Knowledge-intensive Organizations Research Articles

The impact of knowledge risk management on sustainability

PurposeThe purpose of this study is to examine the effect of knowledge risk management (KRM) on organizational sustainability and the role of innovativeness and agility in this relationship.Design/methodology/approachThe study presents the results of a quantitative survey performed among 179 professionals from knowledge-intensive organizations dealing with knowledge risks and their management in organizations. Data included in this study are from both private and public organizations located all over the world and were collected through an online survey.FindingsThe results have confirmed that innovativeness and agility positively impact the sustainability of organizations; agility also positively impacts organizational innovativeness. The partial influence of KRM on both innovativeness and agility of organizations has been confirmed as well.Research limitations/implicationsThe paper findings contribute in different ways to the ongoing debates in the literature. First, they contribute to the general study of risk management by showing empirically its role in organizations in the given case of organizational sustainability. Second, by emphasizing the risks related to knowledge, this study contributes to emerging efforts highlighting the particular role of knowledge for sustained organizational development. Third, by linking KRM and organizational sustainability, this paper contributes empirically to building knowledge in this very recent field of study. This understanding is also useful for future development in the field of KM as a whole.Originality/valueThe paper lays the ground for both a deeper and more nuanced understanding of knowledge risks in organizations in general and regarding sustainability in particular. As such, the paper offers new food for thought for researchers dealing with the topics of knowledge risks, knowledge management and organizational risk management in general.

To learn and let learn? Characteristics of the learning environment in knowledge-intensive medium-sized enterprises

PurposeThis study aims to investigate the characteristics of learning environments and the related human resource (HR) practices in two Hungarian information technology (IT) companies. The aim of the contribution is to provide an empirical in-depth analysis of how learning environments are being created and managed in knowledge-intensive small- and medium-sized enterprises.Design/methodology/approachThis study is based on the analysis of two company case studies. Relying on semi-structured interviews, the following research question was formulated: Are knowledge-intensive organisations necessarily accompanied by an expansive learning environment and HR practices consistent with that?FindingsThe lessons learned from the two case studies indicate that there is no direct link between knowledge-intensive work and an expansive learning environment. The establishment of a specific type of learning environment is rather connected to the types of knowledge being used in the labour process and the management’s perspective on learning and development. It also implies that companies, instead of representing unified models, may combine various elements of an expansive and restrictive learning environment.Originality/valueThe originality of the findings of this study lies in the interpretative linking of learning environments and HR practices in medium-sized IT companies.

Role of internal resources on the competitive advantage building in a knowledge-intensive organisation in an emerging market

PurposeThis study aims to analyse the way the internal resources and their attributes contribute to the competitive advantages in an intensive organisation in knowledge of the pharmaceutical industry in an emerging market.Design/methodology/approachThis is a qualitative case study focused where the NVivo software was used for information analysis and thematic analysis.FindingsThe outcomes showed that from the VRIO framework (value, rarity, imitability and organisation), the plant and equipment and the technical knowledge of its workers are the resources that, due to their attributes, especially the rare, those that grant an advantage competitive position compared to other companies in its sector. Those findings highlight that the resource-based view (RBV) is a good approximation to explain the construction of competitive advantage (CA) and, in addition, the relevance of rare attribute in pharmaceutical companies was confirmed.Practical implicationsThe study points out empirical evidence on the relevancy of RBV, from the VRIO framework and the competitive profile matrix (CPM) for the analysis of the management of organisations from the emerging market (economy) perspective. The study also provides competitive advantage analysis tools with which managers can identify strategic resources for their companies.Originality/valueThe VRIO framework and CPM were integrated in the study to analyse the role of internal resources and their attributes in achieving CAs. This integration is the first time that it has been carried out in companies in the context of an emerging market.

