Benefits of Genetically Modified (GM) Foods to Human Health

Benefits of Genetically Modified (GM) Foods to Human Health Introduction Genetically modified food, also known as GM food refer to foodstuff such as animals or plants that had their genetic makeup altered to make them grow bigger, stay fresher and other benefits that will make human life more simple. The concept of genetically modified (GM) foods has existed for many years. Cross-breeding of plants, such as different types of corn, has been applied before with the purpose of transferring a desirable trait from one plant species to another (Whitman, 2000). However, a substantial amount of time is required to obtain a specific result. This is because all of the genes are pooled together and numerous attempts are required for the production of offsprings with the preferred trait. Tomatoes are the first GM crop introduced to the world. Tomatoes developed by Monsanto came into the market in 1994 after approval by the US FDA. In 2008, US FDA consultation procedures on bioengineered foods were completed by a total of 111 bioengineered food products. According to Grocery Manufacturers of America, genetically engineered plants are the ingredients for between 70 percent and 75 percent of all processes foods available in U.S. grocery stores (centerforfoodsafety.org, n.d.). Advocates of GM foods such as economists, scientists, researchers hail from various sectors, as well as from agricultural and food industries. Although genetically modified foods arises many concerns regarding its safety and consequences of consumption, the real question posed by the society is whether these GM foods should be banned for the benefit of mankind. Even if GM foods have been known to trigger allergic reactions and toxicities, is environmentally hazardous and costly, it should not be banned because it is confirmed to be beneficial to human health, environmentally friendly and able to improve the quality and quantity of yields. This report is mainly focused on the benefits of GM food towards mankind. The reasons why GM foods should not be banned are as conveyed in this report. The comments and personal views of numerous professionals are included in this report to show the evident benefits of GM foods. This report is not confined to any particular region or country but is assessed from a global point of view. This is due to GM foods being present in almost all countries worldwide. Additionally, to fulfill ever-increasing needs of humans, conventional crops are genetically being replaced by GM crops. Benefits to human health GM food brings many advantages to mankind. First of all, GM food that was engineered genetically is able to sustain favorable human health and enrich the wellbeing of its consumers. This is because it can remove the malnutrition problem faced by the current world and GM crops can be modified to become edible vaccines to reduce vulnerability towards diseases. Malnutrition problems can be solved by introducing GM foods enhanced with nutrition that humans are lacked of, such as vitamin D and iron that will cause rickets in children or osteoporosis in aged adults as well as iron deficiency. Susceptibility to a certain disease can be reduced if edible vaccines are added into the GM foods such as the GM banana (Whitman, 2000). Hepatitis B can be prevented by eating such genetically modified bananas. 2.1 Solves malnutrition problems Genetically modified foods can remove malnutrition problems faced by mankind today. Vitamins and minerals can be inserted into GM crops such as GM rice to make humans healthier. GM rice contains high amounts of Vitamin A compared to non-GM rice. The enhancement of vitamin A in GM rice will be able to result in the treatment of diarrhea in infants to be significantly easier as well as reducing the likelihood of chances of humans being diagnosed with night blindness (Gola, 2005). The other malnutrition problem often faced by humans is iron deficiency. According to the World Health Organization (2009), approximately two billion people prove to be tested positive for iron deficiency. As such, researchers have invested in GM rice by intensifying the iron content in polished rice to solve the iron deficiency problem. The genes that were inserted into the GM foods have a positive effect on the accumulation of iron in the rice kernel that causes the GM rice to contain 6 times more iron compared to the original variety (ScienceDaily, 2009). 2.2 Some GM crops possess medical advantages Some GM crops are modified to become edible vaccines that can reinforce the immune system of humans. Some GM crops have been inserted with DNA sequences encoding for antibodies into their genome (Dickinson, 2009). This enables the crops to produce antibiotics in their cells. GM crops such as banana, tomato and potato have been altered to contain bacterial or rotavirus antigens. Large scaled immunizations can be made by introducing edible vaccines to patients, rendering the vaccinations of these diseases considerably easier, painless, and accessible. Per se, antibodies contained in such GM foods will be able to enhance the immune system of human bodies to combat against pathogens when consumed orally. Therefore, it will not be uncommon in the near future when humans can merely ingest GM tomatoes instead of waiting in line to see a doctor. Hazards to human health Opponents of GM foods claim that GM foods are potentially risky to human health. They assert that GM foods will trigger allergenicity in the human body should it be eaten. There is a possibility that a new allergen will be created and result in susceptible individuals exhibiting symptoms of allergic reactions when a foreign gene is introduced into a crop. Though so, this affirmation is weak. GM foods are genetically engineered to have their allergenic-causing proteins to be removed. As such, they do not contain potentially harmful proteins as compared to non-GM foods such as peanuts, cereals and eggs. Producing hypoallergenic GM foods would be a desired commodity as these foods will possess the ability to notably decrease the danger of adverse reactions. This offers the possibility of consumption by allergen-sensitive individuals, enabling to enjoy the pleasure of being able eat foods on par with normal people (Herman, 2003). Besides that, GM crops will reduce herbicides on crops that may cause reactions in our bodies. GM crops that are modified to be resistance to insects will reduce the amount of herbicides used by farmers that will cause health problems. Hormonal signaling in human cells has been discovered to be altered by a common weed killer in U.S. (ScienceDaily, 2008). In another case claimed by Gammon (2009), a top selling weed killer, Roundup, has been found to magnify the toxicity in human cells. Hence, GM crops that are enhanced with resistance towards pests are able to completely eliminate the use of herbicides and weed killers, thereby protecting consumers from herbicide-induced ailments. Environmentally friendly One of the benefits introducing GM foods is that the plantation of GM crops is environmentally affable. Currently, our world is afflicted with the issue of pollution. To rectify this problem, GM crops are modified to resistance to insect and pest attack as well as to herbicides. Additionally, another process which is applied in an effort to make GM crops environmentally friendly is phytoremediation. Therefore, pollution can be greatly reduced and eventually be eliminated altogether. 