MY FIRST EXPERIENCES IN BLOGGING

This is my first experiences using blog to doing my assignment in subject Organizational Behaviour For knowledge Management (OBKM) teaching by Mr Gerald Goh in this long trimester. I feel luckily and happy because this was my last blog that I need to do in this subject. In this last blog, Mr Gerald Goh wants us to comments of our experience in blogging this trimester.

I still remember when I came into the OBKM class in first day, where Mr Gerald Goh announced that our assignment must be done it in the blogspot. At that time I feel shock because I didn’t what is the blogspot is. But hopefully my friends Miss Lillian voon has explain it to me, where I needed to create my own blog in www.blogspot.com.

Before I go no, according Google search engine the weblog is a Web site that contains dated text entries in reverse chronological order (most recent first) about a particular topic. They can be written by one person or a group of contributors. Entries contain commentary and links to other Web sites, and images as well as a search facility may be included and may also contain video.

Actually, this is my first time know the blogging so I would not know what is the blogging about? However the first perception on blogging that I know is a kind of sharing the personal detail or information in the Internet same like the personal diary. I have hear the word blogging with my friend when I join them where they all talking very frequent as know it must very popular thing. Example was one of my friend has 5 of the weblog, maybe he very love in sharing he personal information with he friends in weblog. However, now I already know the weblog is, and I will not amuse by my friends again. THANKS to my OBKM lecturer because let us do the assignment in the form of blogging.

Because of first time in blogging, I feel a little stress where my first and second blog need to be re-do back again because the assignment that I done is out of the topic and didn’t meet the theory. Hopefully my OBKM lecturer teaching us how to maintain and manage the stress, so I not to prefer jump because of stress (joking ok).

What do I think of blogging as a form of assignment? Wow this is a good asking question. In my whole life I never done my assignment in weblog when I first came in Multi Media University (MMU). However, I like doing assignment in the weblog. why? Because it was save our paper or resources and our money and time, example was not like others assignment that our lecturer needs us to print out in the form of hardcopy and softcopy before we summit it, where we need to use our money in printing and binding (waste money and time), but softcopy is ok la. Therefore, I think blogging as form of assignment is quite good and interesting and also makes me learn something new thing.

In term of challenges, I think it is not too difficult to me, where is depend on the question or tasks that provide by our lecturer. However, in this time I think is was very hassle (maybe for me only) to do the blog. I was saying that because first and second blog I re-do again maybe I lack of provide the example and experiences compare with others. Some time also I really want to prefer others assignment papers where I only need to do (Introduction, research methodology, recommendation, conclusion and etc). But is time, I need to read others blog to understand their theory and example to make sure that I will not do wrong again in next tasks. And in there, I has learn that I must improve my reading and writing well through the blogging. Beside that, it also has challenges to me because difficulty in upload the picture and video to my blog, but hopefully I applies Holland’s Occupational Choice theory which I need to success in my career I must depend on my-self and Individualism person so I settle it by my-self where I able to upload picture only. And in here I has learn that I need to applies collectivism to know more others knowledge where is suited to my major Knowledge Management and must know more the information and technology well for the future used.

The reflection part is the most difficult part to me, because very times I do the reflection I need to prefer my classmate blog first to understand more clearly what the reflection is about. Besides, Mr. Gerald always told me that i was lack of reflection in my blog. For example in my first blog (values play a pivotal role in KFC restaurant), there was a lot of mistake or my reflection not meet the theories. So in there I was a little stress, which I will lose my marks in there (30% in reflection). But, I have give change to do the better reflection portion in my blog although it might difficult and I want to make all the readers to understand what I am saying about and will not feel bored in my blog when they read through it.

In this blog also, I can applies to one of the theory is called the Johari Window theory, for example, when I blogging I will share my knowledge and tell to my friend about what I am saying, and then I will receive their feedback about my performances. Besides that, I also can be more to contact or interacting with my friends through this weblog, which can increase our relationships also. So blogging is a popular way to sharing knowledge although there was some of them still didn’t know this kind weblog yet.

Last for me, this whole blogging as a form of assignment is really good for both the students and the lecturers. It really saves time, and makes knowledge sharing easier. I think this kind of activities should be more practiced in the university by the lecturers. And lastly, I want thanks to all my OBKM friends in helping me when I have difficulty and Mr Gerald Goh teaching us this trimester. (GOOD LUCK TO YOU ALL IN FINAL)





REFERENCES:

1. www.google.com

2. McShane & von Glinow2007, from Organizational Behaviour, McGRAW. HILL INTERNATIONAL EDITION.

knowledge Sharing

Implementing knowledge management is difficult in organizations because many employees are afraid to share their knowledge. This sentence is true for me because nowadays people are afraid to share their knowledge and experience with other because want to keep in the job position. We need to change the people mind that “sharing knowledge” is the common cultural in our life. Therefore, I will suggest way to encourages people thought to share their knowledge.

