Knowledge-sharing Initiatives Research Articles

Technical efficiency of teff farms in Ethiopia: Do neighborhood effects matter? A copula stochastic frontier and spatial Durbin regression

Teff is essential to most Ethiopians, but its production is hampered by farmers' characteristics and spatially related neighborhood variables. This study analyzes the neighborhood effect on the technical efficiency of teff farms in Ethiopia using panel data from the Ethiopian socioeconomic survey. The spatial Durbin regression models (SDM) and Copula stochastic frontier were used with 858 teff-growing farmers. The mean value of teff's technical efficiency was found to be 53 %, meaning that farmers had a 47 % likelihood of improving teff farm efficiency. The results from the SDM indicate a significant contribution of neighborhood effects for improving technical efficiency in teff farms. Thus, policymakers could explore implementing localized interventions and knowledge-sharing initiatives to disseminate best practices, innovative technologies, and agronomic knowledge within specific spatial clusters. By doing so, they can leverage the observed influence of neighborhood dynamics on teff farm efficiency.

Effect of Experiential Marketing on Customer Engagement and Loyalty in the Tourism Sector in France

Purpose: The aim of the study was to investigate the effect of experiential marketing on customer engagement and loyalty in the tourism sector in France. Methodology: This study adopted a desk methodology. A desk study research design is commonly known as secondary data collection. This is basically collecting data from existing resources preferably because of its low cost advantage as compared to a field research. Our current study looked into already published studies and reports as the data was easily accessed through online journals and libraries. Findings: Experiential marketing in France's tourism sector significantly boosts customer engagement and loyalty by offering personalized, memorable experiences. Despite challenges like cost management, leveraging digital technologies presents opportunities for enhanced personalization. Overall, experiential marketing plays a vital role in shaping customer perceptions and fostering lasting relationships in French tourism. Unique Contribution to Theory, Practice and Policy: Hedonic consumption theory, service-dominant logic (SDL) & social exchange theory may be used to anchor future studies on the effect of experiential marketing on customer engagement and loyalty in the tourism sector in France. Tourism businesses in France should prioritize the implementation of tailored experiential marketing initiatives that align with the unique characteristics and preferences of their target customer segments. Government bodies and tourism authorities in France should facilitate industry collaboration and knowledge-sharing initiatives to foster innovation and best practices in experiential marketing.

EFFECT OF TACTICAL PLANNING ON THE PERFORMANCE OF MOBILE SERVICE PROVIDERS IN NIGERIA

Purpose: The research aimed to examine the impact of tactical planning on the performance of mobile service providers in Nigeria. Theoretical Framework: The theoretical framework employed in this research is rooted in the Resource-Based View (RBV) Theory. RBV offers a comprehensive framework for understanding how operational planning influences the performance of mobile service providers by aligning internal resources with external market conditions and contributing to sustained competitive advantage. Design/Methodology/Approach: Employing a survey research design, the study utilized a multistage sampling technique to gather primary data from a sample of 350 randomly chosen employees representing the workforce of the four major mobile network operators in Nigeria—MTN, Globacom, Airtel, and 9Mobile—comprising the study's target population. Findings: The result of the regression analysis established a positive and statistically significant (p<0.05) relationship between tactical planning and business growth in Nigeria's mobile communication sector. Based on the findings of the study, it was concluded that tactical planning is a substantial contributor to business growth in the telecom sector in Nigeria. Research, Practical & Social Implications: The study suggests that Nigerian mobile service providers should invest in refining their tactical planning processes, regularly assess their strategies, foster a culture of continuous improvement, engage in employee training, collaborate with industry peers, and stay updated with technological advancements. Companies should invest in comprehensive training programs and knowledge-sharing initiatives to build the strategic capabilities of their teams, ensuring a more effective implementation of tactical plans. Originality/Value: The findings of this study are likely to have practical implications for mobile service providers, informing their tactical strategies and decision-making processes for improved performance and competitiveness in the Nigerian market.

