Characterisation Essay

Main character: The character that plays the biggest role in the plot of the story. Major character: Characters that play a big role in the story. Minor character: Characters that play a minor role in the story. Round characters: Round characters are like real people. They have complex, multi-dimensional personalities. They are capable of growing and changing. They are often, but not always, major characters. Flat characters: They have one-dimensional personalities. They represent or portray one particular characteristic. They are a type, e.g. the jealous lover, the fool or the grumpy, old man. They are often, but not always, minor characters. Dynamic characters: They change as a result of their experiences. Static characters: They do not learn from their experiences, and, thus, remain unchanged. How does the author convey character? 1. Telling: The narrator tells how the character is, feels, thinks, etc. 2. Showing: The character reveals his or her personality through what the character says and does. 3. Setting: The author might use the setting (time and place) to say something about the character, e.g. about the character’s emotions or feelings. 4. Comparison to other characters: It might be useful to analyse how the character relate to the other characters in the story, e.g. if there are characters that are in opposition to, or different from, the character in question. 5. Appearance: The character’s clothes, looks and general appearance can often tell us something about the character’s personality. Questions to ask when analysing characters: 1. Is the character a main, major or minor character? 2. Is it a round or a flat character? 3. Is it a dynamic or a static character? 4. Does the author reveal the character through showing or telling, or both? 5. What does the way the character speaks reveal about his character? 6. What does his behaviour reveal about his character?  7. Is she similar or different from other characters in the story? How does she relate to the other characters? 8. Has the setting shaped the character’s personality? 9. Does the setting reflect the character’s mood or emotional state?

Existentialism: Sartre’s Views Essay

Existentialism is a movement that focuses on the significance of human features and its primary effects in our life and in our society. Since we always interact in the society, this movement had explained certain social phenomena that are left unexplained by other sociological and psychological theory. Since we deal with the conscious minds of the people around us, such a theory would explain why some people chose to do certain things that we think should not. This movement values the importance of real and existing rather than the concept and abstract. Jean Paul Sarte is one of the pioneer philosophers who introduced this kind of theory. He is one of the best existentialist philosopher and also a writer who wrote novels and autobiography of some prominent people. His experiences in his childhood and early youth had given him experiences for him to be able to reach the point of discovering the importance of existentialism. One of his claims is that if a person chooses to perform some action, then that person affirms that the action is good. He believed that we consciously choose the way we act and our counter reactions in everything that we experience in our daily lives. He believed that because we choose to do that action, therefore, we accept the consequences of it, believing that this is the good for us. Since being good is relative, therefore, it answers the questions and doubts about the legality of such concept. He claimed that in every action that we did, we choose what we think is the best for us and the best for all. We do not choose the evil or something that will result in a massive negative effect in our society because of our capability to think rationally. He argued that we do not have the capability of choosing an absolute evil. Because we are aware of the possible consequences of every actions that we do, we consciously weigh the possible outcomes of every actions that we are doing for us to be able to have the best reaction towards a certain situation. Then, if we assume that every thing that we are doing is good, and we believe it is good, therefore, no one is doing the â€Å"wrong† thing. As Sartre is trying to point out, â€Å"goodness† is relative across different ideas and beliefs and concepts of it. And he extended an explanation to address these kinds of arguments that tackles the reason why there are people who we think that what they are doing is right while some will say that obviously, it is not. This will lead us to his next assumption that it is psychologically distressing to affirm the value of an action which cannot be universalized. This will answer the question of the effects of our basis in doing things that we think are good and for the better of all the concerned party. He added that it should be universalized, or in other words, should be applicable to different people in a society having different point of views in their life. If such action that we affirm that is something good and for the betterment of our community, therefore, this action will lead to social dysfunction and some functional problems of our society. So therefore, he is trying to point out that our action should be applicable to different people for it to have a higher value in the society. Or else, if such action have different connotations to different people, it will only produce distress to the minds of the people thinking that what they are doing is something worthwhile not only for them but also for the society they belong. In universalizing certain actions, we should take into consideration his claims about the existence of different beliefs wherein many of the people are trying to relate themselves in the way that their society identifies them. This would give us the idea of having different meanings attached to certain actions that most of the people take for granted that it is the best thing that they should do. But for us to attain this level of explanation in certain actions that they are doing, we should assess the possible outcome of it or the realistic result and consequences that was due to the unbalanced acceptance of different people to different actions and roles that we are portraying. If we will take his two claims about the level of goodness of an action and its universality, therefore, it proves his third claim that to choose an action that can not be universalized is an error, and there is a reason not to choose such an action. Since we are assuming that what we are doing is the good for us and for the society we have, we must take into consideration in choosing the action that we are supposed to do the acceptance of different people and different subculture of the society. We are aware that we have different meanings attached to certain actions that we are doing and at the same time, these meanings vary depend upon the cultural explanation that they are offering. This cultural diversity that we have in effect will consolidate a certain sets of norms that were accepted by every body or the majority of the community and brand those actions that lie behind the accepted cultural norms as immoral. One of the major effects of this claim is that whenever that we are doing something for our self that we claim that this action is the good for us and somehow will benefit the people around you, but the society thinks that your action is well outside the boundary of accepted cultural beliefs, then you will be classified as an immoral being that failed to conform to the rigid rules of the society. This is one of the thresholds of the claims of Sartre. Because of his belief that what we do is something that we think is the best for us and the value of the action should conform to the norms of different parts of the society for it to be universalized, therefore, if we failed in doing the action that will be accepted by majority of the people then this is an error in our part because we failed to recognize the importance and the consequences of the actions that we did. This in fact is a manifestation of our wanting of doing the best things that we think is fitted in the situation that we are in. If ever that we failed to recognize and to choose the action that will be universalized and instead, we did the things that will cause distress to some people, he also claimed that there is always a valid reason in choosing that kind of behavior. We did a behavior that was consciously chosen by us to portray the good side of the action that we did. But we can not remove the fact that because of the social factors that affect the symbols and meanings of certain things that we did, in result, it will lead to doing things according to our own biases and cultural knowledge that is most probably, our own definition of goodness. And aside from that, we can not remove the fact that we choose things according to what is beneficial to us and according to our preferences, thus, some actions that we did seem to be outside the limitations set by the other people. Facticity and Transcendence: Bad Faith One of the concepts that he believed is having a two dimension of human beings. Since the For-Itself focuses on the experiences that we had and is consciously aware to what is happening in the environment, it is divided into two parts that have different functions and significance to the contribution to our reaction formation in certain circumstances that we are involved in. The first is the facticity. This gives importance to the past scenarios of every situation and the present or the actual scenario itself. It has a conscious definition of the things that was happened in the past as well as the physical characteristics of the environment he is in. On the other hand, the transcendence is the ability to explore the future and to decide on making choices that will affect the possible outcome of our actions. This includes the negating of the actual scenario for us to be able to have the capacity to think the worst possible scenario and therefore, giving us a broader perspective in the situations that we are all in. Also, in contrast with the facticity which primarily based the decision on the actual facts, the transcendence takes into consideration the things that are not actually happening or the situations that are non-existent. He tackled about the three persons who failed to establish the connection between the facticity of their For-Itself and its transcendence. In effect, they experience different kind of consequences that is somehow dysfunctional in the way that it should happen. This is what he called bad faith. The first one is the woman on a date. She had defined her factical and transcendence state but he failed to set the connection between them. She moved back and forth in its structure and therefore defined different actions that had no relation with each other. In effect, her consciousness as being a beautiful object had hindered her to express and to give a credit to the actual feeling that her date had for her. She thought that her body is just a mere object of attraction but eventually, shifted to different focus like her future plans in life. This unstable situation of her being resulted to confusion of the meaning of the reactions and the situation itself. The second one is the waiter. In contrast to the woman on a date, the waiter totally failed to establish his transcendence and focused on the actual scenario. He defined himself as a bounded creature and has limited opportunities and capabilities. But in reality, his failure of establishing this part of his being had affected the way he understood the flow of life of the society. Because he already assumed that his current situation is fixed, he had suppressed his freedom to explore many things in life that in reality, he has the capability to do so. The last one he mentioned is the homosexual. This is the contrast of the waiter, where he failed t recognized his facticity. In result, he sensationalized his transcendence being and thought the whole actual scenario as non-existence or being a false happening. He does not accept the facts that he had several relationship and encounters with the same sex. This facts had modified his own perception on what he is doing and in effect, had produced a feeling of guilt. This feeling of guilt had resulted to the manifestation of his tolerance to his actual doings and gave reasons to him to continue his behavior. But in reality, his clam that he is not gay while his conscious mind knew that he is a gay, therefore is a sign of having a bad faith because of his false knowledge. Bad faith is somehow the manifestation of our failure to set up the fluid connection of the two, as discussed on the different situation of three different people, failure to do so will result to functional dysfunction and will be a great social phenomena. Existentialism: Heidegger’s Perspective On the other hand, another philosopher from Germany, Martin Heidegger, had introduced some theories about existentialism. He has a close affinity to the church and therefore based most of his works in metaphysical aspects. One of his major concepts is how the worldly characters defined itself within the world. His structure of societal activities is composed of many assignments and references that if splited, will define the ready-to-hand objects in contrast with presence-at-hand objects. Presence-to-hand involved mainly observing the natural phenomenon and basing everything to known facts. But, against the common notion of its equality, it has different moods that affect the presence of an object and mainly deal with the metaphysical aspects that tend to bring all the level down. For example, we had a chair. When the chair is broken, it exists as presence-to-hand and needs the immediate action like repair or replace. The importance of the object is seen not because of its mere existence but its practical use for our benefit. By the time that this chair is fixed, it will suddenly turn into ready-to-hand object. Ready-to-hand concept primarily deals with the things without considering its theoretical importance. Ready-to-hand literally is the things that are present as of the moment and is available for practical purposes. This happens when we have conscious ideas on what is going on in our environment and society. Therefore, this ready-to-hand experience gives us a top view of the physical things that we are seeing today. We value greatly not its metaphysical value but its practicality for us. Connecting the two concepts of being, based on Heidegger, ready-to-hand is a more primordial way of life. It does not mean that being primordial is primitive or ancient way. What he meant is this is the basic foundation of our perception of different entities that we had an interaction. These entities are primarily affected by the question of which is the ready-to-hand and presence-at-hand entity. Therefore, in finding dealing with our everyday experience of the two, the ready-to-hand serves as the first implication of the things that we see in our common days. We do things not because of its theoretical backgrounds but because we have to use such thing without thinking deeper. In addition, the ready-to-hand lead us to a broader understanding of our being, because we understood it not just by theoretical assumption but through our experiences, therefore giving the notion that we can fully understand the essence of being through what is everyday or common experience for everyone and what is close to their habits and behaviors. (Guignon & Pereboom, 2001) Existentialism gives primary importance to the existence of human essence and beings. Therefore, a critical analysis of our own beings is needed for us to be able to give explanation to the reasons of our own behaviors, attitude and way of life.