3.1 Resistance to insect and pest GM crops can be genetically engineered to show resistance toward pests. GM crops can be genetically altered to contain a gene which encodes for a specific protein which is toxic to pests. Farmers typically use many tons of chemical pesticides annually. Consumers do not wish to eat food that has been treated with pesticides because of potential health hazards, and excess waste due to agricultural use of pesticides and fertilizers could potentially pollute and harm the environment. The application of chemical pesticides can be eliminated through the growing of GM crops such as B.t. corn. B.t. corn is engineered to possess genes in their genetic make-up that encode for the creation of B.t. toxin which only specifically responsive to particular species of insect larvae and will not affect others life forms. Other environmentally friendly characteristics of B.t. toxins include biodegradability and safe for other living organisms. Varieties of sugar beet as well as winter oil-seed which have been modified to induce tolerance towards specific herbicides were scrutinized by the Bright project (Black, 2004). 3.2 Phytoremediation Phytoremediation is defined as the rectification of environmental issues through the usage of plants which alleviate the environmental problem without the need to relocate and dispose contaminant materials somewhere else. Crops of GM foods can be genetically altered to exhibit preferable characteristics, especially the ability of certain plants called hyperaccumulators to bioaccumulate, degrade or render harmless contaminants in soils, water or air (Wikipedia, 2010). For instance, genes in trees can be manipulated and conformed to absorb more carbon dioxide gas, CO2 and hence, would reduce the risk of global warming. Heavy metal pollution in contaminated soil and groundwater sources can also be assuaged by the use of such plants. Quoting Kochian (2004), Contaminated soils and waters pose major environmental, agricultural and human health problems worldwide. These problems may be partially solved by an emerging new technology phytoremediation. Pollution and contamination of the soil Opponents of GM foods claim that herbicide-resistant crops will only encourage farmers to increase the amount of herbicide used as the crops are already immune to the herbicide used and will not be affected. In order to kill pests that will harm the crops, they increase the quantity of the certain herbicide used to eradicate pests extensively. This results in pollution of the soil due to excessive usage of herbicides to kill pests at a faster rate to reduce harm inflicted upon the crops, thereby rendering the piece of land infertile or that crops grown on it may contain traces of pollutants and is hazardous should they be consumed. However, that claim is merely an assumption. As avowed by Monsanto (n.d.), the application of herbicide-resistant crops is able to decrease the number of herbicide sprays needed to keep pests at bay and this will promote environmentally reliable herbicide usage, even when used in moderation. For some crops, it is not cost-effective to remove weeds by physical means such as tilling, so farmers will often spray large quantities of different herbicides (weed-killers) to destroy weeds, a time-consuming and expensive process, which requires care so that the herbicide does not harm the crop plant or the environment. Crop plants genetically-engineered to be resistant to one effective herbicide could help prevent environmental damage by reducing the amount of herbicides needed. For example, Monsanto has created a strain of soybeans genetically modified to be not affected by their herbicide product Roundup. A farmer growing these soybeans will then only require one type of weed-killer in moderate amounts instead of multiple types, hence reducing production cost and limiting the dangers of agricultural waste run-off. Improve the quality and quantity With the population of the world growing substantially each year, significant amounts of stress are placed on resources of land fit for plantation, water, energy, as well as other biological reserves to supply sufficient food whilst sustaining the coherence of the ecosystem. As affirmed by the World Bank and the United Nations, roughly 1 to 2 billion humans suffer from malnourishment, signifying a sign of scarce food supply, low incomes and sparse allocation of food supplies (Pimentel, Huang, Cordova, Pimentel, 1996). Introduction of GM foods have greatly alleviated the problem. GM crops are modified to produce greater amounts of yield and increase the nutritional value in crop-derived foods. 4.1 Solution for world foods crisis Substantial amounts of yield are able to solve the world food crisis. Desperate pleas for richer, better-off countries to utilize genetic engineering in elucidating famines are a result of thousands losing their lives daily and millions on the verge of starvation. By revising the genetic make-up of plant strains, biotechnology will be able notably lessen world hunger. Crops can be engineered to resist diseases, resulting in the quantity of yield succumbing to disease to decrease. In another case, cold-resistant crops are able to benefit countries enduring from winter the whole year round. Extremely limited variants of crops are able to be cultivated in such countries due to the extreme condition of the environment present. By assimilating a gene enabling the crop to withstand such low temperatures, the range of crops planted will be increased and the amount of crops dying from the coldness is reduced. 