Management Philosophy Essay

Diversity trainer through the National Multi-Cultural Institute (NMCI) which is based out of Washington DC. Bahaudin worked as a manager, an Internal Consultant, Trainer, and Teacher at the Education and Training Development Department of Human Resources with Publix Super Markets Inc. for sixteen years. Bahaudin has been a visitor or speaker on conferences in the United States of America, Vietnam, Malaysia, Afghanistan, Pakistan, India, Brazil, Jamaica, Bahamas, St. Lucia, Thailand, Myanmar (Burma), Grenada, and several other Caribbean countries. Bahaudin was born in Khoshie of Logar and raised in Kabul of Afghanistan. Bahaudin finished his high school degree and higher education in the United States. Management Philosophy: Some of Bahaudin’s favorite management concepts, which he has used in practice, happen to be Self-fulfilling Prophecy, Theory Y View of Motivation, Management by Objective and Management by Walking Around. Managers are likely to get exactly what they expect from themselves and their employees. Bahaudin believes that most people want to do a good job, especially when they are given the right tools, educational developments and performance opportunities. He prefers leading people and managing systems. Bahaudin likes to clarify his overall objectives, set realistic goals and then work to achieve them in a realistic timeframe. According to Bahaudin, the journey of working toward the achievement of one’s goals itself can certainly be one way to happiness. As they say, happiness is the way. Bahaudin truly believes that happiness is a journey, and not a destination. Happiness is the progressive realization of worthwhile and predetermined goals. So, set your goals and, as someone said, then â€Å"work like you don’t need money; study like you are a noble prize winner; love like you’ve never been hurt; and dance like no one’s watching. Have a positive attitude and, when possible, make a difference in at least one person’s life. Remember, if you can perceive and believe a better state of being, then you are very likely to achieve it as well. Overall, learn as much as you can; stretch yourself as far as possible, but not beyond; never settle for less than your capabilities; aim for total integrity; and be the best that you can be! As an effective manager and leader, may you have the hindsight to know where you have been; the foresight to know where you are going; and the insight to know when you are about to go too far.

Organization Behavior Concepts on the US Army Essay

Many organizations today offer unique perspectives into the possibilities for organizational structure, culture and behavior. Given the United States’ system of government and inherent freedoms, these areas are not often easily controlled or mandated. Corporations tend to impart a â€Å"feel-good† attitude were employees are asked to be nice to one another and the hierarchy seeks to keep a stable, friendly atmosphere. Promotions are based on performance evaluations, sometimes aligned with the contents of a grievance folder. If any grievances have been filed against an individual, these items are considered during the promotion process, but the contents are not standardized typically. The US Army handles this entire environment differently. Personnel voluntarily sign up with the organization, but are there after held to a strict moral code for three to eight years. The US Army has created a model of organizational structure, which gives them direct control over its anticipated culture and behavior. Reprimands are swift and complete. This paper will consider the many aspects of US Army organization and the impacts this has on three Main Organizational Behavior concepts as presented in the 2005 Robbins text: Organizational Structure, Organizational Culture and Group Behavior, suggesting the US Army has created an efficient and proscriptive model. The Viet Nam war caused many changes within the US Army. The conflicts and reprimands of soldiers from civilian and military personnel increased because of this Conflict. Theft and dishonesty grew from the distinct depression of morale in soldiers, causing a ripple effect of poor behavior. The US Army formed a committee to address the issue, which met at Fort Ord in California. Organizational Effectiveness grew from this time, giving the Army its own program to change the behaviors and attitudes of it members. â€Å"The Merit Reward System evolved from this project. Trainees and cadre members were rewarded for behavior that was clearly related to high performance and to high morale,† (Deaner, 1991, p. 13). This particular aspect of the former system lives on as a mainstay in US Army culture. In offering a payment for soldier behavior as well as performance, the US Army sets itself apart from the usual difficulties of control. Soldiers are beholden to its employers for the length of their contract, defunct behavior landing them in an â€Å"employee jail† or the brig. But, this overall control also allows the US Army to solely promote from within, reward through medals and advancement, and to offer prime employment locations through station selection. This reward structure is not available to other organizations, setting the US Army apart in its control of Organizational Structure and Culture, as well Group Behavior. The US Army no longer uses Organizational Effectiveness program. Its failing has been labeled as self-inflicted† by Deaner (1991, p. 18) although it is still used by outside organizations today. The basic principles as tested in the former system have evolved into a much more efficient and serviceable behavior model. Leadership remains the focal point in controlling the atmosphere in any organization. â€Å"In choosing the most appropriate procedures for developing leaders, an organization must first determine what leadership precisely entails,† (Campbell & Dardis, 2004, p. 27). The US Army has developed a definitive set of cultural guidelines for its organization. Leaders are expected to possess certain qualities, which will not only allow them the capacity to perform, but also to guide and influence others to do the right thing. In maintaining this strict code of ethics through promotion and contractual continuation, the US Army offers a unique perspective on Group Behavior, Organizational Structure and Culture. This format has been aligned into what is known as the â€Å"Be, Know, Do† model. Shaped and modeled by actual experience in developing officers and non-commissioned officers in the different branches of the U. S. Army, various drafts and versions of the BKD model have influenced Army leadership doctrine for over 50 years. Thus, the Army’s long-term continuing reliance on the model offers strong evidence of its robustness,† (Campbell & Dardis, 2004, p. 27). This model offers a construct for the entire premise behind the core value system imbedded within the structure of the US Army. Group behavior is aligned through a definitive chain of expectation prior to advancement to higher paying status. Cadence to control stepping in the same foothold, formations to align each body within the group, uniform control: all of these contribute to the maintenance of group behavior, offering individuals the chance to see themselves as a working part of a group. â€Å"Now a typical American soldier has a high school diploma, and many are college-educated. More than 50 percent of the military service members are married, and many have children attending the US Department of Defense dependent school system,† (Macdonald & Myers, 2005, p. 18). This distinct change in personnel adds to the efficiency of the US Army machine. Increasingly educated, ethics are becoming a fundamental staple in US Army culture. Although there are obvious inconsistencies (as with the Iraqi Prisoner of War scandal), the US Army still emerges as a leader in influencing the moral and ethical decisions its employees make. The most obvious difference between the US Army culture and that of typical business organizations comes from the complete sense of community created. â€Å"Like all civilian cities or counties, on-base military neighborhoods have key stakeholders that contribute to the growth of the entire community,† (MacDonald & Myers, 2005, p. 1). Where the typical corporation has employees living anywhere they chose, many US Army employees live either on base, or very near by. This close proximity offers the employees a direct influence on their environment and living arrangements. The spouses of employed personnel are involved in the â€Å"company† as it were. Complete communities are created to draw the family units of personnel into the mix, offering shopping centers, gas stations, libraries, schools, hospitals and even its own selections of medical personnel. Every aspect of life is shared and standardized. Cookie-cutter style housing offers levels of improvement within the ranking status. Similar-ranked people are afforded duplicate housing, often times on the same street or area of the base. High-ranking officials live in homes of higher value, yet still grouped in the same area of the base. This allows the employees a chance to solidify their performance and solidify the cohesiveness of the group. If an employee wants the better housing, salary and playground, he or she must gain education, perform admirably and meet specified standards in performance. The rewards are visibly set before the individual to further entice coherence and unity. A study performed by Pascale, Millemann and Goija considered the cultural differences in Sears, Shell and the US Army searching for key identifiers in how the culture of these organizations are affected by the employees in terms of culture within the companies. They concluded â€Å"power, identity, conflict and learning† were the base elements in these organizations (Pascale, Millemann & Goija, 1997, p. 129). Nowhere is the transformational power of re-socialization more evident than at three highly unusual U.  S. Army training centers-at Fort Irwin, California; Fort Polk, Louisiana; and Hoenfelds, Germany. In fact, the training is sufficiently remarkable to have been studied by the chief education officers at Shell, Sears, Motorola, and GE, and by senior delegations from every country in Western Europe, Russia, and most nations of Asia, Latin America, and the Middle East. † (Pascale, Millemann & Goija, 1997, p. 134) The US Army has proven itself a leader in the creation of group behavior inline with the culture mandated by the organization. The interest of some many other countries indicates the US Army is an innovator in terms of structure and culture when sending troops and families off to become a part of another base. The culture remains under the same umbrella, allowing each a smooth transition despite the massive size of the organization. The very nature of military structure is unified in many countries. Soldiers are most often located in a central area, with families supported directly from the pay of the soldiers in question. In maintaining the group atmosphere of the military units, the governments expect, and often see a solidified goal structure. Group effectiveness is the extent to which explicit groups goals, that are assigned by the organization, are achieved. The successful attainment of such goals includes both the quality of group outputs as well as their timeliness,† (Langfred, 2000, p. 569). Although Langfred did an empirical study of the Danish Army to prove his theories of unit cohesion, the structure of the tests directly applies to the US Army as well. Cohesiveness in terms of group goals and communications were paramount in forming the cohesive units required for standardization. The US Army, however, is a leader in community structure in that the support often far-outreaches the constructs of similar organizations. The uniformity is across the board in terms of family support, job description, promotional evaluations and ethical standards. The beginnings of the US Army are directly connected to its cohesiveness of today. Originally designed as a conscription service where legions were formed by required participation of any and all applicable men, the organization itself has transformed into a voluntary unit of men and women. Originally devised from people of all age, economic and social stratus, anyone can now enlist provided they have at least a General Education Diploma (GED). The elitist nature from the past of the upper echelon serving as officers, and their subsequent promotions based on time-in-service over actual performance has changed drastically. According to an article written by Andrew Birtle, the change took a long time, but now allows anyone proving their worth and moral code can advance. Socio-economic status no longer remains as a qualifier for promotion or advancement. Although not a perfect system by any means, nepotism being obvious in some lines of service, the US Army provides a distinct design for the creation of cohesiveness and unification across behavior and cultural lines of organization (2003). The US Army has taken the advantages and cultural mores within its organization and applied them to harmony among all lines, to include race relations. â€Å"The Army has no peer in its broad record of promotions of blacks to positions of influence,† (Racial Integration, 2001, p. 35). Although not perfect by any means, the US Army still maintains this distinct line of communication and promotion for all its soldiers. Within each unit, the Army maintains an Equal Opportunity Officer who will listen and record any and all forms of complaint due to discrimination, sexual, racial, or other. All complaints are written down and added to applicable personnel files following a thorough investigation. At each promotional stage in the soldiers career, these files are considered, thus offering a distinct incentive to avoid disharmony or bigoted hate. â€Å"The Army is probably the only important institution in the U.  S. where whites don’t get promoted if they show racist behavior,† (Racial Integration, 2001, p. 35). In conclusion, the US Army offers a unique environment controlling and influencing the Organizational Culture and Group Behavior through its differentiated Organizational Structure. In maintaining a similar environment for soldiers and their families, the US Army homogenizes the livelihood of its employees through unification across the board. The promotional structure offered directly entices soldiers to conform in order to gain a better life and environment for themselves and their families. Although not easily duplicated in the business world, many companies have studied the US Army for innovative approaches to standardizing their own commercial culture. â€Å"The first step toward restoring organizational vitality is to engage every employee in the company’s principal challenges,† (Pascale, Millemann & Gioja, 1997, p. 131). The model used by the US Army controls the majority of situations within its construct and if studied further would offer commercial enterprises a blueprint applicable to other avenues of business organizations and their organizational behavior models. The unique Organizational Structure of the US Army dictates not only the Organizational Culture and Group Behavior; it also influences the Decision Making process, Motivation, Communication, Power and Politics, Human Resource Management and Change Management inherent in any large organization. The unique structure considers each of these aspects of organizational behavior and builds a concise view and standard operating procedures to control and maintain its vision of it future and mission. Although this paper looked at only three aspects, the US Army offers a distinctive model for any Organizational Behavior study.

