Managing knowledge in organizations : a Nonaka’s SECI model operationalization

Purpose: The SECI model (Nonaka, 1994) is the best-known conceptual framework for understanding knowledge generation processes in organizations. To date, however, empirical support for this framework has been overlooked. The present study aims to provide an evidence-based groundwork for the SECI model by testing a multidimensional questionnaire Knowledge Management SECI Processes Questionnaire (KMSP-Q) designed to capture the knowledge conversion modes theorized by Nonaka. Methodology: In a twofold study, the SECI model was operationalized via the KMSP-Q. Specifically, Study One tested its eight-dimensional structure through exploratory and confirmatory factorial analyses on 372 employees from different sectors. Study Two examined the construct validity and reliability by replicating the KMSP-Q factor structure in knowledge-intensive contexts (on a sample of 466 health-workers), and by investigating the unique impact of each dimension on some organizational outcomes (i.e., performance, innovativeness, collective efficacy). Findings: The overall findings highlighted that the KMSP-Q is a psychometrically robust questionnaire in terms of both dimensionality and construct validity, the different knowledge generation dimensions being specifically linked to different organizational outcomes. Research/Practical Implications: The KMSP-Q actualizes and provides empirical consistency to the theory underlying the SECI model. Moreover, it allows for the monitoring of an organization’s capability to manage new knowledge and detect the strengths/weaknesses of KM-related policies and programs. Originality/Value: This paper proposes a comprehensive measure of knowledge generation in work contexts, highlighting processes that organizations are likely to promote in order to improve their performance through the management of their knowledge resources

Reflexivity and flexibility: Complementary routes to innovation?

Flexibility and reflexivity are essential processes for organisational innovation. The aim of the paper is to investigate their concurrent and interactive contribution in enhancing two innovation outcomes (the organisational openness towards innovation and the actual innovation adoption). Participants were 357 Italian employees. Results of a hierarchical regression model showed the role of both factors in fostering the two innovation outcomes under study. In addition, results showed the complementary interaction of reflexivity and flexibility, outlining two possible routes to innovation. Specifically, reflexivity appears to be a generative learning process capable of encouraging innovation in low-flexibility conditions, whereas flexibility tends to encourage innovation in low-reflexivity conditions. The findings provide empirical support of their roles as complementary resources for innovation, which has been under-examined in the literature

Canadian Food Law Update

Provided below is an overview of developments in Canadian food law and policy in 2010. This update primarily analyzes the regulatory and policy developments and litigation activities by the federal government. This focus reflects the significance of federal activities in the food policy realm

"You can see how things will end by the way they begin". The contribution of early mutual obligations for the development of the psychological contract

This study explores dynamic processes in the development of the psychological contract, focusing on the interaction of obligations related to the two parties (i.e., employees' perceptions of both their own and the organization's obligations fulfillment) on attitudinal outcomes (organizational commitment and turnover intention) during the initial stage of the employment relationship. In a twofold cross-sectional and two-wave study on newly hired correctional police officers, we examined: (a) whether perception of organizational obligations fulfillment moderates the relationship between employee obligations and their attitudes (Study 1, n.500); (b) the direct and moderated influence of perceived obligations at the entrance stage on those in the following months (Study 2, n.223). Results confirmed that, in the eyes of the newcomer, the obligations fulfillment of each of the two parties interact, having an additional effect beyond the main direct effects, in influencing both subsequent obligations perceptions and, through this, the outcome variables. Theoretical and practical implications of the findings are discussed

Legitimação da ciência x Negacionismo governamental: estudo de caso de uma realidade brasileira no contexto pandêmico

A proposta deste artigo consiste em um estudo de caso para descrever as estratégias de comunicação implementadas pela Universidade Federal de São Paulo (Unifesp), uma instituição pública brasileira localizada no maior estado do país, no Facebook durante os três primeiros meses da pandemia do novo coronavírus, de março a maio de 2020. Buscou-se compreender como o fenômeno da desinformação científica se relaciona com um momento de crise epistémica em que a circularidade de informações, potencializada pelo avanço tecnológico e social de plataformas midiáticas, favorece o maior alcance de boatos, teorias conspiratórias e negacionistas que impactam, sobretudo, a ciência. Foi possível perceber a utilização de diversos aparatos midiáticos, permitindo democratizar o conhecimento científico para um público amplo, incorporando preocupações sociais, políticas, econômicas e corporativas que ultrapassam os limites da ciência pura