Berkshire Threaded Fasteners Case Essay

Berkshire Threaded FastenersBerkshire Threaded Fasteners Company has recently lost their president, John Magers. The resulting appointment of his inexperienced son Joe Magers has lead to the company’s loss of confidence. Brandon Cook is the recently appointed general manger who was hired to turn the company around after a loss of $70,000 in a good business year. As a member of an outside consulting firm I have been called in to give advice on the problems the company is facing. The time period has been updated to the present times. Manufacturing ProcessSee Appendix A for the detailed manufacturing process. In short, fasteners begin as wires, rods and bars which are then cut to length, headed and finally threaded. What should be noted is that this particular manufacturing process called cold forming is high-speed, high-volume, economical and has low wastage. Such economies of scale will allow Berkshire to offset the very high costs of cold-forming equipment. Business StrategyA careful analysis is needed in order to determine Berkshire’s business strategy. At first one would think it was product differentiation because of the inelastic demand in the short run. But one thing that should also be noted is the fact that for most goods, demand is much more price elastic in the long run than in the short run. This combined with the fact that Berkshire is convinced that it could not individually raise prices without suffering substantial volume declines, and that all the products of the different manufacturers in the industry are very similar, prove that their business strategy is in fact cost leadership. Another piece of evidence that also supports this strategy is the fact that the major focus of their accounting system seems to be on cost reduction. Place in the EconomyThe industrial fastener industry has been experiencing modest growth since the 1990s with an average per annum revenue growth rate of 3.6% ; though the number of employees have remained relatively the same. The North American fastener industry is still expected to grow by around 4% annually despite the competition from foreign countries. However this number represents a decline from the 9% growth spurt which occurred in 1998. The North American fastener production is strongly tied to the production of automobiles, aircraft, appliances, agricultural machinery and equipment, and the construction of commercial buildings and infrastructure. The more these industries prosper, the greater the demand and prospects for the fastener will there be. There has been as ever expanding market for fasteners in the 21st century in the aerospace industry. In fact a 9% annual growth in fasteners for this industry can be expected. Motor vehicle sales have also increased by 9.6% from 2005 to 2006. Unfortunately housing starts have only increased by 0.7% from 2005. In the future analysts expect metal fasteners to face competition from the adhesives industry as more products are being made with plastic, a product best joined together by adhesives. Also buyers have now been demanding innovative and diverse fasteners which are also more environmentally friendly- fasteners that maintain lubricity without the use of cadmium, a suspected carcinogen. So the industry is slowly shifting its focus to more highly engineered, technologically advanced fasteners. SWOTStrengths:1) Newly appointed Brandon Cook has wide executive experience in manufacturing products similar to that of Berkshire. 2) Berkshire operates in a capital intensive industry. But as a percentage of total sales, Berkshire’s labour costs are 24.69%. This suggests that they either still retain their employees even when they could have done without them or that they pay very high salaries to a few workers. This shows that Berkshire has either very loyal employees or very skilled employees- both being assets. Weaknesses:1) Joe Magers is not very experienced and the company is facing losses in the production of the 200 and 300 series’. 2) As a percentage of total sales, Berkshire’s fixed costs are 47.37%. This is much higher than what a price competitive manufacturer like Berkshire should have had. 3) Berkshire pays 49% of all its wages and salaries to administrative and sales employee, when the industry average is 27% . This shows poor decision making processes of the firm. Opportunities:1) If product lines are discontinued, with the excess capacity and skilled labour force they can branch out into the production of more diverse fasteners. This ties in with the fact mentioned previously that buyers are now demanding more specialized products. Threats:1) Berkshire operates in an industry where a few of its competitors are much larger. 2) The industry is dominated by Bosworth who dictates the prices that are charged for fasteners. 3) Buyers are slowly demanding more specialized fasteners. ProblemWhat is very evident is that the company is losing money on its products. In the previous time period they had incurred a loss of $70,000. Berkshire is unsure if it is the result of the production of the 300 series or the pricing decisions of the 100 series. These alternatives need a careful analysis in order to make informed decisions that will help turn the company around. Alternative #1 Status QuoQuantitative Analysis:In order to determine if the company should â€Å"do nothing,† is to predict the future cash flows and net income (loss) for the second half of the year. See Appendix B for this calculation. The predicted net income is in fact a loss of 1134. Yet, net income may not be a faithful representation, so cash flows have also been calculated. The predicted cash flow is a negative amount of 388. These amounts while better than alternative #3 (drop the 300 series) is not as good as the cash flow and net income amounts for alternative #2 (reduce price levels of the 100 series). One very important thing that needs to be noted is the fact that variable costs are indeed relevant. Fixed costs remain constant even after the production is stopped, but variable costs increase and decrease with production. Therefore the total contribution margin for this alternative was calculated to be 1504 which does show this alternative in a better light  especially when in comparison to its net loss and cash flow figures. Qualitative Analysis:The reduced production of the 100 series as a result of the price level remaining the same will have a significant impact on Berkshire. The reduced production may lead to employees worrying about the fact that they may be laid off to such an extent that their productivity is significantly lowered. Berkshire could also develop a reputation of charging higher prices than the industry standard and they could end up loosing more and more buyers to competitors. Alternative #2 Change price level to $2.25 for the 100 seriesQuantitative Analysis:In order to determine if the price level needs to be dropped a few calculations are needed. First a prediction of its impact on the net income and cash flows for the second half of the year is needed. These calculations are shown in Appendix C. The predicted net income figure is a loss of 1035. The predicted cash flow is a negative amount of 289. While these figures do seem abysmal, what should be noted is that in comparison to the other alternatives, these figures are much better. Both the net loss and negative cash flow amounts in this alternative is 99 lower than the â€Å"status quo† alternative and 338.58 lower than the â€Å"drop 300 series† alternative. This hints to the fact that maybe the price should in fact be dropped. Another fact that backs this assertion up is in the calculation of the Contribution Margin (CM) for both price levels, based on data from the first half of the year. Table 2 in Appendix A shows this calculation. While the CM of the new price level is lower than that of the original level (0.96 vs. 1.16), the fact that they will sell 250,000 units more (and hence a higher total CM for the new price) clearly makes up for this difference. The success of the new prices level will be contingent on the number of units sold. What is very dangerous about this alternative is that if in the future the demand in the market for this product line slumps, only a very small amount of money will be available to be used to pay off the fixed costs. Qualitative Analysis:The change in price level will not have much of an effect on the employees of Berkshire because they would still be producing  around the same amount of units (1000000 vs. 996859). They would not have to worry about being laid off. What will be affected is Berkshire’s reputation. If they had not changed they would have developed a reputation of charging high prices. The reduction of the price would put them at par with Bosworth. Alternative #3 Drop 300 seriesQuantitative Analysis:In order to determine if the 300 series needs to be dropped a few calculations are needed. First a prediction of the impact of its removal on the net income and cash flows for the second half of the year is needed. The predicted net income figure is a loss of 1373.58 and the predicted cash flow is calculated to be a negative amount of 627.70. The net loss figure calculated is the highest loss of all three alternatives and the negative cash flow amount is also much higher than the alternatives as well. This hints to the fact that maybe the 300 series line should not be dropped. Also, if the 300 series had been dropped at the beginning of the year it can be seen that there would have been a loss of -183. See the calculations for these numbers in Appendix D. Another aspect that backs up this assertion is the calculation of the Contribution Margins for all three product lines based on first half information. Even though Berkshire incurred a loss of .22/unit in the first half for series 300, when you calculate the CM it is a whole new story- the CM of 300 is a positive number- 1.15/unit, this means that Berkshire would in fact incur an even greater loss if they chose to halt production. The 1.15 per unit would no longer be available to cover some of the fixed costs. What is also surprising is the fact that the 300 series Contribution Margin is not far behind from that of the 100 series (the most profitable product line) and equal to that of the 200 series. A few other very important observations also need to be taken into account. First, since many products do cover all their variable costs, no product line would ever be dropped if only a contribution margin analysis were conducted. Second, even though the 300 series covers its variable costs and part of its fixed costs, it proves to be below par when considering full costs. Finally, in the long run all costs are variable, so the 300 series in this time frame is in fact a poor product line. Qualitative Analysis:If the 300 series was dropped it would have a significant qualitative impact on Berkshire and its employees. All the employees who were involved in the production of this line would either have to be laid off (which would have a negative impact on the reputation of the firm), or they could still be retained (which would lead to them obtaining a deep sense of respect and loyalty to the firm). Also the employees who would be shifted around would gain a greater skill set and hence become very valuable assets to the company. Evaluation of the alternativesComparison Table1) Profitability2) Timeliness3) Consistency with Strategy. Alternative #1-$11347 daysNot as muchAlternative #2-$10354-7 daysYesAlternative #3-$137410-14 daysNot as much1) Profitability:The primary objective of all businesses, no matter how big or small, is profit. That is why as a criterion, Profitability was given the number one rank. The three alternatives can easily be evaluated on this criterion by comparing the net income figures. Alternative #2 easily wins in this criterion. Despite the fact that it does have a net loss, the loss was not as great as that of Alternative #1 and #3. One important thing that should be noted is the fact that perhaps the second half of the season is always a slow period and that is why the net income figures are so low. 2) Timeliness:Berkshire operates in a business environment where if firms that lag behind in decision making, implementation of policies etc, they will be left behind with no profits. That is why Timeliness was given the rank of two. Surprisingly Status Quo would have an implementation time of around 7 days. Since keeping the price level of the 100 series the same at 2.45/unit would result in them producing 385332 less number of units (See Appendix E for the calculation), time would be need to shift employees around to new jobs in the firm, possibly close down a warehouse or even convert the machines used to produce the 100 series to now produce a different product line. Alternative #2, â€Å"reduce price level† would probably only take 4-7 days to implement. The only thing Berkshire would need to do would be to inform their current buyers of their new price level and perhaps also to advertise the lower price in a specialized fastener industry journal. Alternative #3, â€Å"drop the 300 series† would probably take around 10-14 days. Not only would Berkshire need to shift employees around, close down a warehouse etc, as a result of producing a lower number of 100 series units, but they would also have to announce the dropping of the 300 series line to its buyers, move even more employees around (or possibly lay them off), close even more warehouses down, move machinery around the manufacturing space etc. This would be a very time consuming process. Overall Alternative #2 would win in this criterion as it would have a less time consuming implementation time and process. 3) Consistency with Strategy:This criterion was given a rank of three because while necessary in the evaluation, Profitability and Timeliness do have a greater importance. In the short run Alternative #2 had the greatest consistency with strategy. Berkshire is a cost leader, and reducing the prices of the 100 series ties in very well with this strategy. Alternative #1 and #3 chose not to reduce the price and this decision conflicts with their cost leadership strategy. ConclusionOverall I would recommend that Berkshire implement Alternative #2- reduce the price level of the 100 series, as it did win in all three criteria. But one important thing needs a re-mention. The CM per unit of the reduced price level was lower than that of the higher price level. It was only because of the higher volume of sales did it manage to have a higher total contribution margin. In the future if sales volumes drop, despite the price change Berkshire would incur heavy losses. At this present time Alternative #1 and #3 are both very unprofitable and will still be in the future. At least Alternative #1 is not as unprofitable at this present time but what happens in the future will all depend on sales. Recommendations for Specific Action1) Chose a date when the price change will come in to effect and make sure all current buyers are aware of this well ahead of time. 2) Advertise in newspapers, journals etc to get the message across to new buyers that Berkshire has reduced its prices. 3) All forms, documentation, accounting systems etc should be changed to take into account the new price level. 4) Make sure that there are people at hand to research the market and evaluate whether demand is going to decline for the 100 series. 5) Make sure that there are researches available to study the market for new trends and new types of fasteners that could be produced in the future.

