Category: Collaboration

Introduction

In the past few decades, the world has witnessed a revolution in communication technology that has altered how organizations conduct their affairs. Consequently, social networks for organizations have emerged to assist enterprises properly collaborate within and outside their units, departments, organization-wide and countries. Technology is at the center of social collaboration enterprise. In fact, some researchers have identified social media as the new tools for communication and collaboration in the business environment. As such, there is constant and fast uptake in the application of the Internet to enhance communication and collaboration (Georgescu and Popescul 277). Modern social technologies create a sense of online community for the workforce and assist them to develop connection as they pursue business goals.

At the same time, new studies have identified critical business benefits, which organizations have attained from social collaboration (Borg 1).

Some organizations, specifically senior executives, still have difficulties comprehending the relevance and benefits of social collaboration enterprise. In addition, some firms that have attempted to adopt social collaboration normally realize that shortly after embracing the social technologies, employees lose interest, and only a few employees, if not none, continue to use such tools.

The Purpose

The purpose of this report is to demonstrate why organizations should adopt collaboration tools and enterprise social networks to enhance the concept of social collaboration enterprise while creating a competitive edge.

Hence, this report will explore some attempts to push social collaboration enterprise, the current status, outcomes and the future of the social collaboration enterprise.

Background Information

According to the most recent study conducted by Altimeter, while organizations continue to push for social collaboration enterprise, the reality is that several attempts have failed (Li 1). In fact, less than half of these initiatives have regular users (Li 1). Nevertheless, in the recent few years, social technology has transformed how individuals collaborate and communicate (Mettler and Winter 1). It is noted that there is a blurred line between personal and work life because of social technology tools. Consequently, business software developers have focused on pushing new technologies that can improve social collaboration through integrating social platforms in their software packages.

Organizations require their vital employees to work smarter, efficiently and more productively (Hamilton, Kass and Alter 2). To realize this goal, organizations need to integrate collaborative social technologies within their activities and promote collaborative behaviors to eventually change how they transform expertise into action. Social collaboration technologies should assist employees to perform their work beyond discussions and talks. It is imperative to recognize that collaboration technology platforms have existed for several years. However, organizations have never utilized these technologies to attain their full potential.

Clearly, social collaboration technologies are abundant in the marketplace. Vendors currently provide various collaboration tools to assist employees manage their tasks. Some of these tools include Chatter from Salesforce, Newsgator, Jive Software, Telligent and Yammer. In addition, AnswerHub also provides social networking services to organizations. Other social sites such as wikis, blogs, RSS feeds, user groups and file repositories among others are also vital components of social business software platforms.

It is an integrated enterprise solution with questions and answers for employees. These tools have gained popularity in the last few years. In fact, the success of Facebook triggered critical questions for both vendors and businesses. They wanted to adopt social tools that would ensure that employees worked together within and across organizations. Some research showed that a section of employees used their social media while at work, and another significant percentage of those employees often used their social media platforms for business-related issues (Holtzblatt et al. 1).

Initially, organizations used social media platforms for marketing campaigns. Today, however, firms have noted that social media platforms can also be used for knowledge management, idea generation and enhancing social ties. While these tools are widely available in organizations, some studies have shown that a significant number of organizations require their employees to engage actively with social collaboration enterprise tools (Holtzblatt et al. 1). The increased adoption of enterprise social media platforms has expressly offered opportunities for enhancing personal and work life.

Increasingly, many firms are now focusing on broader application of social media to engage employees in idea generation, discussion, refining and assessment of such ideas (Tierney and Drury 2). Enterprise social media platforms used for the above-mentioned purposes are also known as idea management tools or innovation management platforms (Tierney and Drury 2). These specialized names depict that organizations are now finding enterprise social platforms increasingly useful for various purposes.

As the current employees become more technologically savvy, they have changing needs at workplaces. Generally, they are referred to as social media workforce, which mainly consists of employees aged between 20s and 40s. Such employees have different social behaviors that would eventually influence how organizations work. In fact, the new generation of employees would want to use their own devices at workplaces and change effortlessly between social communication and job, or conduct their roles remotely or work while on the move if they can gain access to all the necessary tools and information required (Atos 3). On this note, organizations can only attract and retain such employees when they invest in relevant devices and technologies and incorporate useful social media platforms within the enterprise to offer a favorable environment in which such employees can deliver most effectively.

Organizational change to embrace information technology is therefore necessary for modern firms (Medlin 74). This process requires organizations to identify specific social issues and determine their related constructs. Thus, companies should focus on social collaboration enterprise success while mitigating failures associated with information technology.

Organizations should, therefore, develop long-term social collaboration enterprise models or strategies to meet expectations of various stakeholders, including internal uses and external relations such as customers.

Finally, it is also necessary for organizations to realize risks associated with the use of social media platforms as they pursue social collaboration enterprise (Shullich 3). These platforms have a common attribute of user-generated content, which could expose an organization to attack. Hence, the pursuit of social collaboration enterprise requires effective management.

Methodology and Research Details

In carrying out social collaboration enterprise research, literature research methodology was used. Basically, the methodology entails in-depth reading of literature materials, analyzing and finally sorting literature materials. This is done to identify the imperative attributes of materials. Further, literature research methodology does not deal straight with the object under study. Rather, the methodology uses the non-contact method by accessing information from an assortment of related literature materials.

Therefore, the deliberate selecting of representative research literature is necessitated. The following principles guided processes of selecting representative literature materials for social collaboration enterprise reports.

First, the selected literature materials had authority. Worthy materials selected were from reputable authors who included article writers in renowned national magazines, expert editors of key research bases, and academicians among others. The number of times literature materials was cited helped the researchers in verifying the authority of the material. A literature material that has been cited by many writers tends to have authority.

Second, the selected literature materials were considered effective. That is, literature materials added value to the study issue by being constructive for obtaining arguments, earnest for abstracting, and conducive to the development of research thoughts. Thus, accuracy, comprehensiveness, relevance, depth, and timeliness of data were upheld. Consequently, they led to logical scientific conclusions.

Third, the literature materials used were considered reliable. Reliable literature materials are authentic with accurate and verified facts that are not subject to modification. The content of the literature material faithfully portrayed the truth paying attention to accuracy on dates and data.

Fourth, the literature materials used had purposefulness by being relevant for the research subject. The theoretical base of the matter under study was a typical example of the selected literature materials. Researchers then used the material to study the past trends and forecast the future issues pertinent to the issue.

Issues

Some studies and professional points of view highlight critical challenges for social collaboration enterprise. As previously mentioned, many senior executives are yet to acknowledge the relevance of social collaboration enterprise. Consequently, it is noted that the landscape of social collaboration is characterized by failed outcomes. In fact, it was observed that not more than half of enterprise collaboration technologies deployed have many regular users. Multiple issues have been identified that could curtail the success of social collaboration enterprise.

• Collaboration that lacks clear values may not work for all employees
• Processes and people are ignored as attention shifts to technologies
• Some organizations may not use the most effective social collaboration technologies
• Employees, in some instances, opt for knowledge hoarding
• Reluctance to adopt new social collaboration due to past failures
• Most organizations are overwhelmed by technology choices
• Failure to demonstrate management buy-in
• Difficulties in measuring value

The answers to these issues are not simple because they are responsible for massive failures in social collaboration enterprise efforts. These challenges result from mistakes that organizations make when they decide to adopt social collaboration technologies.

Findings

Most social collaboration tools for enterprises have failed because of the failure to attain senior executive or middle-level managers buy-in. It is generally acknowledged that organizational culture that supports social collaboration should always begin at the top. Senior-level managers should be actively engaged in developing a culture of social collaboration with the right tools. Hence, they must go beyond allowing employees to use such tools in their organizations. At the same time, middle-level managers should also play their critical roles in promoting social collaboration in their departments. Such managers are responsible for the tactical implementation of organizational and executive visions. Hence, they should create a corporate culture that encourages employees to adopt new technologies. As such, middle-level managers should understand the overall benefits of social collaboration technologies to avoid failures.

It has also been observed that in most instances senior executives are reluctant to change and, therefore, tend to continue with traditional practices because of their positions. Challenges experienced with senior executives often result from failure to understand how social collaboration technologies would benefit the organization and lack of technical know-how to use such new tools.

