IS Support for Knowledge Management and Firm Performance

Author(s):  
Michael J. Zhang

While a great deal has been written about how information systems (IS) can be deployed to facilitate knowledge management for performance improvements, there is little empirical evidence suggesting such IS deployment can actually improve a firm’s bottom-line performance. This study attempted to assess the impacts of IS support for two key knowledge management activities (knowledge generation and knowledge transfer) on labor productivity and profitability with both survey and archival data. The potential moderating effects of firm-specific, complementary organizational resources on the performance impacts of the IS support were also examined and tested. The results showed that IS support for knowledge generation and IS support for knowledge transfer both had direct positive effects on labor productivity. Coupled with firm-specific, complementary organizational resources, both types of IS support exerted positive effects on profitability.

Author(s):  
Jean-Louis Ermine

Population ageing is a phenomenon that is quite new and irreversible in the history of mankind. Every country and every organisation is concerned while it is not certain that all the risks and challenges have been clearly identified. Clearly, there is a risk of massive knowledge loss, i.e., “Knowledge Crash”, due to massive retirements, but not exclusively for this reason. This risk is not evaluated at the right level, and in this regard, this article, by including the problem of “Knowledge Crash” in the more general framework of “Knowledge Management”, enlarges the concepts of knowledge, generation, and knowledge transfer. The author proposes a global approach, starting from a strategic analysis of a knowledge capital and ending in the implementation of socio-technical devices for inter-generational knowledge transfer.


2010 ◽  
Vol 1 (4) ◽  
pp. 79-95 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jean-Louis Ermine

Population ageing is a phenomenon that is quite new and irreversible in the history of mankind. Every country and every organisation is concerned while it is not certain that all the risks and challenges have been clearly identified. Clearly, there is a risk of massive knowledge loss, i.e., “Knowledge Crash”, due to massive retirements, but not exclusively for this reason. This risk is not evaluated at the right level, and in this regard, this article, by including the problem of “Knowledge Crash” in the more general framework of “Knowledge Management”, enlarges the concepts of knowledge, generation, and knowledge transfer. The author proposes a global approach, starting from a strategic analysis of a knowledge capital and ending in the implementation of socio-technical devices for inter-generational knowledge transfer.


2015 ◽  
Vol 28 (3) ◽  
pp. 486-503 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hao Shen ◽  
Ziye Li ◽  
Xiuyun Yang

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to address important but unresolved questions regarding how different knowledge transfer processes and characteristics affect knowledge transfer effectiveness (KTE). This study, which draws on an integrative knowledge management framework, forces us to reconsider successful knowledge transfer within organizations. Design/methodology/approach – The data for this study were obtained through an interview survey of 117 firms in China. The questionnaire was adapted from several previous studies on processes, characteristics, and effectiveness of knowledge transfer. A regression method was conducted to test all hypotheses. Findings – The findings show that both structured and unstructured knowledge processes has positive effects on KTE. Furthermore, knowledge embeddedness and articulability differently moderate the relationship between transfer processes and effectiveness. Originality/value – The paper contributes to knowledge management theory by providing an integrative framework on how organizations can facilitate KTE by conducting appropriate transfer processes aligned with differentiated knowledge characteristics. Further, this study investigates the “fit” between knowledge transfer processes and characteristics.


Author(s):  
Dr. Monther Qasem Shboul

The study aimed to identify the degree of applying processes of knowledge management at colleges of educational sciences in private Jordanian universities in the Capital Governorate from the perspective of faculty members, and the effect of gender, academic rank and experience variables on the degree of application. To achieve this, the analytical descriptive survey method was used, and a questionnaire was developed and included (25) items, covering three dimensions: knowledge generation, knowledge storage, knowledge transfer, and knowledge application. The questionnaire was distributed to as ample of (77) faculty members in the college of educational sciences in private universities in the capital governorate (Al-Zaytouna, the Middle East, Al-Isra and Petra) during the academic year 2018/2019. The results showed that the degree of application of knowledge management processes by colleges in the field of knowledge generation and knowledge transfer were medium (2.07) and (1.91), while the degree of application in the two fields of knowledge application and knowledge generation was low with means of (1.64) and (1.40). Results also showed that there were no statistically significant differences at (α<0.05) on all domains of knowledge management attributed to the variable of sex. There were statistically significant differences at (α<05.0) for the domains of knowledge management processes, all attributable to the variable of academic rank. However, there were no statistically significant differences at (α<05.0) in the degree of applying knowledge management processes among faculty members attributed to the variable of experience in all majors. It can be concluded that the degree of applying knowledge management processes at Colleges of Educational Sciences in private Jordanian universities in the Capital Governorate varied between medium and low. Therefore, the study recommended that knowledge management processes be adopted by Jordanian private universities in the Capital Governorate.