Before we go on, I will discuss about what are the different between knowledge and knowledge management to make more understanding and interesting of our discussion. Knowledge has two types: “Tacit and Explicit Knowledge”. Tacit or uncodified knowledge is considered more valuable because it provides context for people, places, ideas, and experiences. Effective transfer of tacit knowledge generally requires extensive personal contact and trust. Example, the team meeting and discussion. On other hand, explicit or codified knowledge is obvious and easy to communicate to others. Example, specific instructions by supervisor to employees on how to operate machinery.

Figures: Nonaka's spiral of knowledge

There are many definitions of Knowledge Management (KM) and one of the definitions by the person Hibbard. Knowledge Management is the process of gathering a firm collective expertise where it resides in database, on paper, or in peoples head and distributing it to where it can help produce the biggest payoff. (Hibbard 1997).

Beside that, KM is the discipline of capturing knowledge-based competencies and then storing and diffusing that knowledge into business. It is also the systematic and organised attempt to use knowledge within an organization to improve performance. (KPMG 2000) KM is conscious strategy of getting the right knowledge to the right people at the right time, it also helping people share and put info action in way that strives to improve organisational performance. (O Dell catal 2000).

I here want suggest that the places such as knowledge bank are able to encourage people to share knowledge, expertise, and experiences on the better way. Example knowledge Bank in Multimedia University Malaysia, all staff and students are freely share of their knowledge in that bank. With this system student and staff can access to the knowledge bank and get the information they required on doing assignment and staff can get the knowledge to preparing learning material to students and also this create a better cultural on this university between staff and students.

Knowledge bank is a better way to share knowledge because people are afraid, ashamed and feel not secure to do sharing in openness and this will waste the knowledge, but with knowledge bank people can share their expertise and knowledge in the free way without any cost( just sign up) and in any time they want (password and user ID).

The most effective way to encourage people to share knowledge was motivating them with rewards. There are many types of the rewards such as membership and seniority-based, job status, competencies-based rewards and performances based rewards. As we know people are greedy with money and will not share anything if they do not have any benefit or rewards, so with power of money we can encourages them to share their expertise and idea to organisation and people. For example, the motto competitition in Multimedia University (MMU) encourages the students to come out the new motto for MMU by giving them the certificate and rewards to the winner. So rewards are playing an importance tool to people to share out their knowledge.

I still remember with my topic of my assignment, the communities of practises (CoPs)This is the knowledge management best tool. Communities of practise is a place people to exchange, to reflect and a place to find new information, and etc. With CoPs , member of a community tend to make better progress, knowledge are through enculturation (collective memory) and good communities are knowledge management awareness. Besides that, CoPs is one of the most effective ways to create and leverage the knowledge an organization needs to sustain a strategic advantages.

Community of Practise Model

Theory of learned needs

Need for Achievement (nAch)

People with a high need for achievement (nAch) seek to excel and thus tend to avoid both low-risk and high- risk situations. For example, achievers avoid low-risk situations because the easily attained success is not a genuine achievement. In high-risk projects, achievers see the outcome as one of chance rather than ones own effort. High Need for achievement individuals prefer work that has a moderate probably of success. Achievers need regular feedback in order to monitor the progress of their achievements. They prefer either to work alone or with other high achievers.


Need for Affiliation (nAff)

Need for affiliation (nAff) refers to a desire to seek approval from others, conform to their wishes and expectations, and avoid conflict and confrontation. Those with a high need for affiliation (nAff) need harmonious relationships with other people and need to feel accepted by other people. They tend to conform to the norms of their group. High Need for Affiliation individuals prefer work that provides significant personal interaction. They perform well in customer service and client interaction situations.


Need for Power (nPow)

People with a high need for power (nPow) want to exercise control over others and are concerned about maintaining their leadership positions. A person need for power (nPow) can be one of two types – personal and institutional. Those who need personal power want to direct others, and this need often is perceived as undesirable. Persons who need institutional power want to organize the efforts of others to further the goals of the organization. For example, manager with a high need for institutional power tend to be more effective than those with a high need for personal power.

