Outsourcing in Knowledge-Based Service Firms

This paper reports on empirical work recently conducted on outsourcing among knowledge-based and other service firms in Iceland. The results show that knowledge-based firms outsource on a larger scale and more human resource functions than other service firms. However, they do not have a more strategic vision towards outsourcing, nor do they outsource more low knowledge-based activities than other firms. The study gives support to the resource-based view of the firm, and is in line with former studies of knowledge-based firms. The firms in the survey tend to keep their core competencies and employees in-house, and at the same time they outsource other functions that they consider non-core, such as peripheral and administrative tasks, or IT that requires technical specialization. The more innovative firms rely on outsourcing from best in class suppliers regarding training and counselling. The contribution of this study to the theory of outsourcing is that the non-routine tacit knowledge base related to firms’ core competencies is not limited to knowledge-based firms, but to a large portion of service firms as well.

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Outsourcing in Knowledge-Based Service Firms

Human Resources Management ◽

10.4018/978-1-4666-1601-1.ch041 ◽

2012 ◽

pp. 658-674

Author(s):

Ingi Runar Edvardsson ◽

Gudmundur Kristjan Oskarsson

Keyword(s):

Knowledge Base ◽

Tacit Knowledge ◽

Human Resource ◽

Core Competencies ◽

Empirical Work ◽

Service Firms ◽

Resource Based View ◽

Strategic Vision ◽

Knowledge Based ◽

Administrative Tasks

This paper reports on empirical work recently conducted on outsourcing among knowledge-based and other service firms in Iceland. The results show that knowledge-based firms outsource on a larger scale and more human resource functions than other service firms. However, they do not have a more strategic vision towards outsourcing, nor do they outsource more low knowledge-based activities than other firms. The study gives support to the resource-based view of the firm, and is in line with former studies of knowledge-based firms. The firms in the survey tend to keep their core competencies and employees in-house, and at the same time they outsource other functions that they consider non-core, such as peripheral and administrative tasks, or IT that requires technical specialization. The more innovative firms rely on outsourcing from best in class suppliers regarding training and counselling. The contribution of this study to the theory of outsourcing is that the non-routine tacit knowledge base related to firms’ core competencies is not limited to knowledge-based firms, but to a large portion of service firms as well.

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Sustainable Human Resource Management and Organisational Performance: An Integrating Theoretical Framework for Future Research

Small Business International Review ◽

10.26784/sbir.v4i2.281 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 4 (2) ◽

pp. e281

Author(s):

Lucía Muñoz-Pascual ◽

Jesús Galende

Keyword(s):

Resource Management ◽

Human Resource Management ◽

Organizational Performance ◽

Human Resource ◽

Dynamic Capabilities ◽

Future Research ◽

Organisational Performance ◽

Resource Based View ◽

Knowledge Based

This paper identifies and analyses six relevant approaches for the analysis of Sustainable Human Resource Management and Organizational Performance: Resource-Based View, Dynamic Capabilities View, Knowledge-Based View, Behavioral Theory, Human Relations Theory, and Cooperative Systems and Ambidextrous Organizations. They are complementarity approaches. They can all be applied to the analysis of a specific resource or capability for sustainable human resource management (HRM) and, consequently, organisational performance. However, the contributions made by the Resource-Based View and the new approach of Ambidextrous Organizations seem to be the most comprehensive approaches for studying sustainable HRM from an internal perspective of firms that allows the long-term development of their organizational and society performance.

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Strategic Tacit Knowledge-Based Competitiveness

Global Business Expansion ◽

10.4018/978-1-5225-5481-3.ch032 ◽

2018 ◽

pp. 699-724

Author(s):

Khaled Tamzini

Keyword(s):

Competitive Advantage ◽

Tacit Knowledge ◽

Academic Research ◽

Empirical Method ◽

Superior Performance ◽

Sustainable Competitive Advantage ◽

Resource Based View ◽

Knowledge Based ◽

Internal Sources ◽

And Performance

By using the resource-based view as a theoretical framework, the purpose of this chapter is to explain the internal sources of competitiveness in Tunisian firms operating in the industry of Information Communication and Technology (ICT). In other words, how do firms within this industry build their competitive advantage and performance? Based on the results of the academic research undertaken in 2012 on a sample of 209 Tunisian ICT firms, the author explains how strategic tacit knowledge (seen as strategic resource) allows the firms to gain a sustainable competitive advantage and superior performance. In addition, it provides researchers with an empirical method to operationalize tacit knowledge appropriately, as well as competitive advantage and performance. It also focuses on the exploration of the relationship between these three variables, demonstrating that competitive advantage mediates the impact of tacit knowledge on performance. Finally, this chapter is considered an attempt to respond to criticism formulated against the resource-based view.

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Strategic Tacit Knowledge-Based Competitiveness

Knowledge Management for Competitive Advantage During Economic Crisis - Advances in Business Strategy and Competitive Advantage ◽

10.4018/978-1-4666-6457-9.ch009 ◽

2015 ◽

pp. 140-163 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Khaled Tamzini

Keyword(s):

Competitive Advantage ◽

Tacit Knowledge ◽

Academic Research ◽

Empirical Method ◽

Superior Performance ◽

Sustainable Competitive Advantage ◽

Resource Based View ◽

Knowledge Based ◽

Internal Sources ◽

And Performance

By using the resource-based view as a theoretical framework, the purpose of this chapter is to explain the internal sources of competitiveness in Tunisian firms operating in the industry of Information Communication and Technology (ICT). In other words, how do firms within this industry build their competitive advantage and performance? Based on the results of the academic research undertaken in 2012 on a sample of 209 Tunisian ICT firms, the author explains how strategic tacit knowledge (seen as strategic resource) allows the firms to gain a sustainable competitive advantage and superior performance. In addition, it provides researchers with an empirical method to operationalize tacit knowledge appropriately, as well as competitive advantage and performance. It also focuses on the exploration of the relationship between these three variables, demonstrating that competitive advantage mediates the impact of tacit knowledge on performance. Finally, this chapter is considered an attempt to respond to criticism formulated against the resource-based view.

