Thomas Jefferson's view on slavery Research Paper

Measurement of Biochemical Oxygen Demand (Bod)

Title: Laboratory 2: Measurement of Biochemical Oxygen Demand (BOD) Objective To decide the measure of oxygen fundamental for natural oxidation of wastewater profluent and decide the measure of oxygen required by microscopic organisms while settling decomposable natural issue. Approach Apparatus ; Biochemical Oxygen Demand (BOD) meter, Dissolved Oxygen bottle (DO bottle), pipette, Teflon tape, weakening water, hatchery machine. System; Add 300 ml weaken water at that point take DO perusing promptly Closed appropriately and keep into the hatchery (200C).Take perusing for the following 5 days Add 3 ml weaken water and top off with weaken water until 300ml at that point take DO perusing quickly Figure 1 Precaution Samples for BOD investigation may change enormously during taking care of and capacity. Testing ought to be begun as fast as could reasonably be expected. To diminish the adjustments in those examples which must be held, keep the examples at or underneath 4 °C. Try not to pe rmit tests to freeze. Tests might be saved for close to 48 hours before starting the BOD test. Understudies dole out to keep impedance from chlorine. Since chlorine is such a solid oxidizing operator, it will hinder the development of living microscopic organisms in the BOD test.Any tests containing lingering chlorine must be pretreated to expel chlorine before the test is run. This is finished by adding sodium sulfite to the example. Tests with extraordinary pH esteems and tests containing disinfectants, for example, remaining chlorine must be treated before testing. Harsh alkalinity or corrosiveness can keep microbes from developing over the span of the BOD test. To forestall this, examples which have pH esteems higher than pH 8. 0 or lower than pH 6. 0 must be killed to pH 7. 0 preceding the test is performed. Result 1) 3 ml sampleGroup| Sample| Result| First day (1st)| Fifth day (5th)|  | DO| Temp| DO| Temp| | (mg/l)| (0C)| (mg/l)| (0C)| 1| Blank| 1st| 9. 20| 25. 8| 9. 26| 20. 3| | 2nd| 9. 16| 25. 8| 9. 30| 20. 4| | 3rd| 9. 13| 25. 8| 9. 31| 20. 5| | Mean| | 25. 8| | 20. 4| | Waste Water| 1st| 9. 24| 26. 2| 8. 73| 20. 5| | 2nd| 9. 12| 26. 2| 8. 77| 20. 6| | 3rd| 9. 10| 26. 2| 8. 79| 20. 7| | Mean| | 26. 2| | 20. 6| 4| Blank| 1st| 9. 14| 25. 9| 9. 04| 20. 5| | 2nd| 9. 16| 26| 9. 02| 20. 5| | 3rd| 9. 15| 26| 9. 01| 20. 5| | Mean| | 25. 97| | 20. 5| | Waste Water| 1st| 9. 08| 26. 2| 8. 31| 20. | 2nd| 9. 05| 26. 3| 8. 34| 20. 7| | 3rd| 9. 02| 26. 4| 8. 35| 20. 8| | Mean| | 26. 3| | 20. 73| 5| Blank| 1st| 9. 10| 25| 8. 86| 20. 5| | 2nd| 9. 11| 25| 8. 88| 20. 5| | 3rd| 9. 10| 25| 8. 86| 20. 5| | Mean| | 25| | 20. 5| | Waste Water| 1st| 9. 10| 25| 7. 82| 20. 5| | 2nd| 9. 11| 25| 7. 82| 20. 5| | 3rd| 9. 11| 25| 7. 84| 20. 5| | Mean| | 25| | 20. 5| The BOD of the example can be ascertains utilizing the conditions given in the accompanying First Equation is given by the standard strategy BOD5= mgL= D1 †D2P Second Equation is BOD5= mgL= D1 †D2 - B1 †B2 P Where;D1 : DO of the weakened example following arrangement, mg/L D2 : DO of the weakened example following 5-day hatching at 200c, mg/L B1 : DO of the control before brooding B2 : DO of the control after brooding P : part of the wastewater test volume to add up to consolidated volume Group| Sample| First day (1st)| Fifth day (5th)| BOD5| | DO| Temp| DO| Temp| (mg/l)| (mg/l)| | (mg/l)| (0C)| (mg/l)| (0C)| (first Equation)| (2ndEquation)| 1| Blank| 9. 16| 25. 8| 9. 29| 20. 4|  | 52| | Waste Water| 9. 15| 26. 2| 8. 76| 20. 6| 39| | 4| Blank| 9. 15| 25. 97| 9. 02| 20. 5|  | 59| | Waste Water| 9. 05| 26. 3| 8. 33| 20. 73| 72| | Blank| 9. 1| 25| 8. 87| 20. 5|  | 105| | Waste Water| 9. 11| 25| 7. 83| 20. 5| 128| | Discussion From the condition, the outcome are entirely unexpected, it is on the grounds that (second) condition really are expert for seeded example. Since that, it doesn't appropriate and can’t be utilized to ascertain the BOD level. Body test is an organic t est; reliant on the activities of the microorganisms found in the wastewater and, in that capacity, is dependent upon various varieties. These varieties can be brought about by various variables, remembering changes for temperature, climate, creation of approaching sewage, in plant activities, and testing points.Results can fluctuate generally from everyday, or even hour to hour. . Structure the outcome we found that the BOD level in bunch 5 is 128mg/L, Group 4 72mg/L hushes up higher as opposed to Group 1 39mg/L. At the point when BOD levels are high, broken up oxygen (DO) levels decline on the grounds that the oxygen that is accessible in the water is being devoured by the microbes. Since less broke up oxygen is accessible in the water, fish and other sea-going life forms may not endure. Whenever alluded to the IWK site, BOD5 at 200C is 20mg/L for standard An and 50mg/L for standard B.Its mean just example from bunch 1 is leveled out and can be entitled as spotless. Significant le vel of result from bunch 4 and 5 may came about by the contribution of nitrates and phosphate. Nitrates and phosphates in a waterway can add to high BOD levels. Nitrates and phosphates are plant supplements and can cause vegetation and green growth to develop rapidly. At the point when plants develop rapidly, they additionally kick the bucket rapidly. This adds to the natural waste in the water, which is then deteriorated by microscopic organisms. One of the significant weaknesses of the BOD test is the time slack between the assortment of tests and the last computation of results.This makes the BOD test a poor test for deciding if operational changes are required. Also, the rate and degree that natural issue in wastewater is decayed (or oxidized) by the ordinary microorganisms present in an example is to a great extent subject to the attributes of the natural issue. For instance, some natural issue (like sugars or starches) are oxidized effectively and quickly, and will quite often bring about quantifiable â€Å"BOD†. Other natural issue, nonetheless, is some of the time impervious to organic oxidation, and may require extraordinary â€Å"acclimated† microscopic organisms to oxidize the material and to show a â€Å"BOD†.Although this is the thing that really occurs in nature, it causes huge variety in BOD results from test to test. End, high; level of BOD reflects to the DO which it will be decline. Which is mean the water quality if poor. References Unknown. (n. d. ). Indah Water. Recovered from http://www. iwk. com. my/v/information field/emanating principles Unknown, A. (n. d. ). Organic Oxygen Demand (BOD) †Overview. Recovered from Polyseed. com: http://www. polyseed. com/misc/BODforwebsite. pdf

