A model of mobile technologies acceptance for knowledge transfer by employees

2017 ◽  
Vol 21 (5) ◽  
pp. 1053-1076 ◽  
Author(s):  
Michal Kuciapski

Purpose Although mobile devices are ubiquitous among employees, their awareness and readiness to use mobile technologies for competence development is still not widespread and therefore requires further exploration. The purpose of this study is to propose a conceptual model based on the unified theory of acceptance and use of technology (UTAUT) to explain the determinants that affect employees’ intention to use mobile devices and software for knowledge transfer during the process of knowledge management. Design/methodology/approach A conceptual model based on the UTAUT with new variables concerning relative usability (RU) and user autonomy (UA) and new connections between the determinants was developed as a result of a subject matter literature review. A structural equation modelling approach was used to validate the model on the basis of data collected via a survey collected from 371 employees from 21 sectors, both public and private. Findings The UTAUT model extended by new variables like RU and UA explains employee acceptance of mobile technologies for knowledge transfer reasonably well. New proposed variables highlighted that the usability of technology compared to other solutions and user autonomy in the selection and the use of applications have the strongest impact on the employees’ intention to use mobile devices and software for knowledge transfer. Research limitations/implications This model explains the 55 per cent behavioral intention of employees to use mobile technologies for knowledge transfer. Even though it is quite high in terms of acceptance theories, some new variables should be explored. Furthermore, study does not verify whether m-learning acceptance for knowledge transfer is sector-specific. Practical implications Mobile technologies used for knowledge transfer by employees should allow for high UA through their ability to select solutions that they find convenient, use of preferred platforms, personalize applications and utilize devices and software in various environments. They should not be simplified and should have the same functionality and efficiency of use as alternative solutions like web and desktop applications, even if additional effort to learn them would be required. Mobile technologies that take into account UA and RU support the process of employees capturing, distributing and effectively using knowledge. Originality/value The elaborated model provides a valuable solution with practical implications for increasing mobile technologies acceptance for knowledge transfer. The study results contribute both to knowledge management and technology acceptance research fields by introducing two new determinants for the acceptance of technologies in knowledge transfer, such as UA and RU with several additional connections between existing UTAUT variables.

2016 ◽  
Vol 20 (4) ◽  
pp. 653-670 ◽  
Author(s):  
Gangeswari Tangaraja ◽  
Roziah Mohd Rasdi ◽  
Bahaman Abu Samah ◽  
Maimunah Ismail

Purpose The paper aims to clearly differentiate knowledge sharing (KS) and knowledge transfer (KT) besides exemplifying their interconnections to minimize the current confusions in the knowledge management (KM) literature. Design/methodology/approach An extensive literature review method was used to analyse relevant literature on both KS and KT to clearly delineate their differences and their interconnections. Findings The paper found that KS is a subset of KT (using personalization strategy), whereas KT as a whole is a broader concept, if compared with KS. However, KS is not one of the immediate processes involved in KT (using codification strategy). The processes involved in KS and KT differ according to the strategy used (in KT) and perspective chosen (in KS). Other findings include KS (unidirectional) as reflective concept (viewed so far), whereas KS (bidirectional), KT (personalization) and KT (codification) as formative concepts. Research limitations/implications The findings of this paper were based on the review of selected relevant articles only. Practical Implications The paper will minimize the current confusions in the KM literature and will assist future researches on both KS and KT to ensure what these concepts entail to avoid construct underrepresentation. Originality/value As compared to previous attempts, the present paper has shown the interconnections between KS and KT, as well as the differences based on the two perspectives of KS (unidirectional/bidirectional) and the two strategies of KT (personalization/codification), and such effort is new in the literature.


