Most recent papers:

• Knowledge transfer in international asymmetric alliances: the key role of translation, artifacts, and proximity.
  
  Journal of Knowledge Management. October 04, 2017
  Journal of Knowledge Management, Volume 21, Issue 5, Page 1272-1291, September 2017.
  Purpose The purpose of this paper is to analyze the issue of knowledge transfer in the context of international asymmetric alliances. The objective is mainly to identify the barriers that can impede the knowledge transfer between asymmetric partners and to analyze the solutions adopted to overcome these barriers. Design/methodology/approach The authors use a qualitative study involving six cases of asymmetric alliances between Tunisian small-and-medium enterprises (SMEs) and European multinational corporations (MNCs). Findings The results of this research highlight a set of obstacles related to the context of asymmetric alliance itself and the nature of knowledge transferred by partners. The study emphasizes the importance of translation using artefacts by both partners and proximity with its geographical, organizational and technological dimensions to overcome these obstacles. Research limitations/implications The investigation of knowledge transfer in asymmetric alliances was based on the role played by only three proximity dimensions (geographical, organizational and technological), while other factors, such as institutional, social and cultural issues, were not considered. Indeed, future research may take these variables into account in studying solutions to overcome knowledge-transfer barriers in asymmetric alliances. Practical implications The paper calls the attention of asymmetric alliance managers to the importance of translation to perform work processes, facilitate knowledge transfer and overcome linguistic barriers. Managers should use virtual artefacts to reduce the constraints resulting from their geographical remoteness and to strengthen cooperation. Further, reinforcing geographical, organizational and technological proximity between partners involved in an international alliance is essential to facilitate knowledge transfer, essentially of tacit knowledge, and to accelerate innovation. Originality/value This study emphasizes the importance of the simultaneous role of artefacts, translation and proximity in overcoming obstacles related to the asymmetric alliance itself and the nature of knowledge transferred by partners. The results shed light on the issue of knowledge generation in asymmetric alliances.

  October 04, 2017   doi: 10.1108/JKM-11-2016-0501   open full text
• An investigation of factors affecting knowledge sharing amongst UK academics.
  
  Journal of Knowledge Management. October 04, 2017
  Journal of Knowledge Management, Volume 21, Issue 5, Page 1254-1271, September 2017.
  Purpose The purpose of this paper is to construct and investigate relationships between knowledge-sharing factors, attitude and the intention to share of UK academics, as research on knowledge sharing in higher education is extremely sparse. Design/methodology/approach A research model and hypotheses were constructed from individual and organisational factors that were identified to affect knowledge sharing. Questionnaire data were obtained from 367 academics concerning their attitude and intention towards knowledge sharing. This was then used in a two-stage structural equation modelling approach where the measurement model was used for confirmatory factor analysis. The structural model was used to measure and test the hypothesised relationships. Findings Findings indicate that, in general, individual beliefs amongst academics were more influential on their knowledge-sharing attitudes than organisational culture. Furthermore, leadership was the most influential factor within the overall organisational culture whereas autonomy demonstrated the weakest relationship. Belief in the possibility of rewards through associations was found to be a highly significant individual factor. The relationship between attitude and intention was relatively weak although still statistically significant. Originality/value The research demonstrates that management should ensure that departmental leaders promote knowledge sharing and that valued rewards are linked to sharing within the department.

  October 04, 2017   doi: 10.1108/JKM-07-2016-0274   open full text
• Knowledge transfer from business schools to business organizations: the roles absorptive capacity, learning motivation, acquired knowledge and job autonomy.
  
  Journal of Knowledge Management. October 04, 2017
  Journal of Knowledge Management, Volume 21, Issue 5, Page 1240-1253, September 2017.
  Purpose The purpose of this paper is to investigate the impacts of absorptive capacity, learning motivation and acquired knowledge on knowledge transfer from business schools to business organizations, as it has been realized that in-service training business students can serve as a channel as well as a source in this type of knowledge transfer. The study also examines the mixed moderating role of job autonomy in the relationship between acquired knowledge and knowledge transfer. Design/methodology/approach A sample of 344 in-service training business students in Vietnam was surveyed to collect data. Confirmatory factor analysis was used to validate the measures, and structural equation modeling was used to test the hypotheses. Findings The findings reveal that absorptive capacity positively affects acquired knowledge but it does not have an effect on knowledge transfer. Learning motivation, however, has positive effects on both acquired knowledge and knowledge transfer. The findings also indicate that acquired knowledge is a determinant of knowledge transfer. Finally, job autonomy plays the role of a mixed moderator in the relationship between acquired knowledge and knowledge transfer. Practical implications This study signals the participating parties –business schools, business organizations and in-service training business students –that absorptive capacity, learning motivation, acquired knowledge and job autonomy are critical to the transfer of knowledge from business schools to business organizations. Originality/value This study contributes to the literature on university-to-industry knowledge transfer by providing empirical evidence for key determinants of knowledge transfer from business schools to business organizations through a new channel of knowledge transfer – in-service training business students.

  October 04, 2017   doi: 10.1108/JKM-08-2016-0349   open full text
• It is rotating leaders who build the swarm: social network determinants of growth for healthcare virtual communities of practice.
  
  Journal of Knowledge Management. October 04, 2017
  Journal of Knowledge Management, Volume 21, Issue 5, Page 1218-1239, September 2017.
  Purpose The purpose of this paper is to identify the factors influencing the growth of healthcare virtual communities of practice (VCoPs) through a seven-year longitudinal study conducted using metrics from social-network and semantic analysis. By studying online communication along the three dimensions of social interactions (connectivity, interactivity and language use), the authors aim to provide VCoP managers with valuable insights to improve the success of their communities. Design/methodology/approach Communications over a period of seven years (April 2008 to April 2015) and between 14,000 members of 16 different healthcare VCoPs coexisting on the same web platform were analysed. Multilevel regression models were used to reveal the main determinants of community growth over time. Independent variables were derived from social network and semantic analysis measures. Findings Results show that structural and content-based variables predict the growth of the community. Progressively, more people will join a community if its structure is more centralised, leaders are more dynamic (they rotate more) and the language used in the posts is less complex. Research limitations/implications The available data set included one Web platform and a limited number of control variables. To consolidate the findings of the present study, the experiment should be replicated on other healthcare VCoPs. Originality/value The study provides useful recommendations for setting up and nurturing the growth of professional communities, considering, at the same time, the interaction patterns among the community members, the dynamic evolution of these interactions and the use of language. New analytical tools are presented, together with the use of innovative interaction metrics, that can significantly influence community growth, such as rotating leadership.

  October 04, 2017   doi: 10.1108/JKM-11-2016-0504   open full text
• Resources and capabilities’ effects on firm performance: what are they?
  
  Journal of Knowledge Management. October 04, 2017
  Journal of Knowledge Management, Volume 21, Issue 5, Page 1202-1217, September 2017.
  Purpose The purpose of this paper is to empirically examine the moderating effect of competitive advantage on the resource value and rareness combination and firm performance. Design/methodology/approach The authors adopted a quantitative research method to achieve the aims of this study. The data collected came from a sample of footwear firms and the hypotheses assessed by multivariate analysis. Findings The findings provide insights into previously inconsistent findings regarding the exploitation of resources and capabilities and contribute to resolving these issues by considering the conditions under which the resource value and rareness combination contributes to firm performance levels and the effects of competitive advantage on this relationship. Interestingly, the authors find that it cannot be inferred that the rarer the resources and capabilities combination, the greater the probability of attaining competitive advantage. Research limitations/implications As limitations, the authors would highlight the fact that the results are specific to one particular industrial sector, and thus not susceptible to the drawing of generalisations as well as the fact that the study does not make recourse to triangulating its methodology (for example, through interviews), which would generate more precise, detailed and objective information. The findings have important managerial implications and the authors close by presenting future research directions. Originality/value This study offers an explanation for previous mixed findings on the relationship between the resource value and rareness combination and firm performance and makes a contribution regarding how such combinations are of great relevance to the organisation and business strategy to turn in better performance levels.

  October 04, 2017   doi: 10.1108/JKM-03-2017-0099   open full text
• Intellectual capital management and power mobilisation in a seaport.
  
  Journal of Knowledge Management. October 04, 2017
  Journal of Knowledge Management, Volume 21, Issue 5, Page 1183-1201, September 2017.
  Purpose The purpose of this paper is to discuss how the management of collective intellectual capital (CIC) occurs in a seaport through the actions of the network coordinator. Design/methodology/approach A case study was conducted in a seaport, focusing on the actions taken by a network coordinator – a port authority – to develop the seaport’s CIC. The seaport is conceptualised as a meta-organisation, composed by interdependent actors which may possess different interests and different levels of power. Findings Evidence suggests that the mobilisation of different dimensions of power, in both coercive and non-coercive ways, is needed to promote a higher level of collaboration. Indeed, by mobilising non-coercive dimensions of power, the network coordinator can foster a sense of community within the meta-organisation, grounded in a trust-based collective culture that can potentiate collaboration, and thus allow the attainment of a more “sustainable” type of CIC. Research limitations/implications Despite the validity of the interpretations provided by the case study, generalisation of this study should only be conducted in a theoretically framed manner. Practical implications The findings can provide network coordinators with a better understanding of the consequences of using different dimensions of power to leverage its intangible assets and enhance the meta-organisation’s performance. Originality/value The paper focus on the IC management of a specific type of meso-level unit, which possess some particular characteristics of its own: a seaport. Also, the paper aims to fill a gap in literature regarding the management of different dimensions of power and its effects over IC creation.

  October 04, 2017   doi: 10.1108/JKM-01-2017-0043   open full text
• The influence of knowledge absorptive capacity on shared value creation in social enterprises.
  
  Journal of Knowledge Management. October 04, 2017
  Journal of Knowledge Management, Volume 21, Issue 5, Page 1163-1182, September 2017.
  Purpose In downturns, social enterprises (SEs) arise as a resilience business model. The authors focus on knowledge absorptive capacity (KAC) as a key dynamic capability to create shared value (SHV). The purpose of this study is to analyze whether it exists a cause-effect relationship between KAC and SHV creation in SEs. Design/methodology/approach The research model relates KAC and SHV creation. SHV creation involves two components: economic value (EV) and social value (SV). The authors argue that KAC has a positive effect on EV and SV creation, considering SV as a mediator variable. The model is tested by means of PLS-SEM. Findings The results reveal the existence of a positive and significant relationship between KAC and SHV creation, as well as the mediating role of SV creation. Research limitations/implications The sample comprises 127 SEs from the Euro-Mediterranean region (euro-region comprising areas from France and Spain), it would be interesting to include other euro-regions in future research. Practical implications The authors confirm KAC as an important antecedent of SHV creation and also that SEs create EV by means of SV, pointing to the existence of direct and indirect effects. This way, confirming the existence of a mediating effect. Originality/value It points the importance of KAC in SEs, something that has not been addressed before by the literature. It also goes beyond performance by considering SHV creation as a measure of SEs’ outcomes, as well as the definition of the variable SHV including not only social related issues but also environmental (green) issues.

  October 04, 2017   doi: 10.1108/JKM-02-2017-0084   open full text
• Analyzing the relationship between exploration, exploitation and organizational innovation.
  
  Journal of Knowledge Management. October 04, 2017
  Journal of Knowledge Management, Volume 21, Issue 5, Page 1142-1162, September 2017.
  Purpose Although most of the literature supports the existence of a substitutive relationship between exploration and exploitation, some authors suggest that this relationship is complementary (ambidexterity), and others argue that there is no relationship. This paper aims to introduce organizational innovation into the analysis and discusses which of these three relationships prevails. Design/methodology/approach Analyses were performed using data from Spanish Technological Innovation Panel for the period 2008-2013. It should be emphasized that the use of panel data is essential in the analysis of the interaction of exploration and exploitation, as exploration only makes sense in the long run. Econometric strategy uses a two-stage selection model, estimated using the Wooldridge’s (1995) consistent estimator for panel data with sample selection. To perform the test, the hypothesis uses the approach of complementarity. Findings The results show that the relationships exploration-organizational innovation and exploitation-organizational innovation are complementary, provided that the analysis is performed on companies that simultaneously carry out exploration and exploitation activities, respectively. This indicates that the achievement of ambidexterity is strongly conditioned by the simultaneous realization of organizational innovations. Practical implications Managers and policymakers should be aware that the simultaneous implementation of exploration and exploitation yields better results when the corresponding organizational innovations are also implemented. Originality/value This paper extends the empirical investigation of the relationship between exploration and exploitation, seen in conjunction with organizational innovation, and using the complementarity approach as a research tool.

  October 04, 2017   doi: 10.1108/JKM-01-2017-0039   open full text
• Verifying relationship of knowledge management initiatives and the empowerment of human resources.
  
  Journal of Knowledge Management. October 04, 2017
  Journal of Knowledge Management, Volume 21, Issue 5, Page 1120-1141, September 2017.
  Purpose This paper was aimed at investigating the impact of knowledge management (KM) procedures on enriching human resources in Water and Waste Water Company in East Azerbaijan, Iran. Design/methodology/approach The samples used in this study included the employees of Water and Waste Water Company in Tabriz, East Azerbaijan, Iran. A questionnaire was used for collecting data from the employees of the abovementioned company. Its reliability and validity were first examined and checked. Then, Smart partial least squares 2.0 was used for analyzing the structural model. Findings The results acknowledged the validity of the introduced model for enriching human resources. The findings indicated that five variables, namely, kind of knowledge, top managers, information technology, culture and organization of knowledge, have significant impact on enriching human resources. Research limitations/implications It is undoubtable that research studies might have specific limitations which should be pointed out and addressed in future studies. The followings are the major limitations of the study: because the present study was carried out in Water and Wastewater Company in Tabriz, East Azerbaijan, hence, generalizing the findings of this study to other professional contexts and organizations should be made with caution. In fact, the present study need to be replicated in other context to find whether the same or different results are obtained. In other words, different cultural, contextual and professional conditions might result differently from the ones reported here. Inasmuch as the present study was a cross-sectional study and the data were collected via questionnaire, a longitudinal study with a longer observation and investigation might shed more light on the efficacy of KMS in organizations. The present study focused on a specific dependent variable (human resource empowerment) which was explained by different dimensions of an independent variable, i.e. KM. However, the impact and efficacy of KMS can be investigated on other organizational variables and parameters. In this study, due to certain logistic and real-life limitations such as the limited time of the staff members of the target organization, we had to use only one data-collection instrument. Nevertheless, future studies can use data triangulation so as to better capture professional contexts of the study. Furthermore, another limitation of the study is related to the individual variables of the employees which remained untouched. That is, whether employees’ personal, emotional and cognitive variables can modify the impact of KM on human resource empowerment was not investigated in the present study. Practical implications Organizational managers are recommended to provide the background for employees to share their experiences. Organizations should invest on designing and developing patterns and strategic perspectives in human resource empowerment as a key factor toward becoming knowledge-based organizations. Originality/value This paper is one of the few applied studies which acknowledged the relationship between knowledge management initiatives and empowering human resources. It addresses the gap between knowledge management and human resource empowerment.

  October 04, 2017   doi: 10.1108/JKM-10-2016-0435   open full text
• Ambidexterity of employees: the role of empowerment and knowledge sharing.
  
  Journal of Knowledge Management. October 04, 2017
  Journal of Knowledge Management, Volume 21, Issue 5, Page 1098-1119, September 2017.
  Purpose The aim of this study is to empirically test the link between employee ambidexterity and two supportive organizational cultures, namely, a perceived culture of empowerment and a knowledge-sharing culture. Furthermore, the paper addresses the mechanisms through which these supportive organizational cultures work to enable employees to engage in ambidextrous behaviour. Specifically, the role of intrinsic motivation is investigated. Design/methodology/approach Data were obtained from 136 managers employed in the five main Belgian service sectors. Findings The findings indicate that a perceived culture of empowerment is positively related to intrinsic motivation, which in turn facilitates employee ambidexterity. Also, a moderating effect of extrinsic motivation on employee ambidextrous behaviour is found. At the same time, a perceived knowledge-sharing culture is having no effect on ambidexterity or intrinsic motivation. Research limitations/implications Insights into the roles of individuals in achieving ambidexterity help to advance the theoretical understanding of how a supportive organizational context may enhance employee ambidexterity. Originality/value Despite the growing body of research on antecedents of ambidexterity, there is still lack of thorough understanding of how a supportive organizational context may enhance employee ambidexterity and the roles of individuals in achieving ambidexterity. This is one of the first studies that investigate these factors in relation to individual level ambidexterity (as opposed to organization level ambidexterity).

  October 04, 2017   doi: 10.1108/JKM-10-2016-0440   open full text
• Moderating effects of guanxi and face on the relationship between psychological motivation and knowledge-sharing in China.
  
