Knowledge Management In Context Research Articles

Preconditions for the development of organizational knowledge ecosystem inside an audit firm

The paper aims to present key preconditions for the development of organizational knowledge ecosystem inside an audit firm. The audit activities represent a specific context for knowledge management, especially what concerns knowledge sharing and generation of new knowledge in organizational environment of formal rules and standards. We present the survey of audit firm employees (68) and their management by discussing the key challenges related to the dynamic knowledge sharing and new knowledge creation inside an audit firm. The paper investigates the nature of knowledge within an audit firm and analyses the cultural and structural aspects of KM practices that may lead to the emergence of ecosystem for sharing the existing and generating new knowledge. The paper adopts the intra-organizational perspective to knowledge ecosystem. The audit firm operates as knowledge organization that, despite its strong formal side, is a complex dynamic system of knowledge professionals, who form the different communities of practice inside the firm. Research presented in this paper helped identify the key challenges and opportunities for the emergent knowledge partnerships inside the professional audit firm. The key cultural preconditions behind the effective knowledge ecosystem - trust-based relations, organizational culture, positive horizontal and vertical relations, and strong intrinsic motivation to share knowledge - are in place. Research findings also reveal a good fit between the employee expectations and organizational practices. However, certain challenges need to be addressed, such as bringing out and embodying the tacit knowledge of employees, and the need for continuous upgrading of the processes of knowledge creation and integration. To establish an effective and sustainable knowledge ecosystem inside the professional services firm, the paper argues for striking a delicate balance between the formal and informal parts of organization, as well as its KM system.

How to Facilitate Knowledge Ambidexterity with the Use of Enterprise Social Media

Organizations that operate under uncertainty need to cultivate their ability to manage their primary resource, knowledge, accordingly. Under such conditions, organizations are required to harvest knowledge from two sources: to explore knowledge that is to be found outside the organization as well as exploit knowledge that is contained within. In a knowledge management context these exploitation and exploration activities have been conceptualized as knowledge ambidexterity.
 While ambidexterity has been studied extensively in contexts as manufacturing or IT, the notion of knowledge ambidexterity remains scarce in current knowledge management research. This study illustrates knowledge ambidexterity and elaborates its positive impact on organizational performance. Our study furthermore answers the question of how the use of enterprise social media (ESM) can facilitate the performance effects of knowledge ambidexterity. Drawing on the theory of communication visibility, we argue that ESM (e.g., Microsoft Teams, Slack, etc.) allow employees to communicate unhindered while making these communications visible. This allows for capturing tacit knowledge within these communications - this form of knowledge is generally hard to codify and can be a source of competitive edge. With respect to knowledge ambidexterity, ESM use can capture tacit knowledge aspects originating from inside and outside the organization, which fosters the development of a competitive advantage and, thus, supports its positive effect on organizational performance.
 This paper contributes to IT-enabled ambidexterity research in two aspects: (1) It sheds light on knowledge ambidexterity and, thereby, addresses a major practical challenge for knowledge-intensive organizations, and (2) it elaborates on the effects that ESM use can have on the relationship between knowledge ambidexterity and organizational performance. This work-in-progress paper offers a better understanding of the phenomenon of ambidexterity in a knowledge context, while providing insights on the facilitating role of ESM. Our research serves as a foundation for future empirical examinations of the concept of knowledge ambidexterity.

Knowledge Management Enablers and Faculty’s Knowledge Sharing Behavior in Academic Institutions of Nepal

Uncovering the factors that propel knowledge sharing behavior of faculty members in the context of Nepal shall have some practical implication. First it is a high time to move forward the discourse of implementing formalized knowledge management system in Nepal. For this, the study has identified training and development, monetary reward system, trust as significantpredictors of knowledge sharing behavior. Moreover, it is a bitter paradox of knowing and not doing. There exists knowing-internalizing-doing-being gap in knowledge management context of Nepal. The core job responsibilities of faculty members may be redefined in the contemporary period where academicians have to transform their students from knowing to doing to being state of excellence.

