scholarly journals Knowledge sharing maturity model for Jordanian construction sector

2017 ◽  
Vol 24 (1) ◽  
pp. 170-188 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mohammed Arif ◽  
Mohammed Al Zubi ◽  
Aman Deep Gupta ◽  
Charles Egbu ◽  
Robert O. Walton ◽  
...  

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to present a maturity model developed to assess knowledge sharing (KS) for the Jordanian construction sector. Design/methodology/approach The research was conducted in three stages. The first stage consisted of the review of literature and documenting variables from the literature that highlight influence on KS in organizations. The second stage was designed for maturity model development by identifying the cultural factors that affect KS in the Jordanian construction sector through questionnaires and interviews. Factor analysis was used to find possible relationships between the cultural variables followed by semi-structured interviews. In the third stage the initial maturity model was refined through another set of semi-structured interviews. Findings The model presented in the paper includes three levels of maturity. The first level identifies whether the variable barely exists in company’s KS practices. The second level shows the occasional techniques which the company uses to increase KS activities. The final level demonstrates the importance of the variable in affecting KS as being fundamentally ingrained in the company’s vision, mission, strategy and operations. Originality/value The research has developed a model that can be used to measure the KS in an organization. Although the model has been applied to the construction industry, it can easily be modified to fit in the other sectors.

2020 ◽  
Vol 21 (1) ◽  
pp. 123-142
Author(s):  
Deepthi Bendi ◽  
Muhammad Qasim Rana ◽  
Mohammed Arif ◽  
Jack Steven Goulding ◽  
Anil Sawhney

Purpose This paper aims to present an off-site construction (OSC) readiness maturity model for assessing the readiness of offsite construction companies in the Indian construction sector. Design/methodology/approach The research was conducted in three stages. The first stage consisted of a detailed literature review to document 17 different variables affecting the OSC adoption in India. In Stage 2, 15 semi-structured interviews were carried out where the participants were asked to refine those variables for the Indian context and define what would be different levels of attainment. In the third stage, another set of 5 semi-structure interviews was performed to validate the maturity levels and definitions. Findings A three-level OSC readiness maturity model is presented for discussion. This describes 17 variables at different levels of maturity. Practical Implications The proposed OSC readiness maturity model guides construction practitioners in India through a structured process to enable them to assess their OSC readiness in the market. This assessment enables them to evaluate and benchmark their processes through the strategic and operational phases. The maturity model also identifies the areas of concern and the scope for further development or change to secure the optimal advantage of OSC methods. Originality/value The research produced a model to assess the readiness of OSC adoption in the Indian construction sector. Although the model has been applied to the Indian construction sector, it can easily be modified to accommodate other OSM contexts.


2020 ◽  
Vol 8 (2) ◽  
pp. 119
Author(s):  
Mochammad Riski Destrianto ◽  
Heriyanto Heriyanto

Senayan Library Management System (SLiMS) software formed by SLiMS developers in 2008. Members of the SLiMS Community are librarians who play an important role in making innovations from interactions in an exchange of knowledge and produce various works. This study aimed to identify the Semarang SLiMS Community as a space for librarians' innovation in developing their competence. The method used is qualitative with a case study approach. Collecting data techniques was carried out using semi-structured interviews with four informants. The collected data was then analyzed using thematic analysis. Analysis results showed that the SLiMS Community was a space for librarians to improve their competence, especially in the field of SLiMS development. The patterns identified included motivation, knowledge sharing, collaboration, and innovation. Motivational factors included the desire to share knowledge, increase competence, and raise professional degrees to job demands. The second stage is knowledge sharing, conducted using ‘Sinau Bareng’, ‘Library Clinic’, workshops, and others. The third stage of collaboration is the interaction of community members with other communities to produce innovations. The last stage is innovation, describing outputs or achievements such as products, ideas, and new activities. Innovation is the beginning of the formation of new knowledge. This study concludes that the Semarang SLiMS Community can generate knowledge cycles that lead to innovation.


2018 ◽  
Vol 18 (1) ◽  
pp. 20-42 ◽  
Author(s):  
Amal Abuzeinab ◽  
Mohammed Arif ◽  
Mohd. Asim Qadri ◽  
Dennis Kulonda

Purpose Green business models (GBMs) in the construction sector represent the logic of green value creation and capture. Hence, the call to examine GBMs is growing ever louder. The aim of this paper is to identify benefits of GBMs by adopting five essential elements of the GBM from the literature: green value proposition; target group; key activities; key resources (KR); and financial logic. Design/methodology/approach In all, 19 semi-structured interviews are conducted with construction sector practitioners and academics in the UK. Thematic analysis is used to obtain benefits of GBMs. Further, the interpretive ranking process (IRP) is used to examine which elements of the GBM have a dominant role in providing benefits to construction businesses. Findings The benefits are grouped into three themes: credibility/reputation benefits; financial benefits; and long-term viability benefits. The IRP model shows that the element of KR is the most important when evaluated against these three benefit themes. Practical implications Linking GBM elements and benefits will help companies in the construction sector to analyse the business case of embracing environmental sustainability. Originality/value This research is one of the few empirical academic works investigating the benefits of GBMs in the construction sector. The IRP method is a novel contribution to GBMs and construction research.