Auditing of Havelock Company Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Auditing of Havelock Company - Research Paper Example The company might be interested in recording such expenses in administrative costs of the company rather than inventory. This will help Havelock achieve the increase in loss and thus claiming tax refunds. Havelock might not be interested in paying taxes to improve its cash flows. Havelock operates in a dynamic industry, which comprises of retail customers as well (Havelock Europa, 2012d). The choices and demands from the customers change very often which may lead to a decline in NRV of the inventory. There is a risk that Havelock may ignore to lower down its inventory valuation to NRV. Though the current ratio of Havelock is 1.4, it is facing liquidity pressures. Payments to the suppliers have also been delayed. The average period of payment to the vendor is 52 days as compared to 36 in 2011 (Havelock Europa, 2012b). The company is under pressure to meet the tough deadlines of the financers on a quarterly basis. In case, it does not pay the interest and principal due, the bank would be entitled to the whole of the principal repayment on an immediate basis (Havelock Europa, 2012e). Due to such pressures, the company has not announced any dividend payments. Amounts on charities have also decreased from  £ 900,000 in 2012 as compared to  £2,443,000 in 2011 (Havelock Europa, 2012b). The company has resorted to additional overdraft facilities in order to meet its liquidity requirements. More credit facilities have been opted for by Havelock (Havelock Europa, 2012d). The fact that the company will increase its production is still remote. It has just entered into an agreement with HP financers to purchase a new plant, which will increase its production by 50% (Havelock Europa, 2012a).  

Questions for Thought Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 2

Questions for Thought - Assignment Example On the other hand, the waterfall method is a sequential design process. Completion of one stage usually leads to the next stage that has different goals. Agile methods allow an individual to make frequent changes to the management process and test the various stages of the project (Nayab 1). Change management is a vital process for IT professionals in many organizations. Every organization undergoes different forms of change. As the world of technology and business is changing it is paramount for organizations particularly the IT departments to conform to these changes. Change management is whereby the organization applies structured processes and tools for leading people during the change to achieve a particular outcome. Organization change management offers a framework upon which organizations can manage the changes in organization structure, new business processes, and cultural changes facing the company. Change management is beneficial particularly when the change requires all employees or people in the organization to learn new behaviors and skills. Organizations should set expectations, use tools to improve communication and reduce misinformation among employees to ensure they adapt to the change. Managing change is paramount for organizations that seek in the cor porate world (Fernandez and Rainey 168). There is a growing contention on whether organizations should develop their software packages of not. Several advantages are cited to support the development of personal software packages. However, before developing build in software packages, the company should assess the benefits of the software in relation to canned software packages. The â€Å"build versus buy† discussion is an important issue facing companies today. If building seems cheaper, it may be the best option rather than buying. Other benefits of building software packages include the ability to

Managing Quality in Health and Social Care Assignment

Managing Quality in Health and Social Care - Assignment Example The study scenario proves the quality perspectives in regard of the user perspective places emphasis on the value of consultation services offered in the clinic in ensuring the proper management of cancer through screening. The clients can never approve anything concerning the quality of health care services because of the various preferences to the consultation service they have encountered or would like to have in place working for them (Mollenkopf and Alan 215). Therefore, when it is an issue regarding the quality of consultation services offered in the hospital, the patients expect fast attendance within the stipulated time so that they can leave and attend to other crucial things elsewhere. What makes and keeps one satisfied regarding the quality of service is when things move on smoothly in terms of time and space while one is seeking consultation services in the hospital. The quality concept from the institutions perspective is ensuring a system that enhances timely attendance to the patients. The model that works best in such situations is the Philip Crosby model that emphasizes on doing thing right the first time (Bryans 64). The application of a model in ensuring quality service delivery in the hospital follows that the quality concept should start with the doctors, nurses, and receptionists in this case. Therefore, they have the mandate of making strategic improvements in ensuring that the patients have timely assistance whenever they come for consultations. The receptionists for instance should ensure that the patient’s records are available all the time to avoid inconveniences. On the other hand, the doctors and the nurses should ensure they have in place the needs of their client and work fast to meet the needs. In so doing, they will reduce the cancer cases thus finding it easier to manage the consultation services (Bryans 66). The relationship between the

Differences between the Articles of confederation and the new Research Paper

Differences between the Articles of confederation and the new constitution - Research Paper Example The articles created a feeble national government incapable levying taxes and regulating trade hence the quest for the new constitution that improved the stature of the government by increasing its powers (Wendel 768). The removal of the articles of confederation was due to their immense powers over the national government. The articles lacked a court system to impose the levying plus collection of taxes. The congress was incapable of making laws and therefore levying of taxes was difficult. In addition, the articles did not provide an atmosphere for enhancing trade regulation between the existing states and other countries (Young 1572). The articles could only allow only a vote per state and too many powers to states. It also performed the functions of appointing the delegates for every state, which was undesirable. It was difficult to impose changes to the articles of confederation because there were undesirable procedures. All the states had to make amicable decisions to enhance t he changes. Having all the thirteen states in agreement over changes that would affect the government was not an easy task. Nine out of thirteen states had to approve any motion put forward to enhance amendment of the articles. Another weakness evident in the articles was the lack of a specific army to guard the nation. Each state stood separately with own affairs (Wendel 760). Every state developed policies for their own governance, not even the passage of treaties was a responsibility of the central government. Since very state created their own money, there was a possibility of lack of acceptance to their currency by other states. This created an unfavorable environment for the states to participate in trade and improve their micro economies. The unicameral legislature present in the articles provided an atmosphere that there was no power separation hence the national government remained weak (Young 1570). The operation of the post offices was a responsibility of the states and n ot the central government. The articles of confederation developed immense powers to the states. In the articles there were sections supporting assertion of wars plus coining and borrowing of finances. The central government was incapable of making the states to abide by the laws. Despite the national government’s efforts to make a nationwide currency, the currency was valueless due to existing currencies from the states (Wirkner 13). The lack of effective common currency led to weak trade plus commerce that retarded the general economy of the United States. Vulnerability to attack by other countries plus pirates was evident due to the lack of a central army and army to safe gourd the entire populace. The articles were prevalent because of the fear instilled to the colonies by the colonial government. The authorities from the states with the fear instilled by the powers of the colonial government centrality of governance feared the same (Jensen 10). The articles thus provided sovereign states in terms of decision-making and freedom. The articles were an important law of the land before promulgation of the new constitution, which made a through way for changes in the government operations. The executive wanted the elimination of the articles to create room for most operations for the central government. For years, there was deprivation in the ability of the

Food and Celebrations Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Food and Celebrations - Essay Example The festivals and food of China displays the large variety of ethnic groups which reside in the country (Chinese Festival Food Recipes for New Year, 2013). The likings and menu of the people of North China will be different from those living in South China. However, the New Year is a special event on which all the family gets together to celebrate the event and to bring good luck. Chinese New Year is an important event in the Chinese history. Chinese people believe that the old year takes with it all the dark things and the New Year brings all the good. Therefore every hour of the New Year is important. People do not sleep over the New Year’s Eve. They try to decorate their houses, make their own personal preparations and prepare special meals. Even the last few years of the old year are given utmost importance. According to Robinson (2012, pp. 23) Chinese people do not work on the New Year’s day as it will bring them hard luck and will make them work throughout the year. Food preparations are given utmost importance on New Year. The ingredients of the food should be fresh and in abundance. Some dishes have to be prepared in the last hours of the old year. The Nian Goa cake prepared on the Chinese New Year should be higher as its height is associated with the amount of benefits of the coming year (Robinson, 2012, pp. 23). Artistic expression is clearly seen in the Chinese dishes. They do not pay attention to the taste alone but also to the cutlery used for dishing out. A lot of variety can be found in Chinese cuisine. They have the ability to cook anything to the best of flavours. Symbolism in Chinese cuisine is an important factor as is symbolism in other parts of life of the Chinese people. each month of the Chinese New Year is named after animals. It characterizes the personality of the people born in those months. Robinson (2012, pp. 25) states that the kitchen god is said to be

