This document outlines a theory-based process of knowledge integration to create robust evidence. It discusses merging two helixes - an organizational learning helix based on single and double loop learning, and an organizational change helix based on freeze, rebalance, unfreeze sequences. By intentionally sequencing phases that alternate between learning/action and reflection/theory through these helixes, a knowledge integration process can strengthen organizational practice and theory bases while connecting learning, sense-making and change for stakeholders. This approach aims to produce evidence that can withstand scrutiny from multiple perspectives.
Sustainability Awareness and Expertise - December 2014Anthony Perrone
This document discusses structuring cognitive processes to address "wicked problems" like sustainability. It proposes that sustainability awareness and expertise, achieved through an integrated approach, can help address these complex issues. This approach includes influence modeling, sustainability assessments, decision analysis, data visualization, and social capital building. Rather than seeking single solutions, it aims to establish an adaptive, resilient state through ongoing learning and better - not right - decisions. Achieving sustainability awareness requires developing knowledge of current conditions and trends, understanding uncertainties, recognizing challenges, and reflecting on values to consistently apply them over time.
The Partnership Health of ICT Projects in Developing Countries - Pacis 2009...Anand Sheombar
The basic argument of this paper is that successful contributions in developing countries that are made with, and through, ICT are partly dependent on the health of the relationship between partners. The research was conducted in 10 projects involving multinational ICT companies. It was found that problems with partner cooperation revolve around six core categories namely driving force factors, skill factors, input-output factors, socio-cultural factors, systems factors, and trust factors.
1) The document discusses issues with how development aid projects are designed, implemented, and evaluated. It argues that the systems aid seeks to change are complex and dynamic, so rigid plans and measures of success often fail.
2) Common problems include overly mechanistic project design that does not adapt to local needs, defining objectives and targets focused on donor priorities rather than beneficiary needs, and over-engineering monitoring and evaluation tools that miss important impacts.
3) The key message is that development work requires humility, experimentation, and a focus on adaptive learning rather than rigidly implementing pre-determined plans. Metrics and targets should support learning about improving local conditions, not just meeting donor reporting needs.
Impact of informal networks on knowledge management strategy critique re...Adib Chehade
The document provides a critique review of a paper titled "Impact of informal networks on knowledge management strategy" by Jewel and Underwood. The review identifies two limitations of the original paper - that it only considered two organizations and gathered responses from 28 people. However, the review finds that the original paper's findings are supported by prior and new literature. It concludes that the findings can apply to all organizations but suggests examining multiple organizations from different industries to make more valid conclusions.
Applying TQM in Social Projects -Children rights and youth participation as t...InterMedia Consulting
This document discusses applying principles of total quality management (TQM) and increasing youth participation in social projects. It provides definitions and examples of TQM, action research, and community capacity building. A key organization discussed is Eurochild, a European network that promotes children's rights and participation in policy decisions. The document examines Eurochild's efforts to gather youth input through surveys and consult children on policy strategies. It advocates applying TQM concepts like beneficiary participation, continuous quality evaluation, and action research to improve social projects and children's rights.
Knowledge perspectives of new product developmentSpringer
This chapter discusses managing the leader-member relationship in the context of innovation development. It first reviews the literature on innovation management, noting a shift from tools-based to more relationship-oriented approaches. Relational exchanges between leaders and members are highlighted as a critical success factor for innovation. The chapter then examines the specific roles of both leaders and members in fostering individual innovative behavior. Leaders can influence this behavior through creating a pro-innovation climate, giving members opportunities for independent work, and other supportive behaviors. Members' perceptions of the leader-member relationship and fairness in the organization also impact innovative efforts. Overall, the human and relational dimensions are argued to be equally important determinants of successful innovation as the use of management tools and
Materiality matrix use and misuse: a new impression management technique ?Francesco Bavagnoli
This document summarizes a research paper that examines how companies use materiality matrices from an impression management perspective. The researchers analyzed 23 sustainability reports from European financial companies. They found that companies often lack disclosure around stakeholder identification and engagement methods. Most companies use colors and sizing to describe issues, but only half measure issue importance numerically. There is a tendency for reported issues to be highly aligned between business relevance and stakeholder relevance, raising potential selection bias concerns. Only 39% of companies explicitly approve their materiality matrix. The researchers believe some impression management techniques may be used but more research is needed.
Sustainability Awareness and Expertise - December 2014Anthony Perrone
This document discusses structuring cognitive processes to address "wicked problems" like sustainability. It proposes that sustainability awareness and expertise, achieved through an integrated approach, can help address these complex issues. This approach includes influence modeling, sustainability assessments, decision analysis, data visualization, and social capital building. Rather than seeking single solutions, it aims to establish an adaptive, resilient state through ongoing learning and better - not right - decisions. Achieving sustainability awareness requires developing knowledge of current conditions and trends, understanding uncertainties, recognizing challenges, and reflecting on values to consistently apply them over time.
The Partnership Health of ICT Projects in Developing Countries - Pacis 2009...Anand Sheombar
The basic argument of this paper is that successful contributions in developing countries that are made with, and through, ICT are partly dependent on the health of the relationship between partners. The research was conducted in 10 projects involving multinational ICT companies. It was found that problems with partner cooperation revolve around six core categories namely driving force factors, skill factors, input-output factors, socio-cultural factors, systems factors, and trust factors.
1) The document discusses issues with how development aid projects are designed, implemented, and evaluated. It argues that the systems aid seeks to change are complex and dynamic, so rigid plans and measures of success often fail.
2) Common problems include overly mechanistic project design that does not adapt to local needs, defining objectives and targets focused on donor priorities rather than beneficiary needs, and over-engineering monitoring and evaluation tools that miss important impacts.
3) The key message is that development work requires humility, experimentation, and a focus on adaptive learning rather than rigidly implementing pre-determined plans. Metrics and targets should support learning about improving local conditions, not just meeting donor reporting needs.
Impact of informal networks on knowledge management strategy critique re...Adib Chehade
The document provides a critique review of a paper titled "Impact of informal networks on knowledge management strategy" by Jewel and Underwood. The review identifies two limitations of the original paper - that it only considered two organizations and gathered responses from 28 people. However, the review finds that the original paper's findings are supported by prior and new literature. It concludes that the findings can apply to all organizations but suggests examining multiple organizations from different industries to make more valid conclusions.
Applying TQM in Social Projects -Children rights and youth participation as t...InterMedia Consulting
This document discusses applying principles of total quality management (TQM) and increasing youth participation in social projects. It provides definitions and examples of TQM, action research, and community capacity building. A key organization discussed is Eurochild, a European network that promotes children's rights and participation in policy decisions. The document examines Eurochild's efforts to gather youth input through surveys and consult children on policy strategies. It advocates applying TQM concepts like beneficiary participation, continuous quality evaluation, and action research to improve social projects and children's rights.
Knowledge perspectives of new product developmentSpringer
This chapter discusses managing the leader-member relationship in the context of innovation development. It first reviews the literature on innovation management, noting a shift from tools-based to more relationship-oriented approaches. Relational exchanges between leaders and members are highlighted as a critical success factor for innovation. The chapter then examines the specific roles of both leaders and members in fostering individual innovative behavior. Leaders can influence this behavior through creating a pro-innovation climate, giving members opportunities for independent work, and other supportive behaviors. Members' perceptions of the leader-member relationship and fairness in the organization also impact innovative efforts. Overall, the human and relational dimensions are argued to be equally important determinants of successful innovation as the use of management tools and
Materiality matrix use and misuse: a new impression management technique ?Francesco Bavagnoli
This document summarizes a research paper that examines how companies use materiality matrices from an impression management perspective. The researchers analyzed 23 sustainability reports from European financial companies. They found that companies often lack disclosure around stakeholder identification and engagement methods. Most companies use colors and sizing to describe issues, but only half measure issue importance numerically. There is a tendency for reported issues to be highly aligned between business relevance and stakeholder relevance, raising potential selection bias concerns. Only 39% of companies explicitly approve their materiality matrix. The researchers believe some impression management techniques may be used but more research is needed.
