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FARGO, NORTH DAKOTA -- Here's my Saturn experience. If this deters just one person from getting involved with the company, it will have been worth it. I received your name and address from (withheld), who's the Manager for Saturn Customer Service for my area. I'd like to relate to you a series of experiences I had recently with my 2003 VUE. As a result, I am expecting reimbursement of expenses totaling $256.22.
It all started over the summer, when I noticed that the key cylinder of my VUE was beginning to malfunction. The key would fall out while I drove, and occasionally the VUE wouldn't start because the key refused to turn in the cylinder. I didn't think much of it at the time, only adding it to the list of body malfunctions that had plagued the VUE since I bought it (mysteriously cracked mirror and windshield, dents caused when closing the hatch, windshield wipers flying off into traffic (during a snowstorm!), hood release lever repeated breaking, tires and wheel bearings worn out at 45000 miles, among other headaches). I thought, "Why, it's nearly 4 years old, I should expect these things!"
Before beginning a long trip in October, I thought I'd be proactive and have the key cylinder replaced, to avoid any problems while traveling. Since my local dealership is an hour away in Fargo ND, I had the cylinder installed by my regular mechanic at College Way Auto here in Fergus Falls, MN. Saturn of Fargo prepared the cylinder and shipped it to College Way Auto, who installed it on October 20. I embarked on my trip with a song in my heart and smile on my lips and new key cylinder in my VUE.
Everything was going very well until I was preparing to leave the parking lot of the Blytheville, AR Days Inn at approximately 5:15 in the morning of November 2. The key wouldn't turn. Nothing like looking down the barrel of a 550 mile drive with of car that won't start because of a faulty part.
While calling around to the auto parts emporia in Blytheville, I was told by each that Saturn doesn't supply such new parts to stores, and that I'd either have to get the part at a dealer, or have it shipped to them, which might take a few days. I had an urgent schedule to keep in Wisconsin and Illinois, so I opted to get the tow to my nearest Saturn Dealer. I called the customer service number as listed in my owner's manual, and was told that the nearest dealers were in Little Rock, Memphis, or Jackson, TN.
I opted for Jackson, I told the customer service representative, because although it was southeast of Blytheville, it was closest to the northerly direction I was heading. The representative said that may be I could drive over my local repair shop and they could tell me where to get it fixed. I reminded her that, while that was a great idea and the thought had occurred to me, it would be impossible because my car wasn't starting and that was why I was on the phone with her. I proceeded to call the 24 hour towing service in Blytheville, and was told that they wouldn't be open for another 3 hours, and to call back then. Apparently, in Arkansas, "open 24 hours" doesn't necessarily mean "in a row".
After changing all my plans for the day, and preparing for the idea that it may take more than a few extra hours to get to Wisconsin, I checked back into my room and waited to call the tow truck. I eventually caught up with the towing service, who recommended just going up to the Saturn Dealer in Cape Girardeau, MO, only 100 miles straight north, and right on my route to Wisconsin.
Funny, I said, Saturn didn't mention anything about a dealer in Cape Girardeau. Things were looking up! The guys from the towing service needed to take the VUE out of gear to get it up onto the flatbed tow truck, and proceeded to disconnect the cable that connects the shifter to the transmission. That's fine, I thought. I'd been sitting there for nearly 5 hours waiting for this moment, and whatever they needed to do to expedite this process was greatly appreciated.
A hundred miles later I was safely ensconced in the spacious waiting room at Saturn of Cape Girardeau, MO, talking music and cars with the sales staff there. Later that afternoon, a member of the repair staff brought out the key cylinder to show me the damage. That person explained that the key cylinder had been crimped in such a way that the tumbler wouldn't tumble, and so the key wouldn't turn.
They'd be happy to replace (a) the key cylinder, as well as fixing (b) a broken horn switch, and (c) the hood release lever, which had snapped off in my hand for the umpteenth time. I opted for the key cylinder only, as I can live without a horn and I'm already used to yanking on the cable to open the hood. So, let's recap. Here's what it's cost me so far:
$842.85, so far, of which $579.74 should have been unnecessary. I was on my way back north at 5:30 that evening, and luckily I'd saved that day for travel only (no work), so I didn't have to cancel anything because of my predicament. The rest of my tour was uneventful, transportation-wise, but the story doesn't end there.
Upon returning to my home in Western Minnesota, on November 5, I went immediately to my regular auto repair place, College Way Auto. They asked how the tour was, and I told them that it went pretty well, and then placed the defectively crimped cylinder on the counter. "Oh, hey...Oh... Uh oh." "Yeah," I responded. According to the Saturn dealer in Cape Girardeau, it was crimped wrong, and as a result I got stranded. "Let us take care of it. We'll make a call and let you know."
They called back within a few hours to say that Saturn of Fargo denied any knowledge of the cylinder, and that it was College Way's fault for crimping it wrong, and that they hadn't crimped it, and they'd be willing to throw in $40 if it would make me feel any better. (That's less than 7% of the unnecessary billing).
This got under College Way's skin a little, as you might imagine, as they didn't even have a crimping machine, and they had to represent Saturn's lies to their customer. They offered to keep trying, and to do anything I'd need to rectify the situation. Upon returning home from College Way auto, I called the Saturn Dealer in Fargo, and let them know that I didn't appreciate their misrepresenting their own role in my ongoing problem. They said that they'd sure get to the bottom of it and that they'd have the service manager call me back just as soon as he could. No call yet as of December 21. I'm still waiting.
I then called the dealership in Cape Girardeau to let them know that I was having difficulties. The manager there gave me a little information about those key cylinders. He told me that many of them are no good. His dealership replaces so many of them that they must keep a large supply on hand simply to keep up with the number of them that must be replaced. He mentioned that any dealer that tells you that they don't replace a bunch of these key cylinders is a liar. Hmmm. We seem to be developing a pattern over at that Fargo dealership!
The story doesn't end there. On November 2, I was picking my daughter up after her busy day in the third grade. While I was turning around, the car simply fell out of gear. All of the tension went out of the shifter, and the vehicle was then stuck in reverse. The car was stuck in such a way that not only could school buses not move into a safe position to pick up kids, but neither could the teachers exit their parking lot.
I realized, of course, exactly what had happened. Thinking back to a couple of weeks earlier, the towing company in Blytheville, Arkansas needed to take the car out of gear in order to drag it up onto the flatbed to take me and the VUE to Cape Girardeau, and it had simply been reassembled incorrectly. The result was, however, another tow and repair. I explained my predicament to the folks at College Way Auto, and it turns out I was correct--the linkage from the shifter to the transmission had not been reassembled correctly, and it simply fell apart at the shifter.
Let's look at some grand totals: Proactively replacing the key cylinder $263.11. Towing Service to re-repair key cylinder $360.52. Re-repair cylinder $219.22. Towing Service to re-repair shifter $65.00. Re-repair shifter $32.13 for a grand total of $939.98 of which $676.87 was completely unnecessary.
By now in my story, folks at College Way Auto had made several overtures to Saturn of Fargo, including showing them Saturn's certification that the cause of this trouble was an incorrectly crimped key cylinder of their own doing. My insurance company agreed to take care of all of the towing expenses. Perhaps chagrined at being caught in this duplicity, Saturn of Fargo upped their offer to $155.04. So now here's where we are:
Which leaves me with $251.35 in unneeded repairs due to Saturn's negligence. Saturn of Fargo has offered $155.04, which leaves $96.31 unaccounted for. Now here's my problem. I ran this entire story past **, who's the area Customer Support manager in charge of my area. I told her that I was expecting the entire $251.35 reimbursed. She put me on hold, considered the options, and was moved to offer me $100 of in-store Saturn Credit in addition to Fargo's offer. Anyone with a modicum of empathy would see the patent absurdity of this offer.
I don't want $100 in oil changes and Saturn key fobs 60 miles away. That will not erase the mistake. What I want is for Saturn to step up and make it so that this farce never happened. I told this to **, and she offered for me to take it or leave it. That's when I asked for information on her supervisor. She said that she had no supervisor. I assured her that there must be someone she reported to, and she gave me your information.
I've been thinking about the Saturn's reputation as a company dedicated to customer service, and frankly, it hasn't been the extraordinary and rewarding partnership that benefits me every time I pull out of the driveway, as touted in my owner's manual. Instead, I wonder what will go wrong next, and in what creative way the buck will be passed. I've enclosed copies of all receipts, and I will call your office within the next couple of weeks to follow up. To follow up, they did eventually send the check, and I laughed as I dropped in into the trash.
OHIO -- My wife and I planned a family vacation for our family. It took over a year to schedule and coordinate for all of the members of the family to schedule vacation at the same time. We leased a new 2002 Saturn. By the time the family all got together for the vacation from Ohio to Northern Michigan the Saturn had 15,000 miles on it.
The vehicle stopped on us in an intersection in Spaulding Mi. We pushed the vehicle off to the side of the road. It was 9:30 PM. We called the number in our Saturn owner's manual. At 11:30 PM a wrecker showed up to retrieve our vehicle. The closest Saturn Dealer was located in Green Bay Wisconsin over 100 miles away. The vehicle was towed to Green Bay. We found lodging for the night. Then the next morning we paid for transportation to Green Bay for the family.
At the dealership in Green Bay I was told by a service manager that they had run our vehicle for several hours and could not duplicate the problem. Just as they were bringing the vehicle out to us it stalled. It was good that it happened while we were still at the dealership and not back out on the road.
The problem turned out to be some sort of module, of which they didn't have in stock. They had to obtain the part from another dealership. By this time we had all lost a whole day of our four day vacation. By the time the car was ready we checked into a hotel for the evening.
The next morning we headed back home from our ruined vacation. Four people each lost over a day of a vacation a year in the planning. When we got back to Dayton Ohio we spoke to the dealership about our problem and our expenses to no avail. So I called the Saturn Customer Service number. It was a waste of time. They offered me $90.00 towards my expenses. I told them to shove it up their butts. We were out of $702.00 dollars. I got no satisfaction.
To make a long story short we turned in the vehicle at the end of the lease instead of buying it like we planned. We will never lease or buy another SATURN vehicle. When I see the Saturn commercial where they say "We have done right by people from the beginning" it makes me want to vomit!!! I read the responses of several readers that read the complaints or experiences that Saturn owners shared on this site. It sounds like they were written by people that probably had a vested interest in Saturn.
FAIRFAX -- It is my strong belief that Saturn of Fairfax breached their contract and did not complete the repairs they claimed to make. Furthermore, they misdiagnosed my vehicle problem, which lead to complete failure of the particular part, even after adding on additional charges and repairs after their initial estimate for which they could not justify.
After picking up the vehicle from the station, it broke down less than seven miles away. When I called them to complain I was told it would require additional repairs and towing at my expense. After failure to respond to my phone calls and inquiries, failure to complete the repairs, poor customer service, unexplained fees, I was billed for work that was not completed.
In the way that I was mistreated by the original two service agents, their lack of solutions, contradictory statements, and the fact that the car was not fixed, I had no other choice but to have it towed to another service station whose analysis revealed internal damage to the part in question. It was later revealed by a third-party inspection of the parts that they misdiagnosed the problem and that Saturn had actually damaged the vehicle. There is also reason to believe they violated several codes of the local Consumer Protection Act.
I am disappointed in Saturn's ethical failure and refusal to resolve this matter in a logical and fair manner, even through BBB intervention. No consumer should be held liable for a product or service that was not provided. Because of Saturn's misdiagnosis, I suffered two weeks without a car and even missed work. Their failure to communicate with me and offer me a solution left me no other choice but to hire someone who could repair the vehicle successfully and quickly. This dispute also resulted in hours of paperwork filing consumer complaints with federal, state, and local business agencies, as well as fighting off their ruthless corporate attorneys.
RIVERSIDE, CALIFORNIA -- When I brought my 1999 Saturn in to get a new alternator, my brother and I observed that for all but 45 minutes, the car sat with no one working on it but was charged for 2.9 hours of labor at $90.00 per hour. When I went to pick the car up, the service representative told me the turn signal wouldn't cancel correctly, but was otherwise ready to go. This was strange since it worked on the way there.
When we started back to my sister's house, the car had a very bad miss that jerked the car so bad I immediately returned to Saturn of Riverside and the service representative went with us and could see the miss and the turn signals not working. He commented that it was like "having a heart attack in the hospital". He said the mechanic had tested the turn signal switch and found it was faulty but that they did not stock or repair the switches and could do nothing.
The ride back to my sister's house was scary without a turn signal switch and the bad miss jerked the car badly. When my brother checked the plastic housing around the steering wheel, he found it was loose and when tightened up, the turn signals worked - so they had lied about testing the switch. Later, we found that the terrible miss was caused by a small fuel return line being disconnected. I was surprised that the mechanic would act so careless and cost me so much money. Never again will I trust Saturn with repairing my car.
MESQUITE, TEXAS (NORTH DALLAS AREA), TEXAS -- My car would not start, so I charged the battery overnight, then drove the car into the service department the following morning, 10/01/07. Upon arrival, a service advisor (a slender, dark haired male whose name is not listed on the invoice) looked at the car's dashboard and filled out a form stating that the dash's "security" light is lit and that both the battery and alternator need to be tested. Minutes later, I watched as a mechanic (male with long blonde hair) plugged an electronic hand-held diagnostic unit into the vehicle beneath the steering wheel.
When finished, he walked over to me and stated that he received three trouble codes from the car relating to the car's power. Several minutes later, after the mechanic tested the alternator, the "unnamed" service advisor informed me that that both the alternator and battery were defective and needed to be replaced. Around 3:00 PM the same day, I received a phone call from a male service advisor (not sure whom) and was told he just received the alternator from Hurst and that the repairs would not be completed until the following morning.
The next morning, 10/02/07, I received another call from a male service advisor (not sure whom) and was told he had "some bad news." Both the alternator and battery were replaced, but now "all the lights on the dashboard are going crazy" and that the "BCM" needs to be replaced. The next day, afternoon of 10/03/07, when I arrived to pick up the car, I spoke with two service advisors, ** (who acted as a member of management) and the initial "unnamed" service advisor.
I asked them why I was not informed on 10/01, when I first brought in the car, that the BCM was defective. Mike said that they didn't know it was "fried" until both the alternator and battery was both replaced and that the mechanic had not received a trouble code using the diagnostic unit until after the initial repairs. These assertions are absurd, because on 10/01, I was informed three trouble codes had been received, but nothing about a "BCM" was mentioned.
Next, I asked both advisors what a BCM does. They said it controls many of the electronic functions of the car such as the horn, headlights, and dashboard warning lights. This too indicates foul play, because when I initially drove in the car on 10/01, all aforementioned functions were operating as normal. The only thing odd with the car's electronics was that the "security" dashboard light was constantly lit. I informed the advisors that this light has been on for about the last six months and that other service advisors and mechanics have commented on it, but never diagnosed why it was so (except for tires, all maintenance and repairs have been performed at Saturn of Mesquite).
Also, in a dishonest attempt to explain why all of a sudden the BCM was found to be defective a day after the car was dropped off; Mike said the diagnostic device was not used on the car until the next day. When I reminded him I personally observed it being 2 used and discussed its results with the mechanic on the morning I brought the car in, he recanted his claim.
Next, he told me that I had "fried" the BCM myself by charging the battery overnight and that the battery was literally smoking when the car was brought in. Both of these claims are blatantly false. When I brought the car in, none of the symptoms of a bad BCM were evident to either me or the unnamed advisor (erratic headlights, horn, etc). In addition, the battery never "smoked." I even asked the unnamed advisor right then and there if he witnessed any smoke and he honestly replied, "No." My wife and I believe one of two fraudulent acts took place: Either the BCM was never defective or the BCM was damaged while in Saturn of Mesquite's custody.
FORT WAYNE, INDIANA -- My son had our local Saturn dealer install Saturn Performance Tune part #1921260 on a 2008 Sky Redline. Two days later the engine blew. The engine block and heads are cracked along with the turbo and water pump. Saturn will not honor new car warranty or warranty on the tune install. Once repair work started to reach $10,000 they shifted their focus to finding something/anything that may have voided the warranty. Looking for help from anyone, because what they are doing is wrong!
FISHERS, INDIANA -- I had a complaint because a service tech at the Saturn of Fishers dealership located in Fishers, Indiana misdiagnosed the cause of failure and installed the part as the cure when in reality it could not have caused the problem.
The DRL's or daytime running lights on a '02 Saturn L300 came on in the middle of the night on several occasions. There was no key in the ignition! I had known for some time that the BCM, Body Control Module was bad. It was diagnosed as the cause of the odometer failure. It read 690K miles. I opted not to have that repaired at that time. Saturn has had recalls on a lot of items and to save $410 I was willing to wait to see if there was a campaign that extended warrant. As far as I'm concerned the odometer should be under warranty coverage to 80K miles. Saturn and GM do not agree. So be it.
More than once the DRL's Daytime Running Lights came on in the wee hours of the morning with no one in the car or the key in the ignition. Several of my old buddies at Delphi and one an employee of Motorola told me this problem was caused by the BCM. I knew the BCM was defective anyway and made an appointment to have it replaced.
By this time the DRL's were on constantly. To avoid a run down battery I pulled the headlamp fuses. I told the service rep that I had been told it was caused by the BCM. After a short wait the service rep told me the cause of the DRL's coming on was the Multifunction Lever Switch located on the steering column and it and the DRL's on was not related to the BCM. I needed it fixed so said okay. I have since learned that a defective BCM is the only part in that system that could cause the DRL's to come on in the middle of the night.
I have been ripped off and Saturn of Fishers, a Division of Lackhart Corporation, or Saturn Customer Assistance Center will seek an opinion from Saturn Service Engineering as to whether this part can cause the problem. The BCM was replaced at the same time and it did affect the cure of the problem. I can promise this, I will badmouth Saturn, GM, and especially Saturn of Fishers until the day I die or they do, whichever comes first!
PLANO, TEXAS -- In May 2000 my wife and I bought a 2000 LS from Saturn of Plano in Plano TX. This is the third Saturn I bought from them. The LS was a demonstrator with 4,000 miles on it but they said they would treat it as a new auto. At the time we purchased the car we found that the rear bumper was damaged on it so they replaced this before we receive the car.
Shortly after we receive it I noticed that the car had a bad vibration when it reached 70MPH. I took it back and they replaced all the tires on the car. But it still had the same vibration and it started to make a strange noise when the car was turned. So I took it in again and they found that a part on the front suspension was broken they also found that the coolant reservoir was cracked. After they replaced this it fixed the problem with the vibration and noise.
Next I noticed that the car was making a funny sound when it was idling. I looked under the car and noticed that the muffler was not mounted on the rear of the vehicle as it should have. When I took it back to get it fixed they said that it would cost over $700 to fix it. As I explained to them that this must have been damaged before we bought the car for the following reasons.
Damaged rear bumper. Front suspension was damaged. Coolant reservoir broken. All of these occurred before we bought the car and was fixed by the dealership. They said that we must have done it by backing into something (as was done to damage the rear bumper before we got the car) and that they would have noticed it when they worked on the other problems.
I contacted Saturn Customer Assistance Center and stated that they could not do anything because they did not own this dealership and the dealership would not fix this problem unless I paid for it. I sold the car because I could not trust it as it must have been in an accident before I bought it. I just want to warn people about this dealership.
FLORIDA -- Before I married my wife her sister owned the 97 SL. Every other time she took it to Saturn for an oil change they would write up motor mounts on the service invoice. I'm a mechanic by trade. The motor mounts going out every 6000 miles sounded fishy, especially since my wife now owns this lovely piece of **. (She owned it before we met). I looked at the mounts and they were fine even after another 30,000 miles on the car since the last mount change.
Now the sister owns a 99. Oil change time, well it is cheaper at Saturn. But the things they will tell you. You guessed it, motor mounts again. They called me about this new problem, so I had them come by the shop. No abnormal movement of the engine, nothing visually was incorrect, didn't shake going down the road. If you are told you have this problem go and get a second opinion from someone you trust.
Now back to the 97. Oil is escaping the engine, but where? My wife complained that her oil light was on only after getting the oil changed at Saturn two weeks earlier. I was fumed. So I carefully inspected the engine. No oil leaks anywhere. But where is it going, it's not burning it or is it? I found that another shop had done 6 of these 97 heads in the past month. It's not a quick and easy job. The head alone is about $850. The head gets a small hair line crack on the inside, it goes through to the outside to let oil burn off, just not enough to see.
Saturn has not re-called this part. The 97 only has 65,000 miles on it. It hasn't been hot rodded. There is no logical answer to this except for a manufacturer defect. Guess the Styrofoam they used to cast the parts needs to be changed. Saturn sucks! Everyone who ever bought a Saturn new or used should get together and over throw the company and get back our money of course at the price when it was still on the lot.
MADISON, WISCONSIN -- I went to Saturn of Madison yesterday because an indicator light on my dashboard was intermittently blinking. I mistakenly thought it was the battery light, so that's what I told them and they said they'd check out the electrical system. Later they told me that they never saw the light come on but they tested the alternator, and it took a long time, but after testing it for a while, they found that my alternator was at only 70% power. They replaced the alternator (for $385 including labor), I drove off and the indicator light immediately came back on.
I returned immediately to the dealership, and they asked me to come back the next morning. The next day they found the blinking light and said that it was actually the coolant light. They topped off my coolant and said that it was fine now and the light was off. I asked if I could get my old alternator put back in, but they said that it was bad anyway, so they recommended that I keep it. I asked them to put the old one back in again and they said that they couldn't refund the labor (about $200). I told them to leave in the new alternator and give me back the old one. They charged me $30 to keep my old part, but I paid it anyway.
I made a few calls and quickly found a nearby company that does nothing but repair and rebuild generators, drove straight over there, and had my old alternator tested. They were very kind and didn't charge me for the test. There was nothing wrong with my old alternator! I went straight back to the Saturn dealership and told them about the test and they quickly agreed to put the old alternator back in the car and give me a full refund.
The refund will be by check even though I paid by credit card and it will take two weeks. I don't know if I'll actually get the money or not, but in any case, I know that they would have done nothing if I hadn't gone right away to have the old part tested. Replacing a car part that isn't broken is not something I would expect from a reputable car dealership.
UPDATE: Saturn did refund my money right away, and after I complained to the head office I received a certificate for 4 free oil changes. The only problem with that is that I have to go back to that same dealership to have my oil changed. They always tell me that I need hundreds of dollars worth of things done to it, even things that I've just had done elsewhere. Oh well. Three more oil changes to go and I'll never have to walk in there again.


