Risks in the absence of optimal knowledge management in knowledge-intensive organizations

2020 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Maayan Nakash ◽  
Dan Bouhnik
Keyword(s):  
Knowledge Management ◽  
Organizational Knowledge ◽  
Organizational Crisis ◽  
Theory Approach ◽  
Broad Perspective ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Knowledge Intensive Organizations ◽  
Knowledge Intensive ◽  
Grounded Theory Approach ◽  
Depth Interviews

Purpose This study aims to identify the risks associated with the lack of optimal knowledge management (KM) in knowledge-intensive organizations and delves into understanding their severity. In doing so, the authors explored the significance attributed to these issues by international KM experts. Design/methodology/approach A case method was chosen. The study began with semi-structured in-depth interviews and continued with focus groups as part of the qualitative research paradigm. The data was analyzed using a thematic analysis method, based on the grounded theory approach. Findings The findings provide empirical evidence for a set of risks faced by organizations in a reality where organizational knowledge is managed poorly. The study finds that, in the experts’ view, the risks associated with knowledge constitute a clear catalyst for initiating and investing efforts to manage organizational knowledge. In addition, their severity is usually understood only after the occurrence of a business or organizational crisis related to knowledge. Originality/value This pioneering research contributes to empirical knowledge through an unexplored scientific field. The uniqueness of this research is also reflected in the voices of KM professionals. The authors extended the literature on knowledge risks, taking a broad perspective of a variety of organizations from different sectors. In doing so, the study also contributes to a more comprehensive understanding of KM. The study has implications on the practical level in view of deepening the understanding of the severity of the risk in the absence of optimal KM in knowledge-intensive organizations.

Understanding knowledge hiding in the context of virtual workplaces

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Suman Choudhary ◽  
Kirti Mishra
Keyword(s):  
Design Methodology ◽  
Virtual Work ◽  
Theory Approach ◽  
Loss Of Control ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Work Arrangements ◽  
Management Literature ◽  
Knowledge Hiding ◽  
Grounded Theory Approach ◽  
Depth Interviews

Purpose This paper aims to explore the implications of virtual work arrangements on employee knowledge hiding (KH) behaviour and the different strategies of KH used by employees in these arrangements. Design/methodology/approach Following a grounded theory approach to understanding KH, 21 semi-structured in-depth interviews were conducted with employees engaged in virtual working setups. The data collected from these informants were then analysed using qualitative methods. Findings The study revealed that virtual work arrangements increase employee KH behaviour because of three reasons: ease of hiding, digital burnout and loss of control. Further, the study found that rationalized hiding is the most commonly adopted strategy by employees engaged in virtual work arrangements, while inclinations towards evasive hiding strategy decrease in this arrangement. Originality/value This is the first study in knowledge management literature that seeks to explain KH in the virtual work context.

Consumer roles and values in selfie experience: a case of Korean young consumers

2018 ◽  
Vol 21 (4) ◽  
pp. 491-512 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yoo Jin Kwon ◽  
Kyoung-Nan Kwon
Keyword(s):  
Qualitative Research ◽  
Grounded Theory ◽  
Web 2.0 ◽  
Research Method ◽  
Design Methodology ◽  
Theory Approach ◽  
Qualitative Research Method ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Grounded Theory Approach ◽  
Depth Interviews

Purpose The purpose of this study is to understand the values consumers pursue and roles consumers partake in selfie practice. Design/methodology/approach A qualitative research method was adopted. In-depth interviews were conducted with selfie enthusiasts. Data were analyzed with grounded theory approach. Findings Diverse activities and reflections pertaining to selfies were analyzed, which uncovered three consumer roles departmentalized and the nine values that selfie practice generates for consumers. The three roles are subject, photographer and user of selfies, and the roles are orchestrated together or selectively performed if necessary. In consequence of the interplay of performances and expectations of the roles, consumers pursue and gain four collaboratively created values and five individually created values. Originality/value Findings of the study expand the understanding of values of selfie practice and consumer roles in Web 2.0.

Should knowledge management in organizations be rebranded?