How to Tell if a Business Opportunity is Really a Scam

How to Tell if a Business Opportunity is Really a Scam How to Tell if a Business Opportunity is Really a Scam How to Tell if a Business Opportunity is Really a ScamWhen assessing a potential job or business opportunity to see whether its a scam, stick to the Duck Rule. If it walks like a duck and talks like a duck Hello, friend! No wait, don’t walk away! We have an intriguing opportunity we think you’ll be interested in. So you know elephants, right?Yeah, those elephants, the ones with trunks and big feet. Well, we’ve been working with an animal scientist who has done research suggesting that “service elephants” would be more effective than service dogs. They can use their trunks to open doors and perform other tasks.Now we know what you’re thinking: How can you get the service elephants onto airplanes?And that’s where you come in. We’re gathering investors for a new business initiative. Our business, Babair, will make planes large enough for the upcoming service elephant boom we know is on the way. So would you like to write a check?Thanks! But…YOU JUST GOT SCAMMED. Fortun ately, this was only a test, but that was one example of a business scam you might face. Which is why it’s important to recognize the signs for when a business opportunity is really just a scam.Know the red flags.There are certain terms that should set off the alarm bells in your head when you’re reading over a job opportunity.The most common types of opportunities that usually end up being some kind of scam, are ones involving working-at-home, investments, and mystery shopper jobs,” warned Stephen Hart, CEO of  Cardswitcher.“Where you spot the initial advert for the opportunity should tell you a lot about its provenance and whether or not you can trust it. Most business opportunity scams are advertised on the internet on general classified advert websites.”Sometimes it’s less about specific aspects of the business offer, and more about what you aren’t being told that should arise your skepticism.“The best way to evaluate whether or not a business opportunity is a sc am is to take a step back,” advised Jonaed Iqbal, founder and CEO of  NoDegree.com. “Often times when we are approached with a business opportunity, we get very excited and think of all the possibilities.However, it is best to evaluate the situation as if you were a 3rd party. How credible is the person who is telling you about the business opportunity? Is it a random person? If you had a great opportunity, would you just offer it to a random person or would you offer it to someone with a specific skill set who can make the most of the opportunity? Wouldn’t you at least evaluate the prospect to make sure they are a good fit?Another thing to look for out is when people are vague. They just throw buzzwords in your face but do not go in detail. They just tell you that it is a great opportunity. If they are willing to give anyone who comes their way a chance at the opportunity, it is best to walk away.”Justin Lavelle, Chief Communications Officer for  BeenVerified.com, offered a similar warning:“Beware of vague answers. Many business scams come under a very thin cover. In fact, many Multi-Level-Marketing businesses (MLMs) will outright tell their employees not to ever say what the opportunity really isâ€"just that you need to hear about a great opportunity. Red flag: If the pitch person can’t be honest about what the opportunity actually is, run!”You can read more about the risks posed by MLMs in this blog post.Use your gut and study up.There isn’t a template you can apply to every business offer, so at some point, you’re going to have to use your common sense and research skills to make a determination.“If it walks like a duck and quacks like a duck, it most likely is,” Lavelle laid out. “Use your gut. If something sounds too good to be true and feels suspicious, it probably is.Many business opportunities, especially the MLM variety like to build lots of hype to get you hooked only to leave you holding the bag full of cleaning products, ma ke-up, jewelry, skincare, or whatever it was that was going to be your ticket to riches.“Do some due diligence. Research the company. Research the people. Research the product. Contact the Better Business Bureau and the Attorney General. A little homework can expose a world of wrong!”Other contributors also subscribed to the Duck Rule.When it comes to spotting whether or not an opportunity is legitimate sometimes the old advice is the best,” explained Hart. “If something seems too good to be true, the chances are that it most likely is.An opportunity that seems to present you with the chance to make an awful lot of profit, very quickly, for very little, initial capital outlay should set alarm bells ringing.Take extra care to avoid the REALLY bad ones.Losing money to a business scam is bad. But that’s not all you can lose.“Keep in mind there are ‘business opportunities’ that can immediately be profitable but are almost always illegal,” warned identity theft expert a nd CEO of  Safr.Me Robert Siciliano.“These opportunities usually revolve around shipping products or transferring funds from one account to the other. These ‘opportunities’ mean that the ‘employee’ would be a ‘mule’ for an organized crime syndicate functioning as a web mob.”Regardless of whether you’re worried about losing your money or your freedom, you should consult the proper person before signing on.“Do not ever give out financial information to a prospective business or franchise without proper advice from an attorney, an accountant, or both to be safe,” explained Lavelle.“Many scams will try and convince their prey that they are trustworthy and further questions and verification are unnecessary.”OK, that’s enough negativity for now.The good ones.Now that you know how to spot a bad business opportunity, what are some signs of a good business opportunity?