What's in it for me and you? Exploring managerial perceptions of employees' work-related social media use

PurposeThis study focuses on managers' perceptions of employees' communicative role in social media, and explores the changes in the contractual nature of employment relations in mediatized workplaces in which the boundaries of professional and private life are becoming more fluid.Design/methodology/approachA qualitative approach was employed to explore this relatively new phenomenon. The data, comprising 24 interviews with managers responsible for corporate communication and human resources in knowledge-intensive organizations, was thematically analysed.FindingsThe analysis shows that employees' work-related social media use creates new types of exchanges and dependencies between an organization and individual employees, which relate to employees' representation, knowledge and networks.Originality/valueThe study is among the first to examine the exchanges and dependencies in an employment relationship that emerge from increased use of social media for professional purposes.

THE CRITICAL ISSUES OF KNOWLEDGE MANAGEMENT AND SHARING ACROSS SERVICE AGENCIES.

Purpose: Government agencies are mainly known as knowledge-intensive organizations. In order to exploit effective knowledge sharing, they have to develop practical knowledge sharing implementation approaches. Nevertheless, strong demand and expectation from citizens for efficient service delivery, coupled with global challenges in the knowledge-based economy have fuelled the need for government agencies to consider the effective implementation of knowledge sharing as a strategy to improve service delivery. Effective knowledge-sharing initiatives have the potential to benefit government agencies in view of their role. This paper aims to identify the core issues in knowledge-sharing initiatives that government agencies face in delivering effective policies, particularly in their role and influence in the construction industry.
 Results: Based on a critical review of literature on knowledge sharing in government agencies, dysfunctional bureaucracies, training, utilization of information technology, and adaptation to culture were identified as key issues.
 Unique contribution to theory, practice and policy: It is recommended that a balanced approach and support to these issues and challenges in implementing knowledge sharing initiatives are duly considered together with attention given to effective leadership, strategic alignments, capability, and capacity building among teams.

EFFECTIVENESS IN KNOWLEDGE SHARING PRACTICES IN GOVERNMENTAL SERVICE FIRMS: The Effect of Organizational Characteristics on Interdepartmental Knowledge Sharing

Purpose: Government sector organizations are mainly knowledge-intensive organizations, and to exploit their knowledge, effective knowledge sharing among the different departments is required. We focus on specific characteristics of government sector organizations that increase or limit interdepartmental knowledge sharing. Three types of organization-specific coordination mechanisms directly influence knowledge sharing between departments. Organizations are also characterized by members’ social identification and trust, which in the absence of power games are assumed to create a knowledge-sharing context.
 Methodology: Data are collected by a questionnaire survey in the government sector. The sample consists of 358 cooperative episodes between departments in more than 90 different government sector organizations. Structural equation modeling reveals the importance of lateral coordination and trust.
 Results: The combination of power games and informal coordination seems to be remarkably beneficial for knowledge sharing. Furthermore, compared with other government sector organizations, government institutions have organizational characteristics that are less beneficial for knowledge sharing.

Capacidade e maturidade em prospectiva para Organizações Intensivas em Conhecimento

ABSTRACT The article develops an institutional maturity perspective for foresight capacity building in knowledge-intensive organizations (KIO), as typically embedded in highly demanding dynamics of generation and use of knowledge, which is necessary for constructing comprehensive visions and studying the future. A foresight maturity grid is proposed as structured in five dimensions: people; sophistication of methods, platforms, and infrastructures; the complexity of application areas; organizational structure; and impact on the environment. Described in five maturity levels gradually progressing in organizational capabilities, they constitute an evolutionary logic operatively articulated in processes, projects, and foresight cycles. The resulting grid, conceptually constructed in consideration of other proposals, guides the design and stabilization of foresight systems, forming a basis for the accumulation of organizational learning curves. An application case in a Colombian public KIO provides evidence of its usefulness and applicability in building foresight capabilities.

The Role of Managers in R&D Organizational Networks. Are They Knowledge Workers or Bureaucrats?

