Use the checklist provided to ensure your work meets appropriate documentation standards.
Failing to meet documentation standards may result in your work returned “Non compliant”.
Checklist
q Use Cover-sheet
q Submit ONE PDF document (or equivalent) by the due date.
q Format
o Appropriate business language.
o Arial Font 12. 1½ line spacing.
o Footer with name, ID, and page number.
o Headings and subheadings.
o All tables, charts and graphs to be clearly labelled.
q Document has been checked and proofread beforehand submission.
o Spelling, punctuation, appropriate grammar and syntax.
q All tables, diagrams, charts and graphs to be clearly labelled and explained.
q Attach completed Peer review form.
Non Compliant Document
A ‘non compliant’ document is one that does not meet reasonable standards. It must be formatted, corrected and re-submitted to be assessed in Week 16. It is a 2nd attempt and
80% attendance policy applies.
Late Assessment
A late penalty applies for this assessment task submitted after the due date.
Refer to Student Handbook regarding special consideration, time extensions and deferred assessment policies. Assessment submitted later than 1 week after the due date is a 2nd attempt. It is to be submitted in week 16. Maximum mark for 2nd attempt is pass. 80% attendance policy applies.
Progress Meetings and individual contribution.
Individual contribution must be clearly demonstrated. Teams are required to show progress and provide evidence of individual contribution. If absent individuals must provide Medical certificate required.
Failure to show contribution may result in individuals resubmitting an alternative Assessment as a 2nd attempt in Week 16. Maximum mark for 2nd attempt is pass. 80% attendance policy applies.
Peer review form.
Complete Peer review form, save and attach with Assessment.
Feedback
Feedback and result will be provided for you. You will be notified.
Referencing & Plagiarism
o Refer Learning Commons and student guide for details.
After the success of its HBC range, BillyGo has been approached by several associations and groups.
These include
Special needs children and children with disabilities.
Mobility devices and add-ons for wheelchairs, motorised scooters
Special terrain pedal powered recreational vehicles.
Your role as a marketing consultant is to collect, short-list and evaluate viable market based business opportunities (Australia) for BillyGo.
Participate in a guided brainstorm session to generate possible ideas.
Capture and document viable ideas generated.
Refine, rate and short list ideas using an agreed selection criteria based on business merit.
Select 2 ideas. Post 2 ideas on the discussion forum provided.
Note 1; All teams must be different.
Note 2; ideas that provide benefits for special need groups may be eligible for specia
Government grants and funding.
Research market potential based on demographic, geographic, psychographic data.
Document research findings using a segmentation table.
Submit your findings in business report form. Opportunities must be explained, justified and supported.
Marking Guide (Rubric)
SAMPLE ANSWER
Idea generations
Electrical gadgets for monitoring
Digital wheelchair/special wheel chair
Special cars
Special motor bikes or bicycles
Evaluation
Electrical gadgets for monitoring health are commonly used by many and are assembled by different companies therefore they are already in the market. Special wheelchair or digital wheelchair, most disabled people use wheelchair and they apply force to move, adding or assembling digital start up or button for them to move, it will be very effective and efficient. It means that, the idea is vulnerable since the market has not been fully amortized by these wheelchairs. Special cars and motor bikes/bicycles also are highly demanded in different market segmentation. Due to increased standard of living, many disabled people want to drive and also have an easy and efficient way of alighting the car. In addition, most of them want to ride bikes, therefore coming up with simple special bikes for them; we can increase our market share.
Short listed ideas
Digital wheelchair; young population that are disabled and also the aging population that are also disable, may have little force to push the normal wheelchair for them to move. For this reason, proving or coming up with a digital wheelchair, where the disable people have to press to move, it will be efficient and effective for them to loco mote. This idea will ease their work performance, therefore many will demand for them and due to high demand, more will be supplied hence the company market share and competitive position will increase and finally the company will make a lot of profit, (CHOUINARD, HALL, & WILTON, 2010).
Special cars/bikes/ bicycles; many disabled people have different living standard and also the needs differ. For this reason, coming up with special cars, bikes and bicycles that are efficient for them to operate, they will make them feel recognized and well known in the society since they can enjoy same preferences with people with no disability. In return, they will purchase more of the cars, bikes, bicycles so as not to feel inferior and this will be of profit to the company, (KOHLBACHER, & HERSTATT, 2011).
References
KOHLBACHER, F., & HERSTATT, C. (2011). The silver market phenomenon marketing and innovation in the aging society. Heidelberg, Springer. http://site.ebrary.com/id/10427871
CHOUINARD, V., HALL, E., & WILTON, R. (2010). Towards enabling geographies “disabled” bodies and minds in society and space. Farnham, Surrey, Ashgate. http://site.ebrary.com/id/10376602.
We can write this or a similar paper for you! Simply fill the order form!
Among the commonest devices that hospitalized patients need are the peripheral intravenous catheters (The Royal Children’s Hospital Melbourne, 2015). The devices mainly find use in the administration of medications and fluids. It is also common for clinicians to use the catheters to collect blood samples. As such, the instruments are indispensable in in-patient environments, and there would be a need to maintain the best possible practice with them (Food and Drug Administration, 2010) Ricard, Webster, Wallis, Marsh, McGrail, French, and Whitby (2012) are some of researchers who have explored the use of the devices in clinical care. The researchers conducted a randomized trial with the aim of establishing that clinically indicated catheter devices served the same purpose and effectiveness as the routine replacement ones. This paper aims at appraising their work. The paper puts emphasis on the methodology, findings, implication to practice, as well as the prospective that the research makes for future studies.
The motivating factor for the researchers was the observation that the routine replacement type of catheters failed constantly during treatment provision to patients. The scientists felt that the replacement procedures involved with catheters had little effect in minimizing chances of the contraction of infections and phlebitis (Ricard, 2012, Pg. 1066). The long title they had for their research is one of the basic structural shortcomings. Usually, long titles do not attract readers as the short ones do (Paiva, Lima, & Paiva, 2012, Pg. 509). People tend to refer more to articles with short titles (Habibzadeh, & Yadollahie, 2010, Pg. 165)
An Appraisal of the Method
The researchers’ description of their theoretical framework was inadequate. They only mentioned that clinically indicated catheters were better than the cultural replacement ones. The researchers ought to have made their framework comprehensive by indicating the benefits and shortcomings of each method. Failure to establish a strong framework compromises the necessity of the study (Statistics Solutions, 2015). Also, the absence of sufficient scientific background makes research works to have a weak rationale. Again, their framework was weak as they only mentioned that their proposed method was cheap, but they did not give financial estimations of the savings that the advocated technique would earn institutions. The researchers identified their design as multicenter and randomized. The researchers also used a non-blinded method, which is justifiable owing to the nature of the variables. They further used manual selection of participants, and they were able to determine patients who would fit for the study. The exclusion of patients from emergency room was necessary, but the move created a bias. Patients from emergency rooms are likely to have unpredictable use of the catheters unlike their counterparts in other areas. The predictable nature of the use of the catheters in a particular group is a source of bias.