“People with good business opportunities generally target people who have something specific to offer,” Iqbal told us. “For example, is the opportunity present to you because you have a specific background and can offer your expertise? Does it make sense? If you can make sense of how it works, that is a good sign. If it doesn’t make sense to you, walk away.If you have to make an investment, figure out exactly what the money is for. If they tell you that you have to sign up for their program in order to sell, walk away. You shouldn’t have to pay to sell things for someone else.Also make sure that they are comfortable with you taking some time to think about the opportunity. They should be open to criticism and they should understand that you want to do your due diligence. If someone is trying to rush you, that is not a good sign.”Whitney Joy Smith, president of The Smith Investigation Agency and Smith Training Centre, gave her own list of positive signs:They have a legitimate online presence on social media, review sites, BBB, etc.They go through the steps of investm ents or mergers with legal teams and contracts.All financials are disclosed, and both parties feel good about the discussions.You have heard others having positive experiences or read reviews and recommendations about the company or investment.They are not scared to answer questions.”Finally, here are two more good signs courtesy of Dennis Shirshikov, financial analyst at  FitSmallBusiness.com:“Good business opportunities take time. Always ask yourself: ‘Why am I being offered this?’ If you receive some grand promise, consider why the current owner or the person introducing you to the idea isnt doing it themselves. Surely everyone wants to have a business that can double their money. A good business opportunity will likely take time to develop and grow, it wont be handed to you brand new and ready.“Look for past success. Many people prefer going for a business model with proven success. This reduces their risk of failure and the number of things they need to consider. The best example of this is a franchise. Although everyone knows about McDonalds, there are thousands of franchises that require far less capital and cover industries from dry cleaning to bicycle repair.”This advice should give you a good starting point when considering a new business opportunity. Now that we have that out of the way, there’s this great bridge that you can get for cheap right now Keep your money safe.There are lots of things out there that can drain your bank account, from poor investments and scammers to predatory no credit check loans and short-term bad credit loans like payday loans, title loans, and cash advances.And while the solutions to these problems varyâ€"from changing your password to maintaining a well-stocked emergency fund to choosing an affordable installment loanâ€"the principles at hand are the same: Do your research, keep your eyes peeled, and always be prepared for the worst!To learn more about how you can keep your money and your identity safe fr om potential scammers, check out these other posts and articles from OppLoans:5 Steps You Can Take to Prevent Identity TheftNever Trust and Always Verify: How to Avoid Getting Scammed Over Email10 Common Scams: How They Work and How to Avoid ThemDating App Dangers: 7 Tips to Avoid Getting Scammed by a Fake RomanceDo you have a   question about scams youd like us to answer? Let us know! You can find us  on  Facebook  and  Twitter.  |  InstagramContributorsAfter working in the financial industry for several years, Stephen Hart left his role as Chief Financial Officer at WorldPay to launch the UK’s first payment processing comparison site, Cardswitcher. Nowadays, he helps SMEs save money on their payment processing costs.Jonaed Iqbal is a New York native who graduated from Queens College with degrees in applied mathematics and economics. He later attended Columbia University for their master program in actuarial science. Jonaed worked as an actuary for a couple of years. While workin g as an actuary, Jonaed started NoDegree.com. NoDegree is a career resource for those without college degrees. He saw that there were plenty of opportunities for those without college degrees and that the rising cost of tuition made it a challenge for many to afford college. He also saw that college wasn’t for everyone. He continues to work on NoDegree.com and hopes to educate people about opportunities and help those without college degrees.Justin Lavelle  is a Scams Prevention Expert and the Chief Communications Officer of  BeenVerified.com (@BeenVerified). BeenVerified is a leading source of online background checks and contact information. It helps people discover, understand and use public data in their everyday lives and can provide peace of mind by offering a fast, easy and affordable way to do background checks on potential dates. BeenVerified allows individuals to find more information about people, phone numbers, email addresses,  and property records.Dennis Shirshikov i s a Financial Analyst with  FitSmallBusiness.com (@FitSmallBiz). Dennis earned an MS with an emphasis in Financial Risk Modeling and spend most of his career working with startups. When not helping small businesses and teaching Economics to college students at CUNY Queens College.Robert Siciliano  (@RobertSiciliano) is a #1 Best-Selling Author and CEO of  Safr.Me.  Safr.Me is funny  but serious about teaching you and your audience fraud prevention and personal security. Robert is a United States Coast Guard Auxiliary Flotilla Staff Officer of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security whose motto is Semper Paratus (Always Ready). His programs are cutting edge, easily digestible and provide best practices to keep you, your clients and employees safe and secure. Your audience will walk away as experts in identity theft prevention, online reputation management, online privacy and data security.With over ten years of experience in the private investigation industry, Whitney Joy Smith has seen it all. Having worked through over 1,700 case files, she understands what it takes to get effective results, and expects only the best from her team of qualified investigators. Whitney not only operates an award-winning company but is also the recipient of the International AI- Influential Business Woman Award for the Best Woman-Owned Private Investigative Agency in eastern Canada and the Most Innovative Woman in Executive Protection.