Cyber Bullying, Its Forms, Impact, and Relationship to Juvenile Delinquency Essay

Technology has brought tremendous changes to human lives. It literally changes everything. The start of the new millennium has brought remarkable changes in global perspectives. The idea of unknown possibility and unexplored world landscape vanished. In a sense the huge world, which people can thought was so vast that one cannot travel from one end to the other without spending one’s generation, shrank. According to Mapue, (2006), societies grew from interactional to isolated populace where each spends most of his time sitting in front of a computer. With the advent of such revolution the concept of Cyberspace was born and with it, the lives of the people and how they interact with one another correspondingly and dramatically changed. Cyberspace has brought tremendous changes to human lives since its emergence. Gibson (1982) in his short story ‘Burning Chrome’ coined the term ‘cyberspace’ to a computer generated virtual reality. According to him, cyberspace is the name of a real non-space world, which is characterized by the ability for virtual presence of and interaction between, people through ‘icons, waypoints and artificial realities’. Through the Internet major development paves way in society. The Internet creates new ways for citizens to communicate, come together, and share information of a social nature. It is obvious that the Internet has and will continue to change the way people live. Every day, the Internet expands by the social, political, and economic activities of people all over the world, and its impact can be seen everywhere. In this present time there is no geographical separation or borders that can hinder people to communicate elsewhere. All people now can participate and contribute drawing on their experiences and resources. In cyberspace, actions and reactions are essentially instantaneous, and this is why the Internet is so gratifying and attractive. This is why it has impacted society in almost all areas of human endeavor. As in any other field in life there are the negative aspects that the Internet has brought to humans. The digital era has promised users the potential to access information anywhere at any time. When the state adopted the Bill of Rights guaranteeing that â€Å"Congress shall make no law †¦ abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press,† few people have foreseen that any person of modest means could publish something that is accessible to the entire world (via the world wide web) to be read or viewed by potentially hundreds of millions (Edlemm, 2010). The Internet now permeates the lives of all humans. With the help of it, an individual can access any information that he may want in the same way that he can post or upload anything in the cyberspace. Truly internet activity is now part of human’s life. It enables man to become powerful in a way that he can access, control, and manipulate the internet as well as the information. Ironically, while many are enjoying the benefit of the internet it also gives others the chance to abuse it and use gain personal benefits by victimizing others.

It must be related to worikng and education Research Proposal

It must be related to worikng and education - Research Proposal Example Additionally, part-time jobs offer a practical learning experience to the students. This experience ensures that they are well prepared for their jobs. It is very beneficial especially if the students get part-time jobs that are related to their class work. They will develop useful professional networks that will assist them on later years (Lillydahl 310-315). For the students who find jobs that are not related to their career paths, they benefit by gain skillful tactics that will enable them in responding to challenges on their later days.On the other hand, some people fell that the students could drop out of school after they have earned money. Additionally, they also argue that the students will be too exhausted after working to go to school. This will lead to missed classes and poor performance in the examinations (Tilly b 35) This research paper will conduct a survey to show the actual percentage of people on each side of the motion. The researcher will issue questionnaires to parents and students to fill up. An interview will also be conducted. The data collected will be analyzed and graphically presented for a clear understanding of the problem. The researcher will have some recommendations at the end of the research. The drive of steering this research is to try to develop recommendations for the students who wants part-time jobs. The research will be relevant for the society and Company to know whether when they offer jobs to students they cause problems to them or not. The study will also assist students in making their decisions when looking for jobs. This will assist them in knowing the pros and cons of part-time jobs. The research will try to answer three questions which will support in realizing the objective of the study. One of the question will be â€Å"Should students have part-time jobs?† This questioned will be answered by both parents and students. The respondents who will be answering the questionnaire and interviews will be

Contemporary Issue Analysis Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Contemporary Issue Analysis - Assignment Example ecific stages of education, and what they should be capable of doing, irrespective of socio-economic status, and other factors that contribute to inequality. It ensures equality and quality in education. Considering this description and the purpose of standardization to achieve appropriate outcomes, standardization of the curriculum is good. Standardization of the curriculum can happen at different levels, that is, at national, state, district and school levels. There is however standardization of the curriculum to fit all, which is not appropriate considering the current U.S education system. Standardization of the curriculum to fit all in this case refers to the current proposed national standards that are getting renewed as a way to reform the education system. This discussion provides reasons why the K-12 curriculum should not be standardized at the national levels. It explains the importance of standardization of the curriculum which supports standardization at state, district, and school levels, but argues against standardization to fit all. Standardization of the curriculum is good because it is a working framework for the teachers. There are different layers of standardization of the curriculum, for example, there are curriculum standards at the state level which specify the skills and content that the children are supposed to acquire at specific grades. There are standardized curricula at the local levels which are more specific, for example, that students in grade six should be taught about a specific disease’ management because of its prevalence in the district (Kendall, 2011). Standardization is important because it provides an effective way of learning; there are goals which guide the teachers, the students and the students in nurturing the society into what they want it to be. It is also beneficial to different populations; as described above, there are standardizations at different levels. It can, therefore, benefit the state, the districts, the

Graduate Labor Market Of Banking Industry In The United Kingdom Essay

Graduate Labor Market Of Banking Industry In The United Kingdom (Information For 2nd Year Economics Undergraduate.) - Essay Example Careers available in the industry are relatively attractive, and the opportunities are numerous. Accounting is one of the overriding career choices that are highly marketable in banking sector (Clement, 2003). It requires people with requisite analytical skills, accurate performance, and arithmetic techniques. Due to the current competitive market and uncertainties surrounding the future of the financial market, strategic management is proving to be a very essential career choice. It involves exceptional statistical and economic analytical talent. Securities and financial analyst also find significant role in the banking sector among other careers (Clement & Williams, 1989). It is fundamental that a student performs in school and attains better grades, but this is not all as observed by the employers. The current career choice and job placement require a graduate to show competencies beyond the class performance and be able to solve the practical problems in the society (Great Britain, 2010). This begins with even Curriculum Vitae presentation where one needs to show abilities and attributes that match the requirements of the financial market. Any graduate seeking to advance his/her career in banking must have skills that present a resolution to the bank’s placement descriptions (Bonanno & Cavalcanti, 2011). It is imperative that a graduate shows exemplary command of written and spoken English as this shows required communication skills and competencies crucial in this sector. Such abilities may be subjected to test especially during interviews where the aptitude test and oral interview will expose the graduates’ ability (Field, 2002). In order to achieve great in this industry, one needs to join reputable institution and exhibit high standards of discipline (Clark & Daunton,

Gender Influences Entry into Entrepreneurship Essay

Gender Influences Entry into Entrepreneurship - Essay Example The paper tells that since ages various strategies are being adopted in order to rectify the inequality existing among the genders In this regard, it has been further acknowledged that women are essentially considered as the key source pertaining to ideas, innovations, and abilities among others. However, it has been determined that the scholars of entrepreneurship endure limited understanding with respect to the underlying factors along with the relevant decisions being made. In fact in the recent discussions, it is ascertained that leadership associated with the entrepreneurship reflects the characteristics of a gender. With the advent of modernization, the world has faced numerous challenges. The entire global economy has undergone major changes after the year 2008. The financial crisis, which the world faced during this period, has accelerated the interests of the people associated with entrepreneurship. In keeping with theories associated with entrepreneurship, it does not refle ct any kind of universal explanation. Nevertheless, entrepreneurship includes diversified approaches in order to describe the behavior of an entrepreneur. Sociology, psychology, economics and regional science among others are few approaches associated with entrepreneurship. Apart from these, the other theories associated with entrepreneurship have been discussed as innovation theory, motivational theory based on the achievement and the acquired needs theory. The basic characteristic of the economic theory includes the presence of favorable economies. It has been discussed that economic along with entrepreneurship growth is analyzed under the economic theory. Correspondingly, economic incentive acts as one of the key motivators related to the entrepreneurial activities. In this regard, it has been further determined that the economic incentives mainly incorporate taxation policy, raw material and industrial policy among others.

Contact Issues in Family Law Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3750 words

Contact Issues in Family Law - Essay Example The increasing incidence of divorce has created custody battles and problems of access, which have proved to be detrimental to children. Studies conducted by Flouri and Buchanan have revealed that rancor among divorced parents and lack of contact with their father can lead to depression in children, especially girls and in the case of males, the absence of a father can also lead to criminal behavior. According to Matthew Stannard, one of the causes for violent criminal behavior in fatherless boys may be a â€Å"mother’s hostility† towards the father which deprives the child of contact with him, or because the father doesn’t take fatherhood seriously. Bob Geldorf, one of the most vocal activists for the rights of fathers, pointed out that fundamental changes are required in the law and the process in family courts, which tend to favor mothers in the battle for custody of children. The family Court system is based upon adversarial rules of litigation, and acrimonious divorce proceedings can often place the parents as bitter opponents in the Courts and cause child custody hearing to become scenes of power struggles. The family Courts have been ineffective in enforcing court ordered access to fathers, since they are reluctant to separate the children from their mothers and there is a lack of availability of middle ranking punishments and incentives to ensure cooperation from mothers – even when punitive fines and prison terms exist for breaching of contact orders, they may not be imposed in view of the danger of adverse consequential effect upon the child. Family cases take a long time to be processed through the court system, as a result of which fathers are denied access to their children for extended periods.

ETHICS PAPER Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

ETHICS PAPER - Essay Example The head nurse feels that these patients are frequently hospitalized and transferring them would distress them. Here, the chief resident is looking to serve personal interest of his pediatricians at the cost of snubbing the health hazards of existing patients. The ethical dilemma in this case is based on deontological or duty bound ethics that emphasizes on acting morally and rationally along with conducting tasks and responsibilities in a rational manner. The fundamental ethical principles for nurses state that patients should be respected for human dignity and should be taken care in a compassionate way. However, transferring the patients suffering from cystic fibrosis to another ward cannot be considered as an ethical move especially when the reason cited is based on offering space to pediatricians. It is important to consider the health issue of patients and accordingly taking steps rather than serving and promoting self and personal interest. At the same time, this situation fai ls to serve the utilitarian principle as it does not offer pleasure to majority of people and thus can be considered as a major ethical issue that needs to be assessed and analyzed well in order to offer mutual benefits and advantages (Rosen, 2003). 2. The important issues in this scenario are conflict of interest for nurses and deontological and duty bound ethics. At times, nurses are entangled in a situation and scenario where there is a conflict between the expectations of patients and work authority. The chief resident wants few patients to get transferred to another ward while the head nurse feels the other way. This shows that there is a conflict in terms of handling and understanding the situation. At the same time, deontological and duty bound ethics state that every individual should perform his tasks and responsibilities by being moral and ethical. The words ethical and moral are used throughout in the code of ethics for nurses and hold great importance and value. Ethics d efine what is right and wrong and moral defines personal attributes and intentions that have to be rational and positive offering mutual benefits and advantages

Ethical, legal and professional considerations Coursework

Ethical, legal and professional considerations - Coursework Example software development is a set incremental and iterative method which is focused on the value of customers and interactions that turn it to a business reality following a particular plan. For a project which is meant to investigate methods of agile development, effects of using agile to improve IT and valuation of agile methods, there are a number of crucial considerations that can be focused on. They include legal considerations, professional considerations and ethical considerations. A systematic approach for dealing with any moral dimensions of any practice or activity is professionalizing. Software development is considered an emerging profession in engineering whereby a professional is expected to rely on common sense alongside time-honored experience other than relying application of scientific knowledge and principles and lack the essentials elements of a real professionalism. Any profession has a basic requirement for training and learning, a particular code of conduct that impose high standards, an effective disciplinary system meant for those people who breach the code, a basic emphasis on the social responsibility of a professional and finally licensing. Therefore, when a code of conduct is enforced in a profession or rather for given professionals, it has a significance impact on the professionals. To start with, it enables a professional to protect and serve the public by developing user friendly and less harmful software. Secondly, it enables a professional to inspire and provide guidance to other aspiring or junior professionals in the field. Moreover, enforcement of code of conduct enables professionals to arrive at or rather meet the set standards for a given profession; for this case Agile Software Development. Fourthly, it assists in giving moral support that is essential for validation of courageous decisions in line of duty. Finally, enforcing code of conduct in Agile Development educates and engenders mutual understanding among professionals

Correlations between prayer and evangelism Research Paper - 1

Correlations between prayer and evangelism - Research Paper Example Prayers are essential for spreading the gospel through evangelism. The paper will seek to discuss the correlation between the prayers and evangelism in relation to the teachings from the bible. The most essential tool for effective evangelism is said to be prayers. All the great awakening that has happened in the church history since the time of Apostles to the present gospel has been attributed to prayers. Even if great awakening has come as a result of great preaching, prayer has always been the center of breakthrough in these preaching messages. One of the best illustrations on prayer as a great tool in evangelism is found in Acts 1:14. During this time, Peter and other apostles were engaged in a prayer as they were preparing to spread the gospel to the world. Though the main focus of this prayer was to find a replacement for Judas, the prayer was also aimed at strengthening their faith towards evangelism which they were about to start. Through this prayer there were many people who converted to Christianity thus indicating that prayer led to effective evangelism. In Acts 2:4, the bible reports that the effect of the prayers led to conversion of more than 3,000 souls to the Christian community (Torrey, 2009). According to the Epistle of Timothy, Paul urges the church to engage in prayers of intercession and thanksgiving for all people and especially for those who have not been saved so that they can be transformed to the knowledge of truth and life of holiness. In the book of 1 Timothy 2:1-8, Paul convinces Timothy that through prayers, God would be pleased and since He cares for those who are not saved, and he want them to now the light. He outlines that he would want all men to engage in prayer through Jesus Christ who is the mediator between God and men. He states that one of the most important responsibilities of church is to commit to the work of God by praying for those that have not

