Innovation in using IT: understanding the impact of knowledge absorptive capacity on academic librarians

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Mojtaba Kaffashan Kakhki ◽  
Marzie Zarqi ◽  
Hadi Harati ◽  
Yaser Asemandoreh ◽  
Ehsan Namdar Joyame
Keyword(s):  
Absorptive Capacity ◽  
Information Science ◽  
Job Autonomy ◽  
Medical Sciences ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Absorptive Capacities ◽  
New Knowledge ◽  
Knowledge Assimilation ◽  
Role Of It ◽  
The Impact

PurposeThe aim of this study is to examine the effect of organizational levers and information technology (IT) absorptive capacity on librarians' innovation.Design/methodology/approachThis survey-analytic study investigated the librarians who were working in the libraries of the medical sciences universities in Iran. The data were collected using a researcher-made questionnaire distributed randomly among the members of the sample. The SEM and the LISREL software for data analysis were used.FindingsIt was found that the librarians' job autonomy and fairness of rewards had an effect on acquiring new knowledge and applying transformed knowledge. Although the results did not confirm the effect of the librarians' job autonomy on knowledge assimilation and transformation, they showed a direct and positive effect of fairness of rewards on knowledge assimilation and transformation. Furthermore, this study confirmed the effect of acquiring and applying new knowledge about the library IT on enhancing the librarians' innovation. The effect of knowledge assimilation and transformation, from the application of IT in libraries, on the librarians' innovation was not confirmed.Practical implicationsLearning about the effect of organizational levers on librarians' knowledge absorptive capacities, in terms of applying technologies, to create innovation is an important issue. This will elucidate the gaps of disregarding the effect of organizational levers and librarians' knowledge absorptive capacities on librarians' innovation, and will pave the way for better planning to achieve the libraries' innovative goals.Originality/valueThis is among the few articles that have helped to fill the existing theoretical and research gap in knowledge absorptive capacity in Library and Information Science (LIS). In addition, this article has made a valuable contribution to understanding the role of IT knowledge absorptive capacity as a mediator variable between the organizational levers and librarians' innovation.

scholarly journals Firm’s strategic choices and network knowledge dynamics: how do they affect innovation?

2018 ◽  
Vol 22 (1) ◽  
pp. 1-20 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jose Antonio Belso-Martinez ◽  
Isabel Diez-Vial
Keyword(s):  
Absorptive Capacity ◽  
Knowledge Networks ◽  
Knowledge Network ◽  
Strategic Choices ◽  
Network Growth ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Endogenous Factors ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Innovative Capacity ◽  
Over Time

Purpose This paper aims to explain how the evolution of knowledge networks and firms’ strategic choices affect innovation. Endogenous factors associated with a path-dependent evolution of the knowledge network are jointly considered with a firm’s development of international relationships and increasing internal absorptive capacity over time. Design/methodology/approach In a biotech cluster, the authors gathered data on the firms’ characteristics and network relationships by asking about the technological knowledge they received in the cluster in 2007 and 2012 – “roster-recall” method. Estimation results were obtained using moderated regression analysis. Findings Firms that increase their involvement in knowledge networks over time also tend to increase their innovative capacity. However, efforts devoted to building international links or absorptive capacity negatively moderate the impact of network growth on innovation. Practical implications Practitioners have two alternative ways of increasing innovation inside knowledge networks: they can increase their centrality by developing their knowledge network interactions or invest in developing their internal absorptive capacity and new international sources of knowledge. Investing in both of these simultaneously does not seem to improve a firm’s innovative capacity. Originality/value Coupling firms’ strategic options with knowledge network dynamics provide a more complete way of explaining how firms can improve their innovative capacity.

In search of virtuous learning circles: absorptive capacity and its antecedents in the education sector

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Regina Lenart-Gansiniec ◽  
Wojciech Czakon ◽  
Massimiliano Matteo Pellegrini
Keyword(s):  
Organizational Learning ◽  
Prior Knowledge ◽  
Absorptive Capacity ◽  
Structural Equation ◽  
Knowledge Flows ◽  
Measurement Scale ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Measurement Scales ◽  
Content Type ◽  
The Impact

Purpose This study aims to identify context-specific antecedents to schools’ absorptive capacity (AC) and to show how those can enact “a virtuous learning circle.” Design/methodology/approach The study uses a mixed method: an exploration based on semi-structured interviews with educational experts; the development of a measurement scale and a partial least squares structural equation modelling to test the impact of the antecedents. Findings The results yielded four empirically-grounded antecedents and their measurement scales, namely, prior knowledge, employees’ skills, educational projects and interactions with the environment (Studies one and two). All antecedents are significantly and positively related to AC processes (study three). Using the organizational learning theory perspective, the results have been interpreted as an AC “virtuous learning circle.” Practical implications With increasing pressures to adapt, a case of which was the COVID-19 pandemic, schools can greatly benefit from absorbing knowledge flows. This suggests the construction a favourable environment for AC. To this end, the individual (employees’ prior knowledge and skills), organizational (educational projects) and institutional level of managerial action (interactions with the environment) can be effective when create a recursive organizational learning circle. In addition, this study offers an expert-validated measurement scale for self-assessment of a school’s specific contingencies, and thus, for planning of punctual interventions to develop AC. Originality/value This study advances the existing body of knowledge management in the educational context by rigorously identifying and validating a scale for measuring the antecedents of AC and developing an interpretive approach to the AC “virtuous circle.”