2018 ◽  
Vol 7 (2.29) ◽  
pp. 980
Author(s):  
Amran Alias ◽  
Hood Salleh ◽  
Shaharuddin Mohamad Ismail ◽  
Sarah Aziz Abdul Ghani Aziz ◽  
Mohd Suhaidi Salleh ◽  
...  

Traditional knowledge related to medicinal plants of the indigenous people are indeed a useful asset for the community. The knowledge that had been traditionally inherited from their ancestors is an integral part of their survival as they live symbiotically with the forests. While many researches and literatures are focusing on documenting and recording these knowledge, not much has been researched in understanding the holistic process of the knowledge management particularly at the indigenous community level. This paper provides an attempt to reveal empirical findings about the management and use of medicinal plants in ailment healing rituals. In order to enable a holistic view of the management of knowledge at the study site, the main question asked was what happened during the four processes of knowledge management namely knowledge generation, knowledge codification, knowledge utilization and knowledge transfer. Using the Batek community of Kuala Koh, Gua Musang, in the state of Kelantan as a case study, ethnographic methods of individual and group interviews, observations and participants observations as well as document analysis, were employed to gather the data from the study site and the grounded theory approach was used for data analysis to enable the emergence of the themes to understand the phenomena at the study site. The study, conducted from 2014-2016, involved prolonged stays with the community. The findings revealed that there was an ‘undocumented means of knowledge generation with potential loss of traditional knowledge’, while there was a non-codified knowledge being practiced in the community and widespread inability of basic reading and writing skills among younger generation. In addition, there was a high level of traditional knowledge utilisation in the community but some procedures such as ritual practices have been simplified while there was a complete absence of documentation of traditional knowledge by members of the community that might weaken knowledge transfer. 


2018 ◽  
Vol 17 (04) ◽  
pp. 1850042
Author(s):  
Leif Jarle Gressgård ◽  
Torstein Nesheim

Knowledge is regarded as an important source of competitive advantage in modern organisations, and the use of knowledge exchange systems to facilitate the storage, transfer, and reuse of existing knowledge has become common. Solutions beyond the technology are, however, important for the efficiency of such systems, and thus their ability to improve work performance. Based on the survey data collected from a large petroleum operator company and eight of its main contractors, this paper examines how work characteristics and job design affect the extent to which the use of knowledge exchange systems leads to work performance improvements. We find that behaviour formalisation, work autonomy, and changing/new work demands are significant moderators of this relationship. The study contributes to the theory and practice of knowledge management in general, and the use of knowledge exchange systems specifically.


2020 ◽  
pp. 98-114
Author(s):  
Evguenia V. Bessonova ◽  
Alexander G. Morozov ◽  
Natalia A. Turdyeva ◽  
Anna N. Tsvetkova

The paper considers necessary conditions for acceleration of labor productivity growth in Russia. Based on micro data, as well as aggregate data, the paper quantifies the contribution of small and medium firms to labor productivity growth. It shows that mere increase of the number of small and medium enterprises is not as important for positive effects of these programs, as qualitative improvements: development of favorable environment for growth, which is largely determined by business climate. Accelerating productivity growth involves redistribution of labor and capital from inefficient to efficient enterprises. In particular, it is necessary to create conditions, which allow a firm to grow after it enters the market instead of stagnating as a small firm with low efficiency. At the same time, it is necessary for ineffective firms, which exhausted their growth potential, to have an opportunity to exit the market easily leaving resources including labor to fast-growing companies.