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In my mid-20s, the inevitable happened. My friends in long-term relationships started to get engaged. Each time I checked the mail, there was an invite to a wedding and the festivities that came along with it: an engagement party, bridal shower, bachelorette party or bridal brunch.
It became apparent that I wasn't going to be able to attend every event I was invited to. And so, I decided to prioritize the exchange of vows over everything else. As a result, I passed up on attending the bachelorette party for two of my best friends.
That was a mistake, something I realized after going through my own wedding experience.
The wedding is an important and joyous celebration but with all the people in attendance (the average amount of wedding guests is 120 people) and its multiple moving parts, it's difficult to create meaningful moments with people who aren't your family. Most couples will tell you the night went by fast and it was all a blur. This is not the case for bachelorette parties, which often consist of road trip, plane rides, sleepovers and group activities.
A bachelorette party doesn't need to be a rowdy, drunk mess to create memories worth recounting year after year. Time with friends, away from daily commitments, is enough to make you smile each time you recall the pre-wedding festivities.
However, when those invites first came around, I underestimated their importance. I prioritized work and the anxiety of not knowing anyone else at the party. Back then, it seemed like just another party. I justified my absence by saying I was attending the wedding, and would it make it up to them with a one-on-one dinner. What I failed to understand was that I was being asked to be a part of the bigger picture celebration, on a more intimate level. Any discomfort I felt because I had to leave work early or about not knowing anyone, was worth making new memories with the bride and her other friends.
Looking back, I see how important the bachelorette party is to maintain a friendship. The invites I extended were to people I considered an important part of my life. I wanted to celebrate our past and create new memories that would carry us in the years to come. It was my chance to have the friends near and dearest to me, all under one roof, laughing together before time would take our lives in different directions. It's something I wish I knew sooner.
It was a hard lesson to learn but I can't change the past. I can only learn from it. Today, I say yes to every invite a friend extends to be a part of the bachelorette fun because ultimately, I know it'll cost me more not to.
Style Me Pretty Contributor – Ximena N. Larking is a writer and publicist. She lives in Chicago with her husband and dog. For more info: ximenalarkin.com