A piece of wire Essay Example for Free

A piece of wire Essay Using this graph, we can predict the resistance of any length up to 100cm. To test if these results are accurate, we can compare the experiment we have performed, with those of previous resistance experiments. The book value, in ohms, for the resistance of a 100cm length of 28swg wire is 4. 4?. This convinces me that these results are accurate as our result of 4? is very similar. It may seem a way off the mark but considering the difference in resistance a couple of swg makes (e. g. the resistance of a 30swg wire is around 7. 5? ) the similarity ensures success. The slight deviation may have been caused by a number of factors, like the variations of the power packs used and variations in the actual wire. I have recorded these results in a graph. From this graph, we can immediately see a few things. The line of best fit is a straight line through the origin with a positive correlation. This means that the resistance and voltage are directly proportional to one another, and that length of wire and resistance are directly proportional. This ties into ohms law. We can also measure the gradient of the graph. This is done by taking a y value under the line of best fit, and dividing it by the corresponding x value. On my graph, the y value I have chosen is 0. 9? , and the x value 23cm. The formula for this is: G = ? y ?x So G = ? y ?x = 0. 2 5 = 0. 04 So the gradient is 0. 04. We can examine the results further by referring to the resistivity formula: Resistance, R = Resistivity, p (? m) x length, l (m) or R = p l (? ) Cross-sectional area, A (m2) A The diameter of a 28swg wire is 0. 367mm, so, using the formula: A = ? r2 We can figure out the cross sectional area. Therefore, the cross sectional area is 0. 105784493mm2. Converting this to metres squared, this is 0. 000105784493m2 And, since we know that the resistance is 4. 0? , we can rearrange the formula to find the resistivity of the wire: We rearrange from this: R = p l to this: p = R A A l Now we can find out the resistivity (p) of the wire, in ohm meters (? m). Resistivity is a useful figure to have (much like resistance) but can also be used to check our work. To check the gradient of the graph, we can divide the resistivity of the wire, by the cross-sectional area. So Gradient   04 is the same value I got for the gradient directly off the graph, I can rest assured that it is the correct value. As this is the correct value, I can work backwards to see that the previous calculations were correct. In order to obtain this gradient value, I used resistivity, cross-sectional area, and resistance. So we can be sure that the calculations for these is correct as the outcome is the same as the separate calculation for gradient, using the graph. So, from these results we can see that:   Resistivity = 0. 00000423137972 ? m.   Gradient = 0. 04.   Cross-sectional area = 0. 000105784493m2.   Voltage is directly proportional to the length of the wire.   Resistance is directly proportional to the length of the wire.   As the length of the wire doubles, so does the voltage and so does the resistance. Conclusion From the consistency of the results I have gained, and the fact that proving the results using the gradient was successful, I can conclude that these results are reliable. The values that I noted were also very similar to the catalogued book values, which further supports the reliability of the experiment. The drawn line of best fit is accurate as the gradient drawn from it is identical to the one I figured out using the formula. If I were to repeat this experiment, I would change it only slightly. I would allow more class time for the analysis and possibly allow a shorter time for the practical as it is very quickly finished (in fact, to do all the results in one lesson minimises the chances of getting irregular results, because you know that the conditions are the same). The whole thing worked very well. The experiment went smoothly, and the inclusion of a preliminary experiment helped a great deal. The actual physics of this assignment were challenging, but understandable. It was a very well rounded task. Extension work that could be included may be to test the resistance of other wires and compare them, or to go up to 200cm and see if theres any difference. Also, by using another wire, other than constantan, we could see how temperature affects resistance, although, one would need to have done a constantan experiment in order to understand the dynamics of the other factors, otherwise the experiment would be to complicated. Daniel Moffat H11NF 1 Show preview only The above preview is unformatted text This student written piece of work is one of many that can be found in our GCSE Electricity and Magnetism section.

Impacts of Social Drinking

Impacts of Social Drinking Antonio Miguel F. Terrado â€Å"Social Drinking: Bane or Beneficial?† Introduction Alcoholic beverages are found everywhere across the globe from cities to rural areas. Almost everyone has access to alcohol. Alcohol is used in different events. It is used in almost all kinds of celebration including religious practices. It is a part of our society and alcohol drinking has become a long standing tradition of mankind. Ever since the ancient civilizations of Egypt, Mesopotamia, China, India, and the Americas, alcohol had already existed and it played a major role for the development of these civilizations. Because of the production of alcohol, these civilizations established class differences that would easily identify the elite from the lower class of society (e.g. wine by elites and beer by commoners). The consumption of alcohol played a vital role in religious rituals being performed back then which can be observed up until now. Alcohol was also used in medicinal practices because it is being used as a solvent. Likewise, it also being used as a source of daily nutrition due to the fact that such beverages contains calories. Lastly, alcohol also helped the government in terms of due to the very nature of alcohol and how it affects individuals especially when consumed it large amounts, alcohol needs to be regulated, and the regulation of alcohol became one of the foundations of regulations when it comes to trading. Alcohol also helped governments before because of taxation in alcohol since it is one of the primary commodities in the past (Hames, 2012). There are also some evidences that alcohol predates the ancient civilizations. Alcoholic beverages are said to exist since the Neolithic period or the New Stone age, which is between around 8000 and 3500 B.C. In the Neolithic period, it was discovered that early human settlements started making wine and beer from wild grapes and cereals. The quality of wine and beer being produced improves because it is during this time when our early ancestors discovered agriculture. However, the beer being made during those times were more of a source of nutrition compare to how beer is being used now. There are different kinds of alcohol drinkers which depends on the amount of alcohol they consume. They can be classified into three: those who abstain from drinking alcohol or only drink rarely, those who drink in moderation, and those who drink heavily also called as binge drinkers or individuals who drink alcohol for the sole purpose of getting drunk. There is a clear distinction on how we classify abstinence and heavy drinkers. So, how do we classify if an individual is a moderate drinker? â€Å"No more than one drink per day for women and no more than two drinks per day for men† is the definition of moderation as stated by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and U.S. Department of Agriculture (2005). To be clear, note that the definition of moderation is not the average number of drinks consumed on a span of several days. Examples of which counts as one drink are the following: 355mL of regular beer, 148mL of wine or 44mL of 80-proof distilled spirits. Littrell (2014) defined social drinking as â€Å"drinking more than once per month without problem consuming less than four drinks per day†. There is a general notion that alcohol drinking may cause harm to the drinker and his/her surroundings. This is true for heavy drinking because too much alcohol may cause cirrhosis, memory lapses, impulsive behavior, high blood pressure and many more. There is an old Chinese proverb â€Å"Wine does not intoxicate man; man intoxicate themselves†. This proverb says that it is the drinker’s responsibility to regulate his/herself when drinking because of the dangers that alcohol may cause to our surroundings especially people around us. On the other hand, studies have shown that there are positive effects in drinking alcohol especially when consumed in moderation also known as social drinking. Moderate alcohol drinking is said to help make new friends with strangers easier compared to other scenarios; it is also said that it strengthens the relations between friends; and lastly, studies show that there are health benefits when drinking alcohol in moderation contrary to the popular belief. Positive Effects of Moderate Drinking Human beings are generally less welcoming to people they do not know especially if they do not have a common friend. However, it is easier to make new friends with strangers when one experiences drinking with them in public drinking places such as bars, pub, taverns, etc., however one must not forget that to be always careful when going to such places because not all individuals have the same intention of making new friends. However, safety on public drinking places is not a major concern of this paper. We will focus more on the social benefits of moderate alcohol drinking. Social interactions and social bonding is said to be the purpose of drinking alcoholic beverages with peers. Majority of alcohol drinkers are more comfortable with friends and even strangers after drinking alcohol. Given the nature of alcohol, which is a mild depressant drug, the results are to be expected because it affects the central nervous system by slowing down the rate of activities (Aldrige, et al., 2013). In this way alcohol acts as a social lubricant since it lowers the anxiety that an individual is currently experiencing making conversations between two complete strangers easier and less awkward. Sometimes drinking alcohol cannot be avoided when in a particular venue such as parties because it is the thing to do in parties especially house parties and college parties. According to Alters and Schiff (2011), â€Å"Individuals often consume alcohol to ease their social interactions or because it is the thing to do in a particular social setting† (p. 195). Drinking alcohol is a way in making new friends from strangers easier. However, we must remember that we should drink responsibly. Alcohol drinking is not necessarily a requirement in certain social gatherings, but it is presented as an alternative to make conversation easier especially to complete strangers. Friends drinking alcohol together tend to get more bonded after drinking. One hindrance why people are less sociable when they are in their normal state is because of the anxiety that an individual experience when they want to disclose more about his/herself to others. This is commonly seen in males. Under normal circumstances, males do not usually disclose information about themselves to other people but they do so when they are drinking. With this being said, drinking has become a normal bonding activity for males. It is given fact that between close friends more information about has been shared about themselves. Miller, Ingham, Plant, and Miller (1977) as cited in Ruskos-Eswolden Monahan (2009) observed that for moderate drinkers there is a significant increase in the amount of self-disclosure however no such effect was observed for heavy drinkers. This is due to the less anxiety that an individual is experiencing and also drinking small amounts of alcohol gives the feeling of relaxation in contrast to when drinking more wherein the effects alcohol is heavier that it usually results to vomiting and unconsciousness. It has been observed in experiments that if an individual is under the experience of alcohol, he/she tends to be more sociable compared to when he/she is sober. This shows that that alcohol aids social interactions between individuals (Estola, et al., 1988). On a normal basis, people are always careful on what they will say but when alcohol is consumed, this behavior almost always is overridden by the effect of alcohol. If an individual does not filter he/she will say, then more things will be shared to a person or group which may eventually lead to knowing the person more. The main reason for social drinking is because people want to converse to one another without the feeling of awkwardness due to that individuals are more relaxed after drinking alcohol. This is not the same with binge drinking because as previously mentioned, they drink with the intention of getting drunk and thus there is less time for conversations. Also, binge drinking is usually fast paced such that less time is allotted for other activities. Drinking together serves to tie individuals in a special connection. Since the medieval period up until now, drinking together is a significant symbol of acknowledgement of a group to its new members (Peele Grant, 2013). Being invited to a drink by a particular group means that that group is accepting you as a member of their group and turning down such offer usually viewed negatively. Heath (1995) as cited in Peele and Grant (2013) said that holidays, rites of passage, arrivals and departures and other reasons for celebrations are valid reasons for drinking. In most studies, it has been identified that drinking plays an important part in celebrations. Celebrations have become a part of society due to how it positively affects individuals and as a group, with accompaniment of alcoholic beverages in most instances. With this being said, lacking of any alcoholic beverages during a celebration usually gives off a negative effect to the guest and to the mood of the celebration. Even if alcohol is not necessarily important to be present in celebrations. It is ancient tradition that celebrations and alcohol goes hand in hand. However, one must not view this negatively. Alcohol is always a part of every celebrations from the ancient civilizations like the Egyptians, Greeks, and Romans. There is a special kind of celebration which almost everyone are familiar with, these are toasts. Toasts are usually accompanied by alcoholic beverages in which a message with positive content are said to an individual, or an event. Alcohol in this sense acts as a positive symbol which has been established since ancient times because on how it affects the individual or the event. Alcohol also has several positive effects to the health of an individual but only three of them will be discussed. Some of the effects of moderate drinking is that lessens the risk of cardiovascular diseases, it also helps reduce the occurrence of gall stones, and it also helps reduce the occurrence of type 2 diabetes. According to Theobald et al. (2000), â€Å"Light-to-moderate drinkers of alcoholic beverages or wine†¦have significantly lower mortality rates [from coronary heart diseases and heart attacks] (20-40%) than nondrinkers or heavier drinkers†. There is an event which is popularly known as the French Paradox. It entails that even though that much of the diet of French people mostly consists of cheese, which is a common source of cholesterol and fats, most Frenchmen are fit, additionally there are relatively few recoded deaths which is caused by cardiovascular diseases. The most probable cause of such event is that wine is a primary commodity in the country and almost all citizens of France drinks it. Kloner and Rezkalla (2007) observed that a substantial amounts of data points out that an increase in High-Density Lipoprotein cholesterol. High-Density Lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol is a positive effect resulting from drinking alcoholic beverages in moderation. HDL cholesterol is also known as the good cholesterol because of its function that it carries cholesterol away from different body cells, an example of this is the arteries, which is the common target of ‘bad’ cholesterol; because of HDL cholesterol it removes the unwanted cholesterol making the arteries healthy (Khan, 2011). benefits that one may obtain. zed from a significant amount of ns from drinking that he/she should start drinking rance drinksDrinking alcoholic beverages have been found to lessen the risk of having gallstones. Gallstones occurs in the gall bladder or bile duct in which â€Å"stones† are formed (Marks, 2014). There exist a relationship between alcohol intake and hospital admission for gall stone treatment. This relationship is explained in such a way that if the alcohol intake increases then admission reports are reduced. However, note that at high intakes of alcohol, the reduced risk gets minimal and is observed that the increased alcohol intake is â€Å"maximally beneficial if the intake is initially low (less than 30g per day)† (Scragg et al. 1984). However, it is also observed that alcohol abuse is one of the causes of gallstones. We can see that alcoholic beverages has a double-edged effect on the health of humans one which will potentially benefit an individual while, the other may cause a disease which may potentially be fatal if not remedied. With this information, alcohol should be consumed moderately consumed because the effect of alcohol is opposite in terms of consumption. The last health benefit that will be presented is that moderate drinking of alcohol reduces the risk of having type 2 diabetes as observed by some studies by Koppes et al and Watson. Koppes et al. (2005) found that for moderate alcohol consumers there is a 30% reduced risk for having type 2 diabetes, whereas for heavier drinkers who consumes at least 48g/day of alcohol no risk reduction have been observed. Ethanol, which is present in alcoholic beverages, is the main reason in the risk reduction of type 2 diabetes, not the kind of beverage being consumed whether it is wine, beer, or distilled spirits (Watson, 2013). Besides alcohol, an individual must also live an active lifestyle and eat properly to lessen the risk of having gall stones. Eating properly means eating low-fat and low-cholesterol, but eating high fiber and high protein meals (Clin-enguide, 2009 as cited by deWit Kumagai, 2013) It has been observed that the risk of cardiovascular disease, risk of gallstones, and risk of type 2 diabetes all follow a U-shaped graph. This entails that there is high risks that an individual will acquire the diseases given that they are either consuming large amounts of alcohol in a regular basis or they consume alcohol rarely or abstain from drinking such beverage. Conclusion People should not stereotype against alcohol drinkers. There is a reason why alcoholic beverages existed up until now. Alcohol shaped and developed the ancient civilizations and this became foundations to other areas of specialties both in science and governance. Alcohol also plays a significant role in different religions from the ancient Egyptian religions up until modern Catholicism. The original purpose why people drink alcohol is for socialization purposes. Alcohol also helps in socialization because it makes conversations easier because they are feeling more relaxed after drinking with the company of strangers especially with friends compared if both parties are sober. For some, such as males, it is one of the best ways to socialize to one another because men do not socialize with one another on a daily basis more so if they really have nothing to talk about. Alcohol is a part of socialization extending to society itself. Other than the sole purpose of socialization, there are also health benefits in drinking alcoholic beverages. Some of these benefits include reduced risks for having cardiovascular diseases, reduced risk for having gallstones and reduced risk for having type 2 diabetes. However, such benefits are only observable to individuals who consume alcoholic beverage moderately or not abusing it. This aims to encourage heavy drinkers to put an effort to minimize their alcohol consumption because nothing is lost in trying. It is observed that the risk of occurrence for these three diseases follows a U-shaped graph, indicating that non-drinkers have higher risk than moderate drinkers but heavy drinkers have the highest risk. Even with these possible health benefits, one should consider, especially if he/she is a non-drinker to suddenly start drinking just because of the health benefits that drinking alcohol beverages does. One should consider that we, human beings, have different physiological make-up and possibly we have different reactions to different chemicals. It is better to avoid such vices. Moderate drinking is relatively hard to do because it takes determination to control alcohol consumption because alcohol is one of the most abused substances in the world. To be healthy it is not necessary that you must drink alcohol, this paper aims to inform individuals who are already consuming alcohol the possible benefits he/she may attain from doing such activity he/she is already doing. Nothing beats living an active lifestyle, exercising, and eating a proper meal if you want to live a healthy life. Reference List Aldridge, J., et al. (2013). Illegal Leisure. London: Routledge. Alters, S. Schiff, W. (2011). Essential concepts for healthy living. 5th Ed. Massachusetts: Jones and Bartlett. deWit, S. Kumagai, C. (2013). Medical-surgical nursing: Concepts and practice. Amsterdam: Elsevier. Estola, A., et al. (1988). Blind alleys in social psychology: A search for ways out. Amsterdam: Elsevier. Hames, G. (2012). Alcohol in world history. London: Routledge. Khan, M. (2011). Encyclopedia of heart diseases. 2nd Ed. New York: Springer. Kloner, R. A. Rezkalla, S. H. (2007). To Drink or Not to Drink? That is the Question. Circulation, 116(11), 1306-1317. Koppes, L., et al. (2005). Moderate Alcohol Consumption Lowers Risk of Type 2 Diabetes. Diabetes Care, 28(3), 716-725. Littrell, J. (2014). Understanding and treating alcoholism: Volume 1: An empirically based clinician’s handbook for the treatment of alcoholism. Hoboken: Taylor and Francis Marks, J. W. (2014) Gallstones. Retrieved from http://www.medicinenet.com/gallstones/article.htm. Peele, S., Grant, M. (2013). Alcohol and pleasure: A health perspective. London: Taylor and Francis. Ruskos-Eswolden, D.R. Monahan, J. L. (2009) Communication and social cognition theories and methods. Londonication and social cognition theories and methods1111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111on: Roufledge. Scragg, R. K., et al. (1984). Diet, Alcohol, and Relative Weight in Gall Stone Disease: A Case Cont111111111111111111111111111111111111111111rol Study. British Medical Journal, 288(6424), 1113-1119. Theobald, H., et al. (2000). A Moderate Intake of Wine is Associated with Reduced Total Mortality and Reduced Mortality from Cardiovascular Diseases. Journal of studies on alcohol, 61, 652-656. U.S. Department of Health and Human Services U.S. Department of Agriculture (2005). Dietary guidelines for Americans, 6th Ed. Washington D.C.: U.S. Government Printing Office.stes for healthy livinge classify abstinence and heavy drinking. such that bonds between friends are strengthened