  Journal of Knowledge Management. October 04, 2017
  Journal of Knowledge Management, Volume 21, Issue 5, Page 1077-1097, September 2017.
  Purpose This study aims to investigate how psychological motivations influence the knowledge-sharing intention of employees and how these effects are moderated by traditional Chinese culture. Design/methodology/approach A questionnaire survey was conducted in China to test the research model. The target samples comprised MBA students who have enough practical experience, as well as considerable academic experience. Findings The results suggest that anticipated reciprocal relationships, anticipated extrinsic rewards and sense of self-worth exert different effects on knowledge-sharing intention. In addition, traditional Chinese culture plays different roles in the relationships among these three psychological motivations and knowledge-sharing intention. Specifically, guanxi orientation positively moderates the effect of anticipated reciprocal relationships and negatively moderates the effect of sense of self-worth. Face gaining negatively moderates the effect of anticipated reciprocal relationships and positively moderates the effect of sense of self-worth. Face saving negatively moderates the effect of anticipated reciprocal relationships and sense of self-worth. Originality/value A few studies in extant knowledge management (KM) literature provided insights into how traditional Chinese culture could directly affect knowledge sharing. The authors depart from these studies by integrating these characteristic indigenous concepts (i.e. face and guanxi orientation) into this study. The authors offer an indigenous cultural view of how these indigenous concepts truly influence an individual’s psychological states and inclination in KM literature. Through this approach, the results confirm that these cultural factors do play an important role during the formation of knowledge-sharing intention and reveals several important research findings.

  October 04, 2017   doi: 10.1108/JKM-10-2016-0439   open full text
• A model of mobile technologies acceptance for knowledge transfer by employees.
  
  Journal of Knowledge Management. October 04, 2017
  Journal of Knowledge Management, Volume 21, Issue 5, Page 1053-1076, September 2017.
  Purpose Although mobile devices are ubiquitous among employees, their awareness and readiness to use mobile technologies for competence development is still not widespread and therefore requires further exploration. The purpose of this study is to propose a conceptual model based on the unified theory of acceptance and use of technology (UTAUT) to explain the determinants that affect employees’ intention to use mobile devices and software for knowledge transfer during the process of knowledge management. Design/methodology/approach A conceptual model based on the UTAUT with new variables concerning relative usability (RU) and user autonomy (UA) and new connections between the determinants was developed as a result of a subject matter literature review. A structural equation modelling approach was used to validate the model on the basis of data collected via a survey collected from 371 employees from 21 sectors, both public and private. Findings The UTAUT model extended by new variables like RU and UA explains employee acceptance of mobile technologies for knowledge transfer reasonably well. New proposed variables highlighted that the usability of technology compared to other solutions and user autonomy in the selection and the use of applications have the strongest impact on the employees’ intention to use mobile devices and software for knowledge transfer. Research limitations/implications This model explains the 55 per cent behavioral intention of employees to use mobile technologies for knowledge transfer. Even though it is quite high in terms of acceptance theories, some new variables should be explored. Furthermore, study does not verify whether m-learning acceptance for knowledge transfer is sector-specific. Practical implications Mobile technologies used for knowledge transfer by employees should allow for high UA through their ability to select solutions that they find convenient, use of preferred platforms, personalize applications and utilize devices and software in various environments. They should not be simplified and should have the same functionality and efficiency of use as alternative solutions like web and desktop applications, even if additional effort to learn them would be required. Mobile technologies that take into account UA and RU support the process of employees capturing, distributing and effectively using knowledge. Originality/value The elaborated model provides a valuable solution with practical implications for increasing mobile technologies acceptance for knowledge transfer. The study results contribute both to knowledge management and technology acceptance research fields by introducing two new determinants for the acceptance of technologies in knowledge transfer, such as UA and RU with several additional connections between existing UTAUT variables.

  October 04, 2017   doi: 10.1108/JKM-03-2016-0136   open full text
• Integrating supplier knowledge in new product development projects: decoupled and coupled approaches.
  
  Journal of Knowledge Management. October 04, 2017
  Journal of Knowledge Management, Volume 21, Issue 5, Page 1035-1052, September 2017.
  Purpose The purpose of this paper is to explore and characterize knowledge integration approaches for integrating external knowledge of suppliers into new product development projects. Design/methodology/approach This paper is based on a multiple, in-depth case study of six product development projects at three knowledge-intensive manufacturing firms. Findings Firms make purposeful choices to devise knowledge integration approaches when working in collaborative buyer – supplier projects. The knowledge characteristics of the supplier input guide the choice of either coupling knowledge sharing and combining across firms or decoupling knowledge sharing (across firms) and knowledge combining (within firms). Research limitations/implications This study relies on a limited number of case studies and considers only one supplier relationship in each project. Further studies could examine the challenge of knowledge integration in buyer – supplier relationships in different contexts, i.e. in relation to innovation complexity and uncertainty. Practical implications Managers need to make choices when designing knowledge integration approaches in collaborative product development projects. The use of coupled and decoupled approaches can help balance requirements in terms of joint problem-solving across firms, the efficiency of knowledge integration and the risks of knowledge leakage. Originality/value The conceptualization of knowledge integration as knowledge sharing and knowledge combining extends existing perspectives on knowledge integration as either a transfer of knowledge or as revealing the presence of pertinent knowledge without entirely transmitting it. The findings point to the complexity of knowledge integration as a process influenced by knowledge characteristics, perspectives on knowledge, openness of firm boundaries and elements of knowledge sharing and combining.

  October 04, 2017   doi: 10.1108/JKM-10-2016-0438   open full text
• Managing stakeholder knowledge for the evaluation of innovation systems in the face of climate change.
  
  Journal of Knowledge Management. October 04, 2017
  Journal of Knowledge Management, Volume 21, Issue 5, Page 1013-1034, September 2017.
  Purpose The aim of this paper is to frame the stakeholder-driven system mapping approach in the context of climate change, building on stakeholder knowledge of system boundaries, key elements and interactions within a system and to introduce a decision support tool for managing and visualising this knowledge into insightful system maps with policy implications. Design/methodology/approach This methodological framework is based on the concepts of market maps. The process of eliciting and visualising expert knowledge is facilitated by means of a reference implementation in MATLAB, which allows for designing technological innovation systems models in either a structured or a visual format. Findings System mapping can contribute to evaluating systems for climate change by capturing knowledge of expert groups with regard to the dynamic interrelations between climate policy strategies and other system components, which may promote or hinder the desired transition to low carbon societies. Research limitations/implications This study explores how system mapping addresses gaps in analytical tools and complements the systems of innovation framework. Knowledge elicitation, however, must be facilitated and build upon a structured framework such as technological innovation systems. Practical implications This approach can provide policymakers with significant insight into the strengths and weaknesses of current policy frameworks based on tacit knowledge embedded in stakeholders. Social implications The developed methodological framework aims to include societal groups in the climate policy-making process by acknowledging stakeholders’ role in developing transition pathways. The system map codifies stakeholder input in a structured and transparent manner. Originality/value This is the first study that clearly defines the system mapping approach in the frame of climate policy and introduces the first dedicated software option for researchers and decision makers to use for implementing this methodology.

  October 04, 2017   doi: 10.1108/JKM-01-2017-0006   open full text
• The effect of compliance knowledge and compliance support systems on information security compliance behavior.
  
  Journal of Knowledge Management. August 02, 2017
  Journal of Knowledge Management, Volume 21, Issue 4, Page 986-1010, July 2017.
  Purpose The purpose of this paper is to understand from the knowledge management perspective how the mechanism of different voluntary compliance behaviors works and how information technology is used for compliance management in corporate settings where privacy and security issues are getting critical due to the advancement of big data and artificial intelligence. Design/methodology/approach In this study, the authors propose a structural model based on the theory of planned behavior and the IT relatedness theory that behavioral belief about compliance and social pressure affect compliance knowledge and compliance intention, and compliance knowledge partially mediates the impact of both independent variables on compliance intention. The authors surveyed with a structured questionnaire 975 employees of a major Korean energy company, S-OIL, which deploys a compliance support system. The respondents are classified into two groups: an Active IT Utilization Group and a Passive IT Utilization Group. Findings The results of our empirical examination show that compliance intention belief and social pressure influence compliance intention, and further, that compliance behavior is mediated by compliance knowledge – in both the active IT utilization group and the passive IT utilization group. However, the significance of each path coefficient, R square and the mediation effect in Model 1 (passive IT utilization group) are obviously a poor contrast to Model 2 (active IT utilization group). Also, the path from behavioral belief to compliance knowledge and social pressure to compliance knowledge show a significant moderating effect of IT utilization level. Originality/value This paper aims to promote more effective voluntary compliance behavior by increasing the understanding of the impact differences of the preceding factors, and the ways in which those are related to the knowledge management practice in terms of both knowledge itself and its support systems, i.e. compliance support system.

  August 02, 2017   doi: 10.1108/JKM-08-2016-0353   open full text
• Exploring the relationship between organizational structure and knowledge retention: a study of the Indian infrastructure consulting sector.
  
  Journal of Knowledge Management. August 02, 2017
  Journal of Knowledge Management, Volume 21, Issue 4, Page 961-985, July 2017.
  Purpose Infrastructure adds pace and efficiency into India’s progress. It is a country which has embraced the notion of a knowledge economy of late, and thus raised the importance of infrastructure consulting per se. The study aims to cover the consequent but underexplored role of organizational structure (OS) vis-à-vis knowledge retention (KR) in this sector. Design/methodology/approach For conducting the research, the sampling organization that has been chosen is an infrastructure consulting organization. The researchers had undertaken an exploratory study to find out the dynamics between OS and KR. A qualitative approach has thus been adopted and the application of thematic analysis found place in conducting the research. The themes and sub-themes generated from the research, aligned with the theoretical backdrop, gave rise to a schematic model explaining the relationship between OS and KR. Findings From the above themes and sub-themes along with possible relationships which emerged from the study, the researchers observed that the theme “organizational structure” had a significant relationship with the sub-theme “knowledge retention”. In the order, what was the most noteworthy was that designing of an OS had a refined and somewhat directed influence on KR in the organization. Originality/value This paper tries to uncover the relationship between an organization’s structure formation and the key aspect of knowledge management cycle, which is KR. This shall be helpful for both academics (who can make advancements by testing the relationship in other contexts) and practitioners (who can look forward to minimizing business losses through the concept of KR).

  August 02, 2017   doi: 10.1108/JKM-11-2016-0506   open full text
• Exploring the affective mechanism linking perceived organizational support and knowledge sharing intention: a moderated mediation model.
  
  Journal of Knowledge Management. August 02, 2017
  Journal of Knowledge Management, Volume 21, Issue 4, Page 946-960, July 2017.
  Purpose The purpose of this paper is to investigate the moderated mediation model in which the effect of perceived organizational support (POS) on knowledge sharing intention is mediated by levels of individual affective commitment to the organization, while the relationship between POS and affective commitment is moderated by organizational tenure. Design/methodology/approach Hypotheses on mediation, moderation and moderated mediation were tested with data collected from Korean for-profit organizations. Conditional process analyses with bootstrapping supported all three hypotheses. Findings The findings demonstrate that the relationship between POS and knowledge sharing intention is mediated by affective organizational commitment. In addition, the mediation effect is strengthened when an individual’s organizational tenure is low. Theoretical and practical implications and directions for future research are followed. Originality/value This study contributes to the literature on knowledge sharing by providing a basis for understanding the mediating mechanism through which POS influences knowledge sharing intention, and, ultimately, organizational functioning via individual affective attitude. This is the first attempt examining the role of organizational tenure as a key contingency factor in knowledge sharing. By investigating the underlying logic of individual intention to share knowledge, this study expands the current spectrum for knowledge management.

  August 02, 2017   doi: 10.1108/JKM-12-2016-0530   open full text
• A structural equation model for knowledge sharing behavior in an emerging economy.
  
  Journal of Knowledge Management. August 02, 2017
  Journal of Knowledge Management, Volume 21, Issue 4, Page 925-945, July 2017.
  Purpose Knowledge sharing behaviour is becoming one of the main priorities in organizations operating in emerging economies, as knowledge sharing behaviour may impact their competitiveness. The purpose of this paper is to examine the impact of: openness and trust; top management support; and the reward system on knowledge sharing behaviour. In addition, the paper investigates how knowledge sharing behaviour impacts firm’s competitiveness. Design/methodology/approach The analyses in this paper were based on data from more than 230 companies operating in five industries in an emerging economy in the Gulf area. Structural equation modelling (SEM) methodology was used to test the impact of the three independent latent variables of openness and trust, top management support and the reward system on the knowledge sharing behaviour as well as the impact of the later on firm’s competitiveness. Findings Exploratory factor as well as confirmatory factor analysis were used to assess the five dimensions of knowledge sharing behaviour and firm’s competitiveness. SEM was used to test the four main hypotheses in this study and to assess the structural relationships among these five latent variables. There was a moderate relationship between the knowledge sharing behaviour and the three independent latent variables of openness and trust; top management support; and the reward system. There was a strong positive association between knowledge sharing behaviour and firm’s competitiveness. Practical implications For academics, the paper offers an opportunity to further study knowledge sharing behaviour in other emerging economies. Academics who are interested in examining this issue further may extend our study in many directions. For practitioners, our findings should motivate practitioners to place emphasis on top management support, openness and trust and the reward system to create a proper culture for knowledge creation and sharing. Originality/value To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this study is the first attempt in its purpose and design to study knowledge sharing behaviour in multiple industries in an emerging economy such as that of Saudi Arabia.

  August 02, 2017   doi: 10.1108/JKM-10-2016-0470   open full text
• Knowledge retention and aging workforce in the oil and gas industry: a multi perspective study.
  
  Journal of Knowledge Management. August 02, 2017
  Journal of Knowledge Management, Volume 21, Issue 4, Page 907-924, July 2017.
  Purpose The purpose of this paper is to investigate how companies are handling the issue of knowledge retention from old age retiring workers in the oil and gas sector. This is achieved by providing a detailed insight on the challenges and strategies related to knowledge retention through study of companies from different geographical locations across the globe. Design/methodology/approach The study adopts a qualitative research methodology and 20 semi-structured interviews, with open-ended and probing questions, were conducted to gain an in-depth insight into the knowledge retention phenomena. Findings Knowledge retention activities tend to be inconsistent in majority of the oil and gas companies, with not much work being done regarding knowledge loss from old employees, partly because of the fall in oil prices and layoffs. Oil prices turn out to be a decisive factor in oil and gas industry regarding workforce and knowledge retention activities. The political situation and geographical locations of the companies also affect the knowledge retention activities. Moreover, the aging workforce and retirement issue is more acute in the upstream sector. Research limitations/implications The focus of the study was on the oil and gas sector, and thus the research results may lack generalizability. Originality/value This paper fulfills an identified need for investigating the issues and challenges of knowledge retention regarding old age retiring employees by taking into account a global perspective and providing a comparison among different companies in different geographical locations.

  August 02, 2017   doi: 10.1108/JKM-07-2016-0281   open full text
• Linking knowledge sharing, competency development, and affective commitment: evidence from Indian Gen Y employees.
  
  Journal of Knowledge Management. August 02, 2017
  Journal of Knowledge Management, Volume 21, Issue 4, Page 885-906, July 2017.
  Purpose The present study aims to explore knowledge sharing to evoke affective commitment of Gen Y employees through competency development. Design/methodology/approach The research uses cross-sectional survey to collect primary data. A questionnaire is developed based on extensive review of literature. A sample was obtained from Gen Y employees (born between 1980 and 2000) working in software organizations in India. In total, 582 completely filled, usable questionnaires were obtained. Findings Results indicate that knowledge sharing has a positive effect on competency development of Gen Y employees, which in turn, positively predicts affective commitment. Furthermore, this would result in the enhancement of employee competencies and eventually, the generation of affective commitment. Research limitations/implications This study was limited to the software development professionals working in Indian organizations Therefore, researchers should test the research model further in other industries preferably in a different country. Practical implications The more knowledge assets are shared in the organization, the higher the enhancement of employee competencies will become. To evoke emotional attachment of Gen Y employees, an organization must implement learning and development interventions Originality/value This study contributes to knowledge management literature, particularly knowledge sharing by exploring its possible linkage with employee attitudinal outcomes through empirical data. This also happens to be an empirical study to investigate Gen Y employees’ commitment in Indian context.

  August 02, 2017   doi: 10.1108/JKM-08-2016-0334   open full text
• Knowledge management and professional experience: the uneasy dynamics between tacit knowledge and performativity in organizations.
  
