scholarly journals Transforming a Library Service within a Provincial Healthcare Organization: Forging a New Path

Author(s):  
Morgan Lorraine Truax ◽  
Carol Connolly ◽  
Connie Winther

Introduction: Prior to 2011, libraries within Alberta Health Services (AHS) operated using a variety of self-determining service models across 19 locations.  Evaluation of library services demonstrated significant gaps in service delivery and access to resources, cost inefficiencies and variation in library service standards across the province. National and international trends reflected ongoing library closures and challenges to demonstrate library contributions to organizational goals and improvements in health information literacy. Description: In January 2011, all AHS library services were aligned under the Knowledge Management Department to capitalize on the natural fit between libraries as conduits to evidence and knowledge management practices that support the use of evidence in practice.  The mandate was to develop enterprise-wide library resources and services to support clinical decision-making and quality patient care under the umbrella of the Knowledge Resource Service (KRS). The Business Case for KRS Optimization guided this initiative.   Outcome: KRS is now a focal point for access to, and expertise in, healthcare information resources and services. Organization-wide evaluations conducted in 2011 and 2014 show increased user satisfaction, while utilization analytics reflect continued growth. Discussion: The KRS Optimization Initiative was a proactive, internally driven effort to extend library services and resources beyond the traditional library space, streamline ‘back-office’ functions and allow staff to contribute to organizational initiatives. The path has been winding yet lessons learnt include the value of dedicated staff, teamwork, and maintaining a focus on improving service for all AHS staff and clinicians.

2017 ◽  
Vol 16 (02) ◽  
pp. 1750015 ◽  
Author(s):  
Khurshid Ahmad

This study explores the general perspectives of library and information science (LIS) professionals on knowledge management in the university libraries of Pakistan. The study specifically examines the perceptions, understandings, role and responsibilities of Pakistani LIS professionals toward knowledge management. A questionnaire was used as an instrument to evaluate the perceptions, understandings, role and responsibilities of LIS professionals toward knowledge management. The questionnaires were administered to subject librarians who were included in the sample at the universities of Rawalpindi and Islamabad. Generalising the findings of this study over the population of LIS community in Pakistan reveals that knowledge management is for the improvement of library services and productive purposes. Accordingly, the Pakistani LIS professionals use knowledge management practices for the improvement of their respective library service. The LIS community is also very familiar with the term “knowledge management”. It succeeded mainly to generalise that majority of the LIS professionals mentioned that they have used knowledge management in their libraries.


2020 ◽  
Vol 3 (4) ◽  
pp. 102-112
Author(s):  
Sibongile Manzini ◽  
Evaristo Nsenduluka ◽  
Edwin Bbenkele

The study showcases a business value proposition to policy makers for the adoption of a business paradigm involving the infusion of knowledge management practices, strategic thinking and government policy intervention for divapreneurship development in Zimbabwe.  The significance of knowledge management (KM) in women entrepreneurial development arises from the fact that, KM is considered as one of the most effective strategic tools for enterprise survival (Kim and Koh, 2011).  The study also investigated the antecedents of bringing about the divatude (positive attitude) in women, as a new way of addressing the impediments to the development of women so that they could be united, driven, inspired, action oriented and victorious ensuring that divapreneurship development becomes a reality in Zimbabwe (Bbenkele, 2013). The mixed method research paradigm was adopted with both quantitative and qualitative data integrated in data collection. Consequently, basing on a purposive sample of 558 structured questionnaires, and focus group discussions, data was collected in line with the sequential explanatory approach. The study was carried out in Bulawayo and Harare Metropolitan Provinces, and Matabeleland North Provinces in Zimbabwe.  The study recommended a ten factor framework for divapreneurship development involving universities as the nerve centre, in unrolling entrepreneurial education and training working in collaboration with the Ministry of Women’s Affairs, Gender and Community Development.


Author(s):  
Christie Hurrell ◽  
Susan E. Powelson ◽  
Christine Jensen-Ross

<strong>Abstract: Introduction:</strong> Alberta Health Services (AHS) was created in 2009, merging 12 former health regions and three provincial health authorities. Library services that had previously operated independently across the province were amalgamated into a single provincial entity, Knowledge Resource Service (KRS). A survey of library services was conducted in 2011. Subsequent to that survey, the provincial library service underwent major changes, which culminated in the launch of a provincial library website in August 2013. Another survey was conducted in 2014 to determine the impact of these changes. <strong>Methods:</strong> AHS staff and physicians were surveyed in 2011 and 2014 using an electronic survey tool. The survey results were analyzed using descriptive statistics and the results reported as percentages. <strong>Results:</strong> This paper addresses the questions that are comparable between the two surveys. There were 1195 responses to the 2011 survey and 721 to the 2014 survey. Respondents in 2014 had less difficulty accessing the library website. Additionally, more respondents reported that using library resources prevented the occurrence of adverse events, from 13% in 2011 to 36% in 2014. <strong>Discussion:</strong> The drop in respondents reporting difficulties accessing information via the library website suggests that the new service model is effective in removing access barriers, enhancing the effectiveness of information resources for AHS staff and that the easier to find resources are helping to prevent adverse events.