The researchers followed the necessary guidelines when they sought validation from the regulatory institutions. Also, the researchers indicated that participants’ consent was in writing. Such a move is encouraging in terms of ethics of practice and participants had the right of having all the necessary information. So as to avoid inconveniences in the hospitals, the researchers also needed consent from the hospital administration. The scientist needed to guarantee that their activities would not interfere with the appropriate clinical service to the participants. The team needed expressing its willingness to minimize interference with the care of the patients who participated in the study. The research missed out important details in patients’ participation such as methodologies that ensured minimal bias (Sackett, 2011, Pg. 351).
The researchers did not give a detailed description of philosophical underpinnings necessary for research, and neither did they pose research questions. Usually, philosophical underpinnings and research questions facilitate subsequent processes of research including data collection and analysis (Jeanfreau, & Jack, 2010, Pg. 615). In addition, the methods increase the rationale for research. The strategies direct procedures to a particular direction hence expressing their necessity clearly and enabling researchers to evaluate the outcomes of research. Research works should develop in a way that they answer research questions in a stepwise manner. The extent to which studies offer solutions to issues appropriately measures their success. Also, study questions must come in the early parts the study especially in the description of methodology. In addition, research questions should exhibit consistency and the solution of earlier issues should facilitate the answering of subsequent concerns (Riva, Malik, Burnie, Endicott, & Busse, 2012, Pg. 169)
Notable strengths in methodology that the research include the inclusion and involvement of a large sample size. Response from participants was high and it rendered credibility and reliability to the findings. The high response depicts the researchers’ ability to manage their sample for optimal evaluation and assessment. Again, there was minimal bias in selection of the sample, an occurrence that further demonstrates the competence of the investigators in handling their study. Also, the research used a broad variety of patients from different hospital settings. The insertion of catheters to patients by medical and nursing staff only also enhanced the accuracy of findings. The practice decreased the occurrence of errors and enhanced the standardization of services and so the reliability of findings (Study Data Tabulation Model, 2011).
Remarkable drawbacks in the design of the research included the non-blinded nature. However, the limitation is understandable as catheters were devices that everybody could witness their application. As such, the non-blind nature was a source of bias that could have been challenging to overcome. Also, the design involved a total of five items in a list to rate the occurrence of phlebitis. However, only one of the five involved patient ratings making it impossible to establish a diagnostic rating. Again, the methodology of the research was limited in not all catheter tips were cultured following budgetary constraints in the laboratory department and the hospital.
An Appraisal of the Results
The results of the study were from a well-conducted investigation. They were therefore reliable and valid for application (Castro, Bevans, Miller-Davis, Cusack, Loscalzo, Matlock, & Hastings, 2011, Pg. 76). Expert stastisticians analyzed the collected data and generated comprehensive figures and other forms of data expression. Accessibility of data to all authors was an essential fulfillment of the requirements of scientific studies (Archives of Internal Medicine, 2011). It was after the interpretation of the analysis that the researchers offered their results and conclusions. The results were also free form the influence of the agency funding the research (Rickard et al., 2012, Pg. 1072). Had there been influence from the funding body, the results of the research would have been biased. It is most likely that the research would have arrived to conclusions that favor the financing agency. Therefore, it was necessary to reassure the public and users of the data that the outcomes did not bear external influence (Jack, Hayes, Scharalda, Stetson, Jones-Jack, Valliere, LeBlanc, 2010, Pg. 163).
The number of patients involved in the study was large enough to validate the research. In addition, the total number of catheters and days that the research involved was satisfactory to validate the findings. Also, there was a high adherence of the participants to the protocol and procedures. However, though the mean figures obtained from the calculation of the number of days that the patients remained on catheters were reasonable, the range of hours was too large. As such, the researchers could have sought other methodologies of expressing the same information. Basing findings on the mean of data that had a broad range was inappropriate for the research. The large variation of data could have prompted the researchers to exclude extreme values in the calculation of the mean. However, such an action would have amounted to data manipulation and would have created a bias (Lu & Su, 2010, Pg. 96). Therefore, the researchers only had the option of applying other statistical techniques that would have reconciled the gap in the range of results.
The researchers also expressed their findings of participation in a flow chart to enhance the understanding of data. Such a tool made it easy for the users of the information to understand and apply it in their works (University of Washington, 2011). The chart indicated clearly the number of eligible participants and further categorized them into their specific tests. From the expression, users of the information could establish that the difference between analyzed participants for the different studies was barely a hundred, a figure that translates to a reasonable percentage. The researchers expressed patient characteristics and demographics in the form of a table, which was an appropriate tool (Rodriguez, 2013). The three column table allowed for quick comparison of outcomes so that users of the information could establish a clear picture of the outcomes. The table allowed concurrent expression of multiple parameters hence making the data readily exploitable. Among the parameters that users could compare form the table include the catheter dwell time, the type of admissions, and the occurrence of various comorbidities. The researchers also utilized tables to express data concerning the properties of the catheters they used, study outcomes from the various groups, and clinical microbiological information of the positive cultures. Such a methodology of expressing findings was excellent as it made information handy for users. The researchers later elaborated their data as they had presented it in table. From the information, it was possible to establish that the inter-rater reliability testing for phlebitis across hospitals had an agreement close to a 100%, and its Cohen constant value was 0.03. Also, it was possible to establish from comparison that 7% of patients from either group had phlebitis, and that the absolute risk difference was 0.41%, and that the value was within the margin of 3% that had been predefined (Rickard et al. 2012, Pg. 1070). The researchers also applied the per-protocol power method to measure the degree of equivalence. It was possible to establish from the findings that the study hypothesis was upheld. Treatment of data and the results led to the conclusion that both routine replacement and clinically indicated catheter techniques were of equal value.
Though the findings led to a conclusion that upheld the hypothesis, the investigators failed to indicate methods that they used to guarantee the validity of their data (Code of Federal Regulations, 2011). The scientists only gave the limitations of their study, but they did not explain how rigorous their findings were. It is also notable that the investigators did not describe the transferability and dependability of their outcomes as it would have been expected of the type of their study. As such, it would be difficult for users of the information to determine the appropriateness of the findings for reference in other works (Krishnankutty, Bellary, Kumar, & Moodahadu, 2012).