  Journal of Knowledge Management. August 02, 2017
  Journal of Knowledge Management, Volume 21, Issue 4, Page 872-884, July 2017.
  Purpose This paper interrogates the relationships between tacit knowledge (of professionals) and performance measurement regimes (of post-modern organizations). Drawing on Polanyi’s (1958, 1968) ideas about tacit knowledge and Lyotard’s (1984) theory of performativity with regard to criteria such as profit-performance the applicability and relevance of tacit, working knowledge in the internet age is assessed. The paper examines: the effects of context on knowledge management (KM); tacit knowledge and performativity around the production, validation and assessment of knowledge within organizations; KM and the mercantilization of knowledge and critical questions as to how performativity impacts tacit knowledge and KM in the digital era. Design/methodology/approach The paper deconstructs popular and fashionable narratives around tacit knowledge and KM to critically appraise approaches to knowledge construction and transfer in contemporary and commercial contexts. The study draws on various specific critical incidents in commercial practice to assess where (and why) things went wrong with KM practices in the aftermath of the global financial crisis and in more recent attempts at large scale corporate fraud. Findings KM should not trade exclusively in instrumentalized, performative knowledge. Tacit knowledge involves a sense of what is going on and this is not easily measured or codified. Experiential understanding of what is required when engaging with clients, colleagues, senior partners, other businesses (and cultures) and the political contexts in which employees work is central to tacit knowledge. So too are performance measures and reward systems and herein lies the “uneasy dynamic”. The nature of any transfer of tacit knowledge is problematic, but such employee know-how remains critical to organizational performance and validating the use-value of knowledge for the purposes of KM. Originality/value Researchers have used the theories of Polanyi and Lyotard, but rarely combined them to investigate KM practices critically in post-modern organizations. By using the two theories, this paper critically examines the contemporary construction of tacit knowledge from perspectives that include the different discourses and localized practices through which it is produced and consumed.

  August 02, 2017   doi: 10.1108/JKM-02-2017-0058   open full text
• Demographic differences in using knowledge creation tools among faculty members.
  
  Journal of Knowledge Management. August 02, 2017
  Journal of Knowledge Management, Volume 21, Issue 4, Page 857-871, July 2017.
  Purpose The purpose of this study is to investigate and analyze demographic differences in using knowledge creation tools among faculty members. It also attempts to identify the most knowledge creation tool used by the participants. The tools comprised of 13 items including data mining, metadata, classifications, expert profiling, Mashup and blogs. Design/methodology/approach Data were collected through an online survey questionnaire. A total of 300 faculty members from 26 universities and colleges accredited by the UAE Ministry of High Education participated in the study. The t-test and analysis of variance (ANOVA) test are used to validate the stated hypotheses. Findings The study found personal knowledge management to be the most used knowledge creation tool among the faculty members, followed by authoring tools and templates. Findings of the study indicate statistically no significant difference in using knowledge creation tools with respect to gender, qualification, academic rank, teaching experience and institutional affiliation. These findings support the stated null hypotheses (H1, H3, H4, H6 and H8) and suggest that the use of knowledge creation tools is independent from these variables. However, the results showed statistically a significant age group difference, academic specialization and research experience in using knowledge creation tools. The findings reject the assumed hypotheses (H2, H5 and H7) and suggest the impact of these variables on the use of knowledge creation tools. Research limitations/implications The paper is based on the data collected through a survey questionnaire. Future studies may combine quantitative and qualitative data collection methods for the purpose of comparison and in-depth analysis. Practical implications Findings could be an important reference for knowledge management officers and knowledge intensive organizations and institutions to develop knowledge creation tools and promote usage among knowledge workers. Originality/value The paper represents one of the very few empirical studies conducted on the use of knowledge creation tools. Findings of the study may contribute to the process of knowledge creation among faculty members and also to the improvement of knowledge management in the academic environment and other knowledge organizations.

  August 02, 2017   doi: 10.1108/JKM-09-2016-0379   open full text
• Knowledge management ecological approach: a cross-discipline case study.
  
  Journal of Knowledge Management. August 02, 2017
  Journal of Knowledge Management, Volume 21, Issue 4, Page 839-856, July 2017.
  Purpose The growing needs of interdisciplinary research have been hindered by implementation difficulties because of factors such as the availability and distribution of related knowledge. Knowledge management could be a viable solution to address the problems of interdisciplinary research and further its synergic effect by optimizing the use of knowledge across different disciplines. A knowledge management ecological (KME) approach that facilitates the study of knowledge management in discourses between different disciplines was proposed and applied in a case study within an interdisciplinary environment comprising three disciplines: software development, software business and music education. Design/methodology/approach Semi-structured interviews were conducted with three groups of key informants to examine the knowledge management processes within the environment. Findings The findings reveal the details of knowledge management activities in each of the three disciplines, but the lack of collaboration between them limits the opportunity for a synergistic effect to benefit the cross-discipline environment. Originality/value This study shows how the KME approach can be used to deepen the interdisciplinary understanding of knowledge management within and between different disciplines.

  August 02, 2017   doi: 10.1108/JKM-11-2016-0492   open full text
• A framework to identify knowledge actor roles in enterprise social networks.
  
  Journal of Knowledge Management. August 02, 2017
  Journal of Knowledge Management, Volume 21, Issue 4, Page 817-838, July 2017.
  Purpose Enterprise social networks (ESN) are increasingly used by companies to reinforce collaboration and knowledge sharing. While prior research has investigated ESN use practices, little is known about potential user roles emerging on these platforms. Against this backdrop, this paper develops an ESN knowledge actor role framework. Design/methodology/approach The framework is constructed based on a systematic review of literature covering knowledge worker role typologies, user roles identified in public online social spaces as well as findings from ESN research. Findings The ESN knowledge actor role framework distinguishes eight contributing and two reading roles. It describes the associated participation behaviours and establishes metrics to identify the roles. Research limitations/implications Providing a notion of knowledge management-related roles in ESN, the framework enables a better understanding of knowledge processes and the involved actors. Moreover, the paper advances the field of ESN data analytics by designing a set of ESN metrics to characterise user behaviour. Practical implications Understanding ESN user roles, in particular regarding their knowledge contributions to the platform, can improve knowledge transparency in companies. The framework may usefully support the identification and management of critical knowledge resources and support decision-making in the areas of human resources management and knowledge management. Originality/value Providing a platform for knowledge-intensive interactions as well as record of user activities, ESN are well suited to observe and identify knowledge actor roles emerging in this context.

  August 02, 2017   doi: 10.1108/JKM-10-2016-0443   open full text
• Effects of knowledge management on unit performance: examining the moderating role of tacitness and learnability.
  
  Journal of Knowledge Management. August 02, 2017
  Journal of Knowledge Management, Volume 21, Issue 4, Page 796-816, July 2017.
  Purpose This paper aims to examine and test the moderating influence of the type of knowledge underlying work – known as the knowledge in practice (KIP) perspective – on the relationship between knowledge management (KM) activities and unit performance. KIP proposes that the knowledge underlying work varies according to two dimensions: tacitness and learnability. This theory proposes that aligning KM activities with tacitness and learnability results in increased performance. However, to the authors’ knowledge, there exists no direct empirical tests of these propositions outlined in KIP theory. This study examines the empirical support for the theoretical predictions outlined by KIP. Design/methodology/approach The study uses a multiple survey, multiple respondent survey design to measure KM activity sets, the tacitness and learnability involved in work contexts and unit performance. Regression analysis is used to test the hypotheses. Findings In line with previous research, the authors find support for a direct relationship between some KM activity sets and unit performance. Surprisingly, the authors did not find support for the predictions offered by KIP theory. Specifically, the degree of tacitness or learnability did not moderate the relationship between KM activity sets and unit performance. Research limitations/implications The lack of findings to support the moderating effects of tacitness and learnability on the relationship between KM activity sets and unit performance challenges the adequacy of existing formulations of KIP theory. The authors discuss several important future research directions to examine this puzzling finding. Practical implications This paper reinforces the suggestion that managers at all levels of organizations should engage in KM activities to increase performance. These findings also suggest that considering the type of knowledge underlying a unit’s work should not be a consideration in implementing KM activities. Originality/value This is the first study to empirically test a KIP perspective. That is, how the type of knowledge involved in work moderates the relationships between KM activity sets and unit performance.

  August 02, 2017   doi: 10.1108/JKM-08-2016-0347   open full text
• The role of collaborative knowledge building in the co-creation of artifacts: influencing factors and propositions.
  
  Journal of Knowledge Management. August 02, 2017
  Journal of Knowledge Management, Volume 21, Issue 4, Page 779-795, July 2017.
  Purpose This paper assesses the role of collaborative knowledge building in the co-creation of artifacts in the knowledge management field. Design/methodology/approach Fifty-eight papers published in six knowledge management-related journals were analyzed. The framework for analysis included 13 codes. Studies were analyzed using qualitative and quantitative methods. Findings Findings showed that several factors influenced the co-creation of artifacts in collaborative knowledge building. At the micro level, individual motivation, capabilities and reflexivity seemed to play a central role in co-creation processes. At the meso level, teamwork and shared understanding were identified as two key major factors. At the macro level, structural, behavioral and cognitive factors were identified; they included organizational rules and workplace setting, organizational culture and learning and memory. Managerial agency, characteristics of artifacts and knowledge brokers and boundary spanners also seemed to have an influence at the inter-organizational levels of analysis. Research limitations/implications This study has limitations related to scope of contribution, covered time span (17 years) and restrictions in journal subscriptions. Practical implications The study will help managers understand the intricacies of collaborative knowledge building practices to increase organizational overall effectiveness and performance. Originality/value This study is a first attempt to systematically assess the role of collaborative knowledge building in the co-creation of artifacts, and therefore, it represents a primary reference in the knowledge management field. It proposes some initial propositions that can guide future empirical studies.

  August 02, 2017   doi: 10.1108/JKM-09-2016-0360   open full text
• Capturing knowledge from lessons learned at the work package level in project engineering teams.
  
  Journal of Knowledge Management. August 02, 2017
  Journal of Knowledge Management, Volume 21, Issue 4, Page 765-778, July 2017.
  Purpose The purpose of this paper is to describe the knowledge management (KM) loop process in a work package (WP)-based project engineering management method. The purpose of the KM loop is the routine capture of learnings to improve work practices in both the project and the firm. Design/methodology/approach A conceptual model for a project KM loop is developed by researching various KM theories found in the literature and incorporating the most applicable concepts and bridging any gaps in an attempt to overcome the reported impediments to learning in projects. A specific WP-based project engineering method (the STBQ method) is chosen as the framework for illustrating the workings and advantages of the KM loop. The author’s experiential judgement is used in applying selected academic concepts to create a KM process particularly useful for consulting engineering firms engaged in the detailed design phase of heavy industrial projects notwithstanding the fact that it may be beneficial in other project environments. Findings Completion of a WP can be used as a natural point in time for the collection of lessons learned (LL). At post-WP debriefing meetings, intuitive learnings can be contributed by individuals and interpreted in the context of the recently completed WP. When seen to be applicable, the project engineer integrates this newly gained experiential knowledge into the project’s job instructions for immediate implementation on other WPs remaining in the project scope. Through the project manager, these new or revised job instructions are proposed as candidates for new or revised standard practices to the senior managers of the engineering firm who can institutionalize them by approval for use in other in-progress or future projects. Research limitations/implications The KM loop described here is specifically intended to be used with the STBQ method where the 100 per cent rule is applied and where each WP sub-team is tasked with the delivery of their WP safely, on-time, on-budget and with no quality deficiencies as the criteria for success of their WP. A research limitation is that capturing learnings throughout the project does not solve the problem of capturing post-project learnings from design errors surfacing during construction, in commissioning, or after start-up during on-going operations and maintenance. Nonetheless, innovative ideas and improvements can be found during the detailed engineering phase and the KM loop captures these for intra-project and inter-project use. Practical implications The extra effort of decomposing requirements into WPs not only helps control project costs, schedule, quality and safety but also provides an effective way to capture knowledge from project learnings for intra-project and inter-project use. Social implications The lessons-learned sessions held at the completion of each WP provides an opportunity to provide motivation and morale boosting to the WP sub-team members. Originality/value This paper contributes what is believed to be the first WP-based KM loop in project engineering management using a specific application of the 4I framework of organizational learning. In addition, when applied in the STBQ method or any other method that uses interim WPs for both planning and reporting, the LL sessions can be pre-scheduled and budgeted separately from the subject WP. This helps to overcome the problem widely reported in projects that not enough calendar time or person-hours can be spared to attend the LL sessions.

  August 02, 2017   doi: 10.1108/JKM-07-2016-0273   open full text
• Knowledge reuse through electronic knowledge repositories: a multi theoretical study.
  
  Journal of Knowledge Management. August 02, 2017
  Journal of Knowledge Management, Volume 21, Issue 4, Page 741-764, July 2017.
  Purpose This study provides insight into factors surrounding knowledge reuse through electronic knowledge repositories (EKR). Design/methodology/approach A multi-theoretical framework is proposed that views knowledge reuse from both socio-technical and expectation confirmation model perspectives. Survey data are used to test associated hypotheses derived from the literature. Findings Results confirm the explanatory power of this approach to predict greater knowledge reuse and greater continuance of use. Research limitations/implications Results suggest social and technical factors modelled interdependently affect knowledge reuse and lead to greater performance, knowledge sharing and continuance of use. Practical implications Practical and managerial recommendations for enhancing enablers of knowledge reuse via EKR are offered. Originality/value This study models enablers to knowledge reuse and resulting downstream effects on organizational outcomes. It provides an original framework for studying knowledge reuse within an EKR or knowledge management system perspective.

  August 02, 2017   doi: 10.1108/JKM-03-2016-0126   open full text
• Non-profit organizations’ use of tools and technologies for knowledge management: a comparative study.
  
  Journal of Knowledge Management. August 02, 2017
  Journal of Knowledge Management, Volume 21, Issue 4, Page 718-740, July 2017.
  Purpose This paper aims to present findings from a study conducted with non-profit organizations (NPOs) in Canada and Australia, focusing on the use of tools and technologies for knowledge management (KM). NPOs of different sizes and operating in different sectors were studied in two large-scale national surveys. The paper is useful to both practitioners in NPOs for understanding tool use for KM activities and to scholars to further develop the KM-NPO domain. Design/methodology/approach Two nation-wide surveys were conducted with Canadian and Australian NPOs of different sizes (i.e. very small to large-sized organizations) and operating in different sectors (e.g. animal welfare, education and research, culture and arts). An analysis of responses explores the use of tools and technologies by NPOs. Respondents identified the tools and technologies they used from nine pre-determined themes (quantitative data) plus an additional category of “other tools” (qualitative data), which allowed for free text responses. The quantitative data were analyzed using both descriptive and inferential statistical techniques and the qualitative data were analyzed using a thematic analysis approach. Findings Quantitative data analysis provides key findings including the popularity of physical, print documents across all NPO sizes and sectors. Statistical tests revealed, for example, there is no significant difference for the same-sized organizations in Canadian and Australian NPOs in the use of tools and technologies for KM activities. However, there were differences in the use of tools and technologies across different sizes of NPOs. The qualitative analysis revealed a number of additional tools and technologies and also provided contextual details about the nature of tool use. The paper provides specific examples of the types of tools and technologies NPOs use. Originality/value The paper has both practical and academic contributions, including areas for future research. The findings on the use of KM tools and technologies by NPOs contribute to the growing body of literature in the KM domain in general and also build the literature base for the understudied KM-NPO domain. NPOs will also find the paper useful in better understanding tools and technological implementation for KM activities. The study is unique not only in the content focus on KM for NPOs but also for the comparative study of activities in two countries.

  August 02, 2017   doi: 10.1108/JKM-06-2016-0229   open full text
• A design approach for process-based knowledge management systems.
  
  Journal of Knowledge Management. August 02, 2017
  Journal of Knowledge Management, Volume 21, Issue 4, Page 693-717, July 2017.
  Purpose This paper presents a design approach for process-based knowledge management (PKM) systems that can support knowledge-intensive processes where effective task execution is highly reliant on the knowledge and expertise of participants executing the tasks. The proposed design approach includes design methods and kernel theories governing the design of PKM systems and can also be easily integrated with existing systems analysis and design techniques. Design/methodology/approach The design science research methodology is used to design and develop the artifact which includes the overall PKM design approach. Information systems design theory is used as a high-level framework to develop and structure the design approach. Relevant design methods and behavioral theories are reviewed to identify kernel theories that guide the design and development of PKM systems. The design approach consists of meta-requirements for PKM systems and design processes to achieve the meta-requirements. A feasibility study is conducted to evaluate the feasibility of the proposed approach. Findings The design approach presented in this paper can guide system analysts and system developers in the design of knowledge management systems for supporting knowledge-intensive processes. The paper also includes a comprehensive design theory for PKM systems consisting of meta-requirements and a synthesis of various kernel theories into actionable design procedures. The proposed procedures include knowledge requirements modeling, knowledge flows modeling and knowledge and process performance modeling procedures. The feasibility study indicates that the PKM approach can be more useful and effective than solely using unified modeling language (UML)-based systems analysis and design techniques for the design of PKM systems. Research limitations/implications An implication to information systems design research is the feasibility of developing a specialized design approach that incorporates significant domain knowledge to solve complex information system design problems. An implication to practice is the significant potential to improve productivity and effectiveness of systems analysts and designers in developing PKM systems. A limitation is the small sample size of the feasibility study used to evaluate the ease of use and utility of the design approach. Originality/value The study makes a unique contribution by proposing a design approach that integrates business process and knowledge management considerations. The approach is particularly valuable because of the focus on integration with existing systems analysis and design techniques, thus allowing for easier adoption.