Agricultural Biodiversity and Coastal Food Systems: A Socio-ecological and Trans-ecosystem Case Study in Aurora Province, Philippines

This paper presents a ridge-to-reef case study on Philippine biodiversity conservation that focused on reducing agricultural chemicals as a contribution to development goals of optimized food security, improving water quality, and mitigating maternal malnutrition. Building upon an earlier study that engaged participants and jurisdictions, farmers were oriented on biodiversity considerations and engaged in ecologically-based rodent management that was extended across the province of Aurora through the Office of the Provincial Agriculturist. Subsequently, a Participatory Action Research and Learning (PARL) cycle was conducted among 14 farmer participants to support biodiversity-friendly agriculture. Developed with local farmers, a biodiversity assessment demonstrated that organic approaches in rice farms increased arthropod biodiversity and reduced the number of key insect pests. The organizational results from this biodiversity study further indicated that local government participation can promote positive change by helping overcome the disconnect between communities and sustainability research. The approach to biodiversity-friendly agriculture reached a milestone through the collaborative development of an agricultural protected area supported by drafting a municipal ordinance to encourage the continued expansion of biodiversity-friendly agriculture and reductions in the chemical load of a key Aurora watershed. This paper discusses the biodiversity analysis and organizational results within the context of trans-ecosystem knowledge management and the goal of improving chronic maternal malnutrition that has been identified in coastal settlements of Aurora.

Internationalization speed and subsidiary survival of EMNCs: The moderating roles of CEO international experience and state ownership

In the process of internationalization, effective management of dispersed location-specific knowledge is the key to successful internationalization strategies for companies. Rapid internationalization often prevents multinational corporations (MNCs) from absorbing and internalizing internationalized knowledge in a timely manner and achieving ideal performance. Compared with MNCs in developed countries, emerging market multinationals (EMNCs) are more inclined to implement a rapid internationalization strategy to enhance their own competitive advantage. However, their internationalization process is limited by their lack of managerial resources. Why and how would internationalization speed impact the survival of EMNCs Subsidiary? Using the survival analysis method and taking the Chinese A-share listed companies as empirical setting, our results show that the internationalization speed negatively affects the survival of EMNCs Subsidiary; Both CEO international experience and state ownership weaken the negative impact of internationalization speed on the survival of EMNCs Subsidiary. We argue that rapid internationalization underestimates the Penrose effect in the process of internationalization, that is, underestimates the managerial resources required to learn and accumulate absorptive capacity, and effectively manage dispersed knowledge. Based on the dual context of dispersed knowledge management and managerial constraints, this paper expands the understanding of the impact mechanism of internationalization speed on corporate performance, and also has certain guiding significance for the selection of internationalization speed of EMNCs.

Building a fitting context for knowledge management and innovativeness

PurposeIn the hyper-dynamic business world of today, innovation has become the lifeblood of organizations. Knowledge management (KM) is widely considered an essential antecedent of innovation. However, very little empirical research has specifically addressed how KM is nurtured as support for innovation from a behavioral point of view. This paper aims to operationalize the characteristics of a fitting context – in terms of top management support, organizational rewards and mutual trust – and to clarify the role of organizational context on knowledge management strategies (KMS) and ultimately on firm innovativeness.Design/methodology/approachBy studying 98 surveys from 23 companies from Technology Fast 50 list, based on using the partial least squares method, the authors find that this organizational context has a significant impact on the formulation and implementation of KMS.FindingsOrganizational/behavioral context has significant effects on the formulation and implementation of KMS as well as firm innovativeness. The results also demonstrate that the tacit KMS has a crucial impact on firm innovativeness.Originality/valueFrom a behavioral perspective, this study empirically examines the role of organizational context (top management support, organizational rewards and mutual trust), KMS and firm innovativeness in a holistic manner in Turkey, a developing country. To the best of the authors’ knowledge, no researcher has undergone those relationships in literature.

A Comprehensive Framework of Design Thinking Approach in Knowledge Management: A Review in Academic Context

Aim of research. Design thinking (DT) is an essential context for knowledge management (KM), as it promotes the link between KM initiatives and an organization's strategic goals and objectives. This article analyzes the DT process in terms of its capability to create KM. The detailed analysis on the aspect of the working mechanism of DT – how KM is represented and created in the process. This article examines the DT procedure in terms of its ability to generate design knowledge. In this regard, the main purpose of this paper is to review the approaches to KM applied to DT and to suggest directions for how such a supervisory system could evolve.
 Methodology. This study is thematic in its nature and it was prepared on the basis of secondary data and also based on an inclusive review of the literature and similarly computation of secondary information. To formulate this paper the researchers used books, earlier published articles, conference papers, and numerous research reports.
 Results and conclusions. This article concludes by proposing an intuitive model for DT and KM. KM for its successful application in higher learning institutions in the areas of course design institutional strategy formation and faculty resource sharing.