4.2 Increase the quality of crops The quality of GM crops is considerably higher than unmodified crops due to their greater shelf life. When a crop ripens, bacteria and fungi are attracted, further catalyzing the decomposing process. For example, firmer tomatoes possess a higher substance to water ratio, causing them to rot at a slower, much delayed rate. In addition, the exterior appearance and flavor of the fruit are not influenced, the fruit is able to endure longer transportations which require more time, and harvest of the GM crop can be done simultaneously. Economic concern Adversaries of GM foods assert that the introduction of GM foods will give rise to economic concerns. Commercialization of GM foods is expensive and time-consuming, and agri-biotechnological companies are keen on ensuring profitable revenue for their investments. As numerous techniques for genetic manipulation and GM crops have been patented, copyright violation is among one of their biggest apprehensions. This will thereby increase the price of seeds to the extent that small-scale farmers and third world countries are unable to afford the cost of these seeds, thereby widening the wedge between the wealthy population and the poor. Though so, this argument is weak and has no sound base. Farmers stand the opportunity to reap exponential amounts of profit from the cultivation of GM crops. Money is able to be saved on the amounts of pesticides used, and a shorter period of time is required to produce desirable yield. GM foods are precise in their make-up, and unwanted genes can be replaced with preferred genes incorporated with the various benefits and advantages. Such crops are also able to be modified to exhibit resistance towards droughts or tolerance to salinity. With the world population increasing at an alarming rate and more land is required for development instead of plantation, farmers may be able plant crops on land formerly unsuitable for growing of crops. GM crops able to thrive and flourish in unfavorable conditions and extreme environments will then be able to benefit mankind. 5.0 Recommendations Firstly, GM foods should be legalized and commercialized throughout the world. Governments should show their encouragement by funding and investing in research regarding the production and testing of GM foods. Scientists must also expose the benefits and safety of GM food consumption to the public to comfort their doubts regarding GM foods. In addition, the price of GM foods must be controlled and subsidized by the government. By doing so, GM food can then be afforded by the working-class population. Advocates of GM food should show their support for the legalization of GM foods by purchasing GM food stuffs and spreading news of the benefits of GM foods. However, research and the creation of GM foods must be closely monitored so that products that might harm its consumers are not created under any circumstances. Numerous safety tests and examinations must be carried out to ensure its side effects are not harmful to human health. By doing so, better prospects for mankind can unfold in the future where world starvation and malnutrition is no longer a crisis, and human health can be maintained through the intake of GM foods. 6.0 Conclusion GM foods have raised much controversy in many nations throughout the world. People are still indecisive in their choice to consume products containing GM foods. It stands to be true that doubts concerning GM foods were widespread when first introduced to the public, but through many years of experimental analysis as well as safety tests, GM foods have been confirmed to be safe for human consumption with numerous benefits as a bonus. In fact, GM foods are essential now in resolving the crisis of hunger and scarcity of food around the world. Acceptance of GM foods are beginning to increase significantly over the years as more and more people are convinced of their benefits in terms of cost, health, and nature. Therefore, it cannot be denied that GM foods should be legalized for the benefit of mankind. As mentioned in the report, GM foods promote good human health, are environmentally friendly and (). Hence, it is irrefutable that its advantages totally outweigh its drawbacks and that GM foods are the way to go in ensuring a brighter future for us and for the whole world.

Reality based tv... or not? :: essays research papers

When it comes to reality based television shows, the only thing I want to know is where they get the word â€Å"Reality†. The reason is that we only see what they want us to see, so we are not really seeing the big picture. (Dan Johnson) There is some controversy over reality based television shows. One thing that they are able to do is give you a chance to see how ordinary people in certain situations. The producer is the one who creates the situation, but how they react is the real thing. (Richard Heldenfels 563-569) When you watch reality television you are seeing a group of people get along in a restricted environment. Throughout the serious anything could happen that will make you want to see the next show. Many of these shows share speed and excitement as much as it is interested in the relationships among characters. It is easier for people to know what is going on compared to soaps. That is a reason more people watch it because of this.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  (Paul Jackson 35-40) When we watch reality television we only care how it looks. Most of the time we don’t care if it is true or not. All that we are seeing is a performance with drama, and thaws what keeps us watching. For some reason they still call it reality based television and we go along with it. All shows are only vague depictions of reality. Most of the people that we see on television are forced to repeat their lines for speed and clarity. When scheduling conflicts, it demands producers film scenes frequently out of sequence. They are based on highly contrived circumstances, and then heavily choreographed.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  (Eric Cramer 1-25)There has been many of cases where they the people have found out the candles and the television station got cough and suede. In the television show Survivor the the station was sued because producers thought a certain individual was bad for ratings. Therefore, the told the other contestants to vote them off the island and they would do it. In the television show Temptation Island a couple got kicked off the island because they had a child together. This went on to court and the couple won the lawsuit.

