An empirical investigation for alignment of communities of practice with organization using fuzzy Delphi panel

VINE ◽  
2015 ◽  
Vol 45 (3) ◽  
pp. 322-343 ◽  
Author(s):  
Abdollah Jassbi ◽  
Javad Jassbi ◽  
Peyman Akhavan ◽  
Mei-Tai Chu ◽  
Morteza Piri
Keyword(s):  
Communities Of Practice ◽  
Organizational Context ◽  
Relational Model ◽  
Delphi Panel ◽  
Significant Finding ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Organizational Variables ◽  
Organizational Contexts ◽  
Fuzzy Delphi ◽  
Structure Of Communities

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to design a model to outline the structure of communities of practice (CoPs) corresponding to organizational context. Design/methodology/approach – This research utilizes both descriptive and prescriptive approaches, as the authors are looking for a comprehensive relational model to deal with the problem of selecting suitable CoPs concerning organizational context. Thus, this study applies interviewing and fuzzy Delphi methods to explore the model. Findings – The work provides a new and comprehensive relational model of CoPs and organizational variables affecting CoPs structure. In this model, three basic concepts of the literature were developed. First, the components concerning types of CoPs were identified and then the organizational variables related to CoPs were determined. Finally, the authors extracted the relationships between the organizational variables and the components of CoPs. Practical implications – From a practical perspective, the relationships among the components concerning types of CoPs and the organizational variables may provide a model which can effectively guide firms how to promote, design and manage CoPs within organizational contexts. Originality/value – The results of this study contribute to CoPs literature in terms of identification of two variables (CoPs components and organizational variables) to produce a matrix for the construction of a holistic CoPs model. The significant finding of this research is the guidance it provides for designing a relational model involving relations between organizational variables and CoPs components.

Viable Communities within Organizational Contexts

2011 ◽  
pp. 133-141 ◽  
Author(s):  
Benjamin Frost ◽  
Stefan Schoen
Keyword(s):  
Communities Of Practice ◽  
Organizational Context ◽  
Common Factors ◽  
Organizational Contexts ◽  
Five Factors

This chapter is about the question of what creates and sustains viability in Communities of Practice (CoPs) embedded in an organizational context. Experience with successful CoPs at Siemens AG has shown that even though most of them differ greatly from each other in many aspects, they all share five common factors that are necessary for the viability of a CoP. These five factors are introduced in the following pages. They represent an approach that can be used to analyse and improve CoPs that do not seem to be viable and as a guide for CoP members and moderators to maintain viability in their own CoPs.

Narcissistic business leaders as heralds of the self-proclaimed excellence

2018 ◽  
Vol 10 (1) ◽  
pp. 49-60 ◽  
Author(s):  
Loukas N. Anninos
Keyword(s):  
Organizational Context ◽  
Behavioral Outcomes ◽  
The Self ◽  
Negative Consequences ◽  
Quality Performance ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Organizational Variables ◽  
Performance Variables ◽  
Organizational Excellence ◽  
The Individual

Purpose The paper aims to investigate the relation of narcissism to leadership in business contexts and presents its impact on specific organizational variables, which are crucial for the pursuit of excellence. Narcissism constitutes a personality trait which is considered responsible for both positive and negative behavioral outcomes that impact decisions and actions. Design/methodology/approach The approach, by which this paper is structured, is theoretical and has been based on a literature review regarding narcissism (and more specifically, narcissistic leadership) in business contexts. Findings Narcissism can have positive (mainly in the short term) and/or deleterious effects both for the individual and the organization. The self-proclaimed excellence of narcissists results from a combination of their beliefs about their extreme intelligence, abilities and leadership and their high motives for reassuring their supremacy. However, the behavior of narcissistic leaders impacts various organizational parameters which are preconditions for organizational excellence. Research limitations/implications The study at hand can be used as an input for further research on the effects of narcissism on quality performance variables. Practical implications The behavior of narcissists (and its positive and/or negative consequences) should be evaluated in relation to any specific organizational context and circumstances. Originality/value The study examines narcissistic leadership and attempts to examine its implications for factors that are crucial for the achievement of organizational excellence.

