Foundation For Knowledge Management Research Articles

KNOWLEDGE MANAGEMENT IN THE CONDITIONS OF INDUSTRIAL ENTERPRISES INTELLECTUALIZATION AND DIGITALIZATION DEVELOPMENT

Objective. The purpose of the research is to deepen the methodological and applied foundations of knowledge management in the conditions of industrial enterprises intellectualization and digitalization development. Methodology. The methodological basis of the research article is a set of theories and concepts that contribute to a full understanding of the knowledge management process of the content at an enterprise in the context of intellectualization and digitalization: theories of knowledge economy, entrepreneurship, institutionalism, microeconomic theory of knowledge management, theory of new knowledge acquisition; the concept of information society; the concept of intellectual capital; the concept of social capital. The methodology is based on system analysis as a scientific method of researching the enterprise knowledge management functions. The study used quantitative and qualitative methods of data and information collection and analysis; methods of analytical, situational analysis and synthesis; comparative analysis, generalization of scientific experience of modern theoretical research, and a systemic and integrated approach. Results. The article outlines the important role of knowledge management in creating competitive advantages, increasing the value of enterprises and ensuring their long-term sustainable development. A new understanding of the essence of the categories of “knowledge management of an industrial enterprise” and “knowledge management system of an industrial enterprise” has been proposed. A theoretical generalization of the concept of knowledge management of industrial enterprises has been carried out. The article describes new trends in the knowledge management system based on the synergistic relationship between technological components and behavioral aspects in management. The scientific novelty lies in improving the methodology and concept of an integrated knowledge management system and methodological support for its effective practical application. The implementation of the knowledge management system in the conditions of intellectualization and digitalization is substantiated, which improves knowledge accumulation processes, integrates knowledge into the field of the enterprise activity and ensures the exchange of knowledge between employees and key stakeholders. Modern knowledge management tools that enable intellectualization and high-quality digitalization of an enterprise are identified. Recommendations for improving knowledge management at industrial enterprises have been developed, as well as mechanisms for their practical implementation have been proposed. Practical significance of the obtained results. The author’s developments and recommendations can be used to effectively use the intellectual potential of an enterprises to increase economic added value through the growth of organizational knowledge.

The Role of Knowledge Management in the Development of Sports Clubs in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia

This article aims to identify the role that knowledge management can play in the development of sports clubs in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, and as an extension of that, to identify the requirements that help apply knowledge management in sports clubs in the Kingdom and the challenges facing the application of knowledge management in them, and to find out what it can offer Knowledge management to develop these clubs and bring them to a height that touches the aspirations of their fans, especially since sport has become at the present time one of the witnesses of the progress of nations and the progress of peoples, and to achieve this, the quaternary analysis approach was used to identify gaps and stand on strengths and weaknesses, opportunities and expected risks. In addition, in this article, we try to identify the role that knowledge management can play in the development of sports clubs, and the following objectives branch out from it:  Knowing knowledge management, its importance, objectives and operations.  Determine the challenges facing the application of knowledge management.  Determine the requirements for the application of knowledge management.  Identify the relationship between knowledge management and sports management. This article is considered the first of its kind - as far as the researcher knows - has come up with many results, where the challenges facing the application of knowledge management in sports clubs have been identified, and the requirements for the application of knowledge management in these clubs have been identified, and in the light of that and through the application of the quaternary analysis approach The strengths, weaknesses, available opportunities and expected risks were identified in the sports clubs in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, leading to the role that knowledge management can play to enhance the strengths and overcome the weaknesses and invest in the available opportunities and avoid the expected risks in these clubs, in order to ensure the development of sports clubs. The research recommendations focused on the importance of supporting the Ministry of Sports, sports federations and sports clubs in the Kingdom of the principles and foundations of knowledge management in the sports field in general and in club departments in particular and including it as an administrative department in the organizational structure of clubs and attracting experts in knowledge management with the aim of applying knowledge management in it and then employing it to achieve goals desired. Finally, the research article pointed to the importance of using qualified national cadres from university graduates in knowledge management, in addition to employing technology in its application, all of which will contribute to the development of sports clubs. The research also recommended expanding studies in the field of the role of knowledge management in developing sports clubs in general in the Kingdom. Saudi Arab