  August 02, 2017   doi: 10.1108/JKM-09-2016-0376   open full text
• Looking beyond knowledge sharing: an integrative approach to knowledge management culture.
  
  Journal of Knowledge Management. April 19, 2017
  Journal of Knowledge Management, Volume 21, Issue 2, Page 492-515, April 2017.
  Purpose This study aims to identify the main knowledge processes associated with organizational knowledge culture. A diverse range of knowledge processes have been referred to in the extant literature, but little agreement exists on which knowledge processes are critical and should be supported by organizational culture. Design/methodology/approach Using a systematic literature review methodology, this study examined the primary literature – peer-reviewed and scholarly articles published in the top seven knowledge management and intellectual capital (KM/IC)-related journals. Findings The core knowledge processes have been identified – knowledge sharing, knowledge creation and knowledge implementation. The paper suggests that a strategy for implementing successful organizational KM initiatives requires precise understanding and effective management of the core knowledge infrastructures and processes. Although technology infrastructure is an important aspect of any KM initiative, the integration of knowledge into management decisions and practices relies on the extent to which the organizational culture supports or hinders knowledge processes. Research limitations/implications The focus of the study was on the articles published in the top seven KM/IC journals; important contributions in relevant publications in other KM journals, conference papers, books and professional reports may have been excluded. Practical implications Practitioners will benefit from a better understanding of knowledge processes involved in KM initiatives and investments. From a managerial perspective, the study offers an overview of the state of organizational knowledge culture research and suggests that for KM initiatives to be successful, the organization requires an integrated culture that is concerned with knowledge processes as a set of inextricably inter-related processes. Originality/value For the first time, a comprehensive list of diverse terms used in describing knowledge processes has been identified. The findings remove the conceptual ambiguity resulting from the inconsistent use of different terms for the same knowledge process by identifying the three major and overarching knowledge processes. Moreover, this study points to the need to attend to the inextricably interrelated nature of these three knowledge processes. Finally, this is the first time that a study provides evidence that shows the KM studies appear to be biased towards Knowledge sharing.

  April 19, 2017   doi: 10.1108/JKM-06-2016-0216   open full text
• Empowering group leaders encourages knowledge sharing: integrating the social exchange theory and positive organizational behavior perspective.
  
  Journal of Knowledge Management. April 19, 2017
  Journal of Knowledge Management, Volume 21, Issue 2, Page 474-491, April 2017.
  Purpose Knowledge sharing usually happens in a work group context, but it is rarely know how group leaders influence their members’ knowledge-sharing performance. Based on social exchange theory (SET) and the perspective of positive organizational behavior (POB), this study aims to argue that a group leader’s positive leadership (e.g. empowering leadership) can help group members develop positive psychological capital which can increase their knowledge sharing. Design/methodology/approach The authors conduct a multilevel analysis to explore the interrelationship among empowering leadership, psychological capital and knowledge sharing. The sample includes 64 work groups consisting of 537 group members, and empirical testing is carried out by hierarchical linear modeling. Findings The results show that empowering leadership in a work group has a direct cross-level impact on members’ knowledge sharing and that psychological capital partially mediates the relationship between empowering leadership and knowledge sharing. As a result, this study shows that group leaders with positive leadership can help their members develop better positive psychological resources, which should lead to better knowledge sharing. Originality/value Based on the multilevel perspective and SET, this is the first study to explore how group leaders’ empowering leadership influences members’knowledge sharing. Depending on integrating the POB perspective into SET, this study is also the first one that connects two emerging and important research issues – POB and knowledge sharing.

  April 19, 2017   doi: 10.1108/JKM-08-2016-0318   open full text
• Means-ends based know-how mapping.
  
  Journal of Knowledge Management. April 19, 2017
  Journal of Knowledge Management, Volume 21, Issue 2, Page 454-473, April 2017.
  Purpose The purpose of this paper is to report on research that aims to make knowledge, and in particular know-how, more easily accessible to both academic and industrial communities, as well as to the general public. The paper proposes a novel approach to map out know-how information, so all knowledge stakeholders are able to contribute to the knowledge and expertise accumulation, as well as using that knowledge for research and applying expertise to address problems. Design/methodology/approach This research followed a design science approach in which mapping of the know-how information was done by the research team and then tested with graduate students. During this research, the mapping approach was continuously evaluated and refined, and mapping guidelines and a prototype tool were developed. Findings Following an evaluation with graduate students, it was found that the know-how maps produced were easy to follow, allowed continuous evolution, facilitated easy modification through provided modularity capabilities, further supported reasoning about know-how and overall provided adequate expressiveness. Furthermore, we applied the approach with various domains and found that it was a good fit for its purpose across different knowledge domains. Practical implications This paper argues that mapping out know-how within research and industry communities can further improve resource (knowledge) utilization, reduce the phenomena of “re-inventing the wheel” and further create linkage across communities. Originality/value With the qualities mentioned above, know-how maps can both ease and support the increase of access to expert knowledge to various communities, and thus, promote re-use and expansion of knowledge for various purposes. Having an explicit representation of know-how further encourages innovation, as knowledge from various domains can be mapped, searched and reasoned, and gaps can be identified and filled.

  April 19, 2017   doi: 10.1108/JKM-04-2016-0173   open full text
• Employees’ online knowledge sharing: the effects of person-environment fit.
  
  Journal of Knowledge Management. April 19, 2017
  Journal of Knowledge Management, Volume 21, Issue 2, Page 432-453, April 2017.
  Purpose Various individual and environmental factors influencing employees’ online knowledge sharing have been identified, but the understanding regarding these has been mostly limited because of their independent and direct effects our understanding has been mostly limited to their independent and direct effects. This study aims to propose that the fit between employees and their environments (PE fit) matters. A model explaining how PE fit and misfit affect employees’ knowledge sharing behavior through influencing their affective commitment is developed and assessed. Design/methodology/approach The proposed model was assessed with data collected in a survey of 218 employees. Findings Results indicate that PE fit in the norm of collaboration, innovativeness and skill variety leads to the development of stronger affective commitment and, therefore, more knowledge sharing behavior than when they are in shortfall or excess in the environment (i.e. PE misfit). Originality/value The findings indicate a new direction for knowledge sharing research that focuses on PE fit and suggest that knowledge sharing can be improved more proactively in practice by assessing PE fit during recruitment.

  April 19, 2017   doi: 10.1108/JKM-10-2016-0437   open full text
• How gamification of an enterprise collaboration system increases knowledge contribution: an affordance approach.
  
  Journal of Knowledge Management. April 19, 2017
  Journal of Knowledge Management, Volume 21, Issue 2, Page 416-431, April 2017.
  Purpose This study aims to examine how gamification increases employees’ knowledge contribution to the place of work. It develops and tests the conjecture that gamification adds hedonic value to the use of an enterprise collaboration system (ECS), which, in turn, increases in both the quality and quantity of knowledge contribution. Design/methodology/approach Drawing on the framework of successful gamification against a backdrop of affordance theory, this study develops and tests a theoretical model that explains the effects of gamification affordances on knowledge contribution via the use of an ECS. Empirical data were gathered from 166 employees at a global company that used a gamified ECS designed to aid knowledge sharing. Findings Results using structural equation modeling showed that three gamification affordances – rewardability, competition and visibility of achievement – jointly influenced employees’ perceived hedonic value of the ECS, which, in turn, increased knowledge contribution. Practical implications The results indicate that designing affordances that can increase hedonic value is central to facilitating employees’ knowledge contribution. However, simply incorporating game artifacts does not guarantee increased hedonic value of an ECS. Instead, assessing, monitoring and diagnosing what affordances users perceive from the use of a gamified system are important. Originality/value By conceptualizing gamification affordances rather than specifying the design features of enterprise applications, this study provides meaningful insights into how the benefits of gamification can be harnessed for knowledge management in organizations.

  April 19, 2017   doi: 10.1108/JKM-10-2016-0429   open full text
• To gain or not to lose? The effect of monetary reward on motivation and knowledge contribution.
  
  Journal of Knowledge Management. April 19, 2017
  Journal of Knowledge Management, Volume 21, Issue 2, Page 397-415, April 2017.
  Purpose The purpose of this paper is to investigate the effect of reward type on knowledge contribution behavior. Individual knowledge contribution, which determines the effectiveness of information systems, benefits the organization at the cost of individual advantage as knowledge is usually considered highly private or even a source of individual prestige. Therefore, organizations provide rewards to compensate for their contributors’ knowledge loss. Surprisingly, some scholars report a positive relationship between reward and knowledge contribution, while others find this relationship to be insignificant or even negative. Based on regulatory focus theory, this study proposes and tests that such inconsistencies result from disparity between reward type and knowledge contribution measures. Design/methodology/approach A between-group laboratory experiment with 144 undergraduate student is designed and hierarchical regression is applied to test the hypotheses. Findings An incremental reward (additional reward for attaining outstanding achievements) aroused individual promotion focus, leading to an increase in self-perceived knowledge contribution (self-reported) and knowledge contribution quantity (experiment observers rated), but a decrease in knowledge contribution quality (peer rated). However, a decremental reward (deducted for errors) primed individual prevention focus, leading to an increase in self-perceived knowledge contribution (self-reported) and knowledge contribution quality (peer rated), but a decrease in knowledge contribution quantity (experiment observers rated). Originality/value The findings help explain why previous empirical results on the reward-knowledge contribution relationship were inconsistent and add to extant literature by introducing a new theoretical perspective for understanding motivation in knowledge management research.

  April 19, 2017   doi: 10.1108/JKM-03-2016-0100   open full text
• Knowledge management activities in social enterprises: lessons for small and non-profit firms.
  
  Journal of Knowledge Management. April 19, 2017
  Journal of Knowledge Management, Volume 21, Issue 2, Page 376-396, April 2017.
  Purpose This paper aims to explore what social enterprises (SEs) in the UK know and how they acquire, convert, apply and protect this knowledge. This will enable them to manage their knowledge effectively and, hence, improve their practices and maximise the creation of social, environmental and economic value. Design/methodology/approach This study follows a qualitative approach, comprising 21 interviews with founders and senior members of SEs in the UK. Findings The results show that the investigated SEs have knowledge management (KM) practices similar to the already identified in SMEs, associated with informality, reliance on external sources and focus on socialisation activities, but they have unique challenges on managing their knowledge related to their hybrid mission, to include social and economic objectives and their closed relationship with stakeholders. Research limitations/implications As there is limited research on KM practices in SEs; they were defined based on previous studies in large, private and public companies. Therefore, not all practices may be included. This research is a starting point in the study of KM in SEs. Practical implications This study identifies knowledge activities that enable the creation of social, environmental and economic value in SEs. This allows SEs, small firms and non-profit organisations to review their current practices and develop plans for their further improvement. Originality/value This paper is one of the first empirical studies exploring KM practices in SEs, highlighting their informal nature as well as their impact in and on the enterprise.

  April 19, 2017   doi: 10.1108/JKM-01-2016-0026   open full text
• Knowledge management, problem solving and performance in top Italian firms.
  
  Journal of Knowledge Management. April 19, 2017
  Journal of Knowledge Management, Volume 21, Issue 2, Page 355-375, April 2017.
  Purpose The purpose of this paper is to empirically test the link between knowledge management practices, problem-solving processes and organizational performance. Design/methodology/approach This study uses survey data from 112 leading Italian companies. To test the structural relations of the research model, we used the partial least squares method. Findings Results show a strong relationship between knowledge management practices and intermediate activities of creative problem solving and problem-solving speed. In addition, creative problem solving has a direct impact on both organizational and financial performances, whereas problem-solving speed has a direct effect only on financial performance. Research limitations/implications The focus on top Italian firms limits the generalizability of results. Practical implications This study provides empirical evidence of the importance of knowledge management practices for problem-solving activities and firm performance. Originality/value The present paper fills an important gap in the extant literature by conceptualizing and empirically testing the relationship between knowledge management, problem-solving processes (creative problem solving and problem-solving speed) and firm performance. This study is the first ever to study these relationships within the Italian context.

  April 19, 2017   doi: 10.1108/JKM-03-2016-0113   open full text
• Citation classics published in knowledge management journals. Part III: author survey.
  
  Journal of Knowledge Management. April 19, 2017
  Journal of Knowledge Management, Volume 21, Issue 2, Page 330-354, April 2017.
  Purpose This paper is the third part of a series of works investigating the top 100 knowledge management (KM) citation classic articles. The purpose of this paper is to understand why KM citation classics are well-cited. Design/methodology/approach The results of a survey of 58 KM citation classic authors were reported as descriptive statistics and subjected to content analysis. Findings An archetype of a KM citation classic author was constructed including demographics, personal characteristics, motivation and work preferences. There is a need for developing novel ideas in KM research. Timeliness of a publication is directly linked to its future impact. Editors should involve citation classics authors as reviewers, and KM researchers should improve their citation practices. Serendipity played a very important role in early KM research, especially from the perspective of discovering new and interesting phenomena. Research limitations/implications Whereas the importance of serendipity is not questioned, future KM researchers should rely more on a formal, meticulous and well-planned research approach rather than on the hope of making a discovery by accident or luck. KM citation classics authors relied on serendipity to form the foundation of the discipline, but extending their work requires formal and structured inquiries. Practical implications Many authors conducted research to solve a problem to serve the needs of both practice and academia, rather than being overly theoretical. Originality/value Because KM researchers can no longer rely on past bibliometric theories, this paper helps understand why specific articles are highly cited and recommends how to conduct and develop future KM research that has impact.

  April 19, 2017   doi: 10.1108/JKM-07-2016-0300   open full text
• Knowledge management as a factor for the formulation and implementation of organization strategy.
  
  Journal of Knowledge Management. April 19, 2017
  Journal of Knowledge Management, Volume 21, Issue 2, Page 308-329, April 2017.
  Purpose Knowledge management (KM) and organization strategy are both important to the success of an organization. This study aims to assess the research needs of their interrelationship. Design/methodology/approach The research is based on a collection of over 200 interviews of KM worldwide experts. Their inputs have been categorized based on the frequency of their occurrence. Findings This study looked at the research themes recommended by the experts and concluded that KM is to be regarded as a factor for the formulation and implementation of the organization strategy. Research limitations/implications The sample of scholars and practitioners interviewed, the analysis approach used and the use of broad questions and dimensions are some of the limitations of this study. Nevertheless, a variety of effects KM has on the formulation and implementation of company strategy has emerged. Practical implications Organizations would improve their chances of success in a changing and competitive world by integrating the KM approach, methods and goals within the articulation of their strategy. Originality/value This study is original in variety because of the wide demographic sample supplied, and to its involvement both of KM academic experts as well as of practitioners. Its value is in the recommendations on the research of KM and organization strategy that would be of value, not only to organizations looking for ways to make their strategy more effective but also to those willing to implement KM in a better way.

  April 19, 2017   doi: 10.1108/JKM-02-2016-0068   open full text
• Value generation from industry-science linkages in light of targeted open innovation.
  
  Journal of Knowledge Management. April 19, 2017
  Journal of Knowledge Management, Volume 21, Issue 2, Page 295-307, April 2017.
  Purpose This paper aims to provide a substantial overview of features and channels of knowledge and technology transfer in light of achieving impact from science and research. Design/methodology/approach The paper is conceptual with substantial desk research undertaken. A taxonomy of transfer channels is proved and levels of impact from STI proposed. Findings It is found that there are different levels of value generated from science, technology and innovation, each featuring different stakeholders with different agendas and expectations. It is argued that to make knowledge and technology transfer impactful and sustainable, a long-term and holistic view and approach is required. Originality/value Against most papers about technology and knowledge transfer, this work presents an overarching overview of objects, channels and features of partners involved in transfer. It is features technology and knowledge transfer from a holistic perspective and provides useful background for future empiric studies and impact assessments.

  April 19, 2017   doi: 10.1108/JKM-11-2016-0510   open full text
• Managing extracted knowledge from big social media data for business decision making.
  
  Journal of Knowledge Management. April 19, 2017
  Journal of Knowledge Management, Volume 21, Issue 2, Page 275-294, April 2017.
  Purpose This paper aims to propose a knowledge management (KM) framework for leveraging big social media data to help interested organizations integrate Big Data technology, social media and KM systems to store, share and leverage their social media data. Specifically, this research focuses on extracting valuable knowledge on social media by contextually comparing social media knowledge among competitors. Design/methodology/approach A case study was conducted to analyze nearly one million Twitter messages associated with five large companies in the retail industry (Costco, Walmart, Kmart, Kohl’s and The Home Depot) to extract and generate new knowledge and to derive business decisions from big social media data. Findings This case study confirms that this proposed framework is sensible and useful in terms of integrating Big Data technology, social media and KM in a cohesive way to design a KM system and its process. Extracted knowledge is presented visually in a variety of ways to discover business intelligence. Originality/value Practical guidance for integrating Big Data, social media and KM is scarce. This proposed framework is a pioneering effort in using Big Data technologies to extract valuable knowledge on social media and discover business intelligence by contextually comparing social media knowledge among competitors.