Planning in Early Childhood - 1400 Words

The observation of children is performed by teachers and educators, to help understand each child, and their characteristics. Along with assessment and evaluation, educators are able to understand each child’s development, and make decisions about appropriate activities and experience to offer each child, to help foster their individual development. (Veale, A. and Piscitelli, B. 1988) This essay will discuss the Value of the Observation Process in Planning for early childhood settings, and the role of each teacher in facilitating children’s individual learning and development. Observation is a very valuable and important part of the planning process as each child is different. Observation and Record Keeping in Early Childhood Programs†¦show more content†¦Educators hold the important role of supporting and facilitating each child’s development, one method of facilitating for the child is by recognizing and providing an optimal learning environment. An optimal learning environment is a safe environment specifically designed to facilitate a child’s learning and developmental needs. Educators need to provide time and opportunity for children to respond and experience the world creatively, it also needs to offer exposure to a variety of experience, to be secure and offer stimulating experiences so children can take risks and investigate the world around them safely. Olds (2001) suggests that children need to feel comfortable in their environment for them to explore. Educators need to be vigilant in making sure that each individuals needs are met so the child feels safe and comfortable in the learning environment. Creating an optimal learning environment means educators need to consider the aspects that create this environment. Harris Helm suggests that the overall effectiveness of an early childhood program is dependant on quality of staff, suitable environment, consistent schedules and parent involvement. 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How Far Was the Dispute over Berlin in the Years 1958 â€...

Between the years 1958 and 1961, the dispute over Berlin (often known as the ‘Berlin Crisis’) was one of the main issues between the USA and USSR, and caused a considerable amount of growing tension between the two states. The dispute over Berlin was a continuing issue over who was to occupy Berlin, the capital city of Germany. The city was seen as an important area for both states and led to several conflict issues throughout the time period. It could be argued that this issue and the tension caused by this was the primary reason (or, the main reason) for the Cuban missile crisis in 1962. The Cuban missile crisis was an issue over the placement of nuclear weapons on the island of Cuba by the Soviet Union and brought the world closer than†¦show more content†¦This would force the west to recognise GDR, making the Hallstein Doctrine irrelevant. Although the Western powers refused to be forced into signing the treaty and rejected the ultimatum, it did force them t o attend the Geneva Conference in 1959, where they were willing to discuss the German question. Prior to this, London and Washington statements were signalling their desire for compromise over the German and Berlin crisis. As Khrushchev had succeeded in getting Berlin to be discussed as a separate issue (where he could attempt to influence the West to make concessions over West Berlin), he continued this pressure and renewed his ultimatum. This suggests that in this instance, whereas the USA and UK were open for compromise over the Berlin crisis, Khrushchev’s continued forceful and pressurising attitude meant that he was not as willing to compromise and therefore little was concluded from the Geneva Conference. ‘Between 1959 and 1961, there were more summits than at a time since the Second World War’ (Williamson, 2006) – however little was achieved. Khrushchev often lead with periods of acute crisis and threat making during this time period, in order to in crease this pressure on the West to concede West Berlin. This forceful leadership shown suggests that Khrushchev may have been so focused on the Berlin crisis and forcing theShow MoreRelatedOne Significant Change That Has Occurred in the World Between 1900 and 2005. Explain the Impact This Change Has Made on Our Lives and Why It Is an Important Change.163893 Words   |  656 Pagesdemarcate historical epochs, the twentieth century does not appear to be a very coherent unit. The beginnings and ends of what we choose to call centuries are almost invariably years of little significance. But there is little agreement over when the twentieth century c.e. arrived, and there were several points both before the year 2000 (the collapse of the Soviet Union, the reunification of Germany, the surge of globalization from the mid-1990s) and afterward (9/11, or the global recession of 2008)Read MoreDeveloping Management Skills404131 Words   |  1617 PagesPermissions Department, One Lake Street, Upper Saddle River, New Jersey 07458. Many of the designations by manufacturers and seller to distinguish their products are claimed as trademarks. Where those designations appear in this book, and the publisher was aware of a trademark claim, the designations have been printed in initial caps or all caps. Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data Whetten, David A. (David Allred) Developing management skills /David A. Whetten, Kim S. Cameron.—8th edRead MoreStephen P. Robbins Timothy A. Judge (2011) Organizational Behaviour 15th Edition New Jersey: Prentice Hall393164 Words   |  1573 PagesSaddle River, New Jersey 07458, or you may fax your request to 201-236-3290. Many of the designations by manufacturers and sellers to distinguish their products are claimed as trademarks. Where those designations appear in this book, and the publisher was aware of a trademark claim, the designations have been printed in initial caps or all caps. Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data Robbins, Stephen P. Organizational behavior / Stephen P. Robbins, Timothy A. Judge. — 15th ed. p. cm. Includes

Sample Technology Essay Knowledge Management at Thomson Reuters Free Essays