An Appraisal of the Implications of the Study to Clinical Practice
Though the researchers did not address the implications that their study would have on clinical practice per se, it is evident that the findings would influence the application of catheters in patient care. The findings suggested that clinically indicated catheters were not associated with any increased risk to blood stream infections. The researchers also suggested that blood stream infections that occur with the use of catheters are mostly as a result of unhygienic practices (Rickard et al., 2012, Pg. 1072). As such, clinicians would seek to maintain proper sanitation practices such as hand washing when using catheters for their patients. Maintaining hygiene would decrease the occurrence of such types of infections, and it would eventually improve patient outcomes. The researchers also indicated that routine replacement of catheters had a theoretical basis of reducing infections, but, in practice, the methodology only exposed patients to other infections (Rickard et al., 2012, Pg.1072). Such strong assertions could influence clinicians to consider clinically indicated catheters at the expense of the routine replacement types. The researchers argued that there were already cases where the catheters were used for longer hours than they were meant for, and so failure to replace them routinely would not be such a risky approach. Clinicians would consider the argument and adopt clinically indicated catheters.
An Appraisal of the Implication of the Study to Future Research
The researchers did not directly indicate the impact that their study would have on future research. However, there are several mentions of potential routes for research. For instance, the researchers suggested that the understanding of their findings would be better if there were more knowledge on the pathogenesis of blood stream infections associated with the use of catheters. There are suggestions that hygiene would be the best approach to avoiding the infections. However, there could be other potential interventions to avoiding the occurrence. For instance, research may reveal the best antiseptics to employ when using catheters in patients. Also, the researchers suggested a need to develop molecular-based diagnostic techniques to improve the understanding of the association between catheter use and blood stream infections. The indication would motivate future researchers to take the route. In addition, the scientists observed gaps in some policies governing catheter use. They argued that clinicians leave catheters in place for periods that exceed the recommended time. The practice amounts to policy violation, and there would be a need to adjust the policies. Stakeholders and researchers might take the approach and investigate the strategies of handling such situations. There are possibilities that research findings would propose a modification of the policies.
Conclusion
Catheter use remains a primary practice in hospitals, especially among in-patients. Clinicians should offer high quality services by employing the most appropriate techniques of catheter use (International Association of Clinical Research Nurses, 2010). The discussed research offers substantial insight regarding catheter use. The study had both strengths as well as shortcomings. As such, there could be considerations for the application of the findings it generated. However, such considerations would be limited in the view that the researchers failed to offer crucial basics of research such as data validation (Kuchinke, Ohmann, Yang, Salas, Lauritsen, Gueyffier, & Lejeune, 2010). Researchers might find it hard to rely on the findings without a guarantee that the methods used and the data obtained was valid and of high standard. Nevertheless, the research would propel both clinical practice and future studies.
References
Archives of Internal Medicine. (2011). Manuscript criteria and information. Retrieved from http://archinte.ama-assn
Castro, K., Bevans, M., Miller-Davis, C., Cusack, G., Loscalzo, F., Matlock, A. M., … Hastings, C. (2011). Validating the clinical research nursing domain of practice. Oncology Nursing Forum, 38(2), E72–E80. doi:10.1188/11.ONF.E72-E80
Code of Federal Regulations. (2010). Food and Drug Administration. Retrieved from http://www.accessdata.fda.gov/scripts/cdrh/cfdocs/cfcfr/CFRSearch.cfm?fr=11.10 .
Food and Drug Administration. (2010). FDA regulations relating to good clinical practices and clinical trials. Retrieved from http://www.fda.gov/ScienceResearch/SpecialTopics/RunningClinicalTrials/ucm155713.htm.
Habibzadeh, F., & Yadollahie, M. (2010). Are Shorter Article Titles More Attractive for Citations? Cross-sectional Study of 22 Scientific Journals. Croatian Medical Journal, 51(2), 165–170.
Jack, L., Hayes, S. C., Scharalda, J. G., Stetson, B., Jones-Jack, N. H., Valliere, M., … LeBlanc, C. (2010). Appraising Quantitative Research in Health Education: Guidelines for Public Health Educators. Health Promotion Practice, 11(2), 161–165.
Jeanfreau, S. G., & Jack, L. (2010). Appraising Qualitative Research in Health Education: Guidelines for Public Health Educators. Health Promotion Practice, 11(5), 612–617. doi:10.1177/1524839910363537
Krishnankutty, B., Bellary, S., Kumar, N. B. R., & Moodahadu, L. S. (2012). Data management in clinical research: An overview. Indian Journal of Pharmacology, 44(2), 168–172. doi:10.4103/0253-7613.93842
Kuchinke, W., Ohmann, C., Yang, Q., Salas, N., Lauritsen, J., Gueyffier, F., … Lejeune, S. (2010). Heterogeneity prevails: the state of clinical trial data management in Europe – results of a survey of ECRIN centres. Trials, 11, 79. doi:10.1186/1745-6215-11-79
Lu, Z. & Su, J. (2010). Clinical data management: Current status, challenges, and future directions from industry perspectives. Open Access J Clin Trials, 2010(2), 93–105.
Paiva, C. E., Lima, J. P. da S. N., & Paiva, B. S. R. (2012). Articles with short titles describing the results are cited more often. Clinics, 67(5), 509–513.
Ricard, C. M., Webster, J., Wallis, M. C., Marsh, N., McGrail, M. R., French, V. . . Whitby, M. (2012). Routine versus clinically indicated replacement of peripheral intravenous catheters: a randomised controlled equivalence trial. Lancet, 380, 1066-1074
Riva, J. J., Malik, K. M. P., Burnie, S. J., Endicott, A. R., & Busse, J. W. (2012). What is your research question? An introduction to the PICOT format for clinicians. The Journal of the Canadian Chiropractic Association, 56(3), 167–171.
Study Data Tabulation Model. (2011). Clinical Data Interchange Standards Consortium. Retrieved from: http://www.cdisc.org/sdtm
The Royal Children’s Hospital Melbourne. (2015). Peripheral intravenous device management. Retrieved from http://www.rch.org.au/rchcpg/hospital_clinical_guideline_index/Peripheral_Intravenous_IV_Device_Management/
University of Washington. (2011). Process mapping: flow charts. Retrieved from http://www.washington.edu/research/rapid/resources/toolsTemplates/process_mapping.pdf
We can write this or a similar paper for you! Simply fill the order form!
Suppose that you have been working as a labor and delivery nurse at a hospital in an urban area for eight years. A colleague of yours, Mark (48 years old), is the Charge Nurse. Mark has been working at the hospital for the past four years, and he is your immediate supervisor. Outside of the work environment, you speak to Mark regularly on the telephone and the two of you are connected by a social networking website. Sam is a 17-year-old high school student who recently began working at the hospital as a volunteer to assist the phlebotomist in transporting blood samples to the laboratory. Sam has only been working at the hospital for two months. You, Mark, and Sam are dining in the employee cafeteria one afternoon along with four other hospital employees. A heated debate arises about how health care reform might affect your work environment in the near future. Some at the table feel that a letter should be written to an upper level hospital administrator to prevent any bad changes from occurring.
This is a three-part assignment.
First, explain Social Impact Theory in your own words (1 paragraph maximum).