Foundations of knowledge management: intellectual structure and citation drivers of the Journal of Knowledge Management

PurposeJournal of Knowledge Management (JKM) is the foremost academic source of knowledge management research. Therefore, to understand the intellectual structure of knowledge management research, this study aims to examine the thematic patterns and evolution of research in JKM.Design/methodology/approachUsing bibliographic coupling analysis, this study analyzes and maps the intellectual structure of the research published in JKM from 1977 to 2021. It also presents the trends among methodological choices of JKM authors. The study also explores the major components of JKM’s impact, wherein a negative binomial regression analysis is used to uncover the major factors influencing the journal’s citations.FindingsThe findings suggest that the intellectual structure of JKM broadly consists of four major themes: antecedents and consequences of knowledge management, innovation and knowledge management, complexities in knowledge management and firm performance, and knowledge sharing in knowledge management. The findings also reveal the drivers of citations for JKM through the universalism (article order, open access), social constructivism (European and FT100 institution affiliation, references, funding) and presentation (tables, models, appendices, article age) perspectives.Practical implicationsThis inclusive overview of JKM will provide useful insights for its editorial board, readers and scholars to chart the ways forward for JKM and the future of knowledge management.Originality/valueTo the best of the authors' knowledge, this study is the first of its kind to identify the factors that contribute to JKM's impact from a citation perspective.

Exploring the effect of team climate on knowledge management in teams through team work engagement: evidence from knowledge-intensive firms

PurposeBased on the Job Demands-Resources (JD-R) model, this paper aims to investigate the impact of team climate (TC) supporting trust, cohesion and innovativeness on knowledge management (KM) in teams through the mediating role of teamwork engagement (TWEG).Design/methodology/approachData were collected from 246 employees working in Tunisian knowledge-intensive firms (KIFs) and involved in 69 service R&D teams. The authors applied the partial least squares-structural equation modeling approach for data analysis using SMART PLS 3.2 software.FindingsFindings provide evidence that TWEG mediates the link between TC characterized by trust, cohesion and innovativeness and KM in teams. In the line of the JD-R model, results also show that such TC provides job resources to team members that act as vitamins nurturing TWEG, which in turn boosts KM in teams.Originality/valueTo shed light on the micro-level foundations of KM, this paper enriches the KM literature through pioneering the examination of the effect of TC on KM in teams. It proposes an extension of the JD-R model through highlighting the TWEG’s mediating role in the motivational pathway leading teams to invest in KM activities under a supportive TC. It provides key insights into the importance for managers to implement team-oriented policies toward cultivating trust, innovativeness and cohesion within teams to create more dedicated, vigorous and absorbed teams in which intrinsically motivated knowledge workers are likely to collectively engage in KM activities.

Knowledge Repository Design to Improve Knowledge Management Process Capabilities: A Systematic Literature Review

The role of technology in supporting knowledge management is very vital. The knowledge repository system is the foundation of knowledge management and its implementation. Knowledge sharing, discovery, and other knowledge processes will be more accessible through proper knowledge repository system as an organizational knowledge base. This research explored various approaches employed by practitioners and researchers in designing a knowledge repository that allowed people to study and implement the knowledge repository as needed. A Systematic Literature Review (SLR) method proposed by Kitchenham was used to answer three research questions; (1) how is model knowledge storage in an organizational repository developed? (2) what tools can help create a knowledge repository? (3) what are features that should be present in a knowledge repository? It was confirmed that the repository storage model was mainly represented in the ontology model. Furthermore, the technologies for creating knowledge were Protégé and Neo4j graph-based databases. In addition, features that were mostly applied in the knowledge repository system included data catalogs, search, API, knowledge management, visualization, rule-based and case-based reasoning.