subset: commoncrawl


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"Serving and supporting physicians in their efforts to improve the health of Oregonians"
Patient-Focused. Evidence-Based. Physician-Led.
When you join Northwest Permanente, P.C., you will have the chance to practice in an environment that offers ample opportunity to pursue and achieve your personal and professional goals. You will benefit from a comprehensive network of support services and a talented team of colleagues who share your passion for medicine and patient care. We invite you to consider Primary Care opportunities with our physician-managed, multi-specialty group of over 1,500 physicians and clinicians who care for over 600,000 members throughout Oregon and Southwest Washington.
Opportunities in Portland and Salem, Oregon, and Southwest Washington, including Longview
Our clinic schedule incorporates telemedicine and virtual visits, and averages 18-22 patients/day.
As one of the nation's pre-eminent health care systems and a benchmark for comprehensive, integrated and high-quality care, we offer a variety of opportunities to grow and hone your skillset. We offer leadership, research and teaching opportunities, as well as new physician mentorship programs, cross-specialty collaboration, career growth and stability.
Our Primary Care physicians also enjoy:
* More qualifying details available upon request.
Join us and be a part of something unique, something special, something that matters.
To apply, please visit: http://nwp.kpphysiciancareers.com. Please contact Primary Care Sr. Recruiter, Marisa Walter, at email@example.com or 503-813-1045 with any questions. EOE


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mfresh necesitaba un nuevo diseño de logotipo y lanzó un concurso de diseño en 99designs.
Un ganador ha sido elegido entre 162 diseños de 16 diseñadores freelance.
The Fresh 20
We are a start-up company launching a new product featuring meal planning for busy executives and their families. Our concept is fresh food that is "simple. healthy. homemade." We offer video guides (think FOOD Network style) and download-able content. Our marketing outlets are Oprah, Rachel Ray and Daily Candy.
We are a casual company with good taste geared towards solutions for chic moms and their families. (think COOKIE magazine)
Six figure executive moms that need serious help in getting food on the table after a 10 hour workday. Our audience shops at wholefoods and trader joe's (west coast) and the occasional farmer's market.
Logo for "The Fresh 20" with tagline 'simple. healthy. homemade.'
Elegant, professional and fun. Logo should communicate concept of creating meals using fresh ingredients. Can include mixed vegetable's, grocery bags, cooking utensils, weekly calendar, etc.
Something that speaks to executive moms about easy cooking solutions for their families.
Example of great logo: http://www.logospire.com/logos/2157
Simplicity and readability are a must! Color and creativity encouraged.
Text only okay but prefer some visual tidbits.
Main use of logo is for online site but should be able to print well for offline marketing purposes.
Photoshop or Illustrator files for final delivery.
Descubre cómo funciona un concurso de diseño u obtén más información sobre nuestros servicios de diseño de logo.