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While elaborating the ideas provided in the chapter, the students may need to be familiarizes with a few fundamental concepts such as Gross Domestic Product, Employment etc. Since the students may find this difficult to understand, it is necessary to explain to them through examples. Several activities and exercises are suggested in the chapter to help the students understand how a person's activity could be placed -? whether in the primary, secondary or tertiary, organized or unrealized, and public or private sector.You may encourage the students to talk to various working people around them (such as hop owners, casual workers, vegetable vendors, workshop mechanics, domestic workers etc. ) to know more about how they live and work. Based on such information, the students can be encouraged to develop their own classification of economic activities. Another important issue to be highlighted is about the problems caused by the changes in the roles of sectors. The chapter has taken the example of unemployment and what the government can do to solve it.The declining importance 18 of agriculture and growing importance of industry and services should be related to the experience of the children by taking ore examples that they may observe in their day-to-day life. Information derived from the media could be used for this purpose. You may encourage the students to bring important cuttings and stories from newspapers, which could be prominently displayed in storyboards, and encourage the class to discuss these issues. While discussing the unrealized sector, the key issue of protecting the workers engaged in the sector should be highlighted.You may also encourage the students to visit persons and enterprises in the unrealized sector and get a first hand experience from real life situation. Sources for Information The GAP data used in this chapter pertaining to Gross Domestic Product at Factor Cost by Industry of Origin at 1993-94 prices is taken from Economic Survey. It is a valuable source of GAP and other information relating to the Indian economy. For evaluation purposes, particularly to develop the analytical ability of learners, teachers can refer to Economic Survey to get data for different years.You will find that people are engaged in various economic activities. Some of these are activities producing goods. Some others are producing services. These activities are happening around us every minute even as we speak. How do we understand these activities? One way of doing this is to group them (classify them) using some important criterion. These groups are also called sectors. There could be several ways of classification depending on the purpose and what one thinks is an important criterion. At different We begin by looking ties. Mind of economic active Primary (Agriculture) Sector produces natural goods Secondary (Industrial) manufactured 20 There are many activities that are undertaken by directly using natural resources. Take, for exampl e, the cultivation of cotton. It takes place within a crop season. For the growth of the cotton plant, we depend mainly, but not entirely, n natural factors like rainfall, sunshine and climate. The product of this activity, cotton, is a natural product. Similarly, in the case of an activity like dairy, we are dependent on the biological process of the animals and availability Tertiary (Service) of fodder etc.The product here, milk, also is a natural product. Similarly, minerals and ores are also natural products. When we produce a good by exploiting natural resources, it is an activity of the primary sector. Why primary? This is because it forms the base for all other products that we subsequently make. Since most of the natural helps develop products we get are from there sectors agriculture, dairy, fishing, forestry, this sector is also called agriculture and related sector. The secondary sector covers activities in which natural products are changed into other forms through ways of manufacturing that we associate with industrial activity.It is the next step after primary. The product is not produced by nature but has to be made and therefore some process of manufacturing is essential. This could be in a factory, a workshop or at home. For example, using cotton fiber from the plant, we spin yarn and weave cloth. Using sugarcane as a raw material, we make sugar or guru. We convert earth into bricks and use bricks to make houses and buildings. Since this sector gradually became associated with the different kinds of industries that came up, it is also called as industrial sector.After primary and secondary, there is a third category of activities that falls under tertiary sector and is different from the above two. These are activities that help in the development of the primary and secondary sectors. These activities, by themselves, do not produce a good but they are an aid or a support for the production process. For example, goods that are produced in the p rimary or secondary sector would need to be transported by trucks or trains and then sold in wholesale and retail shops.At times, it may be necessary to store these in godsons. We also may need to talk to others over telephone or send letters (communication) or borrow money from banks (banking) to help production and trade. Transport, storage, communication, banking, trade are some examples of tertiary activities. Since these activities generate services rather than goods, the tertiary sector is also called the service sector. Service sector also includes some essential services that may not directly help in the production of goods.

