Knowledge managment MBA Level Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2750 words

Knowledge managment MBA Level - Assignment Example It is because of these problems that knowledge management (which entails generation and Embedment of knowledge into the operations of these construction organisations) has been enhanced. Regardless of the fact that generation and Embedment of knowledge in these organizations is of great importance, their implementation is also faced with challenges such as mistrust, and poor management of knowledge among others. Introduction Construction projects have become very dynamic and complicated in the recent times such that managers of these projects face great challenges in managing the current projects (Bektas, Heintz, & Wamelink 2007). Normally, construction companies as well as their employees perform activities as well as tasks associated with project management based on the past experience instead of following or using approaches prescribed in textbooks (Sydow, Lindkvist, & DeFillippi 2004). They also prefer these carrying out project management activities based on their past work expe riences to utilizing analytical approach. Also, costs associated with retaining, recruiting and attracting employees who are talented and experienced is normally high. This fact is further complicated by fact that in the recent times construction companies have been losing some of their most talented, skilled, experienced and knowledgeable employees to other industries as well as to other competing construction companies (Bektas, Heintz, & Wamelink 2007). One of the ways of ensuring that the skills, knowledge and experience related to managing these projects are retained is by knowledge management. Knowledge is normally considered is one of the most essential factors in project management as well as managements associated with decision making processes (Anumba , Egbu & Carillo 2005). Knowledge also ensures that construction companies have competitive advantage while carrying out construction projects. Therefore, knowledge management would ensure that knowledge and experience related to managing these projects are distributed and utilized accordingly (Sydow, Lindkvist, & DeFillippi 2004). Regardless of the fact that generation and embedment of knowledge in these organizations is of great importance, their implementation is also faced with challenges and threats. This research paper, therefore, aims at identifying challenges and opportunities that confront project-based organisations. The research paper will also identify some of the challenges that face generation and embedment knowledge into the operations of these organizations in the construction industry. Challenges facing project-based organizations Before discussing the challenges that face project based organizations it is important that the meaning of expression â€Å"project-based organization† is understood. According to Sydow, Lindkvist, & DeFillippi (2004), project-based organizations are those organizations that involve themselves with temporary projects or temporary project tasks such as co nstruction activities. These organizations are the common phenomenon in construction industry, and are normally faced with a number of challenges. The challenges or dilemmas that normally face project-based organizations are discussed in the preceding paragraphs. One major challenges that faces project-based organization is dilemmas associated with their practices and the need theory. According to Syd

