are of good design; colourful and vibrant, this really gets my attention. I am aware as well that I am good in solving puzzles, it challenges me in a way that I will really put a lot of attention on it, or even spend a lot of my time cracking it. Board games attracts me as well, particularly chess. There are a lot of moves that is almost not the same as previous games of chess, but all moves are pre-destined already.

In this day, with all the advancement we have made in the field of education, there are really a lot of facets that will help us improve our learning curves. With the generation of internet, YouTube, and the influx of knowledge-based influencers, we can almost always learn from them by simply accessing social medias and find things that interests you. One clicks of a button, and you are all set to explore your imagination.

 

Reference

AS 1100.101-1992 Technical drawing - General principles (saiglobal.com)

Discussion Forum (DF) B: Hofstede's Cultural Dimension Scale - Philippines

Australia vs Philippines

Introduction

Globalisation has given us access to other countries resources simpler. (Explainitychannel, 2013) There are still differences that needs to be evaluated, Hofstede’s cultural dimensions (Power Distance, Individualism, Masculinity, Uncertainty avoidance, long term orientation, indulgence) explains why different societies differs. (Griffin et al., 2021, pp. 53-54) The following excerpts will discuss the differences between the Philippines and Australia. 

1.)   Power Distance

Philippines – high / Australia – Low 

Power distance is a cultural dimension referring to acceptance of situation where power is distributed unequally. (Matta, S., Rogova, N., & Luna-Cortes, G., 2022) 

The Philippines have had been colonised by numerous invaders, Spaniards, Americans, Japanese. (Sevillano, L., Paez, J.M., & Covington, E., 2023) With this, a colonialism mindset has been developed through the years in every Filipino mentality thus introducing an inherent inequality to the nation and building up to a hierarchal society. (Hofstede insight, 2023) Hence a high score in power distance.

2.)   Individualism vs Collectivism

Philippines – low / Australia – High 

This describes relationship between the individual and the group. Individualist put their interest first and considers everyone to look after themselves and their immediate family whilst Collectivists put the group’s interests first based on loyalty. (Taras, V., Steel, P., & Stackhouse, M., 2023, p. 2) 

Philippines is low on this dimension suggests that it is considered a collectivistic society, manifested in a close commitment to member group or family, extended family. (Hofstede, 2023) This can be further explained through what Filipino’s practice especially during calamities, Bayanihan. It is analogous to bonding social capital and common amongst poor communities to help one another in times of need and/or calamities. (Eadie, P., & Su, Y., 2018) 

3.)   Masculinity and Femininity

Philippines – high / Australia – high 

Masculinity (High score) indicate measures to which individuals are assertive, performance driven, and ambitious. (Gupta, M., Esmaeilzadeh, P., Uz, I., & Tennant, V. M., 2019). While Femininity (Low score) means are more caring to quality of life. 

The Philippines scores 64 on this thus making it a Masculine society. (Hofstede insight, 2023) I am a bit surprised to see Philippines as a Masculine state as a Filipino, I know for certain that we are timid and shy and more caring and inclined to base our decision with morale compasses; but I guess we inherited being a Masculine society from our former colonist, the Americans. As Miller K.R. (2019) has stated, colonial masculinity draws from American leaders’ promotion of assimilation, the objective that US control of the Philippines was designed to civilized, modernize, and teach Filipinos to manage their own affairs. 

4.)   Uncertainty Avoidance

Philippines – low / Australia – high 

This refers to the way a society deals with the future. Moreover, it is the extent to which a society are made anxious and try to avoid it by establishing certain codes of conduct (Taras, V., Steel, P., & Stackhouse, M., 2023, p. 3)

 Philippines scored 44 in this dimension indicating a low preference for avoiding uncertainty. I can concur that as a former Filipino, we are truly a risk-taker. I can attest that most Filipinos have a Hero mentality as Heroes are known for dedication of upright conduct even under situation which puts their own welfare in jeopardy. (Allison, S. T., Beggan, J. K., & Efthimiou, O., 2022, p. 924)

 5.)   Long Term Orientation

Philippines – Low / Australia – Low 

Long-term orientation refers to the values of persistence and thrift, personal stability, and respect for tradition, whilst short-term orientation refers to the tendency to line in the moment and consider the future. (Taras, V., Steel, P., & Stackhouse, M., 2023, p. 3)

The Philippine’s democracy normative order is most voiced, as told, from the 1986 EDSA People Power Revolution. A mass uprising that ousted President Ferdinand Marcos from 20 years of power and paved the way for the restoration of Liberal Democracy. 