In this case, it is recommended that senior executives should be given a step-by-step guide on how social collaboration technologies would work, how they can use them and demonstrate the expected outcomes and benefits. While the new generation of workforce may champion social collaboration technologies, it is still necessary for support to come from senior executives. In this case, senior executives and managers should publicly and regularly use social collaboration technologies to communicate with employees while developing transparency and trust in the organization.

Another critical issue identified is how to measure value from social collaboration enterprise. It is difficult to assess return on investment of social collaboration. Hence, it is equally difficult to determine its value. Social collaboration technologies can be evaluated in terms of meetings and their values. Hence, the value of social collaboration technologies can only be derived from the interaction among individuals communicating or interactions noted in during meetings.

Alternatively, organizations should simply research to determine costs associated with social collaboration technologies against increased productivity in an organization.

Many organizations fail to attain social collaboration enterprises because of failure to develop effective collaboration strategy. Surveys have identified that many organizations lack collaboration strategies and expect it to grow organically (Coleman 1). In fact, it emerges from a new generation of employees, who are technologically well informed. While management may initiate a social collaboration strategy and plan for the adoption of social collaboration tools, such cases could be rare.

In addition, some organizations completely lack plans, and employees just rely on social networking tools they have used before, such as Twitter, LinkedIn, and Facebook among others. Employees included corporate contents in their communications. Organizations will face the challenge of identifying goals and results from collaboration activities. In this case, an external consultant can assist a company to develop goals and outcomes for social collaboration processes. Stakeholders must be involved in the processes to limit possible cases of resistance.

Technology vendors with social collaboration tools promising better results are numerous. Consequently, organizations often face the challenge of picking the best tools for their social networking activities. Several vendor solutions exist that nearly do the same tasks for organizations. Nevertheless, an IT department can always recommend specific solutions. The choice is always daunting. On this note, it is recommended that organizations should focus on outcomes rather than technologies. Therefore, it is imperative to understand the needs of end-users and expected outcomes. This process will require stakeholder assessment and work on identifying technology solutions that would assist employees and the organization to attain the preferred objectives.

Organizations may also be reluctant to initiate new social collaboration enterprise efforts because of past failures. Employees may attempt to resist general collaboration tools such as SharePoint, but support tools that deliver benefits that all stakeholders can notice. Hence, organizations should find specific solutions developed for specific collaboration processes to control resistance.

Knowledge hoarding is a major challenge for social collaboration enterprise. Information attains multiple values when it is shared. However, that value diminishes when employees hoard information. Organizations should develop transparent processes while developing trust among employees. Hoarding information is a behavioral dysfunctional issue. Thus, the best solution should come from managers and senior executives when they openly contribute on social collaboration platforms without hoarding vital information from juniors.

The main purpose of the social collaboration network is to enhance the collective sharing of ideas and knowledge. In most companies, ideas usually emanate from senior executives and then disseminate to junior employees, but such ideas are not subjected to real discussions or contributions from employees. It is imperative to note that these organizations also acknowledge contributions and feedback from their employees. Traditionally, executives have however not developed a culture of two-way communication in their organizations and across departments. It is expected that social collaboration technologies will help organizations to overcome such traditional communication barriers. Hence, it would be simple for any employee with viable contributions to submit and receive feedback.

Todays workplace is characterized by information overload. Hence, they spend much time tracking down vital information and resources and perhaps organizational experts they require to obtain vital information. Social collaboration technologies will help organizations and employees to overcome such challenges because all employees will have opportunities to engage directly with subject matter experts and benefit from the collective expertise of the workforce. These platforms offer opportunities for employees to engage with each other in real-time and crowd-source ideas and feedback. Hence, it becomes easier for employees to ask and answer questions, analyze and solve issues while leveraging existing knowledge within the company.

Organizations that implement social collaboration tools tend to concentrate on technology rather than employees and processes (Avanade 5). In fact, too much emphasis is put on technology at the expense of solutions and outcomes. Organizations must focus on their employees and critical behavioral issues because these factors can derail the adoption of social collaboration tools. They must, therefore, develop sustainable relationships and encourage employees to use such technologies to overcome notable barriers in social collaboration networks. As the IT department implement social collaboration technologies, they should also focus on the best solutions and strategies that would meet the diverse needs of employees across the organization.

It has also been observed that some social collaboration initiatives fail because adoption and usage are made mandatory. It is difficult to force social collaboration between people. In fact, mandatory adoption often fails. Instead, senior executives, managers, and IT teams should strive to demonstrate to employees the relevance of social collaboration and show how such new initiatives will benefit the organization and all employees through simplifying work processes. Employees are mainly interested in understanding how they will benefit from their efforts devoted to learning and using social collaborative tools.

Through aligning the possible benefits of social collaboration efforts with individual employee needs and goals as well as organizational and departmental ones, the efforts have high chances of reflecting the needs of each employee. This approach will perhaps lead to sustained adoption and usage. As organizations continue to identify benefits that they can attain from social collaboration and gain more skills in evaluating the ROI of such efforts, it is most likely that they will want to adopt such solutions. At the same time, when companies understand possible challenges, the IT department and managers can strive to avoid them and strive to determine the most appropriate time and how turning into a social enterprise can assist the company to attain its strategic business goals.

Turning into a social collaboration enterprise requires comprehension of end-user needs and habits. Social collaboration tools should assist employees to attain their full potential. In this regard, organizations should first assess how their workforces work best and critical resources they require for success. Most social collaboration technologies have vibrant analytics capabilities relative to e-mail (Krishnan and Rogers 11). As such, user preferences and adoption patterns have shifted significantly. Modern social collaboration tools allow users to gain insights about subjects and vital ideas. Consequently, they can understand an organization and relevant social dynamics that influence employee behaviors and performances. Employees are most likely to use social collaboration technologies when they offer robust analytics capabilities.

Flipboard, for instance, is a social network aggregation platform that collects the most relevant information for the day because of its robust analytical capabilities. In addition, other social collaboration technologies offer employees opportunities to learn about the trending topics and pieces of information for their companies. Organizations that implement social collaboration technologies focus on powerful means of solving common corporate challenges, enhancing collaboration and developing an enhanced sense of engagement. Social collaboration technologies build on the basics of interpersonal interaction already experienced by many employees. Thus, they create fundamental networks that can change how employees perform their duties, learn and communicate across an organization.

Failure to train end-users also results in low usage and eventual failure of social collaboration technologies. When employees lack skills to use such platforms, they will not use them. Training and development, therefore, are critical elements of social enterprises. It is based on the assumption that knowledge acquired by employees would lead to efficiency in the use of such tools. Learning about social collaboration technologies and related statistics is beneficial to organizations. It is noted that underspending has led to poor implementation of some technologies and equipment and managers fail to account for poor outcomes associated with such actions or inactions.

Finally, collaboration is not great for all employees. Hence, organizations should develop a collaboration strategy as an element of a critical process that leverages collaboration tools. Organizations should focus on business processes that require collaborative leverage and then develop a benchmark metric prior to the introduction of collaboration technologies to such processes. Outcomes should be compared with outcomes after the introduction of such tools to determine their benefits.

Social collaboration enterprise requires organizations to develop a strong sense of community. Employees tend to perform better when they feel as a part of a larger community that is focusing and contributing to a meaningful goal. In most circumstances though, employees feel disengaged from critical organizational goals and objectives. In addition, it is not clear how they contribute or fit into these goals and differences they make. The purpose of social collaboration tools is to help employees to overcome such barriers through open communication and contribution that cut across the entire organization. Thus, senior executives, managers, and employees can work together towards a shared vision. Besides, social collaboration technologies provide platforms that can be used to recognize the contribution of employees publicly and create networks that foster peer-to-peer collaboration. The strategy results in a deeply engaged community of employees.

Overall, social collaboration enterprise relies on social media and Next-Generation Communications technologies (integrated voice, mobile, video, instant messaging / chat, and presence) to foster increased teamwork and knowledge sharing, to improve business outcomes (Aberdeen Group 1). Successful organizations have applied these tools to drive efficiency in their current business processes. As such, they have enhanced functions of various roles using social collaboration technologies to create social enterprises.

Conclusion

This report has explored various aspects of social collaboration enterprise. It shows that the current landscape is characterized by a myriad of challenges, which can be managed through effective strategies and adoption. Thus, for organizations to realize social collaboration enterprise, strategies, outcomes, and benefits should be clear and specific to all stakeholders. Such an approach will have buy-in from all employees and executives.