According to Social Impact Theory:
Would a letter eventually be written to the administrator?
Which member of the group would most directly influence your way of thinking? Why?
Why would the number of people participating in the conversation be relevant?
How might media coverage of Health Care Reform shape the opinions of participants?
SAMPLE ANSWER
Critical Thinking and Social Impact Theory
The Social Impact Theory is a school of thought that is used in the prediction of social impact based on the different situations that can be considered. According to this theory, the magnitude of a social impact in any given situation depends on several parameters. These parameters are the parties involved, namely the sources of the influence as well as the group being targeted by the change. The second parameter of social impact is the social forces that come into play relevant to the situation at hand (Bhondeckar et al, 2013). This covers the potential of the source to influence, the urgency of the issue at hand and also the total number of sources working towards impact. The number of targets is inversely proportional to the effectiveness. An example of a social issue that can be explained through this scenario is the campaign against lengthy sentences for minor drug offences. The prime mover of such an action will be an individual or group of individuals who wish to see changes in the system. For them to have their voice heard and changes to be actually made, it is paramount that they convince more people to see things from their perspective and then join them. Their target also needs to be specific whether it is a politician or people who can influence a politician. Not carefully considering a strategy increases the chances of failure (Kwahck 2013).
Based on Social Impact Theory, a letter is bound to be written to the administrator. This is because all the parameters necessary for social impact are present in this given scenario. There is an issue at hand, the potential impact likely to be brought out by the healthcare reforms. The target of this potential social change will be to the administrator since the administrator has the capacity and authority to make the desired changes. There is also a sense of immediacy with the issue given that it brought up a heated debate (Thompson, 2013).
The member of the group who would most likely influence my way of thinking is Mark. This is because we know each other both within the work environment and outside. Furthermore, Mark is older than me and therefore has had a greater deal of exposure than myself. We get to discuss things with mark on different forums, the workplace, personally over the phone and also over social media. This means we have over time developed a lot in common and as such it is easier for my thoughts to be aligned to his. This may also be contributed to by the fact that our friendship with him will make us see things in the same way or look at the issue from a common perspective. A concept of consolidation with respect to social change theory states that individuals that regularly interact over time subconsciously end up having similar opinions as time progresses (Moynihan et al, 2013).
The number of people participating in the conversation would be relevant because it determines the number of sources and this has a direct effect on the power that the letter to the administrator would have. From the definition of the social impact theory, the number of sources is a main parameter. It will strengthen any campaign that will follow and this helps to amplify the message. If it is an idea that is promoted by few people, it will appear to be a personal issue or a subjective one that does not warrant changes to the entire system. A higher number of people participating will also be relevant in that it will embolden the participants in the conversation about the positions they hold. The larger the group means there are more consenting voices. This is necessary in eliminating or reducing the apprehension one may have if they feel they are made vulnerable by targeting the organization on their own. The concept of Social impact theory that arises in this regard is Clustering. Clustering is a phenomenon that leads people with similar points of view to gather in groups. The coming together of individuals in this group due to the similarity of their points of view and interest is a clear example of clustering (Dewall et al, 2010; Thompson, 2013).
Media Coverage of Health Care Reforms will shape the opinions of participants in several ways. First of all, it will make them aware about the actual healthcare reforms. Furthermore, the media coverage will analyze the dynamics of the reforms clearly illustrating who the stakeholders are and how they will be affected. The participants will get to understand where they are in the analysis and how they are likely to be affected. If the likely impacts will be favorable to them, they are likely to be supportive of the reforms. If the media focuses on the negative impacts likely to impact the participants, they are likely to take a position against it. The coverage of healthcare reforms by the media will also highlight issues such as the key decision makers and the degree of flexibility they have towards the matter. If the media shows them to be rigid and adamant about the proposed reforms, participants are bound to be more agitated and eager to express their views about the issue. On the contrary if the media reports in a manner that shows a relaxed attitude by the decision makers behind the health reforms, participants will not be less eager as they feel they have time. Divergent views are likely to come up in the event of media coverage. This is because the members of the group will consume the news independently (Hogg and Tindle, 2008).
Bhondekar, A. P., Kaur, R., Kumar, R., Vig, R., & Kapur, P. (2011). A novel approach using Dynamic Social Impact Theory for optimization of impedance-Tongue (iTongue). Chemometrics and Intelligent Laboratory Systems, 109(1), 65-76.
Moynihan, D. P., Pandey, S. K., & Wright, B. E. (2012). Prosocial values and performance management theory: Linking perceived social impact and performance information use. Governance, 25(3), 463-483.
Thompson, J. B. (2013). Ideology and modern culture: Critical social theory in the era of mass communication. John Wiley & Sons.
DeWall, C. N., Twenge, J. M., Bushman, B. J., Im, C., & Williams, K. D. (2010). Acceptance by one differs from acceptance by none: Applying social impact theory to the rejection-aggression link. Social Psychological and Personality Science, 1(2), 168-174.
Hogg, M. A., & Tindale, S. (Eds.). (2008). Blackwell handbook of social psychology: Group processes. John Wiley & Sons.
We can write this or a similar paper for you! Simply fill the order form!
Suppose that you are attending a conference for physical therapists. You listen to a speech by Dr. John Russell, an orthopedic surgeon. Dr. Russell is speaking about a new, experimental procedure to repair torn ligaments in the knee. After listening to the 30 min. conference talk, one of the attendees sitting next to you, Harold, tells you, “Dr. Russell claims that the procedure is effective at reducing pain 3 months post-surgery. Dr. Russell would, of course, hold a favorable view of this new procedure because he only recently finished his orthopedic surgery fellowship, and plus he went to medical school on the West Coast. Therefore, this procedure could not be as effective as Dr. Russell claims it is.”
This is a two-part assignment:
A. Identify the type of logical fallacy in the argument that Harold just made. Justify your selection.
B. Respond to Harold with a different set of statements containing a separate fallacy. State the type of fallacy that you committed in responding. Then, justify why the fallacy you made is of the type that you purport it to be.
SAMPLE ANSWER
Medicine critical thinking
Question 1
The type of logical fallacy that Harold made was a fallacy of Hasty Generalization. In this type of fallacy, the individual makes a conclusion that is advised by insufficient evidence or evidence that is biased. The first sign of hastiness in his argument is the fact that he makes his comment after only 30 minutes of listening to the doctor speak. It is impossible for Harold to have gathered all the information about the doctor’s bias in favor of the procedure being discussed within 30 minutes which is such a short time. While it is possible that Harold may have known the doctor from outside the seminar, the statement he made is being discussed with respect to context. His confiding in me is an indication that he is basing his assessment of the doctor’s point of view on the events that have taken place in the seminar (Facione and Gittens, 2015).