Critically evaulate the care and management of a Scaphoid fracture Essay

Critically evaulate the care and management of a Scaphoid fracture from the perspective of a Emergency Nurse Practitioner - Essay Example I chose to focus on scaphoid fractures since they are part of the injuries that I am likely to come across as an emergency nurse practitioner (Rutter, 2008). This paper touches on the clinical assessment and differential diagnosis of scaphoid fractures. I will discuss different assessments that a nurse can perform and the diagnosis process that is supposed to be followed when dealing with a fractured scaphoid. I will also look at the psychological as well as the cultural factors that might affect the patient suffering from a fractured scaphoid. I will also include the treatment options available for scaphoid fractures. There are several issues related to the management of fractured scaphoids. And I will delve deep into some of these issues in my discussion. Clinical assessment and differential diagnosis Scaphoid fractures are quite difficult to diagnose correctly since X-Ray interpretations are normally vague (Gunal, Barton and Calli, 2010). This draws to attention the need of clinic al assessment in the diagnosis process. The diagnostic process of a fractured scaphoid needs to be thorough enough to be able to make accurate diagnosis. Signs and Symptoms It is quite challenging to diagnose fractured scaphoids due to the lack of apparent signs that are common with bone fractures. The most common symptom or sign of a fractured scaphoid is tenderness and pain, which is usually accompanied by swelling on the wrist (Elhassan and Shin, 2006). However these signs are not very specific and one might make unnecessary outpatient reviews. In the health facility where I worked, MRI technology was used to a certain the presence of a fractured scaphoid on a patient (Garcia and Holtz, 2001). However, the patient had to undergo plain-film radiographs to ascertain that indeed there was a fracture on the wrist. The first step of the clinical assessment of the suspected fractured scaphoid was to take the patients history (Bickley, 2005). Taking the history of the patient was import ant as it showed the injury mechanism. For a fractured scaphoid, the injury mechanism normally involved: Falling onto the outstretched hand Forced dorsiflexion, with a radially deviated wrist Sometime there could be palmar flexion After checking the common signs of a fractures wrist such as swelling, lack of a strong grip and pain, the next step involved the use of radiographs (Elhassan and Shin, 2006). The lateral radiograph was used to indicate whether or not there was any sign of inconsistency in the alignment of the carpal and distal joints (Edwards and Stillman, 2006). If the patient had positive radiograph results but negative initial clinical findings were treated using cast immobilization for two weeks. After two weeks, the examination was repeated to examine whether there had been any form of healing or bony resorption at the site of the fracture. Emergency nursing practitioners carried out the initial clinical evaluation which in most cases showed the following (Muscari. 2 001): Pain on the wrist Fullness and swelling off the snuffbox, which was a clear indication of effusion Tender palpation in the anatomical snuffbox and scaphoid tubercle Reduction in the range of motion Pronation and ulnar deviation that caused pain Reduced strength of grip When the radiographs failed to indicate the fracture, even when it was apparent there was one, the other option used was MRI. In many health facilities which deal with emergency care for minor

Financial Conservatism. Determinants of cash and leverage conservatism Dissertation

Financial Conservatism. Determinants of cash and leverage conservatism in USA firms - Dissertation Example Microsoft, Exxon, Apple are all examples of non-financial firms that have held huge stockpiles of cash1. According to a recent San Francisco Chronicle report, Apple reportedly has a stockpile of $137 Billion, and the company justifies this by saying that it is â€Å"preserving its options†2. In financial literature, a firm which holds more cash reserves or lower leverage than is optimal according to capital structure is known to be financially conservative. To avoid having to depend on costly external sources of debt, having spare debt capacities by maintaining low liabilities to total asset ratios is important. Also for the same reason, retaining adequate cash reserves is also important. From 1980 to 2004, the average cash-to-asset ratio for industrial US firms has increased by 129 percent. During the same time period, net debt for these firms has fallen substantially (Bates et al, 2009). Therefore, on average these firms seem to have adopted more financially conservative pra ctices in both senses by reducing leverage and increasing cash holdings simultaneously. However, much of the reduction in net debt is attributed to higher cash holdings rather than any reduction in liabilities. In general financial conservatism has become a very relevant topic of study in this backdrop. In this context, this paper studies the characteristics of financially conservative firms. The main objective is to see whether financially conservative practices can protect firms from being distressed and what effects the financial crisis had on financially conservative practices. Barring Iona, Leonida and Ozkan (2004), Prior research has focused on analysing conservative behaviour of firms from either the perspective of holding excessively high cash balances or from the perspective of maintaining lower than optimal leverage levels. Iona, Leonida and Ozkan (2004) look at non-financial financially conservative UK firms that adopt both these practices simultaneously. No work prior wo rk has examined the coexistence of both cash conservative and leverage conservative practices for US firms. Using a large sample of industrial US firms over the period of 2002-2011, I enquire into the nature of financial conservatism. Since a firm is financially conservative if it is conservative in terms of holding extra cash reserves as well as maintaining low leverage, I start off by looking at the determinants of cash conservativeness and the determinants of leverage conservativeness. Then I look at what are the important characteristics of firms that contribute to making its financial practices conservative in general. In particular, I ask, what factors influence the probability of a firm being both cash and leverage conservative at the same time. After determining the important factors, I turn to the critical question of how financial conservatism affects the probability of a firm being financially distressed. The major contributions of this paper are twofold: first, extending the literature on conservative firms which adopt both cash and leverage conservatism simultaneously and second, applying the theory of jointly cash and leverage conservative practices to characterize conservative US firms which have not been examined in literature at all. The rest of the paper is structured as follows. Section II presents a review of the relevant literature. This section lays out the