  April 19, 2017   doi: 10.1108/JKM-07-2015-0296   open full text
• Setting a knowledge boundary across teams: knowledge protection regulation for inter-team coordination and team performance.
  
  Journal of Knowledge Management. April 19, 2017
  Journal of Knowledge Management, Volume 21, Issue 2, Page 254-274, April 2017.
  Purpose As teams are built around specialized and different knowledge, they need to regulate their knowledge boundaries to exchange their specialized knowledge with other teams and to protect the value of such specialized knowledge. However, prior studies focus primarily on boundary spanning and imply that boundaries are obstacles to sharing knowledge. To fill this research gap, this study aims to indicate the importance of knowledge protection regulation, an activity that sets an adequate boundary for protecting knowledge, and investigate the factors that facilitate knowledge protection regulation and its consequences. Design/methodology/approach This study collected empirical data from 196 teams in seven organizations. Through a validation of the measurement model, data from 138 teams are used for further analysis. The hypotheses effects are assessed using a structural equation model. Findings The analysis results indicate that both task uncertainty and task interdependency enhance knowledge protection regulation in teams, and that information technology support moderates the relationship between task uncertainty and knowledge protection regulation. The results also indicate that knowledge protection regulation improves inter-team coordination and team performance. Originality/value This study focuses on knowledge protection regulation by adopting communication privacy management theory at the team level. The findings imply that boundary management is the process of communication and depends on the role the teams play in accomplishing their tasks. The findings also provide a new way to understand knowledge flow of the teams as well as the entire organization.

  April 19, 2017   doi: 10.1108/JKM-04-2016-0163   open full text
• Knowledge strategy planning: an integrated approach to manage uncertainty, turbulence, and dynamics.
  
  Journal of Knowledge Management. April 19, 2017
  Journal of Knowledge Management, Volume 21, Issue 2, Page 233-253, April 2017.
  Purpose Knowledge strategy and its planning are affected by uncertainty and environmental turbulence. This paper aims to discuss these issues and present knowledge strategy planning as an integrated approach for facing these conditions. Design/methodology/approach Based on an extensive survey and an original re-elaboration of the literature, the paper addresses these research questions: What is the meaning of knowledge strategy, and how can it be related to concepts such as strategic thinking, business strategy and knowledge management (KM) in organizations? What are the limitations of a pure rational approach to knowledge strategy in turbulent environments and under uncertainty? and What approaches can be consequently proposed to formulate knowledge strategies? Findings The study provides a critical reading of the current literature. Also, it proposes an integrated approach that sees planning as a continuous effort of learning and adaptation to needs and opportunities that dynamically emerge from daily practices. Research limitations/implications The proposed framework can inspire a new research agenda to detect how knowledge strategies are planned in companies and how they are continuously adapted on the basis of a dialog between rational contributions and perceptions of reality, practical views, intuitions and emotions. This can also inspire a new agenda for company strategists and KM professionals. Originality/value In the literature, little attention has been devoted to knowledge strategy planning. The paper contributes to fill this gap and proposes a new way to see knowledge strategy as an integration of rational thinking and dynamic learning.

  April 19, 2017   doi: 10.1108/JKM-02-2016-0071   open full text
• Global ranking of knowledge management and intellectual capital academic journals: 2017 update.
  
  Journal of Knowledge Management. March 21, 2017
  Journal of Knowledge Management, Volume 21, Issue 3, Page 675-692, May 2017.
  Purpose The purpose of this study is to update a global ranking of 27 knowledge management and intellectual capital (KM/IC) academic journals. Design/methodology/approach The ranking was developed based on a combination of results from a survey of 482 active KM/IC researchers and journal citation impact indices. Findings The ranking list includes 27 currently active KM/IC journals. The A+ journals are the Journal of Knowledge Management and the Journal of Intellectual Capital. The A journals are the Learning Organization, Knowledge Management Research & Practice, Knowledge and Process Management, VINE: The Journal of Information and Knowledge Management Systems and International Journal of Knowledge Management. A majority of recently launched journals did not fare well in the ranking. Whereas a journal’s longevity is important, it is not the only factor affecting its ranking position. Expert survey and citation impact measures are relatively consistent, but expert survey ranking scores change faster. Practical implications KM/IC discipline stakeholders, including practitioners, editors, publishers, reviewers, researchers, students, administrators and librarians, may consult the developed ranking list for various purposes. Compared to 2008, more researchers indicated KM/IC as their primary area of concentration, which is a positive indicator of discipline development. Originality/value This is the most recent ranking list of KM/IC academic journals.

  March 21, 2017   doi: 10.1108/JKM-11-2016-0490   open full text
• Open innovation search in manufacturing firms: the role of organizational slack and absorptive capacity.
  
  Journal of Knowledge Management. March 21, 2017
  Journal of Knowledge Management, Volume 21, Issue 3, Page 656-674, May 2017.
  Purpose The purpose of this study is to explore organizational factors that act as antecedents of open innovation search. The authors aim to empirically examine whether the extent to which the organizational slack is absorbed determines its influence on firms’ openness in innovation search. In addition, the authors also examine the moderating effect of absorptive capacity on the relationship between slack and open innovation search. Design/methodology/approach This study adopted secondary data from multiple sources (NBER, Compustat and US census) and then constructed a ten-year balanced panel dataset of 298 manufacturers. The generalized least square method was used to explore the determinants of open innovation search among manufacturing firms. Findings The results of this study reveal that the absorption level of organizational slack indeed determines the openness in innovation search. Specifically, absorbed slack negatively affects a firm’s openness in innovation search, whereas unabsorbed slack promotes open innovation search. Additionally, the relationship between absorbed slack and open innovation search will be less negative with the increase of absorptive capacity. Originality/value Different from most previous studies that have examined the performance effect of open search among high-tech and large enterprises, this study focuses on the antecedents of open search strategy in both high- and low-tech, large and small firms. The findings reveal that different forms of organizational slack divergently influence a firm’s open search strategy, contributing to the understanding of the relationship between organizational slack and knowledge search behavior in a broader context, as well as the understanding of the moderating effect of absorptive capacity.

  March 21, 2017   doi: 10.1108/JKM-09-2016-0368   open full text
• Knowledge-driven preferences in informal inbound open innovation modes. An explorative view on small to medium enterprises.
  
  Journal of Knowledge Management. March 21, 2017
  Journal of Knowledge Management, Volume 21, Issue 3, Page 640-655, May 2017.
  Purpose This paper aims to investigate three key factors (i.e. cognitive dimensions, the knowledge-driven approach and absorptive capacity) that are likely to determine the preference for informal inbound open innovation (OI) modes, through the lens of the OI model and knowledge-based view (KBV). The innovation literature has differentiated these collaborations into informal inbound OI entry modes and formal inbound OI modes, offering an advocative and conceptual view. However, empirical studies on these collaborations are still limited. Design/methodology/approach Building on the above-mentioned theoretical framework, the empirical research was performed in two stages. First, data were collected via a closed-ended questionnaire distributed to all the participants from the sample by e-mail. Second, to assess the hypotheses, structural equation modelling (SEM) via IBM® SPSS® Amos 20 was applied. Findings The empirical research was conducted on 175 small to medium enterprises in the United Kingdom, suggesting that the knowledge-driven approach is the strongest determinant, leading to a preference for informal inbound OI modes. The findings were obtained using SEM and are discussed in line with the theoretical framework. Research limitations/implications Owing to the chosen context and sector of the empirical analysis, the research results may lack generalisability. Hence, new studies are proposed. Practical implications The paper includes implications for the development of informal inbound OI led by knowledge-driven approach. Originality/value This paper offers an empirical research to investigate knowledge-driven preferences in informal inbound OI modes.

  March 21, 2017   doi: 10.1108/JKM-10-2016-0465   open full text
• Big data investments in knowledge and non-knowledge intensive firms: what the market tells us.
  
  Journal of Knowledge Management. March 21, 2017
  Journal of Knowledge Management, Volume 21, Issue 3, Page 623-639, May 2017.
  Purpose This paper aims to investigate the value of big data investments by examining the market reaction to company announcements of big data investments and tests the effect for firms that are either knowledge intensive or not. Design/methodology/approach This study is based on an event study using data from two stock markets in China. Findings The stock market sees an overall index increase in stock prices when announcements of big data investments are revealed by grouping all the listed firms included in the sample. Increased stock prices are also the case for non-knowledge intensive firms. However, the stock market does not seem to react to big data investment announcements by testing the knowledge intensive firms along. Research limitations/implications This study contributes to the literature on assessing the economic value of big data investments from the perspective of big data information value chain by taking an unexpected change in stock price as the measure of the financial performance of the investment and by comparing market reactions between knowledge intensive firms and non-knowledge intensive firms. Findings of this study can be used to refine practitioners’ understanding of the economic value of big data investments to different firms and provide guidance to their future investments in knowledge management to maximize the benefits along the big data information value chain. However, findings of study should be interpreted carefully when applying them to companies that are not publicly traded on the stock market or listed on other financial markets. Originality/value Based on the concept of big data information value chain, this study advances research on the economic value of big data investments. Taking the perspective of stock market investors, this study investigates how the stock market reacts to big data investments by comparing the reactions to knowledge-intensive firms and non-knowledge-intensive firms. The results may be particularly interesting to those publicly traded companies that have not previously invested in knowledge management systems. The findings imply that stock investors tend to believe that big data investment could possibly increase the future returns for non-knowledge-intensive firms.

  March 21, 2017   doi: 10.1108/JKM-12-2016-0522   open full text
• Teams and lead creators in cultural and creative industries: evidence from the Italian haute cuisine.
  
  Journal of Knowledge Management. March 21, 2017
  Journal of Knowledge Management, Volume 21, Issue 3, Page 607-622, May 2017.
  Purpose Into cultural and creative industries, the innovation is increasingly realized by a lead creator which is supported by a specific team. Hence, this paper aims to understand the composition of this particular team. Design/methodology/approach The authors conducted an in-depth case study of “Dal Pescatore”. This is the Italian restaurant keeping the highest award previewed by Michelin Guide from the longer period. The main figures of the restaurant are the head chefs (Nadia and Giovanni Santini) who are continually supported by a dedicated team Findings The analysis underlines the necessity to create a team which combines aged people linked to firms’ tradition with a low percentage of young foreign apprentices. If the old-timer member assures a deep understanding of the firm’s knowledge base, the young foreign apprentice can show an high learning attitude through which he/she more easily shares their different knowledge. Research limitations/implications This study discussed organizational efforts to foster innovation capacities of the main individuals into a firm. However, the present research suffers from some limitations which limits the generalizability of the results beyond the company studied: a single case study on a small and family firm with consolidated organizational routines. In addition, this research does not solutions about the mechanisms of interaction among these different team members. Originality/value Recent studies observed how a number of cultural and creative firms innovate through a particular team that develops the ideas of a lead creator. Nevertheless, despite the increasing importance of these teams, their composition remains unclear.

  March 21, 2017   doi: 10.1108/JKM-09-2016-0381   open full text
• A two-sided matching decision method for supply and demand of technological knowledge.
  
  Journal of Knowledge Management. March 21, 2017
  Journal of Knowledge Management, Volume 21, Issue 3, Page 592-606, May 2017.
  Purpose The purpose of this paper is to propose a novel prospect-based two-sided matching decision model for matching supply and demand of technological knowledge assisted by a broker. This model enables the analyst to account for the stakeholders’ psychological behaviours and their impact on the matching decision in an open innovation setting. Design/methodology/approach The prospect theory and grey relational analysis are used to develop the proposed two-sided matching decision framework. Findings By properly calibrating model parameters, the case study demonstrates that the proposed approach can be applied to real-world technological knowledge trading in a market for technology (MFT) and yields matching results that are more consistent with the reality. Research limitations/implications The proposed model does not differentiate the types of knowledge exchanged (established vs novel, tacit vs codified, general vs specialized) (Ardito et al., 2016, Nielsen and Nielsen, 2009). Moreover, the model focuses on incorporating psychological behaviour of the MFT participants and does not consider their other characteristics. Practical implications The proposed model can be applied to achieve a better matching between technological knowledge suppliers and users in a broker-assisted MFT. Social implications A better matching between technological knowledge suppliers and users can enhance the success of open innovation, thereby contributing to the betterment of the society. Originality/value This paper furnishes a novel theoretical model for matching supply and demand in a broker-assisted MFT. Methodologically, the proposed model can effectively capture market participants’ psychological considerations.

  March 21, 2017   doi: 10.1108/JKM-05-2016-0183   open full text
• Reconfiguring the firm’s core technological portfolio through open innovation: focusing on technological M&A.
  
  Journal of Knowledge Management. March 21, 2017
  Journal of Knowledge Management, Volume 21, Issue 3, Page 571-591, May 2017.
  Purpose The purpose of this study is to investigate the effects of open innovation, especially focusing on technological M&A, on subsequent innovation and changes to the firm’s core technological portfolio. Design/methodology/approach The study suggests three types of core technological areas, based on prior focus and experience in technological categories. These are 1) the existing core area, in which the acquirer firm retains its knowledge and expertise, 2) the enhanced core area, where knowledge and expertise in the acquirer firm’s insufficient areas are strengthened, and 3) the new core area, i.e. new knowledge fields in which the acquirer firm ventures into. The study then analyzes the effects of two key knowledge characteristics of the target firm, similarity and complementarity, on post-M&A innovation outcomes in each of the three core technological areas. Findings The results confirm that while none of the investigated knowledge characteristics of the target firm is advantageous for post-M&A innovation outcomes in existing core areas, similarity of the target firm does facilitate post-M&A innovation outcomes in enhanced core areas. Moreover, the results confirm that complementarity of the target firm is beneficial for post-M&A innovation outcomes in new core areas. Originality/value The study explains the reconfiguration mechanism of a firm’s core technological portfolio. It also suggests an extended framework to analyze innovation outcomes in more detail. Moreover, the study helps to explain why most M&As result in failure.

  March 21, 2017   doi: 10.1108/JKM-07-2016-0295   open full text
• On the path towards open innovation: assessing the role of knowledge management capability and environmental dynamism in SMEs.
  
  Journal of Knowledge Management. March 21, 2017
  Journal of Knowledge Management, Volume 21, Issue 3, Page 553-570, May 2017.
  Purpose This study aims to shed light on the internal and external antecedents of open innovation (OI) in the context of small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), with a special focus on the role of knowledge management (KM) capability. The paper develops and tests an integrative research model which assesses the effect of internal factors on KM capability; the impact of organizational and external factors, namely, KM capability and environmental dynamism, on OI; and whether environmental dynamism moderates the relationship between KM capability and OI. Design/methodology/approach Drawing on the knowledge-based view and the social exchange and the contingency theories, this paper develops an integrative research model which analyzes several relations between organizational antecedents of KM capability and its effect on OI by using covariance-based structural equation modeling on a data set of Spanish SMEs. Findings Results confirm that information technology-supported operations and commitment-based human resource practices have a positive and significant influence on KM capability. In contrast, results do not find support for the relationship between interdepartmental connectedness and KM capability, whereas both KM capability and environmental dynamism have a direct influence on OI. Originality/value This paper adds to existing research on OI, as it is the first study that addresses the critical role of KM capability for the implementation of OI.

  March 21, 2017   doi: 10.1108/JKM-09-2016-0403   open full text
• How MNC’s subsidiaries may improve their innovative performance? The role of external sources and knowledge management capabilities.
  
  Journal of Knowledge Management. March 21, 2017
  Journal of Knowledge Management, Volume 21, Issue 3, Page 540-552, May 2017.
  Purpose This paper aims at exploring the effect of knowledge management (KM) practices on the relationship between external research and development (R&D) and innovative performance. The authors argue that the firms which develop and possess superior KM capabilities have the ability to better manage external knowledge and combine it with the internal one. Design/methodology/approach The authors used a sample of 117 European MNC subsidiaries. An OLS regression analysis was carried out to evaluate the moderator effect of KM on the relationship between external R&D and innovative performance. Findings The authors found positive evidences in favor of a moderator effect of KM. This means that subsidiaries with superior KM capabilities are more effective in using external R&D, augmenting the magnitude of their external sources of knowledge and, consequently, improving their innovative performance. Practical implications Managerially speaking, both corporate and subsidiaries’ managers need to understand the relevance of managing knowledge effectively and efficiently at the subsidiary level. Corporate managers need to allocate more resources (both financial and managerial) to the subsidiaries that are active in knowledge transfer and sharing, while subsidiaries managers need to implement practically the KM tools and processes at the subsidiary organizational level to improve subsidiary’s innovative performance. Originality/value This paper contributes mainly to the KM field, highlighting the importance of KM at the subsidiary level, whereas most of previous studies focus on different units of analysis.

  March 21, 2017   doi: 10.1108/JKM-09-2016-0411   open full text
• Business analytics-enabled decision-making effectiveness through knowledge absorptive capacity in health care.
  
