scholarly journals A Conceptual Perspective on Knowledge Management and Boundary Spanning: Knowledge, Boundaries and Commons

2018 ◽  
pp. 323-347
Author(s):  
Léo Joubert ◽  
Claude Paraponaris
Keyword(s):  
Knowledge Management ◽  
Boundary Spanning

scholarly journals Culture-Free or Culture-Bound? A Boundary Spanning Perspective on Learning in Knowledge Management Systems

2011 ◽  
pp. 3297-3314
Author(s):  
Robert M. Mason
Keyword(s):  
Knowledge Management ◽  
Boundary Spanning ◽  
Management Systems ◽  
Cultural Dimension ◽  
Knowledge Management Systems ◽  
Evolutionary Changes ◽  
Shared Culture ◽  
Relationship Of ◽  
Conceptual Foundations ◽  
The Relationship

Knowledge management systems (KMSs) have been criticized as having a North American bias. The cultural dimension of KMSs, particularly the relationship of learning and culture in KM projects, are rarely discussed. This paper addresses these concerns in a review of the conceptual foundations for KM and by examining implementations of KM projects. Despite the evolutionary changes in how KM is viewed, KMSs, as they have been designed, implemented, and reported, do not appear to provide for cultural diversity among users. Instead, the reports of KMSs indicate that such systems seek to create and maintain a homogeneous organizational culture, and the adoption of such a shared culture appears to be a prerequisite for success. The paper discusses KMSs as systems that exhibit boundary spanning objects and processes in three different categories, and an analysis of reported projects reveals that boundary spanning across national and ethnic boundaries is rare.

Boundary spanners’ knowledge sharing for innovation success in turbulent times

2018 ◽  
Vol 22 (5) ◽  
pp. 1061-1081 ◽  
Author(s):  
Tamara Keszey
Keyword(s):  
Knowledge Management ◽  
Product Development ◽  
Knowledge Sharing ◽  
New Product Development ◽  
New Product ◽  
Boundary Spanning ◽  
Boundary Spanners ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Market Turbulence ◽  
And Performance

PurposeThis paper aims to enrich knowledge management theory and practice by investigating how boundary spanners’ willingness to share their knowledge contributes to innovation success and by examining the contingent role of market turbulence.Design/methodology/approachCross-sectional survey data were collected from 296 top income Hungarian firms. Structural equation modelling with bootstrap procedures was used to test the hypotheses.FindingsBoundary spanners’ willingness to share their knowledge has a dual effect on innovation success, which is captured by new product development innovativeness and performance. It has a direct effect on both new product development innovativeness and performance, and it has a mediated effect on new product development performance, where new product development innovativeness serves as a mediator. The study’s results indicate that these effects are robust and not contingent on the turbulence of the firm’s marketplace.Research limitations/implicationsThis study’s respondents were managers in boundary-spanning positions charged with the task of linking the organisation with its external environment. Owing to their proximity to the external environment, their evaluation of market turbulence may be distorted.Practical implicationsMaintaining the willingness of managers in boundary-spanning positions to share what they know is essential to the continuous creation of superior new product development performance. Hence, firms should develop organisational cultures where employees’ knowledge-sharing willingness is presented as an important asset. While turbulent markets may be unpredictable and hostile, firms should not adjust their knowledge management practices.Originality/valueBuilding on the research on knowledge sharing, boundary spanning theory and contingency theory, this paper increases the understanding of the salient factors that are often implicitly assumed in mechanisms involved in transforming knowledge into new product performance. This is the first empirical study to focus on boundary spanners’ knowledge behaviour and to consider the contingent role of market turbulence in knowledge management.

