General Knowledge Management Research Articles

Next Generation Knowledge Management for Europe based Life Insurer: An end-to-end solution to assist Insurance Platform modernization and ongoing efficiency improvement

Purpose of this paper is to showcase the advantages and benefits of positioning a Tool driven approach to create and manage knowledge in an enterprise. As Organizations traverse thru multiple platform and technology changes to drive transformation, the processes & the documents associated to these solutions also need to change and the employees who operate on the processes on day-to-day basis need to be trained/re-trained accordingly. Ability of an organization to manage the process documents in an effective way and drive large scale changes in a systematic manner acts as a key factor in how successful these platform/technology changes are. A technology solution/tool driven approach to manage the process documents, enabling mass changes to the existing knowledge and creating new knowledge at a rapid pace can be the answer for the challenges organizations are facing with respect to Process documents/knowledge articles. The implementation and usage of the solution is aligned to the Knowledge Centred Service (KCS) methodology

The concept of strategic management national security

Analytical description of the community, national strategic management of national security as the basis for the formation of state security with a reflection of the collective actions of diplomacy, administration, and general knowledge management. An attempt to create a package and goals in the context of a comprehensive strategy as a concept of concrete state action to promote social and civic science is typical in the cause-and-effect relationship of the system as a security tool. Accumulated knowledge related primarily to modern views on the philosophical and methodological foundations of ensuring national security is presented and systematized. In particular, the principles of the scientific study of security as a social phenomenon are considered. The article is devoted to systemic aspects of the foundations of national security. The main concepts and categories of national security are considered national interests, threats and challenges to national security, the structure of national values of Ukraine, and their relationship with national interests and goals. The concept and design of the national security system, conceptual approaches to its provision, as well as the system of federal security provision, are considered in detail (in particular, such issues as identification and comprehensive assessment of the level of threats to national security, conceptual principles for assessing the state's defense adequacy, determining the agenda for state authorities, adequate to threats to vital national interests). Several other principles are considered issues, the solution of which depends on the effectiveness of state management decisions on ensuring national security. Among them the information model of the mechanism of state-management decision-making in the process of ensuring national security, the basis of the coordination mechanism interests of man and society, theoretical foundations, and practical aspects of the organization of strategic management in the field of national security. Keywords: national security, state security, management strategy, and planning

Information Organization Activities in the Knowledge Management Setting

This study examines information organization activities in the knowledge management setting. The investigation commences with the long-drawn debate on the concept of Knowledge Management and the literature that has hitherto reviewed it. Furthermore, the study delves into how conventional bibliographic information retrieval techniques and expert search systems have heretofore been applied in the organization and retrieval of digital resources and if they can be employed in the Knowledge management setting. It is contended that though the procedures, tools, and techniques are effectual and productive, they cannot be utilizedina knowledge Intensive environment. Accordingly, the study puts forth a generic knowledge management frame work that can be applied in a knowledge management setting. In addition, it proposes novel research gaps in the context of information organization.

Enablers of knowledge management: practical research-based in the construction industry

PurposeTo effectively implement knowledge management, one prerequisite is to understand and implement the knowledge management enablers in the sense of optimal institutional efficiency. This paper aims to analyze and measure the significant enablers in overseeing knowledge management in the construction sector.Design/methodology/approachThe mixed-method technique was used to achieve the objective of this study and involved the application of detailed questions to project engineers and project managers within leading construction engineering companies, provided by the Institution of Engineering and Technology Ghana. In total, 150 questionnaires were collected and analyzed using the Statistical Package for Social Sciences v. 26.FindingsThe study confirms that the knowledge management enablers such as employees knowledge, motivations, effective decisions and strategic planning are some of the important ways in which construction professionals can achieve different strategic goals in many processes and concluded that the progress of the next generation knowledge management strategy will be based on content sharing, decision-making and by promoting the free flow of ideas.Originality/valueThe study offers perspectives into knowledge management enablers and recommends key performance factors, championed by Ghanaian construction contractors for institutional knowledge capture.

