Conceptual Theory

Author(s):  
Meir Russ ◽  
Robert Fineman ◽  
Jeannette K. Jones

This chapter will provide the reader with two definitions of knowledge, one at the individual level, the other at the organizational level. This will be followed by connecting the knowledge base of the organization to its sustainable competitive advantage by using a multiple-layer framework of organizational knowledge. Then, the chapter will discuss the frameworks of knowledge management vision, mission and goals for the organization. Temporary and functional gap analysis frameworks will follow. The chapter will end with a brief description of three tools developed by the authors.

Author(s):  
Jurema Suely de Araújo Nery Ribeiro ◽  
MARCO ANTÔNIO CALIJORNE SOARES ◽  
Paulo Henrique Jurza Abranches ◽  
Fabricio Ziviani

Organizations while seeking to establish higher standards of performance and sustainable competitive advantage have been stimulating a critical reflection about the factors that affect the performance of the individual and of the organizations. Knowledge became one of the main organizational competitive factors and knowledge management could contribute as a enhancer of organizational results. This paper aims to demonstrate the importance os knowledge management practices as a promoter of sustainable competitive advantage, considering its influence in the organizational context. For this, this theoretical paper has realized a brief literature revision in the knowledge management and sustainable competitive advantage fields, presenting concepts and approaches, in order to understand the interaction of these constructs with competence and innovations constructs. The results signalized that the comprehension of the relations between competences and innovation, anchored by knowledge management, is the assurance of the adequate conduction of the mechanisms through the competitive advantage could be sustained. For demonstrating this, it was proposer a systematized model to knowledge management and competitive advantage, structured with competence and innovation constructs. .


Author(s):  
Shahnawaz Muhammed ◽  
William J. Doll ◽  
Xiaodong Deng

Success of organizational level knowledge management initiatives depends on how effectively individuals implementing these initiatives use their knowledge to bring about outcomes that add value in their work. To facilitate assessment of individual level outcomes in the knowledge management context, this research provides a model of interrelationships among individual level knowledge management success measures which include conceptual knowledge, contextual knowledge, operational knowledge, innovation, and performance. The model was tested using structural equation modeling based on data collected from managerial and professional knowledge workers. The results suggest that conceptual knowledge enhances operational and contextual knowledge. Contextual knowledge improves operational knowledge and is also a key predictor of innovations. The innovativeness of an individual’s work along with operational knowledge enhances work performance. The results support the proposed model. This model can potentially be used for measuring knowledge management success at the individual level.


Organizational knowledge is a conceptual construct that reflects the convergence of all individual knowledge fields in an organization. That means all explicit and tacit knowledge fields, or changing the paradigm all cognitive, emotional, and spiritual individual fields of knowledge. The result of this integration process is performed in interactive and iterative modes by organizational integrators. Although there are many debates concerning the building up of organizational knowledge from the individual fields, the practice demonstrates that such a dynamic does exist and it encompass knowledge transfer processes from individuals to groups, and from groups to the whole organization. It is a synchronization between individual knowledge fields and the organizational knowledge along the ontological dimension. Organizational knowledge became a strategic resource in the last decades of business development and intelligent managers can transform it into a sustainable competitive advantage for the organization.


Author(s):  
Irina Atkova ◽  
Marika Tuomela-Pyykkönen

This chapter introduces knowledge management as a means to analyse the process of knowledge sharing in organisations, specifically knowledge-sharing barriers faced by companies in procurement on the level of an individual employee, as well as at the level of an organisation. It argues that at the individual level knowledge sharing process is frequently hoarded by internal resistance, lack of trust, insufficient motivation, gap in awareness and knowledge, and at the organizational level, by bureaucracy and hierarchy, paradigm incoherency, lack or organisational reciprocity, absence of common legitimate language, organisational and national cultures, competition between the business units and departments, poor communication infrastructure, and localization. The chapter does not aspire to provide a complete list of the knowledge-sharing barriers faced by the companies within procurement but instead to draw attention to the complexity and problematic of the knowledge-transfer process. Awareness of the potential knowledge-sharing barriers allows the managers and companies to proactively respond to these challenges and develop solutions for a specific organisation.


2018 ◽  
Vol 10 (10) ◽  
pp. 3816 ◽  
Author(s):  
M. Akram ◽  
M. Goraya ◽  
Aneela Malik ◽  
Amer Aljarallah

This study explores the effects of organizational information technology (IT) capability in determining organizational performance and sustainable competitive advantage. Building on the resource-based and knowledge-based views of a firm, the study proposes a theoretical framework. In this framework, organizational IT capability is theorized to strengthen organizational performance and sustainable competitive advantage, directly and indirectly, through organizational knowledge management capabilities. Data collected from the middle and senior managers of diverse organizations in an emerging economy have been used to test the relationships in the framework. To estimate the proposed relationships in the conceptual model, we use structural equation modeling through SmartPLS 3.2. The results confirm that organizational IT capability significantly impacts organizational performance and sustainable competitive advantage. Additionally, organizational knowledge management capabilities partially mediate the relationship between IT capability and the outcomes (i.e., organizational performance and sustainable competitive advantage). The study concludes with a discussion of the implications for academicians and managers.