Abstract. In today’s competition-driven world, competitive advantage is the only way for an organization to survive. There are various ways to gain a competitive edge through the application of knowledge, technology, and science. Indonesian public research and development (R&D) faces numerous challenges, one of which is researchers’ low productivity in terms of international journal publications. To boost research productivity and performance, efforts must be made to streamline knowledge flows within public R&D institutions. Additionally, data from dynamic information flows in networks can be used to evaluate bureaucratic effectiveness and identify potential knowledge talents or actors within R&D organizations. The purpose of this study is to determine the role of managers at all levels in a public R&D organization in coordinating information flow through knowledge networks and bureaucratic relationships. The social network analysis (SNA) technique was used to map managers’ role in aligning knowledge flows in an Indonesian public R&D organization. Individuals were classified according to their type and centrality in the network, and network metrics such as “degree of centrality,” “eigenvector centrality,” and “clustering coefficient” were determined. It was found that the organization has some issues with knowledge flows and power distribution. The two distinct knowledge flow patterns, one for knowledge-seeking and the other for administrative knowledge, do not appear to be synchronized. The director of the R&D center is assumed to be less influential than the top manager in terms of knowledge and bureaucratic influence. At the managerial level, clique tendency is lower, while it is higher at the nonmanagerial level. Such centralization and cliques are dangerous because managing knowledge cannot be handled by a single person in a knowledge-intensive organization such as an R&D institution. Additionally, it was discovered that middle managers are critical for knowledge-seeking purposes, whereas administrative managers dominate the bureaucratic role. The research implications are dependent on deciphering the complexities of knowledge flows among employees and the variables that influence the knowledge-transfer process within an organization. This issue will exacerbate the problem by decreasing productivity and increasing reliance on a small number of people. Additional research is required to generalize the findings to other Indonesian R&D institutions. Keywords: Bureaucracy, knowledge management, social network analysis

Linking business agility with people management practices

Organisations pursuing - agility often struggle with strategic alignment issues. In this paper, we link business agility, as a competitive strategy, and strategic Human Resources Management (HRM), and investigate how HRM can facilitate business agility by creating a suitably organised workforce. By means of an explorative case study of agile small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in New Zealand and Switzerland, we describe hypotheses about a new HRM archetype. In these knowledge-intensive organisations from the service sector, HRM grows into a distributed and collaborative people management practice across the whole organisation. Characterised by self-organisation, it emphasises individual and collective learning, encourages continuous sensemaking and connecting to a common purpose.

Should knowledge management in organizations be rebranded?

PurposeThis study aims to examine the relevance of the term “knowledge management” (KM) in the organizational context, and deliberates whether there is a need for rebranding of this field. It also enriches the understanding regarding the appropriateness of the term “KM,” which was chosen to represent the discipline.Design/methodology/approachThis study adopted a qualitative research methodology, and a case study approach was followed by conducting 19 semi-structured in-depth interviews with international KM experts working in a global consulting firm. The data were analyzed using a thematic analysis method based on the grounded theory approach.FindingsThe findings provide empirical evidence that attempts are being made to move away from the label “KM” in certain knowledge-intensive organizations. This study sheds light on the challenges associated with this term, which leads some to believe that the name of the discipline needs to change.Originality/valueThe present pioneering research contributes to empirical knowledge through investigation of an unexplored scientific field. To the best of the authors’ knowledge, for the first time, its uniqueness can be established by the fact that the opinions of KM professionals are being heard regarding the “KM” label, as well as the need for a rebranding of this discipline in the organizational context. From a practical and strategic perspective, this study suggests that the research community and practitioners pay attention to attempts to shift away from the existing title identified in organizational practice.

Can return on investment in knowledge management initiatives in organizations be measured?