Lean Office contributions for organizational learning

2018 ◽  
Vol 31 (5) ◽  
pp. 1027-1039 ◽  
Author(s):  
Rodrigo de Castro Freitas ◽  
Maria do Carmo Duarte Freitas ◽  
Glauco Gomes de Menezes ◽  
Ricardo Siebenrok Odorczyk
Keyword(s):  
Organizational Learning ◽  
Continuous Improvement ◽  
Learning Process ◽  
Organizational Context ◽  
Value Stream Mapping ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Organizational Contexts ◽  
Value Stream ◽  
Collective Levels ◽  
The Individual

Purpose In organizational contexts, learning fosters the creation of knowledge at the individual and collective levels. In Lean Office, processes are customer oriented through continuous improvement and elimination of waste. In addition, Lean Office can promote changes in the corporate environment and drive organizational learning. Thus, the purpose of this paper is to identify and analyze the Lean Office factors that contribute to the organizational learning. Design/methodology/approach The method consists in a qualitative analysis of researches on Lean Office carried out in Brazil, based on the theoretical framework for analyzing organizational learning proposed by Argote and Miron-Spektor (2011). This framework defends the relevance of context and experience in knowledge conversion processes in organizations. Findings The study shows that Lean Office provides benefits for the learning process through Work Cells, Value Stream Mapping and Continuous Improvement. The effects of Lean Office are present in the organizational context, culture and behaviors, attitudes and skills of individuals. Practical implications This study brings for academics a discussion on Lean Office from the standpoint of elements pertaining to the organizational learning process. In this aspect, the study proposes treating the topic at a strategy level, striving to break out of the research boundaries that limit their scope to their operational results. For practitioners, the study introduces Lean Office factors that add positive results to the organizational learning process. Originality/value The paper presents a reflection of Lean Office in the field of organizational learning. In addition to the elimination of waste, the study investigates other functions in which Lean initiatives play a role, such as providing solutions for organizational problems and creating favorable learning contexts.

An organizational approach to understanding police response to cybercrime

2019 ◽  
Vol 43 (1) ◽  
pp. 63-76 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jeffrey Nowacki ◽  
Dale Willits
Keyword(s):  
Organizational Context ◽  
Organizational Characteristics ◽  
Collective Bargaining Agreement ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Organizational Variables ◽  
Police Organizations ◽  
Routine Tasks ◽  
Civilian Employees ◽  
And Control ◽  
Administrative Tasks

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to use Maguire’s (2003) theory of police organizations to explain whether police agencies dedicate specific personnel to cybercrime response. Design/methodology/approach Data from this study come from the 2013 Law Enforcement Management and Statistics survey. Maguire’s (2003) theory of the organizational structure of police organizations is used to measure organizational variables related to context, complexity and control. Logistic regression is used to examine whether these organizational characteristics are related to cybercrime response. Findings The results suggest that organizational context, complexity and control are related to cybercrime response. Specifically, in terms of context, larger agencies, agencies whose officers engage in more non-routine tasks, and agencies governed by an active collective bargaining agreement are more likely to dedicate specific resources to cybercrime. In terms of complexity, agencies with more hierarchical layers, agencies that utilize more specialization and agencies that make greater use of civilian employees are more likely to dedicate specific personnel to cybercrime. Finally, regarding control, agencies that assign non-sworn personnel to administrative tasks are more likely to dedicate resources to cybercrime response. Originality/value This study is one of the first to use this framework to examine the relationship between organizational characteristics and cybercrime response. It shows that this perspective can be useful for understanding police organizations and police policies, programs and strategies.

The “silent killers” of a STEM-professional woman’s career

2018 ◽  
Vol 37 (7) ◽  
pp. 728-748 ◽  
Author(s):  
Stefanie Ruel
Keyword(s):  
Social Order ◽  
Organizational Context ◽  
Social Values ◽  
Professional Women ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Organizational Contexts ◽  
Space Industry ◽  
Anchor Points ◽  
Organizational Rules ◽  
The Relationship