Orlando Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Orlando - Essay Example he novel, by choosing not to grow old during the three centuries time span of the storyline and most importantly changing gender from male to female, is depicted in such a manner as to provoke the reader’s thought by sincerely analyzing all aspects of the two sexes’ behavioral attributes. Although Woolf’s work of Orlando is a passionate depiction based on the life of her friend and lover Vita Sackville-West as it was originally intended to be, the novel gives us a far more illustrative view of the world concerning gender specifics, sexuality and human nature as it had been during the second half of the previous millennium. According to Wikipedia, the novel can be read as a ‘roman à   clef’ which is a work of literature describing real life, behind a faà §ade of fiction and where the main character is usually a famous personality, or in some cases, the author. Woolf has used immense material from the writings of Vita as a basis for her own novel. Even though the main character here is based on the life of Vita, using the overtones of fiction and the liberties made available through fantasy, Woolf was able to construct a well documented biography of Vita, without subjecting herself to criticism or controversy. Themes such as homosexuality have bee n subtly brought into the picture by fictionalizing the real life character as a male who transforms into a female later on. This show the ingeniousness of Virginia Woolf, as most other works of English fiction directly approaching the subject of homosexuality had been banned during her years. Therefore even though she has titled her work as a biography, the novel has been classified as fiction, and this shows how Woolf had intended to cross the boundaries set between fiction and non-fiction with Orlando, â€Å"so the novel is not only about trans-gender, but also trans-genre, so to speak.† (Wikipedia) The book offers us considerable insight into the study and comparison between the male and female mind, as Woolf

Goldman Sachs - Management Analysis Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Goldman Sachs - Management Analysis - Assignment Example It has been noted from the annual report of the company that the main focus of the company has been at four key areas. The four key areas have been the creation of the jobs as well as the overall growth of the economy, building up of the economy as well as stabilising them, enhancing the opportunities of education and thus glorification of the services as well as expertise. The main aim of the paper has been to analyse the company’s decision making with the help of the management theories. Among the several management theories such as the Taylor’s Rational Goal Theory, Fayol's and Mintzberg's Internal Systems Theory, Mayo’s Human Relation Theory and Porter’s Strategic & Peters’ Cultural Theory; the research paper will make use of the two theories such as Mayo’s Human Relation and Fayol and Mintzberg’s theory. The rationale behind choosing Goldman Sachs for the purpose of the study is that during the period of Lloyd Blankfein, CEO and C hairman of the company, it was accused of fraud by the SEC (Securities and Exchange Commission) in the year 2010. It can thus be identified that the performance of the company during this period has been comparatively inferior. Therefore, through this report, it will be aimed at understanding the kind of decision that the management followed that led to such a huge turmoil. The report will try to comprehend the reasons of failure during the rein of Lloyd Blankfein. The analysis will be conducted using the various theories that have been identified and finally recommendations will be provided with regards to how the management can improve its managerial decision making capabilities. Managerial Decision Making At Goldman Sachs The main business of the Goldman Sachs has been to invest the money belonging to the large organisations as well as the wealthy individuals. It has further been identified that the firm tends to put its own funds as well at risk. Organisational Structure Lloyd B lankfein has been the Chairman and CEO of the company since the year 2006. Lloyd Blankfein by nature has been quite affable and smart. His five years tenure in Goldman Sachs can be classified into three different groups. He experienced unstable growth till early 2008. Furthermore, the financial crisis that took place because of the breakdown of the Lehman Brothers was also evident during his ruling period. The bank, further expected to recover in the year 2009, despite various regulations that was formed after the post-crisis and the fall in their reputations. The other person who has been working with the company under Mr. Lloyd Blankfein is David Viniar who has been the Chief Financial Officer and has served the company for more than ten years. Mr. E. Gerald Corrigan has been the Co-chair of the Risk as well as Global Compliance and Controls Committee. Mr. Henry Paulson was the Chief Executive of the Goldman Sachs prior to Lloyd Blankfein (Steinert-Threlkerd, 2009). Alan Cohen has been the Compliance Officer at Goldman Sachs, John Rogers has been the Secretary and Gary Cohn is the President as well as the COO (The Official Board, 2011). It has been evident that the company has outperformed in its operations in most of the areas. It has been positioned among the best three underwriters. It is because of the consistent and best performance along with the commitment of the top management towards the municipal business as well as the public sector. The company also has

The creation of the ICC has been controversial for both legal and Essay

The creation of the ICC has been controversial for both legal and ethical reasons. Explain how the ICC works and why it is controversial - Essay Example hough the ICC, which was established in 2003, seems to have genuine interest to seek justice for crime victims, it has not been devoid of legal and ethical controversy. For instance, since its establishment until now the ICC has only opened cases on African member nations. This has prompted many African organizations like the African Union (AU) to question the legitimacy of the ICC as an international platform for justice. The legality of the ICC has also been brought to question, owing to the lack of comprehensive evidence collection and procedural concerns. In 2004 the then ICC prosecutor Luis Moreno Ocampo issued an arrest warrant for Sudan’s President, Omar al Bashir, for war crimes, genocide, and crimes against humanity. The prosecutor, however, failed to consider facts such as the commencement of the civil conflict in the country long before the president came into power. The prosecutor also ascribed land grabbing and ethnic cleansing solely to Bashir, failing to account for colonial land allocation disparities among peasant and nomadic communities. It was also not Bashir’s fault that climate change has resulted in expansion of arid areas hence reduction of productive land. In addition to these factual discrepancies that question the court’s ethics and legitimacy, the ICC has not focused on other countries. This has prompted many stakeholders to perceive it as a Western Court that seeks to judge African countries, without accounting for prior political and social concerns in respective

As You Like It - the Play Essay Example for Free

As You Like It the Play Essay As You Like It is considered by many to be one of Shakespeares greatest comedies, and the heroine, Rosalind, is praised as one of his most inspiring characters and has more lines than any of Shakespeares female characters. Rosalind, the daughter of a banished duke falls in love with Orlando the disinherited son of one of the dukes friends. When she is banished from the court by her usurping uncle, Duke Frederick , Rosalind switches genders and as Ganymede travels with her loyal cousin Celia and the jester Touchstone to the Forest of Arden, where her father and his friends live in exile. Observations on life and love follow (including love, aging, the natural world, and death) friends are made, and families are reunited. By the plays end Ganymede, once again Rosalind, marries her Orlando. Two other sets of lovers are also wed, one of them Celia and Orlandos mean older brother Oliver . As Oliver becomes a gentler, kinder young man so the Duke conveniently changes his ways and turns to religion and so that the exiled Duke, father of Rosalind, can rule once again. All the world s a stage, and all the men and women merely players. They have their exits and their entrances; And one man in his time plays many parts As You Like It (Act II, Scene VII). Can one desire too much of a good thing? . As You Like It (Act IV, Scene I). True is it that we have seen better days. As You Like It Act II, Scene VII). For ever and a day. As You Like It (Act IV, Scene I). The fool doth think he is wise, but the wise man knows himself to be a fool. (Act V, Scene I). The play is fictitious, but shakespeare is said to have taken the traits if rosalind from Rosalynde by thomas lodge. One of Shakespeares early plays, As You Like It (1598-1599), is a stock romantic comedy that was familiar to Elizabethan audiences as an exemplar of Christian comedy. Although the play does include two offstage spiritual conversions, the Christian designation does not refer to religion itself. Instead, it denotes the restoration and regeneration of society through the affirmation of certain Christian values such as brotherly love, marital union, tolerance for different viewpoints, and optimism about life at large. The plot is very simple: the resolution of the dramatic problem in the warped attitudes of two evil brothers toward good brothers, and related obstacles to marriage for several couples in the play (most notably Rosalind and Orlando) are easily overcome, and a happy ending is never in doubt. On one level, the play was clearly intended by Shakespeare as a simple, diverting amusement; several scenes in As You Like It are essentially skits made up of songs and joking banter. But on a somewhat deeper level, the play provides opportunities for its main characters to discuss a host of subjects (love, aging, the natural world, and death) from their particular points of view. At its center, As You Like It presents us with the respective worldviews of Jaques, a chronically melancholy pessimist preoccupied with the negative aspects of life, and Rosalind, the plays Christian heroine, who recognizes lifes difficulties but holds fast to a positive attitude that is kind, playful, and, above all, wise. In the end, the enjoyment that we receive from the plays comedy is reinforced and validated by a humanistic Christian philosophy gently woven into the text by a benevolent Shakespeare.