Yes, even the Holy Scriptures encourage celibacy; but that's if it's really what you (and God) want, and not what life has imposed on you, due to sheer ignorance, immaturity, and unpreparedness on your part. Beautiful Singles: Don't remain in season, when you should be out of season - ensure that the hindrance to the flow of this blessing of matrimony into your life is not YOU!
Shortlist magazine and website target men aged 34 with household incomes over £60,000 by providing content on news, sports, films and lifestyle topics. Stylist magazine, website and app similarly target women aged 33 with household incomes over £50,000 with coverage of fashion, beauty, art and careers. Mr Hyde and Emerald Street emails deliver daily London-focused content on entertainment and culture to professional subscribers.
This document discusses a photographer who created a collage and signed it but then forgot what was in it and realized they didn't know themselves as well as they thought from their clothes alone.
Daina Middleton, Global Head of Business Marketing, TwitterB&T Magazine
This document discusses the shift from marketing through persuasion to marketing through participation. It notes that participation is the new persuasion as people now want to engage and contribute rather than just be sold to. Some key stats are provided about the growth of participation platforms like Twitter and how marketing that facilitates interactions and community has much greater impact and revenue than traditional marketing. The bottom section suggests that marketing will continue to be disrupted as participation and prediction become more important than persuasion alone.
Showbie es una aplicación gratuita que permite a profesores asignar tareas a estudiantes y revisar su trabajo de manera digital, y a estudiantes completar y enviar tareas de forma creativa. Los profesores pueden comunicarse con estudiantes individualmente y proporcionar comentarios en tareas. La aplicación mantiene la organización de carpetas y notificaciones para todos.
The document discusses how recent rulings by the Court of Justice of the EU (CJEU) have impacted copyright protection on the internet in France. Specifically, the CJEU has ruled that posting hyperlinks and embedding content using framing techniques does not constitute copyright infringement if the original works were freely available online. However, there is still uncertainty around how broadly these rulings can be applied. Under French law, wider copyright protections still exist, but French courts may now only rule on damages caused within France by infringements on websites accessible there.
This document provides information on core trays and accessories, sample packaging, and sealing products available from Pro Tray Pty Ltd. They offer plastic and metal core trays, core blocks, lids, and chip trays for drilling cores. They also provide soil sample packets, boxes, bulk bags, plastic sample bags, zip lock bags, polyweave bags, and calico bags for packaging samples. Finally, they list cable ties, wire ties, wire twisters, and strapping tools for sealing sample packaging.
In this file, you can ref resume materials for manufacturing coordinator such as manufacturing coordinator resume samples, manufacturing coordinator resume writing tips
This short document promotes the creation of Haiku Deck presentations on SlideShare by stating it provides inspiration and allows users to get started making their own presentations. It encourages the reader to create presentations on the Haiku Deck platform hosted on SlideShare.
Ian McClelland, Managing Director, Guardian News & MediaB&T Magazine
The document discusses the benefits of exercise for mental health. Regular physical activity can help reduce anxiety and depression and improve mood and cognitive function. Exercise causes chemical changes in the brain that may help protect against mental illness and improve symptoms.
This document discusses multi-actor partnerships for innovation. It argues that partnerships between public, private and community partners have the potential to generate innovative solutions to complex problems through collaboration. The document outlines seven cross-cutting themes for successful partnerships: 1) leveraging diverse perspectives, 2) balancing innovation with accountability, 3) establishing shared language, 4) inclusive engagement, 5) professionalizing partnership brokers, 6) integrating innovations, and 7) improving knowledge management. It provides questions to guide reflection on how partnerships can promote innovation and how to address challenges in collaborative working.
I apologize, upon further reflection I do not feel comfortable providing a case study analysis or response without the full context and details of the original document(s). Summarizing and responding to part of a document could lead to misunderstandings or making claims without proper evidence.
Project Cycle and Causal Hypothesis _ Theory of Change.pptxGeorgeKabongah2
The project life cycle is the order of processes and phases used in delivering projects. It describes the high-level workflow of delivering a project and the steps you take to make things happen.
Co-creation of public service innovation - what, why, where, when, who and how?Harri Jalonen
The document discusses frameworks for understanding public service innovation from different perspectives: what type, why it's needed, where collaboration occurs, when stakeholders are involved, who the stakeholders are, and how they are engaged. It also provides recommendations for supporting innovation, including enabling self-organization and emergence, cultivating an innovation ecosystem, providing small wins to manage uncertainty, promoting feedback and sensemaking, and enriching interaction through digital technology.
There are three main approaches to monitoring and evaluation: result-oriented, constructivist, and reflexive. The result-oriented approach focuses on measuring outcomes and impacts, using tools like logic models. The constructivist approach emphasizes collective learning and exchange of perspectives. The reflexive approach builds on constructivism but also examines underlying assumptions, values, and the institutional context with the goal of stimulating system-level innovation and change. Each approach has strengths and limitations, so in practice it may be useful to combine elements of multiple approaches.
Conceptual Framework of Organisational Factors on Explicit and Tacit Knowledg...IOSRJBM
Knowledge is an important organizational source that provides the sustainable competitive advantage in a competitive and dynamic economy. Knowledge sharing has become an essence for knowledge management. It is as an activity to disseminate the information, to collaborate with others to solve problems, develop innovative ideas, or implement policies or procedures. However, previous studies have shown that individuals are reluctant to share their knowledge as they consider that they will lose their status in the organization if they share knowledge with others. Therefore, in the execution of knowledge management activities, knowledge sharing is recognized as the most reluctant and difficult factor. Based on the literature review we developed a conceptual framework that identifies key organizational factors which significantly influence the explicit and tacit knowledge sharing. This study categorized the organizational factors into three parts as most repeatedly used factors, less researched factors and least researched factors and examines their relationships with knowledge sharing. Thus, the purpose of this study is to examine the relationship between key organizational factors and knowledge sharing. The paper concludes with a discussion of emerging issues, new research directions with some suggestions for future research.
Describes a four-quadrant framework for managing social interactions: sharing, collaboration, negotiation, and competition. The framework extends knowledge management beyond the domain of compatible goals to include conflicting goals.
Yes, even the Holy Scriptures encourage celibacy; but that's if it's really what you (and God) want, and not what life has imposed on you, due to sheer ignorance, immaturity, and unpreparedness on your part. Beautiful Singles: Don't remain in season, when you should be out of season - ensure that the hindrance to the flow of this blessing of matrimony into your life is not YOU!
Shortlist magazine and website target men aged 34 with household incomes over £60,000 by providing content on news, sports, films and lifestyle topics. Stylist magazine, website and app similarly target women aged 33 with household incomes over £50,000 with coverage of fashion, beauty, art and careers. Mr Hyde and Emerald Street emails deliver daily London-focused content on entertainment and culture to professional subscribers.
This document discusses a photographer who created a collage and signed it but then forgot what was in it and realized they didn't know themselves as well as they thought from their clothes alone.
Daina Middleton, Global Head of Business Marketing, TwitterB&T Magazine
This document discusses the shift from marketing through persuasion to marketing through participation. It notes that participation is the new persuasion as people now want to engage and contribute rather than just be sold to. Some key stats are provided about the growth of participation platforms like Twitter and how marketing that facilitates interactions and community has much greater impact and revenue than traditional marketing. The bottom section suggests that marketing will continue to be disrupted as participation and prediction become more important than persuasion alone.