The Philippine's democracy-centric normative order is most pronounced in stories we were told about the EDSA People Power Revolution.  In 1986, a mass uprising ousted President Ferdinand Marcos from power after more than 20 years in power. The protest along Epifanio de los Santos Avenue--known colloquially as EDSA--paved the way for the restoration of liberal democracy. (Curato, N., 2022, p. 375). 

6.)   Indulgence

Philippines – low / Australia – high 

This dimension is described as the degree to which people try to manipulate their aspirations and desires, based on the way we were raised. Relatively weak is called indulgence and relatively strong is called restraint. (Hofstede insight, 2023) 

With a score of 42, Philippines is one of the restraint societies and have a tendency of cynicism and pessimism. This may be true in the provinces in the Philippines, but I believe, greater Manila residents are no longer cynical and pessimist at this day of age. Manila residence are already westernized society and have adapt to a more optimist culture. Furthermore, a lot of Generation Z or millennials Filipinos are already aware of spending much more on their leisure time, act as they please and spend their money as they wish. As we are on the post pandemic phase, many have realised the importance of life and how to enjoy it. 

Conclusion 

Hofstede cultural dimension have been accepted since 1980.

As my own conclusion to this discussion forum, I find it interesting to note that although the similarities are almost accurate, I must say that in hindsight, it is no longer acceptable. With globalisation hitting hard in all facets in the world, the traits, and values of everyone are fast changing and adapting. Some sectors of a certain society are different from other sectors of the same demography thus its contradicting to generalise it. In particular, the upbringing of the people in manila is different from the provinces; the influence of Manila is far reaching to far flung provinces in the Philippines. People from the provinces have their own identity very different from Manila residents, and I am speaking through my personal experience as I just went on almost two months holiday in the province of my father and I was blown away with how their customs remained intact, far different from Manila. 

Reference 

Explainitychannel, 2013, July 11, Globalisation explained, Explainity explainer video, Video, Globalization explained (explainity® explainer video) - YouTube 

Griffin, R.W., Phillips, J.M., Gully, S.M., Creed, A., Gribble, L. &Watson, M., 2021, Organisational behaviour: Engaging people and organisations, First edition, Cengage Learning Australia Pty. Limited 

Matta, S., Rogova, N., & Luna-Cortés, G. (2022). Investigating tolerance of uncertainty, COVID-19 concern, and compliance with recommended behaviour in four countries: The moderating role of mindfulness, trust in scientists, and power distance. Personality and Individual Differences, 186, 111352–111352. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.paid.2021.111352 

Sevillano, L., Paez, J. M., & Covington, E. (2023). Restoring kapwa: A systematic review of colonial mentality among pilipinx americans. Asian American Journal of Psychology, p. 2, https://doi.org/10.1037/aap0000314 

Hofstede Insights, 2023, Compare countries, Country comparison tool (hofstede-insights.com) 

Hofstede Insights, 2023, Compare countries, Country comparison tool (hofstede-insights.com)

 Taras, V., Steel, P., & Stackhouse, M. (2023). A comparative evaluation of seven instruments for measuring values comprising Hofstede’s model of culture. Journal of World Business : JWB, 58(1), 101386–. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jwb.2022.101386 

Hofstede Insights, 2023, Compare countries, Country comparison tool (hofstede-insights.com) 

Eadie, P., & Su, Y. (2018). Post-disaster social capital: trust, equity, bayanihan and Typhoon Yolanda. Disaster Prevention and Management, 27(3), 334-345. https://doi.org/10.1108/DPM-02-2018-0060 