Eutrophication Process Steps

Eutrophication Process Steps Eutrophication is world-wide environmental issue environmental problems that are related to high concentration nutrients. It is the process due to increment of algae productivity which affects adversely aquatic life and also human and animal health. It is mainly influenced by humankind activities that include agriculture and sewage effluent due to creating high amount of nutrients. The mechanism of eutrophication is briefly described in Figure 1. Large amount of nutrient input to the water body is the main effect and high level of phytoplankton biomass results that lead to algal bloom. Consumption of oxygen close the bottom of the water body is the result. The other effects of the process can be divided two categories that are related to: nutrient dispersion, phytoplankton growth Nitrogen and phosphorus are two main nutrients for aquatic life. In addition, A silica is also necessary for the diatoms. Nutrient concentration in the water body changes during eutrophication. The nutrient is the limiting factor, if it is not be available for algae develop. The sufficient factor to determine limiting factor is the ratio of nitrogen to phosphorus compounds in the water body is an important factor for control mechanism. (Table 1). Phosphorus is generally limiting factor for phytoplankton in fresh waters. For large marine areas frequently have nitrogen as the limiting nutrient, especially in summer. Intermediate areas such as river plumes are often phosphorus-limited during spring,but may turn to silica or nitrogen limitation in summer. The enrichment of water by nutrients can be of natural origin but it is often dramatically increased by human activities. This occurs almost everywhere in the world. There are three main sources of anthropic nutrient input: runoff, erosion and leaching from fertilized agricultural areas, and sewage from cities and industrial wastewater. Atmospheric deposition of nitrogen (from animal breeding and combustion gases) can also be important. According to the European Environment Agency, the main source of nitrogen pollutants is run-off from agricultural land, whereas most phosphorus pollution comes from households and industry, including phosphorus- based detergents. The rapid increase in industrial production and in in-house consumption during the 20th century has resulted in greater volumes of nutrient-rich wastewater. Although there has been recently a better management of nitrogen and phosphorus in agricultural practices, saturation of soils with phosphorus can be noted in some areas where spreading of excessive manure from animal husbandry occurs. Nutrient removal in sewage treatment plants and promotion of phosphorus-free detergents are vital to minimize the impact of nitrogen and phosphorus pollution on Europes water bodies7. Since 1980, nitrate concentrations in major EU  rivers have generally remained constant. There is no  evidence that reduced application of nitrogen fertilizers  to agricultural land has resulted in lower nitrate  concentrations in rivers. Indeed, concentrations in  some regions in Europe, such as Brittany, or Poitou in  France, and Catalunya in Spain, are still increasing. More detailed information on nitrates are to be found  in the companion pamphlet in this series nitrate and  health and in the E.C. report mentioned in (6). wastewater treatment and less phosphorus in household  detergents. Phosphorus release from industry  has also fallen sharply (Figure 3) whereas phosphorus  from agriculture, despite a reduction in the consumption  of phosphate fertilizers in the EU, remains an  important source of phosphorus pollution.   Unfortunately, due to the main role of nitrogen in the  eutrophication process in summer in the coastal zone,  the reduction in the discharge of phosphorus from  rivers into the sea has not been visible, except in very  specific sites. In most cases the phosphorus released  by the sediments into the open sea is sufficient to  allow eutrophication to occur, although external inputs have sharply decreased. In fact, only the Dutch coast  has benefited from the improvement of the water of  the Rhine, everywhere else the situation is stable or  has worsened. Some activities can lead to an increase in adverse  eutrophication and, although they are very specific,  they should be noted: Aquaculture development: Expansion of aquaculture  contributes to eutrophication by the discharge of  unused animal food and excreta of fish into the  water; The transportation of exotic species: Mainly via the  ballasts of big ships, toxic algae, cyanobacteria and  nuisance weeds can be carried from endemic areas  to uncontaminated ones. In these new environments  they may find a favourable habitat for their diffusion  and overgrowth, stimulated by nutrients availability; Reservoirs in arid lands: The construction of large  reservoirs to store and manage water has been  taking place all over the world. These dams are built  in order to allow the collection of drainage waters  through huge hydrographic basins. Erosion leads to  the enrichment of the waters of these reservoirs by  nutrients such as phosphorus and nitrogen Factors supporting the development  of eutrophication Besides nutrient inputs, the first condition supporting  eutrophication development is purely physical it is  the containment (time of renewal) of the water. The  containment of water can be physical, such as in a  lake or even in a slow river that works as a batch  (upstream waters do not mix with downstream  waters), or it can be dynamic.   The notion of dynamic containment is mostly relevant  for marine areas. Geological features such as the  shape of the bottom of the sea, the shape of the  shores, physical conditions such as streams, or large  turbulent areas, and tidal movements, allow some  large marine areas to be really contained, exhibiting  very little water renewal. This is known as dynamic  containment. In other cases, due to tidal effects, and/or streams,  some areas that would seem to be prone to containment  see their waters regularly renewed and are not  contained at all and are therefore very unlikely to  become eutrophic. Other physical factors influence eutrophication of  water bodies. Thermal stratification of stagnant water  bodies (such as lakes and reservoirs), temperature  and light influence the development of aquatic algae. Increased light and temperature conditions during  spring and summer explain why eutrophication is a  phenomenon that occurs mainly during these seasons. Eutrophication itself affects the penetration of  light through the water body because of the shadow  effect coming from the development of algae and  other living organisms and this reduces photosynthesis in deep water layers, and aquatic grass and  weeds bottom development. Main consequences  of eutrophication The major consequence of eutrophication concerns  the availability of oxygen. Plants, through photosynthesis,  produce oxygen in daylight. On the contrary, in  darkness all animals and plants, as well as aerobic  microorganisms and decomposing dead organisms,  respire and consume oxygen. These two competitive  processes are dependent on the development of the  biomass. In the case of severe biomass accumulation,  the process of oxidation of the organic matter that has  formed into sediment at the bottom of the water body  will consume all the available oxygen. Even the oxygen  contained in sulphates (SO4  2-) will be used by  some specific bacteria. This will lead to the release of  sulphur (S2-) that will immediately capture the free oxygen  still present in the upper layers. Thus, the water  body will loose all its oxygen and all life will disappear.  This is when the very specific smell of rotten eggs, originating  mainly from sulphur, will appe ar.   In parallel with these changes in oxygen concentration  other changes in the water environment occur: Changes in algal population: During eutrophication, macroalgae, phytoplankton (diatoms, dinoflagellates,  chlorophytes) and cyanobacteria, which  depend upon nutrients, light, temperature and water  movement, will experience excessive growth. From  a public health point of view, the fact that some of  these organisms can release toxins into the water or  be toxic themselves is important.   Changes in zooplankton, fish and shellfish population: Where eutrophication occurs, this part of the ecosystem is the first to demonstrate changes. Being most sensitive to oxygen availability, these species may die from oxygen limitation or from changes in the chemical composition of the water such as the excessive alkalinity that occurs during intense photosynthesis. Ammonia toxicity in fish for example is much higher in alkaline waters. Effects of eutrophication The effects of eutrophication on the environment may, have deleterious consequences for the health of exposed animal and human populations, through various pathways. Specific health risks appear when fresh water, extracted from eutrophic areas, is used for the production of drinking water. Severe impacts can also occur during animal watering in eutrophic waters. Macroalgae, phytoplankton and cyanobacteria blooms Algae display varying degrees of complexity depending on the organization of their cells. Macroalgae, phytoplankton and cyanobacteria may colonize marine, brackish or fresh waters wherever conditions of light, temperature and nutrients are favourable. Cyanobacteria have been largely studied in fresh water systems, due to their ability to proliferate, to  form massive surface scums, and to produce toxins that have been implicated in animal or human poisoning. Some species of algae may also contain toxins, but incidents where fresh water algae are at the origin  of cases of human or animal illness have very seldom been reported. Coloured toxic tides caused by algal overgrowth have been known to exist for many centuries. In fact the Bible (Exodus, 7: 20-24) states all the water of the Nile river became red as blood and fish which were in the river died. And the river was poisoned and the Egyptians could not drink its waters. Algal blooms were observed in 1638 by fishermen in north west of Iceland. Fjords were reported to be stained blood red and during the night produced a kind of phosphorescence. The fishermen thought that the colours could be due to the blood of fighting whales or to some marine insects or plants (Olafsson and Palmsson, 1772). The first scientific report of domestic animals dying from poisoning as a consequence of drinking water that was affected by a blue/green algae  bloom was in 1878 in lake Alexandrina, Australia. In coastal and estuarine systems, however, where  conditions are less favourable to the proliferation of  cyanobacteria, which need oligo-elements such as iron, toxic algae such as dinoflagellates have been observed and have been at the origin of health  troubles. There is growing evidence that nutrients,  especially nitrogen, favour the duration and frequency  of such toxic blooms, and concentrations of toxin in  the cells. Health effects linked to toxins of cyanobacteria in  fresh waters Some cyanobacteria have the capacity to produce  toxins dangerous to human beings. Toxins can be  found either free in the water where the bloom occurs  or bound to the algal or cyanobacterial cell. When the  cells are young (during the growth phase), 70 to 90%  of the toxins are cell bound, whereas when the cells Cyanobacteria have been largely studied in fresh  water systems, due to their ability to proliferate, to  form massive surface scums, and to produce toxins  that have been implicated in animal or human poisoning. Some species of algae may also contain toxins,  but incidents where fresh water algae are at the origin  of cases of human or animal illness have very seldom  been reported. Coloured toxic tides caused by algal overgrowth have been known to exist for many centuries. In fact the  Bible (Exodus, 7: 20-24) states all the water of the  Nile river became red as blood and fish which were in  the river died. And the river was poisoned and the  Egyptians could not drink its waters. Algal blooms were observed in 1638 by fishermen in  north west of Iceland. Fjords were reported to be stained  blood red and during the night produced a kind of  phosphorescence. The fishermen thought that the  colours could be due to the blood of fighting whales or  to some marine insects or plants (Olafsson and Palmsson,  1772). The first scientific report of domestic animals  dying from poisoning as a consequence of drinking  water that was affected by a blue/green algae  bloom was in 1878 in lake Alexandrina, Australia. In coastal and estuarine systems, however, where  conditions are less favourable to the proliferation of  cyanobacteria, which need oligo-elements such as  iron, toxic algae such as dinoflagellates have been  observed and have been at the origin of health  troubles. There is growing evidence that nutrients,  especially nitrogen, favour the duration and frequency  of such toxic blooms, and concentrations of toxin in  the cells. Health effects linked to toxins of cyanobacteria in  fresh waters Some cyanobacteria have the capacity to produce  toxins dangerous to human beings. Toxins can be  found either free in the water where the bloom occurs  or bound to the algal or cyanobacterial cell. When the  cells are young (during the growth phase), 70 to 90%  of the toxins are cell bound, whereas when the cells fresh waters. People may be exposed to toxins  through the consumption of contaminated drinking  water, direct contact with fresh water or the inhalation  of aerosols. Toxins induce damage in animals and  humans by acting at the molecular level and consequently  affecting cells, tissues and organs (Table 3). The nervous, digestive, respiratory and cutaneous  systems may be affected. Secondary effects can be  observed in numerous organs. Age or physiological  conditions of the affected individual may determine the  severity of the symptoms. A variety of symptoms,  depending on the toxins implicated, are observed  such as fatigue, headache, diarrhoea, vomiting, sore  throat, fever and skin irritations. Cyanotoxins can be classified into three groups: à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Hepatotoxins. These are the most frequently observed cyanotoxins.  Experiments using mice indicate that they cause liver  injury and can lead to death from liver haemorrhage  and cardiac failure within a few hours of exposure at  acute doses. Chronic exposure induces liver injury  and promotes the growth of tumours. Questions remain concerning the effects of repeated  exposures to low levels of toxins. Animal experiments  have shown liver injury from repeated oral exposure to  microcystins, the most frequently observed cyanotoxins. It is thought that the high prevalence13 of liver  cancer observed in some areas of China could be due  to the presence of microcystins in water supplies. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Neurotoxins. These are generally less common and act on the nervous  system. In mice and aquatic birds, they cause  rapid death by respiratory arrest, sometimes occurring  in a few minutes. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Dermatotoxins. These induce irritant and allergenic responses in tissues  by simple contact. The global toxicity of a cyanobacterial proliferation is  not constant in time or space, making it difficult to  assess the health threat although some acute poisonings  have led to death (Tables 3 and 4). The release of cyanotoxins in water has been at the  origin of several outbreaks affecting animal or human  health (Case studies p. f12). About 75% of cyanobacterial  blooms are accompanied by toxin production. The presence of cyanobacterial toxins after potabilization  treatment represents a health threat for patients  undergoing renal dialysis treatment. Monitoring of eutrophication   Monitoring is useful if it is performed for a purpose. The main reasons for monitoring a water body for  eutrophication are: à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ To prevent the occurence of eutrophication; à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Early warning purposes. Public health authorities  need to know when eutrophication is likely to start in  order to allow them to implement preventive actions; à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ To know the level of development of the process, and have a precise picture of the quality of the water. This is mostly relevant for water companies, which  have to deal with eutrophic waters; à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Research. The reality is that monitoring systems are often multipurpose. Monitoring and management  of cyanobacterial growth in fresh waters  for public health purposes Chorus and Bartram (1999) have proposed the following  monitoring and management scheme to water  treatment plant operators and managers as an alert  level framework. It provides a graduated response to  the onset and progress of a cyanobacteria bloom. This tool initially comes from Australia. Three response  levels are defined: à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Vigilance Level is defined by the detection of one colony, or five filaments, of a cyanobacterium in a 1 ml  water sample. When the Vigilance Level is exceeded,  it is recommended that the affected water body is  sampled more frequently at least once a week, so  that potentially rapid changes in cyanobacteria biomass  can be monitored. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Alert Level 1 is initiated when 2,000 cyanobacterial  cells per ml or 0.2 mm3/l biovolume23 or 1 ÃŽÂ ¼g/l chlorophyll- a24 are detected. Alert Level 1 condition  requires an assessment to be made of the total toxin  concentration in the raw water. A consultation should  be held with the health authorities for on-going  assessment of the status of the bloom and of the suitability  of treated water for human consumption. Monitoring  should be conducted at least once per week. It may also be appropriate at this time to issue advisory notices to the public through the media or other means. Government departments or interested authorities or those with legal responsibilities should also be contacted, as should organizations that treat or care for members of the public with special needs. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Alert Level 2 is initiated when 100,000 cells per ml or 10-mm3/l biovolume or 50 ÃŽÂ ¼g/l chlorophyll-a are detected, with the presence of toxins confirmed by chemical or bioassay techniques. This density of cells corresponds to an established, toxic bloom with high biomass and possibly also localized scums. In this situation there is a need for effective water treatment systems and an assessment of the performance of the system. Hydro-physical measures to reduce cyanobacteria growth may still be attempted. If efficient water treatments are not available (see technical annex), a contingency water supply plan should be activated. In extreme situations, safe drinking water should be supplied to consumers in tanks and bottles. Media releases and contact with consumers should be undertaken via mail of leaflets informing that water may present danger for human consumption but is still suitable for the purposes of washing, laundry and toilet flushing. National water quality monitoring programs Few national water quality monitoring programmes include parameters which indicate eutrophication or a risk of algal or cyanobacterial overgrowth. In Europe, North America, Japan and Australia, local monitoring plans which check the occurrence of toxic species in areas where shellfish or fish are consumed, are implemented. This is based on sampling at strategic points and analysis of phytoplankton and/or shellfish. The frequency of sampling generally depends on the sea- son. Table 6 summarizes the monitoring systems in some EU Member States. They only allow the monitoring of toxic blooms, which are only a part of the eutrophication consequences. Technologies such as satellite imaging can be used to monitor large water bodies. The same technique can be applied to monitor the extent of high chlorophyll-a concentrations reflecting the phytoplankton biomass of the upper layers of the eutrophic area. Possible parameters used for monitoring purposes According to the definition of eutrophication, it is clear that formulae such as an increase of x grams of bottom macrophytes per square meter or y micrograms chlorophyll-a per litre are not suitable to define a threshold, which, when exceeded, will describe eutrophication. Such unique parameter does not exist. Moreover, in order to define the magnitude of eutrophication, two measurements are required: That of the system in its reference conditions, and in its current or predicted future condition. As baseline data for a site is the exception rather than the rule, this makes it difficult to test eutrophication using a case-by-case approach. Nevertheless, as the first signs of adverse eutrophication is a decrease in the oxygen concentration in the lower layers of the water body of stagnant waters, and an increase in pH due to photosynthesis (CO2 depletion), these parameters, together with direct microscopic observations, are likely to be the only ones that can help forecast the likelihood of the start of such a process as long as a model integrating physical conditions, nutrient inputs and biological effects has not been locally validated. Prevention25,26 The causes that drive eutrophication are multiple and the mechanisms involved are complex. Several elements should be considered in order to assess the possible actions aimed at counteracting nutrient enrichment of water supplies. The use of computerised models now allows a better understanding of the role of each factor, and forecasting the efficiency of various curative and preventive measures. The best way to avoid eutrophication is to try to disrupt those mechanisms that are under human control; this clearly means to reduce the input of nutrients into the water basins. Such a control unfortunately does not have a linear effect on the eutrophication intensity. Integrated management should comprise: à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Identification of all nutrient sources. Such information can be acquired by studies of the catchment area of the water supply. Knowledge of industrial activities, discharge practices and localization, as well as agricultural practices (fertilizer contribution/plant use and localization of crops) is necessary in order to plan and implement actions aiming at limiting the nutrient enrichment of water. The identification of sewage discharge points, agricultural practices, the nature of the soil, the vegetation, and the interaction between the soil and the water can be of great help in knowing which areas should be targeted. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Knowledge of the hydrodynamics of the water body, particularly the way nutrients are transported, and of the vulnerability of the aquifer, will allow determination of the ways by which the water is enriched with nutrients. Anthropogenic nutrient point sources such as nontreated industrial and domestic wastewater discharge can be minimized by systematic use of wastewater treatments. In sensitive aeras, industries and local authorities should control the level of nutrients in the treated wastewater by the use of specific denitrification or phosphorus removal treatments. Diffuse anthropogenic nutrient sources can be controlled by soil conservation techniques and fertilizer restrictions. Knowledge of the agronomic balance (ratio of fertilizer contribution to plant use) is very relevant to optimize the fertilization practice and to limit the loss of nutrients. Diffuse nutrient losses will be reduced by implementation at farm level of good practices such as: à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Fertilization balance, for nitrogen and phosphorus, e.g. adequation of nutrients supply to the needs of the crop with reasonable expected yields, taking into account soil and atmospheric N supply. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Regular soil nutrients analysis, fertilization plans and registers at plot level. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Sufficient manure storage capacities, for spreading of manure at appropriate periods. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Green cover of soils during winter, use of catchcrops in crop rotations. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Unfertilized grass buffer strips (or broad hedges) along watercourses and ditches. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Promotion of permanent grassland, rather than temporary forage crops. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Prevention of erosion of sloping soils. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Precise irrigation management (e.g. drip irrigation, fertilisation, soil moisture control). In coastal areas, improvement in the dispersion of nutrients, either through the multiplication of discharge points or through the changing of their localization, can help to avoid localized high levels of nutrients. Reuse and recycling, in aquaculture and agriculture, of waters rich in nutrients can be optimized in order to avoid discharge into the water body and direct consumption of the nutrients by the local flora and fauna. Water resources are environmental assets and therefore have a price. There are market-based methods to estimate costs and benefits, and these make it possible to use cost- benefit analysis as a useful tool to assess the economic effects of abatement of eutrophication or other pollution problems. Benefits range from higher quality drinking water and reduced health risks (Photo 29) to improved recreational uses (Photo 30). The effects on human health from the lack of sanitation and the chronic effects of toxic algal blooms are two of the many indirect effects resulting from eutrophication. Numerous cost-benefit analyses of pollution abatement have clearly demonstrated that the total costs to society of no pollution reduction is much higher than at least a reasonable pollution reduction. Consequently, it is necessary to examine the prevention of pollution and restoration of water quality in lakes and reservoirs from an economic standpoint. The result of such examinations should be appli ed to assess effluent charges and green taxes. International experience shows that these economic instruments are reasonably effective in improving water quality and solving related water pollution problems. Thus, effective planning and management of lakes and reservoirs depends not only on a sound understanding of these water-bodies as ecological systems but also of their value to people as recreational areas and water resources. In the past, several management strategies were developed and applied to solve problems of decreasing surface and groundwater quality. These were often a response to acute critical situations resulting in increased costs of water. The demand for good quality fresh water was only solved partially and locally; this was because too few resources were allocated too late to solve the problems. Early prevention is by far the cheapest method to avoid later pollution. Eutrophication Management Recognizing that the specific needs of policy-makers and administrators are usually different from those of the strictly technical audience, the primary purpose of this digest is to provide quantitative tools for assessing the state of eutrophication of lakes and reservoirs; to provide a framework for developing cost-effective eutrophication management strategies; to provide a basis upon which strategies can be tailored for each specific case according to the physical, social, institutional, regulatory and economic characteristics of the local area or region; and to provide specific technical guidance and case studies regarding the effective management of eutrophication. The approach presented in this document (Figure 1) also is sufficiently general that it can be applied, with relative little modification, to the assessment of other environmental problems and to the development of effective management strategies for such problems. An approach for achieving the basic objectives stated above consists of the following components, applied approximately in the order presented: identify eutrophication problem and establish management goals; assess the extent of information available about the lake/reservoir; identify available options for management of eutrophication; analyze all costs and expected benefits of alternative management/control options; analyze adequacy of existing institutional and regulatory framework for implementing alternative management strategies; select desired control strategy and distribute summary to interested parties prior to implementation; and provide periodic progress reports on control programme to public and other interested parties. designation of bad (unacceptable) versus good (acceptable) water quality in this digest is based on the specific intended use or uses of the water resource. That is, water quality management goals for a lake or reservoir should be a function of the major purpose(s) for which the water is to be used. Obviously, there are water quality conditions to be avoided because of their interference with water uses. Ideally, for example, a lake or reservoir used as a drinking water supply should have water quality as close to an oligotrophy state as possible, since this would insure that only a minimum amount of pre-treatment would be necessary to yield a water suitable for human consumption. For such a waterbody, the content of phytoplankton (and their metabolic products) in the water should be as low as possible to facilitate this goal. Further, if the water is taken from the bottom waters of a lake during the summer (usually the period of maximum algal growth), it should be free of interferring substances resulting from decomposition of dead algal cells. Eutrophic lakes and reservoirs also could be used as a drinking water supply. However, extensive pre-treatment would be necessary before the water was suitable for human consumption. Some water uses may require no treatment at all, regardless of the existing water quality. Examples are fire-fighting purposes and the transport of commercial goods by ship. Further, in areas with extremely limited water resources, virtually all of the water may be used for various purposes (with or without treatment), regardless of its quality. Therefore, although humans can use water exhibiting a range of water quality, there is a desirable or optimal water quality for virtually any type of water usage. Though it is not quantitative in nature, a summary of intended water uses and the optimal versus minimally-acceptable trophic state for such uses is provided in Table 3. In addition, an example of the values of several commonly measured water quality parameters corresponding to different trophic conditions, based on the international eutrophication study of the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (1982), is provided in Table 4. Thus, it is possible to identify acce ptable or optimal water quality for given water uses. Given these factors, a prudent approach in setting eutrophication management goals is to determine the minimum water quality and trophic conditions acceptable for the primary use or uses of the lake or reservoir (Table 1), and attempt to manage the water body so that these conditions are achieved. In a given situation, if the primary use or uses of a waterbody is hindered by existing water quality, or else requires water quality or trophic conditions not being met in the waterbody, this signals the need for remedial or control programmes to achieve the necessary in-lake conditions. 21 the problem? The governmental role It is recognized that a range of different forms of government, as well as economic conditions, exist around the world. Consequently it is difficult to provide general guidelines regarding the role of the government in environmental protection efforts that will cover all possible situations. However, virtually all nations also contain some type of civil service infrastructure which, if properly used, can be an effective instrument with which to address governmental concerns. Even so, as noted earlier, not all

