In the above quote, Nonaka, Toyama, et al. (2000) lay out their (then) unorthodox understanding of an organization as an institution centered on the creation and amplification of knowledge. This view strongly contrasts to the perception of traditional Western management of an “organization as a machine for ‘information processing’” (Nonaka and Takeuchi 1995). From these contradictory views on this topic in the Western and Japanese culture, Nonaka and Takeuchi (1995) depart to develop a theory of organizational knowledge centered on the social interplay of tacit and explicit knowledge. They describe four sequential knowledge conversion modes in a two-dimensional system formed by (a) tacit and explicit knowledge and by (b) the various organizational levels (individual, group, organization). Even its critics (Gourlay 2006) admit the quasi-paradigmatic status of the this theory and recognize it as one of the most influential approaches in organizational learning and knowledge management.

Organizational Knowledge Creation

The study tried to analyze the implication of one year of online education in the Romanian education system. To achieve this goal, the authors of this study analyzed all the levels of education, primary education, lower secondary education, upper secondary education, and even the early childhood system, but also one of the smallest Romanian universities, considered representative for grade 1 universities representing 60% of the Romanian universities. The study is based on four online questionnaires for investigation, first with more than 2500 respondents from the primary and secondary Romanian education system, and the other three applied to more than 800 students and professors from the University of Petroșani. The investigation took place during 29 January 2021 and 11 February 2021. The authors had investigated the main feature of a standard online or a classical e-learning solution, such as the meeting solution or the video conference software, the collaborative work, such as homework or projects, and the testing method or the quizzes from both perspectives of the students and of the professors. The study results could influence the expected future hybrid educational system because these results were not covered in the previous literature but proved to be necessary for relevant knowledge strategies to be implemented in the new pandemic and also in the future context.

https://www.mdpi.com/1660-4601/18/15/8129/pdf

One Year of Online Education in COVID-19 Age, a Challenge for the Romanian Education System.

The purpose of this study is to introduce Sustainable Socially Responsible Society 6.0 as a new concept that is supposed to extend ‘Corporate Social Responsibility’ to the entire society for humankind to gain a new chance to survive beyond the dangerous neoliberalism that abuses the market and democracy to the benefit of very few humans—the richest one percent and a few around them—and beyond Society 5.0. This study aims to define the framework conditions of ‘Well-being Society 6.0’, where humans can both achieve and define their targeted quality of life, including work–life balance, etc. Mulej’s Dialectical Systems Theory provides requisite (i.e., sufficient and necessary) integrity/holism of approach that leads to a Sustainable Socially Responsible (SSR) Society without overlooking the necessity of personal, including managerial, responsibility. Most humans try to satisfy their basic survival needs by management, which is requisitely holistic; it can and shall contribute to setting the framework conditions, foremost with non-technological innovation management. The Economy for the Common Good can contribute to SSR Society 6.0, including ‘Well-being society’. In addition, in 2019–2021 humankind is experiencing the ‘new Corona Virus’ crisis, killing millions, but also enabling a crucial step toward a well-being society by returning worldwide economic governance from neoliberalism to Keynes-based state capitalism with no loud objections.

The Sustainable Socially Responsible Society: Well-Being Society 6.0

Business education has been currently challenged by the fast introduction of online learning platforms for students enrolled in higher education who had been previously used only face-to-face interaction, raising questions about the sustainability of online education. This new learning environment creates a different path for students managing their knowledge, who, due to the influence of online experiences, could develop different skills with different outcomes for their chances of employment. This study analyses knowledge management of business students in an online education setting to discover its influence on students’ perception of both their general employment chances, and specifically in online businesses. To conduct the study, we opted for a quantitative research design based on a questionnaire applied between November and December of 2020, which resulted in valid responses from 256 Bachelor’s and Master’s Degree students. In line with the research hypotheses, correlation, reliability tests and logistic regression were used to perform data analysis. The results clearly indicate that students’ perception of their employment chances depend on the increasing score of knowledge acquisition, knowledge revision, conceptual change and knowledge application, independently and under the action of control variables. Additionally, knowledge application proved to be an important determinant for students’ perception of their employment chances in online businesses.

https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/13/4/2091/pdf

Does Individual Knowledge Management in Online Education Prepare Business Students for Employability in Online Businesses

This study aims to explore the construct of Mobile Dependency (MD) by distinguishing its sub-dimensions and to identify and verify hospitality employee clusters with respect to their MD. Investigat...