Critique of Cohen and Benjamins Argument on Alcoholism

Paper 2 – Critique of Cohen and Benjamin’s Argument Cohen and Benjamin assert that alcoholics should not be categorically excluded from access to liver transplantation. They argue that alcoholism is a disease and not a choice, and end stage liver damage requiring transplantation is a consequence of this disease. Furthermore, they argue that even if alcoholism is a choice, medicine should not incorporate moral judgments in the considerations of treatment decisions for the patient. They support this reasoning through three arguments: 1) it is impractical and almost impossible to make distinctions on morality, 2) the voluntariness condition to establish responsibility cannot be met, and 3) the implications and consequences of such system would be undesirable. Although these arguments are logical, they overlook certain details that question their applicability in liver transplantation cases. Cohen and Benjamin argue that to exclude patients from liver transplantation based on past history of alcoholism would be to exclude based on evaluation of moral character. They assert that whether a transplantation candidate is â€Å"an abusive parent or a dutiful daughter† or â€Å"cheat[s] on their income taxes or their spouses† would then also have to be considered. Therefore, this system is impractical and impossible due to extensive and intrusive investigation necessary to gather information on a patient’s moral behavior. Assessment of moral character is further problematic because fair and

Questions to Help You Choose Your College Major

When you were in high school, everyone wanted to know where you were going to go to college. Now that youre there, everyone wants to know what youre going to major in. If youre having problems deciding, try asking yourself these five questions. What Do I Love? Knowing what really engages you is critically important when picking a major. If you think you want to be a doctor but cant wait until chemistry ends because it means you can head straight to your Shakespeare class, pay attention to that. No matter what major you choose, if youre like everyone else, youll end up changing careers several times during your lifetime. So pick something that speaks to the fire in your belly and that will get you excited, regardless of the context in which its presented. What am I Good At? Do students in your residence hall always come to you for help with their biology homework? Do you always earn rave reviews for your performances or art work? Majoring in something that you have a natural inclination toward can speak to where your interests and skills are, and, if youre particularly skilled in a specific subject, can possibly lead to further study (abroad, in graduate school, or with a fellowship after graduation). What Do I Want to Do? Have you always wanted to be a doctor? A teacher? A lawyer? Dont limit yourself to only doing what is traditional for those fields. If you want to be a doctor but have a love of Spanish literature, make sure you take your pre-med requirements ... and look into majoring in Spanish. Having college goals and exploring your interests along the way can be a bonus on your graduate school applications. Similarly, if you know youve always wanted to work on Wall Street, make sure youre adequately prepared with the coursework youll need to get your foot in the door. Your major and your preparation for a professional field dont always have to be the exact same thing. What Skills Do I Want to Learn? If you love theater and are hoping to pursue it full-time after you graduate, remember to keep in mind the additional skills youll need to do so. If you want to run your own theater company someday, youll need to know about all kinds things about business rules, ethics, marketing, writing, public relations, and customer service. Pick a major that is intellectually interesting and that also provides you with the practical training you may need later. What Life Factors Do I Need to Consider? Many students have additional factors influencing their college choices: family, financial obligations, cultural expectations. While exploring your own path is highly important, its also important to keep in mind that these external forces will have an influence on your post-college life in one way or another. Finding a major that can provide balance for your internal dreams and desires with external expectations can make an overwhelming situation sometimes feel more manageable.

The End Of The Eastern Alliance - 1561 Words

It can be contended that 1989 was an incredible year for world history. The end of the eastern alliance was denoted by the fall of the Berlin Wall. The evident victory of capitalism has prompted changes, within all the countries of the world, in the monetary strategy taken from that point forward. The new financial strategy, known as  «Washington Consensus », comprised of a bundle of 10 basic economic policies, seeking to accomplish full liberalization of worldwide markets from any regulations which existed. The acknowledgment of this structure by worldwide associations and by the legislatures of the world, was almost common.The monetary approach followed the rules of the universal associations to accomplish the main purposes set around the Washington Consensus. This paper intends to better comprehend the philosophy of Washington Consensus, by examining its ideological hypothetical foundation (how it is organized and how it worked), the criticism it received from different opposing views, and finally its performance through the different real-life examples. Hypothetical structure and role of Washington Consensus The term â€Å"Washington Consensus† was first presented, by John Williamson, during an era when the power of Keynesian financial hypothesis had ended - after the crisis of the mid 70s and the obvious powerlessness of Keynesianism to stand before it (2004). Hence, sponsored by Reagan and Thatcher governments, neoliberalism have turned into the new universality.Show MoreRelatedOperation Anaconda Operation Anaconda took place as a part of the War in Afghanistan in early1500 Words   |  6 PagesOperation Anaconda Operation Anaconda took place as a part of the War in Afghanistan in early March of 2002. 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Bolts Of A Knowledge The Management System -Myassignmenthelp.Com

