Thursday, May 21, 2020

Social Technology Use In Organizations - Free Essay Example

Sample details Pages: 5 Words: 1589 Downloads: 10 Date added: 2017/06/26 Category Statistics Essay Did you like this example? While one uses the social networking in an organization firstly the goal should be clear as to whether they are using the networking for the internal communication between employees of that organization? Or for communication with the external parties such as the customers or the competitors. And special care should be taken if it is being used for communication outside the organization and proper security conditions should be imposed as afterall it is done on the internet, and it remains on the internet. And also the organizations may be having much confidential data with them and can be of grief if that vital information gets leaked to outside world, specially the competitors. Don’t waste time! Our writers will create an original "Social Technology Use In Organizations" essay for you Create order And so the higher authorities should make sure and impose good and strict security policies so that the use of social networking become the loss rather than enhancing the performance and the profit of the organization. And also various other factors should be considered so as to maintain confidentiality within the organization and depending on the hierarchy or the role of that employee, the permissions should be assigned and proper firewall should be in practise. No security loopholes should be present and so the information confidentiality can be achieved. Let us take an example of Dell, India. I worked for Dell, India for couple of months and was amazed to see the networking that they used for communication between employees of that organization. Firstly the social networking sites which are proved as time-wasting were restricted by using a very strong firewall. And also the mail portals were blocked. But they used a special networking software for socializing themselves with the various colleagues who worked for Dell, dell being a global organization, and no matter from which country they work, they can still communicate with each other and share ideas and knowledge with their company mates and so the efficiency can be achieved as there is no chance of data leakage in any means, as the confidential information available in their systems cannot be sent to any unauthorized individual as the social networking sites and mail portals and the removable media were all blocked from using within the organization. Infact the same authorised De ll Technician cannot access to the confidential resources from outside the Dell organization being at home or in a cafes. So the confidentiality of the organizationà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s crucial data is secured from unauthorized access. Literature Review : In recent months, the use of social networking has drastically increased and in the broader aspect has benefitted the organization and the employees in many many ways. Infact social networking in an organization is now being widely used for marketing purpose. One should define their audience, locate their potential customers, build a social relationship with them and promote their brand and website. (https://hubpages.com/hub/How-To-Use-Social-Networking-For-Business-Marketing-Profits). The key factor behind the success of social networking in the organization is to be yourself, be human, open up a little and show the customers as to who you are. Because if not taken care about the above factors, then the organizationà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s profit will be at the stake. Social networking sites such as Facebook and MySpace have become the party lines of this young century. They are inviting and intriguing and a powerful communication tool. Learning how to use them wisely for marketing can i ncrease your business profile. (https://www.allbusiness.com/marketing-advertising/public-relations/11674037-1.html) . There are several pros of using social networking sites like Paved the way for easier communication with colleagues and friends Virtual communities can be formed composing of people of common interests In sooner days Twitter as a social networking site has made huge advances and the number of active users are increasing at a very fast pace. And in no time, Twitter has become the second most popular social networking site after Facebook. And very soonly it will lead the way and head to number one in social networking sites. Twitter has proved to be a boon I n marketing of the organization, and also there are various other factors which are in favour of Twitter. Twitter can be used in an organization in several ways, of which some are listed as of under. Develop a more personal, engaged and sustained relationships with customers Grow your customer base Get the attention of people interested in your organization or your work Publicise your business Build your brand Keep track on what people think about your business, products industry Cold-contact and market with people without annoying them. Provide amazing customer service in a really easy way. Promote your new products. Pin point customer