Information science’s contributions towards emerging open evaluation practices

2019 ◽  
Vol 20 (1) ◽  
pp. 2-16
Author(s):  
Leonor Gaspar Pinto ◽  
Paula Ochôa
Keyword(s):  
Information Science ◽  
Stakeholder Participation ◽  
Open Science ◽  
General Tendency ◽  
Sustainability Transitions ◽  
Transdisciplinary Approach ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Research On Evaluation ◽  
Social Sciences And Humanities ◽  
The Impact

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to discuss emerging practices in open evaluation, namely, the concept of co-evaluation and how research on evaluation developed within information science can contribute to enhance stakeholders and citizens’ involvement in open science. Design/methodology/approach A meta-evaluative and transdisciplinary approach – directed toward the intersection between information science, evaluation, competences management, sustainability transitions management and participatory methodologies – provided the basis for the identification and subsequent reflection on the levels of stakeholder participation embedded into ISO 16439’s (2014) methods for assessing the impact of libraries and on the domains and competences to be mobilized for (co)evaluation. The contributions of Engaged 2020 Action Catalogue, as well as several taxonomies of evaluator competences and the Council of Europe’s (2016) conceptual model of competences for a democratic culture were particularly relevant for this (re)construction process. Findings Two results of the line of research carried out since 2012 at the Faculty of Social Sciences and Humanities of the Universidade NOVA de Lisboa (Portugal) can significantly contribute to improve stakeholders’ participation in Open Science: ISO 16439’s systematization of methods and procedures for assessing the impact of libraries and the (co-)evaluation competency framework. Originality/value This paper presents the transdisciplinary concept of co-evaluation and examines the current epistemological challenges to science by analyzing the general tendency to openness through the lens of research on evaluation and participatory methods developed within information science.

Measuring the impact of relational capital on customer performance in the SME B2B sector

2017 ◽  
Vol 23 (6) ◽  
pp. 1144-1166 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lara Agostini ◽  
Anna Nosella ◽  
Benedetta Soranzo
Keyword(s):  
Absorptive Capacity ◽  
Open Innovation ◽  
Moderating Effect ◽  
High Tech ◽  
Relational Capital ◽  
Marketing Capability ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Innovation Practices ◽  
External Actors ◽  
The Impact

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to investigate the influence that different components of relational capital (marketing capability, open innovation with business and scientific partners, technological reputation, brand) have on customer performance (CP). Moreover, the moderating effect of absorptive capacity on such relationships is tested. Design/methodology/approach First, the direct relationship between the different components of relational capital and CP is analyzed through a linear regression model. Then, to test the moderating effect, two distinct regression analyses are conducted into two sub-samples, defined according to the level of absorptive capacity. The authors carried out these analyses on a sample of 150 small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in the medium- and high-tech B2B context. Findings Results of this study prove that CP is enhanced through firm marketing capability, open innovation with business partners and technological reputation, while brand and open innovation with scientific partner do not have an association with CP. In particular, the impact of marketing capability and open innovation with business actors on CP is greater for firms with higher absorptive capacity. Research limitations/implications This paper, highlighting the relevance of relational capital and absorptive capacity in improving CP, enhances our knowledge about the factors that help to strengthen the relationships with customers, which is an under-investigated issue especially for SMEs competing in B2B industries, and extends our knowledge on open innovation practices. Practical implications Findings of this paper suggest that, to achieve better CP, managers should pay special attention to nurturing their marketing capability and high-quality relationships with external actors and invest in absorptive capacity to enhance the positive effect of such linkages. Originality/value This work, combining the external perspective of relational capital and the internal organizational dimension of absorptive capacity, provides valuable insights about the knowledge and resource mix that firms might rely on to achieve better customer satisfaction and loyalty.

What is the impact of library and information science on knowledge management research?

