Towards a knowledge-based organizational culture - discussion on empirical studies

Punktem wyjścia w opracowaniu jest charakterystyka istoty patologii i dysfunkcji organizacyjnych. Dyskusja stanowi przyczynek deliberacji dotyczących kształtowania optymalnej kultury organizacyjnej – sprzyjającej zdobywaniu i utrzymywaniu kluczowych pracowników. Niniejsza publikacja przedstawia wyniki badań empirycznych dotyczących dysfunkcji i patologii kultury organizacyjnej przedsiębiorstw w Polsce. Przebadano 195 respondentów, których opinie zinterpretowano w kontekście wyzwań kształtowania wzorcowych w warunkach gospodarki opartej na wiedzy typów kultury organizacyjnej – kultury opartej na wiedzy, kultury zaufania oraz kultury współpracy.The starting point of this paper is characteristic of the essence of organizational pathologies and dysfunctions. This discussion is a contribution of deliberation on the development of an optimal organizational culture - permitting the acquisition and maintenance of key employees. The present publication presents the results of empirical research regarding dysfunction and the pathology of the organizational culture of enterprises in Poland. 195 respondents were examined whose opinions were interpreted in the context of the challenges of creating a model, in terms of the knowledge economy, types of organizational culture - a culture based on knowledge, a culture of trust and a culture of cooperation

Intangible resources in strategic management of organizations

Opracowanie koncentruje się na ukazaniu roli zasobów niematerialnych w kształtowaniu przewagi konkurencyjnej współczesnej organizacji i ich wagi w zarządzaniu strategicznym organizacjami. Punkt wyjścia rozważań stanowi wnikliwa prezentacja założeń podejścia zasobowego w zarządzaniu oraz dyskusja atrybutów zasobów najcenniejszych dla współczesnych organizacji. Kolejno dokonano przeglądu literaturowy klasyfikacji zasobów niematerialnych organizacji ze szczególnym uwzględnieniem ewolucji tych typologii. Wskazano zależności pomiędzy zasobami niematerialnymi, kapitałem intelektualnym organizacji oraz aktywami niematerialnymi przedsiębiorstwa.The paper concentrates on showing the role of intangible assets in gaining the competitive advantage of modern organizations and their importance in strategic management organizations. The starting point of deliberations is insightful presentation of the resource-based theory basic assumptions and the discussion of the attributes of the resources that are the most valuable for contemporary organizations. In turn literature overview of different classifications of intangible resources of an organization with a particular focus on the evolution of these typologies is done. The relationship between intangible resources, intellectual capital of the organization and intangible assets of the company were indicated