To investigate the temperature change in a displacement reaction between Copper Sulphate Solution and Zinc Powder :: GCSE Chemistry Coursework Investigation

To investigate the temperature change in a displacement reaction between Copper Sulphate Solution and Zinc Powder Preliminary Experiment: Correlating Magnesium Powder and Copper Sulphate Solution ========================================================= I will mix 4cm of Magnesium ribbon and 50cm ³ of Copper Sulphate Solution into a polystyrene cup until I find a reaction. =============================================================== Prediction ========== The magnesium will displace the copper and the temperature will rise. Magnesium + Copper Sulphate †  Copper + Magnesium ------------------------------------------------ Mg + CuSO4 †  Cu + MgSO4 Hypothesis ========== The Magnesium will displace the Copper and rise in temperature because it is more reactive and it is an exothermic reaction. Results ======= Start Temperature 22 °C End Temperature 28 °C Rise In Temperature 6 °C This preliminary experiment was very useful because it is clear that there was a very small rise in temperature. This can be solved by using the powdered form of metal, that can be used to increase the surface area. Main Experiment: ================ Correlating Zinc and Copper Sulphate Solution ============================================= Prediction ========== I predict that the zinc will displace the copper to become zinc sulphate. --------------------------------------------------------------- Zinc + Copper Sulphate Zinc Sulphate + Copper I predict that the copper sulphate will only partially be heated during the reaction depending on the mass of zinc added to the solution of 50ml3. I predict that this reaction of the zinc and copper sulphate will be exothermic, therefore it will produce it’s own heat. I predict that the zinc powder will release more heat than zinc ribbon. I predict that the more zinc added to this reaction, the more the temperature would become up to a certain point. I predict that the temperature will increase when adding more zinc until a certain mass of zinc is reached. If more zinc is added when the ‘peak’ has been reached, then the temperature will decrease. Hypothesis ========== The copper will be displaced because zinc is higher in the reactivity series than copper therefore zinc is more reactive. The copper sulphate solution will only partially be heated during the reaction because there is not enough zinc to react with all of the copper depending on the mass of zinc. This reaction will be exothermic because all the heat will be given off in this reaction. The zinc powder will release more heat than zinc ribbon due to the powder having a larger surface area. The peak temperature is when there is about enough zinc to react with the copper sulphate. Any less zinc and it would not react as much producing less heat. Any more zinc would leave excess amounts, which would be harder to heat up and will reduce temperatures.

Twelve Angry Men Plot Essay -- essays research papers

Plot: â€Å"Twelve Angry Men† is an interesting and exciting jury-room confrontation in which an "open and shut case" becomes strenuous as twelve strangers scuffle for answers. The trial involves a nineteen-year-old boy, who is suspect of killing his father in a late-night altercation with an extraordinary knife. His fate now lies in the hands of 12 jurors, each with his own determination to solve the case and reveal the truth. As the session takes its course, evidence becomes scrutinised, tempers rise, and the jury room erupts in a shouting brawl because one such juror finds reasonable doubts in the two testimonies that were deemed credible enough to convict. In his fight for an acquittal, the singled out juror found that the testimonial evidence was not only unreliable, but the timely fashion in which both the man and the woman alleged to have seen and heard the defendant were by far insufficient. Upon reaction to his vote, the dubious jurors immediately began que stioning the man, not understanding how he could possibly think that way. Nevertheless, the adamant juror held his ground and the votes were: 11 guilty, and 1 not guilty, but the decision had to be unanimous. Character: First there were those that couldn't care less about the outcome, then there was Davis, the tenacious juror who held a firm grip onto the possibility of reasonable doubt in the case. He demonstrated his personal strength of mind and tried eliminating any individual prejudices for the best po...

Spirituality in John Greenleaf Whittiers The Worship of Nature :: Whittier Worship of Nature Essays

Spirituality in John Greenleaf Whittier's The Worship of Nature If man ever said that he could not experience God outside of the walls of a church, it is evident that he never read John Greenleaf Whittier. John Greenleaf Whittier was a Quaker who, like all Quakers, placed an emphasis on a simple life. Quakers believe in leading a life without artificial things. Because of his Quaker beliefs, he had a deep understanding of the spirituality of the natural world. In his poem, The Worship of Nature Whittier takes his readers on a spiritual journey through a world untouched by man. The title of the poem is an indication that the reader should prepare himself or herself for some sort of spiritual experience. Whittier uses the word "worship" to title his poem because by the end of the poem the reader will learn that there is much more to the natural world than water, land, and sky. The poem starts with the birth or creation of nature. Whittier explains to his readers that the natural world has existed since God created it. He compares the creation of nature to music. This stanza is very appealing to the senses because nature is musical. The insects, winds, and birds are all a part of this "song" that "has never died away". The poet reminds readers of this very important idea because we as humans have a tendency to forget the value and importance of nature. The second stanza takes readers beyond the initial creation and introduces readers to the many purposes that nature serves. Whittier explains that "prayer is made and praise is given." Personification is an imp ortant tool used in this poem. Obviously nature cannot really pray or give praise, but the various functions of nature in this world give the illusion that it does pay homage to a higher being. For instance the lines in the second stanza, "The ocean looketh up to heaven, /And mirrors every star" says that the ocean is a mirror for heaven. If we look into the deep sea, we are in essence looking into a reflected image of heaven. Other instances when Whittier uses personification in this way are the first and second lines in the third stanza, "Its waves are kneeling on the strand/As kneels the human knee". Whittier tells his readers that just as man bends his knee to show respect to God so the ocean waves bend when they reach the shore as a sign of respect.