Generally Accepted Accounting Principles Paper Research

Generally Accepted Accounting Principles - Research Paper Example According to Cleverly, Song, & Cleverly (2010), there are five generally accepted accounting guidelines or principles that are related to accounting for health, namely money measurement, valuation, duality principle, stable monetary unit, and accounting entity. In this paper a discussion will be made on these five generally accepted accounting principles related to health care. Money Measurement Money measurement principle calls for effective recording of all cash flows and revenues that are coming to the organization as well those leaving the organization. Money measurement refers to the measurement of debt obligations and revenue resources accurately so that there is no discrepancy in the accounts of the health care institute. The intent behind this accounting principle is to secure and measure all the incoming and outgoing cash flows of a firm. It is essential to measure the movement of money inside and outside the organization because it is the most basic building block of accoun ting. This particular accounting principle is related to health care field as the flow of money in a heath care facility is quite fluid and money changes hand quickly in the health care industry. ... The reason for valuing assets and costs at historical prices is that it is the only method that provides an objective value of assets and costs (Cleverly, Song, & Cleverly, 2010). Other alternatives of valuation lack the objectivity which the historical cost valuation method provides. The intent behind this accounting principle is to provide an objective account of the values of acquisition cost of assets. In the field of health care this accounting principle is vital to calculate return on investment (p. 187). Also there is no second hand market of assets that are used in the health care industry and therefore it is difficult to estimate a market value for such assets. This is the relevance of cost valuation accounting principle to the field of health care. Principle of Duality Principle of duality is a generally accepted accounting principle that refers to the basic equation that is commonly used in accounting (assets = liabilities +owner’s equity). The principle of duality also refers to the dual effect of every transaction. The effect every transaction is recorded in a way that assets equals the total liabilities and equity of the firm. This principle is forms a very basic pillar of accounting. It provides guidance as to how to account different transactions. The intent of this principle is to make sure that transactions are recorded in way that satisfies the basics of accounting. The principle of duality is the basic pillar of accounting and therefore has relevance to accounting of health care institutions. The basic equation of assets, liabilities, and equity should always be balanced when accounting in the field of health care. In health care field transactions are regularly recorded and therefore to avoid any mistake it is essential to keep this

Importance Of Internal And External Communication Strategies Essay

Importance Of Internal And External Communication Strategies - Essay Example There are certain factors that help in determining the effectiveness of communication strategy a corporation implements. These factors include a number of employees the message is intended for, their relationship, nature of the message and channel and the effectiveness of the feedback system. An essential aspect of internal communication is it should be concentrated as well as coordinated so that the message is well communicated and different managers and employees can be reached through this. Moreover, it must be consequent in nature and continuously transmitted. Internal communication can be further classified as work, control, change, culture and news communication. This classification segregates the nature of information and makes it more defined. Together all these kind of communication creates an integrated system of internal communication (Kalla, 2005). The strategies that have been employed by multinationals to improve internal communication are electronic communication throu gh e-mail, integrated chat platform, video-conferencing and social networks. Employees of a multinational company are encouraged to be part of different network groups within the organization (Luo and Shenkar, 2006). This helps them in understanding culture aspects of their global counterparts, gaining insight of their professional achievements and learning through knowledge sharing and transfer (Phene and Almeida, 2008). The multinationals are also active in social media circles, where employees are encouraged to participate.