The originator of a statement will be said to have made a logical fallacy of hasty generalization by concluding a matter too soon without taking into consideration the relevant facts. Harold’s statement fits in well with the description of this fallacy. Half an hour is clearly not adequate to appraise a person’s point of view or the entire collection of his knowledge. Furthermore, this is a medical conference and any support for a point made or opposition to a point made, needs to be based on medical facts and not mere opinions. Harold believes that the doctor’s estimation of the healing process is inaccurate. So far there is no problem with this; however his justification for his point of view is in no way related. He does raise facts such as the doctor being recently back from an orthopedic fellowship and also that the university the Doctor studied in being in the West Coast (Fisher, 2011).
Harold’s reference to the doctor’s has studied in the West Coast introduces another fallacy in his argument. This argument is known as the Straw Man. It is so called because the speaker acts by overly simplifying the viewpoint that the opponent has. Their contradicting points of view makes the doctor his opponent, Harold refers to the location of the doctor’s previous learning institution as sufficient grounds to disqualify the experimental procedure being advocated for. The West Coast may not be perfect and there may be very real and tangible reasons why Harold has problems with the place but the fact that he does not mention them greatly weakens his argument. The ambiguity leaves it completely open and this means that Harold’s qualms with the West Coast are related to weather or culture. He does not clearly state what the problem is with the West Coast leading to the Doctor’s inaccuracy
Question 2
Response: I disagree with you on that matter, the fact that he has the title ‘Doctor’ before his name and his presenting this information before a panel of medical experts is proof that he knows what he is talking about with respect to the post-operation recovery process.
I have used two fallacies in the above statement. The first fallacy that I have used is the Genetic Fallacy. This type of fallacy is manifested in a statement when the originator makes use of the institution a person belongs to as a means of determining the character they have. In this case I have used the prefix of ‘Doctor’ as a justification for my belief that he has to be an expert in medicine. This statement is fallacious because while medical doctors do have the suffix, they tend to be either specialists or general doctors. There are also people who have the title by virtue of a PhD being awarded to them. The title does signify the qualification that a doctor has but if it is to be considered, it needs to be considered in full as even for medical doctors, there are several categories. There are those who are general practitioners, there are others who are surgeons and others may have specialized in dentistry. As such, it is not sensible to simply use his title to appraise the content of his presentation, which greatly waters down the significance of the discussion and shifts the focus from what he has worked on to a general image of the profession. The argument may have been stronger if I mentioned a title that was relevant to the work that he has done in orthopedic surgery or the position he holds within the organization of physical therapists (Bowell and Kemp, 2014).
The second fallacy that I have used is the circular argument. In this fallacy, the speaker restates an argument instead of proceeding to prove it. In this case I have stated that the information he is giving has to be accurate and medically sound because his audience is made up of doctors who are giving him attention. Circular fallacies are so called because they tend to go back and forth with the first part justifying the second part and the second part justifying the first part yet there is no significant substance being discussed or elaborated upon. The argument is circular because the content and its quality are determined by taking into consideration only the speaker and the audience while leaving out the particulars about the findings that doctor has presented. His expertise cannot be solely judged on the fact that he is speaking to doctors at the seminar. While this was definitely taken into account in his selection as a keynote speaker, this cannot justify my point of view. I essentially stated that their being doctors makes it impossible for them to get the wrong information in a forum or his being the speaker in a medical forum made it impossible for him to give inaccurate information. What I essentially did was peg my thoughts on his being correct about the experimental procedure because of the existence of the seminar where the talk took place. The presentation he gave being a part of this project, does not in any way automatically translate to it being accurate (Admanti et al, 2011).
The statements that Harold made as well as my hypothetical response are all fallacies because they demonstrate a mistake or mistakes that were made in the thinking process followed during the making of our respective opinions about the doctor’s presentation on the experimental procedure. They are all errors in reasoning because the originator of the statements circumvents or avoids the most important facts that can be used to validate the conclusions that are being made. The authors of the statements instead pick on irrelevant aspects of the subject and use them to support the conclusions given (Gardner, 2012).
References
Admati, A. R., DeMarzo, P. M., Hellwig, M. F., & Pfleiderer, P. C. (2011). Fallacies, irrelevant facts, and myths in the discussion of capital regulation: Why bank equity is not expensive. MPI Collective Goods Preprint, (2010/42).
Bowell, T., & Kemp, G. (2014). Critical thinking: A concise guide. Routledge.
Facione, P., & Gittens, C. A. (2015). Think critically. Pearson.
Fisher, A. (2011). Critical thinking: An introduction. Cambridge University Press.
New Directions- Using your imagination, explain how you would direct a production of Faust or The Seagull in order to communicate a specific theme of the piece. Like Prompt A, you will want to discuss style as well as the play’s elements, such as the type of actors you would look for, design elements, etc.
Again, this is conceptual argument for your vision. You may elect to use a different play, but you must get approval from one of the instructors IN PERSON.
General Instructions:
1. The paper should be one to one-and-a-half single-spaced pages, written in 12-point Times New Roman with 1” margins on all sides. Please print the page
front and back, and, if that is not possible, the pages must be stapled together.
2. At the top of the first page should be your full name, Student ID number, and choice of prompt.
3. Give your essay an interesting title. Additionally, a play’s title should always be italicized.
4. As stated above, the essay should be presenting an analytical argument supported by specific examples that are completely explained. The best papers have
about two to three very well-explained specific examples. Use a clear organizational structure to convey your point.
5. This paper should be well-edited. Grammar and spelling will be considered in your grading.
6. FAILURE TO FOLLOW THESE INSTRUCTIONS WILL RESULT IN A FAILING GRADE.
General Writing Guidelines
Structure
If you are writing an argumentative essay, develop a clear thesis statement (main point) and make sure that each body paragraph supports that main point.
Write an introductory paragraph to establish your topic and pique your reader’s interest.
Unite each body paragraph with a claim that supports your thesis, providing a topic sentence that clearly directs the reader.
Provide detailed examples in the form of a quotations or summaries from appropriate performances or texts as evidence to support your claims. Specific
examples are more effective than general examples.
Organize paragraphs logically, typically from weakest support to strongest.
Utilize transitions between paragraphs to lend coherence to your argument.
Develop a concluding paragraph that clearly indicates the end of the essay, clarifying what the reader should have learned by reading this paper.
Provide detailed examples in the form of a quote or summary from appropriate performances or texts as evidence to support your claims. Specific examples are always more effective than general examples.
Language
To convey your meaning effectively and to keep the reader awake and interested, choose and organize your words carefully.
Use action verbs (avoid is, was, were, am) and specific nouns (avoid this, it, that, them).
Avoid using contractions. They make you sound like a high school student who does not realize they were ever accepted into college.
Vary sentence structure and length.B
Be as concise as possible, avoiding first person as much as possible.
Proofread to make sure your spelling and grammar are correct. Do not trust the spell check or grammar programs to catch everything.