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These stem cell treatments promise that your knees will feel like they did when you were twenty and that you'll get increased flexibility but are these treatments safe and effective. Let's learn more about stem cell treatments including where they're at and the doctors that are pushing research forward.
Stem cell treatments are currently available in the United States right now, though their safety and efficacy should be of a concern. Most of the stem cell treatments currently found focus on treating issues like bad knees or bad backs through the miraculous use of healing stem cells. Unfortunately, there's plenty of misinformation when it comes to stem cells, even for doctors. Most stem cell treatments you can currently find have no FDA backing and no clinical trials to prove their safety of effectiveness. Its not likely that you'll experience much harm from one of these types of stem cell treatments, but you'll fork Kenneth Pettine over plenty of money for a treatment that won't do much of anything. If you're seeking stem cell therapy look for treatments that are FDA-approved and are performed by doctors that have years of experience and knowledge when it comes to stem cells and their practical uses.
Where Stem Cell Research Is
Using stem cells to treat orthopedic conditions is ongoing and doctors like Kenneth Pettine, founder of the Orthopedic Stem Cell Institute, are making certain that stem cells will be safe, effective, and practical when it comes to treating different orthopedic issues. Pettine and his team recently completed a full three-year study that showed positive results in using mesenchymal stem cells to treat chronic degenerative conditions.
It may be months and even years before Kenneth Pettine's FDA-approved results are formulated into use for a doctor's office in your neighborhood so take care when scheduling any stem cell therapies. Be certain the doctor is reputable, the procedure makes sense, and that the procedure is safe.


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Jeremy & Ralph's Bachelor Pad
Name: Jeremy & Ralph
Location: Manhattan — New York
Jeremy (an Acoustical Consultant / DJ) and Ralph (Chemical Engineer / Environmental Litigator) were college roommates their freshman year and this is their first place together 5 years later. The roommates share an 875 square foot 2 bedroom apartment that has a a rustic and minimalist feel. Aside from the Eames LCW chairs, and the obvious IKEA pieces, everything was either handmade or restored.
- • The shelf piping is direct from The Brick House
• The dining table is a reclaimed church floor joist, inspired by drocko (instructables), complete with nail holes, aberrations, and glue marks (stripes down sides)
• The credenza — once a wreck — was restored and houses a vinyl collection and two hidden speakers underneath a "DJ booth"
• The sculptures above the bed and couch are based off origami tessellations — we wanted to stray from two dimensional, static paintings
By keeping all flat planes within 30" or less off the floor (with the exception of the bookshelves), the apartment actually looked larger with furniture, than without.
The biggest challenge was balancing the aesthetics and acoustics of the DJ booth. Keeping the speakers outside of the booth would have been an eyesore. However, they are placed inside, on either end of the credenza, such that when the doors are opened slightly, they reflect sound back to whoever is playing with the turntables.
Thanks Jeremy & Ralph!
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CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) -- Penske Racing supported AJ Allmendinger through his drug suspension from NASCAR and vowed to help the driver resurrect his career.
His opportunity appears to be in IndyCar.
Allmendinger will test an IndyCar for Penske at Sebring, Fla., on Feb. 19, with an eye on running the Indianapolis 500 for the storied organization. He was at Penske Racing on Thursday having a seat fit in an IndyCar.
"Roger is one of the most loyal owners you will ever know, and I think his loyalty has come into play in this case," Penske President Tim Cindric said. "AJ is obviously talented and when you look at the circumstances and how he handled the circumstances, well, he made a mistake. But he's a talented guy and someone who has shown what he can do in an IndyCar.
"We are in the racing business, and AJ has gone through the process required for him and as far as we are concerned the slate is wiped clean."
Allmendinger was suspended by NASCAR hours before the July race at Daytona for failing a random drug test. He asked to have his backup "B" sample tested, and was released by Penske Racing on Aug. 1 when those results also came back positive for a banned substance.
Allmendinger completed NASCAR's "Road to Recovery" program and was reinstated in September. The Penske organization had already moved on without him in NASCAR, but is willing to give him a shot in IndyCar.
Allmendinger won five races in Champ Car in 2006, his final season in open-wheel cars before he moved to NASCAR. Cindric said he believes Allmendinger will adapt quickly to IndyCar's DW-12, which debuted last season.
"This IndyCar is relatively easy to drive - it needs more power and less downforce, so his learning curve would be less than other IndyCars," Cindric said. "When he was driving the open wheel car, he was very competitive. When you gauge him next to Will Power - it was the reason why he was able to make the step to NASCAR, because he was successful and a proven talent. Typically, guys don't forget what they know."
Penske, which has won 15 Indy 500s, is committed to running a third car at Indianapolis Motor Speedway in May. The team owner in December dangled the seat to three-time NASCAR champion Tony Stewart, who declined the opportunity.
But Cindric said it's still their intent to run the car, and Allmendinger is a viable option.
And in pursuing the opportunity, Allmendinger had to convince the organization he's interested in racing in the IndyCar Series. Allmendinger ran four NASCAR races after his reinstatement, has a handful of Sprint Cup races on his 2013 schedule, and was on Michael Shank Racing's third-place team at the Rolex 24 Hours of Daytona sports car race last month.
"When we look at the drivers out there, we've been looking at AJ and asked, `Is he someone who wants to do this longer-term if there was a possibility with us?"' Cindric said. "For him to be a candidate to run at Indy, it would have to be something he'd be interested in doing beyond Indy. He's consistently told us, `Whatever is the best ride for me, I just want the best opportunity as a driver.' He's convinced us that should we want him to drive beyond Indy, we would be his first priority."
Cindric said the test in Florida is so far the only thing on Allmendinger's schedule with the Penske IndyCar. Ideally, Allmendinger would run at least one race with the organization before the Indy 500 and Cindric said the April event at Barber was a good fit because IndyCar has an open test at the Alabama track.
Allmendinger's only run one oval track in an IndyCar, at Milwaukee. He finished fifth, second and fourth in his three career starts.
"Because he's only driven one oval in an open-wheel car, we'd want to run him in at least one race before Indy to get used to the team, to pit stops and get comfortable," Cindric said. "We're hoping to try to make a decision about the Barber open test by the end of the month."


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Recent News
Harvard boasts a rich and vibrant human rights community. Faculty members in a range of departments and schools carry out research and teaching on human rights related subjects. Visiting scholars and fellows contribute to human rights scholarship and discussion at the University and beyond, bringing a wealth of international research and practical experience.


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CHICAGO (AP) - Illinois' top leaders have gathered in Chicago's Polish neighborhood for Pulaski Day.
Gov. Pat Quinn and Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel were among those at the event Monday at The Polish American Museum.
Pulaski Day commemorates Casimir Pulaski, a cavalry officer born in Poland who fought in the Revolutionary War. It's an official holiday in Illinois on the first Monday in March. Emanuel says it's a day to recognize the contributions of immigrants.
U.S. Rep. Jan Schakowsky says it's a day to honor everyone in uniform.
Chicago city and Cook County offices are closed but state and federal offices are open. Chicago Public Schools are in session.
The Chicago area is home to 1 of the largest concentrations of people of Polish descent outside of Poland.
Copyright 2013 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.


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Reviewed By Matthew V (CLARKSVILLE, NY) Reviewed for a 2007 Mercury Milan —1/19/2015 4:29 AM
This seat cover is used everyday when transporting our dog. It works great. The only thing I don't like about it is that the seat cover took a lot of time to set up and I wouldn't want to remove it and install it everyday. But, other than that it seems very durable and doesn't look half bad either.