It is imperative to recognize that collaboration is inevitable because of notable changes in workplaces brought about by technologies, new ways of doing tasks, changing organizational structures, workforce dynamics, and talent wars. Despite all these shifts, organizations must realize that social collaboration enterprises should be people-driven and not technological pursuits. Thus, it can only take place when there is a culture of working together and leveraging human capital to transform business processes for success. Hence, social collaboration enterprise will be the new future.

Works Cited

Aberdeen Group. Enterprise Social Collaboration: The Collaborators Advantage. 2013. Web.

Atos. Enterprise Social Collaboration for a Better Way of Working. 2012. Web.

Avanade. Global Survey: Is enterprise social collaboration living up to its promise? 2013. Web.

Borg, Andrew. Why Enterprise Social Collaboration Means Business. InformationWeek. 2013. Web.

Coleman, David. Pitfalls of Enterprise Collaboration (and the Solutions). CMSWire. 2015. Web.

Georgescu, Mircea and Daniela Popescul. Social Media  The New Paradigm of Collaboration and Communication for Business Environmen. Procedia Economics and Finance 20 (2015): 277282. Print.

Hamilton, Mary, Alex Kass and Allan E. Alter. How collaboration technologies are improving process, workforce and business performance. Outlook Point of View 2 (2013): 1-5. Print.

Holtzblatt, Lester, Jill L. Drury, Daniel Weiss, Laurie E. Damianos and Donna Cuomo. Evaluating the Uses and Benefits of an Enterprise Social Media Platform. Journal of Social Media for Organizations 1.1 (2013): 1-22. Print.

Krishnan, Krish and Shawn P. Rogers. Social Data Analytics: Collaboration for the Enterprise. Waltham, MA: Elsevier, 2014. Print.

Li, Charlene. Why No One Uses the Corporate Social Network. Harvard Business Review. 2015. Web.

Lin, Guijuan. Higher Education Research Methodology: Literature Method. International Education Studies 2.4 (2009): 179-181. Print.

Medlin, B. Dawn. Integrations of Technology Utilization and Social Dynamics in Organizations. Hershey, PA: IGI Global, 2012. Print.

Mettler, Tobias and Robert Winter. Are business users social? A design experiment exploring information sharing in enterprise social systems. Journal of Information Technology (2015): 1-14. Print.

Shullich, Robert. Risk Assessment of Social Media. 2012. Web.

Tierney, Mary Lou and Jill Drury. Continuously Improving Innovation Management through Enterprise Social Media. Journal of Social Media for Organizations 1.1 (2013): 1-17. Print.

Introduction

The society has developed sophisticated ways of promoting various activities including trade interactions within and outside a country. Competition among business enterprises has forced many firms to think of various ways of structuring their firms in order to stand high chances of competing effectively with other firms. It should be noted that a successful business relies on the strategies set by the directors and managers through the policies and professional codes that ensure work is done correctly (Horan 2007). In addition, the structures of various organizations help management delegate most of their duties to other staff members. This discussion focuses on Boffy Company and how lateral and vertical collaborations have been used within the organization.

Main Body

Boffy Company was founded by Daniel Boffy about fifty years ago on the basis of mastering highly ranked technical skills in the aeronautics and automotive sectors among other demanding industrial products. He later sold the firm to a similar company about ten years ago. The management of this firm is headed by a Board of Directors which acts as surveillance unit on the firms activities. Most of the firms clients are business people and companies (Todeva 2011). The European Community played a major role of extending the firms market to Greece, England, Portugal and Norway. The firm has since adopted vertical and lateral structures in order to achieve the goals and targets set. The Chief Executive Officer and the Chair of the Board occupy the top offices in the firm. They supervise all activities of the Board Members including the Managers and Supervisors of various units. In addition, the firm has various units that foresee the effective running of the firms processes. Every department has a manager, assistant manager, foreman and workers.

The roles of these units are grouped into operating, control and pre-strategy levels. The Commercial Department deals with all activities that involve marketing of the companys products (Todeva 2011). They also carry out market surveys and studies aimed at establishing the best strategies for promoting the firms products. The Production Department deals with the study of the evolution of various raw materials in order to improve on the quality of the companys products. Technology issues are handled by the Maintenance and Repair Department while the Data System Department carries out surveys to adopt the most efficient software and hardware to be used in various sectors of the firm (Todeva 2011). The Quality Survey Department conducts frequent studies on the quality of goods supplied and received to and from the companys clients respectively. The Accounting and Administration sector is answerable to external auditors who visit the firm on regular basis to audit the firms accounts. The firm has three units (aerospace, automotive and general industry) whose departments work in coordination with each other to ensure the objectives and targets set by the firms management are met. The firm has various processes that ensure all activities are carried out effectively. They include; commercial, new product or service, production, supplies and raw materials, investment and social processes that are connected and rely on each other for effective running of the firm.

Conclusion

The structuring of various departments in an organization aims at increasing efficiency in production and promotion of accountability by every member. Businesses that have many structures find it easy to manage their affairs compared to those with few structures since it is easy to point out and help departments that are weak.

References

Horan, J. (2007). The One Page Business Plan for Non-Profit Organizations. California: The One Page Business Plan Company.

Todeva, E. (2011). Business Networks: Strategy and Structure (Routledge Studies in Business Organizations and Networks). New York: Routledge.

Introduction

Collaboration entails working together in order to achieve the desired results. It is said that when people work together they tend to be stronger compared to when they work separately. In other instances, individuals in a study group perform different tasks and thereafter merge their efforts to present a complete work. Collaboration is characterized by voluntary use of materials or approaches to learning, equal representation, mutual goals, shared resources and outcomes (Friend & Cook, 2007) This paper focuses on the various elements of collaboration and also the demerits of collaboration. The attributes discussed include respect, active listening, trust, parity, and shared responsibility.

Attributes of Collaboration

In a typical classroom setting the students come from various backgrounds hence when they decide they want to work together they should respect each other regardless of ones background. To maximize the usefulness of group work, a group should have a maximum of four members because if it has so many members it will be difficult to manage it. It is common for a student to excel in certain subjects and fail in others hence when a group is being established the members of that group should consider the task ahead and observe their weaknesses and strengths to see whether they match.

Duckworth (2006) argues that this is because if they have the same weaknesses they may not achieve the mission of the group. For instance, if a group comprises of students who are weak in sciences that group may not bring the expected results hence its important to address the strengths of group members from the start. When group work commences the students who are in those groups should know that they are all equal hence no one should see himself as being superior to others. It is good to highlight on this issue because there are some students who seek to dominate their group members hence when decisions are being made they want their views to be final.

Such students think they know too much while they know nothing. If a group is used appropriately it can provide an extra learning opportunity. This is because a group can be requested to tackle a question that was previously discussed in class thus those who belong to that group will understand the topic in question because they are familiar to it. Again the members who did not grasp anything when the topic was being taught in class have a chance to learn more about it because this time its being presented by someone who is familiar to them hence they are not afraid of asking questions.

When an issue is being tackled in a group, members should openly and whole heartedly share their views with fellow students concerning the topic in question because when they keep their views to themselves they are denying themselves a chance to be corrected because their views could be wrong.

Additionally, when a member is presenting his/her views the other members should use polite language when correcting his/her argument because using offensive language can make one feel annoyed and they may loose their self esteem. Thus, all members should be given an equal opportunity to present their opinions even when they are wrong since the intention of forming a discussion group was to sharpen each other (Walker, 2009).

Trust is also very important in a group. According to Scheiter and Catrambone (2004), trust develops when members continue to interact with each other even prior to the formation of the group. Members of a group should not be specifically be good friends but should be people who know each other because in that way they will be able to communicate effectively without doubting each other. Many are times when students form groups based on their friendships which may not work well for the group.

Each group member should perform the assigned task accordingly because if he/she does not do it thoroughly the impacts of his/her inefficiency will be experienced by the entire group. There are some students who join discussion groups just for the sake of being in one but they are not active. Such members are usually absent on most occasions and they dont take any role in the group (Friend & Cook, 2007). Thats why it is recommended that each member be assigned a specific role and if they are not up to it they should be ejected from the group. Its better to have a group that has few members who are very active and committed to the group.