Economics Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words - 44

Economics - Essay Example The other factor to be considered is the supply- demand aspect. The firm should be able to focus majorly on what the market. The market should be able to determine the amount of products being offered. The supply to the market should be in line with the demand in that production increases with an increase in demand and a decrease in demand should reduce the production. This should be done with little interference to the core agenda of profit maximization. While finding equilibrium between the supply and demand factors of production which include labour and capital should be considered as well. The internal factors should integrate well with external factors in ensuring that an informed decision is made. The strategies involved should satisfy the internal market while aiming at benefiting from the diseconomies of scale. A lower cost per unit will be achieved by increasing the size of the firm. The government carry out fiscal policy with an effort of sustaining the economy. The efforts by the government are to ensure increased aggregate demand. The policies by the government include government borrowing. In some instances the government decides in borrowing from the private sector. The result is reduced power to spend by the manufacturing firms as the available funds focuses more on ensuring a balanced in their profit making goals and reduced expenditure. The government on the other hand borrows from the sector to reduce the government deficit. The result of borrowing from the sector is reduces the spending power of the firms. The firm should critically analyse the government decisions to borrow from them as a means of increasing the aggregate demand (Grossman & Hart, 1986). The firm should consider its internal goals before falling victim to government policies. The firms should decide on which policies are to be adopted and which are to be ignored. Adjusting to these pol icies may assist the firm operate at

Abortion, a Right of Choice Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Abortion, a Right of Choice - Research Paper Example There is no compromise to discuss, no middle ground to be negotiated: one concerned with the freedom of choice and woman’s health the other the life of the unborn. To appropriately examine the subject, the opposing viewpoints including the legal, medical and moral aspects must be argued with similar determination and without bias. The topic of abortion is multi-faceted and each side of the issue provides thought-provoking, credible arguments. It’s up to the individual to disseminate the information and make up their own mind based on what they consider to be moral but everyone should understand both positions and approach the subject with a no prejudices so as to make the choice that is comfortable for them. This discussion first presents the ‘right-to-life’ view then follows with the ‘pro-choice’ position, both of which are complex and compelling. The moral case for and against are important in a social context yet inconsequential because thes e emotionally charged opinions will not decide whether abortions remain safe and lawful or not. The discussion concludes that legal abortions should be the law of the land. Pro-Life This country was built upon the foundation of the freedom of choice. Those who are for legal abortions use this catchphrase while insisting on a woman’s ‘God given right’ to make life choices on her own without the federal or state government interfering. This simple philosophy is accepted by some but the reasoning is flawed when the realities of abortion are studied. Research has shown that the majority of women who have abortions are coerced into committing this deadly act of a living being. In addition, safe abortions are a myth, there is no such thing as they would lead people to believe. Women who are experiencing an unwanted pregnancy know that there is precious little freedom of choice for them. The women themselves typically want to bring their child to full term. Other domina nt influences in her life such as parents, boyfriends/husbands and friends are usually the forces that put pressure on her to end the pregnancy. â€Å"Eight out of 10 women surveyed after abortion said they would have given birth if they’d had support and encouragement from family and friends† (Reardon, 2002). It’s the abortion that, in most cases, is unwanted by the expectant mom, not the child. More often than not, the father of the baby, not wanting to accept responsibility, may threaten or mercilessly beg a mother until she agrees to have the abortion. â€Å"In 95 percent of all cases the male partner played a central role in the decision† (Zimmerman, 1977). This and other research has clearly illustrated that most women ultimately come to a decision that goes against her conscience. Legal abortion allows fathers to force their desire on women. Some women reluctantly consent to abortion out of desperation because they are afraid of continued abuse. Th at fear is validated because women who decline to abort their child have been subjected to severe abuses which have escalated to murder if the women continued to refuse to end the pregnancy. The primary cause of death for pregnant women is murder. What other motive than one involving abortion could there possibly be? â€Å"Sixty-four percent of women surveyed report being pressured by others into unwanted abortions† (Reardon, 1992).   Ã‚  Immediately after the abortion is performed, the one(s) coercing the ‘choice’ are relieved and rarely, if ever, give the inconvenient subject another thought. Women, in contrast, suffer long afterwards, consumed by guilt and heartbroken over their irreversible decision. â€Å"