2020 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Md Anwarul Islam ◽  
Naresh Kumar Agarwal
Keyword(s):  
Knowledge Management ◽  
Information Science ◽  
Library And Information Science ◽  
Authorship Pattern ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Codified Knowledge ◽  
Common Goals ◽  
Access To Knowledge ◽  
Low Coverage ◽  
The Impact

Purpose The purpose of this study is to determine the place of library and information Science (LIS) research within leading knowledge management (KM) journals and conferences. Design/methodology/approach Authors examined articles published from 2000-2018 in top-20 KM publications identified by Google Scholar to look for relationship with LIS. Authors analyzed the identified LIS-related articles to determine the publication trends based on LIS terms used, populations, authorship pattern, country, information setting type and top-cited articles. Findings Authors found that the coverage of LIS-related articles within leading KM publications was very low. From the more than 10,000 KM research articles, less than 1 per cent were LIS-related. Research limitations/implications This study would help LIS researchers measure the space they have created for their field within leading KM research. By showing the relatively low coverage of LIS within KM research, the study demonstrates that LIS researchers/practitioners need to do more for LIS to be recognized as an important area within KM. KM publications can also enable greater synergies with LIS for mutual benefit. Originality/value LIS researchers have increasingly called for KM implementation within libraries. The KM field has a long history in library practice in the context of managing and organizing codified knowledge. Both KM and LIS share the common goals of providing access to knowledge for sharing, transfer and use. However, hardly any studies have looked at the amount of synergy or overlap between these two different but related areas, and whether LIS matters to KM, even though LIS practitioners have been highlighting that KM matters to LIS.

Understanding the Chinese information culture and its impact on IT perceptions

2019 ◽  
Vol 33 (1) ◽  
pp. 56-82 ◽  
Author(s):  
Leida Chen ◽  
Xiaohan Zhang ◽  
Zhensheng Li
Keyword(s):  
Cultural Values ◽  
Information Science ◽  
Information Source ◽  
Information Control ◽  
Information Culture ◽  
It Use ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Individual Level ◽  
National Information ◽  
The Impact

Purpose Drawing upon the theory of information culture from information science and prior research on Chinese information practices. The purpose of this paper is to posit that instead of over-relying on Hofstede’s national cultural values, the IS field should develop theories on national information culture to bridge the theoretical gaps found in explaining the differences in individuals’ IT perceptions and behaviors across cultures. Design/methodology/approach To achieve the objectives of this study, two quantitative studies were conducted. The first study is exploratory in nature and focuses on the development and calibration of an instrument to measure the Chinese information culture (CIC). The second study takes a confirmatory approach to investigate the impact of the CIC on IT perceptions of manager. Findings The study develops and validates an instrument for measuring the CIC that comprises information source and format preference, information ownership and analysis style, and centralized decision-making and information control. The CIC is found to influence IT perceptions of managers including perceived performance improvement resulted from IT use, attitude toward using work technologies and attitude on the value of IT in general. Originality/value This study is one of the first studies to theorize national information culture to understand IT perceptions at the individual level. The development of the CIC measure provides the much needed methodological support for contextualizing cross-cultural research.

Globalization and innovation with Chinese characteristics: the case of the automotive industry

2019 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Claudio Petti ◽  
Francesca Spigarelli ◽  
Ping Lv ◽  
Mario Biggeri
Keyword(s):  
Absorptive Capacity ◽  
Automotive Industry ◽  
Theoretical Development ◽  
International Expansion ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Chinese Characteristics ◽  
Knowledge Assimilation ◽  
Latecomer Firms ◽  
Knowledge Seeking

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to analyze the internationalization of Chinese new global players through innovation-oriented Mergers and Acquisitions (M&As). Design/methodology/approach The paper combines the analysis of East-Asian and Chinese multinationals’ international expansion within international business (IB) and innovation domains, with the “latecomer” perspective. It is a conceptual contribution, based on the role of local institutions and firm’s absorptive capacity. A theoretical framework is developed, and further elucidated with two illustrative cases of Chinese M&As abroad in the automotive sector. Implications for theoretical development and practical application are then drawn. Findings Chinese firms’ M&As abroad have become one of the preferential modes of developing innovation capabilities. The success of these endeavors is argued to be the result of a combination of a strong push from government industrial policies, along with significant internal knowledge assimilation and transformation capabilities. Originality/value The paper extends IB literature integrating the latecomer firms’ perspective within a novel conceptual framework, which adds to the traditional resource-based arguments about incumbent MNEs asset and knowledge-seeking internationalization modes, as well as institutional and multi-dimensional absorptive capacity perspectives.

scholarly journals Innovation outcomes of knowledge-seeking Chinese foreign direct investment

2015 ◽  
Vol 9 (1) ◽  
pp. 73-96 ◽  
Author(s):  
Xianming Wu ◽  
Nathaniel C. Lupton ◽  
Yuping Du
Keyword(s):  
Organizational Learning ◽  
Absorptive Capacity ◽  
Multinational Enterprises ◽  
Innovation Performance ◽  
Primary Data ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Chinese Multinationals ◽  
Positive Direct ◽  
Knowledge Seeking ◽  
The Impact