Kodak and Fujifilm Essay

Growing up in a family that loves taking pictures and capturing moments. Kodak and Fujifilm played a huge role and are known companies to me and to many other households around the world. When it comes to the history and the competition few people know. The difference in management strategies plays a key role in the way the two companies’ embraced innovation. Complacency and slow adaptation dominated in Kodak Company while Fujifilm embraced innovation spirit and diversified in all aspects to ensure market relevance. Each of the company’s approach to ethics and social responsibility clearly reflects in both company’s profitability. With an aim to give back to the community and exercise ethical practices, production standards were maintained that satisfied consumers on both ends. A possible change of decision-making process that could embrace flexibility would be the best way to ensure diversity and innovation in any organization History George Eastman who was the founder of Kodak built a foundation of business on four basic principles: mass production at low cost international distribution, extensive advertising and focus on the customer at the age of fourteen he had to quit school and work to support his mother and two sisters. He took a job as an insurance messenger boy and was paying $3.00 a week. In 1874 at the age of 20 he became a junior clerk at the Rochester Saving Bank were there his salary tripled to $15.00 a week. In 1878 when Eastman took a trip to Santo Domingo in the Dominican Republic one of his  colleague that he record the trip. Eastman had fascination about the complicated with the compelling activity of photography. In 1879 Eastman invented an effective dry – plate formula and the machine that coat the plates in large numbers. By April 1880 he leased a small office in a building on State Street in Rochester, NY and began to manufacture dry plates. Henry A. Strong a local businessman investor and in 1881 Eastman resigned from the bank and Strong and him founded Eastman Dry Plate Company. The company did have a mishap that almost shut down the company when the dry plates that they sold went bad. Eastman came up with a quick solution to recall all of the bad plates and to replace them with good ones. In 1888 the Kodak came debuted the slogan stated â€Å"You press the button, we do the rest†. Kodak made the process of taking pictures and developing easy and accessible for everyone. In 1889 celluloid replaced paper film in the camera, and then by 1891 a factory was open in factory in Harrow in north London. The Brownie camera was introduced in 1900 which was named after the famous cartoon. In1925 Eastman retires at the age of 78 in 1932 he committed suicide . In 1930 Eastman Kodak Company launched on Dow Jones Industrial Average Index where in remain for the next 74 years. Throughout history Kodak has been used to capture historic moments such as Apollo 11 in 1969. Kodak was the first company in 1975 to build an actual working digital camera. By 2004 Kodak stop selling camera with film to increase popular digital alternatives. When CEO Antonio Perez took over in 2005 Kodak was the largest seller of digital camera in the U.S. revenue .By 2007 they fallen to fourth place and by 2010 was seventh place. By2011 Kodak’s shares fell more than 80% and has struggled to maintain market share and they were hit a huge pension costs for workers. With the changes in new technology Kodak was not prepare well. The company decided in 2012 to file bankruptcy protection. The company has worked out a credit plan with Citigrioup for 950 million to keep it afloat. History Fujifilm, formerly registered as Fujifilm Photo Film Co., Ltd. was started in 1934. They became established in the U.S. in 1965. Its core business much or less reflected the businesses that made Kodak prosper in the US:  photography and imaging. The company monopolized the Japanese market, ranked second placed in photography film usage after the US. Its ambitious management ventured overseas in the mid-90s without a fear of the already established Kodak. Despite its slow growth in the overseas markets, Fujifilm developed production bases outside its hub. A joint venture with Rank Xerox, a U.K based Limited company, strengthened Fujifilm’s position in the global market. A breakthrough was imminent in 1984’s Olympics held in Los Angeles which is Kodak’s home turf. Gradually, Fujifilm started eating into Kodak’s shares in the US due to near-equal products that were cheaper and actively marketed Fujifilm’s core businesses diversified faster with realization of looming transition by the management. Its imaging domain not only focused on personal, family and media moments but also diversified in the health sector. Its main businesses include film, photographic color paper, photographic equipment, medical equipment that included X-rays, and chemicals. More recently, Fujifilm’s early preparation to satisfy the fast-changing needs in the digital world ensured it widened its business scope to digital cameras, panel displays, printers, photocopiers and a variety of optical devices Management Approaches Kodak’s management approach on pursuing innovation by representing the latest innovation in the company’s consumer inkjet portfolio, marrying effortless connectivity with Kodak’s unique combination of high quality output and affordable ink. Kodak is committed to providing customers great value and lowest total ink replacement cost and exceptional cost per page. Fujifilm’s management approach on pursuing innovation by increasing a range of fields from imaging to medical systems. Fujifilm also became a much diversified company than Kodak by having a longer term vision in store and by investing a lot. Kodak’s Ethics and Social Responsibility Approaches Eastman Kodak Company is committed to operating in an environmental, ethical, and socially responsible manner. This commitment includes maintaining safe facilities and operations and providing goods which are safe and minimize environmental burdens throughout their business life cycle. Kodak’s Supplier  Standard sets an expectation for supplier health, safety, environmental, labor and ethical performances, and formalizes expectations in which they have always asked suppliers to commit to. In 2004 Kodak were praised in the â€Å"Business Ethics† magazine for anti-discrimination policies for gay, bisexual, and transgender employees. Kodak also believed in fair treatment of minorities and women and overall their employees. For years, Kodak has played a key role of social responsibility in Rochester, New York, where the headquarter is located. Charitable donations were for years made to the symphony hall and the orchestra club hosted at the same venue. This act paid off as the company maintained its customer and got even more customer for the way it gave back to the community. Further, tax abatements were considered for the company in its role of contributing huge sums to a community project. Kodak had given the drive of the donations where it is in favor of the shareholders’ interests. Acting otherwise rather than in the best interest of the company’s shareholders to increase their wealth and create good faith with the population would be deemed unethical by all measures. Quality products produced by the company were a result of an honest recruitment process. The company ensured it only recruited the best talent to ensure maintenance of quality assurance. The process involved was undeniably ethical and in a big part contributed to the profitability of the company. Kodak’s single-use recycling program ensured that over 70 million pounds of waste was avoided. This promoted Kodak’s image as an environmental friendly company, as well as ensured that it saved resources from having to acquire new raw material for manufacturing. Fujifilm’s Ethics and Social Responsibility Approaches Fujifilm holds in high esteem the ethical and social responsibilities it is obligated to provide. In 2004, the company formed action standards of ethical and social responsibility values the company had to comply. This was inclusive of all affiliates of the company, especially the double venture of Fuji Xerox. The guidelines have since been observed by every employee, uplifting the work standards and thus providing efficiency that translates  to profitability. . The company has formed an Ethics and Compliance hierarchy that is aimed at promoting ethical and corporate social responsibilities. Fujifilm believes compliance includes acting correctly in the light sense of common sense and ethics. Fujifilm compliance statements are in all aspects of their corporate activities they emphasize compliance and endeavor to create new value. If compliance requirements conflict with business profits or the demands of third parties, they give priority to compliance. An open, fair and clear corporate culture is the basis for all their activities Kodak and Fujifilm Adapting to Changing Market Conditions Kodak management failed to a new marketplace and new consumer attitudes, they focused on selling new product thinking that its new digital technology would cannibalize its film business. Instead of marketing the new technology the company held back from fear of hurting their film business. Most of Kodak’s strength was its brand and marketing, they began to fail when they underestimated the threat of the digital. Fujifilm management were prepared more to adapting to the changing in market, they realized that there was a need for them to develop an in-house expertise within new businesses. Fujifilm also focused on applying its technologies to new areas for instance today, Fujifilm has a medical imaging equipment business in which is growing quickly. Openness: A company with a management open to the democratic perspectives of other employees and customers is one of the best ways to adapt flexibility in the decision-making process. Openness will allow free flow and exchange of ideas, information, tasks and new perceptions of various processes (Sharfman & Dean, 1997). Recursiveness: This is a term used to define the repetitive process of formulation and implementation. Feedback is a significant part of this model as the decision-making team will always rely on the feedback, negative or positive to refine their decisions. This method goes against the perfect decision making hierarchy of problem definition, followed by search, analysis and eventually choice and implementation (Sharfman & Dean, 1997). Globalizing R&D: This is a model that would delocalize the centrality of r esearch and development. This would eventually increase the scope of decision makers’   perception. Limiting research to an area reduces the chance to get global feedback especially if a brand aims at conquering global markets. Companies today should build flexibility to back up its decision-making process in order to adapt to changing market conditions by these three recommendations: 1. Have an enterprise mindset that will be open to change. 2. Be able to adapt the company’s design to changing conditions. 3. Make decisions interactively using a variety of method.

Imagery In Caged Bird Essay

Maya Angelou uses caged and free birds to symbolize the dream of attaining freedom. The poem illustrates the contrast between imprisonment and freedom through symbolism of a caged bird and a free bird and then between their dreams and desires. Although the poem paints a picture of a carefree bird in a beautiful landscape the caged suffering bird reaching out for freedom seems to dominate the poem giving it a serious and solemn tone. The beautifully written poem opens our mind to sad truths about segregation and oppression through a wonderful blend of similes, metaphors, rhyme, repetition, assonance and other figures of speech. The poem uses powerful imagery to convey the opinion and message of the poet. Metaphor â€Å"Bars of rage† symbolizes the anger and frustration of the enslaved not having the freedom to express the feelings. The â€Å"Narrow Cage† is used to describe the claustrophobic society in which the suffocated captives are subjugated to humiliation and denied equality in life or society. â€Å"Graves of Dreams the caged bird stands on† is another illustration sketching the disillusionment of the black oppressed people. They fear that freedom for them is merely a mirage -something so evasive something they can never achieve. White people represent the free bird able to â€Å"leap on the back of wind† and do as she or he chooses. The free bird thinking of â€Å"free worms† and â€Å"naming the sky his own† demonstrates that these free white men care merely about their own wealth and disregard the needs and cries of the oppressed black community. ‘The caged bird replicate the black citizens of the US. The wings are clipped and his feet tied tell us that these people are devoid of the simple joys of freedom, which is their birthright, and have unfortunately and unfairly become victims of discrimination and racism. The phrase â€Å"tune is heard on a distant hill† is a message that the white people have knowingly moved far too away to hear the cries of â€Å"the black caged birds† and choose to be indifferent and lack any compassion. Another phrase, â€Å"dips his wings in orange sun rays,† reveals a contrast between the delicacy and gentleness of the language and the blunt harshness of the theme of the poem. The poet has simultaneously used powerful verbs like â€Å"Leaps, flows, dips and dares to describe the actions of the free and oppressed.† The bird â€Å"stalks†¦Ã¢â‚¬  opens his throat to sing conveys that singing is the only expression of freedom and the only way of leaping and floating ahead towards freedom. This highly romantic poem concludes on a optimistic note by saying through the words â€Å"for the caged bird sings of freedom† showing that slowly the captives will succeed in making everyone aware of the social injustice and obtain the much deserved freedom and opportunity to be happy.

Anatomy and physiology of the human body Essay

Each week, the discussion questions will examine issues in the reading. This thread is meant to foster a better understanding of the anatomy and physiology of the human body and how that knowledge is applied to in real life situations. Discussion responses should be on topic, original, and contribute to the quality of the discussion by making frequent informed references to lesson material. Initial discussion responses should be around 100 words; responses to your classmates or instructor should be around 75 words. Make two or more responses to classmates that are thoughtful and that advance the discussion of each topic. Your initial response is to be made no later than Saturday 11:59 PM of the current unit. Additional responses are to be made no later than Tuesday 11:59 PM of the current unit. Your posts are to be substantive, referenced and free of grammatical and spelling errors. When you are ready, respond to one of the topics below. Please be sure to specify which topic you are responding to. 1. Discuss the different types of blood vessels and how their structure is uniquely suited to their functions. 2. Choose a major region of the body (for example, the thorax) and discuss the arteries and veins of that region. 3. Discuss the positive and possible negative effects of exercise on the cardiovascular system. 4. Identify and discuss the primary factors involved in the generation and regulation of blood pressure and explain the relationships among these factors. 5. Explain why a pressure difference must exist between the aorta and the right atrium. 6. Explain hepatic portal circulation. How is it different from normal circulation, and what advantages are gained from this type of circulation? This is a fun topic for a fitness trainer. The cardiovascular system is complex, but it’s even more complex when you start to factor in exercise while explaining it. Aerobic fitness is an important component of physical fitness. When your muscles need oxygen, your aerobic (cardiovascular) system must be able to efficiently deliver it to them. When your body has waste products that need to be expelled (e.g. carbon dioxide and metabolic waste products), your heart-lung complex must be up to the task. These two tasks form the functional basis of aerobic fitness. Positive effects include increasing your level of available energy, aid in relieving depression, reduce the risk of heart disease, increase the good (HDL) cholesterol. Everyone needs to be able to efficiently take oxygen into their lungs and blood and pump it to their working muscles where it is utilized to oxidize carbohydrates and fats to produce energy. If you are concerned about your health, particularly the risk of heart disease, you need to accept the fact that aerobic training can have a critical effect on the quantity and quality of your life. Some negative effects of exercise on the cardiovascular system can include a possible heart attack or stroke. Some people can tend to push themselves to hard or they can start off working out by pushing their heart a little harder than it’s used to. It’s not a very good idea to go out and try to run a marathon if you’ve spent most of your life sedentary. I used to be one of those people until I found out in 2007 that I had Tachycardia (a heart rate that is too fast). I had to adjust my workouts to accommodate the situation to include slowing down my runs and taking longer rest intervals when lifting weights.

