Emerald Group Publishing Limited: Journal of Knowledge Management: Table of Contents

Abstract

Purpose - This study aims at analyzingthe features of knowledge flow and the role-specific nodes in knowledge networks among individuals and business units of six organizations in different industries, and suggesting prescriptions to prevent the organizational knowledge sclerosis.Design/methodology/approach - This research conducts multiple case studies on the organizational knowledge paths of six companies in the multiple industries through social network analysis (SNA) tool developed by the authors of this paper. Findings - This study provides four major findings which shed a new light on how to comprehend the features of knowledge flow and the role-specific nodes in knowledge networks in organizations: (1) the within-business unit knowledge flows are more dominant over the inter-business units knowledge flow (2) the downward knowledge flows are dominant over the horizontal and upward knowledge flows in the management levels (3) distributions of knowledge owners and providers are like L-shape and the gap between knowledge owing and providing expands as the management levels go up (4) the top 20% people in an organization dominate over a large portion of the knowledge brokerage activities.Research limitations/implications - Cultural difference issue might arise because data collection was limited to Korean organizations. Therefore, the findings from this study needs to be cautiously interpreted considering the cultural difference / Deeper understanding of the organizational knowledge paths through social network lens can make it possible for more context-specific KM strategies (e.g., suitable for a specific functional unit, management level, or industry type) to be identified and implemented.Practical implications - Managers can have a solid grasp about knowledge flows and knowledge node roles in their organization through social network analysis in order to facilitate the knowledge transfer and eliminate the knowledge link lapse in organizations.Originality/value - This study could be a stepping stone for further empirical research since it expanded the level of organizational knowledge network analysis from individual and team to inter-unit and inter-management level through the block modeling analysis of knowledge network.

Abstract

Purpose - To clarify the role of organizational culture and rewards in stimulating the sharing and gaining of knowledge.Design/methodology/approach - Hierarchical regression using survey data.Findings - Our analyses show that rewards and organizational culture of knowledge transfer influence the knowledge shared and knowledge gained. Moreover, culture and rewards interact to influence knowledge gained, but not knowledge shared which leads to the conclusion knowledge gaining can be induced by rewards, even in the absence of a supportive culture.Research limitations/implications - The findings are consistent with Socio-Technical Theory (STT) and the discussion positions this perspective as useful for future knowledge management studies. This research confirms that knowledge sharing and gaining are uniquely different activities that respond differently to culture and rewards.Originality/value - This study combines the work of different fields by focusing on knowledge sharing and gaining in a single study. Through this process, a bridge between organizational learning theory and STT is revealed.

Abstract

Purpose - The objective of this paper is to propose a practical and operable method to identify and fill organisational knowledge gaps during new product development.Design/methodology/approach - From a microscopic view, this paper introduces the tree-shaped organisational knowledge structure to formalise the knowledge gaps and their internal hierarchical relationships. Based on the organisational knowledge structure, organisational knowledge gaps are identified through tree matching algorithm. The tree-edit-distance method is introduced to calculate the similarity between two organisational knowledge structures for filling knowledge gap.Findings - The proposed tree-shaped organisational knowledge structure can represent organisations’ knowledge and their hierarchy relationships in a structured format, which is useful for identifying and filling organisational knowledge gaps.Originality/value - The proposed concept of organisational knowledge structure can quantify organisational knowledge. The approach is valuable for strategic decisions regarding new product development. The organisational knowledge gaps identified with this method can provide real-time and accurate guidance for the product development path. More importantly, this method can accelerate the organisational knowledge gap filling process and promote organisational innovation.

Abstract

Purpose - The aim of this paper is to disentangle the interplay between nurturing interaction with external agents, innovation networks, and innovation capability. In particular, we argue that nurturing interaction with external agents (by means of participation in different events that allow face-to-face interaction, or via collaborative technology) positively affects the innovation capability of firms by allowing the development of innovation networks and making them run smoothly.Design/methodology/approach - For this to be tested, an analysis has been carried out in Uruguayan software firms. A questionnaire was designed and addressed to the managers of the firms making up the target population. Structural equation modeling (SEM) based on partial least squares (PLS) was then applied to test the hypotheses put forward by the research.Findings - The results obtained show that nurturing interaction with external agents has a positive and significant influence both on the formation of innovation networks and on their operational performance. This influence is much stronger when it comes to ensuring the smooth operation of the network than when it comes to facilitating its formation. Moreover, innovation networks and their functioning clearly mediate the relationship between interaction with external agents and innovation capability.Research limitations/implications - Traditional limitations of cross-sectional studies apply.Originality/value - Although previous literature highlights the relevance of social interaction for the creation of new knowledge and subsequent innovation, the role of mediating variables has been hardly considered. This research helps to shed some light on this issue in the case of social interaction with external agents. In particular, the mediating role of innovation networks has been analyzed.