Author(s):  
R.S.S. Nehru

Corporate Social Responsibility is the continuing commitment by business to behave ethically and contribute to economic development while improving the quality of life of the workforce and their families as well as of the local community and society at large” According to World Business Council for Sustainable Development, In globalization era education plays a crucial role in building the society and Nation. India is the highest country in a number of universities which constitute more than seven hundred universities, including private, public and semi sectors. Despite India have more institutions and strategies for education still Indian education is not competitive and performing infancy stage as compared to world class level. Education has pivotal role in nation building and molding superb wings of human recourse. In globalized economy and the privatization the education have been transformed into rural or root level of sustainable development in all sorts of human life. Adopting a businesslike approach which emphasizes a strategic CSR is important to survival in this increasingly competitive arena. It does not appear as a surprise to see universities and colleges discover the opportunity to move the focus beyond the classrooms into their own institutional operations. Universities, colleges and schools are the centers of knowledge generation and sharing perform a very important role in addressing the Triple Bottom Line of the world’ socioeconomic and environmental issues by promoting sustainable solutions. This paper discusses the good CSR practices and some suggestions that can boost up the CSR management and make invites on education sector.


2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (2) ◽  
pp. 579
Author(s):  
Caroline Reimann ◽  
Fernando Carvalho ◽  
Marcelo Duarte

The present investigation aims study the sustainability of the business model of the Portuguese SMEs operating in the B2B International market analyzing the influence of dynamic marketing capabilities and adaptive marketing capabilities in their international marketing performance. It will also analyze the moderating effects of Competitive Intensity within this international scenario. A quantitative study was developed, using a questionnaire as a research method. In total, 335 valid responses were collected from Portuguese SMEs in June 2020. To test the hypotheses, multiple hierarchical regressions were performed. As for the analyzes involving Competitive Intensity environments, namely low and high intensity, dummies were developed to evaluate the different effects produced by the capacities in the International Marketing Performance. This study shows the positive impact of the dynamic marketing capabilities and adaptive marketing capabilities on the international marketing performance of the surveyed companies, essentially from the product development management, supply chain management, vigilant market learning and open marketing. when in a low competitive intensity environment only dynamic marketing capabilities had a positive effect on performance, but in a high, competitive, intensity environment both dynamic marketing capabilities and adaptive marketing capabilities showed positive effects in relation to performance. This study innovates by bringing international marketing, through two marketing capacities, from the perspective of SMEs that perform B2B activities.


2015 ◽  
Vol 19 (3) ◽  
pp. 433-455 ◽  
Author(s):  
Christina Ling-hsing Chang ◽  
Tung-Ching Lin

Purpose – The purpose of the study is to focus on the enhancement of knowledge management (KM) performance and the relationship between organizational culture and KM process intention of individuals because of the diversity of organizational cultures (which include results-oriented, tightly controlled, job-oriented, closed system and professional-oriented cultures). Knowledge is a primary resource in organizations. If firms are able to effectively manage their knowledge resources, then a wide range of benefits can be reaped such as improved corporate efficiency, effectiveness, innovation and customer service. Design/methodology/approach – The survey methodology, which has the ability to enhance generalization of results (Dooley, 2001), was used to collect the data utilized in the testing of the research hypotheses. Findings – Results- and job-oriented cultures have positive effects on employee intention in the KM process (creation, storage, transfer and application), whereas a tightly controlled culture has negative effects. Research limitations/implications – However, it would have been better to use a longitudinal study to collect useful long-term data to understand how the KM process would be influenced when organizational culture dimensions are changed through/by management. This is the first limitation of this study. According to Mason and Pauleen (2003), KM culture is a powerful predictor of individual knowledge-sharing behavior, which is not included in this study. Thus, this is the second limitation of this paper. Moreover, national culture could be an important issue in the KM process (Jacks et al., 2012), which is the third limitation of this paper for not comprising it. Practical implications – In researchers’ point of view, results- and job-oriented cultures have positive effects, whereas a tightly controlled culture has a negative effect on the KM process intention of the individual. These findings provide evidences that challenge the perspective of Kayworth and Leidner (2003) on this issue. As for practitioners, management has a direction to modify their organizational culture to improve the performance of KM process. Social implications – Both behavioral and value perspectives of the organizational cultural dimensions (results-oriented, tightly control, job-oriented, sociability, solidarity, need for achievement and democracy) should be examined to ascertain their effects firstly on KM culture and then on the KM process intention of the individual. It is hoped that the current study will spawn future investigations that lead to the development of an integrated model which includes organizational culture, KM culture and the KM process intention of the individual. Originality/value – The results-oriented, loosely controlled and job-oriented cultures will improve the effectiveness of the KM process and will also increase employees’ satisfaction and willingness to stay with the organization.


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