Developing a Knowledge-Based Organizational Performance Model for Improving Knowledge Flows in Discontinuous Organizations

Author(s):  
Rahinah Ibrahim ◽  
Mark E. Nissen

Tacit knowledge attenuates particularly quickly in organizations that experience discontinuous membership: the coming and going of organizational roles or positions during a workflow process. Since knowledge flows enable workflows, and workflows drive performance, theory suggests that dynamic knowledge—particularly tacit knowledge—is critical for competitive advantage. This research seeks to extend established organization theory, through integration of emerging knowledge-flow theory, to inform the design of discontinuous organizations. Toward this end, we build a computational model based upon ethnographic study of an affordable housing project that experienced severe discontinuous membership. Analysis of this model reveals problematic theoretical gaps, and provides insight into how scholarly understanding of knowledge flows can extend organization theory to address discontinuous organizations. This research contributes new knowledge for designing knowledge-based organizations in discontinuous contexts.

2015 ◽  
Vol 19 (2) ◽  
pp. 23-41 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ying Wang ◽  
Ramudu Bhanugopan ◽  
Pamela Lockhart

Purpose – The aim of this paper is to examine the determinants of organizational performance (OP) of business enterprises located in China and to explore how individual demographic and organizational characteristics affect OP. Design/methodology/approach – This study applies quantitative methods to examine the OP. Data were collected from 405 managers across 306 organizations in China. Findings – The study finds that, overall, OP is related to five factors, namely, finance and customer, internal business, work satisfaction, pay and benefits and innovation and technology (INT). The results from this study provide new perspectives and support the overall validity of the nomological network of OP factors. The findings also provide guidelines on which perspectives of performance organizations should be enhanced. Practical implications – The five-factor model of OP provides benefit to any organization or individual who intends to examine OP in China. In addition, the findings suggest that organizations should explore ways to enforce their performance. The findings also inform organizational decision makers about practices for performance improvement. Originality/value – The present study was undertaken to advance understanding of OP in China in several ways. The most significant element of this study was the five-factor performance model generated from the structural equation modeling analysis. The results from MANOVA highlight the potential impact of organization theory on how demographic and organizational variables influence OP in China.


Author(s):  
Carolyn W. Green ◽  
Tracy A. Hurley

One of the emerging themes in recent organization theory and strategic management research has been the central role that knowledge plays in organizational performance. Grant (2001), for example, looks at the advantages of a knowledge-based perspective in organization theory, focusing on knowledge as the critical resource in the production of goods and services. Similarly, Teece (2001) notes an “increasing recognition that the competitive advantage of firms depends on their ability to create, transfer, utilize and protect difficult to imitate knowledge assets” (p. 125). Nonaka, Toyama, and Konno (2001) claim that continuously creating knowledge is the reason for a firm’s existence, noting widespread acceptance of the view that the ability to create and utilize knowledge is the most important source of a firm’s sustainable competitive advantage. More recently, Simsek (2003), taking a knowledge-based view of the firm, has argued that firms with superior knowledge systems are better able to identify, take advantage of, and create information asymmetries in their competitive environments. Simsek’s study found that knowledge-based capabilities were associated with more entrepreneurial activity, which was in turn related to higher levels of firm performance. Interest in how knowledge affects organizational performance has also turned to a consideration of the role communities of practice play in increasing the knowledge-based capabilities of organizations. Brown and Duguid (2001), exploring contradictions associated with the tendency for knowledge to leak across organizational boundaries, focus on practice as the key to understanding the communities that connect professionals in their shared development of knowledge. They note: ...what individuals learn always and inevitably reflects the social context in which they learn it and in which they put it into practice. When learning a job is at issue, this context usually includes the firm as a whole, immediate colleagues, and the relevant discipline or profession (as well as idiosyncratic external social forces bearing on each individual). (p. 200)


Author(s):  
Florea Nicoleta Valentina

Knowledge management is a new term specific for the new Knowledge Economy, where continuous change is every step and imposes developing knowledge of employees in order to satisfy stakeholders needs and to obtain long-term performance. This chapter will analyse the role of tacit knowledge in obtaining performance and the knowledge processes implemented to achieve its objectives: knowledge acquering, mapping and sharing in order to grow knowledge and knowledge flows. The author presents a simulation model used to analyse the present stock of tacit knowledge and to predict future knowledge for the future activities. It is also developed a relationship-based Knowledge Matrix offering organizations new opportunities for gaining new knowledge. This can be made by implementing models of inter and intra-departmental or inter-organizational knowledge exchange to help organizations find the right employee for the right job, and to identify the right knowledge at the right time and cost.


Author(s):  
Vijayalakchimi Subramaniam ◽  
Shankar Chelliah

In a volatile business environment and a global landscape, knowledge creation capability plays an important role in ensuring that MNC subsidiaries stay competitive. In this respect, knowledge inflows from different parts of the MNC knowledge network are vital to a subsidiary's capability to create new knowledge. Briefly, knowledge creation capability refers to the successful implementation of creative ideas within an organization. However, innovation-based competitiveness always starts with creativity that is rooted in individual workers in an organization. The human capital of the organization, therefore, is considered to be one of the main sources of knowledge-based competitive advantage. Therefore, besides knowledge inflows from the MNC network, subsidiaries also need human capital to allow for knowledge flows to be utilized creatively in order to remain competitive.