Ontology generation for flight safety messages in air traffic management

The analysis of various data is a challenging issue in the field of air traffic flow management (ATFM). Managing a large volume of data and their correct interpretation plays a key role in the prevention of air accidents, human errors, and flight interactions. In general, pilots and flight navigators deal with massive and variety information, including flight safety messages, meteorological messages, aviation notes for air man (NOTAMs) and etc. Therefore relationship between Heterogeneous big data is problem. Recently, the semantic web has been recognized as a novel foundation of knowledge management that relies on ontology (concept modeling language). The present study aimed to propose an efficient infrastructure for ATMs by defining the concepts, rules, and relationships between the concepts related to the scope of flight information. To this end, we designed and implemented the ontology of flight safety messages, which included an important part of flight operation information. In this research, the internet protocol suite (IPS)-based aviation networks and methontology methodology were exploited for the engineering of the ontology of flight messages. In addition, the implementation process was carried out using the Protégé software. The analysis of the system was performed using the actual data of Mashhad Airport, Iran. Finally, the implementation of the ontology of flight messages was demonstrated after a case study of several flight examples. The developed ontology could be incorporated into the foundation of an aeronautical telecommunication network (ATN) aviation network as an application.

Information technologies for developing a company’s knowledge management system

Escalating competition, technological changes and the struggle for innovation present companies with a knowledge management (KM) challenge. To implement it at the modern level, it is necessary to develop a knowledge management system (KMS). Significant opportunities for this are created by information technologies (IT), qualitatively changing approaches to knowledge management. Therefore, the study aims to clarify the theoretical foundations of shaping the company’s KMS and conceptualize information tools for its formation. Within the theoretical foundations of KM, its essence (as a systematic management activity and a set of measures to ensure the business processes of obtaining, storing, disseminating and using knowledge in the company), the subject (the aforementioned processes and various types of knowledge), and links with other types of management (innovation, information, personnel management, etc.) are specified. Given the main goals, principles and tasks of KM, its main approaches, key processes and control elements are summarized. The conceptual foundations of KMS development are formulated and its subsystems (methodological, planning, information, and functional subsystems for ensuring business processes for obtaining, distributing and using knowledge) are highlighted. Given the importance of IT, the following concepts have been formulated: a portal for R&D management, innovation management platforms, and a tool for formalizing knowledge and corporate knowledge base. Their purpose, functionality, and the role of ensuring work with knowledge and KM implementation are described. The problem of their implementation, operation and improvement is emphasized. The research results allow creating a new technological basis for the introduction of knowledge management.

Knowledge Management as Support for Innovation of Public Projects

Knowledge is an important organizational asset and it is essential to ensure efficient performance and competitiveness. Knowledge Management (KM) appears, therefore, as an important tool to guarantee the identification, absorption, creation, sharing and application of organizational knowledge. Innovation is seen as the creation or improvement of methods, practices, technology, product or service. In this scenario, this research had as a general objective to carry out a study of the conceptual foundations of Knowledge Management which are valid for innovation in public projects and as specific objectives to carry out a theoretical-conceptual survey on Knowledge Management, characterize the relationship between Knowledge Management and innovation and point out the valid indications in this study that support the innovation of public projects. The question to be answered was: How can Knowledge Management be used to support innovation in public projects? This research was elaborated through the Content Analysis Method and presented, as a result, the conclusion that the KM process as a whole has practices that aim to create in an organizational environment conducive to the emergence of innovative thinking encouraging the sharing of knowledge and experiences, the search for solutions and making individuals better qualified.