Question: Discuss About The Bolts Of Knowledge The Management System? Answer: Introduction Knowledge management (KM) is a technology based approach, which develops a business atmosphere for managing the knowledge, such as; storing the information and material data and gathering the data in an effective way, which can assist in future development of organization. Through the implementation of knowledge management, an organization can manage the documents, data and efforts of people (Becerra-Fernandez, and Sabherwal, 2014). Under this, the major objective of the organization should be to improve the ways, in which the people work together, communicate ideas and opinions and work on other ideas and then use them for a common objective. The development of knowledge management system makes the human resources able to utilize the resources, business reports and execute the best fit solutions. For knowledge management system, it can be said that it is one of the most significant system for enhancing capabilities and competencies of the company. Knowledge management is the process of collecting, communicating, using and organizing the knowledge and information, so that organization can attain its predetermined objectives by using the knowledge properly (Botha, Kourie, and Snyman, 2014). This IT based system enables the company to recognize the problems and develop the best fit solutions to them. For this report, the company, which is chosen here, is Coca Cola Company that is based in United States of America. The organization is running its business operations since more than 130 years all over the world. It is well-established in American and international food and beverage industry. This below report consists of the knowledge management program, which is used by Coca Cola Company and it also includes the knowledge infrastructure of this company. Coca Cola Organization is utilizing some IT solutions to handle its knowledge management system. Moreover, there is the discussion about the effect of knowledge management system on human resources, processes and its products and services. This firm has executed this technology based system to get expected and positive outcomes. Company Description Coca-Cola Organization is one of the most popular brands in the world food and beverage industry. This is a well-established organization that produces carbonated soft drinks and other beverages and has been in this business since 1886 and currently serving more than 200 countries with its products. The organization was founded by John Pemberton in late 19th century, whose marketing strategies directed the company to the dominance in global beverage and soft drink industry. The organization is offering a variety of products, under its beverage and soft drink category, like; Coke, Diet Coke, Caffeine Free Coca-Cola, Coca-Cola Cherry, Coca-Cola Vanilla and special flavors with the lime, coffee and lemon. According to the study of best global brand, 2015, this company is the third valuable brand, led by Apple and Google. It is one of the leading producers of soft drink and now it is well-recognized for its international marketing capabilities (Coca Cola Company, 2017). Currently, the or ganization is working as one of the most appreciated organizations and it has proficiency in the field of manufacturing, distribution and advertising and marketing. Use of technology has enhanced the business in different ways. One of the major factors behind positive results is the packaging of the products. It is enhancing the efficiency and quality of product. Coca-Cola operates its business maturely, where the implementation of new technology and innovations is lower than other organizations (Celk, 2017). It is one of the great instances of an organization that attaches the significance to knowledge management by incorporating and processing the knowledge and information from different subsidiaries all over the world. Knowledge Management Infrastructure Knowledge Management Infrastructure of a company includes all the components, which integrate to simplify the flow of information and knowledge to support the decision making processes, including organizational structure and operations. However, KM infrastructure combines not only the IT infrastructure but also includes social, human and organizational factors of the company (Chua, and Banerjee, 2013). Coca-Cola Company has developed a specific and operative management infrastructure after analyzing the needs of this system to deal with some issues. Before implementing knowledge management infrastructure, first the company will analyze the needs and requirements for this system at Coca-Cola. The company believes that the only way for employers to get to each of employees performances is enhanced technology in developing for them an effective knowledge management system. The company has to create the need for them, so that they rely on the system and company will be able to increase i ts production and profits. Coca-Cola has developed its KM infrastructure, including its different components, i.e. organizational culture, organizational structure, IT infrastructure and its physical environment. Knowledge management infrastructure of Coca-Cola Company is given below; Culture The culture of an organization shows the norms, values and beliefs, which assist the employees in guiding their behaviors in the workplace. These shared norms and values have a huge impact on the employees of the organization and lead them how they appear, work and perform their roles and responsibilities in the operations. Under knowledge management infrastructure, organizational culture is an important component. It consists of understanding the process of knowledge management and organizing the support for knowledge management at all management levels (Dalkir, and Beaulieu, 2017). At Coca-Cola, knowledge management has a strong relationship with the collaboration. This organization is very much sensitive to its culture and brand image to both of its suppliers and customers due to their pursuit of carrying out better and positive innovation to the customers. For enhancing the growth of business and increasing customer base, Coca Cola Company has used different knowledge sharing met hods in the workplace. It allows the knowledge managers of the company in communicating the creative ideas. These knowledge sharing methods are assisting the top levels managers in understanding the best fit ideas and resources and sharing them with other employees to create an effective and comfortable organizational culture. Organizational Structure The term organizational structure describes how different activities, like; allocation of tasks, communication and supervision are led for attaining the goals and objectives of organization. Apart from organizational culture, Coca-Cola organization depends to a large extent on its organizational structure. Under its knowledge management system, there are so many aspects, which are completely concerned with this concept. At Coca-Cola, decentralization structure of organization has been practiced that develops a workplace environment where the managers are assigned the responsibilities and they are outcomes driven (Galliers, and Leidner, 2014). Use of decentralized organizational structure is one of the key elements at Coca-Cola Company. In addition to this, the large liberation of some specific business areas and of the departments shows that the middle level of management has sectorial proficiency. On the basis of this structure, the company is following the principle that the employees, who are closer to the problems, are closer to solution to them. Under the knowledge management system at Coca-Cola Company, embedded knowledge plays a vital role. This KM system allows the managers to use the data and information of their workplace and its environment. Furthermore, this also