Enhancing Cooperation to Counter Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs) in Kenya

The threat posed by Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs) in Kenya necessitates robust and coordinated countermeasures. This study investigates collaborative approaches to countering IEDs, focusing on opportunities for enhanced cooperation among stakeholders. The primary objective is to assess the impact of multi-agency collaboration on improving the effectiveness of IED countermeasures and to provide policy recommendations for strengthening these efforts. The study is grounded in the theory of collaborative governance, which emphasizes the importance of interconnectedness and cooperative strategies among various agencies to address complex security challenges. Data were collected from a target population comprising security professionals, government officials, and international partners through a mixed-methods approach. This included a survey with 95 respondents and semi-structured interviews with 15 key informants. Findings from the study indicate a high level of engagement in collaborative efforts to counter IEDs. Survey results reveal that 69.8% of respondents agree or strongly agree that multi-agency collaboration is crucial for addressing IED threats, with a mean rating of 3.59. Similarly, 66.8% acknowledge the significant contributions of international partnerships, with a mean rating of 3.73. Despite these positive perceptions, challenges such as poor coordination and transparency issues in international collaborations were frequently cited. Interviews corroborated these findings, highlighting the need for improved communication channels and trust-building measures. Data analysis involved both quantitative and qualitative methods. Quantitative data were analyzed using descriptive statistics to summarize the level of agreement on various aspects of collaboration, while qualitative data were subjected to thematic analysis to identify recurring themes and insights. Key recommendations include the establishment of structured frameworks for information sharing, enhancing leadership capacities, and prioritizing transparency in international partnerships. Continuous engagement and knowledge-sharing initiatives are also vital for fostering innovation and effectively refining strategies to counter IED threats. In conclusion, this study underscores the critical importance of enhanced cooperation among stakeholders in mitigating the impact of IEDs in Kenya. By addressing identified challenges and leveraging collaborative opportunities, policymakers and practitioners can develop more effective strategies to improve security outcomes and protect public safety.

Knowledge transfer in preserving the Delanggu Rojolele local rice variety: a case study of becoming village designer in In-Herit course

Sabrang village was once known for its one-of-a-kind rice variety, Rojolele Delanggu. Despite this cultural abundance, the communities are currently abandoning these villages because they are deemed uneconomically viable. This paper investigates the ways in which knowledge-sharing initiatives involving local governments, women farming associations that have historically led farming rituals, and students from diverse developing countries contribute to the restoration of the Rojolele rice planting pattern. The project invited 20 international students from various developing countries to participate in the In-Herit 2022 program. The program was launched to increase student and local interest in becoming village designers through a case study of the preservation of local Rojolele Delanggu rice in Sabrang Village. This activity was broken down into three sections: (1) learning from locals, (2) participatory learning and action, and (3) proposing ideas to locals. The outcomes of this three-day project were a mapping of opportunities, challenges, and resolutions pertaining to the Rojolele Delanggu preservation initiative. The majority of students were able to quickly fit in with the locals, apply PLA materials, and were paired with student mentors who knew about farming community development activities in Delanggu farming regions.

Knowledge sharing in family SMEs: the role of communities of practice

PurposeThe aim of this paper is to analyse the role of communities of practice (CoP) as knowledge-sharing tools in family small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). In this context, CoPs that jointly involve family and non-family members are expected to act as knowledge-sharing tools.Design/methodology/approachThis paper employs a multiple case study methodology, analysing the cases of six small companies in different sectors and countries over a period of 8 years. Both primary and secondary data are used.FindingsThe results show the role CoPs play in involving family and non-family members in empowering knowledge-sharing initiatives. A CoP's role in knowledge sharing depends on the presence (or lack) of a family leader, the leadership approach, the degree of cohesion around shared approaches and values within the CoP, and the presence of multiple generations at work.Originality/valueThis paper contributes to the literature on knowledge sharing in family businesses, by exploring for the first time the role of the CoP as a knowledge-sharing tool, depending on families' involvement in the CoP.

Knowledge Representation and The Semantic Web: An Historical Overview of Influences on Emerging Tools

Abstract: suite of standards known as the Semantic Web is transforming the Internet into a semantic graph rather than a graph of hypertext links. This paper will describe how various ideas and initiatives in artificial intelligence knowledge representation influenced its design. We begin with the seminal work by Alan Turing and Alonzo Church that led to the definition of Turing Machines, enabled digital computing, and provided the mathematical theory of computation, which has been one of the determining factors for Artificial Intelligence knowledge representation. We then provide a brief history of artificial intelligence knowledge representation, starting with groundbreaking researchers, such as Newell and Simon, then to the first "AI boom" driven primarily by rule-based expert systems, followed by major initiatives such as Cyc and the DARPA Knowledge Sharing Initiative. We will discuss how innovations from these initiatives affected standards that, in turn, led to the suite of standards known as the Semantic Web. We conclude with a brief overview of the most important issues currently facing those who wish to see widespread adoption of Semantic Web technology in the industry.