In my perspective, knowledge is very valuable intangible asset, but without sharing knowledge people will lost a lot of experience and expertise that can’t be find back if knowledge is died. So share the knowledge when we still alive in the way that I has suggested as above.


REFERENCES

1. http://www.wikipedia.com

2. McShane & von Glinow2007, from Organizational Behaviour, McGRAW. HILL INTERNATIONAL EDITION

3. http://www.knowinc.com

4. http://tecfa.unige.ch/guides/tie/html/tie-talk06/tie-talk06-20.html

5. http://informationr.net/ir/8-1/paper142.html

KNOWLEDGE SHARING

Implementing knowledge management is difficult in organizations because many employees are afraid to share their knowledge. This sentence is true for me because nowadays people are afraid to share their knowledge and experience with other because want to keep in the job position. We need to change the people mind that “sharing knowledge” is the common cultural in our life. Therefore, I will suggest way to encourages people thought to share their knowledge.

Before we go on, I will discuss about what are the different between knowledge and knowledge management to make more understanding and interesting of our discussion. Knowledge has two types: “Tacit and Explicit Knowledge”. Tacit or uncodified knowledge is considered more valuable because it provides context for people, places, ideas, and experiences. Effective transfer of tacit knowledge generally requires extensive personal contact and trust. Example, the team meeting and discussion. On other hand, explicit or codified knowledge is obvious and easy to communicate to others. Example, specific instructions on how to operate machinery.

Figures: Nonaka's spiral of knowledge


There are many definitions of Knowledge Management (KM) and one of the definitions by the person Hibbard. Knowledge Management is the process of gathering a firm collective expertise where it resides in database, on paper, or in peoples head and distributing it to where it can help produce the biggest payoff. (Hibbard 1997)

Beside that, KM is the discipline of capturing knowledge-based competencies and then storing and diffusing that knowledge into business. It is also the systematic and organised attempt to use knowledge within an organization to improve performance. (KPMG 2000) KM is conscious strategy of getting the right knowledge to the right people at the right time, it also helping people share and put info action in way that strives to improve organisational performance. (O Dell catal 2000)

I here want suggest that the places such as knowledge bank are able to encourage people to share knowledge, expertise, and experiences on the better way. Example knowledge Bank in Multimedia University Malaysia, all staff and students are freely share of their knowledge in that bank. With this system student and staff can access to the knowledge bank and get the information they required on doing assignment and staff can get the knowledge to preparing learning material to students and also this create a better cultural on this university between staff and students.

Knowledge bank is a better way to share knowledge because people are afraid, ashamed and feel not secure to do sharing in openness and this will waste the knowledge, but with knowledge bank people can share their expertise and knowledge in the free way without any cost( just sign up) and in any time they want (password and user ID).

The most effective way to encourage people to share knowledge was motivating them with rewards. There are many types of the rewards such as membership and seniority-based, job status, competencies-based rewards and performances based rewards. As we know people are greedy with money and will not share anything if they do not have any benefit or rewards, so with power of money we can encourages them to share their expertise and idea to organisation and people. For example, the motto competitition in Multimedia University (MMU) encourages the students to come out the new motto for MMU by giving them the certificate and rewards to the winner. So rewards are playing an importance tool to people to share out their knowledge.

I still remember with my topic of my assignment, the communities of practises (CoPs)
This is the knowledge management best tool. Communities of practise is a place people to exchange, to reflect and a place to find information, new and etc. With CoPs , member of a community tend to make better progress, knowledge are through enculturation (collective memory) and good communities are knowledge management awareness. Besides that, CoPs is one of the most effective ways to create and leverage the knowledge an organization needs to sustain a strategic advantage.

Community of Practise Model


In my perspective, knowledge is very valuable intangible asset, but without sharing knowledge people will lost a lot of experience and expertise that can’t be find back if knowledge is died. So share the knowledge when we still alive in the way that I has suggested as above.