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Maayan Nakash ◽  
Dan Bouhnik
Keyword(s):  
Knowledge Management ◽  
Organizational Context ◽  
Theory Approach ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Study Approach ◽  
Qualitative Research Methodology ◽  
Knowledge Intensive ◽  
Strategic Perspective ◽  
First Time

Purpose This study aims to examine the relevance of the term “knowledge management” (KM) in the organizational context, and deliberates whether there is a need for rebranding of this field. It also enriches the understanding regarding the appropriateness of the term “KM,” which was chosen to represent the discipline. Design/methodology/approach This study adopted a qualitative research methodology, and a case study approach was followed by conducting 19 semi-structured in-depth interviews with international KM experts working in a global consulting firm. The data were analyzed using a thematic analysis method based on the grounded theory approach. Findings The findings provide empirical evidence that attempts are being made to move away from the label “KM” in certain knowledge-intensive organizations. This study sheds light on the challenges associated with this term, which leads some to believe that the name of the discipline needs to change. Originality/value The present pioneering research contributes to empirical knowledge through investigation of an unexplored scientific field. To the best of the authors’ knowledge, for the first time, its uniqueness can be established by the fact that the opinions of KM professionals are being heard regarding the “KM” label, as well as the need for a rebranding of this discipline in the organizational context. From a practical and strategic perspective, this study suggests that the research community and practitioners pay attention to attempts to shift away from the existing title identified in organizational practice.

The role of retailers during brand scandals: insights from a case study

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Sunaina Kapoor ◽  
Saikat Banerjee ◽  
Paola Signori
Keyword(s):  
Consumer Attitude ◽  
Theory Approach ◽  
Exploratory Research ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Health Related ◽  
Brand Perception ◽  
Grounded Theory Approach ◽  
Depth Interviews

PurposeThe role of retailers in influencing consumer attitude during a brand scandal is quite complex, as retailers are in direct contact with both marketers and consumers. The purpose of the exploratory research is to propose a theoretical model to capture the influences retailers exercise on consumers during brand scandals.Design/methodology/approachA qualitative approach has been adopted in the study. The study employs the grounded theory approach on the data collected by conducting in-depth interviews with 25 retailers.FindingsFour contextual conditions and six behavioral antecedents of the retailer's role in the context of the brand scandal were identified. Then, the study finds that companies tend to follow two broad approaches during a brand scandal to address retailers' queries and apprehensions. On these bases, the study proposes a six-pronged typology to better understand retailers' role in shaping consumers' brand perception.Originality/valueExisting literature has not paid adequate attention to this aspect of retailers' role in influencing consumer choices during brand scandal. To the best of the authors' knowledge, there is no prior research which investigates the role and influence of retailers in shaping consumer attitude during brand scandals. It is important to underline that the current research advocates retailers' significant role during a performance-based brand scandal. Specifically, the authors explored a health-related defective scandal of a well-known food brand. In addition, the study focuses on traditional grocery retailers, which already have special relationships with their consumers. Based on retailer perspectives, the authors' contribution is also updating the discussion of branding theory in case of scandals. The identified variables and constructs may be used for empirical investigation on the role of retailers in shaping consumer attitudes toward the scandalized brand.

Dealing with multiple incompatible work-related identities: the case of artists

2017 ◽  
Vol 46 (5) ◽  
pp. 970-987 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sophie Hennekam
Keyword(s):  
Design Methodology ◽  
Career Transition ◽  
Creative Industries ◽  
Limited Attention ◽  
Theory Approach ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Work Related ◽  
Grounded Theory Approach ◽  
Depth Interviews ◽  
Practical Implications

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to examine how artists deal with having multiple potentially incompatible work-related identities as a result of a career transition from making a living exclusively as artists to taking on additional work outside the creative industries. Design/methodology/approach In all, 40 semi-structured in-depth interviews were conducted by telephone with artists in the Netherlands. A grounded theory approach was used to analyze the findings. Findings Four different strategies for dealing with multiple potentially incompatible identities were identified: integration, accumulation, separation and dis-identification. The findings suggest that the informal social context, the support of rejection of important others, influenced the strategy adopted by the artists. Invalidation from the environment often leads to stress and separation or dis-identification strategies, while validation seems to lead to integration and accumulation strategies that are less psychologically straining. Practical implications The findings stress the importance of the external environment. While the workers had to deal with their own psychological stress and regret about not succeeding at working exclusively as artists, they also had to create a feasible story that allowed them to “sell” their transition to others. Originality/value Careers are becoming increasingly non-linear, and the number of workers who need to juggle multiple (potentially conflicting) work-related identities is rising. However, how workers deal with this has received only limited attention from researchers.