2014 ◽  
Vol 5 (1) ◽  
pp. 31-49 ◽  
Author(s):  
Bendegul Okumus ◽  
Anil Bilgihan

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to examine the use of smartphone apps as tools to promote healthy eating behaviors, especially when ordering food and drinks in restaurants. This paper also aims to develop a conceptual model based on literature to test users' intention to use smartphone apps as tools to promote healthy eating habits. Design/methodology/approach – The article is written based on a synthesis of previous research in this area. Findings – Smartphone apps are innovative channels for delivering individual health behavior changes. They offer a range of services that can improve the daily habits of their users. Smartphone apps allow users to keep up with their diets, exercise routines, and overall health. Based on an extensive review, this paper develops a conceptual model that includes the precursors of actual usage of smartphone apps that may assist in building healthy eating habits. Practical implications – Restaurants are advised to consider developing apps that includes nutritional facts about their menu items. These apps could be used for both consumer education and marketing efforts. The conceptual framework developed in this paper suggests that perceived enjoyment, perceived usefulness, perceived ease of use, self-efficacy and social norms are the antecedents of intention to use these apps. Originality/value – This is one of the first studies in the foodservice and nutrition fields that looks at the smartphone apps' impact on healthy eating. It offers practical implications for restaurateurs and smartphone app developers. In addition, this is one of the first papers that offers a model to test smartphone users' intention to use smartphone apps when ordering food and drinks in restaurants.


2016 ◽  
Vol 7 (2) ◽  
pp. 200-212 ◽  
Author(s):  
Tamer Abbas

Purpose The purpose of this study is to propose a conceptual model investigating the impacts of three social factors (i.e. interpersonal influence, external influence and instructor influence) on students’ intention to use e-learning in two different countries: Egypt as an example of a developing country and the UK as an example of a developed country. Design/methodology/approach The subjects of this study were hospitality and tourism students enrolled in “technology-enhanced” courses that were augmented using an online course management tool within face-to-face settings. A total of 700 e-mails were sent to invite students to participate in the survey. Accordingly, 468 usable responses were obtained, representing a response rate of 66.9 per cent. The structural equation modeling approach was used to estimate the conceptual model. Findings The research results show that interpersonal influence, external influence and instructor quality had significant effects on the Egyptian students’ behavioral intention to use e-learning platforms through the mediating variables of perceived ease of use and perceived usefulness. However, instructor quality was the only predictor which had significant impact on the UK students’ behavioral intention. Research limitations/implications There are three limitations in this study related to the selected sample, the investigated factors and the used research method. Practical implications The findings of the current study offer practical implications for scholars and practitioners in both countries to place a high priority on enhancing e-learning environments. Originality/value The current study contributes to the limited literature about the rule of social factors in technology adoption and use, especially in the context of developing countries such as Egypt.


2013 ◽  
Vol 17 (5) ◽  
pp. 741-754 ◽  
Author(s):  
Moria Levy

Purpose – This paper is aimed at both researchers and organizations. For researchers, it seeks to provide a means for better analyzing the phenomenon of social media implementation in organizations as a knowledge management (KM) enabler. For organizations, it seeks to suggest a step-by-step architecture for practically implementing social media and benefiting from it in terms of KM. Design/methodology/approach – The research is an empirical study. A hypothesis was set; empirical evidence was collected (from 34 organizations). The data were analyzed both quantitatively and qualitatively, thereby forming the basis for the proposed architecture. Findings – Implementing social media in organizations is more than a yes/no question; findings show various levels of implementation in organizations: some implementing at all levels, while others implement only tools, functional components, or even only visibility. Research limitations/implications – Two main themes should be further tested: whether the suggested architecture actually yields faster/eased KM implementation compared to other techniques; and whether it can serve needs beyond the original scope (KM, Israel) as tested in this study (i.e. also for other regions and other needs – service, marketing and sales, etc.). Practical implications – Organizations can use the suggested four levels architecture as a guideline for implementing social media as part of their KM efforts. Originality/value – This paper is original and innovative. Previous studies describe the implementation of social media in terms of yes/no; this research explores the issue as a graded one, where organizations can and do implement social media step-by-step. The paper's value is twofold: it can serve as a foundational study for future researches, which can base their analysis on the suggested architecture of four levels of implementation. It also serves as applied research that will help organizations searching for social media implementation KM enablers.