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Complex Acts of Knowing: Paradox and Descriptive Self-Awareness
Dave Snowden is director of IBMs newly created Centre for Action Research in Organisational Complexity (CAROC) and was formerly a Director of IBMs Institute for Knowledge. He is a fellow of the Information Systems Research Unit at Warwick University. He can be contacted via e-mail at email@example.com
Editors Note: This article has been extracted and condensed from one that first appeared in the Journal of Knowledge Management, v. 6, no2 (May 2002), p. 100-111. A copy of the original article also appears on the Cynefin website (http://www-1.ibm.com/services/cynefin/). The Bulletin wishes to thank Emerald (publisher of the Journal) and the author for permission to publish this version.
The contention of this paper is that we are entering a third age in the management of knowledge. Further, that the conceptual changes required for both academics and management are substantial, effectively bounding or restricting over a hundred years of management science in a way similar to the bounding of Newtonian science by the discoveries and conceptual insights of quantum mechanics. These changes are not incremental, but require a phase shift in thinking that appears problematic, but once made reveals a new simplicity without the simplistic and formulaic solutions of too much practice in this domain.
The First Age: Information for Decision Support
The first age, prior to 1995, sees knowledge being managed, but the focus is on the appropriate structuring and flow of information to decision makers and the computerization of major business applications leading to a revolution dominated by the perceived efficiencies of process reengineering. For many, reengineering was carried out with missionary enthusiasm as managers and consultants rode roughshod across pre-existing primitive cultures with positive intent that too frequently degenerated into rape and pillage. By the mid- to late-90s disillusionment was creeping in. Organizations were starting to recognize that they might have achieved efficiencies at the cost of effectiveness and laid off people with experience or natural talents vital to the operation of which they had been unaware. The failure to recognize the value of knowledge gained through experience, through traditional forms of knowledge transfer such as apprentice schemes and the collective nature of much knowledge, was such that even the word knowledge became problematic.
1995: The Transition to the Second Age
To all intents and purposes knowledge management started circa 1995 with the popularization of the SECI model (Nonaka & Takeuchi, 1995) with its focus on the movement of knowledge between tacit and explicit states through the four processes of socialization, externalization, combination and internalization. An irony is that Nonaka and Takeuchi were only seeking to contrast a claimed Japanese tradition of Oneness with a rational, analytical and Cartesian western tradition. Their work derived in the main from the study of innovation in manufacturing processes where tacit knowledge is rendered explicit to the degree necessary to enable that process to take place; it did not follow that all of the knowledge in the designers heads and conversations had, should or could have been made explicit. In partial contrast, early knowledge programs attempted to disembody all knowledge from its possessors to make it an organizational asset. Nonaka attempted to restate his more holistic and dialectical view of tacit and explicit knowledge (Nonaka & Konno 1998), but by this time the simple two by two of the SECI model was too well established to be restored to its original intent.
The Paradoxical Nature of Knowledge
Some of the basic concepts underpinning knowledge management are now being challenged: Knowledge is not a thing, or a system, but an ephemeral, active process of relating. If one takes this view then no one, let alone a corporation, can own knowledge. Knowledge itself cannot be stored, nor can intellectual capital be measured, and certainly neither of them can be managed. (Stacy 2001).
Stacy summarizes many of the deficiencies of mainstream thinking and is one of a growing group of authors who base their ideas in the science of complex adaptive systems. That new understanding does not require abandonment of much of which has been valuable, but it does involve a recognition that most knowledge management has been content management. In the third generation we grow beyond managing knowledge as a thing to managing knowledge as a flow and thing, which requires focusing more on context and narrative than on content.
The question of the manageability of knowledge is not just an academic one. Organizations have increasingly discovered that the tacit and explicit distinction tends to focus on the container, rather than the thing contained (Snowden, 2000). Three heuristics illustrate the change in thinking required to manage knowledge:
· Knowledge can only be volunteered; it cannot be conscripted.
· We can always know more than we can tell, and we will always tell more than we can write down.
· We only know what we know when we need to know it; that is human knowledge is deeply contextual it is triggered by circumstance.
The three heuristics partially support Stacys view of knowledge as an active process of relating. However, it does not follow that we have to abandon second-generation practice, but we must recognize its limitations. We can encompass both Stacy and Nonaka if we embrace knowledge as both a thing and a flow. In the second age we looked for things and in consequence found things; in the third age we look for both in different ways and must therefore embrace the consequent paradox.
Context: The Dimension of Abstraction
The issue of content and context, which runs through all three heuristics, is key to understanding the nature of knowledge transfer. At the highest level of abstraction, in a context where I share knowledge with myself, there is a minor cost; I may keep notes but no one else has to read them. At the other extreme if I want to share with everyone the cost becomes infinite, as the audience not only needs to share the same language, but also the same education, experience, values, etc.
Context: The Dimension of Culture
Abstraction is one dimension of context; the other is culture. The term culture is used both to describe socio-cultural systems, which are artifactual and knowable, and ideational systems, which are systems of shared ideas, rules and meanings that underlie and are expressed in the way that humans live (Keesing & Strathern, 1998). Both cultures are key to the flow of knowledge within an organization. We need to transfer to new members, in both society and the organization, knowledge that has been painfully created at cost over previous generations.
Cynefin: Diversity over Time and Space
The dimensions of abstraction and culture create the sense-making model, shown in Figure 1.
Cynefin (pronounced kun-evin) is a Welsh word with no direct equivalent in English. As a noun it is translated as habitat, as an adjective acquainted or familiar, but dictionary definitions fail to do it justice. It links a community into its shared history or histories in a way that paradoxically both limits the perception of that community while enabling an instinctive and intuitive ability to adapt to conditions of profound uncertainty. In general, if a community is not physically, temporally and spiritually rooted, then it is alienated from its environment and will focus on survival rather than creativity and collaboration. In such conditions, knowledge hoarding will predominate and the community will close itself to the external world. If the alienation becomes extreme, the community may even turn in on itself, atomizing into an incoherent babble of competing self interests. Critically it emphasizes that we never start from a zero base when we design a knowledge system, all players in that system come with the baggage, positive and negative derived from multiple histories.
Cynefin creates four open spaces or domains of knowledge, all of which have validity within different contexts. They are domains, not quadrants, as they create boundaries within a center of focus, but they do not pretend to fully encompass all possibilities.
Bureaucratic/Structured: Teaching, Low Abstraction. This is the formal organization, the realm of company policy, procedures and controls. It is a training environment. Its language is known, explicit and open. It is the legitimate domain of the corporate intranet and its shared context is the lowest common denominator of its target audiences shared context.
Professional /Logical: Teaching, High Abstraction. Commonly professional individuals, who through defined training programs, acquire a specialist terminology; codified in textbooks. The high level of abstraction is teachable given the necessary time, intelligence and opportunity. This is one of the most important domains as knowledge communication is at its most efficient due to the high level of abstraction; in second generation thinking this is the domain of communities of practice.
Informal/Interdependent: Learning, High Abstraction. In this domain we have the abstraction of shared experiences, values and beliefs. This is the domain of the shadow or informal organization, that complex network of obligations, experiences and mutual commitments without which an organization could not survive. Trust in this domain is a naturally occurring phenomenon as all collaboration is voluntary in nature. In some primitive societies the symbols are stories, often unique to a particular family who train their children to act as human repositories of complex stories that contain the wisdom of the tribe. The ability to convey high levels of complexity through story lies in the highly abstract nature of the symbol associations in the observers mind when s/he hears the story. It triggers ideas, concepts, values and beliefs at an emotional and intellectual level simultaneously. A critical mass of such anecdotal material from a cohesive community can be used to identify and codify simple rules and values that underlie the reality of that organizations culture (Snowden, 1999). At its simplest manifestation this can be a coded reference to past experience. Youre doing a Margi may be praise or blame without context the phrase is meaningless, with context a dense set of experiences is communicated in a simple form.
Uncharted/Innovative: Learning, Low Abstraction. We now reach a domain in which we have neither the experience nor the expertise because the situation is new, the ultimate learning environment. The organization will tend to look at such problems through the filters of past experience. But here we can act to create context to enable action through individuals or communities who have either developed specific understanding or who are comfortable in conditions of extreme uncertainty. Such individuals or communities impose patterns on chaos to make it both comprehensible and manageable.
The Third Age: Complicated, Complex and Chaotic
The above description of the Cynefin common-sense making model relates to its use in the context of communities. It is based on an understanding of the distinctiveness of three different types of system complicated, complex and chaotic, best understood through two distinctions.
Complex vs. Complicated. An aircraft is a complicated system; all of its thousands of components are knowable, definable and capable of being catalogued as are all of the relationships between and among those components, while human systems are complex. A complex system comprises many interacting agents, an agent being anything that has identity. We all exist in many identities in our personal and work lives. As we move among identities, we observe different rules, rituals and procedures unconsciously. In a complex system, the components and their interactions are changing and can never be quite pinned down. The system is irreducible. Cause and effect cannot be separated because they are intimately intertwined (Juarrero 1999).
Two examples make this clearer:
Scientific management served well in the revolutions of total quality management and business process re-engineering and continues to be applicable in the domain of the complicated; however, just as Newtonian physics was bounded by the understandings of quantum mechanics, so scientific management has been bounded by the need to manage knowledge and learning.
Complex vs. Chaotic. A complex system comprises many interacting identities in which, while I cannot distinguish cause and effect relationships, I can identify and influence patterns of interactivity. With a chaotic system all connections have broken down and we are in a state of turbulence. In a complex domain we manage to recognize, disrupt, reinforce and seed the emergence of patterns; we allow the interaction of identities to create coherence and meaning. In a chaotic domain no such patterns are possible unless we intervene to impose them; they will not emerge through the interaction of agents.
System States and the Cynefin Model
The three types of system map on to the Cynefin model, with a separation of complicated systems into those in which we know all of the cause and effect relationships and those that are knowable if we had the resource, capability and time (Figure 2). Each of the domains contains a different model of community behavior; each requires a different form of management and a different leadership style.
Known space is the only legitimate domain of best practice. Within known limits we can both predict and prescribe behavior. Humans, acting collectively, can make systems that might otherwise be complex or chaotic into known systems; we impose order through laws and practices that have sufficient universal acceptance to create predictable environments. On the negative side, the imposed structure can continue beyond its useful life. In this domain we categorize incoming stimuli, and once categorized we respond in accordance with predefined procedures. Leadership tends to a feudal model, with budget having replaced land as the controlling mechanism.
Knowable space is the domain of good practice. We do not yet know all the linkages, but they can be discovered. This is the domain of experts, whose expertise enables us to manage by delegation without the need for categorization. Again there is a human imposition of order but it is more fluid than in the space of the known. A major issue in the space of the knowable is entrainment of thinking. The very thing that enables expertise to develop, namely the codification of expert language, leads inevitably to entrainment of thinking. Exhortations to remain open to new ideas are unlikely to succeed. Management of this space requires the cyclical disruption of perceived wisdom. The common context of expertise is both an enabler and blocker to knowledge creation, and from time to time context must be removed to allow the emergence of new meaning. In this space we sense and respond based on our expert understanding of the situation while the leadership models are oligarchic requiring consent of the elders of the community and interestingly oligarchies are often less innovative than the idiosyncrasies of feudalism.
The nature of the complex domain is the management of patterns. We need to identify the early signs of a pattern forming and disrupt those we find undesirable while stabilizing those we want. If we are really clever then we seed the space to encourage the formation of patterns that we can control. These patterns are emergent properties of the interactions of the various agents. By increasing information flow, variety and connectiveness either singly or in combination we can break down existing patterns and create the conditions under which new patterns will emerge, although the nature of emergence is not predictable. Entrepreneurs manage in this space instinctively while large organizations find it more uncomfortable. In this domain leadership cannot be imposed, it is emergent based on natural authority and respect but it is not democratic, it is matriarchal or patriarchal.
Chaos represents the consequence of excessive structure or massive change, both of which can cause linkages to sunder. As such it is a space that requires crisis management and is not comfortable or entered with any enthusiasm by other than the insane. However it is one of the most useful spaces, and one that needs to be actively managed. It provides a means by which entrainment of thinking can be disrupted by breaking down the assumptions on which expertise is based. It is also a space into which most management teams and all knowledge programs will be precipitated; however, regular immersion in a controlled way can immunize the organization and create patterns of behavior that will pay dividends when markets create those conditions. We also need to remember that what to one organization is chaotic, to another is complex or knowable. In the chaotic domain the most important thing is to act, then we can sense and respond. Leadership in this domain is about power either tyranny or charisma. Both models impose order, and if order is imposed without loss of control, then the new space is capable of being used to advantage.
The Knowledge Spiral and Cynefin
The Cynefin model allows us to see knowledge as both thing and flow, and this allows us to continue to use the insights and practices of scientific management, while embracing the new learnings and insights from the new sciences of complexity and chaos. Cynefin focuses on creating the conditions for the emergence of meaning. In its two complicated domains known and knowable these conditions are rationalist and reductionist, and the SECI model works. In the complex and chaotic domains new science and new approaches are required. The range of possible flows within the Cynefin model across its various boundary transformations is large, but here we will look at an idealized model of knowledge flow involving three key boundary transitions: the just-in-time transfer of knowledge from informal to formal, the disruption of entrained thinking and the creation and stimulation of informal communities. These transitions are shown in Figure 3.
Just-in-Time Knowledge Management: From Complex to Knowable
Like manufacturing before just-in-time (JIT) inventory management was introduced, second-generation knowledge management tries to anticipate demand. In the third generation we create ecologies in which the informal communities of the complex domain can self-organize and self-manage their knowledge in such a way as to permit that knowledge to transfer to the formal, knowable domain on a JIT basis.
The sheer number of informal and semi-formal communities within an organization is too great to permit formal management. The informal, complex space also contains much knowledge that never needs to be an organizational asset; the issue is that even if we knew what we know, we cannot distinguish in advance what we need to know as an organization, and critically when we need to know it. Techniques for the informal-formal JIT transfer include:
Organizations need to realize the degree of their dependence on informal networks. The danger is of chronic self-deception in the formal organization, partly reinforced by the camouflage behavior of individuals in conforming to the pseudo-rational models. A mature organization will recognize that such informal networks are a major competitive advantage and while ensuring scalability through automated process and formal constructions will leave room for the informal communities to operate.
Disruption: From Knowable to Chaotic
The second key transition is to provide cyclical disruption of the entrained thinking in expert communities. Perspective shift, when necessary, is not easy to achieve and needs to be handled with care if operational efficiency is to be maintained. However there are various techniques that do work, such as taking deep experts in one field and linking them with experts in a radically different field, which will challenge their assumptions. Often it is sufficient to take only the leadership of a community into a chaotic environment. The ritual is important humans manage boundary transitions through rituals that create awareness of the transition, but equally awareness of the new roles, responsibility and social mores associated with the new space. If the disruption is cyclical and expected, then we are closer to a learning ecology, and we have also to some degree immunized the group in respect of involuntary moves into the chaotic space.
Creating New Identities and Interactions: From Chaotic to Complex
We use the domain of chaos to disrupt in advance of need, in order to break down inappropriate or overly restrictive models, combined with constrained starvation, pressure and access to new concepts and ideas. As a result we create radically new capability within the ecology, which will both transform the knowable domain of experts and stimulate the creation of new networks, communities and trust/experience relationships, while new alliances and relationships form from the creative stimulus of chaos.
The chaotic space is not of itself the only source of natural communities; new people join the organization, existing projects create new informal communities and trusted links; the normal day to day interaction of human agents is a constant source of new communities. Chaos is particularly productive, but is not the only source.
The Natural Flow of Knowledge
We can now see the sensible pattern of flow of knowledge within an organization. Communities form naturally in the complex domain and as a result of activity both voluntary and involuntary within the domain of chaos. JIT techniques allow us to use the complex domain to create through a process of formalization, more natural and sustainable communities in the knowable domain. We can also commence operations here, but the cost will be high. A limited amount of codified knowledge can be fully separated from its owners and transferred to the best practice domain, that of the known. On a cyclical basis we disrupt the assumptions and models of the knowable domain of experts allowing new meaning to emerge. From this perspective we see knowledge as flowing between different states, with different rules, expectations and methods of management. We do not have to choose between views and approaches, but we bound those approaches to their appropriate domains. The Cynefin model allows the creation of multiple contexts.
We are reaching the end of the second generation of knowledge management, with its focus on tacit-explicit knowledge conversion. Triggered by the SECI model of Nonaka, it replaced a first generation focus on timely information provision for decision support and in support of business process re-engineering. Like re-engineering it has substantially failed to deliver on its promised benefits.
The third generation requires the clear separation of context, narrative and content management and challenges the orthodoxy of scientific management. Complex adaptive systems theory has been used to create a sense-making model that utilizes self-organizing capabilities of the informal communities and identifies a natural flow model of knowledge creation, disruption and utilization. Knowledge is seen paradoxically, as both a thing and a flow requiring diverse management approaches.
In the new, complexity informed but not complexity constrained third generation, content, narrative and context management provide a radical synthesis of the concepts and practices of both first and second generation. By enabling descriptive self-awareness within an organization, rather than imposing a pseudo-analytic model of best practice, it provides a new simplicity, without being simplistic, enabling the emergence of new meaning through the interaction of the formal and the formal in a complex ecology of knowledge.
Additional Acknowledgements
Some parts of this paper were originally published in the conference proceedings of KMAC at the University of Aston, July 2000. The idea of knowledge becoming a problematic concept comes from J C. Spender.
The views expressed in this paper are those of the author and are not intended to represent the views of either IBM or IBMs Institute for Knowledge Management.
The Cynefin Centre
Membership of the Cynefin Centre, which focuses on action research in organizational complexity, is open to individuals and to organizations. It focuses on high-participation action research projects seeking new insights into the nature of organizations and markets using models derived from sciences that recognize the inherent uncertainties of systems comprising interacting agents. The basis of all center programs is to look at any issue from multiple new perspectives and to facilitate problem solving through multiple interactions among program participants. Programs run on a national, international and regional basis and range from investigation of seemingly impossible or intractable problems to pragmatic early entry into new methods and tools such as narrative databases, social network stimulation and asymmetric threat response.
Juarrero, A (1999). Dynamics in action: Intentional behaviour as a complex system. Cambridge, MA: MIT Press.
Keesing, R. & Strathern, A. (1998). Cultural anthropology: A contemporary perspective. Orlando, FL: Harcourt Brace.
Nonaka, I. & Konno, N. (1998). The concept of Ba: Building a foundation for knowledge creation. California Management Review, 40(3), 40-54.
Nonaka, I. & Takeuchi, H. (1995). The Knowledge-creating company. London: Oxford University Press.
Snowden, D. (1999). The paradox of story. Scenario and Strategy Planning, 1 (5).
Snowden, D. (2000). Organic knowledge management: Part I The ASHEN model: An enabler of action. Knowledge Management, 3 (7), 14-17.
Stacey, R. D. (2001). Complex responsive processes in organizations: Learning and knowledge creation. New York: Routledge.
Copyright © 2003, American Society for Information Science and Technology