Purpose The purpose of this paper was to provide a plausible answer to how there are so few science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM)-professional women managers in the Canadian space industry. Design/methodology/approach The author showcased one such individual and her experiences of the exclusionary order in this industry, by focusing on her discourses and those of her former supervisor. The author applied the critical sensemaking (CSM) framework to unstructured interview data and to various collected written documentation. To guide the author’s application of this CSM framework, the author asked and answered the following questions: what is the range of identity anchor points associated with, and available to, a STEM-professional woman within the Canadian space industry? What is the relationship between these anchor points and organizational rules and social values? And, how do these anchor points and their relationship with rules and social values influence the exclusion of STEM-professional women from management positions within this industry? Findings The author surfaced a STEM-professional woman’s range of ephemeral identities, captured within her range of attributed anchor points. The author also revealed some of the rules and social values of the organizational context she worked in. The author then analyzed the how of her exclusionary social order, by studying the relationship between these anchor points and these rules and social values. Social implications In addition to addressing the lack of STEM-professional women in management and to filling a gap in the literature, this study made a contribution to our understanding of social-identities, represented by anchor points, and to their discursive reproduction within organizational contexts. The author also suggested micro-political resistances to undo this social order for one particular individual. Originality/value This study’s value can be measured by its contribution to the postpositivist cisgender and diversity literature focused on intersectionality scholarship, specifically in the area of identity anchor points and their (re)creation within social interactions.

scholarly journals Enabling Knowledge Management Initiatives through Organizational Communities of Practice

2021 ◽  
pp. 227797792110369
Author(s):  
Abobakr Aljuwaiber
Keyword(s):  
Knowledge Management ◽  
Communities Of Practice ◽  
Organizational Context ◽  
Exploratory Research ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Organizational Contexts ◽  
Implementation Challenges ◽  
Communication Processes ◽  
Holistic Understanding

Learning the concept of organizational communities of practice (OCoP) is very effective but too complicated when it comes to implementation. Challenges arise when cultivating OCoPs and creating effective communication processes, particularly within an organization that has a traditional hierarchy. Literature on knowledge management (KM) fails to provide an inclusive comprehension of the significance of OCoPs. Thus, the current exploratory research aims to determine how organizational contexts can enable or disable the establishment and development of OCoPs. This article is built on communities of practice (CoP) theory to study the phenomenon of intentionally established OCoPs within large organizations. The case studies conducted for this research involved two companies based in Saudi Arabia, with intentionally created OCoPs. The selected cases assist in providing a holistic understanding of the influential role of organizational context in enabling OCoP activities, using semi-structured interviews, document reviews and field notes. The study findings support an integrated framework to assist organizations in establishing effective OCoPs. Its five phases include establishment, enforcement, recognition, maintenance and sustainability, representing OCoP development phases. The resulting framework organized 16 enabling or disabling factors in OCoP development. This article expands the focus of research beyond traditional CoPs, to investigate the intentional establishment of OCoPs within organizations and understand opportunities and challenges that enable OCoPs. The study argues that organizations implementing OCoPs should offer a comprehensive, long-term strategy for KM initiatives that leads to designing OCoP activities that enable better alignment with the organization’s business plan. A company can shape perceptions and behaviours by establishing the organizational context for social interaction. Thus, this article extends the perspective on developing OCoPs within organizations and argues that the role of middle management requires more thoughtfulness about OCoP research.

Towards increased relevance: context-adapted models of the learning organization

2015 ◽  
Vol 22 (3) ◽  
pp. 163-181 ◽  
Author(s):  
Anders Örtenblad
Keyword(s):  
Learning Organization ◽  
Organizational Context ◽  
Original Learning ◽  
Service Organizations ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Organizational Contexts ◽  
Multiple Context ◽  
Starting Point ◽  
Knowledge Intensive ◽  
Practical Implications

Purpose – The purposes of this paper are to take a closer look at the relevance of the idea of the learning organization for organizations in different generalized organizational contexts; to open up for the existence of multiple, context-adapted models of the learning organization; and to suggest a number of such models. Design/methodology/approach – The suggested context-adapted models are deduced from works arguing that not all aspects of the idea of the learning organization should be adopted by organizations in some certain generalized organizational contexts. Findings – The idea of the learning organization needs to be reformulated, to some extent, to become fully relevant for public organizations, safety organizations, human service organizations and knowledge-intensive organizations. Research limitations/implications – To achieve a more inclusive contingency model than presented in this article, there is a need for further research examining the (full) relevance of the original learning organizational model for organizations in various certain generalized organizational contexts. Practical implications – Organizational actors could use one of the suggested context-adapted models fitting their particular organizational context as a starting point when considering adopting the learning organization. Social implications – Several adaptations suggested originate in social concerns. Originality/value – In contrast to most previous works on the learning organization, this paper adds to the existing literature by proposing several context-adapted models of the learning organization.

scholarly journals Service interaction and dignity in cleaning work: how important is the organizational context?