SEMI-AUTOMATIC ONTOLOGICAL ALIGNMENT OF DIGITIZED BOOKS PARALLEL CORPORA

In this paper, we present a method for general ontology management integration with an alignment of digitized books paraphrase corpus, which have been compiled from bilingual parallel corpus. We show that our method can improve ontology development and consistency checking when we add semantic parsing and machine translation to the process of general knowledge management. Additionally, we argue that the focus on one’s favorite books gives a factor of gamification for knowledge management process. A new formalism of semantic parsing ontological alignments is introduced and its use for ontology development and consistency checking is discussed. It is shown that existing general ontologies requires much more axioms than it is currently available in order to explain unaligned content of books. Proactive learning approach is suggested as part of the solution to improve development of ontology predicates and axioms. WordNet, FrameNet and SUMO ontologies are used as a starting knowledge base of paraphrase corpus semantic alignment method.

The links between pedagogical competence, instructional quality, and mathematics achievement in the lower secondary classroom

It is widely assumed that teachers play a key role in providing high-quality learning opportunities to students and fostering students’ learning. Yet it is still unclear how specific teacher knowledge facets as part of their professional competence contribute to classroom processes and learning outcomes. Focusing on mathematics education at the secondary level, this study investigates the links between teachers’ pedagogical competence (i.e., cognitive pedagogical facets of their professional competence), instructional quality, and students’ mathematics achievement. The sample comprises mathematics teacher and student data from 59 classrooms in Germany. Student mathematics achievement was measured across two time points (grade 7 and 8). Teachers’ pedagogical competence was tested using two tests measuring their general pedagogical knowledge (GPK) and situation-specific classroom management expertise (CME). Instructional quality was measured using observational rating data from in vivo rating in mathematics classrooms. Research questions on the relation of teachers’ competence and students’ mathematics achievement were answered using multilevel models. Results from multilevel regression analyses indicate that both GPK and CME predict instructional quality. Direct statistical effects on students’ mathematical progress were identified, whereas no indirect statistical effects via instructional quality could be identified. Although teachers’ measured pedagogical competence is not subject-specific, it serves as a significant predictor for cognitive activation as an indispensable part of quality-oriented mathematical teaching and learning processes in the lower secondary mathematics classroom, and it contributes to students’ mathematical progress.

Scalability of generative knowledge management systems: designing for individuals’ and institutions’ mutual benefit

PurposeIn further conceptualizing a novel generative knowledge management system (KM/KMS), this paper aims to focus on identifying and mitigating the risks related to its envisaged scaling from a prototype to an application with a rapidly growing user base.Design/methodology/approachIt follows up on prior publications using design science research (DSR) methodologies in compliance with theory effectiveness, a principle expecting system designs to be purposeful in terms of utility and communication. The KMS perspective taken prioritizes a decentralizing agenda benefiting knowledge workers while also aiming to foster a fruitful co-evolution with conventional organizational KM approaches.FindingsThe utilization and further extension of the CKDT and a “scalable innovation” heuristic are assisting the detecting of potential scaling risks related to the logics and logistics, generative interoperability, technological capacitating, knowledge dynamics and value chain which further validates the viability of the proposed KM concept and system.Research limitations/implicationsAlthough the prototype development is still in progress, the paper conforms to the DSR practice to report on early visions of technology impact on users, organizations and society but also reflects on expectations of viability, desirability and commitment, as well as the system’s prospect as a general-purpose-technology or disruptive innovation.Originality/valueIn addition to the novel KM-related perspectives, the paper’s practical emphasis on the scaling of more complex systems is rarely dealt with in the literature due to the respective projects’ often large-scale collaborative nature, broad methodological scope and diverse stakeholders’ interests. In this case, the task is eased as prior DSR outputs can be referred to.

Systems Dynamics and Activity-Based Modeling to Blueprint Generative Knowledge Management Systems

The predicted embracing of thriving knowledge societies is increasingly compromised by threatening perceptions of information overload and attention poverty, opportunity divides and career uncertainties. By integrating system dynamics, discrete-event, and agent-based modeling, this paper traces the roots of these symptoms back to their causes of information entropy and structural holes, invisible private and undiscoverable public knowledge which together characterize the sad state of our current knowledge management (KM) and creation practices. Looking forward, it proposes a decentralized generative KM approach that prioritizes the capacity development of autonomous individual knowledge workers not at the expense but as a viable means to foster a fruitful co-evolution with traditional organizational KM systems. As part of an ongoing design science research and prototyping project, this systems thinking and hybrid model perspective complements a succession of prior multidisciplinary publications on the subject.

