Download or read book Cultivating Communities of Practice written by Etienne Wenger and published by Harvard Business Press. This book was released on 2002 with total page 306 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Today's marketplace is fueled by knowledge. Yet organizing systematically to leverage knowledge remains a challenge. Leading companies have discovered that technology is not enough, and that cultivating communities of practice is the keystone of an effective knowledge strategy. Communities of practice come together around common interests and expertise- whether they consist of first-line managers or customer service representatives, neurosurgeons or software programmers, city managers or home-improvement amateurs. They create, share, and apply knowledge within and across the boundaries of teams, business units, and even entire companies-providing a concrete path toward creating a true knowledge organization. In Cultivating Communities of Practice, Etienne Wenger, Richard McDermott, and William M. Snyder argue that while communities form naturally, organizations need to become more proactive and systematic about developing and integrating them into their strategy. This book provides practical models and methods for stewarding these communities to reach their full potential-without squelching the inner drive that makes them so valuable. Through in-depth cases from firms such as DaimlerChrysler, McKinsey & Company, Shell, and the World Bank, the authors demonstrate how communities of practice can be leveraged to drive overall company strategy, generate new business opportunities, tie personal development to corporate goals, transfer best practices, and recruit and retain top talent. They define the unique features of these communities and outline principles for nurturing their essential elements. They provide guidelines to support communities of practice through their major stages of development, address the potential downsides of communities, and discuss the specific challenges of distributed communities. And they show how to recognize the value created by communities of practice and how to build a corporate knowledge strategy around them. Essential reading for any leader in today's knowledge economy, this is the definitive guide to developing communities of practice for the benefit-and long-term success-of organizations and the individuals who work in them. Etienne Wenger is a renowned expert and consultant on knowledge management and communities of practice in San Juan, California. Richard McDermott is a leading expert of organization and community development in Boulder, Colorado. William M. Snyder is a founding partner of Social Capital Group, in Cambridge, Massachusetts.

Download or read book Living into Community written by Christine D. Pohl and published by Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing. This book was released on 2011-12-20 with total page 220 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Every church, every organization, has experienced them: betrayal, deception, grumbling, envy, exclusion. They make life together difficult and prevent congregations from developing the skills, virtues, and practices they need to nurture sturdy, life-giving communities. In Living into Community Christine Pohl explores four specific Christian practices -- gratitude, promise-keeping, truth-telling, and hospitality -- that can counteract those destructive forces and help churches and individuals build and sustain vibrant communities. Drawing on a wealth of personal and professional experience and interacting with the biblical, historical, and moral traditions, Pohl thoughtfully discusses each practice, including its possible complications and deformations, and points to how these essential practices can be better cultivated within communities and families.

Download or read book Cultivating Community and Healthy Living written by Amy Williams and published by . This book was released on 2018 with total page 123 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Motivation Today 49 million individuals in the US are affected by food insecurity (Whittle et. al., 2015). Low-income populations tend to depend solely on convenient stores for calorically-dense, nutrient poor sustenance, and suffer from health problems that drastically shorten or debilitate lives (Dhurandhar et al., 2016). In Richmond, Virginia there is a dramatic divide between wealthy and low-income communities in terms of the accessibility as well as the types and quality of foods available. Several communities in this city meet the characteristics of a food desert. Problem Grocery store chains typically avoid building in low-income communities for fear of low profits (Wright et al., 2016). The need exists for a market that sources fresh and affordable produce in an accessible location to those living in food deserts. Research has shown that in addition to product quality and price, aesthetics are a critical component of the shopping experience (Webber, Sobal & Dollahite, 2010). This store should provide an aesthetic experience that cultivates strong community by attracting users to spend time and socialize in the store. Design can have a strong positive impact on food desert communities. By designing an aesthetically pleasing, well-stocked grocery store along with community gathering and learning spaces, food shopping is elevated from a mundane task to an experience that cultivates a thriving community. Methods Research will include case studies of community gardens and farms as well as markets. Interviews with area natives that provide insight on the community needs within the food desert will be conducted. An understanding of the current food sources within the food deserts will be gathered. A literature review about how design and marketing techniques influence the shopping carts of consumers will provide value in understanding the strategies behind grocery design. Results Studies of community gardens show that autonomy over the garden keeps participants invested in their community (Hondagneu-Sotela, 2017). Preliminary observation of the community reveals the presence of several convenience stores. Store design and marketing strategy research reveal that the marketing of nutritious foods is not as ubiquitous as packaged foods (Caspi et al, 2017), but that there is promise in marketing fresh produce to children at point-of-sale kiosks (Holmes et al, 2012). Priming shoppers to make health-conscious choices also influences the shoppers' selection in the grocery store (Papies et al, 2014). Conclusion This research will lead to the exploration of an urban community garden and grocery store that exists to bring community together as well as provide food. A café that doubles as a nutrition education space could build connections and knowledge within the community. A kitchen could house high-quality equipment used to produce food for the store as well as teach cooking classes to the community. A community garden could engage the neighborhood in the process of growing produce for the store and offer dynamic health benefits including increased physical activity, gardening skills, and strengthened community ties. By engaging with all age groups and crafting a pleasant grocery experience that makes the shopper feel valued, design could begin to address food insecurity, dependence on nutritionally inadequate convenience store food, and health problems that many urban neighborhoods face.