locations to within a 20 mile radius Position yourself as an expert in your field by sharing news and information relevant to your business and by One of the most important advantage of twitter is that, usually 1+1=2, but in the case of twitter 1+1= countless possibilities. As the message once sent and replied by somebody keeps on multiplying and is reflected to all the people following him/her. So it proves to be a best example in terms of sharing of knowledge as it keeps on spreading at a very good speed. And also twitter helps in making the possibility to make a difference. But it is like every coin has two sides, and so along with many advantages, twitter is packed with many disadvantages/mis-conducts as well, such as These social networking sites if not used properly can lead to Goofing Privacy Infringement Scammers use Social networking trick people into downloading malicious software (Malware) Hacking Impersonation Cindy King, an international sales specialist, saw a huge boost in business inquires by implementing a strategic Twitter plan. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã…“Following the right people on Twitter was key. There are some people very gifted at building relationships on Twitter. As I followed these online community builders, I realized that some of them are also excellent direct response copywriters. They get their Twitter followers to take action,à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬? said King. (Cindy King, file:///G:/Salford%20During%20d%20course/ITASIO/Twitter/How%20to%20Use%20Twitter%20to%20Grow%20Your%20Business%20_%20Copyblogger.htm) Twitter is a communication platform that helps businesses stay connected to their customers. As a business, you can use it to quickly share information with people interested in your company, gather real-time market intelligence and feedback, and build relationships with customers, partners and other people who cares about your company. As an individual user, one can use twitter to tell a company about the experience one had with that company, as to whether it was great or disappointing experience with their business. (https://www.webspininternetmarketing.com/our-services/social-media/twitter/ ,23-03-2011) Case Description : Twitter as a social networking site has various uses and in several different fields. One can use it for keeping in touch with friends and colleagues or even for the marketing of the organization, and infact now-a-days twitter has even proved useful in the university for academic purposes. Lets discuss more about the potential use of twitter in a university. Lets take an example of the University of Texas at Dallas, where a professor named Monica Rankin has found an interactive and interesting way to use twitter in the classroom. She uses a weekly hashtag to organize comments, questions feedbacks posted by students on twitter during the class. There is an very good tool named TweetDeck from where the students can send the questions rather than posting them via SMS or by writing questions on the small piece of paper. Then what can be done is project a giant image of live tweets in front of the whole classroom for discussing and giving suggestions that the students can lately refer ag ain while studying. The result of this method is mixed but still it is clear that more students do participate in the classroom discussion as compared to the traditional way of teaching. Also the problem with the traditional way of teaching is that if the professors doesnà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢t engage the students properly then they might end up talking and addressing to walls. And as we all are aware that the 21st centuryà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s literacy is all about digital media. Also the professors can use twitter to notify students about the submission deadlines and the extra lecture extensions. Also twitter is very helpful for the teachers as well. As the professors can develop a personal learning network that will help them to become a good teacher and keep themselves updated with the latest technology and knowledge about the academic material by following the other senior tutors world-wide. Also one more effective way of using twitter in a university is that the students can tweet the questions and the doubts, and either other students or the professor can reply to those tweets. And one more additional benefit of twitter in a university is that the physical presence o f the professor or the students is not that important, so can make education possible despite being present in different state or the country. The only thing necessary is the internet connection and an account. If these two conditions are satisfied, then the education can take place whenever, wherever on the go. As internet can be accessed even from the homes and the mobile devices as well. So this proves to be very useful for the progress in education system. The added advantage of twitter is that the professors can communicate with the parents of the students who use twitter for discussing the excursion details or the home-work tasks and also to intimate the parents about the progress of their child.