Knowledge management and employee engagement in the hospitality industry

Knowledge management is becoming indispensable in organizations since it is a powerful weapon for achieving competitive advantage. However, there is still a dearth of literature for employees and managers in organizations to link their investments in knowledge management and the value the organization gets in terms of employee engagement. This study was designed to assess knowledge management and employee engagement in the hospitality industry in the North Rift region of Kenya. An explanatory research design was adopted with a target population of 580 employees from star-rated hotels in the North Rift region out of which a sample size of 234 respondents was picked. Data was collected using questionnaires and interviews and analyzed using descriptive and inferential statistics using SPSS version 25.0 for quantitative data and thematic analysis of interview data. From findings, knowledge management explained a 50.4 percent variation in employee engagement. A coefficient of .728 indicated that a unit change in knowledge management leads to .728 units of positive change in employee engagement. Knowledge management significantly affects employee engagement thus the rejection of the null hypothesis. The hospitality business should invest in proper employee knowledge-sharing initiatives to enhance employee competence and motivation, resulting in high levels of engagement. The finding of this study can help major stakeholders in the hospitality industry to strengthen knowledge management for employee engagement.

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.

70 Sharing Child Health Knowledge in an Urban Inuit Community: A Needs Assessment

Abstract Primary Subject area Public Health and Preventive Medicine Background It is well established that significant health disparities continue to affect Canadian Indigenous children living both in remote and urban areas. A critical component of health promotion is health knowledge dissemination. A 2011 Health Council of Canada study identified the need for better community knowledge of parenting and child health as intervention targets among Indigenous communities across Canada. Objectives In the present study, we aimed to explore the perspectives of Inuit parents and caregivers in one urban setting (Ottawa, Ontario) on the dissemination of child health knowledge specifically, with the intention of guiding future community-based child health promotion initiatives. Design/Methods Ottawa, being home to the largest Inuit population living outside Inuit Nunangat, provided an ideal study location. Many Inuit report relocating to Ottawa for employment, education, or for greater access to heath services. We therefore partnered with the Ottawa-based Inuuqatigiit Centre for Children, Youth, and Families, to design and conduct a needs assessment through a series of focus groups. Focus groups explored participants’ current sources of child health knowledge, child health topics of interest, and preferred formats for child health knowledge dissemination. Focus groups were held at Inuuqatigiit and included a meal of country food shared by study participants and research team members to support relationship-building and engagement. Focus groups were analyzed using an inductive approach to qualitative thematic analysis. Results 24 Inuit parents and caregivers participated in 4 focus groups. Factors affecting preferred sources of health knowledge included trustworthiness, fear of discrimination, cultural differences, and having a holistic approach. Participants identified several child health issues that should be the focus of future child health knowledge sharing initiatives, in particular those in which a sense of cultural dissonance was felt between traditional and Western approaches. In-person and online/interactive sessions were preferred over written materials. Many participants agreed that child health knowledge-sharing initiatives should be designed and delivered with involvement of the community. Participants also emphasized the importance of synthesizing traditional knowledge of Elders with that of health professionals. Conclusion There is a need for better child health knowledge dissemination strategies among the Ottawa Inuit community as a crucial aspect of health promotion. Special considerations when designing such initiatives must be given to historical dynamics of trust and mistrust of the health professions, to addressing cultural differences, and to the role of community members in the design and implementation of initiatives.