Ken Research Essay

India Nuclear Medicine Imaging Market India Nuclear Medicine Imaging Market Size by Revenue, 2008-2012 Market Share of Major Players in Indian Nuclear Medicine Equipment Market, India Nuclear Medicine Imaging Market Future Outlook and Projections, 2013- 2. 5. 1. 2. 5. 2. 2012 2. 5. 3. 2017 3. India Medical Imaging Market Trends and Developments Refurbished Medical Imaging Equipment Shift Towards Digital X-ray Increasing Affordable Medical Imaging Equipments 4. 5. India Diagnostic Imaging Services Competitive Landscape, 2012 Growth Drivers Ageing Population Increasing Chronic Diseases Easy Finance Availability Increasing Health Expenditure . Restraints Large Capital Inflows Depreciating Value of Currency 7. India Medical Imaging Market Future Outlook and Projections, 2013-2017 7. 1. Cause and Effect Relationship between Dependent and Independent Variables in the India Medical Imaging Market 8. India Medical Imaging Market Macroeconomic Indicators, 2008-2017 8. 1. 8. 2. India Total Pop ulation, 2008-2017 India Ageing Population, 2008-2017 3  © This is a licensed product of Ken Research and should not be copied 8. 3. 8. 4. 8. 5. 9. India Healthcare Expenditure, 2008-2017 India Health Insurance Premium, 2008-2017 India Personal Disposable Income, 2008-2017 Company Profiles of the Major Players in Indian Medical Imaging Market 9. 1. GE Healthcare Company Overview Business Strategies Financial Performance 9. 2. Phillips Healthcare Company Overview Business Strategies Financial Performance 9. 3. Siemens Healthcare Company Overview Business Strategies Financial Performance 9. 4. Toshiba Medical Systems Corporation Company Overview Business Strategies Financial Performance 9. 5. Shimadzu Corporation Company Overview Business Strategies Financial Performance 9. 6. Mindray Medical International Ltd Company Overview Business Strategies Financial Performance 10. Appendix 4  © This is a licensed product of Ken Research and should not be copied 10. 1. 10. 2. 10. 3. Market Definitions Abbreviations Research Methodology Data Collection Methods Approach Variables (Dependent and Independent) Multi Factor Based Sensitivity Model Final Conclusion 10. 4. Disclaimer 5  © This is a licensed product of Ken Research and should not be copied LIST OF FIGURES Figure 1: India’s Medical Imaging Equipment Market on the basis of Domestic Sales in USD Million, 2008-2012 Figure 2: India’s Medical Imaging Market Segmentation by Equipment Type on the Basis of Revenue, 2008-2012 Figure 3: India X-Ray Market Size on the Basis of Domestic Sales Revenue in USD Million, 2008-2012 Figure 4: Market Share of Major Players in the India X-Ray Medical Equipment Market, 2012 Figure 5: India X-Ray Market Size on the Basis of Domestic Sales in USD Million, 2013-2017 Figure 6: India MRI Market Size on the Basis of Domestic Sales in USD Million, 2008-2012 Figure 7: Market Share of Major Players in the India MRI Medical Equipment Market, 2012 Figure 8: India MRI Future Market Size on the Basis of Domestic Sales in USD Million, 20132017 Figure 9: India CT Market Size on the Basis of Domestic Sales in USD Million, 2008-2012 Figure 10: India CT Equipment Market Value Breakup by Equipment Type, 2011 Figure 11: Market Share of Major Players in the India CT Medical Equipment Market, 2012 Figure 12: India CT Market Size on the Basis of Domestic Sales in USD Million, 2013-2017 Figure 13: India Ultrasound Market on the Basis of Domestic Sales in USD Million, 2008-2012 Figure 14: Market Share of Major Players in the India Ultrasound Medical Equipment Market, 2012 Figure 15: India Ultrasound Market Size on the Basis of Domestic Sales in USD Million, 20132017 Figure 16: India Nuclear Medicine Imaging Market Size on the Basis of Domestic Sales in USD Million, 2008-2012 Figure 17: Market Share of Major Players in the India Ultrasound Medical Equipment Market, 2012 Figure 18: India Nuclear Medicine Imaging Market Size on the Basis of Domestic Sales in USD Million, 2013-2017 6  © This is a licensed product of Ken Research and should not be copied Figure 19: India Medical Imaging Market Size on the Basis of Domestic Sales in USD Million, 2013-2017 Figure 20: India Total Population in Million, 2008-2017 Figure 21: India Ageing Population Size in Million, 2008-2017 Figure 22: India Healthcare Expenditure in USD Million, 2008-2017 Figure 23: India Health Insurance Premium in USD Million, 2008-2017 Figure 24: India Personal Disposable Income in USD Million, 2008-2017 7  © This is a licensed product of Ken Research and should not be copied LIST OF TABLES Table 1: India X-ray Equipment Market by Value in INR Crores, 2011 Table 2: India X-ray Equipment Market by Sales in Units, 2011 Table 3: India X-ray Equipment Imports in USD Million, 2008-2012 Table 4: India X-ray Equipment Exports in USD Million, 2008-2012 Table 5: India MRI Equipment Market by Value in INR Crores, 2011 Table 6: India MRI Equipment Market by Volume in Units, 2011 Table 7: India MRI Equipment Imports in USD Million, 2008-2012 Table 8: India CT Equipment Imports in USD Million, 2008-2012 Table 9: India CT Equipment Exports in USD Million, 2008-2012 Table 10: India Ultrasound Market by Value in INR Crores, 2011 Table 11: India Ultrasound Market by Volume in Units, 2011 Table 12: India Ultrasound Equipment Imports in USD Million, 2008-2012 Table 13: India Ultrasound Equipment Exports in USD Million, 2008-2012 Table 14: India Nuclear Medicine Market by Value in INR Crores, 2010 and 2011 Table 15: India Nuclear Medicine Market by Sales in Units, 2010 and 2011 Table 16: I ndia Diagnostic Imaging Services Competitive Landscape, 2012 Table 17: Cause and Effect Relationship Analysis between Industry Factors and Expected Medical Imaging Industry Prospects Table 18: Correlation Matrix for India Medical Imaging Market Table 19: Regression Coefficients Output 8  © This is a licensed product of Ken Research and should not be copied INDIA MEDICAL IMAGING MARKET INDIA MEDICAL IMAGING MARKET INTRODUCTION AND MARKET SIZE, 2008-2012 †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.. medical imaging market grew at a CAGR of ~% from USD ~ million in 2008 to USD ~ million in 2012. This growth was primarily due to the increasing establishments of healthcare units including hospitals and diagnostic centers. A lot of venture capital firms are actively participating in the growth scenario by providing the optimal financial support †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.. Figure: India’s Medical Imaging Equipment Market on the basis of Domestic Sales in USD Million, 2008-2012 600. 0 500. 0 400. 0 300. 0 200. 0 100. 0 0. 0 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012E 329. 5 INDIA MRI MARKET SIZE BY REVENUE, 2008-2012 India’s MRI market is the largest medical imaging equipment market in the country. The market has showcased healthy growth during the last four years and has grown at a CAGR of around ~% from USD 89. 3 million in 2008 to USD ~ million in 2012. MRI is important equipment which is used for detection of internal bleeding and swelling in soft tissues of the human body such as brain, heart and others. The equipment also provides †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ 9  © This is a licensed product of Ken Research and should not be copied Figure: India MRI Market Size on the Basis of Domestic Sales in USD Million, 2008-2012 140. 0 120. 0 100. 0 USD Million 80. 0 60. 0 40. 0 20. 0 0. 0 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012E 89. 3 Table 1: India MRI Equipment Market by Volume in Units, 2011 Type of MRI Equipment 3 Tesla 1. 5 Tesla, Economy 1. 5 Tesla MRI (Mid and High end) 0. 2 to 0. 5 Tesla Refurbished Total MRI Equipment Market by Sales in Units, 2011 INDIA COMPUTED TOMOGRAPHY MARKET COMPETITIVE LANDSCAPE MARKET SHARE OF MAJOR PLAYERS IN INDIAN CT EQUIPMENT MARKET 10  © This is a licensed product of Ken Research and should not be copied Siemens healthcare is a market leader in the CT medical imaging equipment market with ~% during 2012. The major reason behind is efficient and price competitive products coupled with adequate networking and marketing executives to support the sales. Its SOMATOM is the top selling product in the market. Following the second largest player is Phillips healthcare with ~% market share with its†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦. Figure: Market Share of Major Players in the India CT Medical Equipment Market, 2012 Siemens Philips GE Healthcare Others INDIA ULTRASOUND IMPORTS AND EXPORTS IMPORTS India’s import market for the ultrasound equipment have been on the rise from the past few years and witnessed a CAGR of around ~% during 2008-2012 where it grew from USD ~ million in 2008 to USD ~ million in 2012. The consistent growth in the demand for ultrasound equipments in India during 2008-2012 has primarily been responsible for †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦. Table: India Ultrasound Equipment Imports in USD Million, 2008-2012 Year Imports (USD million) 2008 2009 72. 1 2010 2011 2012E 11  © This is a licensed product of Ken Research and should not be copied EXPORTS India’s Ultrasound exports has grown at a CAGR of around ~% during 2008-2012 from USD 19. million in 2008 to USD ~ million in 2012. The major players such as GE, Siemens and others have been the major exporters †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ Table: India Ultrasound Equipment Exports in USD Million, 2008-2012 Year Exports (USD million) 2008 19. 2 2009 2010 2011 2012E INDIA NUC LEAR MEDICINE IMAGING MARKET FUTURE OUTLOOK AND PROJECTIONS, 2013-2017 The nuclear medicine imaging equipment market of India is expected to continue to grow strongly with a double digit year-on-year growth until 2017. The market is expected to reach to USD ~ million in 2017 from USD ~ million in 2012 at a CAGR of ~% during 2012-2017. Moreover, in 2013 the market is estimated to grow by †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ Figure: India Nuclear Medicine Imaging Market Size on the Basis of Domestic Sales in USD Million, 2013-2017 160. 0 140. 0 120. 0 USD Million 100. 0 80. 0 60. 0 40. 0 20. 0 0. 0 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 142. 0 12  © This is a licensed product of Ken Research and should not be copied DISCLAIMER The research reports provided by Ken Research are for the personal information of the authorized recipient and is not for public distribution and should not be reproduced or redistributed without prior permission. You are permitted to print or download extracts from this material for your personal use only. None of this material may be used for any commercial or public use. The information provided in the research documents is from publicly available data and other sources, which are reliable. Efforts are made to try and ensure accuracy of data. With respect to documents available, neither the company nor any of its employees makes any warranty, express or implied, including the warranties of merchantability and fitness for a particular purpose, or assumes any legal liability or responsibility for the accuracy, completeness, or usefulness of any information, apparatus, product, or process disclosed, or represents that its use will not infringe privately owned rights. The report also includes analysis and views expressed by our research team. The research reports are purely for information purposes. The opinions expressed are our current opinions as of the date appearing in the material and may be subject to change from time to time without notice. Investors should not solely rely on the information contained in the research documents and must make investment decisions based on their own investment objectives, risk profile and financial position. The recipients of this material should take their own professional advice before acting on this information. Ken Research will not accept returns of reports once dispatched due to the confidentiality of information provided in our reports. In case, a report qualify for return, we will issue a credit, minus shipping charges, of equal value to the original purchase price, toward a future purchase— no refunds. The decision about whether the product return can be accepted or not is solely at our discretion. Any dispute will be subject to laws of India and exclusive jurisdiction of Indian Courts. No part of this manual or any material appearing may be reproduced, stored in or transmitted on any other Web site without written permission of Ken Research and any payments of a specified fee. Requests to republish any material may be sent to us. 13  © This is a licensed product of Ken Research and should not be copied

Space meets knowledge The impact of workplace design On knowledge sharing ?