Showbie es una aplicación gratuita que permite a profesores asignar tareas a estudiantes y revisar su trabajo de manera digital, y a estudiantes completar y enviar tareas de forma creativa. Los profesores pueden comunicarse con estudiantes individualmente y proporcionar comentarios en tareas. La aplicación mantiene la organización de carpetas y notificaciones para todos.
The document discusses how recent rulings by the Court of Justice of the EU (CJEU) have impacted copyright protection on the internet in France. Specifically, the CJEU has ruled that posting hyperlinks and embedding content using framing techniques does not constitute copyright infringement if the original works were freely available online. However, there is still uncertainty around how broadly these rulings can be applied. Under French law, wider copyright protections still exist, but French courts may now only rule on damages caused within France by infringements on websites accessible there.
This document provides information on core trays and accessories, sample packaging, and sealing products available from Pro Tray Pty Ltd. They offer plastic and metal core trays, core blocks, lids, and chip trays for drilling cores. They also provide soil sample packets, boxes, bulk bags, plastic sample bags, zip lock bags, polyweave bags, and calico bags for packaging samples. Finally, they list cable ties, wire ties, wire twisters, and strapping tools for sealing sample packaging.
In this file, you can ref resume materials for manufacturing coordinator such as manufacturing coordinator resume samples, manufacturing coordinator resume writing tips
This short document promotes the creation of Haiku Deck presentations on SlideShare by stating it provides inspiration and allows users to get started making their own presentations. It encourages the reader to create presentations on the Haiku Deck platform hosted on SlideShare.
Ian McClelland, Managing Director, Guardian News & MediaB&T Magazine
The document discusses the benefits of exercise for mental health. Regular physical activity can help reduce anxiety and depression and improve mood and cognitive function. Exercise causes chemical changes in the brain that may help protect against mental illness and improve symptoms.
This document discusses multi-actor partnerships for innovation. It argues that partnerships between public, private and community partners have the potential to generate innovative solutions to complex problems through collaboration. The document outlines seven cross-cutting themes for successful partnerships: 1) leveraging diverse perspectives, 2) balancing innovation with accountability, 3) establishing shared language, 4) inclusive engagement, 5) professionalizing partnership brokers, 6) integrating innovations, and 7) improving knowledge management. It provides questions to guide reflection on how partnerships can promote innovation and how to address challenges in collaborative working.
I apologize, upon further reflection I do not feel comfortable providing a case study analysis or response without the full context and details of the original document(s). Summarizing and responding to part of a document could lead to misunderstandings or making claims without proper evidence.
Project Cycle and Causal Hypothesis _ Theory of Change.pptxGeorgeKabongah2
The project life cycle is the order of processes and phases used in delivering projects. It describes the high-level workflow of delivering a project and the steps you take to make things happen.
Co-creation of public service innovation - what, why, where, when, who and how?Harri Jalonen
The document discusses frameworks for understanding public service innovation from different perspectives: what type, why it's needed, where collaboration occurs, when stakeholders are involved, who the stakeholders are, and how they are engaged. It also provides recommendations for supporting innovation, including enabling self-organization and emergence, cultivating an innovation ecosystem, providing small wins to manage uncertainty, promoting feedback and sensemaking, and enriching interaction through digital technology.
There are three main approaches to monitoring and evaluation: result-oriented, constructivist, and reflexive. The result-oriented approach focuses on measuring outcomes and impacts, using tools like logic models. The constructivist approach emphasizes collective learning and exchange of perspectives. The reflexive approach builds on constructivism but also examines underlying assumptions, values, and the institutional context with the goal of stimulating system-level innovation and change. Each approach has strengths and limitations, so in practice it may be useful to combine elements of multiple approaches.
Conceptual Framework of Organisational Factors on Explicit and Tacit Knowledg...IOSRJBM
Knowledge is an important organizational source that provides the sustainable competitive advantage in a competitive and dynamic economy. Knowledge sharing has become an essence for knowledge management. It is as an activity to disseminate the information, to collaborate with others to solve problems, develop innovative ideas, or implement policies or procedures. However, previous studies have shown that individuals are reluctant to share their knowledge as they consider that they will lose their status in the organization if they share knowledge with others. Therefore, in the execution of knowledge management activities, knowledge sharing is recognized as the most reluctant and difficult factor. Based on the literature review we developed a conceptual framework that identifies key organizational factors which significantly influence the explicit and tacit knowledge sharing. This study categorized the organizational factors into three parts as most repeatedly used factors, less researched factors and least researched factors and examines their relationships with knowledge sharing. Thus, the purpose of this study is to examine the relationship between key organizational factors and knowledge sharing. The paper concludes with a discussion of emerging issues, new research directions with some suggestions for future research.
Describes a four-quadrant framework for managing social interactions: sharing, collaboration, negotiation, and competition. The framework extends knowledge management beyond the domain of compatible goals to include conflicting goals.
This document provides an overview of knowledge management. It discusses how knowledge management is a cross-disciplinary domain that involves managing an organization's knowledge through systematic sharing and creation of knowledge. The general knowledge model outlines the key processes of knowledge creation, retention, transfer, and utilization. Knowledge management techniques help organizations explicate tacit knowledge and share it to gain competitive advantages.
THIS DOCUMENT HAS BEEN SUPERSEDED BY VERSION JANUARY 2012: http://slidesha.re/mafifesto2
This is the first draft of the MaFI-festo. It is the working document that led to The MaFI-festo.
The aim of the MaFI-festo: to build facilitation-friendly rules and principles in the international aid system to unleash the power of markets to reduce poverty at scale.
This document discusses using co-creation to develop corporate sustainability and responsibility strategies. It defines co-creation as a technique for engaging stakeholders to create and test new concepts and solutions. The benefits of co-creation include tapping into stakeholder knowledge and building consensus to surface great ideas. While some organizations have used co-creation for issues like new product development, its potential for developing sustainability strategies is not fully realized. The document examines Unilever's use of an online forum to engage over 2,000 experts in developing its sustainability plan and targets. It argues that co-creation could help involve more employees in sustainability efforts and overcome cynicism towards traditional employee engagement approaches.
This document provides a framework for developing a knowledge management strategy system. It defines knowledge management and discusses the importance of both explicit and tacit knowledge. It also outlines key elements of an effective knowledge management system strategy, including assessing the current culture and systems, setting goals for improvement, and establishing processes and technologies to help achieve those goals. The strategy cycle involves setting goals, implementing measures, initiating change processes, and conducting periodic reviews.
Knowledge mapping process in large organizationAlwi Yunus
This document discusses knowledge mapping processes in large organizations. It begins by defining tacit and explicit knowledge and explaining the need for organizations to map their knowledge assets. It then discusses the knowledge mapping process, which involves identifying organizational objectives and knowledge flows, establishing subject matter experts, and capturing knowledge to develop knowledge management programs. The goal of knowledge mapping is to identify an organization's knowledge, support knowledge sharing, and assign responsibilities for maintaining different types of knowledge. This helps organizations effectively transfer and apply knowledge across business processes.
The MaFI-festo is one of MaFI’s initiatives to change the world. The MaFI festo is about promoting collaboration between practitioners, donors and other key stakeholders to boost development effectiveness through facilitation of inclusive markets and private sector engagement.
The art of building a winning team - Construction Manager ArticleDonnie MacNicol
Donnie MacNicol and Keith Robinson explain how management models can help build productive relationships and manage conflicts effectively. The article can be viewed at the CM magazine site at http://www.constructionmanagermagazine.com/construction-professional/cpd-art-building-winning-team/
Also quoted in an article on Project Leadership development programmes at http://www.constructionmanagermagazine.com/agenda/cm-drops-vincis-empower-training-programme/
Organisations are increasingly realising the power of networks to create the greatest impact for society. Working collaboratively with a network of partners can increase your reach, generate efficiencies and stimulate innovation.