95 Child Health Promotion Through Community Educational Sessions in an Urban Inuit Community: A Needs Assessment

Abstract Introduction/Background Canadian Inuit children experience significant health disparities compared to their non-Inuit counterparts. Despite almost one-fifth of Canadian Inuit living in urban centres, few studies have explored their health needs. Current literature surveying Indigenous leaders identifies the need for improved access to child health and parenting knowledge. Community-based initiatives have been shown to improve Indigenous maternal and child health outcomes. Our study aimed to describe urban Inuit parents’ perspectives on accessing child health knowledge to guide development of Inuit-specific health knowledge-sharing initiatives. Objectives Design/Methods In conjunction with community partners, we conducted a qualitative needs assessment through focus groups at an urban-situated organization that provides cultural, educational, and social services to Inuit children and families. Participants were parents and caregivers of Inuit children. All focus groups were recorded, transcribed, and imported into NVivo software. Inductive coding was used to identify themes related to participants’ sources of health knowledge, barriers and facilitators to accessing health knowledge, and health topics that participants hoped to learn more about. Results Twenty-four individuals participated in four focus groups, of which twenty-one (88%) identified as Inuit. While participants represented a range of ages (19-40 years), most participants (42%) were 31-40 years old. The majority of participants (88%) identified as female. Participants had lived a median of 15 years in an urban setting (interquartile range 10-23). Seventeen participants (71%) cared for children aged 5 or younger. The main sources of health knowledge reported were Indigenous-focused services, online resources, telehealth and social networks (e.g. family and peers). The most notable barrier to accessing child health information was cultural differences (i.e. lifestyle and parenting practices). Discrimination and challenges with systems navigation also emerged as themes. Key health topics of interest included common childhood complaints (e.g. infections and immunizations), infant care, nutrition, parenting and development, mental health, and sexual education for adolescents. Preferred modes of child health information delivery were in-person sessions, pamphlets, and online videos with preferences for both health care providers and Inuit Elders as facilitators. Key access factors included Inuit language/translation, convenience of location, transportation, scheduling, and presence of food and childcare. Conclusion Our results reveal important factors affecting access to child health knowledge among Inuit families in a large urban setting, as well as key child health topics of interest to this population. Informed by these findings and with help from our community partners, we are co-developing child health knowledge-sharing initiatives specific to the needs of the Inuit community in our region.

The impact of knowledge on e-health: a systematic literature review of the advanced systems

Purpose Economists have recognized knowledge management as a promising tool regarding all aspects of the economy, including health care. The volume of biomedical literature is currently growing at an exponential rate, and the vast number of studies makes it extremely difficult for researchers to keep up with new developments in their research areas. Therefore, the efficient management of huge amounts of data and the accuracy of the knowledge thus obtained are vital concerns. Electronic health (e-health) has emerged as a useful concept to provide data for solo self-care management. Although health care is a common topic on the internet, patients rarely share their health care-related knowledge on social media. This study aims to examine the impact of knowledge on e-health. Design/methodology/approach This paper complies with the methodological requirements of systematic literature reviews. The present paper has investigated the newest systems and studied their practical techniques in detail. The effects of knowledge on e-health have been categorized into major groups. Findings The outcomes indicate that the capabilities of information and communication technology certainly promote the exchange of knowledge within clinics. The results also show that institutional architectures have significant impacts on knowledge-sharing exercises, significantly improving patient safety. Practical implications These findings will be essential in the understanding of the interplay among various signals in theory and in the understanding of patients’ choice in the e-health community in practice. The results have implications for existing health management and e-health literature. The present paper will help policymakers, health-care executives and project managers to effectively set their operations and make them maintainable, prevent unpredicted obstacles and better allocate their resources. Overall, the results of this paper will guide researchers who are working in the field of e-health. Originality/value E-health attempts have mostly focused on answering questions using context-specific technical answers, regardless of the key role of knowledge resources. The present paper has provided an innovative viewpoint on how knowledge resources and knowledge-sharing initiatives may have a role in the innovative work behaviors shown by health-care employees. As noted before, there have been only a few studies regarding the effects of knowledge on health care, so the present paper contributes to the previous literature, particularly about e-health.

Understanding the Use of Knowledge Sharing Tools

ABSTRACT This paper investigates the drivers of the use of knowledge-sharing tools through the lens of task–technology fit (TTF), the role of social factors, and the cognitive and affective mechanisms. Data were collected from 294 knowledge workers and analyzed using partial least squares. This study found that cognition (i.e., perceived usefulness) and positive affect play an important role in mediating the effect of TTF, social influence, and trust on users’ behavioral intention. Interestingly, the role of negative affect as a mediator between sociotechnical factors and behavioral intention is considered not significant by the knowledge workers. This research has practical implications for organizations that are planning or reviewing their knowledge-sharing initiatives.