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Why Not Knowledge-Based HRM? Its Direct and Indirect Effect on Innovative Service Offerings

SAGE Open ◽

10.1177/2158244020983003 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 10 (4) ◽

pp. 215824402098300

Author(s):

Norwan Ahmad ◽

Ng Siew Imm ◽

Yuhanis Abdul Aziz ◽

Norazlyn Kamal Basha

Keyword(s):

Resource Management ◽

Human Resource Management ◽

Human Resource ◽

Dynamic Capabilities ◽

Management Practices ◽

Business Service ◽

Marketing Capability ◽

Cross Sectional Survey ◽

Knowledge Based ◽

Human Resource Management Practices

This article is aimed at examining the effect, direct and indirect, of knowledge-based human resource management on innovative offerings of service small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). Knowledge-based human resource management essentially reflects the central role played by the embedded knowledge-centric human resource management practices, which may lead to new or improved services. A cross-sectional survey was implemented involving a sample of 278 business service SMEs from Malaysia and indicated two key findings from the study. First, knowledge-based human resource management was found to positively influence innovative service offerings. Second, dynamic capability in the aspects of entrepreneurial orientation, marketing capability, and technological capability were found to mediate the knowledge-based human resource management–innovative service offerings relationship. This study espouses the potentials of creating innovative service offerings among business service SMEs through embedding knowledge perspective in human resource management practices as well as investment in dynamic capabilities.

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Conceptual Structure of Lodging-Context Studies: 1990-2016

Journal of Hospitality & Tourism Research ◽

10.1177/1096348018823912 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 43 (4) ◽

pp. 573-594 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Mehmet Ali Köseoglu ◽

Fevzi Okumus ◽

Eka Diraksa Putra ◽

Mehmet Yildiz ◽

Ismail Cagri Dogan

Keyword(s):

Human Resource Management ◽

Human Resource ◽

Conceptual Structure ◽

Early Growth ◽

Network Density ◽

Future Research ◽

Economic Activities ◽

Knowledge Domain ◽

Resource Based View ◽

Network Analyses

The purpose of this article is to analyze the conceptual structure of lodging-context research. In this regard, 2,632 articles published between 1990 and 2016 were analyzed utilizing network analyses. We find that the knowledge domain of lodging has been expanding, with greater focus on the business and economic activities of hotels. As the network density is low, lodging as a field is at a relatively early growth level and it is open for multidisciplinary collaborations. Articles related to strategy, marketing, and human resource management are relatively mature and well developed. However, some areas such as resource-based view, and cruise business still remain undeveloped and immature. Moreover, as one of the first studies in this field, this work provides an inclusive evaluation of the results, limitations, and suggestions for future research.

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Tacit knowledge transfer in coopetition

Journal of Strategy and Management ◽

10.1108/jsma-07-2016-0047 ◽

2017 ◽

Vol 10 (4) ◽

pp. 453-468 ◽

Cited By ~ 4

Author(s):

Amit Kumar ◽

Swarup Kumar Dutta

Keyword(s):

Knowledge Transfer ◽

Tacit Knowledge ◽

Least Square ◽

Service Firms ◽

Content Type ◽

Ordinary Least Square ◽

Tacit Knowledge Transfer ◽

Potential Benefits ◽

Ordinary Least Square Regression ◽

Empirical Context

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to understand how firms affiliated to business groups (BGs) are able to improve their innovation capability (IC) when engaged in coopetition (collaboration between competing firms). This study aims to explore the relationship between coopetitive relationship strength (CRS), the extent of tacit knowledge transfer (TKT) and IC as well as examine the moderating effect of both BG affiliation and coopetitive experience. Design/methodology/approach The paper examines inter-firm relationships within the empirical context of Indian manufacturing and service firms, by adopting (ordinary least square) regression analysis to test the various hypotheses. The central thesis is that the TKT in coopetition constitutes an important driver to the IC. Findings The paper provides some evidence that inter-firm CRS influences the extent of TKT, and the extent of TKT affects firm IC. The results support that firms in coopetition gain more if their coopetitive partner has a BG affiliation. In absence of a BG affiliation of any of the coopetitive partners, the buildup of TKT reduces as CRS is increased. Research limitations/implications Additional large-sample of data may attempt to validate relationships. The study, however, did not consider all enablers that are critical for TKT. Despite these limitations, analysis provides important and novel perspectives. Practical implications The paper contributes to develop executives’ practices in understanding potential benefits of coopetitive relationship. The implications of this research are important for managers seeking understanding of the management of coopetition. Originality/value The paper makes a modest attempt to investigate the various scenarios of the presence or absence of the moderation of BGs and its impact on CRS in the buildup of TKT. This is the first attempt to link coopetition to the TKT in the BG literature. This study also contributes to our understanding of coopetition in a non-western context.

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