There are some groups that fail to accomplish their designated tasks because they are comprised of jokers and because in a group there is no an overseer; everyone is expected to be responsible of his actions. There are various methods which can be employed by a group. First the problem to be solved should be split into several parts which are then assigned to specific members of the group. Each member should be given time to collect the required facts but there should be a specific day when these facts should be tabled before the group.

On the material day the student who is giving his/her views concerning the subject should be made to present it like a lecture to the others. The person should assume the role of a teacher while giving his/her findings. Lecturing others builds the students confidence because when they do it on several occasions they will get used to speaking in public. It is therefore certain that discussion groups prepare students for public speaking because the intensity of confidence that is required while addressing large crowds is usually developed gradually through such groups.

Once the views have been presented the group members should analyze the same views collectively to justify their correctness and should any errors be found they should be corrected. Members are bound to have conflicts while analyzing their views because different people have different opinions but these conflicts should be solved smoothly to ensure the group remains focused on its mandate. Critics should not just object to the views presented just for the sake of being heard but they should do so when they are sure that the views presented are not satisfactory.

Friend and Cook (2000) explain that if a member experiences any difficulty in his/her assigned role he/she should seek help from group members. This is the concept of shared responsibility in which group members try as it is humanly possible to help each other. The group members must also be prepared to chip in when a group member requests them to do so. This normally happens when the task to be dealt with is complex. However, when laziness crops in, the meaning of shared responsibility and resources might be difficult to achieve because some members may see themselves as delivering more than their counterparts.

Conclusion

Group work is intended to add value to an individuals performance. But this benefit can only be realized when group members are committed to the success of their group. In learning, discussions or study groups, collaboration is characterized by trust, respect, active listening, and shared responsibility. These attributes enhance decision making, interactions, and a sense of ownership within a group. However, not all members are equal and it can be difficult to constitute a productive study group. Therefore, every group should develop its own mechanism of ejecting non- performing members because if such members are allowed to continue being members of that group they may drag it down hence it will not fulfill its intended purpose.

References

Duckworth, E.R. (2006.).The having of wonderful ideas and other essays of teaching and learning. 3rd Ed. New York: Teachers College Press.

Friend, M. & Cook, L. (2007). Interactions: Collaboration Skills for School Professionals 5th Ed. Boston: Pearson/ Allyn & Bacon.

Scheiter, P.G & Catrambone, R. (2004).Designing instructional examples to reduce intrinsic cognitive load: molar versus modular presentation of solution procedures. Instructional Science. 32 (1): 33-58.

Walker, B.J. (2009). Literacy coaching: Learning to collaborate. Boston: Allyn & Bacon.

Summary

The year 1968 saw the founding of the TCS in India. The founders of the company had an aim of rendering solutions to businesses, outsourcing, and IT-services. Additionally, the firm offers customers all over the world with different IT services. This company offers different services through a variety of domains. The company as well as the geographic domain commonly uses vertical domain. There are 47countries that enjoy the presence of TCS in their markets. In terms of revenues, TCS remains to be one of the largest IT service firms in India. The KM concept came to be in 1995. During that time, KM had covered most of the functions in TCS. TCS started formal KM efforts in the late 1990s. Later the Process Asset Libraries that contained relevant information were developed. The company later combined portal library, Kbases and Ultimatix. TCS also developed training programs that targeted both experienced and new employees. The company also enhanced the transfer of knowledge by encouraging employees to attain widespread experience through the process of rotating them in different divisions as well as in its group firms. A Microsoft server developed the Knowmax. TCS initiated propel sessions in order to maintain the work-life balance of its employees. Overall, TCS used KM tools as a key strategic resource for the company.

Using the KM value chain model, TCS knowledge management efforts comprise of different activities. Below is the analysis of the activities.

Knowledge Acquisition

The company acquires most of its knowledge through the process of ensuring that its employees are rotated in most of its divisions as well as across its group firms so that they gain widespread body of experience. This helps employees in attaining a variety of knowledge applicable in the business. TCS also encouraged its people to participate in other bodies such as the IEEE. In addition, certifications were a requirement for the employees (Laudon & Laudon, 2012).

Knowledge Storage

TCS developed a number of repository tools that helped in the storage of company knowledge. They comprised of KnowMax, process asset libraries, Kbases and Ultimatix (Laudon & Laudon, 2012).

Knowledge Dissemination

This refers to the extent to which knowledge moved among the people in the business. TCS disseminated knowledge using several techniques. The techniques include;

• The use of portals known as the ultimatix which managed knowledge electronically,
• The grouping of individuals who had similar interests through the propel session,
• Use of emails in sharing human as well as technical skills within the business and
• Making sure that during projects knowledge transition was effectively used (Laudon & Laudon, 2012).

Knowledge Application

The use of the intranet of the company made it possible for the employees to access the available knowledge database from different servers. The company website contained several established capabilities in which different people explored. Individuals can as well relate such developments to the accumulated knowledge about the markets, technologies, customers and systems development (Laudon & Laudon, 2012).

Knowledge exists in the form of tacit as well as explicit. Various activities and tools, manage these knowledges in TCS. The company used a number of tools to manage tacit knowledge. The company commonly used propels session tools as well as the communities of practice. Sessions for transitioning knowledge were also in use. The redesigning of centers for knowledge management also helped in managing tacit knowledge. Tools for managing explicit knowledge included KnowMax, Process Asset Libraries, Kbases and Ultimatix (Laudon & Laudon, 2012).

TCS initially introduced Knowledge management as a concept in the year 1995. In 1998, knowledge management formed a team referred to as the Corporate Groupware. In the year 1999, the TCS team launched the knowledge management pilot. As of this time, various TCS functions had been covered by the KM. Some of the covered divisions included human resource management and finance (Raman, 2003). Employees were able to access knowledge repository using intranet from both branch and corporate servers. Different information was contained in the Kbases. The information related to processes and other projects. After the formation of Kbases, the creation of Process Asset Libraries followed (Raman, 2003).

These repositories contained information concerning processes, technology and case studies. TCS then merged the Kbases and portal library later with Ultimatix. Sub-portals helped the company in storing training materials for improving productivity (Raman, 2003). The use of Microsoft portal server aided in developing Knowmax. This enabled TCS consultants to gain access to the experience as well as best practices of about 40 years. The experiences followed an arrangement in terms of customer requirements, the used technology and the type of engagement (Raman, 2003). Knowmax supported numerous assets of KM. Knowledge assets accessibility through the Ultimatix was of much help to the firm associates. The associates played the role of contributing relevant information to the knowledge bank (Raman, 2003). The knowledge officers regulated content quality. Various business activities in the firm advanced due to use of these systems. For instance, the KM systems have increased the success rate in project execution and bidding. KM systems allow consultants to gather information related to the client, thereby rendering better service to them (Raman, 2003).

TCS used several collaboration tools. The Mysite and video conferencing tools were very common in the company business. In addition, the wiki as well as the IdeaStorm was also in use. Other tools comprised of the blogs and the IP telephony.

Benefits

They led to the improvement of local and overseas collaborations because the use of instant messaging dealt with cultural and pronunciation challenges that many people encountered through use of phone. Costs of travelling and telecommunication decreased immensely after adoption of the tools (Holsapple, 2003). The corporate communications enabled all offices of the company to receive news broadcasts internally. Additionally, other tools led to the improvement in communication, knowledge sharing and collaboration among the employees (Holsapple, 2003).

The wikis promoted communication among different people in the business. The blogs improved employees productivity. The wikis also offered other support services to the company. The wikis facilitated the presentations developments as well as supporting other essential sessions. Blogs assisted in gathering input to use in solving problems encountered in projects (Holsapple, 2003). The Mysite helped employees in improving communication amongst one another. IdeaStorm assisted corporate groups in coming up with creative topics. The TIP was used in product innovation, helped in solving problems and assisted the management in gathering ideas for product and service innovation. JustAsk System enabled workers to ask questions as well as enabling them to get answers from colleagues (Holsapple, 2003).

