The steps for increasing the value of knowledge in occupations are action processes which may start by accumulating and analyzing information from manuals or handbooks, then follow the steps and control the products mentioned in the manual. Next, check for the errors in the operation and find solutions by keeping doing continuously. It will improve the operating manual periodically. Following these steps of operational activities will strengthen, stabilize, and sustain the occupation, according to the concept below:
1. Knowledge Performance in Action:
- P - Plan : Make the work handbook (as mentioned in the activity to improve knowledge). Study and analyze the operational system which comprises the steps of the activity, persons’ responsibilities, timing, and inputs for an effective work.
- D – Do : Conduct the operation strictly as outlined in the work handbook and control the production in order to have the least damaged products and improve quality.
- C – Check : Find the work defects by finding the causes of mistakes and recording them.
- A – Action : Bring the found detects to solve the problems until coming to a conclusion. Then improve the handbook.
This activity should be repeated from time to time to increase knowledge and improve the process for the effectiveness. This activity will lead to a successful, strengthened and sustainable business.
2. Intellectual Capital:
Using the results from the above processes helps to solve the problems continuously. The improvement will bring new knowledge until it becomes our own intellectual capital or even in the community which will benefit businesses as follows:
The intellectual capital can be used in productions which other people can’t. Therefore, the product quality will gain a competitive advantage more than others.
The continuous improvement of products will make the customers confident in doing business together.
The business colleagues can learn how to manage their businesses and be able to gain wisdom by themselves. This approach can make the community ready to expand the occupations to international markets.
3. Business to Strength, Stability and Sustainability:
A well-managed business can always create new knowledge. The occupational expansion is a process of immunity for a business. It can reduce risk factors and at the same time ensure success in an occupational expansion. Knowledge management can increase knowledge in action and continuously improve processes. Therefore, it can affect strength, stability and sustainability of a business because of deep understanding about the business.
Planning for Action (P)
Planning for occupational action is a process with the following factors:
Working events or steps will indicate which events can be performed simultaneously or should be done later. It is the step of each activity as mentioned in the action plan.
Time limit for each event, for example how long each event should last and how the events are related.
Resources and manpower are identified as input factors so labor costs must be calculated.
In planning an occupational action, we use a flowchart to visualize the links between events, timing, input factors and labor. It will assist workers and managers to begin and finish all tasks successfully. Therefore, when designing an action plan, it is necessary to summarize the knowledge needed for the work in form of a document, ready to be analyzed and put in action.
Example: How to make an action plan for soil quality improvement at “Thon Nuey” farm.
1. Study the necessary knowledge to plan the steps to improve the soil quality. There are 5 activities that should be done as follow:
1.1 Checking and analyzing the soil quality: The analysis results showed that some
actions should be done as follow:
- collecting soil samples
- sending the soil samples to the Division of Chemistry for Agriculture, Department of Agriculture.
- waiting for the soil analysis
- interpreting the analysis results and deciding what plants should be grown.
1.2 Plow the top soil: The analysis results indicated that some actions should be done as follow:
- plow with a tractor equipped with 3 disk plows
- plow in regular furrows for the second time with a tractor equipped with 7 disk plows
- plow till the soil thoroughly with rotary plough
1.3 Adding more organic material to the soil: The analysis results suggest that the following has to be done:
- compost spreading
- green-manure seeds sowing
- maintenance of green-manure and weeds
- plow under green-manure and mix into the soil
1.4 Synthetic soil composting: The analysis results indicate that the following activities might be done:
- adding soil bacteria to speed up the process of decomposing
- checking decomposition
1.5 Soil enhancement: The analysis found that some activities should be done as follow:
- add micro Loza bacteria in order to digest phosphates and increase the phosphate concentration in the soil
- after plowing, cover the top soil with straw to protect it from heat, from the movement of elements in the soil, and to maintain moisture.
2. Analyze the amount of work, type of work, machine setting for work, and work load
3. Analyze the timing of each event and conclude the total period of time for all processes
Example: Action plan for soil development at “Thon Nuey” farm
1. Task flow chart for soil development
2. Tasks for soil development consists of:
2.1 Analyzing soil quality
2.2 Plow top soil
2.3 Adding more organic material
2.4 Synthetic soil composting
2.5 Soil enhancement
3. Task details
3.1 Analyzing soil quality
Timing and using resources can be conducted as follows:
(1) Collect 20 top and lower soil samples at 200 g/hole from the whole plot (150 rai). Collect both top and lower soil and mix it together. Then divide the soil into 1,000 g packages, pack it completely and keep it for 5 days.