#postbabyhankypanky: An Empirically Based Knowledge Sharing Initiative About Sex and the Transition to Parenthood

Despite the many sexual concerns experienced by new parents, and their reported desire for more information on this topic, both parents and healthcare providers remain reticent to broach the subject. The goal of this project was to disseminate evidence-based knowledge from our prior research in a way that was accessible, engaging, and would spark further interest and communication for both new parents and healthcare providers. We convened a multidisciplinary advisory group that also involved community parents who provided feedback at all phases of this project. We developed five brief YouTube videos, each featuring a core research finding. Following an empirically supported strategic knowledge translation plan, we disseminated the videos to our target audiences (i.e., expectant and new parents, healthcare providers, educators, and other stakeholders) using social media from February 2018 to November 2019. Data were collected using YouTube analytics and an online survey (convenience sample: N = 225 parents; N = 161 healthcare providers). From the date of the launch, the videos had a reach of 91,766 views from 14 countries, with viewers watching an average of 90% of a video. Overall, quantitative and qualitative survey results suggested that the videos were acceptable and appropriate, and respondents were more confident and comfortable discussing sexual issues (with their partner/with their patients) and would like more information about postpartum sexuality after watching the videos. YouTube videos are an acceptable and effective way to disseminate evidence aimed at raising awareness of factors affecting sexuality in the transition to parenthood.

A community-driven and evidence-based approach to developing mental wellness strategies in First Nations: a program protocol

BackgroundMental health, substance use/addiction and violence (MSV) are important issues affecting the well-being of Indigenous People in Canada. This paper outlines the protocol for a research-to-action program called the Mental Wellness Program (MWP). The MWP aims to increase community capacity, promote relationship-building among communities, and close gaps in services through processes that place value on and supports Indigenous communities’ rights to self-determination and control. The MWP involves collecting and using local data to develop and implement community-specific mental wellness strategies in five First Nations in Ontario.MethodsThe MWP has four key phases. Phase 1 (data collection) includes a community-wide survey to understand MSV issues, service needs and community strengths; in-depth interviews with individuals with lived experiences with MSV issues to understand, health system strengths, service gaps and challenges, as well as individual and community resilience factors; and focus groups with service providers to improve understanding of system weaknesses and strengths in addressing MSV. Phase 2 (review and synthesis) involves analysis of results from these local data sources and knowledge-sharing events to identify a priority area for strategic development based on local strengths and need. Phase 3 (participatory action research approach) involves community members, including persons with lived experience, working with the community and local service providers to develop, implement, and evaluate the MWP to address the selected priority area. Phase 4 (share) is focused on developing and implementing effective knowledge-sharing initiatives. Guidelines and models for building the MWP are shared regionally and provincially through forums, webinars, and social media, as well as cross-community mentoring.DiscussionMWP uses local community data to address MSV challenges by building on community supports and resilience factors. Drawing on local data and each community's system of formal and informal supports, the program includes sharing exemplary knowledge-to-action models and wellness strategies developed by and for First Nations people that can be used by other First Nations to identify shared wellness priorities in each community, and determine and execute next steps in addressing areas of main concern.

Readiness for Change in Knowledge Sharing Initiatives: Grounded in Micro-Foundations

While many organisations have adopted more traditional models of change rooted from the top-down, organisational knowledge sharing initiatives differ, where most of the complex processes are handled at the human-level. Consequently, knowledge sharing initiatives present a unique type of conundrum where there is a need to closely interconnect human behaviours and the person’s readiness to identify the most effective approaches to achieve change. This paper investigates the individual level readiness-for change by studying organisational knowledge sharing initiatives from a micro-foundational perspective. To understand the various interpretations, meanings, and patterns of the different influential factors supporting or inhibiting an individuals’ readiness-for change, necessitates an exploratory grounded theory approach, to analyse the individual level experiences and views regarding the factors affecting their readiness-for change during an organisational knowledge sharing initiative. Building on the micro-foundational approach, the study aims to bridge the gap between micro (behaviour change factors) and macro levels (strategic management control factors) in an attempt to explore the mechanisms through which an individual’s readiness is better managed.

