How 'In the current environment knowledge and its effective management Essay

How 'In the current environment knowledge and its effective management are central to gaining competitive advantage' Discuss - Essay Example gement; for example, as Miller and Shamsie (1996) have shown in the case of the film industry, it is knowledge based resources in the form of production and financial knowledge which have boosted financial performance in an unpredictable global environment. The availability of specialized as possessed by a Company can help it to not only attain and sustain a competitive edge in the marketplace. According to Nonaka (1998), the uncertainty in the global environment means that the only aspect that is guaranteed to always provide a competitive advantage to a firm is knowledge; hence knowledge management through outsourcing is an organizational tool to achieve innovation and competitiveness. According to Quinn et al (1996), managing professional intellect is the key to value creation and profitability for most companies, especially within the framework of technology, which has created new rules and opportunities for organizational design. The traditional approach to knowledge is that it may be used freely by everyone without limitations. According to von Krohg et al (1994), knowledge is that which enables an individual to interpret and give meaning to the information he receives. However, they also argue that knowledge is subjective and is therefore linked to the group of individuals who are generating it. Therefore such information may be confined to a particular area or Company because of the inherent complexity of the information or because individuals are unwilling to codify the knowledge and present it in a format that can be shared with others. Nonaka and Takeuchi (1995:6) describe codified knowledge as something that is formal and systematic, which may be expressed in a number or words form and may be easily communicated because it is in the form of information – for example hard data or scientific formulae. Therefore, such information can easily be communicated to others. However, there may be certain kinds of knowledge which cannot be easily communicated,

Life Under the Taliban Essay -- Taliban Afghanistan Middle East Essay

Life Under the Taliban Afghanistan is one of the poorest and most troubled countries in the world. The land that occupies Afghanistan has a long history of domination by foreign conquerors and strife among internally warring factions. At the gateway between Asia and Europe, this land was conquered by Darius I of Babylonia circa 500 B.C., and Alexander the Great of Macedonia in 329 B.C., among others. In recent years, war and lawlessness had destroyed much of the country; millions of people went into exile and brought its economy to a standstill. This paper looks to explore the recent history of Afghanistan, how the Taliban came to power, and the impact their Islamic laws had on the Afghanistan society including their treatment of women. Brief History During the imperial days Afghanistan became a buffer zone when both Britain and Russia agreed that an incursion into Afghanistan would be considered a declaration of war against each other. Both respected this arrangement. After Britain's departure from the region, Russians increased their influence in Afghanistan with help and support from India, which wanted to keep Pakistan carved out of British India in 1947. Meanwhile, the Russians believed that the Americans, who replaced Britain as the new superpower, were too far away from this region to get physically involved. So in 1979, when the pro-soviet communist regime in Kabul showed signs of weakness, the Soviet Union sent its troops into Afghanistan. They faced no resistance and captured the entire country in a few days. However, the Soviets were mistaken about the United States response to their invasion. The Americans did not like the Soviet presence in Afghanistan as it could have allowed the Soviet Union to have undue influence in South Asia and the oil rich Middle East. In engaging the Russians in Afghanistan, the Americans also saw an opportunity to avenge their defeat in Vietnam. The Pakistanis were equally keen to prevent the Russians from strengthening their position in Afghanistan, particularly because of the theory, which was popular at the time, that Moscow wanted to reach the warm waters of the Arabian Sea and the Indian Ocean. Many in Islamabad believed that after consolidating themselves in Afghanistan, the Russians would make a move to take over Pakistani city of Karachi, the nearest seaport for the former soviet Central Asia. Pakist... ...essed 08 February 10, 2004. ?A Job Half Done In Afghanistan?.The New York Times, May 15,2003, Baldauf, Scott. and Tohid, Owais.?Taliban Appears to be regrouped and well funded?. Christian Science Monitor, May 8,2003, Baldauf, Scott. and Tohid, Owais.? Where taliban go to find warm beds and results?. Christian Science Monitor, December 11,2003, Black, Andrew.?Talibans Rise Was Fueled By International Community?.The Press Association Limited, September 30, 2003 Goodson, P. Larry. Afghanistans endless war.United States of America:Univeristy of Washington Press, 2001. Hilton, Elizabeth.?Just Poppycock?.The Guardian, December 11, 2003 ?How The Taliban Erased History; One Year After Taliban Forces Savaged Afghanistan?s Two Celebrated Buddahs, The Story Of Their Destruction Has Emerged?. Washington Post.March 16,2002 Kramer, Martin.?The Camera and The Burqa?.Middle East Quarterly, March 1,2002 Nojumi, Neamatollah.The rise of the taliban in afghanistan.New York,NY:Palgrave, 2002. ?Taliban Comeback in Afghanistan?. Mideast Mirror October 10, 2003 Tompkins,Richard. ?Analysis:Afghanistan 2 years later.? United Press International, September 14, 2003,p8 Life Under the Taliban Essay -- Taliban Afghanistan Middle East Essay Life Under the Taliban Afghanistan is one of the poorest and most troubled countries in the world. The land that occupies Afghanistan has a long history of domination by foreign conquerors and strife among internally warring factions. At the gateway between Asia and Europe, this land was conquered by Darius I of Babylonia circa 500 B.C., and Alexander the Great of Macedonia in 329 B.C., among others. In recent years, war and lawlessness had destroyed much of the country; millions of people went into exile and brought its economy to a standstill. This paper looks to explore the recent history of Afghanistan, how the Taliban came to power, and the impact their Islamic laws had on the Afghanistan society including their treatment of women. Brief History During the imperial days Afghanistan became a buffer zone when both Britain and Russia agreed that an incursion into Afghanistan would be considered a declaration of war against each other. Both respected this arrangement. After Britain's departure from the region, Russians increased their influence in Afghanistan with help and support from India, which wanted to keep Pakistan carved out of British India in 1947. Meanwhile, the Russians believed that the Americans, who replaced Britain as the new superpower, were too far away from this region to get physically involved. So in 1979, when the pro-soviet communist regime in Kabul showed signs of weakness, the Soviet Union sent its troops into Afghanistan. They faced no resistance and captured the entire country in a few days. However, the Soviets were mistaken about the United States response to their invasion. The Americans did not like the Soviet presence in Afghanistan as it could have allowed the Soviet Union to have undue influence in South Asia and the oil rich Middle East. In engaging the Russians in Afghanistan, the Americans also saw an opportunity to avenge their defeat in Vietnam. The Pakistanis were equally keen to prevent the Russians from strengthening their position in Afghanistan, particularly because of the theory, which was popular at the time, that Moscow wanted to reach the warm waters of the Arabian Sea and the Indian Ocean. Many in Islamabad believed that after consolidating themselves in Afghanistan, the Russians would make a move to take over Pakistani city of Karachi, the nearest seaport for the former soviet Central Asia. Pakist... ...essed 08 February 10, 2004. ?A Job Half Done In Afghanistan?.The New York Times, May 15,2003, Baldauf, Scott. and Tohid, Owais.?Taliban Appears to be regrouped and well funded?. Christian Science Monitor, May 8,2003, Baldauf, Scott. and Tohid, Owais.? Where taliban go to find warm beds and results?. Christian Science Monitor, December 11,2003, Black, Andrew.?Talibans Rise Was Fueled By International Community?.The Press Association Limited, September 30, 2003 Goodson, P. Larry. Afghanistans endless war.United States of America:Univeristy of Washington Press, 2001. Hilton, Elizabeth.?Just Poppycock?.The Guardian, December 11, 2003 ?How The Taliban Erased History; One Year After Taliban Forces Savaged Afghanistan?s Two Celebrated Buddahs, The Story Of Their Destruction Has Emerged?. Washington Post.March 16,2002 Kramer, Martin.?The Camera and The Burqa?.Middle East Quarterly, March 1,2002 Nojumi, Neamatollah.The rise of the taliban in afghanistan.New York,NY:Palgrave, 2002. ?Taliban Comeback in Afghanistan?. Mideast Mirror October 10, 2003 Tompkins,Richard. ?Analysis:Afghanistan 2 years later.? United Press International, September 14, 2003,p8