The requisite match between internal resources and network ties to cope with knowledge scarcity

PurposeThis paper aims to investigate the internationalization strategies of small and medium enterprises (SMEs), focusing on the interaction between network ties and “soft” internal resources at the foundation of knowledge management (KM). Specifically, it identifies the firms’ internal capabilities that affect KM strategies, and their collective influence on the degree of internationalization; verifies the influence of network ties on the internationalization process itself; and develops a conceptual “preliminary theoretical framework of SME internationalization capabilities and networks.”Design/methodology/approachThe primary research and analysis are based on a proportional stratified sample of Sicilian wineries; while the conceptual and implicative developments of the paper rest on the combination of the theoretical with the primary findings of the research, and, it has been designed and tested through eight experts’ interviews/reviews.FindingsFindings underline a strong influence of the internal capabilities of firms on the internationalization process. In addition, an important role in the export process emerges from the acquisition of information and knowledge through the establishment of networks.Research limitations/implicationsThe results need to be interpreted within the context for which this study was designed and cannot be applied generally to all businesses. However, results allow cellars’ managers to better understand the relationships among the influencing factors of SMEs internationalization.Originality/valueThe originality of the paper lies not only in its above-stated explicit theoretical objectives and findings but also in its comprehensive conceptual framework that theoretically incorporates the “strategic” with the “internal” and “networking” aspects; purposefully also arming the industry with a practicable tool toward managerial implementation.

Toward ontology of designer-user interaction in the design process: a knowledge management foundation

PurposeThe purpose of this study is to explore an ontology of designer-user interaction with a knowledge management foundation. To address this research gap, the authors ask the following research question: what types of knowledge on designer-user interactions are associated with design function and approach in creating effective design outcomes in a collaborative design process?Design/methodology/approachBased on ontology of a knowledge management foundation and 99 design projects, the authors conceptualized the ontology of designer-user interaction, which considers design role, function, approach and outcome as a knowledge of designer-user interaction in the design process.FindingsBased on this analysis, the authors theorize an ontology of designer-user interactions with five dimensions: participant, role, function, design approach and design outcome. Also, this study presents a case study of how this ontology could be applied into the actual projects.Originality/valueIn this study, the authors explore an ontology of designer-user interaction with a knowledge management foundation, because previous interdisciplinary design studies have not formalized the types of designer-user interaction. To address this research gap, the authors ask the following research question: What types of knowledge on designer-user interactions are associated with design function and approach in creating effective design outcomes in a collaborative design process?

Small- and medium-sized enterprises’ knowledge management systems as edifiers of new value innovations

Background: New value innovations are organically ingrained and complementary to the process of knowledge management. However, epistemological trends highlight only limited studies to have explored how the effectiveness of knowledge management leverages new value innovations.Objectives: This research evaluates how the effectiveness of the small- and medium-sized enterprises’ (SMEs) knowledge management systems enhance new value innovations so as to identify the major paradoxes and a business model that coherently integrates knowledge management with new value innovations.Method: Using a qualitative research method, semi-structured interviews were used to explore the opinions of 20 purposively sampled managers from 20 SMEs on how knowledge management edifies new value innovations.Results: A strong culture of information utilisation was found to enhance relevant analysis and identification of new gaps in the markets that must be filled through new value innovations or modifications of the existing products. However, poor culture of knowledge utilisation, cost of knowledge management and the often poorly functional business information systems were still reiterated as major paradoxes hampering effective knowledge management as one of the determinants of new value innovations.Conclusion: The study concluded with a model highlighting a continuum of knowledge management–new value innovation pillars like a strong culture of information utilisation, and encouragement of creativity that the executives must consider to create an effective knowledge management foundation that subsequently leverages the overall effectiveness of new value innovations.

Managing knowledge resources

This article discusses the development of the type of knowledge held to be crucial for creativity and innovation, and which is referred to here as hidden knowledge. The research question investigated is: How can organizations develop hidden knowledge? The first purpose of the article is to bring forth a type of knowledge which can give some foundation for knowledge management and innovation. The second objective is to give some foundation for the HR-department, in order to bring knowledge management theory to practical use. The authors develop five propositions concerning a mini theory for the development of hidden knowledge. A descriptive framework of “knowledging” is also developed at the individual, team and organizational levels, for tacit, implicit, explicit and hidden knowledge, which can be used of the HR-department to increase innovation in the organization