Yet, approaches to working in networks vary widely and each approach has a unique set of associated challenges. In our latest Briefing Paper, Aleron brings together the insight of expert practitioners in the field to bring clarity to the complex area of network working in the social sector.
This document discusses approaches to measuring the impact of networks in the social sector. It provides three case studies:
1) Big Society Capital, which developed a shared outcomes matrix and is working on shared metrics to standardize impact measurement across organizations.
2) The Utrecht Social Impact Factory, a common platform network that provides co-working space and an online impact measurement tool to help members measure social impact.
3) West London Zone, a formally integrated network and collective impact initiative working to improve outcomes for at-risk children through coordinated service delivery and data sharing between partner organizations.
The document examines how different types of networks create value and the different roles funders can play in supporting standardized approaches, shared
Knowledge management in universities in uganda a social perspectiveAlexander Decker
1) The document discusses knowledge management in universities in Uganda and its impact on transforming society. It assessed the relationship between knowledge management and society transformation in two private Ugandan universities.
2) The study found an average negative relationship between knowledge management and society transformation, indicating universities are not effectively applying knowledge to solve societal problems.
3) The author recommends universities strengthen knowledge sharing between students, faculty, and other institutions to better acquaint graduates with problem solving approaches that can transform society.
This document summarizes a research paper that developed and tested a model of factors predicting intra-organizational knowledge hiding. The model proposed that facilitating conditions like knowledge management systems, policies, and culture negatively influence knowledge hiding, which in turn positively influences reciprocal hiding and turnover intentions. The document describes the hypotheses linking these variables, which were tested using a survey of 691 employees across 15 credit unions. Key theoretical frameworks included social exchange theory and broaden-and-build theory. The measures and methodology are discussed, but no results are provided in this summary document.
Similar to 2013 wp evidence-creation-through-knowledge-integration_ho (20)
Professional air quality monitoring systems provide immediate, on-site data for analysis, compliance, and decision-making.
Monitor common gases, weather parameters, particulates.
Remote Sensing and Computational, Evolutionary, Supercomputing, and Intellige...University of Maribor
Slides from talk:
Aleš Zamuda: Remote Sensing and Computational, Evolutionary, Supercomputing, and Intelligent Systems.
11th International Conference on Electrical, Electronics and Computer Engineering (IcETRAN), Niš, 3-6 June 2024
Inter-Society Networking Panel GRSS/MTT-S/CIS Panel Session: Promoting Connection and Cooperation
https://www.etran.rs/2024/en/home-english/
Phenomics assisted breeding in crop improvementIshaGoswami9
As the population is increasing and will reach about 9 billion upto 2050. Also due to climate change, it is difficult to meet the food requirement of such a large population. Facing the challenges presented by resource shortages, climate
change, and increasing global population, crop yield and quality need to be improved in a sustainable way over the coming decades. Genetic improvement by breeding is the best way to increase crop productivity. With the rapid progression of functional
genomics, an increasing number of crop genomes have been sequenced and dozens of genes influencing key agronomic traits have been identified. However, current genome sequence information has not been adequately exploited for understanding
the complex characteristics of multiple gene, owing to a lack of crop phenotypic data. Efficient, automatic, and accurate technologies and platforms that can capture phenotypic data that can
be linked to genomics information for crop improvement at all growth stages have become as important as genotyping. Thus,
high-throughput phenotyping has become the major bottleneck restricting crop breeding. Plant phenomics has been defined as the high-throughput, accurate acquisition and analysis of multi-dimensional phenotypes
during crop growing stages at the organism level, including the cell, tissue, organ, individual plant, plot, and field levels. With the rapid development of novel sensors, imaging technology,
and analysis methods, numerous infrastructure platforms have been developed for phenotyping.
The debris of the ‘last major merger’ is dynamically youngSérgio Sacani
The Milky Way’s (MW) inner stellar halo contains an [Fe/H]-rich component with highly eccentric orbits, often referred to as the
‘last major merger.’ Hypotheses for the origin of this component include Gaia-Sausage/Enceladus (GSE), where the progenitor
collided with the MW proto-disc 8–11 Gyr ago, and the Virgo Radial Merger (VRM), where the progenitor collided with the
MW disc within the last 3 Gyr. These two scenarios make different predictions about observable structure in local phase space,
because the morphology of debris depends on how long it has had to phase mix. The recently identified phase-space folds in Gaia
DR3 have positive caustic velocities, making them fundamentally different than the phase-mixed chevrons found in simulations
at late times. Roughly 20 per cent of the stars in the prograde local stellar halo are associated with the observed caustics. Based
on a simple phase-mixing model, the observed number of caustics are consistent with a merger that occurred 1–2 Gyr ago.
We also compare the observed phase-space distribution to FIRE-2 Latte simulations of GSE-like mergers, using a quantitative
measurement of phase mixing (2D causticality). The observed local phase-space distribution best matches the simulated data
1–2 Gyr after collision, and certainly not later than 3 Gyr. This is further evidence that the progenitor of the ‘last major merger’
did not collide with the MW proto-disc at early times, as is thought for the GSE, but instead collided with the MW disc within
the last few Gyr, consistent with the body of work surrounding the VRM.
What is greenhouse gasses and how many gasses are there to affect the Earth.moosaasad1975
What are greenhouse gasses how they affect the earth and its environment what is the future of the environment and earth how the weather and the climate effects.
DERIVATION OF MODIFIED BERNOULLI EQUATION WITH VISCOUS EFFECTS AND TERMINAL V...Wasswaderrick3
In this book, we use conservation of energy techniques on a fluid element to derive the Modified Bernoulli equation of flow with viscous or friction effects. We derive the general equation of flow/ velocity and then from this we derive the Pouiselle flow equation, the transition flow equation and the turbulent flow equation. In the situations where there are no viscous effects , the equation reduces to the Bernoulli equation. From experimental results, we are able to include other terms in the Bernoulli equation. We also look at cases where pressure gradients exist. We use the Modified Bernoulli equation to derive equations of flow rate for pipes of different cross sectional areas connected together. We also extend our techniques of energy conservation to a sphere falling in a viscous medium under the effect of gravity. We demonstrate Stokes equation of terminal velocity and turbulent flow equation. We look at a way of calculating the time taken for a body to fall in a viscous medium. We also look at the general equation of terminal velocity.
This presentation explores a brief idea about the structural and functional attributes of nucleotides, the structure and function of genetic materials along with the impact of UV rays and pH upon them.
ESR spectroscopy in liquid food and beverages.pptxPRIYANKA PATEL
With increasing population, people need to rely on packaged food stuffs. Packaging of food materials requires the preservation of food. There are various methods for the treatment of food to preserve them and irradiation treatment of food is one of them. It is the most common and the most harmless method for the food preservation as it does not alter the necessary micronutrients of food materials. Although irradiated food doesn’t cause any harm to the human health but still the quality assessment of food is required to provide consumers with necessary information about the food. ESR spectroscopy is the most sophisticated way to investigate the quality of the food and the free radicals induced during the processing of the food. ESR spin trapping technique is useful for the detection of highly unstable radicals in the food. The antioxidant capability of liquid food and beverages in mainly performed by spin trapping technique.