A generic knowledge management approach towards the development of a decision support system

ABSTRACT The fourth industrial revolution is increasingly implemented in most fields and categories of industry. The use of several highly developed technologies generates huge amounts of heterogeneous data and knowledge, hence the need to manage it in order to facilitate its reuse. This article proposes a global approach of knowledge management, from the analysis and development of the knowledge base structuring models, to the implementation phase using knowledge engineering tools. This research work is part of a global knowledge-based decision support framework that ensures several axes of decision support, this article deals with the diagnosis axis. It provides analysis and comprehension of the failures occurring during production. The approach has been implemented as a first demonstrator tested in a real case study: the aeronautical mechanical machining industry. This article details the issues of this implementation and its interest for the validation of the approach.

DETERMINAMT FACTORS OF KNOWLEDGE MANAGEMENTPRACTICE: THE CASE OF MINISTRY OF HEALTH, ETHIOPIA.

This study aims at assessing knowledge management maturity level and the effect of the determinant factors of knowledge management in Ethiopia’s federal ministry of health. Explanatory survey design involving both the quantitative and qualitative methods was employed. General knowledge management maturity model based on people, process and technology key process areas was used to measure knowledge management maturity level in the organization. The qualitative data was analyzed using thematic analysis and summarized under pre identified and emerging themes. The quantitative and qualitative data were triangulated to enrich the findings. The study determined that the ministry’s overall knowledge management maturity level was close to maturity level-2 (Aware), which is generally to mean that the organization was aware of and has the intention to manage its organizational knowledge, but it might not know how to do so. Organizational culture, human resource, information technology and knowledge management process were identified as having significant and positive linear relationship with the knowledge management practice in the organization. It is essential for the ministry to reestablish knowledge management or define improvement plans using model such as the general knowledge management maturity model. The improvement should address the identified determinant factors as well as criterion set for each of the people, process and technology key process areas.

(Neg)Entropic Scenarios Affecting the Wicked Design Spaces of Knowledge Management Systems.

The envisioned embracing of thriving knowledge societies is increasingly compromised by threatening perceptions of information overload, attention poverty, opportunity divides, and career fears. This paper traces the roots of these symptoms back to causes of information entropy and structural holes, invisible private and undiscoverable public knowledge which characterize the sad state of our current knowledge management and creation practices. As part of an ongoing design science research and prototyping project, the article’s (neg)entropic perspectives complement a succession of prior multi-disciplinary publications. Looking forward, it proposes a novel decentralized generative knowledge management approach that prioritizes the capacity development of autonomous individual knowledge workers not at the expense of traditional organizational knowledge management systems but as a viable means to foster their fruitful co-evolution. The article, thus, informs relevant stakeholders about the current unsustainable status quo inhibiting knowledge workers; it presents viable remedial options (as a prerequisite for creating the respective future generative Knowledge Management (KM) reality) to afford a sustainable solution with the generative potential to evolve into a prospective general-purpose technology.

Informing epidemic (research) responses in a timely fashion by knowledge management - a Zika virus use case.

ABSTRACTThe response of pathophysiological research to emerging epidemics often occurs after the epidemic and, as a consequence, has little to no impact on improving patient outcomes or on developing high-quality evidence to inform clinical management strategies during the epidemic. Rapid and informed guidance of epidemic (research) responses to severe infectious disease outbreaks requires quick compilation and integration of existing pathophysiological knowledge. As a case study we chose the Zika virus (ZIKV) outbreak that started in 2015 to develop a proof-of-concept knowledge repository. To extract data from available sources and build a computationally tractable and comprehensive molecular interaction map we applied generic knowledge management software for literature mining, expert knowledge curation, data integration, reporting and visualization. A multi-disciplinary team of experts, including clinicians, virologists, bioinformaticians and knowledge management specialists, followed a pre-defined workflow for rapid integration and evaluation of available evidence. While conventional approaches usually require months to comb through the existing literature, the initial ZIKV KnowledgeBase (ZIKA KB) was completed within a few weeks. Recently we updated the ZIKA KB with additional curated data from the large amount of literature published since 2016 and made it publicly available through a web interface together with a step-by-step guide to ensure reproducibility of the described use case. In addition, a detailed online user manual is provided to enable the ZIKV research community to generate hypotheses, share knowledge, identify knowledge gaps, and interactively explore and interpret data. A workflow for rapid response during outbreaks was generated, validated and refined and is also made available. The process described here can be used for timely structuring of pathophysiological knowledge for future threats. The resulting structured biological knowledge is a helpful tool for computational data analysis and generation of predictive models and opens new avenues for infectious disease research. ZIKV Knowledgebase is available at www.zikaknowledgebase.eu.