On the Semantics of Architectural Decisions

The architecture of a software system results from decisions made by the developers throughout the software life cycle. Any decision pertaining to software architecture is called an architectural decision. Architectural decision modelling captures the dependencies that exist between the decisions and serves as a foundation for knowledge management and reuse. Several models have been described in the literature, using natural language to explain the basic notions and class diagrams to show relations between them. However, a formal definition of an architectural decision is still missing. This paper analyzes existing architectural decision models and provides a formal background for the basic notions that all the models have consensus on. The major contribution of this paper is twofold: to propose a set-theoretic definition of the semantics of architectural decisions; and to show an explicit interpretation of basic relationships that exist in the architectural knowledge. The formalization can help in understanding the meaning of architectural decisions and the meaning of relations that exist between the decision elements. UML-based metamodel for architectural design decisions is also presented.

Information infrastructure capability and organisational competitive advantage

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to propose an inclusive research model to overcome the single perspective issues of the previous research which were looking at either on knowledge management (KM) activity, information technology (IT) applications or information infrastructure capability (IIC) independently. Design/methodology/approach – This paper reviewed and categorised five knowledge management (KM) frameworks: first, KM foundation studies; second, resource-based view studies; third, IIC studies; fourth, competitive advantage (CA) studies; fifth, organisational information processing theory studies to propose research model. Case studies based on face-to-face interviews were conducted to empirically analyse the proposed research model. Findings – An inclusive research model was suggested to redress the key limitation of past studies in this research field. Research limitations/implications – Since Asian countries are at present heading for the creation of a knowledge economy, the present study is important to assist government and researchers to develop the most suitable information infrastructure for effective KM in the organisation. The research model proposed by the present study can also become a key reference to the governments and researchers in other developing countries towards the creation of knowledge economy. Practical implications – The model proposed by the present study will help organisations to examine the performance of their current information infrastructure towards developing new business processes, techniques and decisions for effective KM in the organisations. Originality/value – The present study is one of the pioneer studies that integrating important IICs such as the integrating capability, data management capability, security capability, utility capability and collaborating capability in the research framework to assist knowledge-based companies to enhance current KM practices and attain long-term CA.

An Introduction to Knowledge Utilization Capability and its Autopoietic Epistemological Domain

In this paper, we strive to define the knowledge utilization capability (KUC) by delving into the epistemological foundations of knowledge management in an organization. To introduce the conceptualization of KUC, a review of three epistemological foundations as reported by Christensen and Bang (Journal of Knowledge Management 7(3):116–128, 2003) namely, artifact oriented, process oriented, and autopoietic oriented (Maturana and Varela 1980, 1987) is presented. The artifact-oriented epistemology is characterized by knowledge management focused on collecting and sharing formal data and information. The process-oriented knowledge management describes the different stages of knowledge conversion within an organization. The autopoietic view is rooted in the theory of neurobiology that comprises structures of social, self-organized systems. This view is embraced to enable a definition of KUC as a capability that results in new knowledge or modifications in the existing system of knowledge via the interactions among the various sub-systems or parts of the knowledge flow system. Thus the KUC is defined as the capability of an organization to synthesize new knowledge and reconfigure it from both the existing and new knowledge via the inter-organizational linkages. Thus, KUC is explicated as a capability with the potential for influencing future action supporting our research emphasis on this as a dynamic aspect of knowledge management theory in an organization.

A citation and co-citation analysis of 10 years of KM theory and practices

In a previous issue of Knowledge Management Research & Practice (KMRP), we analysed the content and keywords of all articles published in the first decade of KMRP. With this article, we extend our preliminary analysis to the citation and co-citations made by these articles. The study covers all the 256 articles published. The most cited article was A dynamic theory of organisational knowledge creation by Nonaka. The most cited KMRP article was by Nonaka and Toyama: The knowledge-creating theory revisited: knowledge creation as a synthesizing process. The co-citation analysis of the 100 most cited articles in KMRP publications showed that four groups of topics emerged, one around communities and situated learning, the second group around networks, knowledge transfer and research methods, a third group around the foundations of knowledge management and a fourth group around intellectual capital.