2014 ◽  
Vol 1 (1) ◽  
pp. 227-232
Author(s):  
Ioan Moise Achim ◽  
Teodora Popescu ◽  
Manuella Kadar

AbstractThe aim of this paper is to offer an insight into innovation management in the knowledge-based society. It sets off by explaining the concept of knowledge-based society and why it bears relevance for the modern world. Next, innovation and related concepts are introduced. Furthermore, a presentation of National Innovation Systems (NIS) is made, their history and role in the understanding of a systemic approach to research, development and innovation at both national and global level. Next, the OECD main guidelines for the elaboration of national innovation policies are presented. Last but not least, an analysis of the current situation of research and innovation in Romania is also included.


2020 ◽  
Vol 961 (7) ◽  
pp. 27-36
Author(s):  
A.K. Cherkashin

The purpose of the study is to show how the features of geocartographic way of thinking are manifested in the meta-theory of knowledge based on mathematical formalisms. General cartographic concepts and regularities are considered in the view of metatheoretic analysis using cognitive procedures of fiber bundle from differential geometry. On levels of metainformation generalization, the geocartographic metatheoretic approach to the study of reality is higher than the system-theoretical one. It regulates the type of equations, models, and methods of each intertheory expressed in its own system terms. There is a balance between the state of any system and its geographical environment; therefore the observed phenomena are only explained theoretically in a metatheoretic projection on the corresponding system-thematic layer of the knowledge map. Metatheoretic research enables passing from the systematization of already known patterns to the formation of new knowledge through the scientific stratification of reality. General methods of metatheoretic analysis are mathematically distinguished


2021 ◽  
Vol 27 (1) ◽  
pp. 20-29
Author(s):  
Lisa Whiting ◽  
Mark Whiting ◽  
Julia Petty ◽  
Michele O'Grady

Background: An 8-month rotation programme was implemented for five nurses employed in two kinds of children's palliative care environments: hospital wards and hospices. This study reports the views of the nurses completing the rotation. The research drew on appreciative inquiry and involved a pre- and post-rotation interview and questionnaire. Thematic analysis of the interviews revealed seven themes: adjusting to the rotation programme; support mechanisms; being safe; new knowledge and skills; knowledge exchange; misconceptions; future plans. These were supported by the questionnaire findings. Although the nurses identified some frustration at having to undertake competency assessments relating to previously acquired skills, as well as being out of their ‘comfort zone’, all the participants highly recommended the programme. They commented very positively on the support they received and the overall learning experience as well as the new insight into different aspects of care. In addition, they were able to share their newfound knowledge and expertise with others.


Catalysts ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (4) ◽  
pp. 412
Author(s):  
Mirosław K. Szukiewicz ◽  
Krzysztof Kaczmarski

A dynamic model of the hydrogenation of benzene to cyclohexane reaction in a real-life industrial reactor is elaborated. Transformations of the model leading to satisfactory results are presented and discussed. Operating conditions accepted in the simulations are identical to those observed in the chemical plant. Under those conditions, some components of the reaction mixture vanish, and the diffusion coefficients of the components vary along the reactor (they are strongly concentration-dependent). We came up with a final reactor model predicting with reasonable accuracy the reaction mixture’s outlet composition and temperature profile throughout the process. Additionally, the model enables the anticipation of catalyst activity and the remaining deactivated catalyst lifetime. Conclusions concerning reactor operation conditions resulting from the simulations are presented as well. Since the model provides deep insight into the process of simulating, it allows us to make knowledge-based decisions. It should be pointed out that improvements in the process run, related to operating conditions, or catalyst application, or both on account of the high scale of the process and its expected growth, will remarkably influence both the profits and environmental protection.


2019 ◽  
Vol 29 (4) ◽  
pp. 329-346 ◽  
Author(s):  
Cigdem Baskici

Purpose Although there have been a considerable number of studies regarding subsidiary role typology in multinationals’ management literature, there appear to be few studies that consider knowledge-based role typology from the network-based perspective. The purpose of this study is to fill this gap and extend the study of Gupta and Govindarajan (1991). Thus, the study focuses on answering the following research question: Do subsidiaries have different roles in terms of knowledge flows within a multinational company (MNC)? Design/methodology/approach This empirical study has been carried out as an explorative single case study. An MNC with 15 foreign subsidiaries headquartered in Turkey, which operated in the manufacturing of household appliances and consumer electronics, has been selected as the case. Knowledge transfer is analyzed in this MNC from the network perspective. Findings Four role typologies are detected for subsidiaries of the MNC: collector transmitter, collector diffuser, converter transmitter and converter diffuser. Research limitations/implications Findings of this study are specific to this case. Testing the findings in a sample consisting of subsidiaries of MNCs producing transnational products may contribute to the generalizability of these roles. Practical implications This study offers potentially important findings for MNC managers to use. First, in this study, knowledge flows' route could be defined within MNCs’ dual network. Second, role typologies could inform MNC managers to design their MNCs’ knowledge network. Originality/value The suggested typologies are expected to more accurately define the roles of subsidiaries within contemporary MNCs which are accepted to be transformed from hierarchical structures to network-based organizations.


Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document