We can write this or a similar paper for you! Simply fill the order form!
Mostly, not all leaders attain the desired results when they come across scenarios that need a variety of decisions to be made. Usually, managers depend on common leadership techniques that operate well in a certain set of circumstances but fail when used in others. According to the organizational theory and practice, a particular level of order and predictability exists in the world. Therefore, circumstances keep changing, and as they become more sophisticated, the usual simplifications may fail. For this reason, good leadership does not entertain a one-size-fits-all proposition.
If I were to choose one belief system to live by all situations I would choose utilitarianism. This is because utilitarianism offers a straightforward method for deciding the moral right course of an action in any scenario I may find myself in.
However, this belief system can fail me at certain times. For instance, the computers and laptops in the first floor of WEGA Technologies Company can be stolen. During the incidence Gerald, a senior computer technologist in WEGA Technologies Company, could be in his office located in the third floor of the premises carrying out finishing touches on a software he has been developing. Therefore, he may be linked to the theft. As the manager who believes in utilitarianism, I am expected to choose what is best for the company such as firing Gerald. However, this could be a grave injustice especially if Gerald is innocent.
Part 2:
For me, giving employees priority before profits is an ethical thing to do. During the 1995 burn, Aaron Feuerstein would have cashed in his fire insurance payment and enjoy his luxury in Florida. Also, he could have moved his business to a market with cheap labour as most textiles industries had done. However, Feuerstein found it right to care for his workers who had always been loyal to him. I do not think he was doing a wrong thing. Caring for people instead of net worth and personal interests is a virtue that most managers in the world have tried to embrace but with little success (Sellnow, Seeger & Ulmer, 2011, Pg. 216). As a reward for his exceptional ethical virtue, the sales and the productivity of a company increased. I do not think currently the world has Feuerstein-like leaders. Most of our leaders are corrupt. They readily cease each corruption opportunity that comes their way and benefit themselves.
Using the web pages associated with the Foundation for Critical Thinking website,choose one of the four topics below and respond to the aspects of the prompt in at least 400 words.
The essay must be 400 words in length, excluding title and reference pages, and formatted according to APA style. If you would like to refer to APA samples and tutorials, review the APA Checklist within the Ashford Writing Center (https://awc.ashford.edu/cd-apa-checklist.html) located in the Learning Resources tab in the left navigation bar. The only resources you will need to complete this assignment are the web pages of the critical thinking website that relate to your chosen topic. However, if you would like to include other sources, that is encouraged. Just be sure that you utilize the critical thinking web pages as your primary sources of information.
Choose one:
Inference and Assumption
Explain the difference between inference and assumption. Then, present four inferences you have made and connect those inferences to their underlying assumptions. Looking back, which of these were proper inferences, and which were improper inferences? Why?
Purpose, Point of View, and Decisions
Outline a problem that you currently face or have faced recently. Define the assumptions that you have about this issue. Explain your point of view, and outline the information that you have analyzed in relation to this problem. Finally, explain the implications that have arisen or will arise when you respond to this problem.
Valuable Intellectual Traits
Of the valuable intellectual traits listed in the online readings from this week, identify three of them that you believe you need to strengthen. Explain the traits, and then describe how you will attempt to implement actions in your life that will maximize those intellectual virtues.
Open-Minded Inquiry
Using the online reading “Open-minded Inquiry,” identify what you consider to be the three most important attributes that one must have as he or she approaches problems. Explain why you think these attributes are the three most important, and describe examples from your own life, or from the lives of those you know, in which people failed to display those attributes.
SAMPLE ANSWER
Open minded inquiry
In life, people face different problems emanating from various angles. In line with critical thinking and open minded inquiry, there are the attributes that one must have in approaching problems so that effective solutions can be arrived at. Among the attributes that people should have in approaching problems, three are very important. The three important attributes are open mindedness, humility and tolerance.
When approaching a certain problem it is crucial that a person employs the attribute of open humility. This entails the deep realizations that one is always limited as a human being and is always subject to making errors. When one employs the attribute of humility in approaching a problem, they avoid the arrogance that is associated with people who do not embrace humility in approaching problems.
Huo & Zhou (2015) assert that; despite one’s knowledge and expertise in the problem at hand, there is always room for making errors. This realization should make the person approaching the problem to employ humility in the spirit of open minded inquiry. Humility does not entail one to think that they are incapable, rather it only makes one accept the fact that they are limited and they are capable of making mistakes. An example in life where people fail to display this important attribute of open minded inquiry is the teachers who fail to acknowledge that they are capable of making mistakes before the learners. Such teachers do not take correction by the learners on a positive note.
Another important attribute in the approach of a problem in line with the open minded inquiry is the open mindedness. This entails the willingness to take up the relevant ideas in to consideration. Open mindedness in approaching problems is crucial because; it ensures taking on board the relevant ideas from other people who may have serious concerns with the same issue. Shaw (2014) notes that; this important attributes prevents the locking out of ideas that could be useful in solving the problem. Without the attribute of open mindedness it would be easy for a person to dispute the ideas of others following some misgivings on the validity of the ideas. In the spirit of open mindedness in approaching a problem, it is crucial that all seemingly relevant ideas are taken in to consideration so as to come up with a solution. An example of situation where there is failure to demonstrate this attribute is where the ideas of children may fail to be considered because they deem invalid in the face of the ideas of the grownups.
In the approach of a problem, it is important to articulate tolerance as an attribute of open minded inquiry. Tolerance is different from the usual usage of the word where it means grudgingly putting up with something that may not even be worthy putting up with. In the spirit of open mindedness in approaching a problem, tolerance entails permitting that which we may not otherwise have permitted under usual circumstances. With zero tolerance, it is not possible for open mindedness to prevail in the approach of a problem. An example where tolerance has failed to be displayed is when at times I do not tolerate the ideas of parents when it comes to matters of education because of their lower levels of education.
References
Huo, Z., & Zhou, Z. (2015). Approaches to multiple attribute decision making with hesitant fuzzy uncertain linguistic information. Journal of Intelligent & Fuzzy Systems, 28(3), 991-998. doi:10.3233/IFS-141244
the Stephen Brookfield Critical Thinking video, and This is Water by David Foster Wallace video. Ask yourself, “Is there a difference between my perception of reality and reality itself?” Respond to this question while considering the following:
What preconceptions do I have in my life that might distort my vision of reality (i.e., create cognitive biases)? To help guide your thinking, consider how Dr. Stephen Brookfield’s preconceptions distorted his vision of reality in the Stephen Brookfield Critical Thinking video or think about the situation of the prisoners in the cave or Wallace’s analysis of the supermarket.
What are steps I can take to overcome my distorted vision so that I might learn to understand more about the world?
Who has enhanced my knowledge of reality?
Who has manipulated my mind in relation to reality?