Author(s):  
Peyman Akhavan ◽  
Mohammad Reza Zahedi ◽  
Seyed Hosein Hosein

Purpose – The purposes of this study are to identify, classify and prioritize knowledge management (KM) barriers in an Iranian project-based organization (PBO) and to present a conceptual framework for improving attitudes to KM in the Iranian context. Design/methodology/approach – After studying previous literature on the topic, initial barriers of KM in PBOs were extracted. Then, a list of barriers of KM in the aforementioned organizations was finalized by interviewing experts in KM. After that, the barriers were prioritized using a questionnaire. Finally, a conceptual framework for successfully tackling KM barriers was presented. Findings – In this article, barriers of KM in PBOs have been divided into five categories: individual, organizational, technological, contextual, and inter-project. Then a three-layered conceptual framework has been presented which describes how the barriers of KM in PBOs may be removed progressively. Practical implications – The prepared and prioritized list of barriers of KM in PBOs is a stepping stone and a guideline for managers in PBOs which will enable them to identify barriers of KM in their own organizations and resolve them and improve KM in their organizations. It also serves as a useful base for researchers to expand further research concerning barriers of KM in PBOs. Originality/value – This article is probably the first article which has identified barriers of KM via interviews and questionnaires carried out in 50 active PBOs which had a KM section. The article also presents a three-layered framework for lowering barriers of KM, which can be applied step by step after considering the level of importance of each one identified.


2016 ◽  
Vol 37 (1/2) ◽  
pp. 2-12 ◽  
Author(s):  
Zhixian Yi

Purpose – In the digital age, constant changes in libraries inform contemporary building design. An innovative library building design is a complicated process and can be viewed as a continuous process of the use of tacit and explicit knowledge and innovative tools and approaches. Knowledge management (KM) can bring about the much needed innovation, and transform tacit knowledge to explicit knowledge. For the design of a library to be successful, it is necessary to apply KM to library building design. The purpose of this paper is to look at key change impacts, to explore how to manage knowledge in building design and to identify key design principles. Design/methodology/approach – This paper looks at key change impacts, explores how to manage knowledge in library building design and pinpoints design principles. Findings – This paper finds that KM can be vital to library building design, and it can be used in all stages: to examine the internal and external environments, transform tacit knowledge to explicit knowledge by using portals, and analyze existing and future issues and trends. When effectively used, KM will result in innovative design strategies and also will reduce the time and costs of the building design and plan processes. The main principles of library building design are flexibility, accessibility, safety and security, applicability, adaptability, efficiency, and sustainability. Practical implications – This paper provides a useful overview of how to manage knowledge in library building design and design principles. Originality/value – The views, discussions, and suggestions will be of value to improve the effectiveness of library building design.


2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Dasun Bhagya Sapuarachchi

Purpose The purpose of this study is to explore a phenomenon in knowledge management that has been given scant attention: the influence of cultural distance on inter-organizational knowledge transfer in the context of multinational companies involving headquarters in the USA and a subsidiary in Sri Lanka. Design/methodology/approach Designed as a qualitative exploratory study, data was collected through in-depth interviews of 15 participants and documents review. Findings The findings of this study implied that the theoretically introduced cultural dimensions shall be relevant to analyze the phenomenon of this study. Consequently, through the findings of this study, it is argued that inter-organizational knowledge transfer in multinational companies is influenced by cultural distance. Research limitations/implications This study theoretically and empirically contributes to the debates on knowledge transfer in knowledge management research in general and, inter-organizational knowledge transfer in multinational companies between headquarters and subsidiaries with respect to the influence of cultural distance in particular, through the light of Trompenaars’ (1993) cultural dimensions theory. Practical implications The findings of this study could motivate the practitioners to take into account: the influence of cultural distance on inter-organizational knowledge transfer, if inter-organizational knowledge transfer happens in similar contexts: multinational companies with a headquarters in the USA (a western context) and a subsidiary in Sri Lanka (a non-western context) in the practical business world. Originality/value This study provides theoretical and empirical insights into the influence of cultural distance on inter-organizational knowledge transfer in multinational companies between headquarters and subsidiaries in the selected context while suggesting various avenues for further research toward the influence of cultural distance on such phenomenon in similar/dissimilar contexts.


