A SOCIOTECHNICAL MODEL FOR UNDERSTANDING ORGANIZATIONAL TECHNOLOGY AND KNOWLEDGE TRANSFER

Traditional technology transfer strategies tend to focus on physical organizational assets. However, these strategies tend to ignore essential social aspects of technology transfer which are key for organizations to harness the full benefits of these valuable yet usually underperforming partnerships. This paper will introduce a sociotechnical model for understanding technology transfer as an emergent result of key interactions between social and technical elements of both organizations involved. Applying a sociotechnical framework to technology transfer will allow for the application of sociotechnical concepts and tools with the potential of improving the learning quality of technology transfer efforts in which both parties will be able to learn from the other within a sociotechnical context. The paper will begin with a discussion of sociotechnical concepts within the context of knowledge and technology transfer. Recommendations for using the information in this paper to improve organizational technology transfer and absorption will be offered towards the end of the paper. This paper is mainly aimed at managers and knowledge management professionals although academics interested in technology and knowledge transfer within a sociotechnical context would also benefit from this paper

CLOSING THE LOOP: PRODUCT SUPPORT OPERATIONS WITHIN THE DEMING SYSTEMS MODEL

This paper introduces the concept of Product Support Operations (PSO) as an extension of traditional processes such as manufacturing and supply chains using the relational Deming Systems Model. The Deming Model will be expanded to include key system interactions occurring after the customer has purchased the product or service. This modified Deming Systems Model will be used to explain the concept of a Product Support Operations (PSO) function as a holistic means to improve customer service and product performance within the context of how the customer uses the product. This paper is aimed at professionals seeking to better understand internal organizational interactions in relation to customer needs and requirements. Academics interested in understanding design implications of a product support model may also find value with the material in this paper

AN APPLICATION OF THE TEAM PROCESS CAPABILITY MODEL TO TEAM RESILIENCE FACTORS

Team resilience has gained in importance as organizations increasingly operate in diverse and challenging environments. This paper will apply core concepts of team resilience to the team process capability model (presented at the 2018 International Joint Conference on Industrial Engineering and Operations Management Conference in Lisbon, Portugal) to provide an understanding of the factors influencing team resiliency. An overview of the team process capability model will be provided followed by an application of team resiliency concepts applicable to the team process capability model. This paper is aimed mainly towards managers seeking to better understand team resiliency however academics may find the framework proposed in this model useful in similar pursuits

La comunicación del diseño: sus estrategias

En cualquier proyecto de diseño predomina un carácter abductivo. Como sabemos, la abducción, la deducción y la inducción son los tres modos canónicos de desarrollo del conocimiento. La abducción requiere de una hipótesis, y la deducción extrae de ella consecuencias que la inducción pone a prueba. Peirce concibe la abducción como “un método para formar una predicción general sin certeza positiva de que tendrá éxito en un caso particular o en general; su justificación consiste en que es la única esperanza de pautar racionalmente nuestra conducta futura”

A Theoretical Framework for a Dynamic Team Learning and Adaptation System

This paper will discuss a model for team learning and adaptation by applying sociotechnical and cognitive systems concepts to a model previously developed by [1] to facilitate double-loop learning in teams and organizations. Organizational knowledge assets will be explained relative to team learning followed by an explanation of the sociotechnical system that the model is based upon. An overview of the team cognitive systems model will be provided as a precursor to explaining the learning and adaptation system. The team learning and adaptation model combines sociotechnical and cognitive systems elements to provide a model explaining how team learning at the tactical level can be aligned with other organizational resources while aligning these efforts towards organizational strategy. The proposed model also provides a holistic means for implementing a problem-solving methodology within the sociotechnical and cognitive systems contexts. The aim of this paper is to aid practitioners seeking to improve how his or her team learns, collaborates, and innovates at all levels of the organization. The paper is geared mainly towards practitioners interested in improving his or her team's performance. Academics interested in team learning and knowledge sharing may also find the model of interest in academic pursuits related to team learning and adaptation. Practitioners can use this model to identify shortcomings in team learning and adaptation performance relative to specific work requirements. Academicians can use the model to explain sociotechnical and environmental interactions relative to how teams perform learning and adapting behaviors

Clostridium difficile suppresses colonic vasoactive intestinal peptide associated with altered motility

We investigated whether Clostridium difficile toxin alters colonic tissue levels of vasoactive intestinal peptide (VIP) at the expense of changes in colonic motility in the isolated perfused rabbit left colon. Colonic inflammation was induced by the intracolonic administration of 10−8 M C. difflcile toxin. Strain gauge transducers were sewn onto the serosal surface of the colon to evaluate colonic motility. C. difflcile administration produced histologic changes consistent with epithelial damage. This was associated with an increased production of prostaglandin E2 and thromboxane B2. Tissue levels of VIP but not substance P were significantly reduced. This was associated with an increased number of contractions per minute and an average force of each colonic contraction. These results suggest that tissue levels of VIP are suppressed by C. difflcile and may participate in colonic dysmotility during active inflammation

Prognostic Factors Associated with Survival in Patients with Primary Duodenal Adenocarcinoma