string(99) " an organization with the aim of accomplishing the organizations main objectives \(Rowley, 2000\)\." ABSTRACT This paper aims to evaluate the effectiveness of an online portal (â€Å"Learning Exchange†) as a tool in promoting knowledge sharing at a leading market information firm – Thomson Reuters. The company was having problems with the flow of knowledge amongst different departments across several countries, therefore as the several theorists suggest, a knowledge management system in the form of an intranet was implemented in a bid to promote knowledge sharing. Results obtained from a colleague working within the organization reported that the Learning Exchange has not been as successful as planned due to the low level of trust following the merger, employee unwillingness to share and also the competitive culture that is usually the norm in Knowledge companies, thus confirming several theorists’ view of the reasons behind intranet sharing failures. We will write a custom essay sample on Sample Technology Essay: Knowledge Management at Thomson Reuters or any similar topic only for you Order Now A new corporate wide initiative is therefore proposed, to minimize the predominant competitive culture; engage all users in the knowledge management system; and to include an increasing number of relevant information on Learning Exchange. Keywords Knowledge management, Knowledge sharing, Thomson Reuters, Intranet sharing, competitive advantage, market information industry, organizational effectiveness. 1. Introduction a. Organization and Industry The global market information industry, dominated mainly by Bloomberg (33%) and Thomson Reuters (34%), has been described as a duopolistic market that may determine the future trend in global businesses. Drucker (2001) reports that attainment of competitive advantage is increasingly focused on the possession of information and knowledge, as opposed to capital and labour – the norm in previous decades. Thomson Reuters is a global market leader in market information, following the merger between Thomson Financials and Reuters in 2008. It is headquartered in Canada, and operates in 93 countries with over 50,000 staff (Thomson Reuters, 2009). 2008 revenues were ?13 billion. Employees who work in the market information industry are composed mainly of journalists, market analysts, and technology professionals. All three occupations are composed mainly of knowledge workers. Therefore presenting the best opportunity to ascertain the effectiveness of knowledge management systems in such an industry. b. Aims and Objectives This paper aims to evaluate the effectiveness of an online portal (â€Å"Learning Exchange†) as a tool in promoting knowledge sharing amongst those that know, and those that don’t, at leading market information firm – Thomson Reuters. Has the intranet tool that was implemented, really done its work in promoting collaboration amongst employees within the organization, and if so, how was that achieved? The importance of this paper lies in its unique approach to the culture within the organization and its aim of drawing up recommendations that could result in substantial benefit to the knowledge management industry. c. Nature of the issue Thomson Reuters, an information company, was having problems with the flow of knowledge amongst different departments across several countries. Evaluating such a question, especially within a global organization, could lead to innumerable results regarding the overall effectiveness of such approaches in that industry, and could set footpaths for recommendations which could change the methods in which such platforms are implemented in the future. Though my eventual findings are not certain, preliminary literature research clearly outlines that the success rate of any Knowledge Management Intranet system is based on the culture of the organization (Ruppel and Harrington, 2001), willingness of staff to accept the application (Goh, 2007), and integration strategies put into place that would encourage all stakeholders to use the intranet (Goh, 2007). d. Paper Structure and Research Limitations In order to verify or discredit such assumptions, this paper would be structured in a way such that it discusses the organizational and industry background in Introduction. Theories relating to knowledge management and sharing would be discussed in the literature review. A methodology section would outline the main procedures within which the author has gathered the data, and the analytical strategy being adopted, while the results and discussion chapter would compare the results from the organization against existing literature. Recommendations and Conclusions would be outlined in following chapters. The major constraint that this paper may encounter, would be gaining access to the core knowledge workers whose information would make the Learning Exchange intranet very effective. What are their views regarding sharing their knowledge within the organization? 2. Literature Review a. Knowledge in Organizations Knowledge, as defined by Ajayi and Leidner (2001, p109), â€Å"is the information processing that takes place in human minds, as well as personalized information related to facts, procedures, concepts, interpretations, ideas, observations and judgements.