Commercialised nostalgia

2014 ◽  
Vol 48 (5/6) ◽  
pp. 813-832 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kathy Hamilton ◽  
Beverly A. Wagner
Keyword(s):  
Small Business ◽  
Participant Observation ◽  
Success Factor ◽  
Theory Approach ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Experiential Consumption ◽  
Emotional Value ◽  
Grounded Theory Approach ◽  
Key Success Factor ◽  
Depth Interviews

Purpose – The purpose of this paper was to develop a framework linking the concept of nostalgia and experiential consumption, articulating the transformation of a mundane activity to a special experience, using the context of the small business and afternoon tea. Design/methodology/approach – The methodology is based on a grounded theory approach and draws on multiple methods of data collection including participant observation, in-depth interviews with afternoon tea room managers, researcher introspection and consumer interviews. Findings – By employing nostalgia cues through product, ritual and aesthetics, an idealised home can be constructed emphasising belonging and sharing. The small business owner can be effective in transforming an ordinary activity to an experiential event. Contemporary tea rooms do not replicate tradition; they use it as a cultural resource to construct something novel. Research limitations/implications – This paper demonstrates how the careful configuration of the retail space can be a key success factor, not only for marketers in large flagship brand stores, but also for smaller, independent and local businesses. The essential interplay between product, ritual and aesthetics creates positive moods of belonging and sharing and may increase satisfaction. Practical implications – Understanding the emotional value of everyday experiences is a point of differentiation in a crowded marketplace and may directly influence consumer loyalty. Staging experiences is a key competitive strategy. Originality/value – This paper is one of the few to empirically assess links between the nostalgia paradigm and experiential consumption. Existing research has emphasised large retail spaces; in contrast, the authors demonstrate how consumer experiences can be staged in smaller, independent and local businesses.

Practice ecology of knowledge management—connecting the formal, informal and personal

2020 ◽  
Vol 77 (1) ◽  
pp. 163-180
Author(s):  
Aare Värk ◽  
Anne Reino
Keyword(s):  
Knowledge Management ◽  
Design Methodology ◽  
Personal Knowledge ◽  
Effective Management ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Everyday Work ◽  
Knowledge Intensive ◽  
Depth Interviews ◽  
Practical Implications ◽  
Multiple Actors

PurposeThis paper aims to explore the coexistence of formal, informal and personal knowledge management (KM) practices as they support employees' everyday work in organizations.Design/methodology/approachQualitative study involving 12 in-depth interviews and 30 hours of observations in a small, quickly growing, knowledge-intensive company.FindingsFormal, informal and personal KM practices were all found to be relevant and interconnected in supporting everyday work in the organization. This suggests a shift from understanding KM as an organizational approach to ecology, shaped by multiple actors and concerns and extending over the formal/informal as well as organizational/personal divides. Interrelationships between formal, informal and personal KM practices took various forms. Among each of these KM categories were practices that contributed in a unique way, without having a functional parallel in other categories. Some KM practices had a strong functional overlap and were competing. Moreover, some formal, informal and personal KM practices formed complementary relationships.Research limitations/implicationsFindings are based on fieldwork in only one organization.Practical implicationsOrganizations would benefit from the formal, informal and personal KM practices being complementarily connected. As these connections are sustained by employees in everyday work, effective management of KM ecology needs a collective and distributed effort.Originality/valueThis paper is one of the very few empirical accounts that problematizes the coexistence of formal, informal and personal KM practices and suggests a practice-ecology perspective through which their interrelationships could be studied.