2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Furkan Amil Gur ◽  
Adrien Bouchet ◽  
Brian R. Walkup ◽  
Jonathan A. Jensen

Purpose The purpose of this study is to understand the structure and dynamics of minority equity sponsorship agreements and the motivations for organizations to go beyond traditional sponsorships by acquiring minority equity in the sponsored organization. Design/methodology/approach This paper adopts a qualitative methodology and presents interview data from key actors involved in minority equity sponsorship agreements. Findings The findings of the paper include major characteristics of minority equity sponsorship agreements including the motivations, dynamics and resources exchanged by sponsoring firms and clubs in these relationships, based on the experiences of key actors from firms, clubs and other key stakeholders, and a conceptual model for forming and maintaining these relationships. Practical implications Sponsorships are increasingly evolving into minority equity sponsorship agreements, particularly in the European market. The findings of this study assist sponsoring firms and the executives of clubs in better understanding the dynamics and stakeholder-related consequences of these relations. Originality/value The findings of this paper illustrate the differences between minority equity sponsorship agreements and both traditional sponsorships and minority equity alliances. The findings also identify major characteristics of these relationships and the interdependencies among these characteristics.


2020 ◽  
Vol 41 (1) ◽  
pp. 50-57
Author(s):  
Mahendra Joshi ◽  
Carol Sanchez ◽  
Paul Mudde

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to build a model of mergers and acquisitions (M&A) performance drawing from the concept of organizational identity theory. The paper proposes that successful performance of an M&A is dependent upon two things, namely, the alignment of the organizational identities of the two merging firms and the method used to integrate them. Design/methodology/approach This is a conceptual paper based on current research and uses multiple real-world examples of M&A to elaborate the proposed model and highlight scholarly and practical implications. Findings The paper explains that the similarity of the identities of the merging organizations has a significant impact on the performance of the combined entity. Furthermore, the integration method used by the merged firms influences the success of the merged entity. The use of an identity approach helps unravel new variables impacting M&A performance. Research limitations/implications A limitation of the paper is that it does not address how, over time, identity management can overcome the resistance of two merging entities. In addition to testing the proposed relationships, further research can explore these identity dynamics in unraveling an M&A performance. Practical implications This paper highlights the importance of evaluating identity as an element of an M&A due diligence. Practitioners should be aware of the dangers of signaling one identity integration strategy but using contradictory actions in implementation. Social implications Given the importance of identity in a variety of organizational outcomes, the paper is timely in integrating the organizational identity (OI) concepts in understanding M&A performance issues. Originality/value Given the importance of identity in a variety of organizational outcomes, the paper is timely in integrating the OI concepts in understanding M&A performance issues.


2019 ◽  
Vol 21 (1) ◽  
pp. 36-62 ◽  
Author(s):  
Artur Strasser ◽  
Markus Westner ◽  
Susanne Strahringer

Purpose This paper aims to investigate the main tasks, necessary skills, and the implementation of the offshore coordinator’s role to facilitate knowledge transfer in information systems (IS) offshoring. Design/methodology/approach This empirical exploratory study uses the classical Delphi method that includes one qualitative and two quantitative rounds to collect data on IS experts’ perceptions to seek a consensus among them. Findings The participants agreed, with strong consensus, for a set of 16 tasks and 15 skills. The tasks focused primarily on relationship management and facilitating knowledge transfer on different levels. The set of skills consists of approximately 25 per cent “hard” skills, e.g. professional language skills and project management skills, and approximately 75 per cent “soft” skills, e.g. interpersonal and communication skills and the ability to deal with conflict. Two factors mainly influence implementing the offshore coordinator role: project size and the number of projects to be supported simultaneously. Practical implications The findings provide indications of how to define and fulfill this crucial role in practice to facilitate the knowledge transfer process in a positive way. Originality/value Similarities in previous research findings are aggregated to examine the intermediate role in detail from a consolidated perspective. This results in the first comprehensive set of critical tasks and skills assigned to the competency dimensions of the universal competency framework, demonstrating which and how many competency dimensions are critical.


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