† Knowledge is a critical resource within organizations that may be used to gain and maintain competitive advantage (Drucker, 2001). There is therefore a high impetus for organizations to â€Å"exploit effective and efficient methods of preserving, sharing and reusing knowledge in order to help knowledge workers find task-relevant information† and also to help hedge the company against future uncertainties in the changing marketplace (Lai and Lui, 2009). Nissen and Levitt (2002) assert that knowledge is unevenly distributed within most enterprises; therefore the flow of knowledge across time, location and departments is critical to organizational effectiveness and performance within a knowledge-based view of the firm. Data and Information may be in abundance within an organization, however the degree to which these result in actionable strategies depend on the level of knowledge being shared in the organization, as illustrated in figure 1 below (Ipe, 2003). Figure 1: Knowledge Heirarchy, Source: Nissen (2002) Data lies at the bottom level and is usually the most abundant resource within an organization, with information at the middle and knowledge being the least available resource (Nissen, 2002). Therefore the higher the collective knowledge base of the organization, the more effective it would be with strategies that properly utilize this core competence (Ipe, 2003). Argote and Ingram (2000) further argue that knowledge that is improperly distributed within an organization is of little importance, and for knowledge sharing to occur, some sort of mutual platform must be present that engages all individuals in the process of knowledge sharing. b. Knowledge Management and Sharing Knowledge Management is concerned with exploiting and developing the knowledge base of an organization with the aim of accomplishing the organizations main objectives (Rowley, 2000). You read "Sample Technology Essay: Knowledge Management at Thomson Reuters" in category "Essay examples" Knowledge sharing, defined as the process in which employees diffuse and share relevant information amongst each other within an organization (Bartol and Srivastava, 2002) has been categorized as the most important part of Knowledge Management (Bock and Kim, 2002). The main aim of sharing organization knowledge is therefore to transfer organizational assets and resources between entities in an organization in order to promote streamlined processes, prevent repetitiveness (Dawson, 2001) and gain competitive advantage (Drucker, 2001). Knowledge sharing plays a very important role in a company’s performance and innovation; the willingness to share knowledge within an organization is dependent on the focus of the organization, be it: Job guarantee, Individual performance, Team performance or Team learning (Meng Hsun et al, 2006). Empirical evidence shows that the motivation to share knowledge is highly dependent on the team culture within the organization, and is highest with the team learning culture, whilst lowest with those companies laden with individual performance guarantees. Figure 2 below is a pictographic representation of Nissen and Levitt’s (2002) factors that affect knowledge sharing behaviours. Figure 2: Factors that affect knowledge sharing behaviours. Source: Nissen and Levitt (2002) Huysman and Wulf (2006) noted that individuals might not necessarily opt to share their knowledge in all situations, even if it’s an organizational requirement. Foss et al (2009) also states that an individuals decision whether or not to share knowledge is highly influenced by the benefits and costs associated with each option. c. Promoting Knowledge Sharing Knowledge exists at different levels within the organization, and may be subdivided into individual, group or department level knowledge bases (De Long and Fahey, 2000), therefore an organization’s ability to effectively leverage the knowledge of these subdivisions in accomplishing an organization wide objective is highly dependent on its people and the culture within which the knowledge is created, shared and used (Ipe, 2003). Leveraging this knowledge could result in improved streamlined processes, such as those in a knowledge flow hierarchy as depicted in figure 3. Figure 3: Knowledge flow hierarchy, Source: Zhuge (2002) According to Ipe (2003) knowledge sharing within organizations is highly contingent on the following factors: Nature of the knowledge Motivation to share Opportunities to share, and Culture of the work environment Figure 4: Knowledge sharing triangle, Source: Ipe (2003) The methods by which these factors influence one another in promoting knowledge sharing are depicted in Figure 4. The capacity by which these factors influence organizational knowledge depends highly on the business objectives of the organization, its structure, business processes, rewards systems and culture. The organizational culture has the most influence on the other three knowledge-sharing factors, as it determines to a large extent, how and what knowledge is valued, relationships and rewards associated with knowledge sharing, and also the formal and informal facilities and opportunities that stakeholders have to share knowledge (Ipe, 2003). Bresman et al (1999) asserts that the essential part of knowledge management is the transfer of knowledge across business units, hierarchies, countries, sister units and multicultural environments. Organizations may therefore encounter setbacks with regards to an increase in geographical and cultural distance within the organization. Meng Hsun et al (2006) also asserts that firms may encounter setbacks due to neglecting human nature and the knowledge trading mechanism within the organization. Foss et al (2009) also supports this assumption by stating that an employee’s attitudes and competencies may impede knowledge sharing. Some are ignorant of the importance of sharing knowledge whilst others possess an unwillingness to share that may be due to fear of losing importance, superiority or knowledge ownership (Zhuge, 2002). However, the notion that an individual’s motivation to share is the main determinant for knowledge sharing has been challenged by Hislop’s (2003) study. The results of the study, illustrate that the most important determinant in an employee’s willingness to share, is the employee attitudes towards sharing. Employees working within the sales department of an organization may not be as willing to share knowledge, compared to those working in Marketing. In a bid to curb the negativity associated with Knowledge Sharing, Lin (2006) discovered that the following motivational factors were significantly associated with employee knowledge sharing attitudes: Reciprocal benefits, Knowledge self efficacy and, Enjoyment in helping in helping others. De Vries et al (2006) also noted that eagerness and willingness to share are both positively related to knowledge sharing within an organization. Lin (2006) however asserts that expected organizational rewards do not significantly influence employee attitudes and intentions regarding organizational knowledge