Efeito placebo, efeito nocebo e psicoterapia: correlações entre os seus fundamentos

O presente trabalho é um estudo exploratório da literatura acerca do que vem a ser placebo e nocebo, seus efeitos no organismo bem como suas possíveis interações com a psicologia. Os objetivos foram explicar como o placebo e o nocebo influenciam no pensar e no agir das pessoas e de que forma estão ligados à sugestionabilidade e à auto-cura de uma estrutura corporal e, ainda, expor as hipóteses explicativas de tais efeitos. Foram apresentados alguns tipos de placebos utilizados com eficácia e foi desenvolvida uma comparação entre o efeito placebo e a psicoterapia, levando em consideração inclusive o conceito e as explicações da psicossomática. Foram propostas três metodologias hipotéticas de pesquisas que poderiam comprovar que a psicoterapia, quando eficaz, atua da mesma forma que o efeito placebo. Concluiu-se que a relação direta entre conteúdos internos e o corpo físico permite tanto a somatização destes em doenças como torna possível a cura das mesmas por vias semelhantes. Sugeriu-se que uma possível mudança ideológica e de auto-confiança produzida pela consciência do efeito placebo e seus processos melhoraria a qualidade de vida, principalmente em termos de saúde

neutrinos from icarus

Liquid Argon Time Projection Chambers are very promising detectors for neutrino and astroparticle physics due to their high granularity, good energy resolution and 3D imaging, allowing for a precise event reconstruction. ICARUS T600 is the largest liquid Argon (LAr) TPC detector ever built (~600 ton LAr mass) and is presently operating underground at the LNGS laboratory. This detector, internationally considered as the milestone towards the realization of the next generation of massive detectors (~tens of ktons) for neutrino and rare event physics, has been smoothly running since summer 2010, collecting data with the CNGS beam and with cosmics. The status of this detector will be shortly described together with the intent to adopt the LAr TPC technology at CERN as a possible solution to the sterile neutrino puzzle

Operation of a LAr-TPC equipped with a multilayer LEM charge readout

A novel detector for the ionization signal in a single phase LAr-TPC, based on the adoption of a multilayer Large Electron Multiplier (LEM) replacing the traditional anodic wire arrays, has been experimented in the ICARINO test facility at the INFN Laboratories in Legnaro. Cosmic muon tracks were detected allowing the measurement of energy deposition and a first determination of the signal to noise ratio. The analysis of the recorded events demonstrated the 3D reconstruction capability of ionizing events in this device in liquid Argon, collecting a fraction of about 90% of the ionization signal with signal to noise ratio similar to that measured with more traditional wire chambersComment: 9 pages, 7 Figure