Knowledge transfer versus good society of the second La Belle Epoque

Współcześnie nastała „druga” la belle epoque charakteryzująca się ogromnymi nierównościami ekonomiczno-społecznymi. Dążenie do osiągnięcia stanu dobrego społeczeństwa celuje w niwelowanie nierówności, uwarunkowanych dostępem do wiedzy, a jednym ze sposobów może być świadome kształtowanie transferu wiedzy między poszczególnymi grupami agentów wiedzy, reprezentującymi zróżnicowane, często nakładające się, kategorie społeczne i organizacyjne. Celem opracowania jest sprawdzenie, jakie subprocesy transferu wiedzy, w których grupach agentów wiedzy są realizowane i jaki jest ich kontekst z perspektywy stosowanych narzędzi, głównych zasad oraz standardów zachowań. Główna hipoteza badawcza to przypuszczenie, że przebieg procesu transferu wiedzy uzależniony jest od tego, których grup agentów wiedzy dotyczy. Wykorzystując metodę analizy krytycznej oraz badania ankietowe wsparte wywiadami pogłębionymi, ustalono, że dzielenie się wiedzą to domena profesjonalistów oraz wymiaru międzypokoleniowego transferu wiedzy. Pozyskiwanie wiedzy jest najczęściej realizowane na poziomie relacji specjalistów z innymi pracownikami oraz międzypokoleniowym. Udostępnianie wiedzy, jest strefą specjalistów i dokonuje się zazwyczaj podczas ich kontaktów z innymi pracownikami a rozpowszechnianie wiedzy to naczelny subproces hierarchicznego wymiaru transferu wiedzy.Currently, we are witnessing the second la belle epoque characterised by huge economic and social inequalities. Striving for a good state of society aims to reduce the inequalities conditioned by access to knowledge. One of the methods to reach this goal can consist of the conscious shaping of knowledge transfer between particular groups of knowledge agents. representing diverse, often overlapping, social and organisational categories. The purpose of this study is to check what sub-processes of knowledge transfer are implemented in specific groups of knowledge agents and what their context is from the perspective of the tools used, the main principles and the standards of behaviour. The main research hypothesis is that the course of knowledge transfer process depends on the fact of which groups of knowledge agents it concerns. Using the method of critical analysis and surveys supported by in-depth interviews, it was determined that knowledge sharing is the domain of professionals and the intergenerational dimension of knowledge transfer. Knowledge acquisition is most often carried out at the level of specialists' relations with other employees and at the intergenerational level. Knowledge sharing is a domain of specialists, and usually takes place during their contacts with other employees, while knowledge dissemination is the prime sub-process of the hierarchical dimension of knowledge transfer

Współpraca międzyorganizacyjna z perspektywy nauk o zarządzaniu

The paper is a theoretical study focused on the presentation of the evolution of interorganizational cooperation in the perspective of management sciences .The starting point is the discussion dedicated to the essence of term cooperation. Subsequently, in general terms, development of new forms of organization coexistence in the international environment - from the competition after cooperation and coopetition – is characterized. Then, the presentation of the evolution of forms of interorganizational cooperation – from bilateral alliances, multilateral agreement until after the network of alliances – is complete. Finally, the main assumptions of the emerging contemporary network paradigm are presented.Opracowanie jest teoretycznym studium koncentrującym się na przedstawieniu ewolucji współpracy międzyorganizacyjnej w perspektywie nauk o zarządzaniu. Punktem wyjścia jest dyskusja istoty terminu kooperacja. Kolejno, w ogólnym zarysie, scharakteryzowano rozwój form koegzystencji organizacji w środowisku międzynarodowym – od konkurencji, po współpracę i koopetycję. Następnie dokonano prezentacji ewolucji form współpracy międzyorganizacyjnej – od aliansów bilateralnych, po porozumienia multilateralne aż po sieci aliansów. Finalnie zaprezentowano podstawowe założenia wyłaniającego się współcześnie paradygmatu sieciowego

The specific nature of knowledge transfer in municipal organisations

Objectives: The main objectives of this paper are to determine the conditions of the transfer of knowledge in municipal enterprises, to identify the subprocesses of knowledge transfer along with the methods used in their implementation, and to determine the rules for knowledge transfer recommended for use in municipal enterprises. Research Design & Methods: The literature studies method, the critical analysis method and a case study was used with the support of surveys and in-depth interviews. Findings: It was found that in the studied organisation – Cracow Waterworks – there are favourable conditions for knowledge transfer. One takes actions aiming at shaping organisational culture based on mutual trust, focused on promotion and support of transfers, including knowledge sharing. It seems that the management, in its daily organisational behaviour and actual attitudes, meets standards and values focused on team forms of work organisation, the creation of a supportive atmosphere, respect for the rule of reciprocity, promoting altruistic attitude in sharing knowledge, and building positive the reputation of a given employee. Indisputably, these phenomena are catalysed by a sense of safety of employment and average job seniority. Implications / Recommendations: Main recommendations for the surveyed organisation (Cracow Waterworks) are to focus on acquiring knowledge from outside the organisation and sharing, especially tacit knowledge. It was noticed that in the studied municipal company knowledge is shared only through direct interactions, most often through individual and direct contact, often in the form of tacit knowledge. More efforts are needed to expand the organisational level of knowledge sharing - here support can be sought via technical solutions, preserving the context of motivational system and the organisational culture. A reliable social and technical infrastructure of the knowledge environment should also be built. Another important challenge should be to construct a system of knowledge transfer that takes into account its inter-organisational dimension. It is recommended to shape an appropriate organisational culture – culture promoting knowledge – and create an appropriate context for the implementation of this process with the participation of knowledge. Contribution / Value Added: Taking into account the conditions of operation of municipal enterprises, general principles and detailed guidelines have been formulated to support the effective implementation of the knowledge transfer process in these specific organisations operating in the special context of municipal management