2018 ◽  
Vol 74 (6) ◽  
pp. 1274-1292 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hussain Alshahrani ◽  
Diane Rasmussen Pennington

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to investigate the sources of self-efficacy that researchers rely on when using social media for knowledge sharing and to explore how these sources impact their use. Design/methodology/approach The study employed 30 semi-structured interviews with researchers at a major Scottish university. The authors analysed the interview transcriptions using directed content analysis. Findings The researchers relied on the four sources of self-efficacy proposed by Bandura (1977) when using social media for knowledge sharing. These sources lead researchers to use social media effectively and frequently for sharing knowledge, although some may discourage its use. Research limitations/implications It extends the self-efficacy integrative theoretical framework of Bandura (1977) by presenting the relative amount of the influence of these sources for researchers to share their ideas, experiences, questions and research outputs on social media. While the participants included academic staff, postdoctoral researchers, and PhD students, the majority were PhD students. Practical implications The findings can help universities understand how to promote productive use of social media. For example, academic staff who have high personal mastery experience could mentor those who do not. Originality/value This is the first known study to investigate the sources of self-efficacy that impact researchers’ use of social media for knowledge sharing.


2018 ◽  
Vol 8 (3) ◽  
pp. 253-266 ◽  
Author(s):  
Tillmann Böhme ◽  
Alberto Escribano ◽  
Emma Elizabeth Heffernan ◽  
Scott Beazley

Purpose The construction industry is a significant driver of economic activity in many countries. However, there has been a lack of growth in productivity within the Australian construction sector over recent years. The purpose of this paper is to gain an in-depth understanding of the causes for declining productivity within the Australian mid-rise residential construction network. Design/methodology/approach Two in-depth case studies have been conducted with a builder and developer, both significant entities of the Australian mid-rise residential construction network. Case study data collection comprised a five-stage process including semi-structured interviews and archival information review. Findings Drivers for declining construction productivity were identified under the categories of: industry-, firm- and project-level productivity. The drivers include: incomplete documentation, design changes, inefficient project management, supply chain fragmentation, among others. Originality/value The contribution of this study is the identification and categorisation of major issues impacting sector productivity along the mid-rise residential construction supply chain. The research identified that the substructure and superstructure are the construction phases during which most productivity losses occur. Mitigations are discussed in terms of systemic sector productivity increases at an industry, firm and project levels.


Author(s):  
Temitope Seun Omotayo ◽  
Prince Boateng ◽  
Oluyomi Osobajo ◽  
Adekunle Oke ◽  
Loveline Ifeoma Obi

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to present a capability maturity model (CMM) developed to implement continuous improvement in small and medium scale construction companies (SMSCC) in Nigeria. Design/methodology/approach A multi-strategy approach involving qualitative studies of SMSCC in Nigeria was conducted. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with purposively selected construction experts in Nigeria to identify variables essential for continuous improvement in SMSCC. Data collected were thematically analysed using NVIVO. Subsequently, a system thinking approach is employed to design and develop the CMM for implementing continuous improvement SMSCC, by exploring possible relationships between the variables established. Findings CMM provided a five-level approach for the inclusion of investigated variables such as team performance; culture; structure; post-project reviews, financial risk management, waste management policy and cost control. These variables are factors leading to continuous improvement in SMSCC, implementable within a six to seven and a half years’ timeline. Practical implications The system thinking model revealed cogent archetypes in the form of reinforcing loops that can be applied in developing the performance of SMSCC. Continuous improvement is feasible. However, it takes time to implement. Further longitudinal studies on the cost of implementing continuous improvement through CMM a knowledge transfer project can be initiated. Originality/value A methodical strategy for enhancing the effectiveness and operations of SMSCC in developing countries can be extracted from the causal loop diagram and the CMM.


2015 ◽  
Vol 19 (2) ◽  
pp. 296-314 ◽  
Author(s):  
Athar Mahmood Ahmed Qureshi ◽  
Nina Evans