  Journal of Knowledge Management. March 21, 2017
  Journal of Knowledge Management, Volume 21, Issue 3, Page 517-539, May 2017.
  Purpose Drawing on the resource-based theory and dynamic capability view, this paper aims to examine the mechanisms by which business analytics (BA) capabilities (i.e. the effective use of data aggregation, analytics and data interpretation tools) in healthcare units indirectly influence decision-making effectiveness through the mediating role of knowledge absorptive capacity. Design/methodology/approach Using a survey method, this study collected data from the hospitals in Taiwan. Of the 155 responses received, three were incomplete, giving a 35.84 per cent response rate with 152 valid data points. Structural equation modeling was used to test the hypotheses. Findings This study conceptualizes, operationalizes and measures the BA capability as a multi-dimensional construct that is formed by capturing the functionalities of BA systems in health care, leading to the conclusion that healthcare units are likely to obtain valuable knowledge through using the data analysis and interpretation tools effectively. The effective use of data analysis and interpretation tools in healthcare units indirectly influence decision-making effectiveness, an impact that is mediated by absorptive capacity. Originality/value This study adds values to the literature by conceptualizing BA capabilities in healthcare and demonstrating how knowledge absorption matters when implementing BA to the decision-making process. The mediating role of absorptive capacity not only provides a mechanism by which BA can contribute to decision-making practices but also offers a new solution to the puzzle of the IT productivity paradox in healthcare settings.

  March 21, 2017   doi: 10.1108/JKM-08-2015-0301   open full text
• The concepts of big data applied in personal knowledge management.
  
  Journal of Knowledge Management. March 07, 2017
  Journal of Knowledge Management, Volume 21, Issue 1, Page 213-230, February 2017.
  Purpose The purpose of this paper is to demonstrate the applications of big data in personal knowledge management (PKM). Design/methodology/approach Five conventional knowledge management dimensions, namely, the value of data, data collection, data storage, data application and data presentation, were applied for integrating big data in the context of PKM. Findings This study concludes that time management, computer usage efficiency management, mobile device usage behavior management, health management and browser surfing management are areas where big data can be applied to PKM. Originality/value While the literature discusses PKM without considering the impact of big data, this paper aims to extend existing knowledge by demonstrating the application of big data in PKM.

  March 07, 2017   doi: 10.1108/JKM-07-2015-0298   open full text
• Cognitive big data: survey and review on big data research and its implications. What is really “new” in big data?
  
  Journal of Knowledge Management. March 07, 2017
  Journal of Knowledge Management, Volume 21, Issue 1, Page 197-212, February 2017.
  Purpose The purpose of this paper is to introduce and define Cognitive Big Data as a concept. Furthermore, it investigates what is really “new” in Big Data, as it seems to be a hyped-up concept that has emerged during recent years. The purpose is also to broaden the discussion around Big Data far beyond the common 4V (velocity, volume, veracity and variety) model. Design/methodology/approach The authors established an expert think tank to discuss the notion of Big Data, identify new characteristics and re-think what really is new in the idea of Big Data, by analyzing over 60 literature resources. They identified typical baseline scenarios (traffic, business processes, retail, health and social media) as a starting point from which they explored the notion of Big Data from different perspectives. Findings They concluded that the idea of Big Data is simply not new and recognized the need to re-think a new approach toward Big Data. The authors also introduced a five-Trait Framework for “Cognitive Big Data”, socio-technical system, data space, data richness, knowledge management (KM)/decision-making and visualization/sensory presentation. Research limitations/implications The viewpoint is centered on cognitive processes as KM process. Practical implications Data need to be made available in an understandable form for the right application context and in the right portion size that it can be turned into knowledge and eventually wisdom. The authors need to know about data that can be ignored, data that they are not aware of (dark data) and data that can be fully utilized for analysis (light data). In the foreground is the extension of human mental capabilities and data understandability. Social implications Cognitive Big Data implies a socio-technological knowledge system. Originality/value Introduction of cognitive Big Data as concept and framework.

  March 07, 2017   doi: 10.1108/JKM-07-2016-0307   open full text
• Interrelationship between big data and knowledge management: an exploratory study in the oil and gas sector.
  
  Journal of Knowledge Management. March 07, 2017
  Journal of Knowledge Management, Volume 21, Issue 1, Page 180-196, February 2017.
  Purpose The purpose of this paper is to explore the relationship between big data and knowledge management (KM). Design/methodology/approach The study adopts a qualitative research methodology and a case study approach was followed by conducting nine semi-structured interviews with open-ended and probing questions. Findings Useful predictive knowledge can be generated through big data to help companies improve their KM capability and make effective decisions. Moreover, combination of tacit knowledge of relevant staff with explicit knowledge obtained from big data improvises the decision-making ability. Research limitations/implications The focus of the study was on oil and gas sector, and, thus, the research results may lack generalizability. Originality/value This paper fulfills an identified need of exploring the relationship between big data and KM which has not been discussed much in the literature.

  March 07, 2017   doi: 10.1108/JKM-07-2016-0262   open full text
• Facilitating knowledge management through filtered big data: SME competitiveness in an agri-food sector.
  
  Journal of Knowledge Management. March 07, 2017
  Journal of Knowledge Management, Volume 21, Issue 1, Page 156-179, February 2017.
  Purpose This paper aims to critique a facilitated knowledge management (KM) process that utilises filtered big data and, specifically, the process effectiveness in overcoming barriers to small and medium-sized enterprises’ (SMEs’) use of big data, the processes enablement of SME engagement with and use of big data and the process effect on SME competitiveness within an agri-food sector. Design/methodology/approach From 300 participant firms, SME owner-managers representing seven longitudinal case studies were contacted by the facilitator at least once-monthly over six months. Findings Results indicate that explicit and tacit knowledge can be enhanced when SMEs have access to a facilitated programme that analyses, packages and explains big data consumer analytics captured by a large pillar firm in a food network. Additionally, big data and knowledge are mutually exclusive unless effective KM processes are implemented. Several barriers to knowledge acquisition and application stem from SME resource limitations, strategic orientation and asymmetrical power relationships within a network. Research limitations/implications By using Dunnhumby data, this study captured the impact of only one form of big data, consumer analytics. However, this is a significant data set for SME agri-food businesses. Additionally, although the SMEs were based in only one UK region, Northern Ireland, there is wide scope for future research across multiple UK regions with the same Dunnhumby data set. Originality/value The study demonstrates the potential relevance of big data to SMEs’ activities and developments, explicitly identifying that realising this potential requires the data to be filtered and presented as market-relevant information that engages SMEs, recognises relationship dynamics and supports learning through feedback and two-way dialogue. This is the first study that empirically analyses filtered big data and SME competitiveness. The examination of relationship dynamics also overcomes existing literature limitations where SMEs’ constraints are seen as the prime factor restricting knowledge transfer.

  March 07, 2017   doi: 10.1108/JKM-08-2016-0357   open full text
• Creation of knowledge-added concept maps: time augmention via pairwise temporal analysis.
  
  Journal of Knowledge Management. March 07, 2017
  Journal of Knowledge Management, Volume 21, Issue 1, Page 132-155, February 2017.
  Purpose Although acknowledged as a principal dimension in the context of text mining, time has yet to be formally incorporated into the process of visually representing the relationships between keywords in a knowledge domain. This paper aims to develop and validate the feasibility of adding temporal knowledge to a concept map via pair-wise temporal analysis (PTA). Design/methodology/approach The paper presents a temporal trend detection algorithm – vector space model – designed to use objective quantitative pair-wise temporal operators to automatically detect co-occurring hot concepts. This PTA approach is demonstrated and validated without loss of generality for a spectrum of information technologies. Findings The rigorous validation study shows that the resulting temporal assessments are highly correlated with subjective assessments of experts (n = 136), exhibiting substantial reliability-of-agreement measures and average predictive validity above 85 per cent. Practical implications Using massive amounts of textual documents available on the Web to first generate a concept map and then add temporal knowledge, the contribution of this work is emphasized and magnified against the current growing attention to big data analytics. Originality/value This paper proposes a novel knowledge discovery method to improve a text-based concept map (i.e. semantic graph) via detection and representation of temporal relationships. The originality and value of the proposed method is highlighted in comparison to other knowledge discovery methods.

  March 07, 2017   doi: 10.1108/JKM-07-2016-0279   open full text
• Big data and knowledge management: a case of déjà vu or back to the future?
  
  Journal of Knowledge Management. March 07, 2017
  Journal of Knowledge Management, Volume 21, Issue 1, Page 113-131, February 2017.
  Purpose Big data clearly represent an important advance in information systems theory, but to describe it as “revolutionary” is premature. Similar technological breakthroughs, from online databases to ERP, were clearly modulated by advances in the organizational domain, including matters of structure, strategy and culture and arguably big data will be similar. The purpose of this paper is to encourage discussion of the wider implications of big data for the theory and practice of knowledge management. Design/methodology/approach This is a conceptual study based on critical analysis of the relevant literatures including those of organizational studies and management, big data and knowledge management. Findings The literature of big data emphasizes the application of algorithms to pattern analysis and prediction, resulting in data-driven decision-making, with data being the creator of value in organizations and societies. This would appear to render obsolete previous depictions of the “data-information-knowledge” relationship and, in effect, spell the end of knowledge management. However, big data literature largely ignores the organizational dimension and, significantly, the importance of frameworks, strategies and cultures for big data. As all of these are present in the literature of knowledge management, it would seem that big data have a long way to go to catch up and qualify even as a sub-discipline. Indeed, on the evidence, big data may well have a future as a contributor to and/or an element of knowledge management. Even for this to happen, however, major advances are required across the spectrum of big data technologies. Research limitations/implications This is a position paper written as the precursor for an empirical study. Originality/value The paper offers a critical literature-based and knowledge management perspective on big data while pointing out the common thread that runs through decades of advances in information systems technologies.

  March 07, 2017   doi: 10.1108/JKM-07-2015-0277   open full text
• Big data systems: knowledge transfer or intelligence insights?
  
  Journal of Knowledge Management. March 07, 2017
  Journal of Knowledge Management, Volume 21, Issue 1, Page 92-112, February 2017.
  Purpose This paper aims to bring together the existing theory from knowledge management (KM), competitive intelligence (CI) and big data analytics to develop a more comprehensive view of the full range of intangible assets (data, information, knowledge and intelligence). By doing so, the interactions of the intangibles are better understood and recommendations can be made for the appropriate structure of big data systems in different circumstances. Metrics are also applied to illustrate how one can identify and understand what these different circumstances might look like. Design/methodology/approach The approach is chiefly conceptual, combining theory from multiple disciplines enhanced with practical applications. Illustrative data drawn from other empirical work are applied to illustrate some concepts. Findings Theory suggests that the KM theory is particularly useful in guiding big data system installations that focus primarily on the transfer of data/information. For big data systems focused on analytical insights, the CI theory might be a better match, as the system structures are actually quite similar. Practical implications Though the guidelines are general, practitioners should be able to evaluate their own situations and perhaps make better decisions about the direction of their big data systems. One can make the case that all the disciplines have something to add to improving how intangibles are deployed and applied and that improving coordination between KM and analytics/intelligence functions will help all intangibles systems to work more effectively. Originality/value To the authors’ knowledge, very few scholars work in this area, at the intersection of multiple types of intangible assets. The metrics are unique, especially in their scale and attachment to theory, allowing insights that provide more clarity to scholars and practical direction to industry.

  March 07, 2017   doi: 10.1108/JKM-07-2015-0300   open full text
• Information and reformation in KM systems: big data and strategic decision-making.
  
  Journal of Knowledge Management. March 07, 2017
  Journal of Knowledge Management, Volume 21, Issue 1, Page 71-91, February 2017.
  Purpose The purpose of this paper is to provide a theoretical framework of how knowledge management (KM) systems can facilitate the incorporation of big data into strategic decisions. Advanced analytics are becoming increasingly critical in making strategic decisions in any organization from the private to public sectors and from for-profit companies to not-for-profit organizations. Despite the growing importance of capturing, sharing and implementing people’s knowledge in organizations, it is still unclear how big data and the need for advanced analytics can inform and, if necessary, reform the design and implementation of KM systems. Design/methodology/approach To address this gap, a combined approach has been applied. The KM and data analysis systems implemented by companies were analyzed, and the analysis was complemented by a review of the extant literature. Findings Four types of data-based decisions and a set of ground rules are identified toward enabling KM systems to handle big data and advanced analytics. Practical implications The paper proposes a practical framework that takes into account the diverse combinations of data-based decisions. Suggestions are provided about how KM systems can be reformed to facilitate the incorporation of big data and advanced analytics into organizations’ strategic decision-making. Originality/value This is the first typology of data-based decision-making considering advanced analytics.

  March 07, 2017   doi: 10.1108/JKM-07-2015-0293   open full text
• How the Internet of Things can help knowledge management: a case study from the automotive domain.
  
  Journal of Knowledge Management. March 07, 2017
  Journal of Knowledge Management, Volume 21, Issue 1, Page 57-70, February 2017.
  Purpose Current knowledge management (KM) systems cannot be used effectively for decision-making because of the lack of real-time data. This study aims to discuss how KM can benefit by embedding Internet of Things (IoT). Design/methodology/approach The paper discusses how IoT can help KM to capture data and convert data into knowledge to improve the parking service in transportation using a case study. Findings This case study related to intelligent parking service supported by IoT devices of vehicles shows that KM can play a role in turning the incoming big data collected from IoT devices into useful knowledge more quickly and effectively. Originality/value The literature review shows that there are few papers discussing how KM can benefit by embedding IoT and processing incoming big data collected from IoT devices. The case study developed in this study provides evidence to explain how IoT can help KM to capture big data and convert big data into knowledge to improve the parking service in transportation.

  March 07, 2017   doi: 10.1108/JKM-07-2015-0291   open full text
• An exploration of contemporary organizational artifacts and routines in a sustainable excellence context.
  
  Journal of Knowledge Management. March 07, 2017
  Journal of Knowledge Management, Volume 21, Issue 1, Page 35-56, February 2017.
  Purpose Organizations and their members operate in increasingly complex, dynamic and even disruptive environments, with risk and uncertainty being major challenges. To that effect, data, information, knowledge, and respective competences are increasingly instrumental in enabling and sustaining organizational intelligence that translates into resilience in the shorter and sustainable excellence in the longer term. Therefore, the purpose of this paper is to explore the role of the artifacts and routines in a sustainable organizational excellence context. Design/methodology/approach An extensive literature review was used to develop the context of the paper, focusing on big data and organizational intelligence for enterprise excellence and resilience. In addition, a thematic literature review method was used to study the role and impacts of routines and artifacts in organizational change, policies, structure and performance. Findings Although many traditional management practices retain their validity, knowledge management must give a clearer view of the existing connection between firm-level competitive advantage in open economies flows and difficult-to-use knowledge assets. The proposed framework studies knowledge exploration and knowledge exploitation as organizational phenomena opposed and mutually incompatible. Originality/value The paper presents a first attempt to study the linkages of organizational routines and artifacts as a cycle wherein knowledge acquisition and learning competencies form and enhance a firm’s organizational intelligence, leading to robust competitiveness and sustainable entrepreneurship.

  March 07, 2017   doi: 10.1108/JKM-10-2015-0366   open full text
• Big data text analytics: an enabler of knowledge management.
  
  Journal of Knowledge Management. March 07, 2017
  Journal of Knowledge Management, Volume 21, Issue 1, Page 18-34, February 2017.
  Purpose The purpose of this paper is to examine the role of big data text analytics as an enabler of knowledge management (KM). The paper argues that big data text analytics represents an important means to visualise and analyse data, especially unstructured data, which have the potential to improve KM within organisations. Design/methodology/approach The study uses text analytics to review 196 articles published in two of the leading KM journals – Journal of Knowledge Management and Journal of Knowledge Management Research & Practice – in 2013 and 2014. The text analytics approach is used to process, extract and analyse the 196 papers to identify trends in terms of keywords, topics and keyword/topic clusters to show the utility of big data text analytics. Findings The findings show how big data text analytics can have a key enabler role in KM. Drawing on the 196 articles analysed, the paper shows the power of big data-oriented text analytics tools in supporting KM through the visualisation of data. In this way, the authors highlight the nature and quality of the knowledge generated through this method for efficient KM in developing a competitive advantage. Research limitations/implications The research has important implications concerning the role of big data text analytics in KM, and specifically the nature and quality of knowledge produced using text analytics. The authors use text analytics to exemplify the value of big data in the context of KM and highlight how future studies could develop and extend these findings in different contexts. Practical implications Results contribute to understanding the role of big data text analytics as a means to enhance the effectiveness of KM. The paper provides important insights that can be applied to different business functions, from supply chain management to marketing management to support KM, through the use of big data text analytics. Originality/value The study demonstrates the practical application of the big data tools for data visualisation, and, with it, improving KM.

  March 07, 2017   doi: 10.1108/JKM-06-2015-0238   open full text
• Dave Snowden on KM and big data/analytics: interview with David J. Pauleen.
  