Download or read book Cultivating Food Justice written by Alison Hope Alkon and published by MIT Press. This book was released on 2011 with total page 405 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Documents how racial and social inequalities are built into our food system, and how communities are creating environmentally sustainable and socially just alternatives.

Download or read book Cultivating Community written by Barrett Williams and published by Barrett Williams. This book was released on 2024-05-01 with total page 99 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Discover the transformative power of green spaces in "Cultivating Community," a riveting and insightful new eBook that will take you through the journey of creating, nurturing, and sustaining a blooming haven that brings people together. Unveil the secrets of the first sprout of companionship in the "Essence of Community Gardens," where the roots of community gardens stretch deep into the fertile soil of history and emerge as a vital source of local unity and well-being. Embark on a strategic odyssey with "Strategic Planning for a Community Garden," unfolding a blueprint that assembles a hardy team, crystalizes a shared vision, and nurtures the goals that will reach high like towering sunflowers. Scour the urban landscape in "Locating and Acquiring Garden Space," a thrilling treasure hunt for that perfect plot where community dreams will germinate and thrive. Immerse yourself in "Designing Your Community Garden," where imagination meets the earth, creating inclusive and sustainable spaces that welcome a mosaic of hands eager to tend. Dig into "Funding and Resources," your treasure chest of knowledge, brimming with golden strategies to fuel your green paradise without withering funds. Enter the alchemy of "Soil and Composting Systems," turning humble waste into rich, life-giving soil to sow the seeds of tomorrow’s harvest. "Cultivating Community" continues to dazzle as you weave through chapters filled with wisdom on plant selection, water management, and community building, all culminating in a wellspring of ideas to keep your garden lush through the seasons. This eBook is not just a guide; it’s a manifesto for all those yearning to hatch an oasis where concrete once ruled, to craft an epicenter of education, to secure a cradle of biodiversity, and to cultivate the fabric of a tightly-knit community tapestry. In "Cultivating Community," your digital companion, you will navigate the highs and lows of communal gardening, from bountiful harvests to common challenges, securing legal ground and planting the seeds for a resilient future. No matter if you are greening your thumbs for the first time or are already a seasoned garden guardian, this eBook plots a course towards achieving a thriving, impactful, and sustainable gathering place for all. So, raise your shovels and let the odyssey of creation begin!

Download or read book Cultivating Community written by Amanda Shankland and published by Sydney University Press. This book was released on 2024-09-01 with total page 210 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: In the face of escalating water scarcity, effective water management has become a central concern globally. The Murray–Darling Basin, spanning over a million square kilometres across four states and one territory, is a lifeline for Australian agriculture and rural communities. Cultivating Community: How discourse shapes the philosophy, practice and policy of water management in the Murray–Darling Basin dissects the prevailing environmental discourses shaping water policy in the Murray–Darling Basin and assesses their implications for both the environment and for farming communities. Drawing on five months of extensive field research among farmers and Murray–Darling Basin Authority officials, Dr Amanda Shankland presents a nuanced understanding of farmer perspectives within the broader policy discourse. By examining the interplay between environmental discourses and farmer knowledge, Shankland sheds light on how different ideologies shape policy decisions and, subsequently, impact water management practices. Central to the book’s contribution is the identification and analysis of four key environmental discourses prevalent in the Murray–Darling Basin: administrative rationalism, economic rationalism, democratic pragmatism, and green environmentalism. Against the backdrop of looming water scarcity and the declining health of the Murray–Darling Basin, Cultivating Community challenges these dominant discourses by highlighting a new perspective, community centrism, which emphasises community-based cooperation and engagement in water management. By amplifying farmer voices and advocating for a more inclusive approach to policy deliberations, Cultivating Community paves the way for alternative futures in water management that prioritise social values alongside economic and environmental considerations. Cultivating Community is a timely and indispensable resource for charting a path towards a more resilient and equitable water future in the Murray–Darling Basin and beyond.