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CHICAGO (AP) -- Northwestern will play five college football games at Wrigley Field under a partnership with the Chicago Cubs that was announced on Tuesday.
The dates of the games are still to be determined due to construction work at the Cubs' storied ballpark.
In 2010, Illinois beat Northwestern 48-27 at Wrigley Field in a game that required both teams to run offensive plays only toward the west end zone near the third-base dugout. The east end zone in right field came within a foot or so of a heavily padded brick wall, raising safety concerns.
Under the multiyear agreement, the Cubs will be allowed to market the baseball team on campus while Northwestern will able to do the same at Wrigley Field. Other Northwestern athletic programs also will get to play at the ballpark, including the baseball team and women's lacrosse.
"We are thrilled to partner with a professional sports franchise as iconic as the Chicago Cubs in an agreement that truly is the first of its kind," athletic director Jim Phillips said in a release. "As Chicago's Big Ten Team, this is a natural fit that will create tremendous opportunities for our student-athletes, our coaches and our fans in the area."
Northwestern's baseball team will host Michigan at Wrigley Field on April 20, and the women's lacrosse program, winners of seven of the last eight NCAA titles, will play Notre Dame at the ballpark next spring.
"The Cubs are excited to establish an ongoing partnership with Northwestern that leverages our brands and facilities to help grow both fan bases for years to come," said Crane Kenney, the president of business operations for the Cubs. "We enjoyed working with the university in 2010 to host the first college football game at Wrigley Field since 1938 and look forward to entertaining a variety of collegiate sporting events in the future."