Wybrane aspekty zarządzania organizacjami

Ze wstępu: "Prezentowane artykuły są wynikiem badań prowadzonych w Katedrze Zarządzania i Edukacji Prakseołogicznej Krakowskiej Szkoły Wyższej im. Andrzeja Frycza Modrzewskiego. Autorami są pracownicy Katedry oraz doktoranci i habilitanci, realizujący swe rozprawy na Uniwersytecie Jagiellońskim, Uniwersytecie Warszawskim oraz na Akademii Ekonomicznej w Krakowie. Po wejściu Polski do struktur Unii Europejskiej polskie firmy muszą sprostać licznym wyzwaniom i pokonać wiele barier, by nadrobić wciąż znaczący dystans, jaki dzieli nas od krajów byłej „piętnastki”. Strategia integracji jest określona z jednej strony przez diagnozę stanu polskiej gospodarki, a z drugiej przez obraz gospodarki Unii Europejskiej. Podstawowymi problemami wymagającymi pilnego rozwiązania, a determinującymi rozwój polskich firm są obecnie: strategia ich działania, wzrost jakości i konkurencyjności produktów i usług, znacząca poprawa wyników ekonomicznych. Sukcesywne rozwiązywanie tych i innych wyzwań wymaga wiedzy, umiejętności, a także innowacyjności, kreatywności i współdziałania wszystkich członków organizacji. Duże znaczenie w tym trudnym procesie zarządzania organizacjami ma motywacja pracowników, których zadowolenie z pracy powinno wiązać się ze wzrostem efektywności ich działania."(...

Mediterranean-style diet improves systolic blood pressure and arterial stiffness in older adults: Results of a 1-year European multi-center trial

We aimed to determine the effect of a Mediterranean-style diet, tailored to meet dietary recommendations for older adults, on blood pressure and arterial stiffness. In 12 months, randomized controlled trial (NU-AGE [New Dietary Strategies Addressing the Specific Needs of Elderly Population for Healthy Aging in Europe]), blood pressure was measured in 1294 healthy participants, aged 65 to 79 years, recruited from 5 European centers, and arterial stiffness in a subset of 225 participants. The intervention group received individually tailored standardized dietary advice and commercially available foods to increase adherence to a Mediterranean diet. The control group continued on their habitual diet and was provided with current national dietary guidance. In the 1142 participants who completed the trial (88.2%), after 1 year the intervention resulted in a significant reduction in systolic blood pressure (−5.5 mm Hg; 95% CI, −10.7 to −0.4; P=0.03), which was evident in males (−9.2 mm Hg, P=0.02) but not females (−3.1 mm Hg, P=0.37). The −1.7 mm Hg (95% CI, −4.3 to 0.9) decrease in diastolic pressure after intervention did not reach statistical significance. In a subset (n=225), augmentation index, a measure of arterial stiffness, was improved following intervention (−12.4; 95% CI, −24.4 to −0.5; P=0.04) with no change in pulse wave velocity. The intervention also resulted in an increase in 24-hour urinary potassium (8.8 mmol/L; 95% CI, 0.7–16.9; P=0.03) and in male participants (52%) a reduction in pulse pressure (−6.1 mm Hg; 95% CI, −12.0 to −0.2; P=0.04) and 24-hour urinary sodium (−27.1 mmol/L; 95% CI, −53.3 to −1.0; P=0.04). In conclusion, a Mediterranean-style diet is effective in improving cardiovascular health with clinically relevant reductions in blood pressure and arterial stiffness