Identificação das proteínas ligantes de Ca2+/calmodulina de Trypanosoma cruzi

Dissertação (mestrado)—Universidade de Brasília, Faculdade de Ceilândia, Programa de Pós-Graduação em Ciências e Tecnologias em Saúde, 2013.A doença de Chagas, causada pelo protozoário Trypanosoma cruzi atinge milhões de pessoas em todo mundo, especialmente na América Latina, onde é endêmica. Em seu ciclo de vida, o parasito passa por diversos processos de diferenciação para adaptar-se a diferentes condições dentro do hospedeiro mamífero e do inseto triatomíneo. Componentes localizados na superfície do parasito e da célula hospedeira desempenham papéis importantes na invasão, entretanto os mecanismos envolvidos são muito discutidos. Sabe-se que a sinalização mediada por Ca2+ é um aspecto importante na invasão celular e na diferenciação do parasito. A calmodulina (CaM) é uma proteína citoplasmática Ca2+-dependente em eucariotos que regula várias proteínas. A ligação da CaM ao Ca2+ induz uma mudança conformacional que promove a interação desta com diversas proteínas com importantes funções biológicas. A CaM de T.cruzi (TcCaM) tem sido associada à várias funções diferentes como regulação do crescimento, estimulação enzimática, transdução de sinais, além de modular os efeitos do Ca2+. Desta forma, a fim de melhor entender o envolvimento das proteínas ligantes de CaM (CaM-BPs) nos processos de invasão e diferenciação de T. cruzi, foram adotadas nesse trabalho duas abordagens de identificação de proteínas ligantes de Ca2+ e/ou CaM. Primeiramente pela análise bioinformática de proteínas diferencialmente expressas durante a amastigogênese e proteínas presentes na superfície do parasito. Foram preditas 17 proteínas ligantes de Ca2+ dentre as identificadas com expressão regulada durante a amastigogênese e 36 proteínas na superfície de tripomastigota e amastigota. Estas possuem funções enzimática, de armazenamento, transporte dentre outras. A segunda foi uma abordagem experimental onde identificamos 6 proteínas, as quais desempenham funções estruturais, motilidade, adesão ou enzimática. Esta segunda vertente foi realizada experimentalmente por uma abordagem proteômica. As CaM-BPs extraídas da forma epimastigota foram enriquecidas por cromatografia de afinidade e separadas em géis eletroforéticos (1D-PAGE e 2D-PAGE). A identificação por espectrometria de massas foi iniciada e já foram identificados componentes da estrutura celular como α- e β-tubulinas, proteína paraflagellar rod putativa e uma proteína de transdução de sinal intracellular, a HSP70. Esses dados auxiliam no entendimento sobre como o Ca2+, a TcCaM e seus ligantes participam em processos celulares como invasão e diferenciação do T. cruzi.Chagas' disease, caused by the protozoan Trypanosoma cruzi, afflicts millions worldwide especially in Latin America where it is endemic. During its life-cycle, the parasite undergoes several differentiation events in order to adapt to a variety of conditions inside both mammalian host and triatomine vector. Components from both parasite and host-cell surfaces play major roles in invasion, however the mechanisms involved are still much discussed. It is known that Ca2+ mediated signaling is an important aspect of host-cell invasion and parasite differentiation. Calmodulin (CaM) is a citoplasmic Ca2+-dependent protein that regulates several proteins in eukaryotes and the binding of Ca2+ to CaM induces conformational changes, which promotes the interaction to a variety of other proteins with important biological functions. T. cruzi CaM (TcCaM) has been linked to several functions such as growth regulation, enzyme stimulation, and signal transduction, besides modulating the effects of Ca2+ concentration. Thus, in order to better understand the involvement of CaM binding proteins (CaM-BPs) in the invasion process and T. cruzi differentiation, was adopted here two approaches to identify Ca2+- and/or CaM- binding proteins. First though bioinformatic prediction of such proteins among those identified as differentially expressed during amastigogenesis and those presented in the parasite cell surface. It was predicted 18 Ca2+-binding proteins with regulated expression level during differentiation and 36 in the surface of trypomastigotes and/or amastigotes. These have enzymatic, storage, transportation and others functions. The second was an experimental approach where we identified 6 proteins, which play structural, motility, adhesion or enzymatic functions. This second part was an experimental proteomic approach, where CaM-BPs from epimastigotes were enriched by affinity chromatography and separated by gel electrophoresis (1D-PAGE and 2D-PAGE). Mass spectrometric identifications were initiated and it already has been identified cell structure components such as α-and β-tubulins, putative paraflagellar rod proteins and a signal transduction protein, the HSP70. This data contribute to the understanding of the involvement of Ca2+, TcCaM and their ligands in the invasion and differentiation processes

Effectiveness of Harm Reduction on Substance Abuse in Homeless Adults

In addressing the high-risk substance misuse and addictive disorders that have emerged as a public health crisis over the last 40 years, we looked into the following evidence based PICOT question: In homeless adults are harm reduction therapies compared to preventative therapies effective in reducing the rate of substance abuse in one year? Harm reduction therapy is an alternative approach that aims to decrease direct and indirect harm associated with drug use without necessarily preventing drug consumption. This form of therapy is guided by clinical ethics to institute policies and services, such as naloxone availability and clean needle exchanges for those with substance use disorders. In contrast, preventative policies that focus on interventions to prevent the use of drugs, such as reducing the prescription drug supply, may ultimately lead to increased illicit drug use and reduced quality of life. A literature search was conducted using the databases CINHAL, OneSearch, and Google Scholar, using the phrases “harm reduction”, “benefits of harm reduction,” “shelters,\u27\u27 “reducing substance use,” “homeless adults,\u27\u27 and “substance abuse.” Inclusion criteria involved homeless adults between the ages of 21-65 years, and articles limited to adolescents and children were excluded from the search. Eleven articles were chosen that fell within the search criteria. Research suggests that continued use of harm reduction therapies along with the integration of preventative substance use policies will help decrease substance abuse within the homeless population