Wednesday, May 6, 2020

The Impact Of Law On White Collar Criminals Essay

The use of theories in explaining the various phenomena in society has always found sufficient backing not only in history but also in contemporary global affairs. Notably, both positivists and constructivist theories play a role in depicting variants in societal behavior. There are many deviant acts that are considered criminal or non-criminal behavior. White- collar crimes are considered a form of deviant behavior. These crimes rank among the various forms of crime existing within the context of society. According to Fredericks, McComas and Weatherby (2016), white-collar crime encompasses the nonviolent criminal activities committed for monetary gain within the financial situations. Therefore, as part of the criminal realms, white-collar crimes have a likely reason and course leading to the occurrence in the business and commercial world. Functionalism views the society as comprising the different sections working in unison (Holmwood, 2005) while conflict theory envisions a society where the interest of people and groups have a power completion (Bystrova Gottschalk, 2015). This essay aims to illustrate the occurrence and the impact of law on white-collar criminals regarding the functionalist and conflict perspectives. In our modern world, there are different types of crime whose legal and societal explanation relies on the availability of sound information based on both facts. In the normal functioning of the community, each possesses essential skills and abilitiesShow MoreRelatedEssay about The Invincible Criminal1400 Words   |  6 Pages1996 report of the National Criminal Justice Commission estimated that the annual cost of white-collar crime is between $130 billion and $472 billion, seven to twenty-five times greater than the cost of conventional or street crime (Conklin, 2010, P. 71). White-collar crime in America is considered larceny committed by the wealthy, respected, and legitimate enterprise which is not set up or intended to go out of business like an ordinary fraud or con game. White-collar crime offenses may involve forgeryRead MoreWhite Collar Crime Theories, Laws, and Processes785 Words   |  3 PagesWhite Collar Crime Theories, Laws, and Processes Name Tutor Course Title Date Submitted White Collar Crime Theories, Laws, and Processes: The term white collar crime was first introduced by Edwin Sutherland, a criminologist and sociologist, in 1939. The criminologist defined the term as offenses committed by individuals of respectability and high social status while in their different occupations. He also included criminal offenses carried out by corporations and other lawful organizationsRead More The Tragedy of White-Collar Crime Essay examples932 Words   |  4 Pagesdownturn forced society to ask question not normally asked. The reality that there are criminal who has assessed too many people retirement and investment is a shocking and alarming to the non-professional investor. When someone is in a legitimate occupation and committing, an illegal act is a white-collar crime. â€Å"To be more concise white - collar crime is define as any illegal act, punishable by a criminal sanction, that is committed in the courses of a legitimate occupation or pursuit byRead MoreUnderstanding White Collar Crime1023 Words   |  5 PagesUnderstanding White Collar Crime Donald J. Joslyn Tri County Tech Understanding White Collar Crime In the United States, there are many different types of crimes that are committed. One type of crime that is considered non-violent would be white-collar crime. Under white collared crimes there are hundreds of different types of crimes that would fall under this category. Sociologist and criminologists have come up with many different theories to what white-collar crime is and what type of peopleRead MoreWhite Collar Street Crime Essay1198 Words   |  5 PagesWhite-Collar Crime or Street Crime: Which is More Costly to Society? What is crime? Merriam-Webster defines crime as â€Å"an act or the commission of an act that is forbidden or the omission of a duty that is commanded by a public law and that makes the offender liable to punishment by that law† (Merriam-Webster). There are many types of crime but the two this paper will focus on are street crime and white- collar crime. There is no definitive definition of street crime, but it is generallyRead MoreWhite Collar Crime Is A Serious Issue Essay1124 Words   |  5 PagesWhite collar crime is a serious issue in the United States. White-collar crime is â€Å"a crime committed by a person of respectability and high social status in the course of his occupation† (cornell.edu). Examples of such offenses include bribery, credit card fraud, insurance fraud, bank fraud, blackmail, extortion, forgery, securities fraud, tax evasion, embezzlement, repair scams, Ponzi and pyramid schemes. These non-violent crimes are responsible for an esti mated $250 billion to $1 trillion inRead MoreWhite Collar Crimes And Street Crimes1431 Words   |  6 PagesThey are white collar crimes and street crimes. White collar crimes are considered nonviolent crimes committed by a person of respectability and high social status in the course of his/her occupation such as fraud, embezzlement, or bribery. On the other hand, street crimes are any criminal offense in a public place which can be robbery or