2016 ◽  
pp. 1684-1701
Author(s):  
Irina Atkova ◽  
Marika Tuomela-Pyykkönen

This chapter introduces knowledge management as a means to analyse the process of knowledge sharing in organisations, specifically knowledge-sharing barriers faced by companies in procurement on the level of an individual employee, as well as at the level of an organisation. It argues that at the individual level knowledge sharing process is frequently hoarded by internal resistance, lack of trust, insufficient motivation, gap in awareness and knowledge, and at the organizational level, by bureaucracy and hierarchy, paradigm incoherency, lack or organisational reciprocity, absence of common legitimate language, organisational and national cultures, competition between the business units and departments, poor communication infrastructure, and localization. The chapter does not aspire to provide a complete list of the knowledge-sharing barriers faced by the companies within procurement but instead to draw attention to the complexity and problematic of the knowledge-transfer process. Awareness of the potential knowledge-sharing barriers allows the managers and companies to proactively respond to these challenges and develop solutions for a specific organisation.


Author(s):  
Shahnawaz Muhammed ◽  
William J. Doll ◽  
Xiaodong Deng

Organizational level studies of knowledge management have been hampered by the lack of measures of individual level knowledge management practices and outcomes that can be used as success criteria to determine whether, or to what degree, specific organizational knowledge management practices enhance individual knowledge creation, sharing, and application at the individual level. This paper explores how the knowledge management practices of individuals are related to the task knowledge they use to complete their work processes. The measures presented can be used as one way to evaluate the success of organizational knowledge management practices. Specifically, the paper explores the individual practices of knowledge creation, knowledge sharing, and knowledge application and how these practices are related to the task knowledge (conceptual, contextual, and operational knowledge) of individuals. A model of the relationships among knowledge management practices and task knowledge components is proposed and tested. Structural equation modeling is used. Results suggest that engaging in knowledge creation enhances an individual’s task knowledge through the practices of sharing and applying knowledge. Knowledge sharing and application enhance operational knowledge indirectly through changes in conceptual and contextual knowledge.


2011 ◽  
Vol 7 (4) ◽  
pp. 1-21 ◽  
Author(s):  
Shahnawaz Muhammed ◽  
William J. Doll ◽  
Xiaodong Deng

Organizational level studies of knowledge management have been hampered by the lack of measures of individual level knowledge management practices and outcomes that can be used as success criteria to determine whether, or to what degree, specific organizational knowledge management practices enhance individual knowledge creation, sharing, and application at the individual level. This paper explores how the knowledge management practices of individuals are related to the task knowledge they use to complete their work processes. The measures presented can be used as one way to evaluate the success of organizational knowledge management practices. Specifically, the paper explores the individual practices of knowledge creation, knowledge sharing, and knowledge application and how these practices are related to the task knowledge (conceptual, contextual, and operational knowledge) of individuals. A model of the relationships among knowledge management practices and task knowledge components is proposed and tested. Structural equation modeling is used. Results suggest that engaging in knowledge creation enhances an individual’s task knowledge through the practices of sharing and applying knowledge. Knowledge sharing and application enhance operational knowledge indirectly through changes in conceptual and contextual knowledge.


2015 ◽  
Vol 19 (3) ◽  
pp. 456-475 ◽  
Author(s):  
Pratyush Bharati ◽  
Wei Zhang ◽  
Abhijit Chaudhury

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to explore social media’s impact on organizational knowledge quality through the theoretical lens of social capital and resource exchange. Design/methodology/approach – This is a theory-confirming, quantitative study using panel data collected through a Web-based survey. Findings – The results show that while social media affects structural capital and cognitive capital directly, it only affects relational capital indirectly through structural and cognitive capital. Moreover, overall social media and the enhanced social capital do help promote organizational efforts in knowledge management, which subsequently leads to a higher level of organizational knowledge quality. Research limitations/implications – All survey respondents were from the USA, which may limit the generalizability of the findings. The authors also call for more research in establishing the time sequence in the proposed causal relations and in the individual-level mechanism through which social media promotes organizational knowledge quality. Practical implications – This study highlights both the potential and limitations of social media in promoting organizational knowledge management. Businesses must consciously manage the assimilation and use of social media to benefit from them. Originality/value – The authors position the study at the intersection of social media, social capital and knowledge management and explicate how social media work through social capital and organizational knowledge management efforts to affect knowledge quality.


2021 ◽  
pp. 0095327X2098519
Author(s):  
Celeste Raver Luning ◽  
Prince A. Attoh ◽  
Tao Gong ◽  
James T. Fox

With the backdrop of the utility of grit at the individual level, speculation has begun to circulate that grit may exist as an organizational level phenomenon. To explore this potential construct, this study used an exploratory, qualitative research design. This study explored grit at the organizational level by interviewing leaders’ perceptions of what may be a culture of organizational grit. Participants included 14 U.S. military officers. Seven themes emerged relative to the research question: “What do U.S. military officers perceive as a culture of organizational grit?” Themes included professional pride, team unity, resilience-determination, mission accomplishment, core values, growth mindset, and deliberate practice. This study indicated that a culture of organizational grit is likely a combination of converging organizational elements. Overall, findings indicate that there may be a culture of organizational grit in the military and at the least, more research examining the concept is warranted.


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