(2) Take the soil samples to the Division of Chemistry for Agriculture and wait about 30 days for the analysis results.
(3) Interpret the results and plan for a 50-day-production.
3.2 Plow top soil
Timing and Using resources can be conducted as follows:
(1) Plow with a tractor equipped with 3 disk plows. This may take not more than 3 days.
(2) plow in regular furrows for the second time with a tractor equipped with 7 disk plows This may take another 5 days
(3) Break to fine soil with rotary plow for better seedling growth. This may take not more than 5 days.
3.3 Adding more organic material
Timing and using resources can be conducted as follows:
(1) Spread 150 tons of compost on the 150 rai. This may take not more than 5 days with 3 workers. Use a tractor with a trailer to load up the compost for 150 spots. Then spread the compost throughout the plot.
(2)Sow green -manure seeds mixed with Residuum bacteria at 20 kg/rai. This can be done in 5 days with 2 workers.
(3) Maintain the green-manure and weeds by using water mixed with diluted bacteria every other day. It can be done by one worker.
(4) Plow under the green-manure and mix thoroughly into the soil with rotary plow.
3.4 Synthetic soil composting
Timing and using resources can be conducting as follow:
(1) Let the bacteria hasten the composting process (SD1-SD2) and water every other day. It can be done by one worker. Check the decomposition of green-manure at 7.00 am. Measure the soil temperature and take note. The soil temperature should equal the environmental temperature on the 15th day of decomposition.
3.5 Soil enhancement
Timing and using resources can be conducted as follow:
(1) Add Micro Loza bacteria to decompose phosphorus in soil by thoroughly plowing with a rotary plow and cover the top soil with straw using 20 workers.
Operating according to the action plan (D)
A person who is in charge of the action plan still use the following guidance under the Deming Model which started from:
P: Study the action plan thoroughly
D: Follow every step in the document
C: Check every step to ensure the plan
A: Correct the mistakes if something goes wrong.
Checking for mistakes (C)
This is an important step for strengthening and sustaining an occupation. A checking and a follow- up model is shown below:
1. Preparing the checklist
Managers and workers should analyze the action plan and reconsider items together, as well as their experiences should be checked and reported as in the following example:
Example: Document for checking and reporting the mistakes
Activity: Soil development at Thon Nuey farm from December 5, 2008 - January 30, 2009.
Details of events
1.1 Sow green-manure seeds mixed with Rizobium bacteria, 20 kg/rai.
1.2 Provide water mixed with diluted bacteria and green-manure every other day.
1.3 Add bacteria to hasten decomposition (SD.1-SD.2).
1.4 Add Micro Loza bacteria to decompose phosphates and mix it in the soil.
1.5 Prepare plots to grow vegetables, cover top soil with rice straw.
2. Checking actions
Checking actions can be divided into 2 steps
2.1 Check for the mistakes in the action plan which the manager and workers do together by finding what activities from the action plan may have some mistakes and how to correct.
2.2 Field checking by checking the mistakes work, sharing ideas, analyzing problems and finding solutions.
Example: Document for checking the mistakes of soil development being operated during 5 December 1998 – January 1999
Action for problem solving and development
The development is the continuous activity of finding mistakes and solving problems at specific periods of time. Then do the follow–up activity on how to solve problems and what the results are by following these steps:
1. Checking the summary of the evaluation documents.
2. Inviting the responsible persons to discuss the problems and share knowledge in solving them and their effects.
3. The responsible persons do the follow-up activity. Those who response correct mistakes and should conduct their studies and summary the causes of the mistakes and the solutions.
4. Collecting all information for the improvement and the development of the operation handbook to increase its effectiveness.
Conclusion
The occupational expansion is to strengthen and sustain a business needs to be organized systematically. It should not be done as it used to be. Therefore, knowledge management is important for everyone in any occupation. To be successful in occupational expansion, a person should have these characteristics:
1. The person should be able to work with databases and to search for information to integrate it into the occupational system.
2. The person should also be able to conduct research and develop it as a tool, be aware of problems, manage all knowledge for problem solving, try it out in small groups, summarize the knowledge to increase confidence, then expand the activity to further occupational expansion.
3. The person should be proud of sharing knowledge and experience in order to improve his and the community’s capital of wisdom.