Gupta, M., Esmaeilzadeh, P., Uz, I., & Tennant, V. M. (2019). The effects of national cultural values on individuals’ intention to participate in peer-to-peer sharing economy. Journal of Business Research, 97, 20–29. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jbusres.2018.12.018

Hofstede Insights, 2023, Compare countries, Country comparison tool (hofstede-insights.com) 

Miller, K. R. (2019). "Thin, Wistful, and White": James Fugate and Colonial Bureaucratic Masculinity in the Philippines, 1900–1938. American Quarterly, 71(4), 921-944. http://libproxy.murdoch.edu.au/login?url=https://www.proquest.com/scholarly-journals/thin-wistful-white-james-fugate-colonial/docview/2330799572/se-2 

Allison, S. T., Beggan, J. K., & Efthimiou, O. (2022). Curb Your Heroism: How Larry David, an Old, Bald Misanthrope, Won the Hearts of Millions. Heroism Science - An Interdisciplinary Journal, 7(2). 

Curato, N. (2022). Philippine Elections 2022: The New Normative Order. Contemporary Southeast Asia, 44(3), 375+. https://link.gale.com/apps/doc/A734610717/AONE?u=murdoch&sid=bookmark-AONE&xid=717c9966

Hofstede Insights, 2023, Compare countries, Country comparison tool (hofstede-insights.com)

 

Reflective Journal A: Discussion Forum (DF) A – Introduction

 

Introduction

As I was conceptualising in studying and completing my MBA, I have already set my mind in learning but not like when I was completing my bachelor’s degree. Completing my bachelor’s degree was more of an obligation to my parents and common norms in the Philippines; finish schooling as it is your future. This time around, I am more inclined to grow more as an individual in pursuing my MBA and a promise I made to my father. He just wants me to succeed here in Australia and as a barometer of success as for my father’s standard, education is the key. As education is key for social mobility, skills development, attitudes, and attributes for active and productive individuals. (Perry, L.B., 2018, p. 57)

The first topic in Organisational Behaviour and Management have given me insights on how to be an effective manager. Communication is the key to manage efficiently and to achieve company goals. (Abrashi, G., 2018) Interactions within your peers is an important facet as an emerging manager, as such is a high level of management strategy, interdependent to other company structures, that would make any organisation better. (Abrashi, G., 2018)  

Part of my job currently is to communicate to various level of stakeholders in the operation of the Southwest Interconnected System (SWIS). We need to coordinate to Australian Energy Market Operator (AEMO) to the power requirement of the SWIS for a specific time and inform them of Synergy’s assets availability. Also, our job entails communication with our maintenance department, energy traders and other Synergy power generator assets.

I have recently realised with this unit that I need to exert more effort in coordinating with several stakeholders, particularly the energy traders and maintenance personnel to effectively convey issues regarding operations of our power plant. Previously, all I care is to run efficiently our gas turbines as per power demand. I need this kind of insights to elevate my game in the field of power generation as high-level managers need extensive information for problem-solving and decision-making. (Abrashi, G., 2018) The accuracy and reliability of information are advantageous to arrive to an accurate decision. As when managers based their decision on incorrect information, it may damage the integrity of the organisation. (Abrashi, G., 2018)

I think this new knowledge I have acquired studying this unit will be beneficial and will hone me as a significant asset to the company. My goal of personal growth and enrichment have doubled with these new skills I am learning and developing. This has opened a new progressive component in my pursuit in personality improvement. This may be an advantage against my peers if ever there is an opportunity for a managerial or supervisory position.

Although I am not in a managerial capacity, I can utilise this skill set in my field by being an inspiration to my team in disseminating the importance of effective communications, verbally or electronically. In a way I have utilised this before by developing a shift hand-over report every end of swing to inform the incoming shift about situations and events from our shift.