  Journal of Knowledge Management. March 07, 2017
  Journal of Knowledge Management, Volume 21, Issue 1, Page 12-17, February 2017.
  Purpose Dave Snowden has been an important voice in knowledge management over the years. As the founder and chief scientific officer of Cognitive Edge, a company focused on the development of the theory and practice of social complexity, he offers informative views on the relationship between big data/analytics and KM. Design/methodology/approach A face-to-face interview was held with Dave Snowden in May 2015 in Auckland, New Zealand. Findings According to Snowden, analytics in the form of algorithms are imperfect and can only to a small extent capture the reasoning and analytical capabilities of people. For this reason, while big data/analytics can be useful, they are limited and must be used in conjunction with human knowledge and reasoning. Practical implications Snowden offers his views on big data/analytics and how they can be used effectively in real world situations in combination with human reasoning and input, for example in fields from resource management to individual health care. Originality/value Snowden is an innovative thinker. He combines knowledge and experience from many fields and offers original views and understanding of big data/analytics, knowledge and management.

  March 07, 2017   doi: 10.1108/JKM-08-2016-0330   open full text
• Davenport and Prusak on KM and big data/analytics: interview with David J. Pauleen.
  
  Journal of Knowledge Management. March 07, 2017
  Journal of Knowledge Management, Volume 21, Issue 1, Page 7-11, February 2017.
  Purpose Larry Prusak and Tom Davenport have long been leading voices in the knowledge management (KM) field. This interview aims to explore their views on the relationship between KM and big data/analytics. Design/methodology/approach An interview was conducted by email with Larry Prusak and Tom Davenport in 2015 and updated in 2016. Findings Prusak and Davenport hold differing views on the role of KM today. They also see the relationship between KM and big data/analytics somewhat differently. Davenport, in particular, has much to say on how big data/analytics can be best utilized by business as well as its potential risks. Originality/value It is important to understand how two of the most serious KM thinkers since the early years of KM understand the relationship between big data/analytics, KM and organizations. Their views can help shape thinking in these fields.

  March 07, 2017   doi: 10.1108/JKM-08-2016-0329   open full text
• Does big data mean big knowledge? KM perspectives on big data and analytics.
  
  Journal of Knowledge Management. March 07, 2017
  Journal of Knowledge Management, Volume 21, Issue 1, Page 1-6, February 2017.
  Purpose This viewpoint study aims to make the case that the field of knowledge management (KM) must respond to the significant changes that big data/analytics is bringing to operationalizing the production of organizational data and information. Design/methodology/approach This study expresses the opinions of the guest editors of “Does Big Data Mean Big Knowledge? Knowledge Management Perspectives on Big Data and Analytics”. Findings A Big Data/Analytics-Knowledge Management (BDA-KM) model is proposed that illustrates the centrality of knowledge as the guiding principle in the use of big data/analytics in organizations. Research limitations/implications This is an opinion piece, and the proposed model still needs to be empirically verified. Practical implications It is suggested that academics and practitioners in KM must be capable of controlling the application of big data/analytics, and calls for further research investigating how KM can conceptually and operationally use and integrate big data/analytics to foster organizational knowledge for better decision-making and organizational value creation. Originality/value The BDA-KM model is one of the early models placing knowledge as the primary consideration in the successful organizational use of big data/analytics.

  March 07, 2017   doi: 10.1108/JKM-08-2016-0339   open full text
• Tracing the historical origins of knowledge management issues through referenced publication years spectroscopy (RPYS).
  
  Journal of Knowledge Management. October 17, 2016
  Journal of Knowledge Management, Volume 20, Issue 6, Page 1393-1404, October 2016.
  Purpose This study, using a new method called Referenced Publication Years Spectroscopy (RPYS), aims to examine the most important historic works written in the area of knowledge management (KM). Design/methodology/approach Preliminary data of this study have been extracted from Web of Science through scientometric methods. The references used in all the papers in the core journals in this field since 1980 to the end of 2014 were studied. Findings The distribution of resources in the area of KM based on the publication year indicates that this field of study, during time intervals 1900 to 1980, has seen eight major mutations. A considerable influence of such fields as economics, business, social networks analysis, organizational learning and economic sociology on the realm of KM is evident. The association of Polanyi with the mutations of 1958, 1962 and 1967 suggests his obvious influence on the evolution of KM. The ratio of articles to books among the whole documents detected by RPYS was 2-13 which could direct us to the point that the channel for information transformation in KM is more focused on books than on articles. Originality/value None of the few studies done by scientometric methods in the realm of KM has been seen through the issue of the historical origins of this area. This piece of research, using a new scientometric method, can be considered the first study in which the origins of KM over time have been studied.

  October 17, 2016   doi: 10.1108/JKM-01-2016-0019   open full text
• The effects of knowledge management capabilities on perceived school effectiveness in career and technical education.
  
  Journal of Knowledge Management. October 17, 2016
  Journal of Knowledge Management, Volume 20, Issue 6, Page 1373-1392, October 2016.
  Purpose This study aims to investigate the impact that knowledge management (KM) capabilities have on school effectiveness in career and technical education (CTE) in Taiwan. Design/methodology/approach The study adopted a survey research. A total of 439 valid samples were obtained and subsequently verified with structural equation modeling. Findings The results indicated that KM capabilities consist of two main dimensions, namely, the KM enabler capabilities and the KM process capabilities. The former includes structures, cultures and information technology support, whereas the latter includes acquisitions, storage, sharing and applications. In terms of the relationships among the dimensions of the model structure, the KM enabler capabilities managed to effectively predict the KM process capabilities, and the KM process capabilities managed to effectively predict the perceived school effectiveness. Research limitations/implications Based on the results, improvement of the KM enabler capabilities and process capabilities of higher education institutions of CTE is recommended so that their school effectiveness may be improved. Because the participants were not randomly selected, the generalizability of the results should be further examined. Practical implications This study encourages practitioners to focus their KM practices on KM enabler capabilities and the KM process capabilities. Originality/value The current study provided an insight into and further understanding of the model regarding the relationships among the KM enabler capabilities, the KM process capabilities and the school effectiveness.

  October 17, 2016   doi: 10.1108/JKM-12-2015-0515   open full text
• Old wine in new bottles: docility, attention scarcity and knowledge management.
  
  Journal of Knowledge Management. October 17, 2016
  Journal of Knowledge Management, Volume 20, Issue 6, Page 1353-1372, October 2016.
  Purpose This paper aims to address the nature of docility in organizations, its practical role in attention scarcity and knowledge diffusion in complex organizations and the management implications for organizational learning and innovation to improve knowledge management. Design/methodology/approach This paper examines knowledge organizations from the perspective of human resource strategies, their role in information abundance and attention scarcity and techniques to enhance docility mechanisms at different levels of the organization to increase innovation and performance. Findings This paper, in reviewing the organization literature on attention scarcity, addresses the shortage of studies linking the need for docility – the desire to learn from workers and the desire to teach – in personnel practices of knowledge firms, where intense social interaction, social feedback and social learning are the norms. Practical implications Knowledge management – scanning, creation, coordination, interpreting, transfer and integration – may well be the basis of competitive advantage, based on human resource strategies to mobilize explicit and tacit knowledge via docility mechanisms, including mentoring, teamwork, coaching and deep collaboration. Originality/value Decades ago, Herbert A. Simon introduced this new concept, docility, which is now central to knowledge organizations that face information abundance and attention scarcity. Knowledge organizations require tools of docility to align human resource strategies to both strategic management and operational functions to enhance teaching and learning in design structures that are time-constrained.

  October 17, 2016   doi: 10.1108/JKM-03-2016-0124   open full text
• Artifacts in knowledge management research: a systematic literature review and future research directions.
  
  Journal of Knowledge Management. October 17, 2016
  Journal of Knowledge Management, Volume 20, Issue 6, Page 1333-1352, October 2016.
  Purpose The purpose of this paper is to assess the role of artifacts in the knowledge management field in the past 18 years (1997-2015) and to identify directions for future research. Design/methodology/approach The authors conducted a systematic literature review of 101 articles published in seven journals retrieved from EBSCO and Google Scholar online research databases. The framework for analysis included 13 codes, i.e. author(s), title, year of publication, typology, theoretical lens, categorizations, methods for empirical work, relevancy, level of analysis, keywords, findings, research themes and future research directions. Codes were analyzed using qualitative and quantitative methods. Findings The findings lacked cumulativeness and consistency in the current knowledge management debate. Empirical works outnumbered conceptual contributions by two to one, and the majority of papers focused at the organizational level of analysis. Knowledge management systems, knowledge sharing and digital archives were the major research themes connected to artifacts, together with other closely aligned concepts such as learning and online learning, knowledge transfer and knowledge creation. Research limitations/implications This study has temporal and contextual limitations related to covered time span (18 years) and journals’ subscription restrictions. Originality/value This paper is a first attempt to systematically review the role of artifacts in knowledge management research and therefore it represents a primary reference in the knowledge management field. It provides directions to future theoretical and empirical studies and suggestions to managerial practices.

  October 17, 2016   doi: 10.1108/JKM-05-2016-0199   open full text
• The impact of focus, function, and features of shared knowledge on re-use in emergency management social media.
  
  Journal of Knowledge Management. October 17, 2016
  Journal of Knowledge Management, Volume 20, Issue 6, Page 1318-1332, October 2016.
  Purpose The purpose of this study is to investigate how organizations use social media such as blogs to share and re-used knowledge during contingencies, disasters, and emergencies. The factors related to the knowledge itself – rather than the media – which lead to more and less re-use (particularly in the fast-paced and uncertain context of emergencies) are not well known. Design/methodology/approach Integrating theories of social media, knowledge management and mass communication, the author develops a model of the characteristics of knowledge (focus, function and features), characteristics of knowledge sharers and the user’s needs, which influence the extent to which knowledge is re-used. Findings A study of 645 blog posts revealed why some knowledge is re-used in emergencies more than other types of knowledge. Surprisingly, non-event-related knowledge is re-used more often than event-related knowledge, perhaps because users are less certain about how they would re-use non-event knowledge and, thus, are paradoxically more interested in what it might offer. Results also indicate several other factors which impact re-use. Practical implications Traditional mechanisms used to evaluate knowledge for reuse such as rank and organizational status are less important than the focus and function of the knowledge itself; they offer practitioners strategies for more efficient knowledge sharing during emergencies and identify opportunities for more effective employment of emergency management social media. Originality/value One of the first studies to dig deeper into factors of knowledge shared and re-used during emergencies, this research integrates several theoretical streams to explain why some knowledge is more valuable for re-use. It increases the understanding of knowledge sharing during disasters and offers strategies for development of knowledge systems for future emergencies.

  October 17, 2016   doi: 10.1108/JKM-04-2016-0177   open full text
• Role of knowledge brokers in communities of practice in Japan.
  
  Journal of Knowledge Management. October 17, 2016
  Journal of Knowledge Management, Volume 20, Issue 6, Page 1302-1317, October 2016.
  Purpose The purpose of this study is to investigate the role of knowledge brokers in Japanese communities of practice (CoP). This is because if knowledge brokers can connect across boundaries and introduce practices into another CoP, they can contribute by introducing practices as tacit knowledge to another CoP. Design/methodology/approach This study examines five hypotheses on knowledge brokers with respect to multi-membership in CoPs, knowledge brokering and career adaptability. In this study, an online questionnaire was administrated to 412 business persons, all employed by Japanese companies. Findings In line with the predictions, the results show that the cognition and behavior of multi-membership were composed of two factors: “creation and integration of diverse opinions” and “acceptance of diverse opinions”. With respect to covariance structure analysis, “concern”, one of the factors of career adaptability, had both direct and indirect effects on “knowledge brokering”. “Creation and integration of diverse opinions”, one of the factors of the cognition and behavior of multi-membership, had direct effects on “knowledge brokering”. Research limitations/implications Given that the data presented in this study are limited to knowledge brokers in Japanese CoPs, the study needs to be extended to an international context and to other kinds of knowledge brokers. Originality/value This study contributes to the findings which show the complexity of multi-membership and career adaptability. Upon closer examination, each subscale of multi-membership and career adaptability shows a different effect on knowledge brokering. In other words, this study reveals the importance of proactive behavior in integrating diverse opinions for knowledge brokering.

  October 17, 2016   doi: 10.1108/JKM-03-2016-0098   open full text
• Intrinsic motivation for knowledge sharing – competitive intelligence process in a telecom company.
  
  Journal of Knowledge Management. October 17, 2016
  Journal of Knowledge Management, Volume 20, Issue 6, Page 1282-1301, October 2016.
  Purpose Knowledge about competitive environments is a determinant factor for the success of a firm, as it may allow it to anticipate threats and opportunities in its market. This study aims to explore variables that enable or prevent an employee’s intrinsic motivation to share knowledge. It studies the collection and sharing of information that may be a signal of future competitive moves in competitive intelligence (CI) processes. Design/methodology/approach Canonical correlation was used by utilizing survey data from a company. The study was based on the self-determination theory relating intrinsic motivation to behavior. Findings The study confirms the importance of different aspects motivating knowledge sharing behavior, such as information system’s support, top management support and information feed-back. Research limitations/implications The study is limited to one company, respecting the limitations of a case study, but external validation was impossible to test. Findings showed a strong correlation of some variables with intrinsic motivation and are coherent with other studies in the knowledge sharing field. Practical implications Firms introducing knowledge sharing processes should pay attention to the importance of information system support. The relationship with people involved is also important, as in supporting their collaborations and giving feed-back to contributions. Sustaining intrinsic motivation seems a fundamental aspect to the process’ success. Originality/value The study indicates the relation of different variables of motivation with motivation. It explores knowledge sharing in a CI process, an important process in firms nowadays. It shows important aspects that ensure continuity of knowledge sharing as informational feed-back and top management support. Canonical correlation was also used, a technique not frequently explored and useful to study correlation among groups of variables.

  October 17, 2016   doi: 10.1108/JKM-02-2016-0083   open full text
• Effects of knowledge management on client-vendor relationship quality: the mediating role of global mindset.
  
  Journal of Knowledge Management. October 17, 2016
  Journal of Knowledge Management, Volume 20, Issue 6, Page 1268-1281, October 2016.
  Purpose This study argues that knowledge management (KM) by itself has only limited effects on client–vendor relationship (CVR) of global providers of highly customised services. Rather, it is the ability of top management to properly evaluate and utilise a vast array of complex knowledge which allows global firms to develop and maintain superior CVR. The paper tests the proposition that global mindset (GM) of top management mediates the effects of KM on CVR quality. Design/methodology/approach The paper uses survey data from a sample of 68 international service providers (ISPs) in the information technology sector in India and partial least squares approach to structural equation modelling to test the hypotheses. Findings The results show that both KM and GM have positive and statistically significant effects on the quality of CVRs. The results also confirm that the GM of top management has significant and substantive mediation effects on the relationship between KM and CVR quality. Research limitations/implications The small size of the sample and the focus on ISPs in a single country constitute the main limitations of the study. Future research should ideally draw from a larger sample of ISPs from multiple countries and sectors in order to allow for greater generalisation of the findings. Practical implications ISPs will benefit from developing the GM of their top management teams to enhance their CVRs. Originality/value The paper provides new insights into how, in an international context, firms can transform their KM into superior CVR quality through the development of GM.

  October 17, 2016   doi: 10.1108/JKM-03-2016-0099   open full text
• Exploration of multi-layered knowledge sharing participation: the roles of perceived benefits and costs.
  
  Journal of Knowledge Management. October 17, 2016
  Journal of Knowledge Management, Volume 20, Issue 6, Page 1247-1267, October 2016.
  Purpose This paper aims to explore participants’ perceived benefits and costs that influence the quantity and the quality of voluntary participation in knowledge networks in a resources-constrained economy. Design/methodology/approach A conceptual model of perceived benefits and costs of knowledge sharing is designed on the basis of literature. The influence of perceived benefit and cost on perceived quantity and quality of knowledge sharing are assessed on the basis of a survey with 283 participants in a business context within a resource-restrained economy. Findings The results indicate that reputation, reciprocity and altruism are perceived to benefit quantity of participation, whereas reciprocity, altruism and knowledge self-efficacy are perceived to benefit the quality of participation in knowledge networks. Effort and time have a negative impact on both quantity and quality of participation in knowledge sharing. Research limitations/implications This study provides insights into the factors that influence acceptance and use of knowledge networks and can thus influence business policies. Originality/value This exploratory study explores both perceived benefits and costs of participation in knowledge sharing in a resource-constrained economy.

  October 17, 2016   doi: 10.1108/JKM-01-2016-0044   open full text
• What factors influence knowledge sharing in organizations? A social dilemma perspective of social media communication.
  