The next generation of knowledge management: Implications for LIS educators and professionals

Knowledge management (KM) has been an evolving field over the past 35 years. We have seen the field emerge from developing the institutional memory of the organization to increasing innovation to building more internal and external effectiveness. The Library and Information Science (LIS) community has had a great role to play in KM, and as we reflect on the progress of KM over the years, we can learn from our past and project towards the future. The aim of the paper is to present the overview: what is the history, what is the situation now and what is the future of knowledge management in the next five years.

Knowledge Management and Institutional Accounting Functional Effectiveness: Evidence from Malaysia

Institutional accounting functions are critical actors in the success of every organisation and emphasise distinct effectiveness compared to other practices. Meanwhile existing research has examined general knowledge management (KM) and its association with effectiveness at an overall institutional level. However, studies on the impact of KM capabilities on institutional accounting functional effectiveness (FE) is sparse. This study evaluates the impact of KM on institutional accounting FE based on resource-based theory (RBT) at various levels of analysis. Utilising empirical evidence, accounting knowledge management (AKM)-based effectiveness model was developed. Data were collected through a questionnaire survey of accounting officers in public research institutions in Malaysia. The study data were initially analysed using statistical package for social sciences (SPSS) version 23.0 and hypothesised relationship tested via partial least square structural equation modelling (PLS-SEM). Interestingly, the results provide support for the developed research AKM model underpinned by RBT viewpoint. AKM infrastructure (AKMI) and process capabilities impact institutional accounting FE significantly and AKM process capability partially mediates the influence of AKMI capability. The study offers new insight into the relationship between KM and institutional accounting practices. Thus, they create avenues for future research and directions for KM policy decisions in institutions.

Knowledge management, the missing piece in the 2030 agenda and SDGs puzzle

PurposeThis paper aims to analyze some knowledge management (KM) frameworks that sustainable development goals (SDGs) can apply to such a challenging implementation.Design/methodology/approachTo accomplish this, a systematic scientific literature review was carried out about the KM concept. Searching, analyzing and collecting different KM frameworks were crossed and compared to achieve a standard KM framework list, based on the most important and relevant information collected.FindingsThe study outlines how and which KM frameworks may be applied in an effort to reach the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and SDGs, so it can overcome the barriers and pitfalls related to the knowledge management use.Research limitations/implicationsThe paper shows some SDG areas that deserve future attention and deep implementation with KM frameworks.Originality/valueWith the enormous potential and vision of the sustainable development goals (SDGs), there is a barrier in its progress and development: the knowledge use, in both the local knowledge aspects and general knowledge management. This paper creates a Knowledge Management Excellence Model (KMEM) linked to SDGs, which will help and promote its use to educate and involve all those interested in meeting these goals.

Showcasing knowledge: The promotion of knowledge management in a technology‐based organization

This paper aims to investigate how knowledge management is promoted in the practices of a technology‐based organization with the support of the tools and resources of internal marketing and internal communication. We conducted a basic qualitative research with empirical data collected in a large organization in Brazil and analyzed it through the general analytic strategy. The main findings reveal that knowledge management can be promoted and showcased internally by the techniques and approaches of internal marketing and internal communication, in a similar way to an internal advertising agency. However, some key features are not being used systematically, suggesting a lack of vision in its applicability to the internal audience. The results also reveal the lack of functional attribution and of intentional awareness about the promotion of knowledge management targeted to the second generation of knowledge management, more oriented to the creation of knowledge in a technology‐based organization.