Abstract An examination of the role the physical workplace plays in creating opportunities and barriers that influence knowledge management has become a matter of substantial debate. Design of good workplaces for knowledge sharing is considered a major challenge for any organisation. This study provides an insight into the impact of the design and use of the physical workplace on knowledge sharing. Evidence presented in this study substantiates the position that the physical presence of an employee has the potential to impact performance and knowledge management. This assessment will be of use to researchers seeking to further examine the area of knowledge management. Introduction Knowledge management, described as the intentional management of information has become increasingly important to organisations (Nonaka and Takeuchi, 1995; Alavi, 1997; Garvin, 1997; Wiig, 1997; Davenport and Prusak, 1998; Ruggles, 1998; Hansen, 1999; Zack, 1999a). In large part this has been fuelled by the exponential growth of the knowledge economy and the increasing number of knowledge workers who have become as essential for many firms competitiveness and survival (Tallman and Chacar 2010). For many emerging organisations face to face contact is essential in the dissemination of knowledge within that infrastructure (Ibid). The process of internal knowledge management is a dynamic element that must be maintained in order to produce results. Literature Review Knowledge is defined as a dynamic human or social process that allows a justification of personal belief as regards the truth (Nonaka 2011). Interaction between people, employees and consumers is one of the primary methods of communicating innovative and inspirational progress. Modern studies in the field of knowledge management have begun to shift focus from the importance of the physical workplace to those engaged in knowledge work (Becker 2004). The recognition of inherent value in the employee base adds incentive to capitalize on the low cost innovative opportunities that knowledge sharing creates (Tallman et al 2010). With critical insight established through the direct contact of the employees, the means of communication becomes a critical concern (Dakir 2012). International companies are recognizing this same value of face to face interaction as the social interaction between management sections, benefits production and development levels world-wide (Noorderhaven and Harzing 2009). In their discussion of social capital, Cohen and Prusak (2001) emphasise the importance of the physical workplace for the exchanging of knowledge, specifically the distribution of ideas amongst individuals in a situation where they could not assume that others knew what they were required to know. Becker (2004) hypothesises that the choices an organisation makes about how space is allocated and designed directly and indirectly shapes the infrastructure of knowledge networks – the dense and richly veined social systems that help people learn faster and engage more deeply in the work of the organisation. This corresponds with the Dakir (2012) argument that technology is no substitute for live interaction among the members of the organization. Davenport et al (2002) undertook a study among 41 firms that were implementing initiatives to advance the performance of high-end knowledge workers who were regarded as critical to the company’s aims. They focused upon determining th e elements that affected the knowledge work performance. Surprisingly, the issue that was most frequently dealt with by these firms involved the physical workplace – â€Å"the other common ones were information technology and management† (Davenport 2005, p. 166). Davenport (2005) emphasises that the recognition of the importance of knowledge work has grown in recent years, but that our understanding of the physical conditions in which knowledge can flourish has failed to keep pace. The inclusion of emerging communication technology has been argued to provide a better opportunity for employee interaction (Rhoads 2010). This same element of improved long distance communication is credited with diminishing the valued impromptu inspiration that many firms rely on during day to day operations (Denstadli, Gripsrud, Hjortahol and Julsrud 2013). According to Davenport et al (2002) workplace design should be seen as a key determinant of knowledge-worker performance, while we largely remain in the dark about how to align ‘space’ to the demands of knowledge work. Davenport (2005) emphasises the point that â€Å"there is a good deal said about the topic, but not much known about it† (p. 165). Most of the decisions concerning the clima te in which work takes place have been created without consideration for performance factors. This fact continues to diminish opportunities for in-house knowledge sharing and effective dissemination of intelligence (Denstadli et al 2013). Becker (2004) points out that the cultivation of knowledge networks underpins the continuing debate about office design, and the relative virtue of open versus closed space. Duffy (2000) confirms these views when he admits that early twenty-first-century architects â€Å"currently know as little about how workplaces shapes business performance as early nineteenth-century physicians knew how diseases were transmitted before the science of epidemiology was established† (p. 371). This makes every emerging decision regarding effective knowledge sharing critical to the development of any organisation. Deprez and Tissen (2009) illustrate the strength of the knowledge sharing process using Google’s approach: â€Å"one company that is fully aware of its ‘spatial’ capabilities†. The spatial arrangements at Google’s offices can serve as a useful example of how design can have a bearing on improving the exchange of knowledge in ways that also add value to the company. The Zurich ‘Google engineering’ office is the company’s newest and largest research and development facility besides Mountain View, California. In this facility, Deprez and Tissen (2009) report: â€Å"Google has created workspaces where people literally ‘slide into space’ (i.e. the restaurant). It’s really true: Google Is different. It’s in the design; it’s in the air and in the spirit of the ‘place’. It’s almost organizing without management. A workplace becomes a ‘workspace’, mobilizing the collectiv e Google minds and link them to their fellow ‘Zooglers’ inside the Zurich office and to access all the outside/external knowledge to be captured by the All Mighty Google organisation† (2009, p. 37). What works for one organisation may not work for another and this appears to be the case in particular when it comes to Google (Deprez et al 2009). Yet, some valuable lessons in how the workplace can be used to good effect can be gained from Google’s operations. For this precise reason, research was carried out at Google Zurich to provide both theoretical and managerial insights into the impact of the design and use of the physical workplace on knowledge sharing (Ibid). Studies comparing the performance of virtual and co-located teams found that virtual teams tend to be more task oriented and exchange less social information than co located ones (Walther & Burgoon 1992; Chidambaram 1996). The researchers suggest this would slow the development of relationships and strong relational links have been shown to enhance creativity and motivation. Other studies conclude that face-to-face team meetings are usually more effective and satisfying than virtual ones, but nevertheless virtual teams can be as effective if given sufficient time to develop strong group relationships (Chidambaram 1996). This research implies the importance of facilitating social interaction in the workplace, and between team members (virtual and co-located) when the team is initially forming. Hua (2010) proposes that repeated encounters, even without conversation, help to promote the awareness of co-workers and to foster office relationships. McGrath (1990) recommends that in the abs ence of the ability to have an initial face-to-face meeting other avenues for building strong relationships are advised to ensure the cohesiveness and effectiveness of the team’s interaction. So although interaction alone is not a sufficient condition for successful collaboration, it does indirectly support collaboration. Nova (2005) points out that physical proximity allow the use of non verbal communication including: different paralinguistic and non-verbal signs, precise timing of cues, coordination of turn-taking or the repair of misunderstandings. Psychologists note that deictic references are used in face-to-face meetings on a regular basis, which refers to pointing, looking, touching or gesturing to indicate a nearby object mentioned in conversation (Ibid). Newlands et al (2002) analysed interactions of two groups performing a joint task in either face-to-face or a video conference system. They found that deictic hand gesture occurred five times more frequently in the face-to-face condition the virtual interaction. More recent research has found that extroverts gesticulate for longer and more often in meetings than introverts (Jonnson 2006). Barbour and Koneya (1976) famously claimed that 55 per cent of communication is non-verbal communication, 38 per cent is done by tone of voice, and only 7 per cent is related to the words and content. Clearly non-verbal communication is a key component of interaction and virtual interaction systems need to replicate this basic need, especially in the early stages of team forming or when the team consists of a high proportion of extroverts. The physical co-location of teams also facilitates collaboration (Ibid). A seminal piece of research carried out by Allen (1977) demonstrated that the probability of two people communicating in an organisation is inversely proportional to the distance separating them, and it is close to zero after 30 metres of physical separation. Furthermore, proximity helps maintain task and group awareness, because when co-located it is easier to gather and update information about the task performed by team members (Dakir 2012). A recent survey of workers at highly collaborative companies found that most â€Å"collaborative events† are short (with 34% lasting fewer than 15 minutes) and the majority take place at the desk (Green 2012). It is likely that these impromptu interactions relate to sharing information (perhaps on the PC) or answering queries rather than lengthy intense discussion and development of joint ideas. Interactions at desks may facilitate tacit knowledge sharing by overhearing relevant conversations between team members, but such interactions can also be considered a distraction if not relevant (Denstadli et al 2013). Methodology There are two acknowledged methodological approaches: quantitative and qualitative (Creswell 2005). The quantitative method involves identifying variables in a research question which are then utilized in order to collate numerical data (Ibid). The qualitative research is open to interpretation allowing personal answers to be incorporated into the study (Creswell 2005). The researcher considered both options in order to complete the necessary goals.Types of DataThere are two forms of data: primary, or newly generated data, or secondary, previous data generated within existing studies (Creswell 2005). This study required the acquisition of primary data creating the need for relevant instruments. A survey with 5 open-ended questions has been created and subsequently conducted with centred on 548 employees working at Google Zurich. This was done in order to explore the perceptions of Google employees with regard to the environment in which they work with a focus on factors that affect knowledge sharing in the work environment.Methods of Data CollectionThe qualitative data analysis employed a Content Analysis technique to reveal participant perceptions of their work environment. The survey questions were designed to explore employee perceptions regarding the following dimensions: 1) Activities that allow for increased exchange of knowledge; 2) Advantages of frequent interaction with colleagues; 3) Individuals or groups dependent on the frequent interaction with co-workers orgroup members; 4) Factors that facilitate interaction within the workplace 5) Factors that inhibit interaction with others in the workplace. Survey participants responded to five open-ended questions and rated their answers using a five-point Likert scale where 5 was ‘most important’. Using a Content Analysis approach (Creswell 2005; Leedy and Ormrod 2005; Neuendorf 2002), the interview responses were analysed. Content Analysis is a qualitative data reduction method that generates categories from key words and phrases in the interview text; it is an evidence-based process in which data gathered through an exploratory approach is systematically analysed to produce predictive or inferential intent (Creswell 2005). Content Analysis was used to identify themes or common concepts in participants’ perceptions regarding the culturally and environmentally distinctive factors that affect interaction in the workplace (Neuendorf, 2002). This process permitted the investigator to quantify and analyse data so that inferences could be drawn. The Content Analysis of survey interview text was categorically coded to reflect various levels of analysis, including key components, words, sentences, or themes (Neuendorf 2002). These themes or key components were then examined using relational analysis to determine whether there were any relationships between the responses of the subjects. The analysis was conducted with Nvivo8 ® software which enables sorting, categorising, and frequency counts of invariant constituents (relevant responses). Content Analysis was used to critically evaluate the survey responses of the study participants, providing in-depth information regarding the factors related to workplace interaction. Sample Respondent Characteristics The invited population consisted of 675 individuals and a total of 548 individuals participated in the survey resulting in a response rate of 81 per cent. Of these 548 completed surveys, 35 responses were discarded because the respondents only partially completed the survey. The final sample consisted of 513 respondents. The key characteristics of these respondents are summarized in Table 4-1.Table 4-1 Sample Respondent Characteristics FactorDescriptionFrequency EducationHigh School Bachelor Degree Certificate Degree Master Degree PhD Degree Other:15 118 19 231 121 9 Tenure< 2 years 2-5 years > 5 years153 331 29 Time Building Use< 1 year 1 year 2 years > 2 years140 102 271 0 Time Desk Use< 3 months 3-6 months 7-12 months > 12 months143 159 126 85 Age< 20 years 21-30 years 31-40 years 41-50 years > 50 years0 216 255 35 7 GenderMale Female428 85 MobiltyZurich Office Other Google Office Home Office Travelling Other88.9% 3.9% 3.9% 2.7% 0.5% PositionEngineering Sales and Marketing GandA Other:428 12 14 59 NationalityGermany Switzerland United States France Poland United Kingdom Romania Hungary Netherlands Sweden Spain Australia Russian Federation < 10 respondents73 62 35 33 28 27 24 23 17 16 14 13 12 136 Survey Findings In order to provide an audit trail of participant responses to the thematic categories that emerged from the data analysis, discussion of the findings precedes the tables of data, within a framework consisting of the five survey questions. An overall summary is provided at the conclusion of the discussion of findings. During the analysis of data, common invariant constituents (relevant responses) were categorically coded and associated frequencies were documented. Frequency data included overall frequency of occurrence as well as frequencies based on rating level (5 = most important to 1 = least important). Invariant constituents with a frequency of less than 10 were not included in the tables. Study conclusions were developed through an examination of the high frequency and highly rated invariant constituents in conjunction with the revealed thematic categories.Question 1: Main Activities that Allow Exchange of KnowledgeTable 4-2 provides high frequency invariant constituents (relev ant responses) by survey participants demonstrating themes within the data for Question 1. Thematically, the analysis revealed the following primary perceptions of participants in terms of main activities that allow knowledge exchange: (a) meetings of all types; (b) whiteboard area discussions; (c) video conferencing; (d) email, and (e) code reviews. These elements demonstrated a high frequency of importance ratings, and a moderate percentage of respondents rated these elements as ‘most important’ (rating 5). Other themes revealed through the analysis included the importance of writing and reading documentation, Instant Messaging (IM) text chat, Internet Relay Chat (IRC), and extracurricular/social activities. All other invariant constituents with a frequency of greater than 10 are shown in Table 4-2.Table 4-2 Data Analysis Results for Question 1: Main Activities Allowing for Exchange of Knowledge Invariant ConstituentOverall number (Frequency)By Rating 5=Most important n=51354321 Informal discussion/face to face mtgs/stand ups35114977603332 Formal planned meetings/conference room mtgs2184061563823 Email207747432216 Lunches/Dinners64910151812 