burglary. There are many barriers proving the acceptability of one over the other. Lack of awareness, lack of education, and social class make white-collar crimesRead MoreWhite-Collar Crime Essay1057 Words   |  5 Pagesfraud, this also known as a white-collar crime. These crimes involve a few different methods that take place within a business setting. While ethical business practices add money to the bottom line, unethical practices are ultimately leading to business failure and impacting the U.S. financially. The forms of bribery and embezzlement have been around longer than dirt. The earliest white-collar crime, that was documented, dates back to the 15th century in England. The law was forced upon society inRead MoreEssay on White-Collar Crime Vs. Street Crime1070 Words   |  5 Pagesis usually reported? The weather, local activities, headline news, or daily criminal activity. Shootings, stabbings, homicides, etc. are all discussed by media anchors these days. This causes most everyone in our society to become familiar with crimes that are considered street crimes. What most people don’t hear about on the news is what is considered white-collar crime, sometimes known as corporate crime. White-collar crime not only is less reported in the media but also receives weaker punishmentsRead MoreWhite Collar And Organized Crime Essay900 Words   |  4 PagesWhite Collar And Organized Crime In the twentieth century, White Collar and Organized Crimes have attracted the attention of the U.S. Criminal Justice System due to the greater cost to society than most normal street crime. Even with the new attention by the Criminal Justice System, both are still pretty unknown to the general public. Although we know it occurs, due to the lack of coverage and information, society does not realize the extent of these crimes or the impact. White Collar and Organized

BQ Case Study Free Essays

Contents Executive Summary3 1. TASK ONE4 1. 1 Introduction4 1. We will write a custom essay sample on BQ Case Study or any similar topic only for you Order Now 2 Possession and practice4 3. 3 BQ case5 3. TASK TWO8 3. 1 Introduction8 3. 2 Time distance9 3. 3 Technological distance10 3. 4 Social distance10 3. 5 Cultural distance11 4. Bibliography13 Executive Summary In a modernized and globalized world, knowledge creation and synergization of knowledge in an organization is truly crucial. As data and information are readily available, and information communication technology (ICT) has highly advanced, organizations such as BQ need to understand how knowledge creation can assist to improve internal and external processes and also encourage innovation. In task one, the aim is to differentiate between possession of knowledge and practice of knowledge and examine which epistemology BQ uses throughout their supply chain. BQ uses possession knowledge whereby it provides all their vendors with a code of conduct guidelines which they need to follow through. However, in the face of risk and uncertainty in an economic crisis, BQ should adopt practice of knowledge and enabling people to do differently and better. In task two, the statement by Stoneman (2010) means that trust and power are the main factors that drive product, process and organizational innovation. For BQ, due to their power as the distributor, they are able to develop and lay down the process and procedures that all their vendors need to adhere to. However, in an economic crisis, its regimental practice may ot work as uncertainty disrupts the flow of the procedures. 1. TASK ONE 1. 1 Introduction The studies on knowledge and its characteristics have long been explored and discussed in the business and supply chain world. With the emergent of technology and innovation, the possession and practice of knowledge has become more essential in this â€Å"knowledge society† (Nonaka, 1994; Bell, 1973; Drucker, 1968; Toffler, 1990). But what is knowledge and how does an organiz ation activate and generate knowledge? Knowledge is defined as â€Å"awareness, consciousness, or familiarity gained by experience or learning† (knowledge, n. d) which are the ways people in a social situations would understand and make sense of where they are and what they are doing. When knowledge is conducted and embraced in an organization, it will result to a group of people who develop shared beliefs, behaviours and routines that shape organization capabilities. Experts such as Polanyi (1966), Nonaka (1994) and Cook and Brown (1999) divide knowledge into two categories called tacit knowledge and explicit knowledge. Tacit knowledge is associated with the skills or know-how that people developed through their own experience in specific contexts. Whereas explicit knowledge is something that has been codified, written down or spelled out and is communicable across context. 1. 