helps the organization in analyzing the structures and working processes of its human resources. One of the major strengths of Coca-Cola Company over other small beverage company is the knowledge, which each part of the organization has created with the passage of time and that can be used by other people in the organization. It has nurtured its organizational structure and culture through tacit knowledge of its employees. Implanted knowledge at Coca-Cola Company provides different rules and regulations, which need to be complied with. The top management at Coca-Cola Company gives a task schedule to its people (Hallin, and Marnburg, 2008). Through this, they are able to understand the schedule to coordinate with their external and internal stakeholders, like; customers, suppliers, manufacturers, shareholders etc. In addition to this, Coca-Cola is executing the structural knowledge management system, which enables its management and top managers to access the previous reports and data, where the knowledge is secured. IT Infrastructure Knowledge management structure of the company is also enabled by the IT infrastructure of that company. However, some information systems and technologies are directly established to go ahead with the knowledge management, overall It structure of organization that is created to assist the requirements of management information system (Hays, 2010). The IT infrastructure of the organization combines different elements, like; storage, data processing, communication systems and technologies and practices, which process them to work. Coca-Cola Company is implementing effective information technology tools for connecting the people from different departments, like; finance, production, distribution, marketing etc. By implementing the electronic data interchange technology that is incorporated in the information system of company, the employees are able to access the operational data, such as; sales data and figures, customer information and promotion. It increases the knowledge of employee s and their awareness to consumers. These IT tools allow the organizational staff in generating solutions to the issues, policies and processes of organization. This IT infrastructure of the company is enhancing the sharing of information and communication among its different departments. In addition to this system, Coca Cola Company has used different IT tools for managing the knowledge and information, like; Intranet system, reviews, meetings etc. Thus, it has incorporated various techniques under its IT infrastructure for managing coordination and communication in the company (Hislop, 2013). Knowledge management system accomplishes all the aspects at Coca-Cola Company, i.e. richness, depth, reach and accumulation. Physical Environment Generally, an organization takes the physical environment very for granted, but it is also a significant base upon which knowledge management relies. Key elements of psychology environment consist of location and size of office premises, number of meeting rooms and design of office buildings. Physical environment plays an important role in fostering the knowledge management by offering opportunities for its people to meet and communicate their opinions and ideas. The physical environment at Coca-Cola is very attractive and it has developed a meeting room, where it conducts the meetings and business reviews with its people. The management at company believes that it is essential to develop a comfortable and better physical environment for effective learning (Holtshouse, 2013). At Coca Cola, this component of knowledge management infrastructure is managed properly and assists the management in encouraging the knowledge management by providing opportunities to the people to share their ideas and opinions. Technology Used By organization For effective knowledge management, companies use and implement different Information Technology tools, which assist them in generating appropriate solutions for their business problems. At Coca-Cola Company, there is incorporation of various information technologies, which are utilized for managing the knowledge and information. The company uses these technologies to facilitate the solutions to knowledge management problems (King, Marks, 2008). Two major techniques, used by Coca-Cola are Intranet System and Electronic data Interchange technology system. These technologies at Coca-Cola are stated below; Intranet System To deal with the employee performance and knowledge management issues, Coca-Cola Company has executed Intranet system. Intranet system is a system that allows the employees to coordinate, communicate and share the information and use the productivity techniques. This system is generally operated and maintained by the organization servers and can be used by the internal people of the company only. The Intranet system is modern and advanced technology that is used by the Coca-Cola Company. By the use of this technology, the employees are assisted not only in enhancing their abilities and skills but also assisted in enhancing coordination among organization and its bottling partners. This technology is improving the relationship with bottlers due to the network established between them (Lopez, 2012). Under knowledge management, this system will give the employees with the points and facts on how it is serving the customer satisfaction. In Coca Cola, bottlers are the major source, from which knowledge management system can get the information and data as they are very much connected with the society and community. This is the major reason why bottlers are considered as a foundation unit of Coca-Cola system. Electronic data interchange technology The future success of Coca Cola lies on enhancing its information technology. Through this technology, the employees are able to access the operational information easily. This information may be related to the customers, promotion and marketing and sales. It is improving the knowledge of employees and their response to its customers. This advanced enterprise content management technology allows the company for repurposing its assets and enhance the speed, efficiency and collaboration in a manner, which provides them a significant competitive advantage. Under knowledge management, Coca-Cola has developed an easy to use user document, which is refined to communicate with several databases, servers and archives of the Coca-Cola Company (Gengeswari and Hamid, 2017). In this way, these are two major technologies, which are used by the Coca-Cola Company for its effective knowledge management. By the use of these techniques, the company is performing its activities and operations effectively. Knowledge Management Systems Knowledge management systems are the practices, which are created by combining different technologies, which assist the knowledge management process of a company (Mirvis, Herrera, Googins, and Albareda, 2016). In an organization, these systems can be categorized in four types, which are given below; Knowledge Capture System Knowledge Application System Knowledge Discovery System Knowledge Sharing System For