Changes in Dietary Intake and Adherence to the NU-AGE Diet Following a One-Year Dietary Intervention among European Older Adults—Results of the NU-AGE Randomized Trial

Background: The Mediterranean Diet has been proposed as an effective strategy to reduce inflammaging, a chronic low grade inflammatory status, and thus, to slow down the aging process. We evaluated whether a Mediterranean-like dietary pattern specifically targeting dietary recommendations of people aged over 65 years (NU-AGE diet) could be effective to shift dietary intake of older adults towards a healthful diet. Methods: Adults aged 65–80 years across five EU-centers were randomly assigned to a NU-AGE diet group or control group. The diet group followed one year of NU-AGE dietary intervention specifying consumption of 15 food groups plus the use of a vitamin D supplement. Participants in the diet group received counselling and individually tailored dietary advice, food products and a vitamin D supplement. Dietary intake was assessed by means of seven-day food records at baseline and one-year follow-up. A continuous NU-AGE index (0–160 points) was developed to assess NU-AGE diet adherence. Results: In total 1296 participants were randomized and 1141 participants completed the intervention (571 intervention, 570 control). After one year, the diet group improved mean intake of 13 out of 16 NU-AGE dietary components (p < 0.05), with a significant increase in total NU-AGE index (difference in mean change = 21.3 ± 15.9 points, p < 0.01). Conclusions: The NU-AGE dietary intervention, based on dietary recommendations for older adults, consisting of individual dietary counselling, free healthy foods and a vitamin D supplement, may be a feasible strategy to improve dietary intake in an aging European population

Identification of Pre-frailty Sub-Phenotypes in Elderly Using Metabolomics

Aging is a dynamic process depending on intrinsic and extrinsic factors and its evolution is a continuum of transitions, involving multifaceted processes at multiple levels. It is recognized that frailty and sarcopenia are shared by the major age-related diseases thus contributing to elderly morbidity and mortality. Pre-frailty is still not well understood but it has been associated with global imbalance in several physiological systems, including inflammation, and in nutrition. Due to the complex phenotypes and underlying pathophysiology, the need for robust and multidimensional biomarkers is essential to move toward more personalized care. The objective of the present study was to better characterize the complexity of pre-frailty phenotype using untargeted metabolomics, in order to identify specific biomarkers, and study their stability over time. The approach was based on the NU-AGE project (clinicaltrials.gov, NCT01754012) that regrouped 1,250 free-living elderly people (65–79 y.o., men and women), free of major diseases, recruited within five European centers. Half of the volunteers were randomly assigned to an intervention group (1-year Mediterranean type diet). Presence of frailty was assessed by the criteria proposed by Fried et al. (2001). In this study, a sub-cohort consisting in 212 subjects (pre-frail and non-frail) from the Italian and Polish centers were selected for untargeted serum metabolomics at T0 (baseline) and T1 (follow-up). Univariate statistical analyses were performed to identify discriminant metabolites regarding pre-frailty status. Predictive models were then built using linear logistic regression and ROC curve analyses were used to evaluate multivariate models. Metabolomics enabled to discriminate sub-phenotypes of pre-frailty both at the gender level and depending on the pre-frailty progression and reversibility. The best resulting models included four different metabolites for each gender. They showed very good prediction capacity with AUCs of 0.93 (95% CI = 0.87–1) and 0.94 (95% CI = 0.87–1) for men and women, respectively. Additionally, early and/or predictive markers of pre-frailty were identified for both genders and the gender specific models showed also good performance (three metabolites; AUC = 0.82; 95% CI = 0.72–0.93) for men and very good for women (three metabolites; AUC = 0.92; 95% CI = 0.86–0.99). These results open the door, through multivariate strategies, to a possibility of monitoring the disease progression over time at a very early stage