PurposeThis paper focuses on the meanings attributed to the measurement of return on investment (ROI) in knowledge management (KM) initiatives in knowledge-intensive organizations. At the heart of this exploratory research is the introduction of a unique coherent perspective of discipline experts regarding the ROI metric, as part of their perception of assessing effectiveness in this field.Design/methodology/approachThe research begins with in-depth semi-structured personal interviews and continues with focus groups, as part of a qualitative research paradigm. The data were analyzed using a thematic analysis method, based on the grounded theory approach.FindingsThe findings provide empirical evidence regarding the significant challenges associated with the objective assessment of KM performance, which is deeply rooted in numerical-financial values. Despite the high status of ROI in the business environment, the authors find that decision-makers surprisingly avoid evaluating ROI for the most important resource of the organization, notwithstanding the immeasurable hopes that depend on this performance measure and the expectation of establishing the profitability of investment in organizational KM.Originality/valueThe uniqueness of this research is the adoption of the skeptical-critical research approach. For the first time, the authors interrogate the suitability and relevance of the general model of the ROI metric as a means of proving the value and contribution of well-managed knowledge to organizations. The authors call for adoption of a new integrative perspective for evaluating effectiveness, which will reflect the holistic set of KM in organizations.

The mediation role of knowledge management between academic management and business education

Abstract The goal of this study is to examine knowledge management’s function as a mediator between academic management and business education. Knowledge management evolved in the last decades as an important component of the organizational management that focuses on intangible resources. In the knowledge economy, knowledge became a strategic resource and it needs a different type of management because it has different economic characteristics by comparison with tangible resources which are represented by physical objects. Knowledge management becomes dominant in the knowledge-intensive organizations, like universities, research centers, consulting companies, and those organizations where knowledge density and knowledge processes intensity determine the organizational performance. From this perspective, it is interesting to analyze the role played by knowledge management in mediating the complex correlation between academic management and business education. Academic management is considered an independent variable and business education the outcome of the whole management of the teaching and learning processes. Knowledge management is the mediator of the whole process. The present research is based on qualitative and quantitative analyses. Qualitative investigation consist in a critical analysis of the literature, and quantitative research is a survey based on a questionnaire addressed to students and professors involved in business education from two Romanian universities. Statistical processing was done with SPSS version 26.0 and the macro PROCESS version 3.5. The findings back up the basic hypothesis and support the research model.

University–Industry Collaboration: A Sustainable Technology Transfer Model

Faced with the pandemic caused by COVID-19, universities worldwide are giving a powerful response to support their communities. One way to provide support is via the collaboration between universities and industries, allowing the co-creation of knowledge that leads to innovation. Historically, universities, as knowledge-intensive organizations (KIOs), have produced knowledge through research. At present, its important contribution to countries’ economy is widely recognized through the development of new knowledge and technical know-how. Universities are a source of innovation for firms, which ultimately translates into social welfare improvements. The objective of this research is to analyze the university–firm linkage. The methodological strategy is carried out using Bayesian networks through a model where the main elements of university–industry linking, which impact competitiveness and innovation, are identified and quantified. The technology transfer model shows that the most crucial processes are Technology Strategy, Value Proposal, Knowledge Management, Control and Monitoring, Innovation Management, Needs Detection, Knowledge Creation, New Products and Services, and Absorption Capacity.

Challenges of justification of investment in organizational knowledge management

ABSTRACT This paper aims to explore the interrelation between the difficulty in justifying to executives the resources necessary for knowledge management (KM) in itiativesand the challenges in understanding the value of optimal KM. From in-depth personal interviews and group interviews with 41KM professionals, we reveal eight significant challenges that may explain the difficulty of understanding the true value of KM for knowledge-intensive organisations. We reveal that these challenges have a significant effect on the perceptions of the profitability of budget investments in tools and practices aimed at improving knowledge flow in organisations. Given that the present study is the antithesis of previous research, we suggest that future researchers deepen the research of the positions of senior executives regarding KM. This research is unique in its attempt to close the gap in the literature created by the lack of scientific studies on the challenges at the heart of the discipline.