Digital natives in the hospitality workforce: an exploratory study on mobile dependency

The aim of this study is to describe the relations between low demand, cash flow problems, employee dismissals, and temporary leaves experienced by Romanian companies during the economic lockdown in the first two months of the COVID-19 pandemic outbreak in Romania (16 March–16 May 2020). For this purpose, we conducted a quantitative study using descriptive, correlation, and regression analyses applied to data collected from company decision-makers. Our results show that demand for products/services and cash flow in companies has decreased significantly, the workforce being affected by dismissals and temporary leaves/furloughing. Additionally, the average linear revenue of companies has been decreasing due to insufficient cash flow, higher absenteeism of workers, customers having been affected, and the demand going down. Therefore, employee dismissals, employee temporary leaves (furlough), and dismissal intentions have been positively correlated with insufficient cash flow in companies and an extremely low demand.

https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/12/21/8850/pdf

Dismissals and Temporary Leaves in Romanian Companies in the Context of Low Demand and Cash Flow Problems during the COVID-19 Economic Lockdown

Employees use mobile phones for several information processes at work, either in relation to their work or their personal life. This study uses descriptive statistics and regression analysis in order to identify which information processes are accessed by employees to reach their personal and professional goals when using mobile phones at work, using a sample of 368 professionals from different fields in Romania. The results of the study show that messaging applications (e-mail, sms, Messenger, Whatsapp, etc.) and searches for information on the Internet are the biggest time consumers for personal purposes, while telephone conversations (voice only) and searches for useful information on the Internet are the biggest consumers of working time for professional purposes. Based on the opinions of employees, we found that the most important effect of mobile phone use at work for personal purposes lies in the fact that it helps employees be more productive through a better work–life balance. The mobile phone was originally designed as a personal device, but today, since employers are allowing or requiring its use, during work, it is also used for professional purposes.

/pdf/using-mobile-phones-at-work-in-personal-and-professional-8m64ayxqv8.pdf

Using Mobile Phones at Work in Personal and Professional Information Processes

Background COVID-19 is considered to be very contagious as it can be spread through multiple ways. Therefore, exposure risk of healthcare workers (HCWs) treating COVID-19 patients is a highly salient topic in exposure risk management. From a managerial perspective, wearing personal protective equipment and the risk of accidents occurring during aerosol generating procedures applied to COVID-19 patients are two interconnected issues encountered in all COVID-19 hospitals. Objective The study was conducted to understand the realistic impact of exposure risk management on HCWs exposed to risks of SARS-CoV-2 virus infection in a healthcare unit. In particular, this study discusses the role of personal protective equipment (PPEs) used in aerosol generating procedures (AGPs) to protect HCWs, and the related risk of accidents occurring when performing AGPs. Methodology This is a cross-sectional single-hospital study conducted at the “Sf. Ioan cel Nou” Hospital in Suceava, Romania, that had to ensure safety of healthcare workers (HCWs) getting in contact with COVID-19 cases. Data used in the study were collected between 10.12.2020–19.03.2021 by means of a questionnaire that collected information on risk assessment and healthcare workers’ exposure management, and which was translated and adapted from the World Health Organization (WHO) and applied to respondents online. For this purpose, ethical approval was obtained, doctors and nurses from all hospital departments being invited to complete the questionnaire. Data processing, as well as descriptive, correlation and regression analyses have been done by using the 21.0 version of the Statistical Package for Social Sciences software. Results Most of the 312 HCWs reported having always used disposable gloves (98.13%), medical masks N95 (or equivalent) (92.86%), visors or googles (91.19%), disposable coverall (91.25%) and footwear protection (95.00%) during AGPs. The waterproof apron had always been worn only by 40% of the respondents, and almost 30% of staff had not used it at all during AGPs. Over the last three months, the period when the questionnaire was completed, 28 accidents were reported while performing AGPs: 11 accidents with splashing of biological fluids/ respiratory secretions in the eyes, 11 with splashing of biological fluids/ respiratory secretions on the non-idemn skin, 3 with splashing of biological fluids/ respiratory secretions in the oral/ nasal mucosa and 3 with puncture/ sting with any material contaminated with biological fluids/ respiratory secretions. Also, 84.29% of respondents declared having changed their routine, at least, moderately due to COVID-19. Conclusion An effective risk exposure management is based on wearing protective equipment. The only protection offered by the disposable coverall, as it results from our analysis, is related to splashing of biological fluids/ respiratory secretions on the non-idemn skin. In addition, the results show that the number of accidents should decrease due to the fact that disposable gloves and footwear protection are used while performing AGPs on patients with COVID-19 and hand hygiene is practised before and after touching a patient with COVID-19 (regardless of glove wearing).

/pdf/exposure-risk-management-personal-protective-equipment-and-1mmex2qt.pdf

Exposure risk management: Personal protective equipment and the risk of accidents occurring during aerosol generating procedures applied to COVID-19 patients

Ștefan Andrei Neștian

Papers

Does Individual Knowledge Management in Online Education Prepare Business Students for Employability in Online Businesses

Dismissals and Temporary Leaves in Romanian Companies in the Context of Low Demand and Cash Flow Problems during the COVID-19 Economic Lockdown

Using Mobile Phones at Work in Personal and Professional Information Processes

Exposure risk management: Personal protective equipment and the risk of accidents occurring during aerosol generating procedures applied to COVID-19 patients