TCS accomplishes most of its activities more efficiently and timely. Some of the effective activities include implementation issues of systems as well as their development. Highly innovative solutions provided by the TCS in order to resolve any queries from the customer originate from ideas generated from the KM repositories. Such ideas come from other industries and assist in knowing customer requirements (Holsapple, 2003). It is through the development of KM tools that TCS has improved its value chain. This has led to the improvements in project bidding. TCS now serves clients more efficiently through the KM repositories that improve the performance in projects practices. It is through this that there is an improved execution in TCS. Accumulated knowledge assists in the coming up with capabilities for understanding methods of strategically servicing people. The use of KM tools has helped TCS in moving higher up, thereby bidding for more strategic projects (Holsapple, 2003).

References

Holsapple, C. W. (2003). Handbook on knowledge management 2, Berlin: Springer.

Laudon, K. C., & Laudon, J. P. (2012). Management information systems: Managing the digital firm, Boston; Munich [u.a.: Pearson.

Raman, A. T. (2003). Knowledge management: A resource book. New Delhi: Excel books.

Some users are still not comfortable storing data in the cloud. How would you convince them that it is safe?

Cloud data storage is a relatively recent trend that has become popular all over the world. However, many people are still uncomfortable with using cloud storage tools, as they believe that cloud technologies are neither safe nor secure. In fact, cloud data storage is safer than conventional data storage, as noted by Hardy (2017). Despite the common preconception, cloud data is stored not online but on hard drives (Hardy, 2017).

The only difference between conventional data storage and cloud storage is that with cloud storage, the data is stored on multiple servers all over the world so that the loss of data becomes impossible. Apart from protecting users from losing data, this also allows increasing the productivity of devices and eliminates the need to transfer documents or data via flash drives or e-mail.

List the pros and cons of using the following collaboration tools: Wiki, Blog, IM, shared documents

Cloud storage also enabled companies to use various online business collaboration tools, such as wiki, blogs, instant messaging, and shared documents. One of the most significant advantages of using such tools is that they allow employees and partners from different cities or countries to collaborate in real-time. Through cloud storage technologies, shared document platforms, such as Google Drive, allow storing important documents online for all participants to access and edit on their computer or mobile device. Moreover, online collaboration tools can help to reduce business costs. For instance, instead of making expensive international calls, workers can use instant messaging.

Nevertheless, there are also some disadvantages to the proposed online collaboration tools. Although the interface is usually clear and comprehensible, some participants may struggle with using online collaboration tools and thus require explanation and training (Kinsey & Carrozino, 2011). Moreover, allowing many people to access documents can be risky  for instance, a participant can delete an important document by mistake. Nevertheless, these issues can be solved with appropriate instruction and regulation, and the advantages of using online collaboration tools far outweigh the possible concerns.

References

Hardy, Q. (2017). Where does cloud storage really reside? And is it secure? Times Insider. Web.

Kinsey, J., & Carrozzino, A. L. (2011). Working in a Wiki: A tool for collaboration among virtual teams. Journal of Extension, 49(6), 1-3.

Project presentation

Google is today the leading technology and innovation company and has the biggest search engine in the world. The company was started in 1998 by Sergey Brin and Larry page that made an investment capital of $ 100,000. The company traded its shares in 2004 marking as the stepping stone towards the companys success (Fox 2010). By the year 2008, Google Company had accumulated its revenue to a $21 billion mark with a net profit of an outstanding $4 billion. The two owners who are computer science graduates are today worth $6 billion (Vise 2008).

China mobile company began its operations in 1997 and was originally known as China Telecom. The company traded its shares in the same year generating investment of $ 2.5 million. In 2004, the company added to its capital by investing $600 million into the business. In China, the company trades in over 31 provinces where it provides mobile services. The company makes its money through voice calls, text messages, and e-mail services. The company has the largest market share in China of about 67.5% and is the world-leading company in the production of digital mobile services. The company has expanded through acquisitions and mergers; it acquired Jiangsu Mobile Limited in 1997 and Shanghai, Hebei, Tianjin, and Beijing mobile companies in 2000. In 2007 the company was ranked fifth top brand in the world by Millward Brown because of its strong brand. The company set a record in China since none of the companies had achieved this over the last 10 years (Lu and Zhao 2005).

Google has a well-established brand name in the world and has the fastest and easy-to-use search engine. The company conducts over 300 million searches daily and its perceived to be the fastest-growing search engine globally (Vise 2008). Google Company derives a majority of its income through online marketing and it uses e-marketing as a tool to communicate, sell and deliver products to potential customers. The company does so through digital technology and other communication electronics, for example, mobile phones (Fox 2010).

The application proposed is mobile operating software which will be designed by Google Company for China Mobile company phones. The software will embed Google companys search engine to enable mobile phone users to access Google services through their mobile phones.

The Chinese economy is one of the fastest-growing economies of the world with a steady growth rate of 10% over the last 30 years. In June 2009, internet users in China hit a 338 million mark (Hollensen 2009).

Opportunities for the sustainability of Google Company lie in the use of mobile phone services and this application aims to capture more market beyond conventional computer users in China and the world at large. Moreover, the dire need of Google Company to have its applications and search tools incorporated in mobile phones has not been that easy. This collaboration will in doubt be a major strategic plan towards the company achieving its goals.

Context

According to Cardoso and Castells (2007), network society refers to the political, social, cultural, and economic changes as a result of the extent of a certain network, communication advancement, or digitalized technology. Wakefield, McNally, and Mayne (2007) moreover, stated that mobile technology advancements, in particular, allow us to communicate and share information with ease. Hassan (2004) observed that the use of smartphones has risen steadily and with this technology spreading to India and China this technology is expected to capture the global market

Although Google Company is the leading internet provider in the world, the company faces stiff competition from other key players. The industry has low barriers to entry over the long run which may attract more competitors. To continue dominating the market, opportunities lie in a change of its business strategies. The companys rivals and competitors in the market include Yahoo, MSN, and Baidu.com for its Chinese market among others (Fox 2010).

Baidu.com is the major competitor of Google in China. Baidu.com was started in 2000 and enjoys a market share of 63% compared to Googles market share of 24% (Wakefield, McNally, and Mayne 2007). The growth of the company has also been hampered by new entrants in the industry and other existing internet providers hence the substitution of its services limiting opportunity for the companys growth. Social network sites like Facebook are blocked in China, the Chinese have resulted to Renren.com which is an equivalent and this has negatively affected Google as it has resulted in a loss of its customers to the competitor. Google has also lost customers in a bid to protect its corporate image. Some companies e.g. Baidu.com has some web pages that allow access to illegal information e.g. MP3 music, something Google would not dare as a corporate responsibility to protect its reputation globally. In addition, the companys search engines are not so powerful in accessing information in China compared to Baidu.com (Fox 2010).

Google has faced confrontations with the Chinese government over censorship laws and received a license of operation after 18 months of its launch in China. Chinese censorship of network sites has been in force since 1993 and has grown to 60 laws that the government has in force today. The laws regulate what should or should not be offered to Chinese internet users. Until 2005, Google operated in China exclusive of a censorship certificate. The company, therefore, launched Google China which had censored search results. This contributed to a loss in some of its customers as they regarded it as not worthy to continue using it under the proximities of censorship considering it was a very simple search engine (Hassan 2004).

Although Google China is located in China, its users have found it to be much slower compared to Google.com which has its servers located in the United States. This was as a result of Google China having been hosted by China Netcom which uses inferior technology. In contrast, Baidu.com operates through a different more efficient telecom allowing its users to access information at an instance hence its preference by internet users compared to Google (Vise 2008).

In China, Google china is referred to as Guge, which is difficult to pronounce and spell. In contrast, Baidu.com is much easier for the Chinese as it uses Pinyin hence its preference to Google which is spelled in English (Fox 2010). Google Company has also suffered cyber attacks on some of its accounts belonging to some humanitarian groups in China; this almost led the company to withdraw its operations in China, but the company has recently renewed its license indicating its dire need to continue its operations in China (Vise 2008).

According to Wakefield, McNally, and Mayne (2007) Mobile web refers to the use of internet application tools via the mobile phone, for example, a smartphone or laptop through an independent device, for example, modems. They also note that before 2008, internet access was through fixed lines, thereafter mobile phone use exceeded desktop computer use necessitating the use of the mobile web. Hassan (2004) observed that the mobile web has been growing tremendously from touch screen smartphones to todays tablet touch PCs. The major challenge in the use of mobile web arises as a result of the small user interface hence a problem in an adjustment of the screen resolution and data input limitations (Cardoso and Castells 2007). There have been recent attempts to set up standards for improved technology for the mobile web to ensure more accessibility and reliability (Lu and Zhao 2005).