2 Possession and practice From the word possession itself, one can understand that it is about the knowledge that people have in their mind (Cook and Brown, 1999). Blackler (1995), and Cook and Brown (1999) refer possesion of knowledge as â€Å"knowledge† and practice of knowledge as â€Å"knowing†. Knowledge is a mental or cognitive capacity which is hierarchical in nature and comprises of data, information etc. moreover, possession of knowledge is a personal property where people render meaning from subjective experiences, perceptions and previous understanding. As human minds are individually unique, hence different people may perceive and intepret the same information or data differently. Meanwhile, practice of knowledge sees knowledge as something that it developed through social interaction such as project work, group assignment or group discussion. When people practice knowledge, they convert tacit knowledge into explicit knowledge, thus transferring knowledge from one person to another. This is done through sharing stories, experiences or creating norms to a group of people hence enabling the experience of an individual to be related to a wider community. 3. 3 BQ case BQ plc works with many vendors such as Kingfisher Asia (KAL) who supply products to BQ. Hence to manage their vendors and ensure processes and procedures are followed, BQ come up with code of conduct (BQ Operational Standards for Supply Chains) for all their vendors. The code of conduct is based on the international labour and envirnmental standards set by the International Labour Organisation (ILO) Conventions which factories and worksites of all vendors throughout the world need to comply to. In summary, vendors need to let BQ have full visibility of the enitre supply chain and fulfill and obey the code of conduct criteria at all facilities. Any failure to meet the nine Critical Failure Points (CFPs) will result in BQ not buying or purchasing their products. Through this code of conduct, we can deduce that BQ adopts a possession of knowledge rather than practice of knowledge. BQ receives knowledge about labour and environmental guidelines from ILO conventions and uses the basic context to write down or capture in an information technology (IT) system which is then made available as an organizational resource – BQ Operational Standards for Supply Chains. This is in contrast of having a group discussion with the vendors and seeking their opinions and views on how to create a better working environment for the workers (practice of knowledge). For example, Baer (1987) and Abbott (1988) explained that in order to defend their position, occupational groups such as doctors would write down or ‘black box’ their skills and knowledge which is then used by others as guidelines or instructions to follow. BQ is following the same concept as they wish to guard their position as a responsible organization or employer where the rights of all workers throughout the world are respected and protected. Thus, this results to an encoded knowledge (Blackler, 1995) for the vendors as information is transmited through the code of conduct. Unlike an individual or specialist ‘black box’, the construction of the code of conduct requires the involvement of a group of people. This method of knowledge creation follows Nonaka’s SECI framework where it is a spiralling process of interaction between tacit and explicit knowledge (Nonaka,1994; Nonaka Toyama, 2003). The SECI framework consists of four knowledge conversion processes; Socialization, Externalization, Combination and Internalization; which can be seen in Figure 1. The breakdown for BQ case is as follow: 1. Socialization – The ILO standards which was made known to the BQ management assist them to create their own knowledge or set of standards which vendors are to adhere. 2. Externalization – BQ management then decides to have their on set of guidelines in accordance to ILO standards and form a group to write down the code of conduct. 3. Combination – We believed that during the process of writing down the code of conduct, BQ managerial level will each provide inputs and opinions based on the organization’s mission and values on what and how to write down. Once drafted, the Head of Human Resource Department will read it through and request for any necessary adjustments. Once finalized, the Chairman or Head of BQ will give the approval to codified and disseminate the code of conduct to all the vendors. 4. Internalization – Vendors will then read the instructions and ensure all CFPs are met. For any areas which fail to comply, site management of the vendors will then follow the guidelines to make changes and improvements. Figure 1: SECI model of knowledge creation Source: Nonaka Toyama (2003) However, Nonaka SECI framework downplays the difference of interest, power and political dynamics which people and organizations face everyday. Thus, during an economic crisis, BQ may approach innovation differently due to the uncertainty and adversity faced in a crisis. According to Tsoukas (1996) and Schauer (1991), even though organizations can make assumptions and obtain knowledge from previous economic crisis where similar conditions are seen, the formulate strategy may not work perfectly according to what the organizations believed as there are still uncertainty. Meaning to say, a strategy used in a crisis five years ago may not generate the same result due to the difference in technology, people’s mindset and other relating conditions. BQ need to adopt practice of knowledge during a crisis as information may not be readily available since people and other organizations are wary and may not disclose essential information in order to survive the crisis. With competition between rival organizations getting tougher, BQ needs to learn, practice and embodied skills and knowledge which increases their chance of survival (Barnett Burgelman, 1996). As mentioned by Hitt et al (2007), a multilevel