Organizational search and business model innovation: the moderating role of knowledge inertia

2020 ◽  
Vol 24 (7) ◽  
pp. 1705-1718
Author(s):  
Bo Yu ◽  
Shengbin Hao ◽  
Yu Wang
Keyword(s):  
Knowledge Management ◽  
Local Search ◽  
Business Model ◽  
Boundary Spanning ◽  
Business Model Innovation ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Organizational Search ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Moderating Role

Purpose This study aims to explore the impact of organizational search (local and boundary-spanning search) on business model innovation (efficiency-centered/novelty-centered business model innovation) and the moderating role of knowledge inertia between them. Design/methodology/approach The relationships are examined through data provided by a sample of Chinese firms and by multiple hierarchical regressions. Findings Local search has a stronger effect on efficiency-centered business model innovation, whereas boundary-spanning search plays a stronger role in novelty-centered business model innovation. Knowledge inertia strengthens the effect of local search on efficiency-centered business model innovation but weakens the effect of boundary-spanning search on efficiency-centered business model innovation and the effect of local search on novelty-centered business model innovation. Practical implications The findings enable firms’ managers to understand the subtle ways in which organizational search interacts with knowledge inertia to affect business model innovation and may help them to make knowledge management efforts to harvest the full value of organizational search. Originality/value Previous studies have not examined the effect of different organizational search on different business model innovation from knowledge management perspective. With knowledge inertia as the moderator, the results reveal the contingent impact mechanism of organizational search on business model innovation, the findings provide fresh evidence that can bridge the gap between knowledge management and business model innovation.

Culture-Free of Culture-Bound? A Boundary Spanning Perspective on Learning in Knowledge Management Systems

2011 ◽  
pp. 42-59
Author(s):  
Robert M. Mason
Keyword(s):  
Knowledge Management ◽  
Boundary Spanning ◽  
Management Systems ◽  
Cultural Dimension ◽  
Knowledge Management Systems ◽  
Evolutionary Changes ◽  
Shared Culture ◽  
Relationship Of ◽  
Conceptual Foundations ◽  
The Relationship

Knowledge management systems (KMSs) have been criticized as having a North American bias. The cultural dimension of KMSs, particularly the relationship of learning and culture in KM projects, are rarely discussed. This paper addresses these concerns in a review of the conceptual foundations for KM and by examining implementations of KM projects. Despite the evolutionary changes in how KM is viewed, KMSs, as they have been designed, implemented, and reported, do not appear to provide for cultural diversity among users. Instead, the reports of KMSs indicate that such systems seek to create and maintain a homogeneous organizational culture, and the adoption of such a shared culture appears to be a prerequisite for success. The paper discusses KMSs as systems that exhibit boundary spanning objects and processes in three different categories, and an analysis of reported projects reveals that boundary spanning across national and ethnic boundaries is rare.

ERP as an organizational innovation: key users and cross-boundary knowledge management

2016 ◽  
Vol 20 (3) ◽  
pp. 557-577 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jan-Bert Maas ◽  
Paul C. van Fenema ◽  
Joseph Soeters
Keyword(s):  
Knowledge Management ◽  
Enterprise Resource Planning ◽  
Resource Planning ◽  
Boundary Spanning ◽  
Boundary Crossing ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Implementation Phase ◽  
Erp System ◽  
Usage Phase ◽  
The Impact

Purpose The purpose of this study is to provide more insight in the ways key users act as knowledge managers and boundary spanners during the enterprise resource planning (ERP) system usage phase. Despite the recognized importance of key users during the implementation phase of an ERP system, little is known about their role in the ERP usage phase. Design/methodology/approach To provide rich insight in the boundary-spanning mechanisms utilized by key users to share knowledge, a qualitative approach was applied. In this study, “abductive” theme coding for 58 interviews with key users, end-users and managers has been used. This paper found six mechanisms and characterized them as “crossing” structural, social or cognitive boundaries. Findings Six boundary-spanning mechanisms have been distinguished which have been applied by key users to overcome several knowledge management issues. Subsequently, these mechanisms lead to a model which describes three different roles that key users may fulfill to efficiently share and transfer knowledge during the ERP usage phase. Research limitations/implications Knowledge barriers during an ERP implementation and their accompanying six boundary-crossing mechanisms have been distinguished. Practical implications The recognition of the essential role that key users can fulfill during the usage phase of an ERP system is an important implication. Management has to take into account that tasks and responsibilities of key users have to be clear from the start and they may cautiously select employees who are suited to become key users. Originality/value The main contribution is the importance of the impact of key users on the effectivity of knowledge management during the ERP usage phase.

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