How can I break free from the bonds of those who seek to manipulate me?
SAMPLE ANSWER
Critical Thinking
There is no difference between my perception of reality and reality itself. As far as I am concerned, the reality I experience is the only reality that exists. The argument that the reality people experience is in itself not real holds no water as it is pegged to the point of view of an external observer. This is because the external observer who may be viewing ‘the bigger picture’ is experiencing his or her own reality. What I cannot experience but can be observed by an external party therefor remains their reality since their cognitive element takes into account what they see. While they can state that they know for a fact that the ‘shadows ’ on my wall are not really what they appear to be, their point of view is also limited by how much of my experience they can see and integrate (Litch et al, 2014).
The manifestation of a distorted experience of reality often stems from the fact that an external observer with a wider point of view or vantage point sees more than me or any other person under observation for that matter. The distortion of my reality however true it may be is something that will only be realized and experienced by the external observer. In the case of something like sleep walking , this opinion of one’s reality means that reality is in itself potentially very dangerous to us if wrongly perceived since to me I may be fully convinced I know where I am going yet in reality my body is moving unconsciously. The inward perception of reality however applies to every-day life as well and this is captured through clichés such as “beauty lies in the eye of the beholder” or “the grass is greener on the other side.”
The cliché about beauty clearly illustrates a fact of life which is that what really matters is what the individual experiences and perceives from his or her point of view. The quote acknowledges that people will have a different opinion on what we appreciate but that is because they see things differently. We cannot however live to please everybody hence the need to appreciate intrinsic reality. The grass being greener on the other side also brings out intrinsic reality. A rich person may seem happy to the public because they have access to virtually everything but in many cases they have just as many personal challenges as everyone else. They will not become happy automatically due to the public opinion.
To overcome my distorted vision however I need to expand my perspective and the most efficient way of doing this is consulting more literature on areas that are relevant to my existence such as my culture, my religious beliefs, my political perspectives and also my personal development. My reality has been enhanced by the people who know me well enough to connect attributes I have to my environment. They have done this through being candid about the mistakes I make or the opportunities I was failing to take in my immediate environment whether it was social, academic or otherwise, making me learn to take advantage where I can and shed the habits I needed to shed.
Politicians, friends, religious leaders and media personalities have manipulated my mind in relation to reality. They do this by aligning whatever they are saying to things I strongly believe making their messages easier to accept without scrutiny. I can break free of the bonds of those who seek to manipulate me by seeking to form independent opinions. This way I will have rational explanations and a much wider point of view with respect to the various parameters of my life. In light of the prisoners in the cave, I can state that I will be able to question the authenticity of the shadows and study them more to find out if they are real or merely reflections of a much greater reality (Smith, 2012).
The video titled “this is the water” gives valuable advice on how to efficiently manipulate one’s social environment through the skills attained in higher education. One can ensure he or she gets the most value out of the relationships he has with other people through an better understanding of their motives.
Smith, C. (2012). Like Prisoners in a Cave: A Problematic Search for Identity and Truth in Two Peninsular Novels. Bulletin of Hispanic Studies, 89(6), 615-625.
We can write this or a similar paper for you! Simply fill the order form!
the sale of goods act imposes terms relating to goods matching samples or descriptions and meeting standards of fitness quality,and title. explain the nature of these implied terms and their effects on the parties. determines which are conditions and which are warranties and explain the effects of this distinction.explain the effects of exemption clauses in the purchases agreement which states “that there are no implied terms, and that the only terms are those contained in the agreement.
SAMPLE ANSWER
Any business entity selling goods to clients is required to consent to certain implied responsibilities, as described by the contract. The consumer’s legal rights require that the product being sold has not only a satisfactory description but one that is valuable to the consumer. As such, contract agreement where consumers are disallowed to compensation following mislabeled or defective products are seen to be unfair under the guidelines. Moreover, the usage of such disclaimers is likely to mislead consumers with regards to their statutory rights. Diverse descriptions can have the impact of disregarding liability for unacceptable goods. For instance, the customer has the legal footing to seek redress in the event of defective goods especially if the defect stems from misinformation of labels (Carter, 2013). The Sale of Goods Act also gives the statutory mandate to the consumer to inspect the goods and reject them on grounds of faultiness. Appending a signature on the delivery of goods is not reason enough to warrant a success completion of the business deal, instead goods should be tried out to ascertain the veracity of its authenticity. However, a legally binding contract on both parties requires full compensation in the event that one party fails to live up to the expectations of the contract. Statutes that restrict liability are subject to the same criticism as those that omit it. Thus far, compensation would be awarded in the event of a loss or damage of sorts that involved parties might have anticipated for that matter. Nonetheless, the supplier has a legal standing to fight it off lawfully. Such a gesture cannot be seen to be unfair under the law (Carter, 2013).
References
Carter, J.W (2013). ‘Party Autonomy and Statutory Regulation: Sale of Goods’. Journal of Contract Law 2013
We can write this or a similar paper for you! Simply fill the order form!
Critical Thinking and Reasoning Short Report Order Instructions: Current events article critique
Instructions
Critical Thinking and Reasoning Short Report
In this short report, you will research a current event article (no older than 180 days) that addresses the importance of knowledge and knowledge management in placing the organization at a competitive advantage. Articles may be obtained from any newspaper, business reporting outlet (such as Newsweek, Wall Street Journal, FastTrack, Wired, or Inc.), business periodical, or a documented online, credible news outlet.
To successfully complete this assignment, a student must understand KM and strategic alignment as well as the trends impacting the selected industry. Students are encouraged to select a current event article discussing the organizations or industries in the Bank of Knowledge Assets.
Required Elements to include in the Current Event Article Critique:
•Discuss the highlights of the article and how it addresses the use of KM for competitive advantage;
•Describe the competitive pressures placed on this organization/industry.
Required Formatting of Paper:
•This report should be double spaced, 12-point font, and two to three pages in length excluding the title page and reference page;
•Title page with your name, the course name, the date, and instructor’s name.
•Include reference page;
•This paper is to be written in the third person. There should be no words in the paper such as “I and we;”
•Use APA formatting for in-text citations and reference page;
•Submit the paper in the Assignment Folder.