Abstract

Purpose - This paper studies what are the external sources of knowledge that better exploit internal knowledge in order to innovate.Design/methodology/approach - A balanced panel of 1266 firms that respond to the Survey of Business Strategies for a five-years period was used, which represents a total of 6330 observations.Findings - The influence of the absorptive capacity on new products is significant, with an inverted U-shaped relationship. The interaction between external sources of knowledge and firm’s absorptive capacity has a negative effect on innovation up to a certain level (substitution effect), after which that interaction improves the innovation of firms, displaying a complementary effect.Practical implications - Firms with excess of internal sources of knowledge do not obtain better innovative results because overtime firms tend to inertia and need external sources of knowledge to obtain new knowledge. Firms must be conscious that the effect on innovation of using a strategy of external knowledge acquisition could be different depending on their internal knowledge base level. Thus, those firms that select their strategies to combine knowledge appropriately will have better results.Originality/value - This paper reveals that the positive effect of internal sources of knowledge on innovation decline after it reaches a high level because those firms with strong absorptive capacity may enter a state of organizational inertia that reduces their innovation. This research enhances the importance of identifying each of the external knowledge sources likely to be used, since their influence on innovation differs depending on the level of internal knowledge. Finally, this study is based on panel data models, which allows us to control unobservable heterogeneity improving earlier studies that had to rely on cross-sectional data.

Abstract

Purpose - The purpose of this paper is to analyze the processes of identification, emergence and filling of organizational knowledge gaps over an extended period of time, using the strategy in action perspective. Specifically, it aims to explore the nature and types of knowledge gaps, to capture their changes and to shed some light on the processes of filling knowledge gaps. Design/methodology/approach - The study is based on two case studies and adopts a processual approach. It analyses 40 years of data collected using secondary sources and semi-structured interviews over a two years period and identifies critical organizational events both in retrospect and real time.Findings - The findings show that the two case study companies have identified a number of knowledge gaps over the 40 years period. Changes in the nature and type of knowledge gaps are identified and discussed in detail leading to a new taxonomy of organisational knowledge gaps. The findings report that knowledge gaps emerge due to changes in both exogenous and endogenous conditions over time. The filling of those gaps depends on a number of factors. Among these, the ability to make a distinction between 'strategic' and 'imposed' knowledge gaps and the ability to build absorptive capacity within a stipulated time frame have a predominant role.Research limitations/implications - The respondents were asked to look back into the history of their company using their memory of events to provide explanations surrounding critical organizational events. Since some of the respondents had not witnessed all of the events in question, their responses were at times based on hearsay. However, every effort was made to check the authenticity of the respondents’ explanations, such as using a range of sources and discussing the events with respondents at different hierarchical levels of the company.Practical implications - This study provides examples of knowledge in practice and puts forward a new taxonomy of knowledge gaps which can help managers to deal with imposed and strategic knowledge requirements. Specifically, this study equips managers with tools on how to devise their knowledge strategy, how to identify their knowledge requirements and what are different sources (internal and external) which they can explore to fill those knowledge gaps.Originality/value - The paper builds on the strategy in practice perspective, which stresses the need for further studies to link theoretical frameworks with practical solutions. In this respect, this paper attempts to make sense of organizational knowledge theory by applying it in real life business situations and by unearthing the concept and usage of knowledge gap. The use of a retrospective processual approach to study changes in organizational knowledge requirements over time is another interesting aspect of this research. Finally, the paper provides a new taxonomy of organizational knowledge gaps.