Storytelling as a Tool for Vicarious Learning among Air Medical Transport Crews

Learning vicariously from the experiences of others at work, such as those working on different teams or projects, has long been recognized as a driver of collective performance in organizations. Yet as work becomes more ambiguous and less observable in knowledge-intensive organizations, previously identified vicarious learning strategies, including direct observation and formal knowledge transfer, become less feasible. Drawing on ethnographic observations and interviews with flight nurse crews in an air medical transport program, I inductively build a model of how storytelling can serve as a valuable tool for vicarious learning. I explore a multistage process of triggering, telling, and transforming stories as a means by which flight nurses convert the raw experience of other crews’ patient transports into prospective knowledge and expanded repertoires of responses for potential future challenges. Further, I highlight how this storytelling process is situated within the transport program’s broader structures and practices, which serve to enable flight nurses’ storytelling and to scale the lessons of their stories throughout the entire program. I discuss the implications of these insights for the study of storytelling as a learning tool in organizations, as well as for revamping the field’s understanding of vicarious learning in knowledge-intensive work settings.

To hoard or to share? Strategic management of knowledge and ICTs in complex economic systems

Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to achieve a better understanding of the effects of strategic decisions related to the management of knowledge taken by organizations in complex economic systems. These effects are seen in the long term performance of organizations in the system choosing different strategic paths. As knowledge-related processes make intensive use of ICTs, the influence of the degree of development of these technologies is taken into account.Design/methodology/approach: An agent-based simulation model, ImbySim, based in the I-Space conceptual framework, is used to represent the evolution of a group of knowledge-intensive organizations located in a given geographic space. Those organizations engage, among others, in processes of creation and transfer of knowledge assets. Organizations show different levels of performance, which may be related to their knowledge-related strategic choices. The main knowledge-related strategies available for the agents are, on one side, sharing or hoarding knowledge and, on the other side, structuring or de-structuring knowledge.Findings: The results of the simulation suggest that it is not adequate to adopt an 'always sharing' or 'always hoarding' strategy. The hoarding or sharing of knolwedge assets need to be applied in a discriminating way depending on the specific asset or the situation of the organization. Also, different levels of development of ICTs favour different strategic choices concerning the adequate structuring of knowledge assets and the degree of knowledge sharing. In general terms, ICT development calls for more sharing and more structuring of knowledge.Originality/value: From the simulations, a number of empirically testable hypotheses have been extracted. Should these hypotheses get empirically corroborated, they would challenge a certain body of theorising—associated with organizational ecology and organizational demography—thus demonstrating the fruitfulness of the simulation approach to complex knowledge-based problems in the field of strategy.Practical implications: The hypotheses developed from this research may be very useful, once empirically tested, for strategic planning. Policy makers in charge of complex economic systems and firms and institutions present in them may benefit from the insights obtained and define their strategic moves according to them.

Exploring the Problem Space of CO2 Emission Reductions from Academic Flying

CO2 emissions from aviation have been predicted to increase over the coming decades. Within the academic world, flying is often perceived to be a necessary prerequisite to being a successful researcher. Many Swedish universities have ambitious climate goals, but are simultaneously among the top emitters in the public sector. Reaching stated climate goals could feasibly be met through a combination of measures, including decreased flying. One way to address the challenge is to support behavioural interventions with the help of interactive visualizations of CO2 emissions from flying. Those few examples that exist in the research literature are generally directed towards management and are less applicable to universities, given the large autonomy researchers enjoy and their discretionary control of research project funds. This paper uses a design-oriented research approach to present an analysis of the problem space at the intersection of interactive visualizations using air travel data to reduce CO2 emissions from business air travel at our own university, KTH Royal Institute of Technology. Through a number of design experiments, evaluations and investigations, we have unearthed needs, challenges and opportunities for the creation of visualization tools to support more sustainable travel practices at universities and in other knowledge-intensive organisations.

