Advanced Knowledge Management System Research Articles

The Role of Organizational Culture in Knowledge Management in Small Companies

Organizational culture is an important factor influencing knowledge management processes in small companies. Small entities usually have limited resources, both human and financial, to be able to develop advanced knowledge management systems. However, little research has been done so far to investigate the characteristics of organizational culture in small companies, in terms of knowledge management processes. Therefore, the aim of this research is the examination of organizational culture in small Polish companies with the application of a symbolic-interpretive perspective.

Knowledge management in SME networks

The objective of this paper is to investigate the role of knowledge management (KM) in networks participated by small firms. To achieve this objective, the literature on KM in small firms has been reviewed. A research question has been defined and addressed through a questionnaire survey conducted in a small firms network. The findings indicate that the surveyed companies perceive the strategic value of KM and adopt several systems even if its adoption is constrained by a number of barriers. The results suggest that firms investigated need to adopt advanced KM systems to manage knowledge more effectively at network level. The evidences also indicate that the surveyed firms are willing to adopt a platform supporting the sharing and exchange of knowledge in the network with a positive impact on innovation processes and the exploitation of market opportunities. The paper outlines some managerial implications as well as avenues for further research.

Advanced KMS for knowledge sharing and building confidence in CCS

A viable CCS project depends on effective implementation and confidence in long-term confinement; not only supported by technical specialists in implementing and regulatory organisations, but also by the wider scientific community, political decision makers and the general public. However, sharing knowledge between, and building confidence in, individuals with different experience and value systems is not an easy task. Thus, it is vital to have a framework in which we can make use of and share various sources of ‘knowledge’, from a variety of different scientific disciplines, and integrate them into a logical structure that allows optimisation of project implementation and strengthens the supporting safety case. An advanced KMS (Knowledge Management System) would provide such a framework, with special emphasis on making knowledge available in a form that contributes to confidence building in CCS. An advanced KMS is not a passive tool to archive and disseminate information–it can help synthesising and integrating material from diverse sources, identifying trends and inconsistencies and giving feedback to data producers. This provides an overview of project progress and provides advance warnings of potential problems in the future. Here we focus on knowledge sharing between projects with emphasis on the “storage” side of CCS, which has particular challenges in terms of both socio-political sensitivity and its complex, multi-disciplinary nature.

Knowledge management for radioactive waste disposal: moving from theory to practice

The exponential growth in the knowledge base for radioactive waste management is a cause for concern in many national programmes. In Japan, this problem is exacerbated by a volunteering approach to siting of a deep geological repository, which requires particular flexibility in the tailoring of site characterisation plans, repository concepts and associated Performance Assessments (PAs). Recognition of this situation led, in 2005, to initiation by Japan Atomic Energy Agency (JAEA) of an ambitious project to develop an advanced Knowledge Management System (KMS) aimed to facilitate its role as the supplier of background R&D support to both regulators and implementers of geological disposal. The paper will review progress to date in this work, with emphasis on tailoring of existing Knowledge Engineering tools and methods to radioactive waste management requirements, and outline future developments and challenges.

Technological issues towards knowledge‐powered organizations

Organizations have already realized the significance of capturing, sharing and applying the collective experience and know‐how of their members. The aim is to increase operational efficiency, productivity, quality of services and get innovative products and solutions to their customers. However, it is well known that technological approaches for managing organizational knowledge need further development for their effective deployment in real settings. The aim of this paper is to provide an overview of previous work done in information technology solutions to support knowledge management, to specify important features that an advanced knowledge management system must have in order to be successfully deployed in an organization, and identify emerging technological issues that must be researched and be developed in order the technological expectations of the knowledge management community to be fulfilled.