Abstract

Purpose - Knowledge-based work is growing at a significant pace in the context of large organizations. As a consequence, use and transfer of knowledge are considered important activities of knowledge mobilization. Existing literature suggests that there is an increasing gap in the understanding of roles and typical responsibilities in knowledge mobilization. The purpose of this article is to examine how roles enable knowledge mobilization in large organizations.Design/methodology/approach - A qualitative research design was used where three large organizations representing multiple sectors were selected to study roles that enable the mobilization of organizational knowledge.Findings - This study explains the understanding of five roles and their typical responsibilities to enable the mobilization of knowledge in large organizations - knowledge mentor, broker, taxonomist, content editor, and gatekeeper. These roles foster collaboration and communication activities within and between teams enabling knowledge mobilization.Research limitations/implications - The authors acknowledge the limitations of this paper. Although the recognized roles provide valuable insights with respect to mobility of knowledge, it does not specify how each role can be assessed in terms of performance. Another limitation is that these roles were studied in the context of large-scale organizations where knowledge work is central to their performance.Originality/value - This study’s findings suggest that there is a strong need for management to recognize and value roles and responsibilities to realize organizational knowledge mobilization.

Abstract

Purpose - The aim of this paper is to develop a metric that quantitatively measures the risk of knowledge drain associated with the departure of a member in communities of practice (CoP).Design/methodology/approach - This paper considers two possible cases in which departure of a member has a high risk of causing knowledge drain: when the member is a network leader, and when the member is an isolated expert. Network analysis is used to identify network influence of each member. The proposed metric is designed considering network influence and knowledge level of individual members, and applied to a case study using real-world data from an online CoP.Findings - This paper demonstrates that the proposed metric properly provides information about the members whose departure could cause serious damage to the CoP because of their strong influence or their inactivity in the network. The metric enables practitioners to identify critical members, and to enact precautions to reduce the vulnerability of the CoP.Originality/value - Compared to the threat of knowledge drain, few studies have attempted to measure the risk associated with departure of a member. This study has developed a metric to measure the risk of knowledge drain in a CoP. The approach and methods of this paper offer a foundation for designing assessment methods for knowledge networks and provide new insights into quantitative research in knowledge management.

Abstract

Purpose - Since its introduction, the notion of Communities of Practice (CoPs) has gained immediate popularity, especially among Knowledge Management scholars. The paper aims at reviewing the past and discussing what has been done. In particular the purposes are: a) to assess the importance of CoPs in the KM literature; b) to trace how this notion is defined and used, both in practical and theoretical terms; c) to classify the approaches used by KM research on CoPs; d) to discuss the results that research and practice in CoPs have led so far, the open issues, and the potential role of this notion in a future KM research agenda.Design/methodology/approach - The paper illustrates and discusses the findings of a systematic literature review on CoPs focusing on papers published in the most influential Knowledge Management and Intellectual Capital Journals.Findings - The study analyses 82 articles published in 12 different KM and IC leading journals from 1997 to 2012. Each article was examined to determine the following information: type of study; domain of application; research methodology applied and addressed topic. Emerging trends, open questions and further research needs are identified and discussed. In particular, an issue for researchers is the necessity to formulate an agreed definition of CoPs under the KM umbrella, which can also help to implement comparable empirical studies and to build theories that provide understanding of how CoPs can be managed. Practical implications - The outcomes of the review is particularly important for KM scholars dealing with CoPs, who can find suggestion for their future research. It can also provide food for thought to practitioners, by illustrating the state-of-the-art and prospects of this important organisational form. In addition, the paper highlights that, despite the huge amount of studies on this topic, the notion of CoP is still used in different ways and the specific experience of each company is difficult to generalise and transfer to other cases.Originality/value - This is the most up-to-date analysis of research on CoPs in its elective field of application that is Knowledge Management.

Abstract

Purpose - Spanish banks which took rescue packages are trying to find innovative ways to improve customer value. The main purpose of this paper is to investigate the extent to which banks combine external knowledge with internal knowledge to build customer value.Design/methodology/approach - A firm’s knowledge corridor is an organizational capacity, referring to the ability to absorb external knowledge and utilize it in generating innovative outputs. This paper examines the relative importance and significance of knowledge transfer and knowledge storage/retrieval processes as bridges between ‘potential absorptive capacity’ and ‘realized absorptive capacity’ and its effects on the application of knowledge through an empirical investigation of 76 banks.Findings - The results are calculated using structural equation modelling. This leads to the main conclusion that a ‘realized absorptive capacity’ is unlikely without being fostered by the transference and storage of new knowledge and it therefore requires empowerment by its facilitating factors.Practical implications - The key managerial implication of this paper is that the survival and success of banks requires that administrators and the organizations they manage meet the challenge of combining external knowledge with internal knowledge.Originality/value - This paper provides empirical support for the argument that the impacts of external knowledge move up from the individuals to groups and then the entire organization. This interaction represents a single-loop learning process.

Abstract

Purpose - For knowledge exchange systems to yield best organizational benefits, it is acknowledged that employees have to both contribute with and apply system content. This may be of particular importance in distributed environments due to limitations in alternative channels for knowledge exchange. This study investigates the effects of the gap between contribution and application on the degree of knowledge exchange within and between organizational borders and work locations.Design/methodology/approach - The study is based on survey data involving 2204 respondents from a large petroleum operator company and eight of its main contractors.Findings - An increase in the gap between contribution and application is accompanied with reduced levels of knowledge exchange between organizational borders and work locations, but has no effects on knowledge exchange between employees of the same organization working at the same location. This is explained by the availability of substitute channels for local knowledge exchange.Practical implications - Knowledge exchange systems research and practice have to focus on both knowledge contribution and knowledge application as fundamental processes, and should further consider organizational structure as an important factor.Originality/value - Most research on contribution and application of content in knowledge exchange systems focuses on knowledge exchange within company boundaries. This study systematically investigates the effects of the gap between contribution and application of system content at different levels of organizational distribution, and thus extents existing research by introducing organizational distribution as a conditioning variable for successful knowledge management.

Abstract

Purpose - The authors examine the interaction effect of organizational practices and values of employees on KM success in organizations.Design/methodology/approach - An online survey was undertaken covering two hundred and seven employees from the IT, Telecommunication, Food and Beverages and Banking industries in Sri Lanka. The data was analyzed with Partial Least Squares (PLS).Findings - Teamwork, incentives for KM and continuous learning influence employee propensity for KM positively. Furthermore, employee self-transcendence and employee openness to change, moderate the effect of both teamwork and incentives for KM on employee propensity for KM respectively. Yet, openness to change does not moderate the impact of continuous learning on employee propensity for KM.Research limitations/implications - A multi-level study which measures organizational practices at organizational level and individual values at individual level is a necessity in order to corroborate the present findings. The type of industry and gender should be further examined since they are found to influence values of employees.Practical implications - Not only organizational practices such as compensation, job design and performance management but also employee values should be aligned to KM. Thus, recruitment and selection as well as training and development become imperative for the success of KM initiatives.Originality/value - This is one of the first attempts to consider individual values in the context of KM and report an empirical study from Sri Lanka from where relatively few studies are reported.

Abstract

Purpose - This paper provides a comprehensive assessment of the influencing factors on knowledge transfer through meta-analysis with an emphasis on the influence of cultural contexts.Design/methodology/approach - The approach involved the evaluation and analysis of 69 published empirical studies and the categorization of these studies into two groups based on different cultural contexts as described by Hofstede. A meta-analytic approach was then employed to provide a comparative analysis of the categorized studies.Findings - The results of the meta-analysis of the influencing factors of knowledge transfer are consistent with the results obtained in most previous studies, indicating a maturation of research in this area. Influencing factors such as knowledge ambiguity, tie strength, trust, and common cognition are shown to impact knowledge transfer in different cultural contexts, particularly with regard to the individualism-low power distance and collectivism-high power distance dimensions defined by Hofstede.Research limitations/implications - This analysis was limited to the correlation between the influencing factors and the general performance in knowledge transfer and did not specifically address more detailed dimensions such as efficiency and effectiveness. In addition, this analysis was restricted to the cultural contexts of only two cultural dimensions. However, the review of this broad range of studies provided sufficient data to allow an in-depth analysis of related influencing factors and helped to illustrate and exemplify the influencing mechanisms of culture on knowledge transfer.Practical implications - The results presented in this paper can help managers working in cross-cultural environments to understand the key influencing factors that affect knowledge transfer in the workplace. By understanding these factors, managers can more effectively implement methods and procedures that improve cross-cultural knowledge transfer in the work environment.Originality/value - This paper provides a detailed insight into the influencing factors found between two distinctive cultural contexts and offers a fresh analysis of influencing factors with regard to knowledge transfer in a cross-cultural environment.

Abstract

Purpose - This paper aims to discuss the individual participation and involvement affecting the user engagement in social media and to answer the following research questions: Is it possible to measure the individual participation and involvement of social media within organizations? Which factors should be analysed in order to increase the individual participation in social media? Which KPIs should be selected in order to increase the user’s engagement and increase individual participation in social media? Can social media in a company be measured in terms of their impact on KM?Design/methodology/approach - This paper presents a case study that describes how Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) are used to monitor and manage the applications of social technologies, which include many tools facilitating the participation and collaboration on the web. The case study was applied to the information and communication technology area of Eni S.p.A., which is an integrated energy company active in over seventy countries in the world.Findings - Based on the indications obtained from the case study, a methodology is proposed to select and develop the appropriate KPIs in order to manage and monitor the application of social technologies. The methodology turned out to be able to monitor collaboration and knowledge sharing activities among employees and to incentivize participation and involvement of employees who use the company’s social media.Practical implications - Organizations can use the suggested methodology as a guideline for managing and monitoring social media inside a company. The possibility of continuously modifying the adopted social media tool by means of corrective actions together with the possibility of adapting the KPIs to new situations make the present methodology an efficient management approach to take on the multifaceted activities of a social media environment.Originality/value - Few case studies dealing with the applications regarding the implementation and management of social technologies within organizations have been carried out. Similarly, even if some empirical studies have been proposed to analyse what motivates and prevents employees from sharing their knowledge through social media, there appears to be a lack of studies which have taken into consideration the evaluation of the actual benefits in terms of individual involvement and participation, knowledge sharing and increase in performance.

Abstract

Purpose - The paper examines ways that Knowledge Management (KM) can demonstrate practical value for organizations. It begins by reviewing the claims made about KM, i.e. the benefits KM can provide to organizations. These claims are compared with traditional firm performance metrics to derive a criterion to measure the value of KM. Seven practical outcomes of KM are then presented as methods to persuade managers to invest in KM. These practical outcomes are then evaluated against the value criterion. The paper is based on empirical evidence from a 5 year longitudinal study.Design/methodology/approach - This paper is based on a longitudinal change project for a large Australian Research Council (ARC) Linkage Project grant in the period 2008-2013. The Project was a transformational change program which aimed to help make the partner organisation a learning organisation. The partner organisation was a large Australian Government Department, which faced the threat of knowledge loss caused by its ageing workforce. The sample was 118 respondents, mainly engineering and technical workers. A total of 150 respondents were invited to participate in the study which involved an annual survey and attendance at regular training workshops and related activities, with a participation rate of 79%.Findings - This paper provides a checklist from which to evaluate KM in terms of financial and non-financial measures and seven practical outcomes from which to identify the organisational problem which may be addressed by KM. Lead and lag indicators – what needs to be done and what will result – are also provided. Managers may use this framework to identify the value proposition in any KM investment.Research limitations/implications - The research is based on a single case study in a public sector organization. While the longitudinal nature of the study and the rich data collected offsets this issue, it also presents good opportunities for researchers and practitioners to test the ideas presented in this paper in other industry contexts. The seven practical outcomes also vary in the maturity of the empirical evidence supporting KM’s impact. Strategic alignment, value management, and psychological contract, pin particular, are still under-developed and could be areas for specific further research testing the ideas presented here.Practical implications - This paper has argued that investment decisions regarding KM may benefit from focusing on significant and on-going organisational problems, which will connect KM with firm performance and demonstrate financial and non-financial impact. The seven practical outcomes were evaluated against measurement criteria and against KM’s claims. Overall, common themes were time and cost, as well as capability growth and performance improvements. Financial impact was mainly found in cost savings. Non-financial impact was found across the seven practical outcomes. It provides management with a checklist to make investment decisions regarding KM. Originality/value - The decision whether to invest in KM begins with methods used to evaluate any organisational project. Managers must determine first whether necessary funds are available; and then whether the project is worthwhile. The standard method for evaluating a project’s worth is return on investment (ROI). However, calculating ROI for KM investment is problematic. Unless KM can be proven to directly improve performance in financial terms, managers may struggle to see its ROI. The paper begins by reviewing the claims made about KM, i.e. the benefits KM can provide to organizations. These claims are compared with traditional firm performance metrics to derive a criterion to measure the value of KM.

Abstract

Purpose - The idea that knowledge is the main organizational resource has established itself in recent years, and knowledge has become more valuable in service organizations. Managing knowledge is therefore a central activity for organizations and organizational structure must assist in this process. Thus, the main objective of this paper is to analyze aspects of a network structure that promotes the practice of the knowledge management (KM) process in a service organization.Design/methodology/approach - The research strategy used is the simple case study, applied in a large multinational company in its unit established in Brazil.Findings - The paper points out that the network structure has more flexible characteristics regarding formalization, centralization and integration. In our case study, this structure encourages the flow of knowledge through the interaction between individuals, and also across sectors of the organization, with the aid of a department coordinating the KM process, responsible for the storage and distribution of the best practices for future use in sites of service.Research limitations/implications - The first point that should be highlighted is that the organization selected for the study is highly advanced in terms of KM, producing excessively positive results. Another negative aspect is related to the single case methodology. It does not allow extrapolation of the results to a larger population.Practical implications - Within the context of industrial services highlights the organization of activities on sites. The sites correspond to the service provider company frontline. In the sites occur the process of providing service, contact with the customer, improvement activities, and essentially where knowledge is put in practice. In order to facilitate the storage and distribution of knowledge, the network structure presents a sector called center of excellence. The center of excellence aims to centralize repository of knowledge, enabling the transfer of knowledge between different sites. Originality/value - The main contribution is aimed at describing the characteristics of a network structure that stimulates the KM process in a service organization. This network of sites facilitates the flow of knowledge and the creative process.

Abstract

Purpose - Customer knowledge management (CKM) emerges as an important and effective system for innovation capability and firm performance. However, the role of CKM in innovation and performance is not well understood. To fill this gap, this paper aims to examine the effect of CKM on continuous innovation and firm performance, in 35 Private Banks in Guilan (Iran).Design/methodology/approach - Via questionnaires, data have been collected from managers of private Banks in Guilan. Feedback is received from 265 managers in 350 distributed questionnaires, and hypotheses were tested using structural equation modelling (SEM).Findings - The results of this paper indicate that knowledge from customers has a positive impact on both innovation speed and innovation quality and also operational performance and financial performance. Also, our results demonstrate a different effect of knowledge about customer and knowledge for customer on various dimensions of innovation and firm performance. By using customer’s knowledge flows, firms will aware of external environment and new changes in customers’ needs and so will be more innovative and perform better.Practical implications - Customer Knowledge management is known as an important system to connecting internal environment to external environment in order to create novel ideas. The results of this paper shed light on the consequences of CKM on firms, and provide support for the importance of CKM to enhance innovation capacity and firm performance.Originality/value - This article is one of the first to find empirical support for the role of customer knowledge management within firms and its importance on innovation capability and firm performance. This study can provide valuable insights and guidance for researchers and managers as well.

Abstract

Purpose - The importance of collaborative innovation in developing organizational competitiveness is increasingly being recognized in both theory and practice worldwide. Collaborative innovation, however, is still under-explored from the trans-disciplinary perspective of knowledge management and community capacity building. This paper investigates the role of knowledge management in collaborative innovation and identifies the knowledge management approaches for supporting collaborative innovation community capacity building (CICCB) in organizations.Design/methodology/approach - A comprehensive review of the related literature in collaborative innovation and knowledge management is conducted. Three demands for CICCB including (a) trust building for enhancing the effectiveness, (b) sustainability building for improving the efficiency, and (c) extensibility building for developing the competitiveness in organizations are identified which paves the way for the development of a holistic approach to effective CICCB.Findings - Three roles of knowledge management in supporting CICCB are identified including (a) the reformation of knowledge management for convergence in collaboration, (b) the remediation of knowledge activities for synergy in communication, and (c) the reconfiguration of knowledge artifacts for the integration of knowledge management activities in connectivity. A holistic approach is proposed for effective CICCB in organizations including (a) the multi-dimensional convergence for trust building in collaboration, (b) the multi-directional synergy for sustainability building in communication, and (c) the multi-layer integration for extensibility building in connectivity.Research limitations/implications - Insights about how organizations can better support CICCB through effective knowledge management for improving their competitiveness are provided based on the identification of the demand for CICCB and the role of knowledge management in collaborative innovation. The development of a holistic approach to effective CICCB can help organizations better utilize their limited resources for developing their competitiveness in today’s dynamic environment. Originality/value - This paper is the first step of a comprehensive study on the role of knowledge management in supporting CICCB in organizations in today’s dynamic environment. It provides a solid foundation for the investigation of the models, approaches and mechanisms for effective CICCB through knowledge management in organizations.

Abstract

Purpose - This study explores the knowledge management perspective of IT projects, based on Enterprise System implementations. The study determined what knowledge is needed in each of the project phases (what for, from what sources), how this knowledge is transformed during the project (what knowledge activities are performed concerning this knowledge), and what knowledge-related artefacts are created. A knowledge management framework for ES projects is formulated based upon the results.Design/methodology/approach - The research has a qualitative exploratory design, based on multiple data sources: documentation, semi-structured interviews, and participant observation. A coding procedure was applied with the use of a pre-defined list of codes, as derived from Knowledge Management literature regarding knowledge types, actors, project phases, and activities. Open coding was used to determine the role of each type of knowledge in the implementation process.Findings - The study examined the significance of the particular types of knowledge of each project actor across the project phases, and identified the specific knowledge activities that need to be performed for a successful outcome. In contrast to existing literature, this study also demonstrates that project management knowledge consists of two components: generic and product-related. Meta-knowledge, i.e., knowledge about other people’s knowledge was also identified as critical in the initial phases of the project. Solution knowledge was identified as the primary knowledge product. It is the result of the integration of company and product knowledge and is embedded into the system.Research limitations/implications - The limitation of this study is that it concentrated on a specific type of the IT project, namely Enterprise System implementation. The results cannot be directly extrapolated to other IT projects.Practical implications - The results of the study may aid in effective staffing for ES implementations and in identifying the necessary knowledge sources. They may also enable the development of relevant knowledge management procedures for a project.Originality/value - No comprehensive Project Knowledge Management framework for Enterprise Systems has been found in the existing Knowledge Management literature, and this study fills this gap in the research.

Abstract

Purpose - This research aims to evaluate if knowledge-centered culture fosters knowledge sharing equally across employees with different levels of trust propensity, an enduring individual characteristic.Design/methodology/approach - A cross-sectional questionnaire study was conducted with 128 US-based employees.Findings - We found that knowledge-centered culture only promoted knowledge sharing in individuals with high levels of trust propensity. For individuals with low levels of trust propensity, knowledge-centered culture had no effect on knowledge sharing.Research limitations/implications - We focused exclusively on trust propensity as a moderator. Future research could analyze the role of other enduring individual differences in the relationship between knowledge-centered culture and knowledge sharing.Practical implications - A knowledge-centered culture may be inefficient in promoting knowledge sharing in employees with low propensity to trust. Recruitment and selection of individuals with a high propensity to trust is a possible solution to enhance the association between knowledge-centered culture and knowledge sharing in organizations.Originality/value - By identifying an enduring individual characteristic that shapes the relationship between knowledge-centered culture and knowledge sharing, we move towards the development of a contingent view of knowledge-centered culture and show that knowledge-centered culture fosters knowledge sharing differently across employees.

Trailing organizational knowledge paths through social network lens: integrating the multiple industry cases

The quasi-moderating role of organizational culture in the relationship between rewards and knowledge shared and gained

An approach to filling firms’ knowledge gaps based on organisational knowledge structure

Interaction with external agents, innovation networks, and innovation capability: the case of Uruguayan software firms

The interaction between external and internal knowledge sources: an open innovation view

Identification, emergence and filling of organizational knowledge gaps: a retrospective processual analysis

Roles enabling the mobilization of organizational knowledge

Measuring the risk of knowledge drain in communities of practice

The place of communities of practice in knowledge management studies: a critical review

Linking knowledge corridors to customer value through knowledge processes

Knowledge exchange systems usage: the importance of content contribution and application in distributed environments

The interaction effect of organizational practices and employee values on knowledge management (KM) success

Meta-analytic comparison on the influence factors of knowledge transfer in different cultural contexts

A methodology to manage and monitor social media inside a company: a case study

Does knowledge management produce practical outcomes?

Managing knowledge in a service provider: a network structure based model

Customer knowledge management, innovation capability, and business performance: a case study of the banking industry

Knowledge management in supporting collaborative innovation community capacity building

Managing knowledge in IT projects: a framework for enterprise system implementation

Knowledge-centered culture and knowledge sharing: the moderator role of trust propensity