Background/Aims: The prognostic factors in primary duodenal adenocarcinoma remain controversial. This study evaluated the prognostic factors associated with survival in patients with primary duodenal adenocarcinoma. Methods: From March 1996 to June 2008, the medical records of 30 patients with a final diagnosis of primary duodenal epithelial malignancy seen at two referral centers were reviewed retrospectively. The prognostic factors for survival were evaluated 6 months and 1, 2, and 5 years after the diagnosis. Results: The median survival was 5.7 months. The survival rate was 46.7 % (14/30), 16.7 % (5/30), 10 % (3/30), and 6.7 % (2/30) at 6 months and 1, 2, and 5 years, respectively. Multivariate analysis showed that cancer-direct-ed treatment, including curative surgery or chemotherapy, was a common independent risk factor at all follow-up times. Total bilirubin, cytology, and TNM stage were independent risk factors for survival at 1, 2, and 5 years. The white blood cell count was an independent risk factor at 1 year only. The actuarial probability of survival in patients undergoing cancer-directed treatment was significantly higher than in those without treatment at 6 months (71.4 vs. 25.0%, p < 0.01), 1 year (28.6 vs. 6.3%, p < 0.01), 2 years (21.4 vs. 0%, p < 0.01), and 5 years (14.3 vs. 0%, p < 0.01). Conclusions: The prognostic factors in patients with primary duodenal adenocarcinoma were total bilirubin, TNM stage, cytology, and cancer-directed treatments until the 5-year follow-up. Especially, cancer-directed treat-ments improved patient survival. (Korean J Intern Med 2011;26:34-40

Yrkesaktive personer med nedsatt hørsel

Sammendrag Bakgrunn og formål Gruppen personer med nedsatt hørsel er en stadig voksende gruppe, og det estimeres at det i Norge vil være en million mennesker med nedsatt hørsel innen 2020 (HLF, 2015). Med bakgrunn i dette er det sannsynlig å anta at gruppen yrkesaktive personer med nedsatt hørsel vil øke. Det er færre personer med nedsatt hørsel som står i arbeid enn befolkningen forøvrig. Det er også en høyere risiko for langtidssykefravær, og flere før tidspensjonerte blant personer med nedsatt hørsel. Med bakgrunn i dette tok prosjektet sikte på å få innsikt i hvilke erfaringer enkeltpersoner med nedsatt hørsel har fra arbeidslivet. Problemstilling «Hva kjennetegner opplevelsene personer med nedsatt hørsel har i arbeidslivet?» For å konkretisere og avgrense problemstillingen, ble følgende forskningsspørsmål formulert. -Hvilke situasjoner er spesielt utfordrende for personer med nedsatt hørsel i arbeidslivet? -Hvordan mestrer personer med nedsatt hørsel utfordringene de opplever i arbeidslivet? -Hvilke behov opplever personer med nedsatt hørsel for å mestre arbeidshverdagen? Metode Det er blitt benyttet en kvalitativ forskningsmetode i dette prosjektet. Denne metoden fremstod som best egnet, da hensikten med prosjektet har vært å belyse enkeltpersoners erfaringer med å ha nedsatt hørsel i arbeidslivet. Det ble gjennomført kvalitative, semistrukturerte intervjuer med seks informanter som hadde nedsatt hørsel og var i yrkesaktiv alder. Prosjektets vitenskapsteoretiske bakgrunn er konstruktivisme, som tar utgangspunkt i at mennesket konstruer sin egen virkelighet. På bakgrunn av dette ble en fenomenologisk inspirert tilnærming valgt for å studere denne virkeligheten, og for å komme inn på informantenes egne erfaringer og opplevelser av fenomenet. Dataanalysen er blitt gjort med utgangspunkt i Giorgis (1985) fem steg i en fenomenologisk analyse. Resultatene har blitt drøftet i lys av oppgavens teoretiske og empiriske bakgrunn. Resultater Funnene viser at kommunikasjonssituasjoner der informantene opplevde vanskelige lytteforhold var blant de mest utfordrende situasjonene på arbeidsplassen. Uforutsigbarheten i enkelte kommunikasjonssituasjoner er en av årsakene til hvorfor disse situasjonene er utfordrende. Videre innebærer kompenseringen informantene gjør for å oppfatte, et stort energiforbruk, som gjør at enkelte blir veldig slitne etter endt arbeidsdag. Situasjoner der kollegaer og ledere viste mangel på hensyn ble også trukket frem som utfordrende. Det fremstår som at større grad av åpenhet fra informantenes side kunne bidratt til økt grad av forståelse blant kollegaer. Imidlertid er det knyttet ulike utfordringer til det å være åpen om hørselstapet på arbeidsplassen. Videre benyttet informantene seg av flere ulike mestringsstrategier for å komme gjennom arbeidshverdagen. Strategier som innebar kompensering for hørselstapet fremstod som de mest brukte. Behovet for kunnskap om eget hørselstap og konsekvenser av dette, samt informasjon om rettigheter og hjelpeinstanser, fremstår som det mest grunnleggende behovet blant informantene

Regnskapsanalyse og verdsettelse av Media Norge

Formålet med denne oppgaven er å gjøre en fundamental regnskapsanalyse av de fire mediehusene Aftenposten AS, Bergens Tidende AS, Fædrelandsvennen AS og Stavanger Aftenblad ASA. Disse selskapene har planer om å fusjonere og danne mediekonsernet Media Norge. Jeg har gjennom strategisk regnskapsanalyse og regnskapsanalyse av historiske tall utarbeidet et framtidsregnskap. Videre har jeg ved hjelp av de utarbeidede framtidsregnskapene estimert nåverdien til det enkelte selskap. For å beregne nåverdien har jeg benyttet en verdsettelsesmodell hvor jeg diskonterer framtidig superprofitt fra netto driftskapital til nåverdier. Jeg har så slått sammen verdiestimatet for det enkelte mediehuset for å komme fram til en verdi på det framtidige mediekonsernet. Mitt estimat for nåverdi av Media Norge er 6,6 milliarder kroner