Learning Organizations in Construction

The transformation of organizations from production-oriented entities to proactive learning entities that continuously leverage the knowledge of the workforce is a primary objective of management researchers. This focus has significant relevance to the construction industry where production-related research has predominantly overshadowed organizational development research. As one effort to change this emphasis, the writers present a research effort designed to study current organization learning techniques and technologies fielded by organizations both inside and outside of the construction industry. Through a series of exploratory case studies, the writers developed a maturity model together with the Construction Industry Institute that provides construction organizations with a framework for developing a learning organization culture. The maturity model focuses on learning organization characteristics of leadership, processes and infrastructure, communication/collaboration, education, and culture at the organization, community, and individual levels. This paper introduces the results of that effort including a presentation of the learning organization maturity model, framework application, and the overall characteristics of a learning organization.     

Microbiological safety of kinema, a fermented soya bean food

Kinema is a fermented soya bean food of Nepal and the hilly regions of North-eastern States of India. Generally, the fermentation is dominated by Bacillus spp. that often cause alkalinity and desirable stickiness in the product. The present study was undertaken in a limited number of commercial (market) kinema samples to test for the presence of foodborne pathogens and their properties. Bacillus cereus was present in numbers exceeding 10⁴ cfu/g product in five of the tested 15 market samples. Enterobacteriaceae and coliform bacteria exceeded 10⁵ cfu/g in 10 of the 15 samples. Escherichia coli exceeding 10⁵ cfu/g was found in two samples. Staphylococcus aureus was not detected in any of the tested samples. Of 31 isolated typical and atypical strains of B. cereus, 18 representative strains were tested qualitatively for the ability to produce diarrhoeal type enterotoxin (BCET) using an Oxoid BCET-RPLA test kit. Overall, BCET was formed by 12 strains in BHIG (brain heart infusion broth +1% glucose), by seven strains on sterilized cooked rice, and by five strains on sterilized cooked soya beans. Semi-quantitative tests on BCET revealed that levels exceeding 256 ng/g soya beans, produced by single pure culture inoculation with the isolated B. cereus strains, were reduced to ≤ 8 ng/g by frying kinema in oil, a common procedure when making kinema curry. It was also shown in a mixed pure culture experiment that a kinema strain B. Subtilis DK-W1, is able to suppress growth and BCET formation by a selected toxin producing strain (BC7-5) of B. cereus. It is concluded that the traditional way of making kinema and its culinary use in curries is safe. However, for novel applications of kinema, safety precautions are advisable.     

The greenhouse effect; Impact upon and the role to be played by construction

The authors highlight several possible ways in which the construction industry could lower present emissions of the greenhouse gas, carbon dioxide. It is an excellent discussion document and is recommended reading.     

我国钨业“四矿”问题及其对策思考

简要回顾了我国钨矿业悠久的历史、资源的优势、技术的进步和卓越的贡献 ;20世纪80年代中期以后 ,逐步陷入困境 ,举步维艰的主要表现 ;以及在解决“四矿”(矿业、矿山、矿工、矿城)问题中的艰苦经历。指出应在“四矿”问题讨论中做更多、更深的对策思考 ,并对钨业的“四矿”问题加以重点研究。     

发展我国冻干蔬菜产业大有可为

本文介绍了真空冷冻干燥食品的发展现状、特点及其工艺流程 ,着重讨论了发展冻干食品工业的广阔前景     

以废钡渣为原料制取氯化钡的研究

本文研究了以直接耐晒黑Ｇ染料生产中的废钡渣为原料制取氯化钡的方法，氯化钡的得率达到废钡渣量的７０．９９％，产品质量达到一级品的标准。     

Review: Modified Atmosphere Packaging and its effects on the microbiological quality and safety of produce

Modified Atmosphere Packaging and related technologies are increasingly used to extend shelf-life of fresh produce. This paper reviews the effect of such technology on the spoilage microbiological flora and food-borne pathogens which may be present in produce and also on the organoleptic properties of the product.     

基于AHP法的主导产业选择研究——以娄底市为例

适时地选择和培育符合经济发展阶段要求的主导产业，对一个地区的发展具有重要的战略意义。采用层次分析法（AHP法）进行工业主导产业选择可以取得比较好的效果。从评价指标的选择、调查表格的设计及统计整理等方面对采用AHP法进行主导产业的选择进行了探讨，并以娄底市为例进行了论证。