2014 ◽  
Vol 36 (3) ◽  
pp. 294-311 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sofia Alexandra Cruz ◽  
Manuel Abrantes
Keyword(s):  
Working Conditions ◽  
Design Methodology ◽  
Organizational Context ◽  
Shopping Malls ◽  
Major Site ◽  
Work Activity ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Organizational Contexts ◽  
The Core ◽  
Service Interaction

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to explore the extent to which the nature of a particular work activity – cleaning – changes across organizational contexts, considering specific industry characteristics and working conditions in urban settings in Portugal. Design/methodology/approach – The paper draws on the qualitative analysis of data collected between 2010 and 2013 using open-ended interviews with employees and direct observation in two shopping malls. Findings – The empirical evidence illuminates how the contexts under study shape the behavior of actors and their power relations. By placing the perspective of employees at the core of the analysis, the paper demonstrates that workplaces provide a major site of conflict and negotiation regarding dignity in cleaning work, but this dispute takes on different contours and sources of tension across organizational contexts. Originality/value – The seminal comparative analysis of commercial cleaning and housecleaning undertaken in this paper sheds light on the varying distribution of roles and authority at work. Differently than in earlier studies, the actual modes of service interaction in this industry are documented in a detailed and critical manner.

Local geographies of developing country social enterprises

2018 ◽  
Vol 14 (3) ◽  
pp. 367-386 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nimruji Jammulamadaka ◽  
Kamalika Chakraborty
Keyword(s):  
Social Problem ◽  
Organizational Context ◽  
Social Problems ◽  
National Level ◽  
District Level ◽  
Social Enterprises ◽  
Theory Approach ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Organizational Contexts ◽  
Organizational Infrastructure

PurposeThis paper aims to examine the geographic distribution of social enterprises at the local sub-district level in one Indian state.Design/methodology/approachThis paper adopts a multimethod approach. The exploratory phase involved interviews and analysis of social enterprise distribution at the national level. Phase 2 involved mapping the distribution of social enterprises at the sub-district level in one state. Distribution around established social enterprises was plotted using latitude–longitude positions. Grounded theory approach to analysing qualitative data was adopted to identify the mechanism for agglomeration.FindingsSocial entrepreneurship sees the entrepreneurial problems as solving universalized social problems abstracting them out of the geo-historical and political economic context of the social problem. This study shows that solving a social problem is itself implicated in a social–historical organizational context of aid giving within developing countries. Networks of resources that early enterprises enable draw newer organizations toward them and lead to the formation of clusters. While such clusters might improve chances of enterprise survival, the phenomenon inadvertently leads to a new kind of inequity, as areas with fewer social enterprises lack the organizational infrastructure necessary for delivery of welfare.Research limitations/implicationsResearch in social enterprises needs to pay more attention to the context of the enterprises or society in addition to its current focus on universal social problems. Social enterprises themselves could be new sources of inequity in terms of the organizational infrastructure they represent.Originality/valuePolicymakers need to make directed efforts that respond not only to social problems but also to the socio-historic-organizational contexts where the problems are being solved and seeding the entrepreneurial effort in those spaces.

Role of burnout on job level, job satisfaction, and task performance

2017 ◽  
Vol 38 (5) ◽  
pp. 630-645 ◽  
Author(s):  
Won Ho Kim ◽  
Young-An Ra ◽  
Jong Gyu Park ◽  
Bora Kwon
Keyword(s):  
Job Satisfaction ◽  
Task Performance ◽  
Organizational Context ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Job Level ◽  
Mediating Role ◽  
Final Sample ◽  
The Relationship ◽  
And Task

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to examine the mediating role of burnout (i.e. exhaustion, cynicism, professional inefficacy) in the relationship between job level and job satisfaction as well as between job level and task performance. Design/methodology/approach The final sample included 342 Korean workers from selected companies. The authors employed the Hayes (2013) PROCESS tool for analyzing the data. Findings The results showed that all three subscales of burnout (i.e. exhaustion, cynicism, professional inefficacy) mediate the relationship between job level and job satisfaction. However, only two mediators (i.e. cynicism, professional inefficacy) indicated the mediating effects on the association between job level and task performance. Originality/value This research presented the role of burnout on the relationships between job level, job satisfaction, and task performance especially in South Korean organizational context. In addition to role of burnout, findings should prove helpful in improving job satisfaction and task performance. The authors provide implications and limitations of the findings.

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