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to investigates how organizational learning, absorptive capacity, cultural integration, specialization of the acquired firm and characteristics of transferred knowledge impact innovation performance subsequent to overseas acquisitions. Design/methodology/approach – Survey responses from 222 Chinese multinational enterprises engaged in overseas acquisitions. Findings – Differences between acquiring and acquired firms’ capabilities, while having a positive direct influence, suppress the positive impact of organizational learning and absorptive capacity, suggesting that multinationals require some basic level of capabilities to appropriate value from overseas acquisitions. Research limitations/implications – This paper investigates the impact of knowledge-seeking overseas acquisition of Chinese multinationals on innovation performance, as this appears to be the primary motive for making such acquisitions. Practical implications – Knowledge-seeking overseas acquisition should be based upon the absorptive capacity of the acquiring firm and complementarity between both firms. In knowledge-seeking overseas acquisitions, establishing an effective organizational learning mechanism is necessary for improving innovation performance. Originality/value – This paper reports on the behaviour and innovation performance of Chinese multinationals through analysis of primary data.

Peer reference assistants in a small liberal arts college: case study

2016 ◽  
Vol 44 (3) ◽  
pp. 292-308 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kasia Gonnerman ◽  
Ken Johnson
Keyword(s):  
Liberal Arts ◽  
Information Science ◽  
Liberal Arts College ◽  
Library Science ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Mentorship Program ◽  
Reference Services ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Student Assistants

Purpose The purpose of this study is to demonstrate how to create and sustain a successful mentoring program for reference student assistants in the liberal arts environment. The study delineates student training, program assessment and the impact on reference practice in a way that can be used at other institutions considering implementing a similar initiative. Design/methodology/approach This case study is written by professionals who have been deeply engaged in initiating, running and assessing the program. It presents the value of the program in an unbiased and objective manner by including the voices of the student mentees themselves reflecting on the experience. Findings The mentorship program has proven to be worthwhile and rewarding in equal measures to both the mentees and reference librarians working with our future successors. It serves an important role in inspiring and encouraging library student workers to become interested in academic librarianship as a career choice and it prepares them to be successful students in library and information science graduate programs. Originality/value Although the discussion of training reference student assistants per se is not rare in the library literature, this particular program is unique in several ways: its main intent is to mentor students who are interested in pursuing librarianship as a career goal; it occurs in the context of a liberal arts college rather than in a larger university setting, especially those offering degrees in information and library science; and it empowers students to provide in-depth independent reference services for their peers and faculty.

The effect of shipping knowledge and absorptive capacity on organizational innovation and logistics value

2015 ◽  
Vol 26 (2) ◽  
pp. 218-237 ◽  
Author(s):  
Eon-Seong Lee ◽  
Dong-Wook Song
Keyword(s):  
Organizational Performance ◽  
Absorptive Capacity ◽  
Organizational Innovation ◽  
Positive Impact ◽  
Business Environment ◽  
Positive Influence ◽  
Maritime Logistics ◽  
Logistics Industry ◽  
Content Type ◽  
The Impact

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to examine what types of shipping knowledge are crucial in order for shipping companies to survive in dynamic business environment, and to investigate how the shipping knowledge affects the company’s performance (i.e. organizational innovation and logistics value). This paper also diagnoses the moderating effect of absorptive capacity on the relationship between the shipping knowledge and its effectiveness. Design/methodology/approach – Based on the literature, a theoretical framework and relevant hypotheses are established so as to show associated relationships between shipping knowledge, absorptive capacity, and organizational innovation and logistics value. Data are collected for an empirical analysis and a moderated hierarchical regression analysis is conducted to test the hypotheses. Findings – Results show that a high level of shipping knowledge has a positive influence on the organizational innovation and logistics value of shipping companies. The findings also indicate that, while the absorptive capacity of shipping companies moderates the positive impact of shipping knowledge on the logistics value, it directly affects the improvement of organizational innovation. Research limitations/implications – This research verifies that effective knowledge management of shipping companies plays a significant role in developing organizational innovation and improving logistics performance. The research findings provide shipping companies with a strategic insight into the identification of critical sources for competitive advantage and greater organizational performance from an organizational learning perspective. Practical implications – This line of research is served as an indicator of a good strategic direction for the practitioners engaged in the maritime transport and logistics industry, in order for them to become better integrated entities in a global logistics system as well as maximize their competitive advantages. Originality/value – This paper makes the first attempt in its kind at empirically examining the types of shipping knowledge and its overall effectiveness in terms of the improvement of organizational innovation and logistics value. The moderating role of absorptive capacity on the impact of knowledge on organizational performance has also been initiated in the maritime logistics research.

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