research approach to encourage employees to have better understanding of the strategy implemented by BQ management. Hence, BQ through providing an enabling context, BQ allow its employees to do things differently and better. For example, when selecting their vendors, BQ can not just rely on which vendor is able to adhere to its code of conduct. BQ also need to look into the pricing, capability and other characteristic of the particular vendor. BQ vendor management team need to have further dicussion with sales, procurement and operations team to gain their opinions and views on which vendors to select. With the current vendors, BQ need to adopt open communication and discuss with them on how the crisis is affecting their perfomance and compliance towards the code of conduct. Another example is due to the crisis, a vendor had to lay off several staff and workers due reducing their headcount. Hence in order to meet BQ rders, the vendor’s workers may need to work extra hours which is over the local law. Through discussion, BQ may allow the vendor to carry out the new process until the economy stablize and the vendor is able to employ more workers. 3. TASK TWO 3. 1 Introduction Stoneman (2010) mentioned that â€Å"product, process and organizational innovation are socially and politically mediated processes†. This means that through social relationship and even political standing in an organization; product, proc ess and organizational innovation are being conceptualized. Jackson (2001) noted that the real-world issues and situations do not match up to traditional disciplinary boundaries due to the inequality in the capitalist world. Therefore, trust and power play an essential role in the development of knowledge and innovation. Internally at BQ, their managers may see themselves as the authority towards process and organizational innovation. For example, a manager has the power to decide on how his department should be run in order to meet the department and organization goals. And through his relationship and interaction with the staffs, he may perceive a staff as capable if able to follow the process and excel in it. Hence, to gain trust and acknowledgement, employees compete and motivate each other to do better at what they do and also provide suggestions to the manager on improving certain situations or issues. As highlighted by Hardy and Dougherty (1997), depending on the organization’s culture and its board of management, resource power and process power can either work against or aligned with innovation. However, without meaning and a direction to support the need for innovation, people will notbe motivated to innovate. For example, the warehousing staffs at BQ may face difficulties in picking the correct product. Thus, with its power, the warehouse manager can arrange a group discussion with the warehousing team leaders and their IT department to create a new process whereby the product are bar-coded and connected to a system which will provide the product information when it is scanned. Externally, when working with their supply chain members such as customers and suppliers, BQ managers can use either its power or trust to ensure compliance are met by the suppliers and customers continue to purchase from BQ. For example, the board of management has the authority to continue or discontinue the services of a vendor depending on its compliance and performance. However, during an economic crisis where risk and uncertainty are faced, BQ managers may react to similar situation or innovation differently. BQ decisions on innovation, processes and products are affected by four types of distance – time, technological, social and cultural. 3. 2 Time distance Due to the changes in time, environment and conditions, certain processes or procedures that BQ managers created may not be applicable in an economic crisis. Moreover, the decisions BQ managers made in a previous crisis are also not applicable even though the conditions are similar because there is still uncertainty whether the outcome would be the same. The finance department will be more guarded on the expenses and budget thus setting a more thorough process of other departments to ensure waste are minimized and costs are low. In a study done by Hardy and Dougherty (1997), innovators or managers in an anti-innovation environment would solve their problems through methods and ways which hamper innovation whereas in a pro-innovation environment, innovators are able to incorporate the organization’s resources, processes and meaning to develop an more suitable and effective product. Thus, in relation to the crisis, BQ managers may tackle a deparment issue by pushing away the problematic function and work its way around it. 3. 3 Technological distance As ICT becomes highly advanced, BQ need to be selective of the information and tacit knowledge that is available widely. This is because not all tacit knowledge is applicable to BQ’s strategy and that an overflow of information will result to overloading and poor decision making. Through market and technology knowledge, innovators are able to examine problems, communicate and collaboratively develop new products for the organization (Dougherty et al, 2000). However, in an economic crisis, technology knowledge that is necessary for innovation may not be readily available or cost effective to the organization. Faced with uncertainty, BQ board of management may decide to take on a survival mode concept and develop process such as budget control to restrict unnecessary cost and waste. Thus, if an innovator in BQ requires a certain technology to assist in its development of new product, he need to go through many levels of strict procedures in order to attain approval. 