Download or read book Communities in Action written by National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine and published by National Academies Press. This book was released on 2017-04-27 with total page 583 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: In the United States, some populations suffer from far greater disparities in health than others. Those disparities are caused not only by fundamental differences in health status across segments of the population, but also because of inequities in factors that impact health status, so-called determinants of health. Only part of an individual's health status depends on his or her behavior and choice; community-wide problems like poverty, unemployment, poor education, inadequate housing, poor public transportation, interpersonal violence, and decaying neighborhoods also contribute to health inequities, as well as the historic and ongoing interplay of structures, policies, and norms that shape lives. When these factors are not optimal in a community, it does not mean they are intractable: such inequities can be mitigated by social policies that can shape health in powerful ways. Communities in Action: Pathways to Health Equity seeks to delineate the causes of and the solutions to health inequities in the United States. This report focuses on what communities can do to promote health equity, what actions are needed by the many and varied stakeholders that are part of communities or support them, as well as the root causes and structural barriers that need to be overcome.

Download or read book Cultivate written by Lara Casey and published by Thomas Nelson. This book was released on 2017-06-27 with total page 268 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: A flourishing, fulfilling life is possible—no perfection required! Too many of us think we have to have it all together in order to live a meaningful life. Instead of feeling put together, we end up feeling inadequate, overwhelmed, and exhausted as we try to figure out how to do it all. Author, business owner, and mom to three Lara Casey has been there, too. In Cultivate, she offers this grace-filled advice: we can't do it all and do it well, but we can choose to cultivate what matters Written as part encouragement anthem and part practical guide, Cultivate offers wisdom from God's Word alongside lessons Lara has learned in her own life--and in her garden--giving you the tools you need to: Discern what matters most to you Embrace the season of life that you're in Find the joy and freedom that comes with cultivating what matters Let Lara be your guide as you learn to cultivate what matters, little by little, with the help of God's transforming grace. Praise for Cultivate: "Cultivate is rich soil for the soul! Whether you are a new sprout, just beginning to brave life in the light; a tender shoot fighting for space among rocks and weeds; or a mature plant in need of nurture and pruning, this book will help you thrive. With her characteristic honesty, humility, and patience, Lara Casey uses her spiritual 'green thumb' to gently nudge us toward an intentional life of godliness and growth. If you are ready for a new season of spiritual growth, dig into Cultivate and get ready to bloom!" --Elizabeth Laing Thompson, author of When God Says "Wait"

Download or read book Sowing Seeds in the City written by Elizabeth Hodges Snyder and published by Springer. This book was released on 2016-05-20 with total page 402 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: A majority of the world’s population lives in cities. Urban areas have largely been disconnected from the processes associated with producing food. A broad range of community efforts have emerged to reconnect people in urban areas to fresh foods with expected benefits for public health. These efforts can be found in cities across the country and cross both economic and ethnic lines. They have been led by the non- scientific community and are best characterized as social movements. Expansion of agriculture to non- traditional areas including community or kitchen gardens in urban or peri- urban environments has the potential to provide a range of ecosystem services as well as reduce stressors on non- urban environments. These services/benefits include improved public health, improved human nutrition and diet, large-scale production of renewable resources, increased food security with less resilience on traditional agricultural landscapes and seascapes, enhanced ecosystem function in urban areas, and increased public appreciation for and understanding of ecosystem services. ​

Download or read book Cultivating Sent Communities written by Dwight Zscheile and published by Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing. This book was released on 2012-03-15 with total page 221 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: "Cultivating sent communities reimagines spiritual formation through the lens of mission, covering such topics as the role of Scripture, congregational discernment, and short-term missions and drawing on case studies from diverse contexts including Ethiopia, England, Leipzig, and San Francisco."--Back cover.

Download or read book Slow Church written by C. Christopher Smith and published by InterVarsity Press. This book was released on 2014-05-06 with total page 251 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: In today's fast-food world, Christianity can seem outdated or archaic. The temptation becomes to pick up the pace and play the game. But Chris Smith and John Pattison invites us to leave franchise faith behind and enter the kingdom of God, where people know each other well and love one another as Christ loves the church.

Download or read book Growing Good written by William Hemminger and published by Indiana University Press. This book was released on 2021-09-14 with total page 133 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Anger and hopelessness can overwhelm communities. So what can everyday people do to actually grow some good in their own hometown? Growing Good: A Beginner's Guide to Cultivating Caring Communities shows how ordinary people have transformed themselves into volunteers and activists. Centered mostly in the Midwest, this collection of essays brings together the stories of normal people who have rolled up their sleeves to make their community a better place by serving nonprofits such as Gleaner Food Bank in Indianapolis, Indiana; Migration and Refugee Services in Louisville, Kentucky; and Patchwork Central in Evansville, Indiana, along with national organizations like CASA. For instance, a teacher and his student started a native plant garden to help local insects thrive in a disused corner of their school property. A woman saw a billboard and was moved to become a voice for children in need. A professional photographer offered his services to people experiencing homelessness in order to help others witness their humanity. Editor Bill Hemminger also writes of his own extensive experience with community gardening to feed hungry neighbors. Filled with simple actions, clear steps, and useful lists, including how to care for and nurture your own inner peace and creativity, Growing Good will help readers of all ages plant seeds of hope and cultivate communities where everyone thrives.