Taking a short course in leadership and/or project management can further develop these skills and contribute more on my organisation. Vis-a-vis, I can align my learnings with my team member on how we can be more effective as a team and as a valuable employee. Employers provides growth opportunity to their employees, but employers expect their employees to have the initiative for their personal development. (Huang, X., Lam, S.M., Wang, C. & Xu, P., 2023)

 

Reference

Perry, L. B. (2018). Educational inequality in Australia. In How unequal? Insights on inequality (pp. 56–67). Committee for economic development of Australia. https://researchportal.murdoch.edu.au/esploro/outputs/bookChapter/Educational-inequality-in-Austral ia/991005542416707891

Abrashi, G. (2018). Communication experiences in business organizations (Business Organizations in Kosovo), p. 35, Acta Universitatis Danubius.Communicatio, 12(2) http://libproxy.murdoch.edu.au/login?url=https://www.proquest.com/scholarly-journals/communication-experiences-business-organizations/docview/2161545628/se-2

Abrashi, G. (2018). Communication experiences in business organizations (Business Organizations in Kosovo), p. 36, Acta Universitatis Danubius.Communicatio, 12(2) http://libproxy.murdoch.edu.au/login?url=https://www.proquest.com/scholarly-journals/communication-experiences-business-organizations/docview/2161545628/se-2

Abrashi, G. (2018). Communication experiences in business organizations (Business Organizations in Kosovo), p. 36, Acta Universitatis Danubius.Communicatio, 12(2) http://libproxy.murdoch.edu.au/login?url=https://www.proquest.com/scholarly-journals/communication-experiences-business-organizations/docview/2161545628/se-2

Abrashi, G. (2018). Communication experiences in business organizations (Business Organizations in Kosovo), p. 37, Acta Universitatis Danubius.Communicatio, 12(2) http://libproxy.murdoch.edu.au/login?url=https://www.proquest.com/scholarly-journals/communication-experiences-business-organizations/docview/2161545628/se-2

Huang, X., Lam, S.M., Wang, C. & Xu, P., (2023), Striving for personal growth matters: The relationship between personal growth initiative, teacher engagement and instructional quality, p. 19, British Journal of Educational Psychology, https://doi.org/10.1111/bjep.12583

How will Artificial Intelligence (AI) affect the future of work?

Scary. If you are watching too much Science Fiction movies. Artificial intelligence portrayal in the media has created fear and warning for the workforce. (Stahl, 2021)  

I am more optimistic with the development of Artificial intelligence in the field of power generation.

A conventional power plant controls the electricity grid that supplies household and industrial plant by simply adjusting the power supply as per consumers’ demand. The Grid frequency is easily controlled by this adjustment. But with the growth of renewable energy like solar panels, wind turbine and energy storage system, the frequency control has become more complex and dynamic. For example, a sunny and windy day can generate power to supply the electricity grid, but a cloudy and gloomy day can very much affect power generation to the grid which in turn can put a dangerous situation to the grid as a sudden loss of power to the grid will bring imbalance to the grid frequency and can contribute to total power loss.

A power plant controller can only do so much efficiently as per the control logic of a certain conventional power generator; the conventional power plant can only respond to power demand imbalance as per its design criteria.

With renewable energy availability, particularly energy storage system (ESS), the imbalance in power demand can be controlled by the ESS by simply supplying or removing power to the grid and controlling stability of the grid frequency as the ESS is connected to the grid through a bidirectional Transformers (charging and supplying). (Sarita, K., Kumar, S, Vardhan, A.S.S, et al, 2020)

Artificial Intelligence comes in handy in terms of controlling the grid frequency in this situation as certain algorithms will be put in place to predict and adjust and control the power demand of the grid automatically thus providing a steady supply of electricity to the consumers, improved quality of power, voltage, and frequency. (Sarita, K., Kumar, S, Vardhan, A.S.S, et al, 2020)

The Artificial intelligence design and logic will automatically adjust the power demand and control the grid frequency through the Energy storage system, giving the power plant controller a much-needed sigh of relief in the control of the electricity grid. The design of the artificial intelligence algorithm will still be controlled by us, humans. In summary, AI will help power plant professionals in the control combination of a conventional power plant and renewable energy.