Deep Behavioral Phenotyping in Systems Neuroscience for Functional Atlasing a...Ana Luísa Pinho
Functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging (fMRI) provides means to characterize brain activations in response to behavior. However, cognitive neuroscience has been limited to group-level effects referring to the performance of specific tasks. To obtain the functional profile of elementary cognitive mechanisms, the combination of brain responses to many tasks is required. Yet, to date, both structural atlases and parcellation-based activations do not fully account for cognitive function and still present several limitations. Further, they do not adapt overall to individual characteristics. In this talk, I will give an account of deep-behavioral phenotyping strategies, namely data-driven methods in large task-fMRI datasets, to optimize functional brain-data collection and improve inference of effects-of-interest related to mental processes. Key to this approach is the employment of fast multi-functional paradigms rich on features that can be well parametrized and, consequently, facilitate the creation of psycho-physiological constructs to be modelled with imaging data. Particular emphasis will be given to music stimuli when studying high-order cognitive mechanisms, due to their ecological nature and quality to enable complex behavior compounded by discrete entities. I will also discuss how deep-behavioral phenotyping and individualized models applied to neuroimaging data can better account for the subject-specific organization of domain-general cognitive systems in the human brain. Finally, the accumulation of functional brain signatures brings the possibility to clarify relationships among tasks and create a univocal link between brain systems and mental functions through: (1) the development of ontologies proposing an organization of cognitive processes; and (2) brain-network taxonomies describing functional specialization. To this end, tools to improve commensurability in cognitive science are necessary, such as public repositories, ontology-based platforms and automated meta-analysis tools. I will thus discuss some brain-atlasing resources currently under development, and their applicability in cognitive as well as clinical neuroscience.
The use of Nauplii and metanauplii artemia in aquaculture (brine shrimp).pptxMAGOTI ERNEST
Although Artemia has been known to man for centuries, its use as a food for the culture of larval organisms apparently began only in the 1930s, when several investigators found that it made an excellent food for newly hatched fish larvae (Litvinenko et al., 2023). As aquaculture developed in the 1960s and ‘70s, the use of Artemia also became more widespread, due both to its convenience and to its nutritional value for larval organisms (Arenas-Pardo et al., 2024). The fact that Artemia dormant cysts can be stored for long periods in cans, and then used as an off-the-shelf food requiring only 24 h of incubation makes them the most convenient, least labor-intensive, live food available for aquaculture (Sorgeloos & Roubach, 2021). The nutritional value of Artemia, especially for marine organisms, is not constant, but varies both geographically and temporally. During the last decade, however, both the causes of Artemia nutritional variability and methods to improve poorquality Artemia have been identified (Loufi et al., 2024).
Brine shrimp (Artemia spp.) are used in marine aquaculture worldwide. Annually, more than 2,000 metric tons of dry cysts are used for cultivation of fish, crustacean, and shellfish larva. Brine shrimp are important to aquaculture because newly hatched brine shrimp nauplii (larvae) provide a food source for many fish fry (Mozanzadeh et al., 2021). Culture and harvesting of brine shrimp eggs represents another aspect of the aquaculture industry. Nauplii and metanauplii of Artemia, commonly known as brine shrimp, play a crucial role in aquaculture due to their nutritional value and suitability as live feed for many aquatic species, particularly in larval stages (Sorgeloos & Roubach, 2021).
1. 1 | Centre for Development Innovation, Wageningen UR
Working Paper
Creating robust evidence
through Knowledge
Integration
Wenny Ho
The Centre for Development Innovation (CDI),
Wageningen UR focuses on the global challenges of
secure & healthy food, sustainable markets, adaptive
agriculture, ecosystem governance and conflict,
disaster & reconstruction. By linking research and
practice, we support the creation of new business
models, forms of governance and policy, and
partnerships for change that balance the needs of
people, planet and profit in a rapidly changing world.
In this Working Paper Creating robust evidence
through Knowledge Integration we share our thinking
and experiences to help facilitate innovation, create
capacities for change and broker knowledge. It is the
coming together of two strands of work undertaken by
the author in the recent past: how to bridge the
knowledge divides between policy-makers, scientists
and practitioners; and how to set up Monitoring and
Evaluation systems in organisations pressed to fulfil
a multitude of demands. The first strand relates to the
question of how to co-create the knowledge needed
to address thorny or wicked issues in multi-
stakeholder settings (Ho, 2011). The second strand
relates to the quest of organisations to remain faithful
to their values and vision while responding to the
increasingly imperious calls for evidence of the
effectiveness of their work.
This paper outlines a theory-based process of
knowledge integration in which robust evidence is a
natural outcome of purposefully sequenced multi-
stakeholder interactions.
1. Challenging times, challenging issues
As experienced by many, the world is growing more
complex. More and more, the important questions to be
solved by societies cannot be answered by thinking in
clear-cut good or bad responses. The territory is
increasingly unfamiliar and the outcomes of all but the
simplest interventions are impossible to predict.
Addressing, intervening in, let alone managing of
societal change, are becoming processes with a high
degree of complexity. Outlines of the challenges are not
clear, can change in yet unknown ways, and furthermore
influence each other in visible and invisible ways, within
timeframes that may still be unknown. Nevertheless,
while the outlines of challenges or solutions may not be
clear, there are approaches that already past the pilot
phase that can efficiently deliver a probable solution.
One of these approaches is Knowledge Integration.1
Simply said, Knowledge Integration (KI) is the process
of creating a common model or representation of a
subject by bringing together knowledge coming from
different perspectives and parties. It does so by focusing
on synthesizing the understanding of that subject from
different perspectives.
Increasing the variety of perspectives has proven to
deliver more sound knowledge. This is equally true for
profit-oriented businesses as well as for governmental or
civil society organisations looking for other horizons.
Hence, by bringing together knowledge from different
sources, KI can produce data and information that can
withstand scrutiny by different stakeholders. Scrutiny
not merely of the data and information, but also of the
1
Knowledge Integration is preferred to Knowledge Co-Creation
as the latter relates more to developments in the business sector
such as value co-creation, user-driven innovation, co-production
with consumers. See also: Ho, 2011.
2. 2 | Creating robust evidence through Knowledge Integration
way they have been produced.2
This is essential with
societal challenges where besides soundness and
accuracy, credibility of the knowledge produced is a
fundamental asset.
So, what are the principles and approaches of
Knowledge Integration, and how can KI be linked to
other elusive processes, such as organisational learning,
for it to contribute to the creation of more robust
evidence? This note deals with these two questions by
outlining first some key principles for knowledge
integration (section 2), before describing the steps and
loops of a general KI process.
KI may still be unfamiliar, but the methods and
instruments used in KI approaches have passed through
various cycles of try-out, albeit not always in similar
combinations or in the same sector.
Various handbooks are available that provide guidance
to the usage of methods and tools. Examples are conflict
resolution tools, meta-reviews or participatory appraisal
methods. Using these endows a KI process with tried
and tested stepping stones. It allows one to concentrate
on the more unfamiliar aspects of KI, often lumped
under ‘fingerspitzengefühl’ or gut feeling. The unpacking
of these aspects is the topic of section 3 of this note: the
logic of how to lay out those stepping stones in order to
create more robust evidence in a complex situation.
2. Some key principles for a Knowledge
Integration process
Key principles
Combining as a must-have skill
Increasing diversity of perspectives and insights is one
proven way to strengthen validity and credibility of
knowledge produced. However, the art of combining
does not end with synthesising the different perspectives
on a certain subject. Key to successfully dealing with
complex interventions and situations is setting up
purposeful combinations of other variables3
notably
methods, disciplines, intervention levels and
stakeholders along with the wisdom of knowing when to
adjust a particular mixture.
2
This is sometimes called socially robust knowledge.
3
This is repeatedly mentioned in the literature, for example,
Regeer and Bunders, 2009; and the 3M approach
(http://www.grpi.org/mdo.php). The former also provides an
overview of different methods. Both sources provide some
detailed guidance how to go about this.