Semiotics and Knowledge Management (KM): A theoretical and empirical approach

Knowledge Management (KM) concerns the study of knowledge in organizations. Knowledge sharing, use, storage, support, and knowledge creation are components of KM. The (short) history of KM shows that the theoretical foundations of KM require completion. In this article, a perspective on KM is discussed based on cognitive semiotics, which starts with humans as information processing systems. Knowledge is human-oriented. In order to formulate a conceptual framework for the determination and dynamics of knowledge with respect to humans, we modify the I-Space model as suggested by Boisot (1995) and replace it with the K-space model. Based on the cognitive semiotics view, the K-space model works with knowledge content and knowledge types (the way knowledge is (re) presented). Three knowledge types are discerned and discussed: sensory, encoded, and theoretical knowledge (based on various semiotic dimensions). With these knowledge types, snapshots of knowledge of individuals and organizations can be made and the dynamics of knowledge can be assessed. This article also contains an empirical study of planning support in a health care institution, bringing the model to a test. The results show an increase in the encoding of knowledge with respect to various sub-tasks of planning. We argue that KM definitely benefits from a cognitive semiotic infusion strengthening its theoretical foundation and leading to empirically corroborated results.

Ontology Modeling of Aircraft Fault Knowledge

With consideration of the actual requirement of fault knowledge management in current aviation maintenance, ontology-based knowledge representation method of aircraft fault is studied. Knowledge sources of aircraft fault ontology are analyzed based on ontology modeling primitives. Ontology construction method of aircraft fault knowledge is proposed learning from software engineering and the essence of the existing ontology construction methodology. On the basis of the above study, aircraft fault ontology which is consist of Fault Core sub-ontology, Product domain sub-ontology, Case domain sub-ontology, and Diagnosis domain sub-ontology is build, and it represents aircraft fault knowledge completely and consistently, and also lays the foundation for knowledge management of aircraft fault.

The Use of Key Indicators as a Foundation for Knowledge Management: The Experiences of Monterey County's Social and Employment Services Department

While effective knowledge management practices are commonly sought by organizations, facilitating the use and ongoing engagement in these practices can be challenging. To this end, one agency developed a strategy for institutionalizing their knowledge management functions by appointing a team responsible for monitoring and implementing knowledge management functions, and creating a report for use as a tool by departments agency-wide. Aimed at increasing transparency both within the agency and with the surrounding community, the report provides an overview of individual departments' programs, goals, recent caseload trends, and latest achievements. The report is made available online and accessible by the general public. This case study describes the development of this team and report, as well as lessons learned and future knowledge management goals for the agency.

Expert evaluation study of an autopoietic model of knowledge

PurposeThe aim of the autopoietic model of knowledge is to act as a common foundation for KM to overcome the numerous knowledge management failures highlighted by the literature attributed to inaccurate or constantly debated definitions of knowledge. This paper seeks to evaluate such a model.Design/methodology/approachParticipants for this interpretivist evaluation study were selected by convenience sampling. Experts known to the authors were asked to participate, and 12 took part. Face‐to‐face interviews were conducted and lasted between 45 to 60 minutes. Member checking was used during the interviews. The data was analysed using the recursive abstraction method.FindingsThe study highlighted the complexities of conducting an expert evaluation of a model that was deemed both too high level and too low level by the experts. The study highlighted the challenge of evaluating a model that is theoretically correct, but required acceptance in the knowledge management discipline. The study also showed that the application of autopoiesis to knowledge management has potential, but is still in its infancy.Research limitations/implicationsThe main limitation of this study came from the initial autopoietic model of knowledge: most experts found it too difficult to engage with in the time available. The knowledge management foundation aspired to by applying autopoiesis to the domain is hard to achieve as little value was placed on models by some experts.Originality/valueThe evaluation of the autopoietic model of knowledge presented in this paper represents the first expert evaluation of an autopoietic epistemology. The study is an incremental step towards providing a sound conceptual foundation for knowledge management.