Coca Cola Company, two of above systems are stated below; Knowledge Application System Knowledge application system is a system, which can be utilized for maintaining the important knowledge and information on the company. It is an important system, which helps the process through which some of its employees use the knowledge owned by other employees without receiving and learning the knowledge (Macharia, and Ismail, 2015). There are two types of this system, i.e. routines and direction. At Coca Cola Company, the knowledge managers have pursued routine as its application system. Under this system, Coca-Cola Company has included the knowledge and information in its routine work processes. In this way, it is able to guide the employee behavior and perform their duties and responsibilities accordingly. The management at this organization believes that application system under knowledge management should be efficient because it is most significant component of this process. In addition to norms and rules, the organization uses various applications and software to transfer and apply the knowledge, like; enterprise resource planning (ERP), enterprise content management system and CRM (Smith, and Lyles, 2017). Knowledge Sharing Systems This is another system under the process of knowledge management, through which implied knowledge and information is shared with the people in an organization. This system of knowledge sharing can be positioned among different departments and groups of organization. For sharing the knowledge and material information, Coca Cola Company is using effective tools and technologies, like; intranet system and electronic data interchange. In addition to this, it is utilizing the embedded knowledge, which supports the company is situation planning and understanding the employees (Noell, 2014). This situational planning allows the managers in developing a structure for operating the information system properly. By using the above given technologies, the company is able to share its work procedures and guidelines with its employees. The knowledge sharing system of Coca-Cola has assisted the management to communicate with all the levels of employees. Impact of knowledge management solutions on: people, processes, products and organization performance In an organization, the knowledge is developed by combining for components of the organization, i.e. people, processes, practice and technology. The knowledge management solutions, implemented by Coca-Cola have a large impact on its people, processes, products and performance, which are given below; People Under knowledge management process, people are the key sources of information. Through knowledge management system, the people at Coca-Cola Company are able to develop and acquire the information and learn from that and teach others, so that organization can be more innovative and generate new knowledge. This system at Coca-Cola allows the managers and employees to acquire deep understanding to manage organizational resources and employees (Rasheed, Subhan, Ahmed, and Ibrahim, 2015). Processes Processes are the structured activities that direct the company and its people towards its objectives. Through effective knowledge management implementation, Coca-Cola organization is able to enhance the productivity and efficiency of its processes, like; production, supply chain, marketing and advertising. Intranet system allows all the authorized departments to access the required information. They can contact with its all the employees and departments all over the world, as Coca-Cola is operating its business in more than 200 countries (Virgilio, and Francesca, 2012). Product Products are the major offerings that are provided by a company to its customers. Knowledge management has a significant impact on the products and services of the company. Coca-Cola Company is offering soft drinks and other beverages. By implementation of knowledge management, the company is able to develop contact with employees all over the world and understand the needs and desires of customers (Wang, Wang, 2016). After understanding the needs of customers, the company is making innovations in its products accordingly. It assists the company is offering improved products, which provide an additional value in comparison to previous products. In this way, knowledge management is enhancing the product excellence at Coca Cola Company (Weaven, Grace, Dant, and R. Brown, 2014). Organizational Performance When the people, processes and products have positive impact of knowledge management solutions, it indicates that there is improvement in the organizational performance. It improved the management and administration in the company offices. The organizational costs have reduced, as the people are connected through a single system (Williams, 2015). The employees are able to communicate through web conferencing, mails and chats. It has eliminated the travelling costs to the company. Analysis The above stated report shows that Coca-Cola Company has executed two knowledge management techniques and initiatives, i.e. Intranet System and Electronic Data Interchange. These technologies have affected the different areas of the organization. Through Electronic Data Interchange, the company is able to manage the performances of individuals. It allows the people to access the operational data of company, like; customers, market changes and trends etc. It increases the employees responsiveness to the customers and their satisfaction. This knowledge management solution went very well in the organization and assisted in attaining the related objectives. It enhances the management information system of the company. Through Intranet System, the company is able to communicate with the employees effectively. But this system is failed in this company as it demands an associated hardware and infrastructure. So, it is very expensive for Coca-Cola Company (Rasheed, Subhan, Ahmed, and Ibrahim, 2015). This intranet services put burden on internal servers, which need updating, replacing and licensing. In the place of this system, the company should execute the Digital Media Management System, developed by IBM. This system will be a strong source for managing the information. This new system will make the worth of advertising and marketing icons available via a wide internal network. It will allow the employees at Coca-Cola to easily access the information and materials for future projects. Conclusion From the above report, it can be concluded that knowledge management is an important process for establishing communication among different groups and employees. This process can assist the organization in storing and managing its databases and other important information about its processes. The above analysis shows that Coca-Cola Company is introducing different systems and techniques for managing the knowledge. The company is using different tools, like; Intranet System and Electronic Data Interchange system. At Coca-Cola, Electronic Data Interchange system is more successful than other system. 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