How Relevant Are the Best Practice Projects as Strategy for Knowledge Management? Case Study of Best Practice on Social Rights Database of Barcelona City Council

Best practice databases have spread as part of the knowledge management strategies in public administration. However, research on its objectives, methodologies and impacts is still scarce. What potential and challenges does these initiatives have when trying to revalue the professionals’ knowledge and their participation? What kind of results and impact do they have? This paper builds a guide to answer these questions, identifying three key dimensions for the analysis of good-practice databases: 1) the methodology, 2) the communication of its results and 3) the impact on the people responsible for the practices. The article applies this guide to the analysis of the Best Practice on Social Rights Database of Barcelona City Council and identifies key aspects. Regarding the methodology, reliability and suitability of the practices included in the databases is still a challenge. However, there are mechanisms to ensure rigorous analysis and avoid distrust in best practices databases. Regarding the communication of results, knowledge transferability cannot be taken for granted. The kind of information to communicate is a key factor: the more contextualized and realistic (no only emphasizing positive aspects) the information is, the more possibilities of being transferred will exist. Finally, regarding the assessment and the impact of the best practice databases, this document identifies some strategies of what has been called second generation of knowledge management. It is essential to design specific mechanisms so that the best practices databases can have an impact on the learning, particularly in relation to the group of professionals involved.

Synthesizing Design and Informing Science Rationales for Driving a Decentralized Generative Knowledge Management Agenda

Aim/Purpose: In a world of rapidly expanding complexity and exponentially increasing data availability, IT-based knowledge management tools will be needed to manage and curate available information. This paper looks at a particular tool architecture that has been previously proposed: The Personal Knowledge Management System (PKMS). The specific focus is on how the proposed architecture conforms to design science principles that relate to how it is likely to evolve. Background: We first introduce some recent informing science and design science research frameworks, then examine how the PKMS architecture would conform to these. Methodology: The approach taken is conceptual analysis. Contribution: The analysis provides a clearer understanding of how the proposed PKMS would serve the diverse-client ambiguous-target (DCAT) informing scenario and how it could be expected to evolve. Findings: We demonstrate how the PKMS informing architecture can be characterized as a “social machine” that appears to conform to a number of principles that would facilitate its long-term evolution. Future Research: The example provided by the paper could serve as a model future research seeking to integrate design science and informing science in the study of IT artefacts.

Managing tourism knowledge: a review

PurposeThis paper aims to provide a contemporary review of the field of tourism and knowledge management.Design/methodology/approachThe review draws upon an extensive range of generic knowledge management literature as well as the rather less developed literature on tourism and knowledge management.FindingsThe review finds that tourism has been slow to adopt a knowledge management approach, partly due to the context of the tourism sector. However, by taking a “network gaze”, this paper shows that the benefits of knowledge management for tourism are clear and that policy for knowledge management can be of benefit to tourism.Originality/valueThis paper provides a contemporary review of the knowledge management literature and situates it within the tourism context.

Assessing Workers Safety Management Knowledge on Construction Site

Safety management is associated with the policies, objectives, procedures, methods, roles and functions that aim at controlling hazard and risk in socio-technical systems. Companies that have implemented effective OSH Management system have reported benefit from increase operational efficiency, reduction in insurance cost and improve in workers retention and satisfaction. Many accidents that occur at construction site are due inadequate adherence of workers to work procedures. The awareness and perception of workers toward safety, health and their working environment are important aspect to enhance the building construction to the better condition to the workers. Workers play an important role in accomplishment of the building construction. All these supporting evidence reflects on the needs to study building construction workers knowledge of safety management system. The study is a criteria – based study, in which 24 construction companies were selected for the study The respondent samples used in the study were drawn from the total population of permanent construction workers in the 24 construction companies selected. The total numbers of permanent construction workers in the 24 construction companies are 750 while 254 were selected for the study. The research questionnaires were administered on 254 permanent construction workers within the 24 construction companies in Abuja. The analysis of the questionnaires survey data was undertaken using the statistical package for social science (SPSS) version 20. A reliability test was conducted on the data in order to control error within the data. The Cronbach's Alpha of the two variable data are .853 and .863 respectively and make the data reliable. Correlation analysis was conducted in order to determine the relationship between worker's general knowledge and worker's safety management knowledge and the result was found to be significant (P less then 0.005). This relationship was modelled using simple linear regression and from the model the result shows that improvement on the worker's safety management system knowledge practice on sites will improves general knowledge among construction workers. Therefore, workers' knowledge of safety management systems significantly influences the overall benefits of safety management system on the construction sites. As such there is need for potential improvement on the knowledge or awareness of the workers to safety management system as perceived from the analysis in order to bring about the expected high performance standard on construction sites.