Knowledge Management Knowledge Creation in Organization

Knowledge Management Knowledge Creation in Organization In the present age, knowledge management (KM) is playing increasingly important role in both public and private organizations. However, there are many organizations did not realize the importance of KM. This value asset can contribute most of learning organizations in achieving their business aims and goals. To compete effectively in this twenty first century, organizations need to be aware on the environment changes within the organization and they needs to be the one that creates information and knowledge. In order to achieve this, both top management and support staff must be active key players in creating knowledge. Creating knowledge is not the matter of learning from others or obtaining knowledge from outside but knowledge must be built on its own through communication and interaction among people in the organization. Moreover, knowledge creation is part of knowledge management that is seen as heart to the successful of organizations where KM tasks involved in capturing the cre ativity, sharing and utilization of knowledge as well as professional that provides with competitive edge. This article is critically emphasizes on knowledge management and knowledge creation with SECI model, Ba concept and case study in regard to organizational adaption, survival and competence. Keywords: knowledge, knowledge management, knowledge creation, SECI model Ba concept, competitive edge, tacit and explicit knowledge Introduction Knowledge is now seems to be the significant to organization success where organization able to secure its competitive advantage and competent to achieve sustainable superior performance. As pointed out in Migliarese and Verteramo (2005) article based on Alvesson (1995), Drucker (1988) Nonaka and Takeuchi (1995), Prusak (1997), many authors agreed that this competitive advantage relies on the ability to create new knowledge, to spread it throughout the organization and also to express that knowledge in products, services and systems. Knowledge creation also should be important part in any business strategy as this has agreed by many executives (Migliarese and Verteramo 2005). While organizational capability to create knowledge is the most important source of organization to sustain its competitive advantage (Junnakar, 1997; Nonaka et al., 2000; Parent et al., 2000). While organizational knowledge creation, need to be understood as a process that organizationally increases by individuals and develops it as a part of the knowledge network of the organization (Nonaka and Takeuchi, 1995). Tacit and explicit knowledge are another crucial element that involved in the creating of knowledge. Tacit knowledge is important in creating knowledge in organization where logically this knowledge is created only by individuals. Nowadays, technology is crucial element that contributes to the creating of knowledge; however, knowledge management is not a technology. Technology is only a platform that enabled the activities of creati on and people is the one who produce the knowledge. Knowledge Management Concept There are numerous of knowledge management concept has been defined by various researchers and practitioners and there is no limitation to defined it. The concept of knowledge management in todays globalization world has brought to widen aspect, where it applies based on the circumstances of certain place, time as well as space. According to Awad and Ghaziri (2001) in their book of Knowledge Management, considered the knowledge management concept as a new interdisciplinary business model that has knowledge within the framework of an organization as its focus. Knowledge management is not only emphasizes on specific area of subject but it also covers all aspect of life comprising business, economic, psychology and information management. Becerra-Fernandez et al. (2004) have defined knowledge management as doing what is needed to get the most out of knowledge resources. Based on Awad and Ghaziri (2001) as taken from Malhotra (1999) stated that knowledge management provides to the seriou s issues of organizational adaption, survival and competence in the aspect of progressively discontinuous environmental. Basically, it represents organizational processes that seek synergistic combination of data and information processing capacity of information technology and the creative and innovative capacity of human beings. In addition, knowledge management is seen as a repository where the composed of facts and information that can be stored, retrieved and transferred in order to run the business organization effectively. Besides, knowledge management also is more than getting the right information to the right individual at the right time. In upon of views by Nonaka and Takeuchi (1995), people do not only receive new knowledge passively but they interpret the knowledge actively in order to fit with their own situation and perspectives. Further, knowledge management assists people to share and put information in action in order to achieve the organization goals. However, Bodhanya (2008) argued that knowledge management cannot be considered as important for organizational success in the contemporary world because this may only be the case under certain conditions. Knowledge management is really about the relationships between people, process and technology in overlapping parts (Figure 1). In order to manage knowledge, organization must first list its people, systems and decisions as well. Even though there are still have yet to agree the definition on knowledge management from researchers and practitioners (Awad and Ghaziri, 2001), each definition of knowledge management should include the above three important elements as these elements enable the organization to position itself and has positive impact on business processes. Knowledge K Figure 1: Overlapping human, organizational and technological factors of KM Source: Awad, E.M. Ghaziri, H. M. Knowledge Management. International ed. Upper Saddle River, New Jersey: Prentice Hall, 2004 Knowledge Creation Sabel (1994) as cited by Diego Puga and Daniel Trefler (2002) pointed out that knowledge creation is about shifting products and processes in theoretically ways of unpredictable. While as Soo, Divenney and Midgley (1999) have stated that knowledge creation is broadly known to be strategically essential for both organizational learning and innovation. In a different views, Nonaka and Takeuchi (1995) said knowledge creation is basically depends on the mobilization and conversion of tacit knowledge. In the other hand, knowledge can be created through the process of tacit knowledge transfer as well as the conversion of tacit knowledge to explicit knowledge. In addition, Choi and Lee (2002) referred to the views of Bloodgood and Salibury (2001) and Bohn (1994) said that, the continuous process that involves individuals and group of people within the organization and between organization share tacit and explicit knowledge is also known as knowledge creation. While for Ratcheva (2003) new k nowledge creation is collectively constructed and embedded in the organising practices of virtual teams activities. As written by Balestrin, Vargas and Fayard (2008) in their articles that taken from Nonaka and Takeuchi (1995), knowledge creation is considered as a process of knowledge conversion. Knowledge conversion is the interaction between tacit and explicit knowledge in the innovative of human beings activities where they are not isolated entities but complimentary entities. Nonaka and Takeuchi (1995) have introduced a model of knowledge creation known as SECI model that involved socialization, externalization, combination and internalization. SECI process will be function effectively with the support of proper context (Balestrin, Vargas and Fayard 2008) that covers the aspect of time, space and relationship between people in the organization. However, for Awad and Ghaziri (2001), the knowledge creation is related to the updated knowledge which is based on the experiences in a certain problem area and utilizes the new knowledge in combination with initial knowledge in order to update the knowledge for the purpose of knowledge sharing. In different point of views by Lehaney et al. (2004), knowledge creation is a key factor in competitiveness in a service economy where the creation of new ideas, new methods to market the existing products, upgraded old products and brand new products are all based on idea. Two Dimensions of Knowledge Creation According to Daud et al. (2008), knowledge creation has two dimensions, which are epistemological and ontological. The epistemological knowledge creation dimension comprises of both tacit and explicit knowledge. As mentioned in the book of The Knowledge Creating Company by Nonaka and Takeuchi (1995), tacit knowledge is personal where it is difficult to formalize and communicate as it basically in peoples mind such as ideas and thought while explicit knowledge is a knowledge that is transmittable in formal with systematic language. However Daud et al. (2008) defined explicit knowledge as a knowledge that is described in symbols such as mathematical formula and statements. The interaction between tacit and explicit knowledge is presented in the Nonaka and Takeuchi SECI model. This model is basically shows the relationship between tacit and explicit knowledge with different modes of knowledge conversion in order to develop important information and knowledge as for the business purposes . In ontological knowledge creation dimension, it emphasizes more on the different level of knowledge creating entities which involves individual, group, organization and inter-organization (Daud et al., 2008). The concept of ontological dimension can be portrayed that it is impossible to create knowledge without a people where knowledge only can be created by them. Organization also need to have a clear understanding towards the created knowledge and should constitute it as a part of knowledge network of the organization. Knowledge Creation and Four Modes of Knowledge Conversion Based on the assumption that knowledge is created through the collaboration between tacit and explicit knowledge made by Nonaka and Takeuchi (1995), allows them to produce model of SECI modes. These four different modes were presented in the simple square box (Figure 2) and the conversion of knowledge consists of socialization (tacit knowledge to tacit knowledge), externalization (tacit knowledge to explicit knowledge), combination (explicit knowledge to explicit knowledge) and internalization (explicit knowledge to tacit knowledge). In socialization modes, knowledge is created through the interaction between people and mental models or knowledge sharing among team members in the organizations such as team meetings and discussion. As stated by Nonaka and Takeuchi (1995), individual can acquire tacit knowledge without language. While the concept of combination modes