Reflecting upon child protection – the professional doctorate journey

2014 ◽  
Vol 4 (2) ◽  
pp. 184-195
Author(s):  
Martin Kettle
Keyword(s):  
Social Workers ◽  
Child Protection ◽  
Research Process ◽  
Constructivist Grounded Theory ◽  
Theory Approach ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Professional Doctorate ◽  
The Subject ◽  
Grounded Theory Approach ◽  
Depth Interviews

Purpose – This paper draws on a recently completed professional doctorate thesis. The purpose of this paper is to explore how the research process mirrors the area being researched, and underscores the importance of the ability to tolerate ambiguity, in both the research process and in working to protect children. Design/methodology/approach – The doctorate used a constructivist grounded theory approach, and drew on 22 in-depth interviews with social workers and a sample of 20 serious case reviews. Central to the research process were issues of reflexivity and positionality, which were both crucial to the area under exploration. Findings – Central to the thesis on which this paper draws, and the professional doctorate is the notion of balance. Social workers and researchers have to negotiate both getting close to and achieving distance from, the subject of enquiry. Seeking and maintaining balance requires managing a number of dimensions, and the negotiation of ambiguity. Originality/value – This paper explores the complexity of “working the hyphen” of insider-outsider research, and argues that, as in child protection practice, insider-outsider research requires the adoption of strategies to both get close to, and achieve distance from, the subject of enquiry.

Understanding knowledge creation in the context of knowledge-intensive business processes

2016 ◽  
Vol 20 (5) ◽  
pp. 858-879 ◽  
Author(s):  
Todd A. Little ◽  
Amit V. Deokar
Keyword(s):  
Knowledge Creation ◽  
Business Processes ◽  
Negative Impact ◽  
Theory Approach ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Organizational Influences ◽  
Challenges And Opportunities ◽  
Knowledge Intensive ◽  
Grounded Theory Approach ◽  
Practical Implications

Purpose This paper aims to investigate knowledge creation in the context of knowledge-intensive business processes (KIBPs) and seeks to identify the challenges and opportunities associated with this phenomenon. Design/methodology/approach This study used a grounded theory approach to develop a framework based on 30 interviews across three different types of organizations. Findings The findings argue knowledge creation in the context of KIBP is negatively influenced by the lack of support for process-competency requirements within knowledge-intensive (KI) processes. These process-competency requirements center on the ability to effectively engage with the process, develop reasoning skills to handle KIBP and gain a higher-level perspective of the KIBP within the organization. Practical implications For practitioners, the opportunity exists to explore their organizational influences on the process-competencies to reduce the negative impact of any gaps identified within their KIBPs. Originality/value Although previous studies explore knowledge creation in a broad sense, this paper examines the phenomenon specifically within the context of KIBPs and analyze the potential for organizations to enhance their knowledge creation initiatives in this context.

Big data investments in knowledge and non-knowledge intensive firms: what the market tells us

2017 ◽  
Vol 21 (3) ◽  
pp. 623-639 ◽  
Author(s):  
Tingting Zhang ◽  
William Yu Chung Wang ◽  
David J. Pauleen
Keyword(s):  
Big Data ◽  
Knowledge Management ◽  
Stock Market ◽  
Value Chain ◽  
Stock Prices ◽  
Economic Value ◽  
Information Value ◽  
Publicly Traded ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Knowledge Intensive

Purpose This paper aims to investigate the value of big data investments by examining the market reaction to company announcements of big data investments and tests the effect for firms that are either knowledge intensive or not. Design/methodology/approach This study is based on an event study using data from two stock markets in China. Findings The stock market sees an overall index increase in stock prices when announcements of big data investments are revealed by grouping all the listed firms included in the sample. Increased stock prices are also the case for non-knowledge intensive firms. However, the stock market does not seem to react to big data investment announcements by testing the knowledge intensive firms along. Research limitations/implications This study contributes to the literature on assessing the economic value of big data investments from the perspective of big data information value chain by taking an unexpected change in stock price as the measure of the financial performance of the investment and by comparing market reactions between knowledge intensive firms and non-knowledge intensive firms. Findings of this study can be used to refine practitioners’ understanding of the economic value of big data investments to different firms and provide guidance to their future investments in knowledge management to maximize the benefits along the big data information value chain. However, findings of study should be interpreted carefully when applying them to companies that are not publicly traded on the stock market or listed on other financial markets. Originality/value Based on the concept of big data information value chain, this study advances research on the economic value of big data investments. Taking the perspective of stock market investors, this study investigates how the stock market reacts to big data investments by comparing the reactions to knowledge-intensive firms and non-knowledge-intensive firms. The results may be particularly interesting to those publicly traded companies that have not previously invested in knowledge management systems. The findings imply that stock investors tend to believe that big data investment could possibly increase the future returns for non-knowledge-intensive firms.

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