REFERENCES

1. http://www.wikipedia.com

2. McShane & von Glinow2007, from Organizational Behaviour, McGRAW. HILL INTERNATIONAL EDITION

3. http://www.knowinc.com

4. http://tecfa.unige.ch/guides/tie/html/tie-talk06/tie-talk06-20.html

5. http://informationr.net/ir/8-1/paper142.html

The values across cultures: " Individualism vs Collectivism, Power Distance, Achievement- Nurturing"

Nowadays, there are many values that people and organizations usually practices. The key values that play a pivotal role and probably effect the people and organisations are tend to subscribe is individual-collectivism, power distance and achievement-nurturing. In other word I will discuss all the above with sharing some of my experiences to make us more understand on these values. Individualism versus collectivism Individualism and the collectivism is the two commonly mentioned across-cultural value. The individualism is the extent to which a person values independence and personal uniqueness, while the collectivism is extent to which people value duty to groups to which they belong and to group harmony Individualism and collectivism are cultural traits that describe the common attitude toward the individual as compared to the group (Kim & Hakkoe, 1994). For example a canonical comparison of individualism and collectivism on the cultural scale are the United States, which ranks as a highly individualist society, and Japan, which ranks as a highly collectivist society. Individualism is more focus on the personals goal, hard work and individual achievement purpose rather than the groups. Some said that Individualism has a controversial relationship with egoism (selfishness). For example, the Singaporean are likely to be said is very highly individualism which the employees will always fight for the benefit by themselves and they are very egoism intense of sharing skill or knowledge among themselves because want to protect their career. For info, I had the experience which my friend who are very highly individualism. This person is very self-sufficiency and very personal freedom where he is very independence when doing their assignment alone and didn’t need their friend help. Mean that this person is very high individualism because he don’t like doing the assignment in the group because he want to keep their work in personally with he ability. Some time he gets the low score in their assignment is because the assignments sometime need a group discussion to do better than individual. In contrast, collectivism is focus on strong association to groups including family and work units. For example, blame for making bad decision is share among group members. Beside that, I had a experience in this collectivism value where my best friend invite me playing futsal with other friend and during the match our team have a some misleading in the pointed and make the situation come worse and hopefully my friend are able to control the situation to be comedown. So in the case, my friend is very caring with us during the match and asks the result our team wins the match in excited. Power Distance The power distance is a degree to which a society expects there to be differences in the levels of power. A high score suggests that there is an expectation that some individuals with larger amounts of power than others. A low score reflects the view that all people should have equal rights. Power distance is importance and it considers very high values in the Asian countries including in Malaysia. For example, New Zealand and Denmark expect and accept power relations that are more consultative or democratic. People relate to one another more as equals regardless of formal positions. Subordinates are more comfortable with and demand the right to contribute to and critique the decision making of those in power. In large power distance countries, Malaysia is less powerful accepts power relations that are more autocratic and paternalistic. Subordinates acknowledge the power of others simply based on where they are situated in certain formal, hierarchical positions. As such the Power Distance Index Hofstede defines does not reflect an objective difference in power distribution but rather the way people perceive power differences. (Geert hofstede 2001) Achievement versus nurturing Achievement-nurturing orientation reflects a competitive versus cooperation view of relations with other people. People with high achievement orientation value assertiveness, competitiveness, and materialism. They appreciate people who are tough and favor the acquisition of money and the material goods. In contrast, people in nurturing oriented cultures emphasize relationships and the well being of others. They focus on human interaction and caring rather than competition and personal success. For example, the people in Norway can be score in low achievement oriented because the Norway People are not materialist as we can see that Norway is the low crime rate in the world. Beside that, I had experience which my friend are very high achievement because he always very greedy in term of material because when i In other hand, nurturing is focus on caring with other people who need assistance and support. In our life, our parent is nurturing us until we are able to independence. They always make sure we all are growth in the better life with enough wear, use, eat and protection. Beside that also, nurse also play an importance role when the patient are in sick. Nurse is example of the nurturing person n the human life when the patients need the caring. I had is experience when my uncle are caring by the nurse when we are not around my uncle. They give my uncle a very comfortable service and tool that needed by patient. The above cross-cultural values are very importance to the all kinds of organizational but they have the difference value across boundary. Difference culture have difference values, and it same to the difference countries too. The successful apply the better value will help the organisation more sustainable and gain more profitable than others. REFERENCES 1. Mc Shane, SL & Von Glinow, MA2008 Organizational Behavior, 4TH edn, McGraw- Hill, USA 2. http://www.itchybrainscentral.com/personality-culture-individualism-collectivism-paper.html 3. http://www.wikipedia.org/ 4. Ivancevich, JM, Konopaske, R & Matteson, MT 2008, Organizational Behavior and Management, 8th edn., McGraw-Hill, USA.