sharing. This finding therefore raises the question of what organizations can do to promote a knowledge sharing culture, if objective rewards have no significant effect. d. Knowledge Sharing through Intranets Drucker (2001) nominated the ability to gather and utilize knowledge as an important source of sustainable competitive advantage within an organization. A number of organizations have therefore begun pursuing knowledge management initiatives and making substantial investments in knowledge management systems that encourage a mutual culture of knowledge sharing behaviours (Hahn and Wang, 2009). While knowledge sharing may constitute a number of factors and requirements, a technology-mediated environment is one of the most important promoters of a knowledge sharing culture (Carlson and Davis, 1998). Knowledge management systems are increasingly being deployed through intranets Foss et al (2009). Intranet KMS are knowledge networks with multiple points of entry maintained in a centralized location. Information could be created by, and is available to, all employees within the organization (Chin, 2005). While the possibilities for intranet applications are innumerable, it is still classified as just the backbone for knowledge sharing. The success of any Intranet based KMS is based wholly on its adoption (Ipe, 2003). Successful KMS reflect the organization’s willingness and ability to share knowledge amongst each other, and the knowledge sharing culture within the organization. Unsuccessful knowledge sharing initiatives are not necessarily due to the intranet system, but the culture of the organization and employee’s willingness to share (Chin, 2005) Chin (2005) further asserts that each knowledge management system has to pass through three main hurdles for it to be successful: The technology used to implement and support knowledge sharing The specified business goals that knowledge management seeks to achieve and, A culture that understands the importance of a collective mindset within the organization. Ruppel and Harrington (2001) also assert that the implementation of intranet knowledge management systems is facilitated through an organizational culture that promotes each of the following: Trust and concern for other stakeholders Flexibility and innovation Policies, procedures and information management. Top management seeking to implement these systems should therefore make sure that each of these procedures and cultures are present within the organization in order to obtain a successful adoption of its knowledge management initiative. 3. Analysis a. Research Method Based on the literature that has been reviewed and also on the purpose of this conference paper, the author adopted a positivist philosophy in ascertaining the success rate of â€Å"Learning Exchange† at Thomson Reuters. A deductive approach was also used when comparing data gathered to existing literature review. Data was gathered through a case study analysis of an article written by Logan (2009) on the effectiveness of the learning exchange platform at Thomson Reuters. The author therefore aims to analyse the case study against the literature that has been reviewed on the topic with the hope of ascertaining the main factors that promoted or disrupted the intranet implementation processes at Thomson Reuters. b. Analysis and Discussion Being a knowledge based organization, Thomson Reuters faces the same challenges as outlined by Drucker (2001) – the possession and utilization of knowledge resources. A vast majority of its work force is composed of journalists and technical experts whose major competence is based, to a large extent, on what they know. Judging by Argote and Ingram’s (2000) theory, if journalists across several departments in the organization are unable to coalesce, then individual competences and knowledge would be useless. This realization led the implementation of the â€Å"Learning Exchange† intranet platform, which aimed to create a unified formal platform for the sharing organizational knowledge. However, as Chin (2005) affirms, any knowledge-based intranet is only a backbone, which would only be successful if there is a unified adoption strategy within the organization. According to reports garnered through a friend of mine, working at Thomson Reuters, the adoption of Learning Exchange has not been successful in meeting its implementation objectives. A vast majority of staff were sceptical about the process, especially due to the recent merger between Thomson Financials and Reuters that had occurred in 2008. The newly combined staff felt like it was a means for management to siphon out relevant knowledge from existing staff before they were let go. Thus confirming Ruppel and Harrington’s (2001) assertion that mutual trust amongst stakeholders was a very huge prerequisite for knowledge sharing. The failure encountered with regards to the intranet adoption was also as a result of the predominant culture within the organization. Knowledge based organizations, as depicted by Drucker (2001), are known to be very competitive environments. Therefore employees hoard what they know, for the fear of losing importance, superiority or knowledge ownership (Zhuge, 2002). Some knowledge workers who had most of the relevant information were also hoarding a lot of relevant information. An employee within the organization said â€Å"it is just like a sales environment where you do not want to tell your colleague what you know, for the fear that they may do better than you†. This finding conforms to Hislop’s (2003) theory regarding the environment within which employees are encouraged to share information with one another. It also affirms Lin’s (2006) argument regarding the threat employees’ associate with knowledge sharing. Ipe’s (2003) argument regarding the conditions within which employees share information also has a huge significance with relation to Learning Exchange. The ‘nature of the knowledge’ being shared is very valuable; therefore employees do not necessarily have that much ‘motivation to share’. Though the ‘opportunities to share’ are increasingly becoming available through the Learning Exchange, the ‘culture of the work environment’ does not necessarily permit it. Learning Exchange is therefore increasingly becoming a backbone for knowledge sharing which has no â€Å"front-bone†. The more the knowledge hoarding culture within the organization is continuously being encouraged; the harder it becomes for knowledge workers within the organization to share information. 