The impact of organisational culture, organisational structure and technological infrastructure on process improvement through knowledge sharing

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to investigate the mediator role that knowledge sharing plays between organisational culture, organisational structure, and technology infrastructure and process improvement in a knowledge management context in manufacturing enterprises operating in the food, beverage and textile industry.Design/methodology/approachAn empirical study is conducted with a sample of 200 food, beverage and textile companies. Data are obtained by means of a survey questionnaire applied to general managers in each of the sample firms. The impact of the factors organisational culture, organisational structure and technology infrastructure on process improvement via knowledge sharing is assessed. Structural equation modelling and maximum likelihood estimation are applied to find the direction and strength of the relationships.FindingsThe main findings indicate the significant relationships between knowledge sharing and process improvement, between organisational culture and knowledge sharing, and between organisational structure and knowledge sharing. The relationship between technology infrastructure and knowledge sharing is found not to be significant.Research limitations/implicationsThe findings of the present study are limited to the food, beverage and textile industry. Future research could incorporate data from other manufacturing sectors or service companies.Practical implicationsThis study provides practical guidance for general managers who wish to implement process improvement programmes.Originality/valueSeveral authors have noted that there are few research studies concerning the interaction between each phase of knowledge management and total quality management practices. This study is interested in knowledge sharing and its impact on process improvement in a knowledge management context.

A relação entre o mapeamento de processos e a modelização no contexto da gestão do conhecimento: estudo de caso aplicado em uma biblioteca digital

Se intenta demostrar las relaciones entre el mapeo de procesos con la modelización conceptual dentro del contexto de la gestión del conocimiento (GC) y como actividad a ser realizada por los profesionales de la información. El mapeo es la primera actividad del modelado de procesos y precede al modelado conceptual, que está insertado en el contexto de la GC, y cuyo fin es identificar y compartir los conocimientos tácitos de los individuos para hacer procesos más eficaces y facilitar la toma de decisiones estratégicas. El artículo aborda una revisión de literatura sobre la GC, la modelizacióny el modelado conceptual, y los relaciona con el mapeo de procesos. En seguida, el mapeo es ejemplificado por medio del estudio de caso en el Sistema de Registro de Tesis y Disertaciones del Instituto Superior de Contabilidad y Administración de Porto.

Knowledge management issues in the EFQM excellence model framework

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to identify knowledge as a key strategic resource within the EFQM excellence model. The study also analyses whether the EFQM model helps to create an adequate context for successful knowledge management (KM). A description is given of the synergies between both management approaches, with the purpose of reaching sustainable competitive advantages within organizations.Design/methodology/approachA literature review and a content analysis are carried out which show how the current version of the EFQM model includes the key aspects of the knowledge management systems (KMS) and its process. Also, the relationships and synergies between both considered management approaches are analyzed: quality management and KM.FindingsAfter a detailed analysis of KM issues in the EFQM model, important synergies and complementary elements are appreciated between both management frameworks. Evidence is given of how the integration of both frameworks constitutes a dynamic capability that can lead organizations to attain sustainable competitive advantages.Practical implicationsAn exhaustive review is given of the elements related to KM present in the EFQM model. In addition, companies are offered guidelines to be able to manage their knowledge through a model that is recognized and widespread in the business sphere.Originality/valueThe research develops the first content analysis of the process elements and KMS present in the whole structure of the EFQM model. Furthermore, it is shown how the integration of excellence and KM constitutes a dynamic capability for organizations based on continuous improvement, innovation and learning.

Successful entrepreneurial learning: success factors of adaptive governance of the commons

ABSTRACT Drawing on the literature, this paper examines a set of criteria for successful adaptive governance of the commons from an entrepreneurial perspective. These criteria or success factors are definition and boundaries, regulation, learning and training, decision-making processes, and participation of different agents interested in the commons. These success factors are assessed and ranked. Multiple criteria decision analysis is used to assess and rank these success factors of adaptive governance of the commons. More specifically, the analytic hierarchy process (AHP) is used to weight each criteria and sub-criteria. This study sheds light on the role of organisational learning and knowledge management in contexts where the commons are at stake. The results indicate that regulation is the most important criterion for adaptive governance of the commons. Correctly establishing decision-making processes and implementing effective learning and training are key success factors of common resource governance.