Download or read book Cultivating Community written by Jodey Nurse and published by McGill-Queen's Press - MQUP. This book was released on 2022-02-15 with total page 368 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: For close to two hundred years, families and individuals across Ontario have travelled down country roads and gathered to enjoy seasonal agricultural fairs. Though some features of township and county fairs have endured for generations, these community events have also undergone significant transformations since 1850, especially in terms of women’s participation. Cultivating Community tells the story of how women’s involvement became critical to agricultural fairs’ growth and prosperity. By examining women’s diverse roles as agricultural society members, fair exhibitors, performers, volunteers, and fairgoers, Jodey Nurse shows that women used fairs’ manifold nature to present different versions of rural womanhood. Although traditional domestic skills and handicrafts, such as baking, needlework, and flower arrangement, remained the domain of women throughout this period, women steadily enlarged their sphere of influence on the fairgrounds. By the mid-twentieth century they had staked out a place in venues previously closed to them, including the livestock show ring, the athletic field, and the boardroom. Through a wealth of fascinating stories and colourful detail, Cultivating Communities adds a new dimension to the social and cultural history of rural women, placing their activities at the centre of the agricultural fair.

Download or read book Circles of Wellness written by Queen Afua and published by Createspace Independent Publishing Platform. This book was released on 2015-05-12 with total page 0 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Circles of Wellness: A Guide to Planting, Cultivating & Harvesting Wellness This wellness guide for You, Your Family, Your Community, Your Planet is a formula for gaining vibrant, healthy living for all humanity and our global circles. The text is presented in 5 chapters as 5 paradigm shifts. Five is the number for balance, freedom and grace. This guide teaches how to make paradigm shifts to rethink and redo our personal and planetary health care. Learn to plant seeds of wellness and shift your consciousness from accepting suffering to expecting wellness. Learn to activate the teachings in Queen Afua's forty-year body of work as you shift to heal Thyself and become Citizens on the Global Community of Wellness. Continue to grow and cultivate your family and community. Circles of Wellness is based on natural, holistic Emerald Green Lifestyle. By shifting to wellness thinking and wellness acting, you - Your Family - Your Community - your planet can begin harvesting collective greatness, 360, full circle. With 50 Million people in the United States without Health Insurance Circles of Wellness is a Must Read - All Power to the People!

Download or read book Kingdom Single written by Tony Evans and published by NavPress. This book was released on 2018-08-21 with total page 240 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: If you’re single and feeling incomplete or even like a second-class citizen in Christian circles, Dr. Tony Evans wants to encourage you to live fully where you are. Kingdom Single will encourage you to see yourself as complete in Christ and free to serve Him. It will empower you to live as Kingdom men and women in a corrupt culture. Tony Evans is a much-loved pastor and known for his sense of knowing when to encourage and when to lovingly admonish, to help people become who God calls them to be. If you are single and reading this book—or if you lead or pastor singles—your identity in Christ will be affirmed. Additionally, you will receive coaching for what to look for in a prospective spouse, and be challenged to live godly lives while pursuing Kingdom causes.

Download or read book Dashing Dish written by Katie Farrell and published by Thomas Nelson. This book was released on 2015-01-06 with total page 273 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The Dashing Dish is an inspirational cookbook full of healthy, innovative and simple recipes, most of which are gluten-free, sugar-free, and abundant in whole grains. Like many of us, chef and author Katie Farrell has struggled with her weight and healthy eating. As a teen, she went through yo-yo dieting and was prone to eating disorders. However, through God and a passion for cooking, she hit upon the formula that would transform her from unhealthy girl to confident woman. In warm, accessible language and beautiful photographs, Katie shares 100 recipes for clean eating. Every recipe is simple to make and delicious to eat. Katie uses gluten-free oat flour in place of wheat flour, cottage cheese and yogurt in place of fat, and Stevia in place of sugar. In The Dashing Dish, you will find: 100 healthy and wholesome dishes Nutritional information Simple and kid-friendly recipes Helpful tips and tricks The Dashing Dish is filled with one hundred healthy recipes that let you eat some of your most craved comfort foods in a healthy way. Her tips are practical, her tone inspirational. Anyone looking to eat better for the rest of their life will want to own this book.

Download or read book Living Into Community written by Christine D. Pohl and published by . This book was released on 2011 with total page 0 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: