Knowledge Management as the Basis of Crosscutting Problem-Solving Approaches

2016 ◽  
pp. 111-136
Author(s):  
Charu Chandra ◽  
Jānis Grabis
2008 ◽  
Vol 22 (2) ◽  
pp. 77-101 ◽  
Author(s):  
Holli McCall ◽  
Vicky Arnold ◽  
Steve G. Sutton

ABSTRACT: In an era where knowledge is increasingly seen as an organization's most valuable asset, many firms have implemented knowledge-management systems (KMS) in an effort to capture, store, and disseminate knowledge across the firm. Concerns have been raised, however, about the potential dependency of users on KMS and the related potential for decreases in knowledge acquisition and expertise development (Cole 1998; Alavi and Leidner 2001b; O'Leary 2002a). The purpose of this study, which is exploratory in nature, is to investigate whether using KMS embedded with explicit knowledge impacts novice decision makers' judgment performance and knowledge acquisition differently than using traditional reference materials (e.g., manuals, textbooks) to research and solve a problem. An experimental methodology is used to study the relative performance and explicit knowledge acquisition of 188 participants partitioned into two groups using either a KMS or traditional reference materials in problem solving. The study finds that KMS users outperform users of traditional reference materials when they have access to their respective systems/materials, but the users of traditional reference materials outperform KMS users when respective systems/materials are removed. While all users improve interpretive problem solving and encoding of definitions and rules, there are significant differences in knowledge acquisition between the two groups.


2014 ◽  
Vol 10 (1) ◽  
pp. 1
Author(s):  
Nur Chasanah ◽  
Dana Indra Sensuse ◽  
Jonathan Sofian Lusa

Abstract Development of the tourism sector is part of the national development efforts that are being implemented in Indonesia. This research was conducted with the customer to make an overview of knowledge management models to address the existing problems in hospitality in the hospitality Purbalingga as supporting tourism Purbalingga. The model depicts a series of problem-solving activities that result in the hospitality, especially in Purbalingga. This research was action research with methods of Soft Systems Methodology (SSM) with validation using a theoretical approach, expert judgment and user on the object of research. From the research conducted, has produced a model of customer knowledge management in the hospitality tailored to the problems and needs of the hospitality in Purbalingga.


2021 ◽  
Vol 8 (1) ◽  
pp. 01-11
Author(s):  
Hakar Zaki Mohammed

In today’s advanced economies, knowledge has been converted into a key economic resource and a contributing factor for organizational success. In nature, knowledge requires to be managed by each person in order to yield the concept of personal knowledge management (Drucker). In many scientific records, the relationship between personal emotional intelligence, problem–solving, and the psychological traits including emotional intelligences has been stressed. The present paper has aimed to study the association between the emotional intelligence dimensions and personal knowledge management. Hence, this research is a descriptive survey. The data collection tool was a questionnaire including 37 questions and the statistical sample consisted of 302 individuals from the students, experts, and active managers in the field of knowledge management. The Cronbach’s alpha coefficient was used to achieve the questionnaire’s reliability coefficient, while the facial and content validity was confirmed by knowledge management experts. The research data was analyzed by statistical methods and Pearson’s correlation coefficient. Emotional intelligence was measured according to the Goleman’s model in five dimensions, including motivation, self–awareness, self-regulation, empathy, and social skill. According to data analysis, there is a positive and significant correlation between the education level and capabilities of people in personal knowledge management. All the emotional intelligence dimensions are of a positive and significant relationship with personal knowledge management. Likewise, the research findings proved a significant relationship between personal knowledge management’s four aspects and the five dimensions of emotional intelligence.


Author(s):  
Ziska Fields ◽  
Sulaiman Olusegun Atiku

This chapter explores the role of communities of practice (CoPs) in knowledge management (KM) and how various collaborative practices can be used to enrich the activities of CoPs in organisations. The objectives of the chapter are firstly to define and explain the role of CoPs as a form of social and team networks in KM, secondly to identify the role and importance of collaborative approaches, specifically focusing on collective learning, creativity, innovation and problem-solving in CoPs and how these impact on the KM process, and thirdly to make recommendations to enhance the collaborative approaches to ultimately enrich the activities of CoPs in a digital age in organisations. Recommendations are made that management needs to support the forming and activities of CoPs in KM strategies, and that a suitable organisational structure and culture are needed to stimulate and support collaborative approaches to enrich the activities of CoPs.


Author(s):  
Cristina Raluca Gh. Popescu

These days, there is little doubt that entrepreneurial competencies—such as, taking initiative and being creative, planning and managing organizations' activities, showing persistence in problem solving processes as well as realizing the goals for which companies were established—are one of businesses' most important tools. Consequently, the following questions come naturally into the discussion: What is it that most of the successful entrepreneurs have in common? Is it education, risk affinity, experience, networks, family money, race, gender or, simply put, pure luck? Starting from the assumption that the vast majority of these people have, as common denominator, a cross-section of attributes and skills: firstly, this scientific study has the purpose of developing a model for entrepreneurship competencies, focusing on: innovation, knowledge management and intellectual capital; and secondly, this complex research has the aim of building an inclusive entrepreneurship model, tackling three main organizational targets: efficiency, productivity and performance.


Author(s):  
Richard T. Herschel

A chief knowledge officer (CKO) is a senior executive who is responsible for ensuring that an organization maximizes the value it achieves through one of its most important assets-knowledge. Knowledge is often defined as information exercised for problem solving, understanding, and benefit. By adopting a CKO, firms formally recognize that knowledge is an asset that needs to be captured, disseminated, and shared to enhance firm performance and value creation. And most of all, they realize it is an asset that must be managed. Knowledge management is seen as essential, because firms today are valued in part on market perceptions of expertise as expressed through their processes, products and services (Choo, 1998).


Author(s):  
Parissa Haghirian

Knowledge is widely recognized as a primary resource of organizations (Drucker, 1992). Some authors propose that knowledge is a company’s only enduring source of advantage in an increasingly competitive world (Birkinshaw, 2001). The problem and challenge companies encounter is managing it in an effective way to increase their competitive advantages. Knowledge management is therefore concerned with various aspects of creating, examining, distributing, and implementing knowledge. But knowledge management theory often leaves us with the impression that knowledge can be as easily managed like products and commodities (Shariq, 1999). This Cognitive Model of Knowledge Management (p. 82) is founded on the belief that knowledge is an asset that needs to be managed, but is strongly contrasted by the Communities in Practice Model of Knowledge Management (p. 83), which looks at knowledge managment and transfer from a sociological perspective (Kakabadse, Kakabadse & Kouzmin, 2003). In fact, the transfer of knowlege happens between individuals; it is a mainly human-to-human process (Shariq, 1999). Knowledge has no universal foundation; it is only based on the agreement and the consensus of communities (Barabas, 1990), which make people and communities the main players in the knowledge transfer process. They can share or conceal knowledge; they may want to know more and want to learn. For knowledge transfer on an individual as well as on a corporporate level, there “has to be a voluntary action on behalf of the individual” (Dougherty, 1999, p. 264). Knowledge transfer happens for individuals and is conducted by individuals. The base of knowledge transfer is therefore a simple communication process transferring information from one individual to another. Two components of the communication are essential: The source (or sender) that sends the message and the receiver to receive the message. Person A (sender) intends to send information to person B (receiver). Person A codifies the information into a suitable form and starts the process of sending the information or knowledge to B. This can take place via talking or writing. The channel which transmits the information might influence the flow of the message and its reception. Receiver B receives the information and decodes it. After this, B tries to understand the information received in his/her context and implements the knowledge in the surrounding environment. The communication model also includes the feedback of the receiver. B starts the whole process again and codifies and sends information back to A. A receives, decodes, and interprets the information or knowledge received. A prerequisite for effective knowledge transfer is a high level of trust among the individuals and work groups and a strong and pervasive culture of cooperation and collaboration. This trust is developed through work practices that encourage and allow individuals to work together on projects and problems (Goh, 2002). Knowledge transfer is thus performed by communities of practice, which are described as groups of professionals informally bound to one another through exposure to a common class of problems, common pursuit of solutions, and thereby embodying a store of knowledge (Manville & Foote, 1996). Their members show a collectively developed understanding of what their community is about. They interact with each other, establishing norms and relationships of mutuality that reflect these interactions. Communities of practice generally produce a shared repertoire of communal resources, for example, language, routines, sensibilities, artifacts, tools, stories, and so forth. Members need to understand the community well enough to be able to contribute to it. They furthermore need to engage with the community and need to be trusted as a partner. Finally, they need to have access to the shared communal resources and use them appropriately (Wenger, 2000). Communities of practice develop strong routines for problem solving via communication and knowledge exchange. If knowledge is transferred within communities of practice, both sender and receiver have a common understanding about the context, the way knowledge is transmitted, its relevance, and integration into the knowledge base of the corporation. Accordingly, communities of practice are generally agreed on to have a positive influence on knowledge transfer processes. Members of a community of practice are informally bound by the gains they find when learning from each other and by efficient problem-solving activities via communication (Wagner, 2000).


Author(s):  
Rafael Andreu ◽  
Sandra Sieber

In today’s competitive landscape firms must develop idiosyncratic, difficult-to-imitate capabilities. This requires effective knowledge deployment and development. In this chapter, we discuss why knowledge and organizational learning are crucial for today’s firms’ competitiveness and propose a model of individual and collective learning based on problem solving. We then explore its implications and examine how KM can be harnessed to foster learning in organizations.


2017 ◽  
Vol 21 (2) ◽  
pp. 355-375 ◽  
Author(s):  
Daniele Giampaoli ◽  
Massimo Ciambotti ◽  
Nick Bontis

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to empirically test the link between knowledge management practices, problem-solving processes and organizational performance. Design/methodology/approach This study uses survey data from 112 leading Italian companies. To test the structural relations of the research model, we used the partial least squares method. Findings Results show a strong relationship between knowledge management practices and intermediate activities of creative problem solving and problem-solving speed. In addition, creative problem solving has a direct impact on both organizational and financial performances, whereas problem-solving speed has a direct effect only on financial performance. Research limitations/implications The focus on top Italian firms limits the generalizability of results. Practical implications This study provides empirical evidence of the importance of knowledge management practices for problem-solving activities and firm performance. Originality/value The present paper fills an important gap in the extant literature by conceptualizing and empirically testing the relationship between knowledge management, problem-solving processes (creative problem solving and problem-solving speed) and firm performance. This study is the first ever to study these relationships within the Italian context.


2016 ◽  
Vol 12 (2) ◽  
pp. 20-37 ◽  
Author(s):  
Rodrigo Valio Dominguez Gonzalez

Differently from manufacturing operations, which have a combination of tangible and intangible resources, services are characterized by intensive competencies and knowledge. Several services intensive organizations present a model called multi sites. In this model, the service provider company has several work teams, called in this work full service sites, installed full time at client sites. The challenge for these organizations is to manage the knowledge acquired in these various sites in order not to lose the knowledge created from the improvement, problem solving and innovations implemented in the processes of customer. Thus, this paper aims to analyze the stages that constitute the knowledge management process in the multi-sites service provider company context. The research results point to a model based on joint working between sites and full service center for excellence. The latter's mission is to identify, assess, store and distribute knowledge among sites, acting as a department that centralizes the knowledge management process.


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