Peran Pemoderasian Kompleksitas Tugas Pada Pengaruh Gaya Kepemimpinan Transformasional Terhadap Kemampuan Contextual Ambidexterity

Contextual ambidexterity merupakan kapasitas keperilakuan untuk memadukan aktivitas eksplorasi dan eksploitasi secara simultan. Dalam konteks manajemen pengetahuan, aktivitas eksplorasi sama dengan akuisisi pengetahuan, sedangkan aktivitas eksploitasi sama dengan berbagi pengetahuan. Pada penelitian ini, pencapaian kemampuan contextual ambidexterity akan dianalisis pada level individu dengan melihat pengaruh gaya kepemimpinan transformasional, serta peran kompleksitas tugas sebagai variabel pemoderasi dengan menggunakan teori jalur sasaran dan teori pembelajaran organisasional sebagai pondasi teoritis. Pengumpulan data dilakukan melalui survei menggunakan kuesioner yang didistribusikan kepada perawat yang bekerja di Rumah Sakit Pembina Kesejahteraan Umat Muhammadiyah, Yogyakarta. Berdasarkan hasil survei, sebanyak 114 responden memenuhi kriteria sampel berdasarkan teknik purposive sampling dan dianalisis dengan menggunakan teknik analisis regresi moderasian untuk menguji hipotesis. Hasil penelitian ini menunjukkan bahwa gaya kepemimpinan transformasional berpengaruh positif terhadap kemampuan contextual ambidexterity, sedangkan pengujian efek moderasi menunjukkan bahwa kompleksitas tugas tidak memoderasi pengaruh positif gaya kepemimpinan transformasional terhadap pencapaian kemampuan contextual ambidexterity.

Knowledge management in sustainable supply chain management: Improving performance through an interpretive structural modelling approach

Sustainable supply chain management is one vital element in achieving competitive advantage in business management and knowledge management is seen to be one key enabler. However, in previous studies the interrelationships between knowledge management and sustainable supply chain management are still under-explored. This study proposes a set of measures and interpretive structural modelling methods to identify the driving and dependence powers in sustainable supply chain management within the context of knowledge management, so as to improve the performance of firms from the textile industry in Vietnam. The research result indicated that learning organisation, information/knowledge sharing, joint knowledge creation, information technology and knowledge storage are amongst the highest driving and dependence powers. These attributes are deemed to be most-effective to enhance the performance of firms. To further enhance the value of this research, theoretical and managerial implications are also discussed in this study.

Developed model of management of successful customer relationship in the context of business intelligence

Use of information systems tools, like business intelligence has created the chance to extract required data from a huge wealth of information. On the other hand, customer relations management in marketing has long been emphasized. Thus, in this study a new step is taken toward organizational success by examining the impact of implementing business intelligence on successful customer relations management. To that end, through review of literature on information research and technology, knowledge management and organizational contexts, inputs and outputs of successful customer relations management and customer-orientation were identified, and accordingly, a conceptual model was developed in the context of business intelligence. Research hypotheses were examined using partial least squares technique and t-value test. Conceptual model results showed that underlying factors in successful customer relations management in the context of business intelligence requires knowledge, facilities, and support from top management, organizational managers’ knowledge, uniformity of data within organization, and software and hardware maturity. According to study results, organizational managers’ knowledge and knowledge facilities have positive and direct impact on successful customer relations management, and uniformity of data within the organization and software maturity have moderate impact, and hardware maturity has relatively direct impact. Also, support from top organizational management and need for knowledge have little impact on successful customer relations management. Based on the above findings, conclusions can be drawn that business intelligence has a positive and direct effect on successful customer relations management, and supporting organizational factors are particularly important, next important factor is knowledge management, and lastly, information technology.

The Knowledge-as-Object Metaphor

It is argued that a “knowledge-as-object” metaphor is predominant within knowledge management discourse and that this metaphor underlies our conceptualization of knowledge in both an external sense and an internal sense. This dual application of the word “knowledge” within the common context of knowledge management represents a semantic pathology, a condition which leads to confused thinking and dysfunctional problem solving. The pathology has had profound effects on our understanding of knowledge management problems and the nature of the solutions that are offered. A more balanced and unbiased approach will require that both researchers and practitioners exhibit a greater awareness of the knowledge-as-object metaphor and that they fully appreciate the pervasiveness and power of the associated semantic pathology.

Realisation of the Knowledge Management Process in Study - related Performance of Academic Departments

The context of knowledge management determines the following research question: how theoretical constructs of knowledge management are realised in the performance of academic departments? The research aim is to identify the implementation of study-related knowledge management process at academic department.
 The empirical research is based on the case study strategy. After targeted selection of cases, in-depth interviews were carried out at two academic departments, where groups of experts had been identified. The collected data were processed by criterion-based analysis. The Department X possesses expertise in education and methodological competence in curriculum construction and study process realisation; study-related processes of collective and individual knowledge management are articulated by study-related terminology and informal identification of knowledge in the process of social interaction dominates here; unfortunately little coordination is given to the acquisition, dissemination, creation, storage and application of knowledge.
 The Department Y informally reduces the study-related knowledge to the concept of professionalism and knowledge of the study programme content; methodological competence of designing and implementing a study programme (module) is referred to as developing. In this context, the need for knowledge acquisition is realised by attracting external expert knowledge. At this Department, the process of study related knowledge is not systemic and strongly coordinated; individual not collective efforts prevail.
 Summarising the analysis of the two case-studies, it is evident that a formalized system of knowledge management has not been yet created and implemented in the departments. However, the educational and subject-related competences of the department lead to unintentional knowledge management process that is naturally taking place through the process of studies management with the prevailing non-formal activities of organizational knowledge identification, acquisition, creation, dissemination, storage and application.