Hide Rubrics
Rubric Name: Written Assignment (15%)
Criteria
Outstanding
Superior
Good
Substandard
Failure
Critical Thinking/Reasoning
5.25 points
demonstrates a high degree of critical thinking, is consistent in accurately interpreting questions & material; provides solid assumptions, reasoning & claims; thorough analysis & evaluation with sound conclusions
4.46 points
shows good critical thinking; accurately interprets most questions & material; usually identifies relevant arguments/reasoning/claims; offers good analysis & evaluation with fairly sound conclusions
3.94 points
shows occasional critical thinking; questions & material is at times accurately interpreted; arguments/reasoning/claims are occasionally explained; offers fair analysis & evaluation with a conclusion
3.41 points
shows little critical thinking, misinterprets questions or material; ignores or superficially evaluates; justifies little and seldom explains reasoning; draw unwarranted conclusions
2.89 points
lacks critical thinking consistently offers biased interpretations; ignores or superficially evaluates; argues using poor reasoning, and/or unwarranted claims
Application of Concepts/Development
5.25 points
arguments or positions are well-supported with evidence from the readings/experience; ideas go beyond the course material and recognize implication and extensions of the material and concepts
4.46 points
arguments or positions are mostly supported by evidence from the readings and course content; ideas presented demonstrate student’s understanding of the material and concepts
3.94 points
arguments are more often based on opinion or unclear views than on position grounded in the readings of material or external sources of material
3.41 points
arguments are frequently illogical and unsubstantiated; student may resort to ad hominem attacks on the author instead of making meaningful application of the material
2.89 points
a meaningful attempt to explain or support ideas does not exist
Attention to Instructions
2.25 points
demonstrated full understanding of requirements; responded to each aspect of assignment
1.91 points
demonstrated understanding of requirements; missed one minor aspect of assignment
1.69 points
demonstrated some understanding of requirements; missed a key element or two minor aspects of assignment
1.46 points
failed to show a firm understanding of requirements; missed two key elements or several minor aspects of assignment
1.24 points
did not demonstrate understanding of assignment requirements
Clarity; including grammar
1.5 points
writing is clear and easy to follow; grammar and spelling are all correct; formatting gives a professional look and adds to readability
1.28 points
most ideas are presented clearly; occasional spelling and/or grammar issues
1.13 points
wordy; some points require rereading to understand fully; more than an occasional spelling and/or grammar
0.98 points
unclear and difficult to understand; frequent spelling and grammar issues
0.83 points
largely incomprehensible writing/poorly written in terms of mechanics and structure
Adherence to APA Style (6th ed.)
0.75 points
no APA style errors
0.64 points
attempts in-text citation and reference list but 1 or 2 APA style errors are present
0.56 points
attempts in-text citation and reference list; APA style errors are present; inconsistencies in citation usage can be found throughout the document
0.49 points
attempts either in-text citation or reference list but omits the other
0.41 points
no attempt at APA style
Overall Score
Outstanding
13.5 or more
Superior
12 or more
Good
10.5 or more
Substandard
9 or more
Failure
0 or more
Submit Files
Critical Thinking and Reasoning Short Report Sample Answer
Knowledge Management
In the modern current times, industries in the bank of knowledge assets have found the importance of knowledge management. The industries have found out that these assets range from concepts (ideas), connections (relationships), and competencies (ability to execute) (Cao & ICWL, 2014). Therefore, knowledge management is a set of techniques, activities, and tools that help an organization to capture and disseminate resources, capabilities, information, perceptions, and wisdom. To make it simpler, knowledge management is the deliberate efforts to uncover and use data and knowledge assets, mostly tacit knowledge.
One of the current event articles about knowledge management is in the Knowledge Management and E-Learning: An International Journal (KM&EL) published on December 2014. The article finds out that, for instance, World Bank is able to create value through suppliers, employees and financial, organizational, and physical manipulation. The article asserts that knowledge management makes industries in the bank of knowledge assets to have a competitive advantage. One of the reasons behind this is because knowledge management brings about the realization of organizational efficiency (Cao & ICWL, 2014). Industries in the bank of knowledge assets have a competitive advantage in that they have become speedy and response-oriented. Knowledge management is making these organizations to have organized data to make their operations run smoothly. The organization, according to Cao & ICWL (2014), uses knowledge management to organize information, provide accurate data, and also give useful information tailored to meet organization’s need in a timely manner. Knowledge management in these current days is making organizations to recycle and re-use knowledge rather than reinvent the wheel.
The article describes that industries in the bank of knowledge assets have a competitive advantage through knowledge management as they can maximize their organizational potential. The article gives an example of a 3M Company that usually learns from its mistakes and uses those mistakes to transform the weaknesses into profitable products. In maximizing organizational potential, knowledge management makes a company to preserve memory, leading to overall effectiveness and efficiency in an organization. Potential is also maximized as the respective companies are able to combat the impacts of staff turnover. In addition, critical knowledge retention through knowledge capturing is aided and transfer of knowledge between staff is facilitated. The ability of knowledge management helping organizations manage intellectual capital is another dimension indicated by the article to make organizations have competitive advantage. These organizations, as Cao & ICWL (2014) assert, are operating in the absence of middlemen as they are using specialists who directly discipline their performance using organized feedbacks from customers, headquarters, and colleagues. The organizations are now evaluating their workers based on their ability to deliver good results rather than on the competencies in executing their jobs. Therefore, organizations are in constant motion of recycling and reusing knowledge, as well as utilizing the shared experiences and knowledge.
There are some competitive pressures placed on this organization as the article describes it. One of the pressures is security. Organizations in the bank of knowledge assets are finding it hard to provide optimum security to sensitive information in KM. Information sources of many organizations such as World Bank are prone to phishing. This makes customers to lose trust on the companies to which they are loyal. Another competitive pressure facing this industry is getting people motivated. In this era of technology, knowledge management assumes that people can be made to share, learn, and above all have a common culture using technology (Cao & ICWL, 2014). This is not true as the lack of drive to share the knowledge makes it hard to streamline KM. Another pressure facing the industry is keeping up with technology. The industry is finding it a challenge to dispense information, as well as transferring it faster and effectively. From the time they were discovered, knowledge management tools have been affected by incompleteness, that is, it has not been able to address the matters of agility, responsiveness, and smartness.
Measuring knowledge is another challenge facing the industry in the bank of knowledge assets. The article provides that knowledge is not the usual phenomena that can be quantified easily. This is because knowledge is very complex as it is mainly deducted from human interrelationships as well as experiences. The organizations, as the article demonstrates, are focusing on results and efforts rather than shared purpose. KM has been applauded for allowing others to become voices of power in companies (Cao & ICWL, 2014). This tendency has brought in the pressure of overcoming shared leadership as giving voices of power to workers in an organization can result to internal conflicts. Even with the modern era of information technology, knowledge management is pressured with the challenge of keeping data accurately. This is because there are constant battles within an organization since not all employees welcome the idea of keeping data current by removing old and wrong concepts (Cao & ICWL, 2014). The last pressure engulfing the industry is determining the exact place for knowledge management in the organization. The article provides that most companies are confused whether knowledge management should be under human resource, communications, or information technology.
Critical Thinking and Reasoning Short Report Reference
Cao, Y., & ICWL. (2014). New horizons in web based learning: ICWL 2014 international workshops,SPeL, PRASAE, IWMPL, OBIE, and KMEL, FET, Tallinn, Estonia, August 14 – 17 ; revised selected papers. Cham [u.a.: Springer