Crossing boundaries
With the increasing complexity of issues at hand and the
resulting need for knowledge of different kinds and from
different sources, multi-party working practices such as
collaboration, alliance-building, networking, and
interactive platforms, gain importance. With these, ways
to bridge differences, manage tensions and connect the
different parties involved take centre stage. Boundary
work refers to activities designed to do just that: smooth
the way in inter-organisational dynamics. A strategy
meeting bringing different stakeholders together to
discuss what elements should be part of a shared
strategy is one example of a boundary activity.
Boundary actors are organisations or individuals with
the skills and language to connect different parties.
A facilitator trained in managing differences (e.g. in
discipline, culture, interests, power bases) between
stakeholders, can act as a boundary actor. Boundary
objects are objects that are accepted as valid and
legitimate across the involved parties. Examples are a
jointly created protocol or a map. All three, boundary
work, actors and objects, help to make boundaries
between stakeholders less definite, more fluid, and
easier to cross and bridge. They therefore contribute
greatly to the success of knowledge integration
processes. KI processes by definition involve multiple
actors. In consequence, with KI there is an explicit need
to invest in boundary work, actors and objects, and be
mindful at every stage of how to use and combine them.
One important skill has to accompany this emphasis on
crossing and bridging boundaries: the skill to discern,
among others, the relative weight of differences and
their changing nature.
Deal explicitly with power relations
Knowledge is closely related to power relations (Hivos,
2012). The link between power and knowledge
determines not only whose knowledge is in the market,
but also whose knowledge silently goes missing.
Awareness of power issues is therefore important for
knowledge integration as, apart from anything else, they
may negatively influence the robustness of knowledge
produced (see section 3). Strategies may be needed
from the onset to deal with the often large (and often
hidden) asymmetries of power felt by stakeholders. In
particular, marginalised groups may need support to
become involved (co-)managers of impending change
processes. This entails going beyond so-called
participatory activities where, for example, participants
are requested to gather or provide information.
Experiences have shown that linking knowledge
interventions with empowerment strategies to ‘level the
playing field’ leads to greater chances of success, as
approaches use a richer knowledge base.
3. 3 | Creating robust evidence through Knowledge Integration
Let the path emerge
Knowledge integration approaches are complex
interventions: they do not offer a protocol, yet, as
mentioned earlier, require responding to emerging
situations by combining, among others, methods,
intervention levels and stakeholders. These combinations
are moreover not fixed over time, but will need to
change during the process. Additionally, KI approaches
are used in complex situations, where multiple actors are
to address an issue which relates to more than one
discipline. In such cases, complexity theory highlights the
importance of following an emergent approach in design
and implementation. Simply stated, instead of
attempting to impose and follow through a pre-designed
course of action, an emergent approach adjusts the
course of action as the path to a goal gradually reveals
itself. Beware: this does not imply a ‘do as you like’ or a
‘laissez faire’ approach. An emergent approach is
characterised by, after a light scan, probing first, next
making sense of the effects, and then, based on that,
responding to emerging patterns by adjusting or zooming
in and probing further. Undertaking these steps
purposefully distinguishes it from a laissez-faire
approach. Taking these steps in a transparent and
systematic way increases the robustness of both the
process and the products to which it leads. How to
undertake this tightrope walk of phasing a KI process
without falling into the trap of prescribing next steps is
the topic of the following section (section 3).
3. Knowledge Integration for evidence:
the art of creating one out of two helixes
As mentioned in section 1, an emergent KI process
consists of purposefully combining and recombining
known and unknown elements. It is important to
underline that despite these unknown elements, even
an emergent KI approach can follow a deliberate
sequencing. In fact, this deliberate sequencing helps
unpacking and sorting out the different components of
the unknown. Contrary to a laissez-faire approach, here
sequencing takes place in an intelligent, intentional
way. To achieve this, two helixes that draw from
different theoretical streams are merged together to
design and monitor phases of KI processes:
1. The organisational learning helix: Single-, and
double-loop learning processes;
2. The organisational change helix: Freeze-rebalance-
unfreeze.
The word ‘helix’ is used here to describe a winding
process that progresses through steps that may feel
alike, but that do not lead to a same returning point.
This distinguishes it from a cycle or circle. A helix is
hence made up by steps that are sequenced together
into non-overlapping windings. The next paragraphs
first deal with the steps in the organisational learning
helix and with those in the organisational change helix,
before merging the two helixes together to create
windings that form one purposefully sequenced and
theory-rooted KI process.
The organisational learning helix: single- and
double-loop learning processes
The single- and double-loop learning model4
had and
still has a great impact on the thinking on learning. In
this model two types of learning are distinguished.
In single-loop learning, individuals, groups or
organizations modify their actions according to the
difference between expected and obtained outputs.
Questions that typify single-loop learning are: ‘Have we
done what we planned to do, and did that go well?’
Single-loop learning relates to the level of results or
outputs based on doing things right.
Sometimes however, this may result in doing the wrong
things right. In double-loop learning this is addressed
by questioning, analysing and modifying the values,
assumptions and policies that led to the actions in the
first place. It relates to the much deeper questions of
‘Is it okay what we planned to do, and why?’, based on
doing the right things. Double-loop learning is therefore
4
This working paper focuses on the terms, first coined by
Argyris and Schön (1978), of first- and second-loop learning.
Conceptualisations of triple-loop learning are not included here.
Practical explanations of first- and second-loop learning can be
found on many websites, including
https://sites.google.com/site/reflection4learning/double-loop-
learning
4. 4 | Creating robust evidence through Knowledge Integration
Figure 1: a visual representation of single- and double-loop learning
(source: www.selfleadership.com, consulted 16th
June 2012)
learning about the validity of what underpins single-loop
learning. Single- and double-loop learning complement
each other.
A helix where the windings are composed of single- and
double-loop learning steps can be constructed as follows
(see also figure 1).
a. Single-loop learning:
i. A first step focuses on piloting: based on
previous experiences or ideas, we try something
out. A simple corresponding intervention theory5
is ‘if we do A, B will happen’.
ii. A second step then aims to identify and
incorporate lessons to strengthen theoretical
understandings: we look at what happened
followed by a reformulation or further
concretisation of the intervention theory based on
what we learnt from solving the problems
encountered. The refined intervention theory
becomes ‘if we do A and A1, then B will happen’
or ‘if we do A and avoid A2, B will happen’.
iii. A third step improves practice by incorporating
these lessons.
b. Double-loop learning: by looking up from our project,
we can question what we are doing. It is important to
become aware of the narrow ‘reality’ of that one
particular project. Questions related to a double-loop
intervention theory are ‘should we be doing A?’ or ‘Is
it just to aim for B?’ Meta-studies are an example of
‘looking up’. Comparative analyses of programmes
5
Note that the term ‘theory’ is here used as an idea or
explanation, that may or may not yet be (partially) proven, but
which takes into consideration earlier explanations and lessons
learnt so far. By making these thoughts or ideas explicit, a
theory can justify and guide action in a practical way.
across countries are other examples.6
They present
ways to identify generic influencing factors or
formulate generic principles. Comparing intervention
approaches at the meta-level can also lead to more
general frameworks which can then guide towards
best practice.
By knowing more about the nature of learning and
aim for an intentional interweaving of single- and
double-loop learning processes, a helix of
organisational learning can be created. The helix
closely connects learning with action, because it
alternately injects moments of identifying,
explaining and incorporating learning in the action
(practice) and of reflecting about the action (theory).
In this way, the organisational learning helix leads to a
strengthened and expanded theoretical and practice
base of organisations.