According to Hassan (2004), Mobile web advertisements have increased gradually during recent years, in 2007, total revenue generated from mobile web advertisements reached an outstanding $ 2.2 Billion. Google Company which derives a majority of its income through online advertising has, therefore, great potential and opportunity to take advantage of this increase to diversify its services to the mobile web.

Tehrani (2008) described two models which are employed by companies in laying out strategies for growth, these are; BCG and Ansoff matrix models. The BCG matrix model focuses mostly on the life cycle of a companys product and helps determine which part of a companys product portfolio should be given more priority. This ensures that a company focuses on producing those products which will ensure a high growth rate. This ensures that a company captures a majority of the market share and hence a fast growth in its products.

Ansoffs matrix model is concerned with the market and product development. Market diversification and market penetration of new and existing markets also form part of the matrix model. Market penetration of either a new or existing market entails carrying out persuasive measures to retain existing customers or attract new ones. Product development and diversification focus on the production of products and services tailored for a specific market segment.

Product development refers to the process of coming up with new improved and innovated merchandise in the market. Two paths can be followed when introducing a new product in the market. These include; coming up with an idea, design, and engineering of the product. The other path involves; researching the market and analysis of the market thereafter. This product follows the first path in the process of its development.

Market development is the strategy of creating more customers either in a new or an existing market. The product under review is targeted at potential customers in existing and new markets.

Diversification strategy aims at increasing the market and products of an existing company. It entails a company entering into new lines of production which are diverse from the current ones.

Rainey (2010) stated that strategic alliance is one of strategy that a business uses to achieve growth and ensure its suitability, feasibility, acceptability, and sustainability in the market. It involves more than one independent company agreeing to pursue the same objectives. The main aim of a strategic alliance is to ensure synergy, whereby each partner perceives to achieve more benefits as compared to personal efforts. This partnership involves sharing of risks, specialization, and exchange of skills and technical know-how.

Tehrani (2008) added that companies entering into a strategic alliance must pass some stages, are; development of the strategy-this involves lying out of the objectives and assessing the feasibility and sustainability of the alliance. Assessment of the partner-this involves an analysis of the weakness and strengths of the partner and assessment of his strategies to ensure they have similar objectives. Negotiation of the contract- this involves laying out the criteria under which the partnership will operate. Operation of the alliance-this involves laying out and combining resources devoted to the alliance. Once the objectives are achieved the partnering companies may terminate the alliance relocating the resources elsewhere.

When choosing a partner to enter into a strategic alliance with, a company should consider the following; depth and breadth-the partner should have experience in his operations and have a wide customer share in the market, a capital-the partner should have a rich financial base, technological level-the partner company should have similar technological knowhow (Rainey 2010).

Google Company and China mobile company will enter into a strategic alliance in this new product development.

Project design

Target

According to Eric Schmidt, the CEO of Google, the companys long-term strategy is to be the leading internet provider in China (Vise 2008), the company can achieve this through a partnership with China Mobile Company to capture a wider market share in China. According to Cardoso and Castells (2007), Chinas rampant economic growth has increased the use of mobile phones and other technological devices and has about 520 million users of cell phones. They also observed that by the end of this year, this number is expected to reach 600 million. China mobile Company is reported to have made a net profit of £3.4bn in 2008 and has grown significantly since then indicating the extent of mobile users in China.

China has a population of over I.3 billion; the country has 22 provinces and 4 municipalities namely: Beijing, Chongqing, Shanghai, and Tianjin. In its strategies for growth, China Mobile Company acquired Tianjin, Shanghai, and Beijing Mobile companies to enjoy economies of Scale. These companies are located in the three big municipalities of the extensive country and the strategic alliance between Google Company and China Mobile Company will boost the new product to access all regions of the country. Moreover, China has a good diplomatic rapport with most countries and allows free trade with other countries. The absence of political differences between the US and China will boost new market development of the new product across the countrys boundaries hence reaching all Chinese citizens.

Since the metropolitan market of China is saturated, opportunities lie with the rural Chinese residents which will be the main market target for this product development.

Collaboration

Wakefield, McNally, and Mayne (2007) stated that all mobile phones have similar basic components; manufacturers, however, attempt to differentiate their mobile phones from those of their rivals and competitors in the market through value addition of features to attract more customers.

In this collaboration, Google Company will develop the mobile operating software while China mobile company will use this software as an operating system for its smartphones. Google Company will modify an operating system that supports a wide range of services par with current technology and customer needs. The operating system will be modified to provide users with games and a wide range of Google applications tools including; Adwords, Google calendars, social network sites, Google messages, Google maps, Translator, Google shopper, Mp3, Mp4, e-mail, Wi-Fi, and 4G internets connectivity. 4G connectivity will ensure speed in the use of the mobile web. The operating system will be able to establish Java ME and SE standards to ensure compatibility across all platforms and use with different screen resolutions. This will also allow users to access all available pages on the web, for example, PDF files. The operating system will also be designed to support the use of Bluetooth which is important in the exchange of information and use of hands-free services tool. The operating system will also be modified to allow mobile phone users to charge their handsets using USB cables as an alternative to battery chargers to enhance convenience.

To avoid problems of screen resolution adjustment, the operating system will be designed with the ability to use a big screen output system to allow users to view graphics and texts with ease. The application will also allow multitasking of applications to enable users to perform more than one task at a time. The two companies will also ensure that the application allows the flexibility of users in navigating the window by use of a computer-like pointer.

Additional features will, however, depend on the target market.

Advantages of the collaboration

Diversification is one of the marketing strategies as described by Ansoffs model. For diversification to take effect, a company must acquire new techniques, facilities, and skills. As a result of this diversification, Google company will increase its revenue as a result of trading the new product and access to new market segments.

Google is a foreign company and has found difficulties in establishing itself in China. The strategic alliance between the company and China mobile company will allow it to overcome such geographical differences.

The exchange of information between these two companies will allow Google company gain more information on the business environment in China which the company can utilize in the other units of its business operations in China.

Adwords is the marketing tool of Google Company. Advertisers create keywords for their products and bid for advertising space on this application. This marks the highest source of income for the company. In addition to Googles use of Adwords as an online marketing tool, the company also uses the tool to carry out its promotional campaigns. Several links are available on this tool whereby upon click, they direct the user to the companys services. The incorporation of Adwords as an application in the operating system will allow more access to Google services and resultant market development for its services. This will in turn encourage more advertisers into the company hence higher revenue for the company.

4G internet connectivity will enhance fast access to the internet and will add value to China Mobile companys phones which have been using 2G connectivity. This will create more market for their mobile phones and in return increase the users of Google services.

The strategic alliance between the two companies will allow specialization, each company concentrating on what it can produce best and at a lower cost. This will reduce production cost hence a lower cost for the final product.

Outcome

Hollensen (2009) stated that for a company to compete effectively in the global market a company must have a huge capital outlay. A company, therefore, takes advantage of forming a partnership with other companies to share costs by merging their resources. This ensures faster growth of a company in its global market. Hollensen adds that technology and consumer needs are changing at a fast rate, to keep pace with this, a company partners with another as a global strategy towards its feasibility, suitability, and accessibility in the market. This also enables partnering companies to combine customer preferences from different parts ensuring customer satisfaction regardless of the location of production.

The strategic alliance between Google and China Mobile Company in new product development will doubtfully be a feasible, acceptable, suitable, and sustainable marketing strategy in the Chinese market. The collaboration will ensure specialization as each company will focus on the production of what it can produce best and at a lower cost thereby saving on production cost. This will in return result in a more affordable handset in the market and resultant higher use of Google services. The collaboration will also allow the companies to exchange information in a bid to understand the market. This will in return allow the companies to understand their weaknesses and strengths which will be a remedy towards the companys success in the unforeseeable future.

The outcome of the strategic alliance between Google and China Mobile Company will therefore be a modern smartphone par with changing technology and customer needs. The product developed will allow conventional users and Chinese citizens living in rural areas to access Google services hence expansion of its customer base. China mobile company will in return get more market for its mobile phones and build on its image to its publics.

References

Cardoso, G & Castells, M 2007, The Media in the Network Society: Browsing, News, Filters and Citizenship, Lulu.com and CIES-ISCTE, Lisboa.