Benchmarking contract management process maturity: a case study of the US Navy

Purpose– The purpose of this paper is to present the results of contract management process maturity assessments in the US Navy using a process capability maturity model. The maturity model is used to benchmark an organization’s contract management process maturity and to use the assessment results to develop a road map for implementing process improvement as well as knowledge-sharing initiatives.Design/methodology/approach– This is survey-based research on benchmarking contract management processes in the US Navy. A web-based assessment tool was deployed to US Navy contracting officers located at aeronautical systems, sea systems, and logistics support contracting agencies. The assessment tool consists of survey items related to the use of contracting best practices. The survey responses are then used to calculate the agency’s contract management process maturity level.Findings– The benchmarking results reflected higher maturity levels in the pre-award contracting processes (Procurement Planning, Solicitation Planning, and Source Selection), while lower maturity levels were reflected in the post-award contracting processes (Contract Administration and Contract Closeout). The research findings related to process capability enablers also reflected higher mean scores for the pre-award processes and lower mean scores for the post-award processes. These maturity levels and process capability enabler scores reflect the extent of the implementation of contracting best practices within the Navy contracting agencies.Research limitations/implications– This research uses a purposeful sampling approach designed to acquire data on organizational contract management processes. The assessment survey was administered only to qualified Navy contracting officers. The Navy contracting agencies are responsible for procuring billions of dollars in supplies and services in support of the Navy mission. Although the assessed contracting agencies procure different types of systems, supplies, and services, the contract management processes used are common to all Navy, Army, Air Force, and other US federal government agencies. The conclusions based on the analysis of these benchmarking assessments may be applicable to Department of Defense (DoD) and other government agencies.Practical implications– The findings suggest that benchmarking can be effective in measuring and improving contracting process capability within the Navy. Benchmarking contracting processes can have far-reaching effects throughout the DoD. The Under Secretary of Defense’s has mandated initiatives related to improving both pre- and post-award contracting processes. The use of these benchmarking assessments can be instrumental in tracking the achievements of these process improvement initiatives. Additionally, the US Congress is leading the push for auditability in procurement operations. By benchmarking and improving its contracting processes, the DoD will be winning the battle toward integrity, accountability, and transparency of its financial operations.Social implications– Benchmarking contracting processes can also have far-reaching effects in society. Many governments are focussing on integrity, accountability, and transparency in public procurement. International organizations such as Transparency International (TI) have identified process capability and process integrity as key for reducing the potential for procurement-related fraud, waste, and abuse. Additionally, NATO member countries and partner nations are focussing on the value of assessing and improving procurement processes for strengthening transparency and accountability. The value of benchmarking and improving contracting processes is gaining much attention in global public procurement agencies as they strive for accountability, integrity, and transparency in their governance processes.Originality/value– There are multiple reports on deficiencies in DoD’s contract management processes, identifying poor contract planning, and Contract Administration as just some of the critically deficient areas. In response, the DoD is increasing its emphasis on developing its workforce competence through education initiatives. However, very little attention is being paid to benchmarking contract management processes. This research reflects the value of benchmarking DoD’s contract management process maturity and using the results for implementing process improvement initiatives. Using process benchmarking data, agencies can identify process improvement initiatives that will ensure government tax dollars are spent in the most effective and efficient ways.

The Protégé Project: A Look Back and a Look Forward.