2021 ◽  
pp. 096100062110429
Author(s):  
Priya Vaidya ◽  
Basharat Ahmad Malik ◽  
P.M. Naushad Ali

‘Service Quality’ and its influence in Library and Information Science discipline are spectacular when studied intensively. In this study, researchers adopted the Realist and Meta-narrative Evidence Syntheses: Evolving Standards review method and introduced a novel Initialization, Conceptualization, Actualisation) (ICA) framework for meta-narrative studies. This method would act as a boon particularly to the existing methods of conducting meta-narrative studies in social sciences in general and library sciences in particular. A total of 49 research articles were selected from Scopus and Web of Science (WoS) databases, covering a span of 5 years, that is, 2015–2019, published in the domain of library service quality. An extensive in-depth analysis of selected publications was carried out under seven categories (i.e. library, library services, quality, ServQUAL, LibQUAL+, user satisfaction and users’ expectations), which were generated using the VOS-Viewer software and ‘Review Tags’ (manually generated using OneNote). The seven categories further identify a total of 27 sub-categories. The quantitative findings revealed that all the 49 reviewed publications were published in 27 journals. All the journals have been indexed in the Scopus database, whereas 15 journals containing the remaining 22 publications are indexed in both WoS and Scopus databases. This study unfolds a transverse trend in library service quality. It would be beneficial for the library managers to sustain libraries’ service quality and set a benchmark in the said field.


2013 ◽  
Vol 1 (1) ◽  
pp. 83
Author(s):  
Ozan Büyükyılmaz

The development and expansion of knowledge management as an important management philosophy has a significant impact on human resources management as well as on organization as a whole. In this context, knowledge management processes have been used as a strategic tool within human resources management.Therefore, functions of human resources management must adapt itself to this change. The purpose of this study is to determine the role of human resources management in the management of knowledge and to reveal the effects of knowledge management practices on the functions of human resources byexamining the relationship between human resources and knowledge management. In this context, a theoretical investigation was conducted. It has been determined that significant changes occurred on the functions of human resources management such as selection and recruitment, performance management, remuneration and reward, training and development within the framework of the knowledge management strategies.


Mousaion ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 37 (3) ◽  
Author(s):  
Charleen Musonza ◽  
Ndakasharwa Muchaonyerwa

This study examines the influence of knowledge management (KM) practices on public service delivery by municipalities in the Eastern Cape province of South Africa. The study sought to determine the factors that have triggered the implementation of KM practices; the effectiveness of KM practices towards public service delivery; and the extent to which KM practices have influenced public service delivery by municipalities in the Eastern Cape province of South Africa. Both quantitative and qualitative methods were employed in this study. Quantitative data were collected through a survey questionnaire administered to a sample of 202 employees at the Raymond Mhlaba Municipality in the Eastern Cape. Qualitative data were collected through observations and interviews of 2 senior managers. The data collected gave a response rate of 72 per cent. The quantitative and qualitative data were analysed descriptively and presented verbatim respectively. The results indicated that the internal and external factors included in this study have contributed to the implementation of KM practices in the municipality. Furthermore, the effective use of KM practices has increased the organisational KM initiative, as well as the provision of services such as electricity, education, transport, and social services by the municipality. The study recommends the establishment of KM awareness and the establishment of an integrated system that will assist in effective knowledge sharing, retention and acquisition across municipalities in the Eastern Cape.


2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (5) ◽  
pp. 2956
Author(s):  
Tomas Cherkos Kassaneh ◽  
Ettore Bolisani ◽  
Juan-Gabriel Cegarra-Navarro

In the last decades, business competition has been increasingly among supply chains (SCs) rather than individual firms. Today, considering the challenges of environmental, social, and economic sustainability, it is becoming even more vital to coordinate and co-manage company resources, activities, and innovative efforts at the SC level. Consequently, knowledge, which is a critical resource for companies, needs to be managed properly not only in single firms but also across SCs. For the education of business managers, this implies a double challenge: first, to make students and future executives become aware of the knowledge management (KM) practices that can be adopted; second, to facilitate the assimilation of these practices for the effective management of SCs, to ensure higher economic and environmentally sustainable performances. Standard definitions and classifications can be of great help, but the current studies are very fragmented. This study contributes by exploring the literature and examining the KM practices that are proposed and defined by the different authors. A systematic review and a descriptive analysis of selected papers showed the trend and focus of papers in the KM and SC fields. In addition, based on the definitions and classifications drawn from the literature, this paper discusses a possible systematization of the key KM practices in SCs. The major contribution of this paper is the effort of re-definition and re-classification of KM practices and their potential importance for effective and sustainable SC management. This analysis can be especially useful for organizing KM courses targeted to current and future business managers.


2014 ◽  
Vol 18 (5) ◽  
pp. 905-918 ◽  
Author(s):  
Daniel Jiménez-Jiménez ◽  
Micaela Martínez-Costa ◽  
Raquel Sanz-Valle

Purpose – This paper aims to assess the importance of different knowledge management practices to promote organizational innovation in multinational companies. The links among internationalization, reverse knowledge transfer and social capital and organizational innovation are analyzed. Design/methodology/approach – Structural equation modeling was used to check the research hypotheses with a sample of 104 multinational companies. Findings – The results show that internalization has no direct effect on organizational innovation but a indirect effect trhrough the transfer of knowledge from external subsidiaries to the headquarter. Furthermore, this knowledge and other that comes from internal and external social capital is essential for the development of innovations. Research limitations/implications – Self-reporting by the CEOs may be the most significant limitation, as a single key informant provided the data; multiple informants would enhance the validity of the research findings. A second limitation is the cross-sectional design of the research that does not allow observation of the short- and long-term impact of the relationships among the variables. Practical implications – Organizational innovation is not an easy task. However, those multinational companies which foster knowledge management practices that generate new knowledge from external subsidiaries, internal or external social relationships, will facilitate the generation of innovations. In consequence, these companies should foster the generation of knowledge from different sources. Originality/value – The focus of the study in this paper is on multinational companies and the possibility to acquire knowledge from different sources (inside organization, external local environment and international context). Specially, focus on the transfer of knowledge from subsidiaries to headquarters (reverse knowledge transfer), as it is insufficiently investigated by current literature.


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