values play a pivotal role in KFC restaurant

Today, the successful organisation to competitive advantages in the businesses is more depend on the value that applied in the organisation. The key values that organisations tend to subscribe are such as individual-collectivism, power distance, achievement-nurturing and the several key values. When we talking about quick-fast services and food we will always thinking about the Kentucky Fried Chicken (KFC), Mc Donald, and Kenny Roger restaurants. Today what I want talking is we always feed at this kind of the service product but have we think that this organisational value or cultures are? Of course, we will not think about that, but what I would like to share is the organisation value of these entities (KFC restaurant). See first what is KFC restaurants http://www.kfc.com.my. Before I go on, I would like to clear that the high values are important in certain organization to determine that the success of the organisation goal and mission. The value of an organisation are determining by the better value culture of the organisation. In Malaysia KFC restaurants, the value culture among the staff can be saying high or moderate but is depend on certain area or branch. For example, I have seen that the relationship among the staff and employees in KFC restaurant in Gajah Berang, Malacca is very good during my secondary school time and this create a better value culture to the organisation. The benefit of the high or moderate value culture also leads to the low turnover among the staff or employees and the organisation can gain more profits due to the more skillful and experiences workers. Individualism and the collectivism is the two commonly mentioned cross-cultural value. The individualism is the extent to which a person values independence and personal uniqueness, while the collectivism is extent to which people value duty to groups to which they belong and to group harmony. Individualism value in KFC restaurants can be tend moderate low because most of their workers are been control by their staff or top management people, so they are not freedom or self-sufficient during working time. In contrast, collectivism value could be say high because the organisations are prepared the security and the uniform for their workers. For example, the workers who wear the company uniform with the KFC logo can be easy known among of them and these create a tradition and conformity of the company. Power distance is importance and it considers very high values in the Asian countries including in Malaysia. The power distance is the extent to which people accept unequal distribution of power in a society. The power distance in this organisation can be considered high. For example I have seen that branch manager given the command to the new staffs about the cleanness of the company and the staffs are receiving without any prejudice or egoism. My experiences also have seen a new staffs are able to conduct my order and even sometime also the staffs are aided by their senior or superior indirectly through formal procedures rather than directly. The achievement-nurturing is reflecting a competitive versus cooperative view of relations with other people. Example people with high achievement orientation value assertiveness, materialism and competitiveness. While in contrast, the nurturing oriented cultures are emphasize relationship and the well-being of others. They are very high achievement oriented in this organization and their people. Why I has saying it? What will I mention later may be some of the people will agree with it. I have the experiences before and recently on this restaurant in one of the Malacca branch where when I need to pay the order is all RM 6.90 for that meal and I give RM 10 for the transaction and the counter did not paying back in RM3.10 but RM3.00, when I asking where is the balance of RM0.10 and she say that is not coin. So the people in the organisation are sometime very materialistic. However, the nurturing oriented in these restaurants could be saying moderate high because each of the workers in this kind of restaurants is same. As we known, malaysian people are very caring and human interaction. Why I saying that because this is ours value cultural for the centuries ago. We can saw that people in Malaysia are more caring the people around them without look at race, religion and nation. The experience I have in this restaurant where their services are better good and difference we got from others restaurants. For example, when I have an order the staff will ask as with more manners and preparing meal in a few minute only and sometime I have see that the manager come out and ask for the customers about their services, products and cleanness of their restaurant. Sometime I have say that KFC restaurants is more nurturing oriented is because their meal especially meat are in the safe-keeping by HALAL in Malaysia. The halal in Malaysia is more responsibilities in doing jobs rather than the outside of our countries because some countries we can see they slaughtered the animals in very cruelty. So my opinion was the KFC restaurant in Malaysia are very nurturing on Malaysian people or consumers and this will bring the consumer have the trust on the organisation while make more return or profit to the organisation. http://www.youtube.com and type in chicken process. The uncertainty avoidance is the degree to which people tolerate ambiguity or feel threatened by ambiguity and uncertainty. The uncertainty avoidance score on these restaurants can be considering moderate high. The restaurant employee is usually preferred to direct communication. Example when the employee have doing the wrong order their will make a new order for the customers. The above cross-cultural values are very importance to the all kinds of organizational but they have the difference value across boundary. Difference culture have difference values, and it same to the difference countries too. The successful apply the better value will help the organisation more sustainable and gain more profitable than others. 863 words Reference: 1. Mc Shane, SL & Von Glinow, MA2008 Organizational Behavior, 4TH edn, McGraw- Hill, USA 2. Chanpoux, JE 2006, Organizational Bahavior: Integrating individuals, groups and organizations, Thomson, USA. 3.Ivancevich, JM, Konopaske, R & Matteson, MT 2008, Organizational Behavior and Management, 8th edn., McGraw-Hill, USA. 4. www.kfc.com.my