Few funded research projects in computer science go on for decades. It’s even questionable whether any project should be sustained that long. Nevertheless, the Protege project at Stanford University began in the 1980s and is still going strong, helping developers to construct reusable ontologies and to build knowledge-based systems. The recognition of our work at the International Semantic Web Conference in October 2014 with the “Ten Years” Award was a great honor. The award has provided an opportunity f o r reflection—both on the Protege project itself and on the need for computational infrastructure in the AI community. Protege has become the most widely used software for building and maintaining ontologies. It is by no means the only solution, and there are known problems with Protege, but we appreciate that the system is extremely popular. Although his study is now a bit dated, Cardoso (2007) surveyed the Semantic Web community and found that two-thirds of his respondents used Protege. To date, more than 250,000 people have registered to use the software. Many Fortune 500 companies use Protege to build their ontologies. Important government projects, such as the development of the National Cancer Institute Thesaurus (Noy et al., 2008; Figure 1) and the World Health Organization’s International Classification of Diseases (ICD-11; Tudorache et al., 2010) depend on the software. Figure 1 The Protege 5 Desktop System. The figure shows the most recent version of the Protege system used to edit the National Cancer Institute Thesaurus. In the Figure, the user has selected the class Antigen Gene. The visualization ... Protege currently exists in a variety of frameworks. A desktop system (Protege 5) supports many advanced features to enable the construction and management of OWL ontologies (see Figure 1). A Web-based system (WebProtege) offers distributed access over the Internet using any Web browser and, by design, is much simpler to use for many ontology-engineering tasks (Figure 2). The Web-based version has become extremely popular, and it recently exceeded the desktop-client in its degree of usage. It is extremely handy to be able to point a Web browser to an appropriate server and to begin editing. Like a Google doc, a WebProtege ontology can be easily shared with a distributed group of users who can engage in collaborative authoring activities from wherever they happen to be logged in. The development environment used by the World Health Organization to manage ICD-11 is based on WebProtege (Tudorache et al., 2010). Figure 2 WebProtege. The Web-based version of Protege offers users and their collaborators the opportunity to share and edit ontologies online, much like a Google doc. Here we see the Ontology for Parasite Lifecycle (OPL), an ontology ... Older versions of the Protege desktop system have included support for editing ontologies represented in a frame language (namely, in the OKBC framework developed by the DARPA Knowledge Sharing Initiative in the 1990s; Neches et al., 1991). Comparable functionality has not yet been migrated to current versions of Protege, however. All versions of Protege may be downloaded from the project’s Web site (http://protege.stanford.edu). They are available under an open-source license. The paper for which the Protege team won the “Ten Years” Award (Knublauch et al., 2004) describes the first Protege system to support the World Wide Web Consortium’s recommended Web Ontology Language (OWL). We had been tracking the emerging OWL specification, and Holger Knublauch, then a post-doctoral fellow in our laboratory, worked with the rest of the team to extend Protege to create what was, at the time, the only ontology-development platform that could accommodate nearly the complete OWL specification. Protege’s support for OWL has been enhanced over the years, particularly through a very successful collaboration with Alan Rector’s CO-ODE project at the University of Manchester, and recent versions of Protege fully support the latest OWL 2.0 specification. When people think of Protege, they think of an editor for ontologies, and they think of OWL. Protege did not start out this way, however. Gennari et al. (2003) traced the history of the first 15 years of the Protege project, documenting the many shifts in perspective as Protege progressed from a student project for a Ph.D. dissertation that focused on problems of building knowledge-based systems (Musen, 1989) to a major open-source platform supported by a huge community of diverse users (Musen, 2005).

Influence of cultural factors on knowledge sharing in medium-sized enterprises within transition economies

Knowledge sharing is subject to organisational and national cultural influences, but medium-sized firms often implement general knowledge-sharing models without considering cultural factors. The purpose of this study was to investigate the influence of cultural factors on knowledge-sharing activities in medium-sized enterprises in transition economies. The study was driven by the central research question: How do cultural factors influence employees’ perceptions of knowledge-sharing initiatives in medium-sized enterprises in transition economies? Qualitative in-depth interviews were conducted with 20 managers working in ten medium-sized enterprises in Albania, which is a transition economy. Six themes revealed the influence of cultural factors on employees’ perceptions of knowledge-sharing initiatives in medium-sized enterprises in transition economies. Specifically, national culture and organisational culture influence employee behaviour and participation in knowledge-sharing activities. Thus, it is critical organisational leaders of medium-sized firms in Albania consider the influence of these factors before implementing knowledge-sharing activities in firms.

Organizational Conditions as Catalysts for Successful People-Focused Knowledge Sharing Initiatives

This paper analyzes the impact of different organizational enablers on the degree of success of different people-focused knowledge sharing initiatives. Considering company size and technology intensity as two of the most relevant contingent variables in terms of organizational conditions (Mintzberg, 1979), the moderator role of these variables will be examined. For these relationships to be tested, an empirical study has been carried out among Spanish manufacturing firms with more than 50 employees which carry out R&D activities. Structural equation modelling (SEM) based on partial least squares (PLS) has been applied in order to test the main hypotheses of the research. The results obtained show that organizational design and organizational culture play a substantial role when it comes to explaining the degree of success of implementation of people-focused knowledge sharing initiatives. Conversely, the influence of information and communication technologies (ICT) is less relevant. Some interesting differences arise depending on technology intensity and company size.