Reference

Stahl, A. (2021, March 10). How AI Will Impact The Future Of Work And Life. Retrieved from Forbes: https://www.forbes.com/sites/ashleystahl/2021/03/10/how-ai-will-impact-the-future-of-work-and-life/?sh=5da8056179a3

Sarita, K., Kumar, S., Singh, A., Elavarasan, R., Saket, R., Shafiullah, G., Hossain, E., Power Enhancement with Grid Stabilization of Renewable Energy-Based Generation System Using UPQC-FLC-EVA Technique, 2020, p. 207445, Power enhancement with grid stabilization of renewable energy-based generation system using UPQC-FLC-EVA technique - Murdoch University

Sarita, K., Kumar, S., Singh, A., Elavarasan, R., Saket, R., Shafiullah, G., Hossain, E., Power Enhancement with Grid Stabilization of Renewable Energy-Based Generation System Using UPQC-FLC-EVA Technique, 2020, p. 207447, Power enhancement with grid stabilization of renewable energy-based generation system using UPQC-FLC-EVA technique - Murdoch University

 

Discussion Forum: Introduction

 My name is Deo Selosa, 45 years old this year, originally from the Philippines and have been enjoying my life here in Western Australia for about nine (9) years. I am divorced already with no kids.

I am a Mechanical Engineer but didn’t really exercise fully my profession. My working experience mainly involves in Power Plant operations and maintenance and have been working in the control room, basically running efficiently the power generation. Most of my exhilarating experience came from Saudi Arabia wherein I have had honed my skills in power generation. I have been involved in the National Grid of Western Region of Saudi Arabia, after which I joined Saudi Aramco in one of the Independent Power Plant in Saudi. Those were the days that I was involved in operational procedure development with safety in mind, trainings of newly inducted operators and technicians, and part of the emergency incident of the entire Petrochemical complex.

Currently, I am working with Synergy, WA’s largest energy retailer as a Gas Turbine Operator based @ Pinjar Power Plant, about 80 kilometres from Perth. I am currently involved in the transition of WA into renewables and sustainability market. Being a Power Plant professional, I am happy that I am back in the power plant industries. It took me awhile to land a job that best suited my experience here in Australia. It took me numerous trainings, tickets/certificates and local experience to get back to an industry I called my passion.

At my age, personally I still cannot recall my areas of strength. But what I can tell is that the level of my maturity has evolved through the years. I used to be hard-headed, immature, and a little bit quick fused. I guess with the level of experience I have been involved with have groom me to be a better person; both personal and professionally. I believe my strength nowadays are more of helping people achieve their passion and influence them as I was once influenced to be more in life.

When I was conceptualising to pursue my MBA, I have asked a friend of mine who just recently finished his MBA. According to my friend, Organisational Behaviour and Management was his favourite subject in MBA. The curiosity with OBM grew when I was taking one subject under Dr. Ian Boudville, he really recommends taking OBM the following semester.

My interest to OBM really is to explore more of my social interactions, communication skills and my critical and creative thinking. To further push myself.

I am not a manager of any organisation, and I am not really looking into becoming a manager yet. As I am more of a follower, I am taking my time to absorb all learnings I could get from my peers and leaders. As an individual who follows his leader most effectively, is usually develops into leadership promptly. A wise follower has many benefits, among them is to acquire knowledge from his leaders. (Napoleon Hill, 1937, p.161) Besides, any one of us can be a leader without the position.

Taking MBA is more of a personal choice, in the pursuit to personal enrichment. I love to meet a lot of people and to interact with them, I believe one of the aspects of this unit is to learn and adapt to people around you. With this unit, I intend to immerse myself and learn all facet this unit have to offer for personal growth.

Before coming to Australia, my father was undergoing dialysis. All the while I thought he was not in favour of us migrating to Australia as he was thinking that time that I am going to leave him behind. On his death bed, I told my father that I am withdrawing my migration plans to Australia and will stay with him but to my surprise, he told me to pursue my Australian dreams and just find him a relative that can act as his caregiver. During that time, he made me promise to fulfil my dreams and be successful in Australia. I have no idea on what his idea of success was, as we, as a family never really into competitions and accolades, but knowing my father, education is always a priority to him, hence I am pursuing my MBA in honour of him.

 

Reference:

Napoleon Hill, 1937, Think and Grow Rich, Capstone Publishing Ltd., p.161