Fox, V 2010, Marketing in the Age of Google: Your Online Strategy Is Your Business Strategy, Wiley, San Francisco.

Hassan, R 2004, Media, Politics and the Network Society, Open University Press, Buckingham.

Hollensen, S 2009, Essentials of Global Marketing, Prentice Hall, London.

Lu, X & Zhao, W 2005, Networking and Mobile Computing, Springer, New Mexico.

Rainey, D 2010, Sustainable Business Development: Inventing the Future through Strategy, Innovation, and Leadership, Cambridge University Press, London.

Tehrani, N 2008, Contemporary Marketing Mix For The Digital Era, Author House, Indiana.

Vise, D 2008, The Google Story: For Googles 10th Birthday, Delta, Brooklyn.

Wakefield, T, McNally, D & Mayne, A 2007, Introduction to Mobile Communications: Technology, Services, Markets (Informa Telecoms & Media), Auerbach Publications, New York.

Introduction

Tobacco use is a chronic, relapsing habit that has been proven to have adverse health effects. The Centers for Diseases Control and Prevention (2018) show that smoking harms almost every single organ in the human body, causes various diseases and conditions, and worsens smokers health in general. In the US, cigarettes are one of the leading preventable causes of death, taking as many as 480,000 lives every year. Statistically speaking, smoking kills more people than human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), motor vehicle accidents, firearm-related incidents, and alcohol and drug abuse combined (The Centers for Diseases Control and Prevention, 2018).

The Centers for Diseases Control and Prevention (2018) estimate that smoking increases the risk of developing coronary heart disease by four times and having a stroke by two to four times. Aside from that, tobacco use is associated with an increased risk of having lung cancer (25 times higher for both men and women). The science behind this difficulty is crystal clear: nicotine in tobacco is highly addictive and causes withdrawal symptoms. It is suggested that an interdisciplinary team can help struggling smokers achieve their goals.

Collaboration Techniques

No matter how experienced a specialist is, he or she can only do so much single-handedly. Team collaboration in the healthcare sector is important because it provides support for every single team member and encourages expertise exchange and fresh perspectives on challenging issues. Strengthening interactivity and communication between teams and individuals can be achieved by introducing the SBAR approach, which stands for Situation-Background-Assessment-Recommendation. SBAR proposes a logical system and step-by-step guides that allow health professionals to handle situations in a standardized manner (Kostoff et al., 2016).

SBAR ensures that necessary information is transferred promptly, and referrals from a specialist to a specialist are made. Another technique is role delegation: it is not uncommon that healthcare professionals have little knowledge of each others responsibilities. Since their duties overlap a lot, it would only be wise to try and assign specific roles, which would propel the productivity of a team.

Health Promotion Plan Presentation

The health promotion plan will be proposed to the facility in the form of a presentation, using medical evidence and scientific findings. Presenting the plan to the community requires a language more appropriate for general audiences as well as an appeal to peoples emotions. The key idea behind the plan is the interdisciplinary approach praised for providing new avenues for service implementation and facilitating the patient referral system (Pannick et al., 2015). The present health promotion plan will require the joint effort of the following professionals:

1. physicians gather key health information, conduct general counseling regarding a smoking problem, and refer to smokers to other specialists;
2. nurses involve the family and encourage them to provide support during smoking cessation;
3. cardiologists or pulmonologists handle the situation if a patient shows serious heart or lung disease symptoms;
4. therapists help with individual and group counseling by identifying smoking triggers and proposing behavioral strategies.

Summary

For the reasons mentioned above, healthcare workers generally advise patients to quit smoking to increase longevity and improve their overall health. Smoking cessation is often quite challenging, with patients having multiple relapses before finally getting rid of this harmful habit. Smoking cessation interventions might need an interdisciplinary approach and techniques such as SBAR (Situation-Background-Assessment-Recommendation) and role delegation. The smoking issue might require a joint effort of physicians, nurses, cardiologists, pulmonologists, and therapists.

References

The Centers for Diseases Control and Prevention. (2018). Health effects of cigarette smoking. Web.

Kostoff, M., Burkhardt, C., Winter, A., & Shrader, S. (2016). An interprofessional simulation using the SBAR communication tool. American Journal of Pharmaceutical Education, 80(9).

Pannick, S., Davis, R., Ashrafian, H., Byrne, B. E., Beveridge, I., Athanasiou, T.,& & Sevdalis, N. (2015). Effects of interdisciplinary team care interventions on general medical wards: A systematic review. JAMA Internal Medicine, 175(8), 1288-1298.

Introduction

Human resource management is the backbone of any business venture. Employees and managers alike are valued not only by their capabilities of delivering individual performance but also by their capabilities of working as a team. The connection between mutual trust and effective collaboration seems intuitive. At the same time, there is very little research made to explore the connection between them.

The article reviewed in the scope of this paper is titled Linking Trust and Collaboration in Project Teams to Project Management Success, written by Bon-Barnard et al., and published in the International Journal of Managing Projects in Business in 2016. The article addresses the importance of trust and collaboration in management success, high levels of which are expected and required to improve the outcomes of high-end projects. Nevertheless, the link between trust, collaboration, and success remains uncertain, as there is a multitude of variables involved.

Methodology

The article is using a mixed method approach, combining both qualitative and quantitative factors. The qualitative part is presented in a literature review, providing important background information to inform the framework and generate hypotheses. The subjects covered by the literature review include the level of trust construct, imported trust, expectations, the degree of collaboration construct, as well as a series of other factors, such as relationships, coordination, proximity, commitment, and conflict.

The information is synthesized and provided in a concise manner. According to the preliminary qualitative findings, the connection between the three primary areas of interest is linear. The chain starts with the level of trust, which affects the parameters of expectations, knowledge exchange, and imported trust, thus, in turn, influencing the degree of collaboration between the employees. The degree of collaboration is affected by coordination, relationships between individual members, and the incentives provided. A higher degree of collaboration, thus, leads to better project performance, constituting project management success. The hypotheses of the research, based on the information provided above, are the following:

• H1. PM success becomes more likely as the degree of collaboration increases.
• H2. The degree of collaboration increases as the level of trust in the project increases (Bon-Barnard et al. 441).

The second part of the research is quantitative, based on a questionnaire. The purpose of this part was to obtain quantitative data about the level of trust, the degree of collaboration, and the perceived likelihood of project success. The researchers used a ten-point scale to allow the respondents to grade their thoughts and experiences. According to Bon-Barnard et al., purposive sampling was used, addressing 150 employees of five different companies (441).

The surveys were completed online. In order to ensure as little bias as possible, the researchers selected the respondents from all around the world. The majority of the respondents were males, half of whom were project leaders. Female representation in both employee and project leader subcategories was at around 15%. Average responder age: 35 years. The results were analyzed using the SEM model.

Findings

The findings produced by the surveys largely reflected the theoretical model constructed based on the findings in academic literature. As stated by Bon-Barnard et al., the model as a whole account for why the endogenous variables, trust, and collaboration, co-vary with each other and also with the exogenous variables (447). Trust was found to be associated the most with the expectations criteria (0.869), whereas imported trust had the least influence on the end result (0.497) (Bon-Barnard et al. 445). High trust levels also have a significant effect on knowledge exchange (0.814) (Bon-Barnard et al. 445). It is rationalized that the higher the level of trust is between individual members, the more likely it is for them to delegate tasks and share information to improve outcomes.

The degree of collaboration has shown to have the highest influence on coordination and relationships, thus improving the overall climate in the project teams. At the same time, proximity and incentives were noted to be the least important factors. One could theorize that the level of trust does not have as much effect on these factors due to its relatively far positioning in the chain. The connections between the levels of trust, the degree of collaboration, and the rates for project management success have proven to be relatively solid, with the results of 0.768 and 0.792 (Bon-Barnard et al. 449).

Conclusions

Both hypotheses that were stated at the beginning of the research have been confirmed with a relatively high degree of precision. The forward correlational relationship between levels of trust, cooperation, and project management success has been confirmed (Bon-Barnard et al. 450).

However, there is not enough data to support a backward correlation of the process in the same manner. It is important to note that the proximity between members, imported trust, and the levels of risk play a significantly lesser part in determining the successfulness of the project when compared to expectations, knowledge exchange, and the relationships between individual members. Further validation of findings is required, as the results were based on the perceived successes in the project as a contrast to actual performance. Additional studies based on failed projects may provide an important counterpoint to this study.