Whiteboard area discussions/brainstorming5822131094 Video Conferencing (VC)5841620144 Code Reviews515162046 Writing/Reading Documentation476813164 IM/Text Chat/IRC4610161073 â€Å"Extracurricular Activities† (e.g., pool, socializing, Friday office drinks, etc.)4522151016 Writing/Reading docs specifically wiki pages/sites34210697 Chat (unspecified in person vs. text)3387873 Techtalks2745675 Training/presentations23133106 Mailing lists21102522 Shared docs/doc collaboration1703554 Read/write design docs specifically1202505 Telephone/phone conversations1203243Question 2: Main Advantages of Frequent Interaction with ColleaguesTable 4-3 provides high frequency invariant constituents (relevant responses) by survey participants demonstrating themes within the data for Question 2. Thematically, t he analysis revealed the following elements representing the primary perceptions of participants in terms of the main advantages to frequent interaction with colleagues: (a) knowledge and information exchange and transfer; (b) staying current on projects and processes; (c) social interaction; (d) learning from others; (e) faster problem resolution; (f) efficient collaboration; and (g) continuous and early feedback. The following themes received a high frequency of importance ratings and a large percentage of ‘most important’ and ‘important’ ratings (rating 5 and 4, respectively) included: knowledge sharing, staying in touch and up to date, learning from others, faster resolution/problem solving, better collaboration, and feedback. Although socialising was revealed to be a strong overall theme, it also demonstrated lower importance ratings. Other themes revealed through the analysis are provided in Table 4-3.Table 4-3 Data Analysis Results for Question 2: Ma in Advantages of Frequent Interaction Invariant ConstituentOverall number (Frequency)By Rating 5=Most important n=51354321 Knowledge sharing/exchange of information/Knowledge transfer149753919124 Staying in touch/up to date/ more info on projects and processes11358281782 Socializing/social interaction7451035186 Learning/learning from others/learning new things/increased knowledge base7217281485 Understand problems/needs – faster resolution and quicker problem solving7025241146 Better/more efficient collaboration67428953 Feedback/continuous feedback/early feedback661729893 New and better ideas/flow of ideas/creativity/ brainstorming6525151474 Teamwork/being part of a team/teambuilding5110121892 Get work done/efficiency/speed462613241 Fun4421115115 Better understanding of what others are doing and how/workloads4415171002 Everyone on same page/shared vision/focus on goals of team32109652 Better personal contact and easy interaction27561123 Avoid misunderstanding/work duplication27810441 Helping others/getting help (when stuck)26391031 Good/happy atmosphere/work environment2412858 Networki ng2219624 Motivate each other/inspiration2151582 Other/new perspectives/viewpoints18210312 Improving quality of work/performance1615910 Work synchronization1628141 Productivity1231431 Knowing latest news/innovations1203216 Better communication1011521Question 3: Individuals or Groups that are Dependent on Frequent InteractionTable 4-4 provides high frequency invariant constituents (relevant responses) given by survey participants demonstrating themes within the data for Question 3. Thematically, the analysis revealed the following elements representing the primary perceptions of participants in terms of individuals or groups that are dependent on frequent interaction of the participant: (a) my team/project teammates/peers; and (b) managers. The first theme demonstrated a high frequency of importance ratings with a moderate percentage of ‘most important’ and ‘important’ ratings (rating 5 and 4, respectively). Although the theme of managers was revealed to be a relatively strong overall theme, it also demonstrated lower importance ratings. Other themes revealed through the analysis are shown in Table 4-4.Table 4-4 Data Analysis Results for Question 3: Individual/groups dependent on frequent interaction of participant Invariant ConstituentOverall number (Frequency)By Rating 5=Most important n=51354321 My team/project teammates/peers12887191435 Managers/PMs484241163 Users/customers/clients357121042 All reports/related teams34717442 Engineering teams (various)28188200 Recruiting team/staffing1753630 Geo Teams1576200 Operations teams1423522 All of them1191010 HQ1133122 Other engineers using my project/peer developers of my tool1015310Question 4: Factors Facilitating Easy InteractionTable 4-5 provides high frequency invariant constituents (relevant responses) by survey participants demonstrating themes within the data for Question 4. Thematically, the analysis revealed the following elements representing the primary perceptions of participants about factors that facilitate easy interaction: (a) common, proximal, and open workspace areas; (b) common functional areas; (c) sufficient and available meeting facilities; (d) excellent communication tools; and (e) video conference facilities. The theme of open and common workspace areas/shared office space demonstr ated a high frequency of importance ratings with a very large percentage of ‘most important’ ratings (rating 5). Other revealed themes, particularly the second listed theme, demonstrated relatively high overall frequency, but these themes did not demonstrate the strength of importance that the first theme did. Other themes and invariant constituents revealed through the analysis are shown in Table 4-5.Table 4-5 Data Analysis Results for Question 4: Factors Facilitating Easy Interaction Invariant ConstituentOverall number (Frequency)By Rating 5=Most important n=51354321 Open and Common workspace areas/shared office space/desk locations/sitting together175103342594 Common shared Areas (e.g., Kitchen, play/game rooms, lounges, library, etc.)173406642178 Enough facilities for meetings/availability of meeting and conference areas90192730122 Great communication tools (email, VC, chats, dist. Lists, online docs, wireless, VPN, mobile†¦)80113014187 Video Conference meeting rooms/facilities78192518124 Onsite lunch/dinner/common dining area (free food and eating together)5071511134 Whiteboard areas for informal meetings431018771 Corporate culture/open culture/ open communication culture431811932 Email421113954 Casual and social environment/open atmosphere36195921 People: easy going, friendly, smart, knowledgeable, willing to help35149336 Social Events2836577 Company calendar/planned ops for meeting/ scheduled meetings1937621 Geographic co-location/same time zone1374200 Travel/trips to other offices1212135 Chat (non-specific t ext or in person)1124302 IM/internet chat1051112 MOMA/social networking/wiki pages/company docs1010342Question 5: Factors Inhibiting Interaction with OthersTable 4-6 provides high frequency invariant constituents (relevant responses) by survey participants demonstrating themes within the data for Question 5. Thematically, the analysis revealed a single strong element and several elements with less relevance as inhibiting factors. The physical geographic differences – specifically the time zone differences – were noted by a majority of participants as the most important element that inhibited interaction with others. Study participants perceived their overscheduled and busy work lives, noise levels in their workspaces, and shared work environments to be contributing inhibitory factors with regard to interaction with others. These elements also demonstrated high frequencies of importance ratings with a moderate percentage of ‘most important’ ratings (rating 5). Other themes revealed through the analysis are shown in Table 4-6.Table 4-6 Data Analysis Results for Question 5: Factors Inhibiting Interaction with Others Invariant ConstituentOverall number (Frequency)By Rating 5=Most important n=51354321 Physical Geographic distance/ timezone differences16411536931 Very busy/Overscheduled people/ overbooked calendars/ too many meetings4517161020 Crowded/noisy environment/ noise in shared space33196440 Defective VCs/ VC suboptimal/ VC equipment not working2597720 No meeting rooms available2286620 Too few VC rooms in some locations / lack of available VC rooms1949501 Open Space: no privacy, interruptions/ disruptions1958321 Information overload/ too much email1562610 Large office building/building size and layout/ too many people, difficult to find people15114000 Team split between multiple sites or large distance between team members in same bldg1545420 Need more whiteboards/lack of informal areas with whiteboards1135210 Language barrier: lack of correct English/not knowing colloquial lang. or nuances1151311 Lack of time/deadlines1152121 Different working hours within same time zone1053200 Discussion Both the literature and the survey have illuminated interesting facets of the work environment and the need for personal communication. The analysis of the 513 participants’ responses to five open-ended questions from the employee perception survey revealed patterns of facilitating and inhibiting factors in their work environment. Nonaka (2011) clearly illustrates this point with the argument that the communal environment promotes a standard of communication not found in the technological alternatives. Further, the shift away from the organization to the person orientation provides a fundamental benefit to every employee (Becker 2004). With a rising recognition of individual value, the organisation is building employee trust. Participants in this study preferred frequent, informal opportunities for the exchange of knowledge. The opportunity for growth was centred on the capacity to exchange concepts in a free and easy manner (Nonaka 2011). The evidence presented in this study demonstrates that these opportunities were more valued by team members with high knowledge exchange needs. This is line with the increased depth of knowledge and ability to meet technical needs through employee communication (Tallman et al 2010). A combination of professional advice can benefit the entire production and development process. In this study, transactions among participants were often brief, and were perceived to require limited space – often just stand-up space – with noise-regulating options not found in open-office environments. Dakir (2012) demonstrates the environment has the potential to add to or detract from employee communication, making this factor a critical consideration. Spontaneous and opportunistic knowledge-sharing transactions were valued, and technology provided a platform for this type of knowledge exchange to occur. This evidence from the survey corresponds with the literature illustrating that increased communication and sharing in the workplace enhances the entire operation, as well as providing new and fresh opportunities and innovations (Tallman et al 2010). The research at Google provides further support for the view of some leading companies who strongly believe that having workers in the same place is crucial to their success (Noorderhaven et al 2009). Yahoo’s CEO Marissa Mayer communicated via a memo to employees that June 2013, any existing work-from-home arrangements will no longer apply. Initial studies theorized that the work at home system would provide a better platform for workers, even on a local level (Dakir 2012). Many points of the memo cited in this Yahoo example, parallel the literature presented in this study. Her memo stated (Moyer 2013): â€Å"To become the absolute best place to work, communication and collaboration will be important, so we need to be working side-by-side.† This is clearly in line with the Coehen and Prusak (2001) assertion that the physical workplace is a critical element of the dynamic business. â€Å"That is why it is critical that we are all present in our offices. Some of the be st decisions and insights come from hallway and cafeteria discussions, meeting new people, and impromptu team meetings.† This element of the her reasoning is nearly identical to the argument presented by Dakir (2012), that a successful company do so, in part, by promoting communication and teamwork in the office, the technical alternatives are not enough. â€Å"Speed and quality are often sacrificed when we work from home. We need to be one Yahoo!, and that starts with physically being together†¦.Being a Yahoo isn’t just about your day-to-day job, it is about the interactions and experiences that are only possible in our offices† (Moyer 2013). This section is directly in line with emerging studies citing the vital nature of the interaction and face to face employee contact (Heerwagen et al. 2004). This study has clearly demonstrated that Mayer is not alone in her thinking; Steve Jobs operated in a similar fashion as well (Davenport et al 2002). Despite being a denizen of the digital world, or maybe because he knew all too well its isolating potential, Jobs was a strong believer in face-to-face meetings. â€Å"There’s a temptation in our networked age to think that ideas can be developed by email and iChat,† he said. â€Å"That’s crazy. Creativity comes from spontaneous meetings, from random discussions. You run into someone, you ask what they’re doing, you say ‘Wow,’ and soon you’re cooking up all sorts of ideas† (Isaacson, 2011, p. 431). This assertion by Jobs closely resembles the argument presented in the Rhoads (2010) study that found a clear correlation between the communication capacity and opportunity for successful innovation and progress. Following this philosophy led Jobs to have the Pixar building designed to pr omote encounters and unplanned collaborations.Mayer’s former colleague at Google agrees (Ibid). Speaking at an event in Sydney February 2013, Google CFO Patrick Pichette said that teleworking is not encouraged at Google. This reflects the consensus that is emerging that time in the office is not only valuable but necessary to sustained competition in the industry (Denstadli et al 2013). Pichette believes that working from home could isolate employees from other staff. Companies like Apple, Yahoo! and Google are holding on to (or have started embracing) the belief that having workers in the same place is crucial to their success (Dakir 2012). This appears to be based on the view that physical proximity can lead to casual exchanges, which in turn can lead to breakthroughs for products. Heerwagen et al (2004) illustrates that it is evident that â€Å"knowledge work is a highly cognitive and social activity†. Non-verbal communication is complex and involves many unconscious mechanisms e.g. gesture, body language, posture, facial expression, eye contact, pheromones, proxemics, chronemics, haptics, and paralanguage (Denstadli et al 2013). So, although virtual interaction can be valuable it is not a replacement for face-to-face interaction, particularly for initial meetings of individuals or teams. Furthermore, the increase in remote working has indicated that face-to-face interaction is important for motivation, team-building, mentoring, a sense of belonging and loyalty, arguably more so than in place-centred workgroups (Deprez and Tissen 2009). Conclusion The role of knowledge management in the workplace has become an increasingly valuable segment of a company’s resources. This study examined the practice of working remotely versus employee interaction in the work place providing many illuminating developments. Despite the early optimism that emerging technology was going to provide the end all to employee work habits have proven less than fully realized. The evidence in this study has continuously illustrated an environment that requires the innovative, face to face interaction in order to maintain a competitive edge in the industry. Further, the very environment that promotes this free exchange of ideals is not adequately substituted by technology. In short, the evidence provided in this study has clearly demonstrated the advantage that the in house employee has over the remote worker. The impromptu encounters between employees are very often the elements needed for progress. What is clear is that in order for a business to capitalize on their full range of available resources virtually requires, face to face personal interaction in order to fully realize the firms full potential. In the end, it will be the combination of leadership, teamwork and innovation that provides business with the best environment, not necessarily how much technology is available. References Dalkir, K. 2005. Knowledge management in theory and practice. Amsterdam: Elsevier/Butterworth Heinemann. Denstadli, J., Gripsrud, M., Hjorthol, R. and Julsrud, T. 2013. Videoconferencing and business air travel: Do new technologies produce new interaction patterns?. Transportation Research Part C: Emerging Technologies, 29 pp. 1–13. Nonaka, I. and Takeuchi, H. 2011. The wise leader. Harvard Business Review, 89 (5), pp. 58–67. Noorderhaven, N. and Harzing, A. 2009. Knowledge-sharing and social interaction within MNEs.Journal of International Business Studies, 40 (5), pp. 719–741. Rhoads, M. 2010. Face-to-Face and Computer-Mediated Communication: What Does Theory Tell Us and What Have We Learned so Far?. Journal of Planning Literature, 25 (2), pp. 111–122. Tallman, S. and Chacar, A. 2011. Knowledge Accumulation and Dissemination in MNEs: A Practice-Based Framework. Journal of Management Studies, 48 (2), pp. 278–304.