3. 4 Social distance During an economic crisis, organizations face many problems and situations as they try their hardest to survive and go through the crisis without a major disruption or impact. Due to the uncertainty and risk, managers need to respond quickly and effectively. Even in a crisis, Jackson (2006) noted that managers need to ensure their processes are efficient and effective, staffs are motivated and knowledge is created and enhanced. This is to ensure that the organization is constantly better than their rivals thus surviving the crisis. While ICT and innovation should still move on in a crisis; being a regimental organization; BQ managers follow routine and have the power to make innovation unlawful through rewarding short-term results, punishing mistakes and even not rendering the support needed for innovation (Hardy Dougherty, 1997). Not only does this kills innovation in BQ, the staff would also be less motivate to innovate as they unable to relate a specific project with BQ’s strategy (Van de Ven and Polley, 1992; Hardy and Dougherty, 1997; Dougherty Heller, 1994). Hence, BQ board of management need to re-evaluate its organization strategy and procedures if it wishes to maintain in the industry. Jackson (2006) suggest organizations to adopt creative holism which is a set of guidelines that are multi-paradigm, multi-methodology and multi-method in nature. Through holism, organizatons look at the situation at a macro and organizational level, thus assuring that the departments are connected and performing together as a whole. Dougherty et al (2000) explained that since organizational knowledge and learning involves many different processes, a focal point or objevtive is essential to ensure one is taking the right path. Pelz and Andrews (1966) recognized that the efforts to combine and link market and technology knowledge across and throughout the organization is often met and filled with tensions. Thus, BQ need to incorporate these two factor and be less rigid if it wishes to produce and gain new ideas, products and processes (Weick and Westley, 1996). 3. 5 Cultural distance Kingfisher plc, the parent company of BQ, is a United Kingdom (UK) based retailer that offers do-it-yourself (DIY), home decorations and home improvement products to their 6 million customers (Kingfisher, 2012). To meet their international market and demand, Kingfisher plc has overseas sourcing offices in India and Poland that act as a supplier to BQ. To ensure these strategies and structure is maintain in other country, Kingfisher plc has to train its overseas employees, make them understand and cultivate the Kingfisher plc working culture. However, this will be a tough challenge for example, in India due to the poor education and different socio-culture. Thus, Kingfisher plc needs to accommodate its Western working culture with India working culture, but without losing its main mission and strategy. To ensure this is executed properly, Kingfisher plc needs to obtain a specialist in the Indian market and culture. An economic crisis affects countries differently, depending on where the crisis originates. However, due to globalization, a crisis in the European Union (EU) nations will have a ripple effect, thus affecting neighbouring countries and countries that depend on the EU economy and market. Likewise, if an economic crisis hits India where one of BQ suppliers is located at, BQ need to gather information and data from news reports and the India supplier’s representative, and analyse the data before making a decision on how to overcome the crisis and what BQ should do to ensure that the crisis in India do not disrupt the entire supply chain. To ensure accurate and timely information and knowledge is recevied, Swan and Scarbrough (2005) suggest organizations to adopt a networked innovation process where the innovation procedures is collaborated in the network arrangements within and between organizations (Alter Hage, 1993; Owen-Smith Powell, 2004; Powell et al, 1996). BQ needs to view networks as a means of communication where knowledge and information are disseminated (Swan Scarbrough, 2005) and thus, adopting a open sharing concept where individuals and groups are allow to interact and exchange knowledge and information. 4. Bibliography Abbott, A. 1988). The system of professions: An essay on the division of expert labour. Chicago: University of Chicago Press. Alter, C. , Hage, J. (1993). Organizations working together. Newbury Park, CA: Sage. Baer, W. (1987). Expertise and professional standards. Work and Occupations, 13, 532-522. Barnett, W. P. , Burgelman, R. A. (1996). Evolutionary Perspectives on Strategy. Str ategic management journal, 17, 5-19. Bell, D. (1973). The Coming of Post-industrial Society: A Venture Social Forecasting. New York: Basic Books. Blackler, F. (1995). Knowledge, knowledge work and organizations: An overview and interpretation. Organization studies, 16(6), 1021-1046. Cook, S. D. , Brown, J. S. (1999). 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