The organisational change helix: freeze-rebalance-
unfreeze sequences
The freeze-rebalance-unfreeze helix originates from the
literature on organisational change (Weick and Quinn,
1999). This second helix applies especially to complex
situations where change can rarely be planned
effectively. It builds around processes of joint sense-
making and interpretation of information that follow the
sequences of freezing-rebalancing-unfreezing. To freeze
is to make patterns visible, for example, by collectively
creating a story of change or undertaking a joint review
process. To rebalance is to reinterpret, re-label and re-
sequence the patterns, so that blockages are better
understood and overcome. To unfreeze is to resume the
process or action in ways that are now more mindful
because of the incorporation of lessons and insights
gained in the rebalancing7
.
In this way, the freeze-rebalance-unfreeze helix
connects learning with sense-making and change. These
are three important processes when working on not
well-definable issues in a changeable environment.
Connecting these processes in a systematic fashion can
make an intervention strategy more powerful. Moreover,
by making the sequences of particularly freezing and
6
This differs notably from the term broadening used in
Transition theory to indicate the repetition of an experiment in
different contexts (see, for example, Loorbach and van Raak,
2006). Here the purpose is to strengthen, for example, the
internal and external validity of evidence by roping in different
sources and audiences, comparing findings from different
contexts and sources.
7
David Kolb’s much used Action Learning model puts these
steps s in a context of action research. Kolb’s action learning,
however, is limited to single-loop learning.
5. 5 | Creating robust evidence through Knowledge Integration
rebalancing collective, the change process can be
consciously designed to stimulate communication
between stakeholders inside and outside an
organisation. Similarly, interactions between different
intervention levels can be encouraged, for example, by
creating multi-stakeholder platforms where local
communities can interact directly with national or
international groups. Both ways, between groups and
between levels, contribute to bringing knowledge from
diverse sources together and synthesising them to a
common understanding. In short, they are conducive to
knowledge integration.
In the next section, KI will be further embedded in the
key organisational processes of learning, sense-making
and changing by merging together the two helixes of
learning and changing.
Merging together the helixes to produce evidence
One simple definition of evidence is that it is something
that furnishes proof 8
.Four criteria are commonly used
for judging the robustness of evidence: relevance,
corroboration, veracity and validity (Rieper et al.,
2012: 2)9
. In a way, these criteria are relative; for
example, what is relevant depends on one’s viewpoint,
and how much is acceptable can be part of a multi-
stakeholder negotiation. In consequence, standards
8
http://www.merriam-
webster.com/dictionary/evidence?show=0&t=1369394430,
accessed 24th
May 2013.
9
Rieper et al. (2012: 2):
- Relevance: in relation to a given assertion
- Sufficiency: in sense of corroboration with other instances of
the same kind of evidence or other kinds of evidence
- Veracity: the process of gathering evidence has been free
from distortion and as far as possible uncontaminated by
vested interests
- Validity: internal validity refers to how true inferences are
regarding cause-effect or causal relationships; external
validity refers the degree to which the conclusions in your
study would hold for other places, persons, times etc.
need to be agreed depending on the demands and other
situational factors.
Knowledge can also be graded in terms of the four
criteria. As mentioned, bringing together different
perspectives, which is the focus of a Knowledge
Integration approach, can generate more robust
knowledge. This happens, for example, by corroborating
a previously isolated experience or enhancing the
external validity of a conclusion reached under one
particular set of conditions through methodical sharing
or consulting with a set of selected stakeholders. When
KI systematically seeks to bring together different
perspectives about how to achieve change, the robust
knowledge that is gained can be tapped to provide
robust evidence about change interventions. This
requires a process of transcription, i.e. translating the
knowledge produced into a format that can be registered
as evidence, depending on the type of evidence
required10
. The potential offered by such a KI process is
significant: connecting learning with changing can
generate both knowledge and evidence; doing this
systematically can generate knowledge and evidence
that are both more robust, especially when the desired
change concerns complex societal issues.
Bringing together the earlier mentioned helixes of
Learning (Single- and Double-Loop Learning) and
Changing (Freeze-Rebalance-Unfreeze) helps to create a
systematic theory-rooted Knowledge Integration
process. This happens by – crudely speaking – cutting
the helixes into pieces (the steps) and then merging
these together into one KI-helix. How many steps are
used of each original helix and how, in what order, they
are put together to create the windings of a KI-helix
depends on the situation and issue at hand. This is the
unknown element.
Yet, the unknown does not equal unbounded. The
boundaries of the KI process are set by the definition
and delimitation of the four mentioned criteria for
robustness: relevance, corroboration, veracity and
validity. There are no fixed or absolute values of what
each constitutes. For instance, relevance depends on the
interests of involved stakeholders (and sometimes on
the openness of financing agencies). Imagine a three-
year project in which six windings of the organisational
10
According to Davies (2004. In Rieper et al. 2012: 175) there
are many types of evidence including impact evidence,
implementation evidence, descriptive analytical evidence,
statistical modelling, economic evidence, and ethical evidence.
7. 7 | Creating robust evidence through Knowledge Integration
together, different colours are used to represent the
sewn-together helix of the KI process:
- For the learning helix: yellow for the single-loop
sequences, and orange for the double-loop part
- For the organisational change helix: green for the
Rebalance sequences, light blue for the Freeze
and darker blue for the Unfreeze sequences.
This imaginary example of a KI process is sequenced as
follows:
1. Creation of a first single-loop learning winding:
a. Scanning – this scan can cover, among others,
existing literature or other experiences or
projects, and addresses the following questions:
i. for programme XXX, what are tried and tested
concepts, methodologies and instruments;
ii. what can be the added value of these
concepts, methodologies and instruments to
bring about the changes aimed for in
programme XXX;
iii. what characteristics of the environment need
to be taken into consideration when using
these concepts, methodologies and
instruments.
b. Designing the pilot – formulating working
hypotheses for the pilots of programme XXX
(theory of change and theory of intervention).
Depending on the degree of, for example,
geographical variation, a decision on the number
of pilots is taken. The higher the variation, the
more pilots are needed
c. Implement pilots programme XXX.
d. Single-loop learning – day-to-day, weekly or even
monthly adjustments of what is implemented
according to the plan. This can take place at an
individual level or during operational team
reviews. A pattern of cumulative adaptations
emerges.
2. Transition to a first double-loop learning winding by
delving deeper and merging learning with the
organisational change helix:
a. Freeze – momentary stop of the implementation
process to identify and make explicit certain
patterns and create a narrative of what happened.
An example of a narrative can be ‘This has taken
place, because...’, or: ‘As that happened, we have
adjusted...’. Besides a reflection on results, the
validity of the hypotheses and resulting policies
formulated in the pilot phase are analysed in
relation to the adaptations introduced during the
implementation and the effects observed. Values
underlying the hypotheses are also questioned.
This analysis or questioning happens therefore at
two levels:
i. articulation of lessons learnt in relation to
hypotheses: these lessons lead to the creation
of stronger case studies (and result in a
strengthened empirical base). It is not
sufficient to have a simple story of change:
the case studies should be used to contribute
in the rewriting or further concretising of the
hypotheses formulated at the beginning. Also,
the case studies provide the embedding of a
story, a narrative that links the hypotheses
with (past and future) change. Articulation at
this level ensures that the team does not get
side-tracked. It, however, should leave room
for lessons about unexpected events or effects
to avoid a myopic freezing process.
ii. articulation of lessons learnt in relation to the
knowledge base obtained so far, that is the
lessons are compared with what emerged from
the first scan of literature or other
experiences. This may seem tiresome and
undo-able in ‘real-life’, a complaint often
uttered by practitioners. However, this
particular step provides some kind of
guarantee that the lesson learnt is not just
rediscovered. In fact, this step is essential to
strengthen and advance the theoretical
foundation that can underpin social change
interventions.