Linking good counter-knowledge with bad counter knowledge: the impact of evasive knowledge hiding and defensive reasoning

PurposeCounter-knowledge is knowledge learned from unverified sources and can be classified as good (i.e. harmful, for instance, funny jokes) or bad (for example, lies to manipulate others’ decisions). The purpose of this study is to analyse the relationship between these two elements and on the possible reactions they can induce on people and institutions.Design/methodology/approachThe relationships between good and bad counter-knowledge and the induced reactions – namely, evasive knowledge hiding and defensive reasoning – are analysed through an empirical study among 151 Spanish citizens belonging to a knowledge-intensive organization during the COVID-19 pandemic. A two-step procedure has been established to assess a causal model with SmartPLS 3.2.9.FindingsResults show that good counter-knowledge can lead to bad counter-knowledge. In addition, counter-knowledge can trigger evasive knowledge hiding, which, in turn, fosters defensive reasoning, in a vicious circle, which can negatively affect decision-making and also cause distrust in public institutions. This was evidenced during the covid-19 pandemic in relation to the measures taken by governments.Originality/valueThis study raises the awareness that counter-knowledge is a complex phenomenon, especially in a situation of serious crisis like a pandemic. In particular, it highlights that even good counter-knowledge can turn into bad and affect people’s decisional capability negatively. In addition, it signals that not all reactions to the proliferation of counter-knowledge by public institutions are positive. For instance, censorship and lack of transparency (i.e. evasive knowledge hiding) can trigger defensive reasoning, which can, in turn, affect people’s decisions and attitudes negatively.

Knowledge Management Infrastructure Framework for Enhancing Knowledge-Intensive Business Processes

In this age of digital transformation, knowledge-intensive organizations strive to improve business outcomes and sustainability by improving their knowledge-intensive business processes (KIBPs) to obtain a competitive advantage. Many researchers have claimed that KIBP enhancement is possible through knowledge management (KM) initiatives supported by an effective KM infrastructure. Current KM infrastructures deal with formal KM procedures, where knowledge is created, stored, assimilated, and disseminated. Such activities, however, are designed to be performed outside of the business process. KM infrastructures are expected to be more effective when they include specific real-time knowledge procedures integrated into the operational flow of KIBPs. This paper explores how modern KM infrastructures can support KIBPs, considering both formal and operational KM procedures. Our study’s essential contribution is the conceptual KM infrastructure framework (KMIF) developed based on grounded theory research. This infrastructure provides a systematic and robust approach, starting from the ground up, for structuring organizational knowledge assets across a range of KIBP environments. We define operational knowledge procedures directly involved in KIBPs, adding a layer to KM infrastructures beyond the formal knowledge procedures. A mixed-method case study was conducted to demonstrate and evaluate the proposed KMIF for enhancing business outcomes and sustainability of knowledge-intensive organizations.

Towards the assessment of business process knowledge intensity – a systematic literature review

PurposeThe aim of the article is to propose an integrated definition of knowledge-intensive business processes (kiBPs) and a model of business process (BP) knowledge intensity and develop holistic criteria and measures for the assessment of BP knowledge intensity.Design/methodology/approachA qualitative systematic literature review (SLR) was carried out as a means of evaluating and interpreting all available research relevant to the research topic, in this case, BP knowledge intensity. The SLR is based on the resources of the ProQuest, Springer Nature and ScienceDirect full-text databases. Regarding inclusion criteria, the authors considered peer-reviewed journals and conference proceedings published in English in the last 10 years. The results were summarized and synthesized narratively.FindingsBased on the review, the authors classified existing knowledge intensity definitions, starting with knowledge-intensive economy or country, sectors and services, through knowledge-intensive organizations, BPs, to tasks. Then, an integrated definition of kiBPs was proposed and the business process knowledge intensity model encompassing three domains developed. Finally, 12 knowledge intensity criteria with measures were proposed.Originality/valueThe major value of this research is that it presents a novel approach to understanding BP knowledge intensity and kiBPs. By creating the BP knowledge intensity model, supplemented by the assessment criteria and measures, the authors contribute to the more effective management of kiBP, help find similarities and differences between various knowledge-intensive processes, as well as provide important implications for their effective management and research.