refer to the process of socialization where it merges different type of explicit knowledge that is produced by individual. This mode will be take place when individuals exchange and merge knowledge such as through meetings and phone conversation. According to Nonaka and Takeuchi (1995), the reconfiguring of existing information through the sorting, adding, recategorizing and recontextualizing of explicit knowledge can assist in the production of new knowledge. Another two modes is the knowledge conversion process of both tacit to explicit communication also referred to as externalization and internalization modes. Externalization mode is very important in articulating among team through dialogue such as formal meeting and brainstorming. The process helps the team members to articulate the hidden tacit knowledge. This mode is different with internalization mode where it related to learning by doing such as a report and deducing ideas or taking constructive action. Socialization Externalization Combination Internalization Tacit Knowledge Tacit Knowledge Explicit Knowledge Explicit Knowledge Figure 2: Conversion of knowledge between tacit and explicit forms Source: Nonaka and Takeuchi (1995) Principally, in order to ensure the SECI process occurs effectively, Balestrin et al., (2008) said a proper context is required. This proper context referred to the concept of ba that developed by Nonaka and Konno (1998). The ba concept is originally created by Kitaro Nishida (Nonaka and Konno, 1998) which means multi context place (Kivijarvi, 2008). According to Nonaka, Toyama and Konno (2001, p. 22) ba can be defined as a shared context in which knowledge is shared, created and utilize. Each ba in ba concept supports a particular mode of knowledge conversion in the SECI process (Nonaka and Konno, 1998; Balestrin et al., 2008) as represented in Figure 2. This topic of ba concept will be explained further in the next topic. Knowledge Creation and the Characteristic of the Four Types of Ba According to Nonaka and Konno (1998), ba concept consists of four types of elements namely originating ba, interacting ba, cyber ba and exercising ba. While, Nonaka et al., (2002) have categorized it with different name of ba, there are originating ba, dialoguing ba, systemitizing ba and exercising ba. However, both opinions have similar concept. Each ba supports a particular mode of SECI model (Nonaka and Konno, 1998; Nonaka et al., 2002) and this lead to increase the speed of knowledge creation within the organization (Nonaka and Konno, 1998). For John and Cook (2001), it is very important to understand the characteristics of ba with the relationship of knowledge creation modes (SECI modes) to enhance organizational knowledge. Within a given perspective, this article will be followed the terms created by Nonaka et al. (2002). C:UsersIJAPictures2.jpg Figure 3: Types of Ba Source: Nonaka, Toyama and Konno (2002) taken from Balestrin et al. (2008) Originating ba is the beginning of the process of knowledge creation where it involves socialization mode (SECI model). Originating ba is the situation where individuals share their feelings, emotions, experiences and mental models. This can be achieved through the face to face interaction such as social gatherings and informal meetings (Trips and visits). Dialoguing ba is the second phase of ba concept where it refers to the situation where dialogue is a key to the conversion between people. This ba supports the conversion and articulation of tacit knowledge into a more external form. This means, individuals share their experiences and abilities, and finally transform it into common terms and concepts. While systematizing ba is the situation where it offers a context that combine explicit knowledge with the existing knowledge in the organization. For exercising ba, it allows the knowledge that has been socialized, externalized and systematized to be interpreted again or in the other hand it offers a context for the internalization of the knowledge again. Ba concept can be applied in the organization where it will guide an assist organization in analysing valuable basis for knowledge creation. As mentioned by Nonaka and Konnon (1998) awareness of different categories of ba can enable successful support of knowledge creation. Case Studies: Knowledge Creation in Organization This section will be presented one case studies about knowledge creation in the organization with the adaption of ba concept. Knowledge creation within the AGIVEST network Association of Rio Grande do Sul (AGIVEST) is a clothing industry that is located in southern Brazil. Based on the case study done in this small firm network, it was found out that majority knowledge is created from the information and knowledge sharing through the interaction between people in the organization. And this knowledge sharing occurs informally between the businessmen. Besides, several spaces in which this factor takes place in the network were identified. It was discovered that the effective process of knowledge creation in the AGIVEST that supported by the different types of ba concept lead to the creation of valuable knowledge assets in order to develop value and competitive differential for the organization. Various types of ba were identified and each type of ba identified works as different situation that promotes an effective platform as to make knowledge creation easier between the network firms. Based on the findings, there are 7 (seven) types of ba have been identified which consist of meetings at firms, assemblies, social gatherings, trips and visits to fairs, courses and lectures, strategic planning and electronic space. All the types of ba have been categorized according to respective ba as represented in Figure 4 below. As can be seen in the Figure 4, visits to factories, trips and visits to fairs and social gatherings and informal meetings were group under originating ba. As discussed above originating ba is a platform for individual to socialize with others through face to face interaction which they can share their feelings as well as experiences. In AGIVEST, the visits by businessmen between network industries assist them to identify enhancements of their business in the aspect of production processes, technologies and other production concepts. Through the visits and social gatherings also help them to strengthen the relationship between industries and increase the trustworthiness among networks. In fact, AGIVEST businessmen obtained chances to know the other experiences and cooperate together on the trends and challenges as well. C:UsersIJAPictures1.jpg Figure 3: Types of Ba in the AGIVEST Source: Balestrin et al. (2008) While in dialoguing ba, assist AGIVEST in to develop a good strategy in order to ensure their business stay competitive with others. It also helps in structuring their best network strategy planning as it were participated by all network businessmen. Through formal assemblies, they can take an action based on the planning that has been structured at collective decision making process in order to achieve its business goals and objectives. Electronic communication and courses and lectures occur under the systematizing ba. This stage helps the businessmen to share their knowledge that has been received from the previous stage of ba. As stated by Henderson and Sussman (1997), computer mediated communication may lead to the development quality knowledge creation through forum, and sharing beliefs, in order to confirming consensual interpretation and allowing expression of new ideas. However, limitation on it ensued in AGIVEST due to the systematization resources for knowledge was fragile and deficient, mainly in the aspect of non-existence of use of IT system. Finally, exercising ba was taken place as to produce new management concept and new production process. In short, by applying the ba concept, it helps the AGIVEST in observing the interaction between their networks that lead to the creation of knowledge. From the collected findings, it was discovered that most of the knowledge creation occurred in the AGIVEST was resulted from the informal communication between the businessmen. However, this evidence is not actually a definitive theory but it purposes to encourage further research concerning on knowledge creation and small firm network in the academic community. Conclusion As conclusion, many different types of knowledge can be created within the organization. Basically knowledge creation occurs in the organization is resulted from the interaction between people in the organization, and then this knowledge is captured and share among them for the purpose of business development. According to Ratcheva (2003), the creation of new knowledge is socially embedded in interaction and communication practices. She also said that new knowledge creation processes in virtual partnership exist in in the networks of professionals and the interaction and communication forms and rules established amongst team members decide how knowledge is gathered. Every individual in organization need to participate in the process of knowledge creation as this will lead to produce good answer to the presence problem. This method is very useful because by sharing knowledge whether in both formal and informal meetings can develop new management concept as well as better solutions for specific problems as these meetings were participated by various levels of people in the organization. All of them may contribute an idea based on their experiences at different level of job environments. However, according to Roth (2003) it is a challenge for all organizations to enhance effective knowledge creation within and between diverse knowledge areas, as significant in the deep professional knowledge area as in the cross-functional team area or other communities of practice. In reality, most of the existing study done on knowledge creation is emphasizes on the source and state of knowledge (John and Cook, 2001). Further study on this topic is needed to identify more comprehensive approach towards the creation of organizational knowledge, where the successful process of knowledge creation is resulted from the much cooperation and knowledge sharing between many organizations. Based on John and Cook (2001), research is needed where it must be beyond the source and state of knowledge in order to consider the conditions that enable knowledge creation. BIBLIOGRAPHY MLA Awad, E.M. Ghaziri, H. M. Knowledge Management. International ed. Upper Saddle River, New Jersey: Prentice Hall, 2004 Adamo, Jean-Marc. Data Mining for Association Rules and Sequential Patterns: Sequential and Parallel Algorithms. United States, America: Springer-Verlag New York Inc., 2001. An Introduction to Data Mining. January 25, 2010. Data Mining. January 25, 2010. Data Mining Picture. February 10, 2010. Data Mining: What is Data Mining? January 25, 2010. Decision tree technique picture. February 10, 2010. Dennis, C., David M. 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