To contribute to Knowledge Integration, this step is
made into a shared exercise. This can be achieved, for
example, by collectively creating a story of change. In
the shared freezing sequence, the different knowledge
perspectives of involved parties are brought together.
Not all elements of the freezing need to be undertaken
jointly. Areas to be analysed can, for example, be
divided among groups or group members. However, it is
important that collective moments are built in as well. In
this manner, a joint freezing contributes to the required
synthesis of different perspectives for a common
knowledge base with all its associated benefits. For
instance, through the design and timing of these shared
activities, addressing, among others, corroboration or
veracity these can be made more robust.
b. Rebalance – While freezing entails looking at the
past (for example, to create images and stories of
what has happened, during rebalancing the focus
shifts towards the future. Based on the outcomes
of the freezing step, the earlier ideas are
reformulated about what needs to be done and
how, based on the insights in why and towards
8. 8 | Creating robust evidence through Knowledge Integration
which objectives. This is not a new invention.
However, it is easy to just jump through the hoop
and keep on scratching at the level of activities.
To go deeper and encourage double-loop learning,
the reformulation or rebalancing should be done
at two levels: at the level of hypotheses and of
the knowledge base. Rebalancing can be done as
exhaustively as the means available (time,
participants, interest etc.) will allow, as long as
the central objective is kept in mind: reduce the
number of blockages by re-labelling and re-
sequencing at the level of hypotheses and of
approaches.
3. Creation of a second single-loop winding by merging
with the organisational change helix: unfreeze –
furthering practice through approaches that are
reformulated to help unfold events in more
meaningful ways. These approaches incorporate the
double-loop learning that has been achieved through
freezing and rebalancing.
In the case of programme XXX, in a second project
phase, the focus may change from piloting to an up-
scaled level of implementation, with an adjusted and
refined theory of change or theory of intervention.
Other single-loop sequences can follow, e.g. monthly
community monitoring or report writing.
4. Creation of a second double-loop winding by merging
learning with the organisational change helix:
a. Freeze – during this second momentary stop
again patterns are identified and made explicit
and a narrative of what happened is created.
Depending on the experience bases that have
been built so far in programme XXX, freezing can,
for example, take the form of collective analysis
and reflection across a number of pilots. This
means that the articulation covers again the two
levels:
i. articulation of lessons learnt in relation to
hypotheses, and systematization of these
lessons across pilots in order to strengthen the
base from which conclusions can be drawn.
ii. articulation of lessons learnt in relation to the
knowledge base (from the scan and the first
freeze); and at a meta-theoretical level to link
the insights, for example, from different
disciplines.
Care has to be taken to delimit and define that
knowledge base, especially considering the issue
of external validity (Cartwright and Hardie,
2011). Pilots with a strong external validity need
not produce exactly the same results. Cartwright
and Hardie therefore promote the idea of looking
at what matters to adjust and fine-tune, for
example, a theory of intervention or a theory of
change, to define the knowledge base.
b. Rebalance – again the focus moves from the past
towards the future by reformulating ideas
(hypotheses, policies etc.) about what needs to be
done. The objective of this second rebalancing
remains the same: encourage double-loop learning
at the level of hypotheses and approaches so that
the change process can restart from a
reformulated, reinvigorated basis. As mentioned,
building in collective activities contributes to KI
and can make the process more robust.
5. Creation of the third single-loop winding: unfreeze –
furthering practice through approaches that
incorporate the double-loop learning that has been
achieved through freezing and rebalancing.
Note that in the above example, the meta-level is
reached only in the second double-loop (step 4) where
lessons across pilots and at a meta-theoretical level are
formulated. This activity can be moved forward or
backwards in time depending on the situation
(requirements and resources available, degree of
robustness to be achieved). However, it is important to
arrive at this meta-level at some stage by building in,
for example, a systematic review or a meta-analysis.
At this point the team can scrutinise if and under what
circumstances certain interventions may work, and
show to others that it has not been cherry-picking.
Earlier, relevance, corroboration, veracity and validity
were mentioned as the four criteria used commonly to
judge the robustness of knowledge and evidence. Some
hints have been given in the above example of how a
9. 9 | Creating robust evidence through Knowledge Integration
higher grading on relevance, corroboration, veracity
and even validity can be achieved through a careful
design and sequencing of the KI process to
methodically involve selected parties. A higher grading
on internal validity comes, for example, from checking
the consistency of conclusions regarding results and
effects with the parties involved in a programme. Doing
so across different programmes comparing, for
example, locations, socio-economic groups etc., helps
to improve the external validity. Similarly, a design that
is mindful of[/takes into account] power issues can
boost the grading on relevance, corroboration and
veracity by building in steps to prepare minority voices
to express what is relevant to them.
4. Final remarks
A close look at the different steps shows that separately,
they are not really new. They are already being
undertaken by a range of organisations. What is novel is
the purposeful ordering of these steps, the intimate
twining of changing, learning, and sense-making, and the
systematic building-in of interactions between different
stakeholders honouring the principles of knowledge
integration. This purposeful sequencing produces lessons
that can be used as rigorous evidence, because it is
created by methodically learning from different
knowledge perspectives.
Often in what can be counted as evidence, certain types
of knowledge, such as academic knowledge, carry more
weight than subjective, experience-based knowledge. By
intentionally interjecting collective interactions with
subgroups and individual events, it is possible to create a
more even balance of what is appreciated and included.
Contrary to what may be thought, the amount of
information generated through reviews by social change
organisations, among others, is often far too much to use
sensibly and learn from it. This is often the case with big
organisations. It is even more applicable to knowledge
integration approaches when several organisations are
involved. Closely tying together changing, learning and
sense-making can make the process ‘lean and mean’
because loose data that do not make sense will quickly
be discarded or not even collected.
With a demanding and often mystifying approach like
Knowledge Integration, it can help to give the ‘beast’ a
name, for example, by using a term like sequencing, or
looking at the why of a particular winding as part of a
longer process rather than as another activity. Finding
the right wording or concept is often part of the problem
(and the solution) as it can help to put on the right lens
and provide an abstract process with manageable handles.
However, the crux is not whether one uses difficult,
abstract terms. What is key to optimally using KI for
robust evidence-creation is that one does not treat the
different processes, such as collective sense-making or
learning, as standalone pillars. The main message here is
the importance of systematically establishing and
reinforcing logical connections: between purposefully
ordered steps or activities, as well as between central
organising processes. This theory-rooted connecting
mindset provides an affordable remedy against losing track
of the logic of different steps, over-enthusiastically
undertaking a range of activities with a weak internal logic
(fuelled by the do-mode of a project-oriented
organisation), or confusion about the longer-term horizon
in a diffuse process such as knowledge integration. Using
knowledge integration in this logically sequenced and
twined way will result in a more robust way of evidence-
creation by practitioners, managers and evaluators.
To contact the author: howws@wxs.nl
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10. 10 | Creating robust evidence through Knowledge Integration | October 2013
Centre for Development Innovation
PO Box 88
6700 AA Wageningen
The Netherlands
T +31 317 486 800
F +31 317 486 801
info.cdi@wur.nl
www.wageningenUR.nl/cdi
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This working paper has benefitted from earlier
cooperation with Hivos. While the author is the sole
responsible, observing Hivos practice and discussions
with Hivos staff have enriched the thoughts expressed in
this paper.
Please cite as
Ho, W. (2013) Creating robust evidence through
Knowledge Integration. Working Paper. Centre for
Development Innovation, Wageningen UR (University &
Research centre), Wageningen, and Hivos, The Hague.