4. Conclusions Though the initial aim of Thomson Reuters was the encourage organization wide knowledge sharing through the implementation of Learning Exchange, it did not possess the relevant organizational culture or employee willingness that the literature review had suggested. The platform for sharing was present, but its adoption and main objectives have not yet been met. The inability to successfully implement a knowledge sharing culture may lead to an increase in the risk of repetitive and overlapping processes within the organization, and also a lack of competitive advantage. 5. Recommendations Based on the literature review, discussion and conclusions derived, these are my recommendations with regards to the implementation of Learning Exchange at Thomson Reuters. Promote an organization – wide campaign that aims to change or at least minimize the predominant culture within the organization, in a bid to eradicate the knowledge hoarding actions that normally take place, and promote a more team approach. Engage every user in the knowledge sharing intranet network by holding regular seminars and workshops on the importance of knowledge sharing. If possible, hold individual training sessions that educate all users on the benefits of sharing knowledge using the system. Post an increasing number of organization information on Learning Exchange, as opposed to emails or bulletins. Incorporate predominant communication channels such as email and chat with Learning Exchange, in such a way that employees in the organization would have no choice but to adopt it for every day activities, and in the process learn more about its knowledge sharing features; then opt to use it. 6. References Alavi, M. and Leidner, D. E. (2001) Knowledge management and knowledge management systems: Conceptual foundations and research issues, MIS Quarterly Vol. 25 (1) pp. 107–136. Argote, L. and Ingram, P. (2000) Knowledge transfer: A basis for competitive advantages in firms, Organizational Behavior Human Decision Processes 82 (1), pp150–169 Bartol, K.m. and Srivastava, A. (2002) Encouraging knowledge sharing: The role of organisational reward systems, Journal of Leadership Organisational Studies 9 (1) (2002), pp. 64–76. Bock, G. W., and Kim, Y. G. (2002) Breaking the myths of rewards, Information Resources Management Journal, Vol. 15 (2) (2002), pp. 14–21 Bresman, H., Birkinshaw, J., and Nobel, R. (1999) Knowledge transfer in International Acquisitions, Journal of International Business Studies, Vol. 30 (3), p439 – 462 Carlson, J. R., and Davis, G. B. (1998) An investigation of media selection among directors and managers: From â€Å"self† to â€Å"other† orientation, MIS Quarterly 22 (3),pp 335–362 Chin, P. (2005) Knowledge Sharing: The Facts and the Myths, Intranet Journal, www.intranetjournal.com Davenport, T., De Long, D., and Beers, M. (1998) Successful knowledge management projects, Sloan Management Review, Vol. 39 (2) (1998), pp. 43–57. Dawson, R. (2001) Knowledge capabilities as the focus of organisational development and strategy, Journal of Knowledge Management, Vol. 4 (4) (2001), pp320–327. De Long, D. and Fahey, L. (2003) Diagnosing Cultural Barriers to Knowledge Management, Academy of Management Executive Vol. 14 (4), pp.113-127. De Vries, R. E., van den Hoof, B., and de Ridder, J. A. (2006) Explaining Knowledge Sharing – The role of Team Communication Styles, Job Satisfaction, and Performance Beliefs, Communication Research, Vol. 33 (2), pp115-135 Drucker, P. (2001) The next society: A survey of the near future, The Economist Vol. 3 (November), pp. 2–20. Goh, A. S. (2007) Integrating Knowledge Sharing Implementation: Toward An Institutionalized Symbiotic Model. International Journal of Applied Knowledge Management, Vol. 1 (1), p16-21 Hahn, J. and Wand, T. (2009) Knowledge management systems and organizational knowledge processing challenges: A field experiment, Decision Support Systems, Vol. 47 (4), pp332-342. Hislop, D. (2003) Linking human resource management and knowledge management via commitment: A review and research agenda, Employee Relations 25 (2), pp. 182–202. Huysman, M. and Wulf, V. (2006) IT to support knowledge sharing in communities, towards a social capital analysis, Journal of Information Technology 21, pp40–51 Ipe, M. (2003) Knowledge Sharing in Organizations: A conceptual Framework, Human Resource Development Review, Vol. 2(4), pp337-359 Lai. C, and Liu, D. (2009) Integrating knowledge flow mining and collaborative filtering to support document recommendation. Journal of Systems Software, Vol. 82(12), pp2023-2037 Logan, G. (2009) Thomson Reuters adopt online knowledge sharing tool, Personnel Today, www.personneltoday.com, (accessed: 12/12/09) Meng Hsun, S., Hsien Tang, T., Chi-Cheng, W., and Chung-Han, L. (2005) A holistic knowledge sharing framework in high-tech firms: game and co-opetition perspectives. International Journal of Technology Management, Vol. 36 (4), pp354-367. Nissen, M. E., and Levitt, R. E. (2002) Dynamics Models of Knowledge-Flow Dynamics, CIFE Working Paper #76 Reychav. I, and Weisberg, J. (2009) Going beyond technology: Knowledge sharing as a tool for enhancing customer-oriented attitudes, International Journal of Information Management, Vol. 29 (5), pp353-361 Ruppel, C. P., and Harrington, S. J. (2001) Sharing Knowledge through intranets: A study of organizational culture and intranet implementation, IEEE transactions on professional communication, Vol. 44 (1), p37-52 Thomson Reuters (2009) ABOUT US, www.thomsonreuters.com/about, (accessed 10/10/2009) Zhuge, H. (2002) A knowledge flow model for peer-to-peer team knowledge sharing and management, Expert Systems with Applications, Vol. 23 (1) (2002), pp23–30 How to cite Sample Technology Essay: Knowledge Management at Thomson Reuters, Essay examples

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