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Dave's Rating:
How to Lose a Bad Rep in 2 Hours
Who's In It: Matthew McConaughey, Marisa Tomei, Ryan Phillippe, William H. Macy, Josh Lucas, John Leguizamo, Michael Peña, Bob Gunton, Frances Fisher, Bryan Cranston, Trace Adkins
The Basics: Matthew McConaughy is an ambulance-chasing lawyer, the kind who's down with bikers who've got his back and druggie hookers who treat him like a confidante and who is happily addicted to his own sense of street cool. When a smug, entitled, too-rich, real estate creep (Phillippe, whose face was genetically created to play roles like this) is accused or rape, you know he's guilty even as he asserts his innocence. Unfortunately, his chosen legal counsel has just stepped into something deep and dirty and--just go with it--too much for him to handle. Until he handles it like the smartypants he is.
What's The Deal: Because this is based on one of those dime-a-dozen, get-it-at-the-airport-right-before-your-flight, legal thriller paperbacks, it's both weirdly breezy and full of rape, serious and silly, convoluted and packed with puzzle piece details, yet not surprising at all. In other words, it's simultaneously empty, magnetically watchable and popcorn-enjoyable. It pretends to be a real-life story about a super-lawyer who somehow manages to conduct his business out of the backseat of a boxy, vintage Lincoln (the awesomest and least necessary movie prop of 2011 to date) and you pretend that all of this is plausible and not directed with all the artistry of a Showtime original film. It's a deal you make with the movie, one you'll wind up winning as long as you're willing not to be get too investigative or picky yourself.
Time To Eat My Words: If most film critics were honest, they'd tell you their private list of actors who simply rub them the wrong way, the ones who inspire sometimes rational, sometimes irrational, dislike, whose performances feel fake and inauthentic to the point of maddening distraction. Matthew McConaughy is one of those guys for me. After turning in the coolest-of-cool comic performances in Dazed and Confused, he set about erasing his goodwill in movie after movie, especially all those awful rom-coms and brutally bad stuff like Sahara and Ghosts of Girlfriends Past. Just knowing he's going to star in a film usually makes me feel like I'm drowning in margarine and imitation cheese. But in this movie he turned down the "JK Livin'" persona, the one that feels like someone you can't stand constantly calling you his "bro," and he focused on the mystery/thriller at hand. It feels like the best work he's done in years and if there's a sequel I won't mind one bit. Now if he'd please cancel whatever upcoming Kate Hudson project he's probably got in the works and we'll be square.
Speaking Of Bikers And Druggie Hookers: Their fan cults will be happy to know that country star Trace Adkins pops up as the Hell's Angel-like leader of the pack and L Word mack-daddy Katherine Moennig arrives (her salon-complicated "Shane" hair somehow still intact even while serving time) in a pivotal small role.
He was actually really good in Tropic Thunder, I thought.
Ugh! Don't even get me started about SAHARA. Pure sh*t from start to finish. About 3/4 through the movie I decided everybody involved in it should be ashamed of themselves. It cemented a long-lasting dislike for Matthew McConaughy that I have to this day. You say he aquits himself in LINCOlN LAWYER? Whatever. He still owes us all 2 hours for SAHARA.
Actually the author of the novel this is based on, Michael Connelly consistently writes the best crime thriller fiction on the market. His work is far from vacuous.
McConaughey was the wrong lead for this film as it makes me want to avoid it. Dave's "eat my words..." comment has changed my mind. I will see the flick.
You never cease to amaze me mr white. Once again, you openly said because you don't like an actor, that that made a less than average movie. What kind of movie reviewer is that? Seems you should review the plot, ALL the cast, and oversall story before you shoot down anything, but then again, that does not seem to be your constant style. Instead, you give great reviews to under done movies, so again. Thanks for nothing mr white. PS...it was a great movie!!
pretty sure his point about McConaughey was that he was really good in it/people taking things to seriously etc.
Exactly. People sometimes tend to take things too seriously. The problem with that is, as a critic, you aren't being objective and therefore shouldn't be one, if you take things seriously on a selective basis. Either you go into every movie with an open mind and decide afterwards whether or not you were entertained, or pick the whole thing apart everytime. Stick with one way or the other, and you'll be a more credible reviewer. It's confusing if you do both, especially when I decide to go to a movie when it has bad reviews from you.
Is it me or its rare for a movie to get 3 1/2 stars. there's a lot of movies that i like and they give a really bad review about it.
Right on Al. Connelly is at the top of the Crime/Thriller genre. But in fairness to Dave "Lincoln Lawyer" was not up to par compared to his earlier works. At least Sahara had Steve Zahn in it. Dude rocks Bro. "Surfer Dude" made my all time worst list. "Check it out Bro you can see my nipples in every scene" After the hack job Eastwood did with
Connelly's "Blood Work" (did he have to change who the killer was?) I have low expectations. In a perfect world we could have John Huston directing Bogie and Bacall in a Harry Bosch thriller. Instead we get "Surfer Dude" playing Bosch's brother. Okay Dave, as usual if you say go I go. Oh, and you were right as always about Rango. I was diggin it but my daughter was too young and we had to split. Ma
Good review, and good movie. However, you couldn't be more wrong about the source material. Michael Connelly is the former crime beat writer for the L.A. Times, and his books are both incredibly written and incredibly entertaining. Authors like Connelly are not a dime a dozen.
I think you misinterpreted what I said about people taking things to seriously, what I meant was that people commenting on one person's opinion are taking things far too seriously.
Anyways, McConaughey has starred in nothing but trash since Dazed and Confused. He should probably just work with Linklater constantly since he seems to be the only one who knows how to use him...
Not only does Connelly write the entertaining, if light, Mick Haller books, he has a string of excellent Harry Bosch novels to his credit, the last of which pairs him with Haller. I'm still trying to decide who should play Harry. I guess it will depend at what point in his life he is protrayed.
Movies.com Critic
Driving Mr. Dazed and Confused
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63 out of 100 Metascore®
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You can fly. Eventually.
Songs about butts.
Death to the patriarchy.
Stay home.
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French minister threatens to expel Arcelor Mittal
Arcelor Mittal is no longer welcome in France, its minister for industrial recovery, has said, accusing the steelmaker of "lying" and "disrespecting" the country.
The multinational angered workers and the government when it announced a plan in October to close two furnaces at its steel plant in Florange.
It gave the government a grace period of 60 days to look for a new owner.
The Mittal family said they were "extremely shocked" by the comments.
"We no longer want Arcelor Mittal in France because they didn't respect France," Arnaud Montebourg told French business daily Les Echos.
'Mittal's fault'
The minister, who previously opposed the closure of a Peugeot factory, accused the company of "overwhelming lies" and said the Florange closure breaks a promise made by chief executive Lakshmi Mittal during Mittal Steel's 26.9bn-euro (£21.8bn) takeover of Arcelor in 2006, which was strongly opposed by French ministers.
The problem "isn't the furnaces in Florange, it's Mittal", said Mr Montebourg.
Mr Mittal, the Indian-born chief executive, is expected to meet with President Francois Hollande on Tuesday to discuss the group's operations in France.
The talks come ahead of a deadline on Saturday which Mr Mittal gave the state to find a buyer for the two idled blast furnaces in Florange, a traditional steel town in north-eastern France.
The government says it has received two offers, but only for the entire site. Mr Mittal has refused to sell the full operation, which employs a total of 20,000 workers.
As a result, Mr Montebourg has said he is exploring how to seize the entire Florange site should Mr Mittal refuse his demands.
According to the French newspaper, Mr Montebourg's idea "would be a partnership with a minor manufacturer, the time to stabilise activity" in Florange.
Jean-Louis Borloo, a conservative politician and a former environment minister, also supported Mr Montebourg's efforts.
"France's steel industry needs to live - there are 2,200 people on the site, 22,000 Arcelor Mittal employees in France and globally, there are 75,000 [employees involved in steel]," he told France Inter radio.
"And the idea that the government, along with its sovereign wealth fund and partners like Eramet and Ascometal (mining and metallurgical groups), reflect upon a temporary state control... does not seem inappropriate."
The Mittal family said they were "extremely shocked" by Mr Montebourg's attacks on the steelmaker.
One person close to the group said: "These are pretty violent comments towards a group that employs 20,000 people in France."