Work Cited

Bon-Barnard, Taryn J., et al. Linking Trust and Collaboration in Project Teams to Project Management Success. International Journal of Managing Projects in Business, vol. 11, no. 2, 2018, pp. 432-457.

Introduction

Conflicts are inevitable in the lives of people. A person can be involved in a conflict situation with family members and friends as well as colleagues or even strangers. Conflicts are usually caused by the incompatibility of principles, aims, interests, or experiences. In every case, the success of conflict resolution depends on the selected strategy. In its turn, the choice of a strategy for conflict resolution is determined by the type of conflict, usually people- or issue-focused.

Whetten and Cameron (387) suggest a two-dimensional model of conflict behavior based on such characteristics as assertiveness and cooperativeness. It includes five approaches to conflict management such as avoiding, accommodation, compromising, forcing, and collaboration. Traditionally, compromising is considered the most appropriate approach which is intermediate between assertiveness and cooperativeness.

However, Whetten and Cameron (388) claim that the collaborating approach can be more efficient because it can address fully the concerns of both parties. Thus, collaborating seems to be the most constructive way of conflict resolution.

Logical Appeal

Collaboration as a way of conflict resolution is efficient in the majority of cases (Huebsch). It presupposes the development of the best possible solution for all conflicting parties. The advantages of collaboration include the opportunity to express the concerns of every party and work together to develop solutions favorable for all the parties involved (Huebsch). Collaboration is frequently treated as a problem-solving method (Whetten and Cameron 388).

Moreover, it also includes a creative component that allows for developing non-common or non-traditional solutions. Collaboration is considered to be the approach that is aimed at developing the solutions able to satisfy both parties. Its peculiarity is the determination of the cause of the conflict and not finding someone to blame. This specific feature makes collaboration a rational approach suitable for diverse conflict situations. Moreover, collaboration is based on respect.

Compromise takes an intermediate position in the two-dimensional model of conflict behavior (Whetten and Cameron 387). Although frequently considered a favorable outcome, compromise can provide only partial satisfaction for the participants of the conflict. It means that every party has to sacrifice or make some concessions to obtain a common gain (Whetten and Cameron 388). Still, compromise can be appropriate in some conflict situations.

For example, in case the goals are of moderate significance and the collaboration approach application is unjustified, compromise can be used (Conflict Management Techniques). Another situation that allows compromise as a conflict-resolving method is the one that needs a temporary decision on more complex problems. Moreover, compromise can become a first step in the relations of new partners that have not developed mutual trust and do not have any experience of collaboration. Still, in many conflict situations, the attempt to apply compromise as a resolving approach can lead to dissatisfaction with both parties. Moreover, it does not stimulate the development of trusted partnerships.

Generally speaking, while both collaboration and compromise can be efficient in certain situations, the overuse of the latter can lead to hasty solutions. Moreover, a lack of collaboration in the resolution of conflicts restrains innovation due to the lack of creative problem-solving. The collaboration that is known as a win-win approach provides the most benefits for every party involved in the conflict and lays the groundwork for future cooperation because it reveals and solves the existing and does not conceal them.

Emotional Appeal

The resolution of conflicts is connected with such emotional human needs as belonging and achievement. In this respect, compromise would not be effective. On the one hand, this approach seems fair to both sides (Whetten and Cameron 388). On the other hand, however, it is frequently illogical and impractical. Moreover, it does not lead to the solution of a problem that caused conflict and thus compromising decisions cannot be considered an achievement in most of the cases.

Another important thing to consider about compromise for conflict resolution is its influence on the parties involved. Thus, the members of the teams can feel underestimated or having no power in case their conflict is resolved with the help of compromise. Consequently, they can lose the sense of belonging to a team which can cause further conflicts.

In the case of a collaborative approach that follows a win-win model, all parties experience the feeling of success which helps to meet the need for achievement. The use of this approach creates a collaborative environment that is able to reduce conflict situations. Moreover, collaborative conflict resolution is aimed at long-term relations built on trust and respect and addressing the interests of all the parties involved. It also contributes to the sense of belonging because collaboration considers the interests and suggestions of all the participants.

Establishing Credibility

The use of the collaboration approach can suit many conflict situations in diverse locations. Its specific feature is the common solving of the problem. This strategy presupposes a dialogue that helps to clear up the positions of the involved parties and study the existing facts. The outcome of this solution is usually fair and does not reduce the quality of the action or decision that caused the conflict.

Collaboration is a strategy that can be used for both personal conflicts and for crisis management in megaprojects. A study by Smits and Brownlow discover the cross-corporate culture conflict and its resolution with the help of collaboration strategy (395). The authors define the problems that can lead to ineffective collaboration and consider corporate ethnocentrism to be one of them. Although Smits and Brownlow define cross-corporate culture conflicts as challenges for the success of the project, their study proves that collaboration is a successful method of conflict resolution.

At the same time, compromise can also be efficient. I have experienced a conflict involving an employee being constantly late and the manager who was not satisfied with this situation. The conflict had to be resolved because the manager was ready to fire the employee. The employee was usually late because of transportation problems. Moreover, he was a good worker and the company needed him. Thus, they came to a compromise that the employee can be late not more than ten minutes. Probably, it was not the best solution, but both parties partially benefited. The manager retained the employee, and the employee preserved his position. Still, the initial problem was not eliminated.

Conclusion

On the whole, the choice of conflict resolution approach depends the situation and intentions of the parties involved. Compromise and collaboration as the most popular approaches have their own benefits and disadvantages. However, I consider collaboration to be more effective because it does not provide a temporary immediate result, but is aimed at the elimination of the conflict reasons. Moreover, it stimulates the development of a collaborative culture which can reduce the number of conflicts. In addition, the collaborative approach provides mutually beneficial solutions while compromise presupposes partial satisfaction.

Works Cited

Conflict Management Techniques.. Web.

Huebsch, Russel. The Advantages and Disadvantages of Collaborating Conflict Management. Chron. Web.

Smits, Karen, and Robert A. Brownlow. Collaboration and Crisis in Mega Projects: A Study in Cross Corporate Culture Conflict and Its Resolution. Independent Journal of Management & Production, vol. 8, no. 2, 2017, pp. 395-415.

Whetten, David A, and Kim S Cameron. Developing Management Skills. 7th ed., Pearson Education, 2015.

Art and science have for a long time been complemented in several ways. It is difficult to differentiate the key features between the two. The key variance is that art is subjective, unlike objective science. Art expresses knowledge whereas science depicts the acquisition of knowledge. The collaboration between art and science has led to significant innovation in many fields. This paper explores the practical applications that result in collaboration between art and science.

Due to the interdependence between science and art, it is possible to find artists working in laboratories while scientists work in museums. For example, biotechnology involves artists working with live organisms and morphological transformations by using scientific methodology to conclude on various features (Lesson N7  Art, Science, and Technology: Design, Gestalt and the Scientific method, 2021). Collaboration between art and science has resulted in concepts such as networks and technologies. For instance, in the aircraft industry, planes are made streamlined with narrow wings to lower friction levels. The development of the airplane is artistic while the concept of reducing dragging force is scientific.

In fluid mechanics, the study of motions that liquids take is science-centric while the development of patterns that come as a result of the motion is more artistic. The framers of the hydrodynamics concept used both science and art to realize the theory of hydrokinetics which gives the rationale of pressure velocity and density for the energy of moving fluid (Eldred, 2016). Applications of hydrodynamics including pumps, aircraft, and spillway dams are evident.

In music production, science is applied in integrating recording gears, synthesizers, and effects devices. Art is evident in the same industry where music studios have assorted equipment that facilitates effective audibility when a singer is recording (Cook, 2016). The arrangement and installation of electronics for audio and video production are artistic since disruptions are barred by having sound engineering proficiencies. From the analysis, it is clear that science and art have complemented each other in designing, developing theories, and advancement of many fields such as transport and entertainment.

References

Cook, P. (2016). Adding art to STEM. Communications Of The ACM, 59(10), 8-9.

Eldred, S. (2016). Artscience collaborations: Change of perspective. Nature, 537(7618), 125-126.

Lesson Nº 7  Art, Science, and Technology: Design, Gestalt and the Scientific method. (2021). Lecture, United Arab Emirates.