Organizational unlearning and organizational relearning: a dynamic process of knowledge management

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to propose a model to explore the dynamic process of knowledge management from the perspectives of organizational unlearning and organizational relearning, which promote a favorable context for knowledge management. Design/methodology/approach – The model is proposed based on extensive review of literatures. According to this model, the evolutions of organizational unlearning and organizational relearning are separately analyzed, and the interactions between them are revealed. Findings – Organizational unlearning and organizational relearning are the indispensable factors to the dynamic knowledge management. Organizational unlearning positively affects the dynamic knowledge management by discarding the outdated and useless knowledge, while organizational relearning has a positive influence on the dynamic knowledge management by acquiring the new knowledge. Organizational unlearning and organizational relearning have synergies on the dynamic knowledge management. Research limitations/implications – This paper theoretically illuminates the relationships among organizational unlearning, organizational relearning and knowledge management, and doesn't offer an empirical test. Practical implications – This paper will provide insights to practitioners to better understand the dynamic process of knowledge management. The practitioners need to provide favorable context to ensure that organizational unlearning and organizational relearning can occur. Originality/value – Most existing studies focused on the inflows of knowledge, but the outflows of knowledge still lack sufficient attention, especially the dynamic process of knowledge management. The framework provides guides in that process.

Analysis of Korean expatriate congruence with Chinese labor perceptions on training method importance: implications for global talent management

As Korean multinational firms continue to increase their investment in China in enhancing their productivity through improving talent management and overall global knowledge management efforts, it has become increasingly important to provide effective training for local Chinese workers. Whereas for optimal effectiveness, training should be adapted to the learning approach needs of local recipients, forces within our global context provide convergent and divergent pressures affecting the fit between multinational and host country workforce perceptions on training approach appropriateness. A questionnaire assessing perceptions regarding the importance of various methods for conducting training for Chinese employees in the People's Republic of China (PRC) was completed by 67 Korean expatriates and 202 Chinese host country national employees representing the voice of lower-level Chinese labor (working for both the US and Chinese firms from three major cities in China). Results revealed a significant difference between the Korean expatriates and PRC workers on a majority of the survey measures, particularly those related to training relevance, feedback, supportive climate and transfer of training. However, both Korean expatriates and Chinese employees demonstrated congruence in the two major training dimensions of ‘link to career success’ and ‘learner control’. Implications of these results for Korean and other multinational firms are discussed in the broader context of global talent management and international knowledge management.

Positive approaches for organisation development: a case study

Top management in a government-related accounting and finance firm faced various crises related to high turnover and low morale. An organisation development (OD) intervention called appreciative sharing of knowledge (ASK) was deployed to counter the negativity in the organisation. The ASK approach brought to surface several core values of the organisation. Subsequent interventions in the organisation built on these knowledge enablers (another term for core values in the context of knowledge management) and generated several future-present scenarios which are akin to recommendations in a traditional OD intervention. Using the synergy emerged for employee engagement as a result of ASK, these concrete action ideas were prioritised and delivered to top management for further implementation. Modest success was reported as the leadership tried to put into practices several of the recommendations. The case study shows the power of Appreciative Intelligence® and positive approaches in bringing about sustainable changes in organisations and to effectively deal with resistance to change.

Flexible Knowledge Management on Modular Innovation Network

Modular innovation network is an organic netlike synergy system according the rules of modularity. In modular innovation system, the loosely coupled knowledge modules can be flexibly recombined to meet the dynamic changes of market demands. This system structures do great benefits for flexible knowledge management in virtue of cutting transaction cost of knowledge collaboration and simplifying the complexity of gigantic knowledge systems. This paper focuses its study on the context of modular innovation network and flexible knowledge management. We first study the meaning and characters of modular innovation network, then we research the mechanism of return increasing mechanism and the mechanism of flexible knowledge management based on modular innovation networks. Then, we analyze four modes of knowledge creating under this mechanism. At last, we play the character analysis of that knowledge management mechanism.