Neighborhood Watch

The theory of Opportunity-Reduction supports Neighborhood Watch program. This theory assumes that the initiative of potential crime victims or the citizens could help reducing the risk of criminals’ attack (Kilpatrick, 2004). The Opportunity-Reduction model involves four categories such as (1) increasing perceived effort, (2) increasing perceived risks, (3) reducing anticipated rewards, and (4) inducing guilt or shame (or removing excuses, Clarke, 1997) (Clarke and Homel, 1997). The last category which is inducing guilt or shame was eventually omitted in the work of Wortley (2002) since the strategies under this category do not involve the reduction of criminal’s opportunity to attack but rather it encourages and gives the offender more chances of doing illegal actions (Wortley, 1997, 1998). Instead of inducing guilt or shame, Wortley replaces it with precipitation-control. Accordingly, this can be more effective in reducing permissibility for potential offenders or criminals. Wortley (2002) also adds another category which is increasing anticipated punishments which is based on the learning theory that views anticipated rewards can reduce crimes. This is an effective mean of overcoming crime problems and it is also applicable in real prison management (Severson, 2004). Opportunity-Reduction approach also supports Neighborhood Watch programs through crime prevention and self-defense training courses available for community police and citizens as well as focusing on quality of life by citizen participation   (Kilpatrick, 2004; Whittemore, 1989; Baker, Wolfer, & Zezza, 1999). The Canterchase residents should be able to create partnerships, support and collaborate with each other. They need to communicate effectively by reporting or sharing information, use security or warning devices, use detectors or watchdogs. They must also apply problem-oriented policing in order to discuss the nature of problems, assign citizens in taking their responsibilities on crime reduction and solving crime-related problems. Techniques like the SARA or scanning, analysis, response, and assessment (Baker, Wolfer, & Zezza, 1999; Wolfer, Zezza, 2001) are useful in community policing and crime prevention. References Baker, T. E., Wolfer, L., & Zezza, R. (1999) â€Å"Problem-Solving Policing Eliminating Hot Spots.† The FBI Law Enforcement Bulletin 68(11). Clarke, R. V. (ed.) (1997) Situational Crime Prevention: Successful Case Studies 2nd ed. Albany, NY: Harrow & Heston. Kilpatrick, D. G. (2004) Interpersonal Violence and Public Policy: What about the Victims?. Journal of Law, Medicine & Ethics 32(1), 73+. Whittemore, L. S. (1989) Appendix C the Success of Community Crime Prevention. Canadian Journal of Criminology 31(4), 489. Wortley, R. (1997) Reconsidering the role of opportunity in situational crime prevention. In G. Newman, R. V. Clarke and S. G. Shohan (eds.), Rational Choice and Situational Crime Prevention, Aldershot, Ashgate Publishing, pp. 65–82. Wortley, R. (1998) A two-stage model of situational crime prevention. Studies on Crime and Crime Prevention 7, pp. 173–88. Wortley, R. (2002) Situational Prison Control: Crime Prevention in Correctional Institutions. Cambridge, England: Cambridge University Press.   

What Is a Cohort Definition and Uses