Purpose – This study aims to explore deterrents to knowledge-sharing in pharmaceutical manufacturing. Effective knowledge-sharing is fundamental to stimulation of the process of knowledge absorption. The limited proximal communication between the employees in the pharmaceutical industry stifles their knowledge-sharing behaviour significantly. Design/methodology/approach – A cross-sectional case study, consisting of semi-structured interviews with managers and scientists, was conducted in a multinational pharmaceutical company in Australia. Respondents were asked to answer questions regarding their current knowledge-sharing practices and to identify organisational deterrents to knowledge-sharing. The data were condensed into themes according to the thematic analysis method. Findings – The pharmaceutical industry is extensively regulated and its excessive competitiveness is cultivating organisational reticence towards the development of a knowledge-sharing culture. Nine categories of deterrents to intra- (within) and inter-organisational (between organisations) knowledge-sharing have been identified. These categories include high cost of sharing knowledge, information technology limitations, knowledge-hiding, lack of socialisation, lack of trust culture, non-educational mindset, organisational politics, poor leadership and time pressure. Research limitations/implications – The population of this study consists of managers and practitioners working for a pharmaceutical company. Hence, the generalisability of the findings to other health-care settings is unknown. Practical implications – The findings have implications for leaders and managers who should be aware of these professional diversities, instigators as well as the ripple effects of limited knowledge-sharing to guide the organisation towards developing an optimal knowledge-sharing culture. Originality/value – A focussed investigation of knowledge-sharing behaviour within the pharmaceutical industry in Australia, considering the pressure applied to this industry over the past decade. This case study specifically focusses on the diversity of deterrents to knowledge-sharing in the pharmaceutical manufacturing industry.


2018 ◽  
Vol 25 (3) ◽  
pp. 159-168 ◽  
Author(s):  
Cathrine Filstad ◽  
Boyka Simeonova ◽  
Max Visser

Purpose The purpose of this study is to investigate the crossing of knowledge and power boundaries within a bureaucratic organization by using enterprise social media (ESM). (Carlile’s 2002) boundary crossing framework is used to guide this research. Design/methodology/approach This is a qualitative study based on semi-structured interviews and observations in a large Norwegian public sector organization. Findings The authors find that investigating crossing knowledge and power boundaries by using ESM is problematic at syntactic, semantic and pragmatic levels. ESM is used predominantly for sharing, storing and retrieving explicit knowledge, which is a display of crossing the information-processing boundary. Hence, the possibilities of shifts in formal power positions where all employees can participate on equal terms is not achieved. On the contrary, as shared meaning on how to use EMS, taking the perspective of other on how to share knowledge and thus creating new knowledge practices in EMS by overcoming these knowledge barriers is not evident. Therefore, examples of crossing the semantic and pragmatic knowledge boundaries are rarely found. Research limitations/implications The framework could be applied to a variety of contexts to further explore the role of ESM in learning and knowledge sharing and its ability to cross power and knowledge boundaries. Originality/value This paper addresses a gap in the literature around discussions of power, trust, boundary crossing and the use of ESM for knowledge sharing and learning.


2014 ◽  
Vol 5 (3) ◽  
pp. 279-296 ◽  
Author(s):  
Gillian Ragsdell ◽  
Allan Jepson

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to report the findings of a British Academy funded project that investigated the knowledge sharing activities of volunteers within three Campaign for Real Ale (CAMRA) festivals. Design/methodology/approach – Three case study festivals were selected based on factors such as longevity and size. Rich qualitative data were collected using semi-structured interviews with volunteers in key festival roles and focus groups with a range of other volunteers. Findings – A range of inhibitors and enablers to sharing festival knowledge were identified, some of which have not yet featured in the knowledge management (KM) literature. Riege's categorisation of individual, organisational and technological barriers to knowledge sharing was used to frame discussion of the findings. Research limitations/implications – Volunteer-led festivals are a novel context for knowledge sharing research yet the principles of volunteer working and the project-based approach to most festivals means they are a fertile arena for lessons in KM. Practical implications – Insights into knowledge sharing activities were generated from this study which could improve KM practices in festivals. They included the use of the master-apprentice model, raising the value of post-project reviews and designing festival layout with knowledge sharing in mind. Originality/value – The study of knowledge sharing is an original contribution to the field of event management.


2017 ◽  
Vol 28 (5) ◽  
pp. 632-650 ◽  
Author(s):  
Marta Ormazabal ◽  
Jose M. Sarriegi ◽  
Elisabeth Viles

Purpose Despite significant amounts of environmental management tools that are available for companies to use, no model guides them toward environmental excellence. As a consequence, the purpose of this paper is to develop an environmental management maturity (EMM) model that helps companies that are on the path toward environmental excellence. Design/methodology/approach An iterative process was used to develop this model, starting with some semi-structured interviews with 19 companies within the Basque Country and two workshops with environmental experts. Following these steps, the initial version of the model was developed. Data from subsequent surveys carried out in Spanish and Italian companies, and a survey and semi-structured interviews in companies in the UK were incorporated into the model, yielding the final, more robust version of the EMM model. Findings The EMM model proposes six maturity stages: legal requirements, responsibility assignment and training, systematization, ECO2, eco-innovative products and services, and leading green company. Each stage details a series of elements: description, agents involved, policies, tools, indicators, structure, and behavior over time graphs. This research confirms that a company’s environmental management evolves through several distinctive stages, regardless of the industrial sector. Originality/value The proposed model concludes that the defined maturity stages provide valuable guidance for industrial firms as it helps them identify their maturity stage as well as the steps they should follow to move to the next stage.


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