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The World of Brands Goes Textile
Merchandising Plus
Heavy demands rigth from the start! As a team of experienced product managers and designers led by the founder, Alexander Reusch, since 1994 we have kept sight of our ultimate goal: Our clients should always feel represented by the creativity and quality of our work. Our success has been verifying our ambitions. Offering the best service, a strong customer focus and an overall reliability, Sportswear Connection has acquired an execellent reputation. With exquisite design we extend our partner's world of brands by customised solutions in form of textile merchandising products.
Unique Brand Wear
Our full-service offer includes the complete product life cycle, ranging from the first design suggestion, up to the entire conception, to the point of manufacture and delivery. Always going with the flow, we combine fashion trends with your corporate identity resulting in an individual collection representing a real show piece.


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Cocktails and Tailpipes - 7/11/09
The lawn of the Fox Chapel Golf Club welcomed 200 guests — and some snazzy cars — to the 12th Annual Cocktails & Tailpipes event presented by the Shop n' Save Pittsburgh Vintage Grand Prix. Attendees enjoyed a cocktail and dessert reception, silent and live auctions, and a performance by House of Soul. The event raised $65,000 to benefit the Autism Society of Pittsburgh & Allegheny Valley Schools. Crown Royal, Nelson Financial Services, and RR Donnelley sponsored the event, which was organized by Beth Martin and Gigi Saladna, event chair and co-chair, respectively. Photography by Megan WylieRead More


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Grae's Rating:
Nothing past tintinnabulation.
In 2009, I imagine Steven Spielberg sat down in his overstuffed chair with E.T. on it, and while chugging a Coke he accepted from his Haley Joel Osment robot, says to himself, "Stevie, Christmas of 2011 is gonna be yours, all yours." And as he giggles maniacally, the rest of his family in the house sighs and shrugs, knowing that if anyone could do it, it's him. The Adventures of Tintin is Spielberg's second feature in theaters this Christmas alongside the war-and-animal-fest War Horse. While Tintin is definitely the safer choice for children, with more thrills and action than almost all of the other holiday films combined, it's missing a lot of the charm and intelligence of the original comic books. But, if you're not a fan of the Belgian artist Hergé's work, like most Americans reading this review (and writing it), that won't really matter. It will just manifest itself in a sense that something isn't quite right, which is echoed by looking into the animated character's empty eyes.
Steven Moffat (Doctor Who), Edgar Wright (Shaun of the Dead), and Joe Cornish (Attack the Block) wrote this screenplay, and as some of the most interesting writers working today, they did a bang-up job of creating a nonstop assault of spectacular adventure. The whole plot, in fact, sounds like a whopper of a tale tiny Tintin might have related when his mother asked why he was late coming home from school. "No ma, I swear, first, I bought this model boat at the market, then some guys came after it, and I ended up on a real boat, and my dog Snowy saved me, and we used champagne bottles to trick the thugs, and I shot a guy, and then there was an airplane and a famous singer, and we chased them through the town, and then we all got into trouble at the docks!" I'm exhausted just having written that. All of that madness combined with blazing bright colors and 3D will have you hypnotized for the entire 107 minutes.
Past that, the movie doesn't hold up to scrutiny. Apparently, just like the books, Tintin is probably the least charismatic lead in a film since Keanu Reeves in A Walk in the Clouds. Although I am not a big enough fan of the series to know how old Tintin actually is, he's old enough to have a job as a reporter, have his own apartment, and use a gun. He stands as a great lesson to children that just because you know how to use firearms, it doesn't automatically make you awesome like Arnold Schwarzenegger in Terminator 2. Sure, Tintin is smart and makes enormous leaps of logic based on practically invisible clues that he remembers from reading some dusty book in a library, but he still has less pizzazz than his dog Snowy. That made everything feel a little more empty, since he isn't really supported by anyone that interesting either. Even when the talented and innovative Andy Serkis shows up as Captain Haddock, I felt like his character was just borrowed from Robert Shaw in Jaws and made more family-friendly. Also watered down almost to the point of non-existence was the original comic's sense of satire.
On top of this, for as much as it has going on motion-wise, it appears kind of vacant. I wish that the movie business wasn't such a bottomless machine that needs feeding. If it weren't, this movie might have just used Hergé's original style of drawing, which is leagues more beautiful than what ended up on screen. Of course computer technology, which improves by leaps and bounds every day, allowed Spielberg to create action with enormous momentum, but I couldn't get past how it felt mildly unsettling. Given that it's the holidays, and most things I watch leave me both excited and unsettled (like my great uncle doing the Macarena in a Santa hat and boxers), it fits right in, but I am skeptical about the next two installments of the trilogy.
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Machines are catching up. Almost.
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68 out of 100 Metascore®
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Nothing mediocre about this medium.
Can't say "expendable" without "duh"
Valley of the Dolls with Firepower?
Just shy of a landslide.
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Sea Pledge
Launch of SEA Pledge at COP 17
Sustainable Seas Trust and student forum representatives of the South East African Climate Consortium traveled to coastal towns of South Africa in late 2011 to encourage everyone to join the SEA Pledge crusade. On 3 December 2011, the crusade was officially launched in a fun and spectacular day-long event. Read about the official launch here!
SEA Pledge is not simply a fun event: It has important goals
The first is to promote public awareness of the need to take better care of coasts and oceans as everyone, everywhere depends upon the oceans.
The second goal is to influence global decisions. The 3rd December 2011 was Oceans Day at the UNFCCC COP 17 meeting in Durban, South Africa. In a positive and wholesome manner, SEA Pledge delivered an important message to delegates at COP 17. We asked for a greater, wiser international investment in coasts and oceans and to encourage the United Nations Assembly to declare an International Year of Coasts and Oceans.
The third is to challenge each person, organization and institution to develop an ethic of sustainability and pledge to take active, measurable steps to improve their interactions with the environment at home, while travelling, diving, sailing, surfing, on ships, angling and indeed in every walk of life. This is done through the SEA Pledge Challenge.
The fourth is to help others, particularly impoverished coastal people who eke out unsustainable, subsistence livelihoods from rapidly diminishing resources. Such support will be through development of Sustainable Education and Skills Centres (SEAS Centres) for employment. These are being designed as totally green, carbon neutral, welcoming facilities to enable disadvantaged people to build expertise to find employment, reduce pressure on critically depleted marine resources and adapt to climate change.
SEA Pledge will draw attention of global leaders to the role of oceans in climate change and the need for action. At the grass roots level, all funds accumulated by SEA Pledge will be used for SEAS Centres in impoverished coastal areas to provide education and skills training for employment in order to reduce poverty, promote environmental conservation and prepare people to adapt to climate change. Everyone should make a SEA Pledge and contribute to the crusade.
Each SEA Pledge will:
- Raise awareness of the role of oceans and coasts in supporting
all life on the planet.
People live on land, but too few truly realize the impact that they are having on the seas in terms of what they put into the seas and what they take out of the seas. Sadly, even global leaders are making uninformed decisions which affect millions of people. Most people underestimate the role of the seas in climate and weather, in human health and in provision of food, recreation, medicines and so forth. The need for greater awareness is acute.
- Be an undertaking to commit to improving the manner in which
pledgees treat the coasts and oceans.
Each pledge is a commitment to improving the environment in which we live. In terms of the competitive nature of the pledges, the individuals and organizations which are most successful will receive an award at the end of each year in December. Annually, therefore, standards will be improved in the manner in which divers, yachts, anglers, surfers, fishing groups, shipping companies, restaurants and others treat the environment. The positive implications of annually improving standards and awareness point to a more sustainable environment and way of life for increasing numbers of people.
- Be an undertaking by those making pledges to contribute to impoverished coastal communities through SEAS Centres for employment.
Funds that are collected by SEA Pledge will be used to develop SEAS Centres. We need your donations! Please click here to make a donation or to learn more.
If you have any questions about SEA Pledge or Sustainable Seas Trust and its partners, please read the Q&A section or contact us for more information.
Have you made a SEA Pledge yet?
Click here to make your pledge.