  Journal of Knowledge Management. October 17, 2016
  Journal of Knowledge Management, Volume 20, Issue 6, Page 1225-1246, October 2016.
  Purpose Enterprise social media platforms provide new ways of sharing knowledge and communicating within organizations to benefit from the social capital and valuable knowledge that employees have. Drawing on social dilemma and self-determination theory, the purpose of this paper is to understand what factors drive employees’ participation and what factors hamper their participation in enterprise social media. Design/methodology/approach Based on a literature review, a unified research model is derived integrating demographic, individual, organizational and technological factors that influence the motivation of employees to share knowledge. The model is tested using statistical methods on a sample of 114 respondents in Denmark. Qualitative data are used to elaborate and explain quantitative findings. Findings The findings pinpoint towards the general drivers and barriers to knowledge sharing within organizations. The significant drivers to knowledge sharing are: enjoy helping others, monetary rewards, management support, management encourages and motivates knowledge sharing behavior and knowledge sharing is recognized. The significant identified barriers are: change of behavior, lack of trust and lack of time. Practical implications The proposed knowledge sharing framework helps to understand what factors impact engagement on social media. Furthermore, the article suggests different types of interventions to overcome the social dilemma of knowledge sharing. Originality/value The study contributes to an understanding of factors leading to the success or failure of enterprise social media drawing on self-determination and social dilemma theory.

  October 17, 2016   doi: 10.1108/JKM-03-2016-0112   open full text
• Understanding counterproductive knowledge behavior: antecedents and consequences of intra-organizational knowledge hiding.
  
  Journal of Knowledge Management. October 17, 2016
  Journal of Knowledge Management, Volume 20, Issue 6, Page 1199-1224, October 2016.
  Purpose This paper aims to explore antecedents and consequences of intra-organizational knowledge hiding. Design/methodology/approach A model was developed and tested with data collected from 691 knowledge workers from 15 North American credit unions. Findings Knowledge hiding and knowledge sharing belong to unique yet possibly overlapping constructs. Individual employees believe that they engage in knowledge hiding to a lesser degree than their co-workers. The availability of knowledge management systems and knowledge policies has no impact on intra-organizational knowledge hiding. The existence of a positive organizational knowledge culture has a negative effect on intra-organizational knowledge hiding. In contrast, job insecurity motivates knowledge hiding. Employees may reciprocate negative knowledge behavior, and knowledge hiding promotes voluntary turnover. Practical implications Managers should realize the uniqueness of counterproductive knowledge behavior and develop proactive measures to reduce or eliminate it. Originality/value Counterproductive knowledge behavior is dramatically under-represented in knowledge management research, and this study attempts to fill that void.

  October 17, 2016   doi: 10.1108/JKM-05-2016-0203   open full text
• Knowledge management and business performance: global experts’ views on future research needs.
  
  Journal of Knowledge Management. October 17, 2016
  Journal of Knowledge Management, Volume 20, Issue 6, Page 1169-1198, October 2016.
  Purpose This paper aims to examine the views of the global knowledge management (KM) community on the research area of KM and business performance and identify key future research themes. Design/methodology/approach An interview study spanning 222 informants in 38 countries was launched to collect data on KM expert views concerning the future research needs of the KM field. Findings The value contribution of KM requires more research despite experts agreeing on the complexities involved in solving this challenge. Further research areas identified were related to the influence of KM to support business strategy, intellectual capital, decision-making, knowledge sharing, organizational learning, innovation performance, productivity and competitive advantage. Research limitations/implications The sample is dominated by European-based KM experts and the self-selecting sampling approach that was used by relying on the networks of each partner could have biased the structure of this sample. Practical implications The recognition of the complexity to demonstrate the value contribution of KM could prevent practitioners from using over-simplified approaches and encourage them to use more advanced measurement approaches. Originality/value The paper is unique, in that it reports on the views of 222 KM experts from 38 countries representing both academia and practice, on the issue of future research needs in terms of KM and business outcomes. As such it provides valuable guidance for future studies in the KM field and related subjects.

  October 17, 2016   doi: 10.1108/JKM-12-2015-0521   open full text
• Understanding researchers’ strategic behaviour in knowledge production: a case of social science and nanotechnology researchers.
  
  Journal of Knowledge Management. September 27, 2016
  Journal of Knowledge Management, Volume 20, Issue 5, Page 1148-1167, September 2016.
  Purpose This paper seeks to understand the strategic behaviour of researchers when producing knowledge in two scientific fields – nanotechnology and social sciences. Design/methodology/approach The author conducted semi-structured interviews with 43 researchers to analyse the needs for strategic interdependence (resource-sharing) and for organisational autonomy (decision-making) in knowledge production. When aligned, these two concepts form three modes of behaviour: mode1, mode2 and mode3. Findings The empirical study results show that, besides well-studied differences in various publications, there are large behaviour differences between social science and nanotechnology researchers. While nanotechnology researchers’ behaviours are mostly in mode3 (sharing resources; highly autonomous), social science researchers’ behaviours tend to be in mode1 (highly autonomous; no need to share resources). Practical implications This study delivers an understanding of the differences in the strategic behaviours of researchers in different scientific fields. The author proposes managerial interventions for research managers – university and research group leaders. Originality/value While most studies that compare scientific fields look at knowledge production outcomes, the author analyses conditions that differentiate these outcomes. To this end, the author compares individual researchers’ behaviours in different fields by analysing the need for collaboration and the need for autonomy.

  September 27, 2016   doi: 10.1108/JKM-11-2015-0444   open full text
• Leading knowledge management in a secondary school.
  
  Journal of Knowledge Management. September 27, 2016
  Journal of Knowledge Management, Volume 20, Issue 5, Page 1104-1147, September 2016.
  Purpose This paper aims to explore the influence of a principal’s leadership in kicking off knowledge management (KM) implementation and the following KM processes in the school. The author tries to propose a model of knowledge leadership for principals to adopt at the beginning of KM journey and during the process of KM implementation. The paper shares the lessons learned during the process of implementation: what he has done and what should be improved. Thus, this paper can provide a model for school principals to implement KM in their schools. This paper also sheds light for KM researchers about the issue of leadership during KM implementation. Design/methodology/approach The study uses an action research (AR) to explore how the principal’s leadership can enhance KM implementation in a school environment and evaluates the effectiveness of the knowledge leadership framework for KM implementation in a school setting. An insider AR methodology was adopted to study and reflect on the processes of KM implementation and lessons learned. Multiple data sources, including observations, questionnaires and interviews, have been collected for evaluation. Findings In this study, the principal kicked off KM in the school. It was found that KM “cannot” be implemented without the principal’s effective knowledge leadership. If there was only little KM leadership, such as the leadership in Stage 1, the launching of KM was found to be difficult. After awareness of the need of strengthening leadership in Stage 2, the principal exercised stronger leadership in pushing the KM process further, and the school had more obvious KM outcomes. Therefore, this study proves that leadership is essential for KM implementation, especially at the beginning of the KM processes. The principal acted as the knowledge leader with the roles of the knowledge vision builder, knowledge enabler builder and knowledge role model. The roles of knowledge leadership are found to be potent and critical for the process of KM implementation to facilitate sharing information/knowledge and nurturing a sharing culture and trust. In this study, the principal kicked off KM in the school. It was found that KM “cannot” be implemented without the principal’s effective knowledge leadership. If there was only little KM leadership, such as the leadership in Stage 1, launching KM was found to be difficult. After awareness of the need of strengthening leadership in Stage 2, the principal exercised stronger leadership in pushing the KM process further, and the school had more obvious KM outcomes. Therefore, this study proves that leadership is essential for KM implementation, especially at the beginning of the KM processes. The principal acted as the knowledge leader with the roles of knowledge vision builder, knowledge enabler builder and knowledge role model. The roles of knowledge leadership are found to be potent and critical for the process of KM implementation to facilitate sharing information/knowledge and nurturing a sharing culture and trust. Research limitations/implications Although the results of the study conducted in one school may not be generalized to other school contexts, the lessons learned in the study might be a reference to other schools for their future development. Because of his unique position as the principal in the researched school, the researcher adopted an insider approach generating value for investigation of KM implementation in this study, as there were multiple mediating processes through which leaders could influence school functioning, and, hence, knowledge sharing or other issues in KM implementation. Practical implications This study could contribute toward KM implementation in the public sector, especially in schools. Moreover, the approaches, the strategies, the processes and the challenges the principal and the school faced can shed light on practice and research for further KM implementation. In addition, although leadership has been commonly regarded as an important factor in KM implementation, few studies have explored the impact of leadership during the KM process. With the principal’s leadership as the main component, this study is important for an analysis of the role of leadership during the process. The framework of knowledge leadership adopted in this study has been tried and evaluated to be applicable and necessary for KM implementation in a school environment. Social implications Most people might think that KM can be applied only in the commercial sector. This study shows that KM can also be adopted in schools and in other sectors. Moreover, it shows that the principal’s leadership was the key driver for KM implementation. The principal’s leadership with clear direction and thoughtful procedures of implementing may be a showcase for the leaders in other sectors. Originality/value Fullan (2002) mentions the essence of KM in schools, the importance of principals’ leadership in the promotion of KM in schools, the moral purpose and knowledge sharing and leadership and sustainability, but he does not provide any practical suggestion for how principals can become knowledge leaders. Therefore, this paper hopes to further propose a model to show how to help a principal transform into a knowledge leader to overcome barriers and difficulties in kicking off KM at the beginning of their KM journey and during the process of KM implementation.

  September 27, 2016   doi: 10.1108/JKM-10-2015-0390   open full text
• The team absorptive capacity triad: a configurational study of individual, enabling, and motivating factors.
  
  Journal of Knowledge Management. September 27, 2016
  Journal of Knowledge Management, Volume 20, Issue 5, Page 1083-1103, September 2016.
  Purpose The paper aims to understand how knowledge-intensive teams can develop and enhance their team absorptive capacity (ACAP) level, by exploring whether individual and organizational factors are complements or substitutes for team ACAP. Design/methodology/approach The study applies a configurational approach using fuzzy-set qualitative comparative analysis to identify combinations of individual and team factors that are associated with team ACAP. Data were gathered through a survey among 297 employees of four medium-sized Dutch firms, working in 48 functional teams. Findings The primary finding is that knowledge-intensive team ACAP depends on a triad of complementary factors: team members’ individual ACAP, factors that enable knowledge integration and factors that motivate knowledge integration. Underdevelopment of one or more factors leads to lower team ACAP. Research limitations/implications The study contributes to the discussion on the locus of knowledge-creation and enhances understandings of why knowledge-intensive teams differ in knowledge processing capabilities. It suggests future research on cross-functional teams in new ventures and large firms. Practical implications The paper informs managers and team leaders about the factors that determine knowledge-intensive teams’ ACAP, enabling them to develop team-specific strategies to increase their teams’ performance. Originality/value The study takes a holistic perspective on knowledge-intensive team ACAP by using a configurational approach. It also highlights the potential of team-level research in the knowledge management literature for both researchers and practitioners.

  September 27, 2016   doi: 10.1108/JKM-11-2015-0433   open full text
• Global dispersion of offshore service providers: an information processing perspective.
  
  Journal of Knowledge Management. September 27, 2016
  Journal of Knowledge Management, Volume 20, Issue 5, Page 1065-1082, September 2016.
  Purpose This paper aims to propose a new theoretical perspective on the organizational design of offshoring service organizations by adopting an information processing perspective which incorporates the factors of collaborative information technologies, task commoditization and global customer service delivery that are characteristic of modern-day knowledge-intensive service (KIS) organizations. Design/methodology/approach The authors analyze data from a large multiyear survey of offshoring service providers conducted in 12 countries. Findings The authors show how use of collaborative technology is significantly and positively related to spatial and configurational dispersion, task commoditization is significantly and positively related to spatial and temporal dispersion and need for global customer presence is not related to spatial, temporal or configurational dispersion. Research limitations/implications The paper integrates concepts from management information system (MIS), operations management and international business to show how collaborative technology, task characteristics and customer service requirements affect the global dispersion of KISs. Practical implications The results show how use of collaborative technology, task characteristics and global customer service requirements need to be jointly considered in the global dispersion of activities by KIS providers. Originality/value The study sheds light on the effect of the key factors on different dimensions of global dispersion (i.e. spatial/temporal/configurational dispersion) in offshoring service provider organizations. Second, it shows how the traditional information processing perspective on organizations can be updated and applied to KIS organizations by incorporating the factors of global collaborative information technologies, task commoditization and global customer service.

  September 27, 2016   doi: 10.1108/JKM-11-2015-0449   open full text
• Knowledge transfer in knowledge-intensive organizations: the crucial role of improvisation in transferring and protecting knowledge.
  
  Journal of Knowledge Management. September 27, 2016
  Journal of Knowledge Management, Volume 20, Issue 5, Page 1045-1064, September 2016.
  Purpose This paper aims to answer the question: how do knowledge workers’ improvisation processes promote both knowledge transfer and protection in knowledge-intensive organizations (KIOs)? A model is proposed identifying how effective improvisation can strengthen the effect of four specific knowledge transfer mechanisms – an experimental culture, minimal structures, the practice of storytelling and shared mental models – on knowledge transfer inside the organization and knowledge protection outside of it. Design/methodology/approach The paper builds on a knowledge translation perspective to position improvisation as intrinsically intertwined with knowledge transfer and knowledge protection. Findings Improvisation is proposed as the moderating factor enhancing the positive impact of an experimental culture, minimal structures, storytelling practice and shared mental models on knowledge transfer and knowledge protection. Practical implications The paper argues against a “plug-and-play” approach to knowledge transfer that seeks to replicate knowledge without considering how people relate to the routines and the context and highlights to leaders of KIOs the importance of developing awareness, understanding and motivation to improvise to internalize new knowledge being transferred and to create imitation barriers. Originality/value The paper proposes that KIOs’ success in transferring and protecting knowledge emerges not directly from formal knowledge transfer mechanisms but from knowledge workers’ improvisation processes.

  September 27, 2016   doi: 10.1108/JKM-10-2015-0385   open full text
• How transactive memory systems relate to organizational innovation: the mediating role of developmental leadership.
  
  Journal of Knowledge Management. September 27, 2016
  Journal of Knowledge Management, Volume 20, Issue 5, Page 1025-1044, September 2016.
  Purpose The purpose of this paper is to explore the relationship between transactive memory systems and organizational innovation. Several recent studies have discussed the positive relationship between these two entities. Yet, very few studies have demonstrated how transactive memory systems are related to leadership and innovation. This study investigates this tripartite relationship, finding that developmental leadership exerts a mediating effect on the relationship between transactive memory systems and organizational innovation. Design/methodology/approach In examining this relationship, 224 participants from an electronics company in South Korea were surveyed. Structural equation modeling was used to enable the identification of simultaneous interactive relationships among the three research variables. Findings Contrary to previous research results, transactive memory systems were found not to be significantly related to organizational innovation. Results also indicated that transactive memory systems comprise a statistically significant variable that influences developmental leadership. Subsequently, developmental leadership can be considered to be a valid construct in predicting organizational innovation; it can also be seen to fully mediate the relationship between transactive memory systems and organizational innovation. Originality/value These results have theoretical and managerial implications. As transactive memory systems do not always precede organizational innovation, knowledge of “who knows what” is not enough to ensure innovative performances. To accelerate organizational innovation, intentional managerial interventions such as developmental leadership are accordingly necessary.

  September 27, 2016   doi: 10.1108/JKM-10-2015-0413   open full text
• How do collaboration and investments in knowledge management affect process innovation in services?
  
  Journal of Knowledge Management. September 27, 2016
  Journal of Knowledge Management, Volume 20, Issue 5, Page 1004-1024, September 2016.
  Purpose Despite the keen interest in radical and incremental innovation, few studies have tested the varying impact of firm-level factors in service sectors. This paper analyses how collaboration with existing and prospective users and investments in knowledge management (KM) practices can be adapted to maximise the outputs of radical and incremental process innovation in a knowledge-intensive business service industry. Design/methodology/approach Original survey data from 166 information technology service firms and interviews with 13 executives provide the empirical evidence. Partial least squares-structural equation modelling is used to analyse the data. Findings Collaboration with different types of users, and investments in KM practices affect radical versus incremental process innovation differently. Collaboration with existing users influences incremental process innovation directly, but not radical innovation; and prospective user collaboration matters for radical, but not incremental innovation. Furthermore, for radical innovation, investments in KM practices mediate the impact of prospective user collaboration on innovation. Research limitations/implications While collaboration with existing users for incremental process innovations does not appear to generate significant managerial challenges, to pursue radical innovations firms must engage in intensive collaboration with prospective users. Higher involvement with prospective users requires higher investment in KM practices to promote efficient intra- and inter-firm knowledge flows. Originality/value This study is based on a large-scale survey, together with management interviews. Radical and incremental innovations in the service industry require engagements with different kinds of users, and the use of KM tools.

  September 27, 2016   doi: 10.1108/JKM-11-2015-0429   open full text
• Mental health knowledge management: critical success factors and strategy of implementation.
  
  Journal of Knowledge Management. September 27, 2016
  Journal of Knowledge Management, Volume 20, Issue 5, Page 980-1003, September 2016.
  Purpose This paper aims to recommend implementation of the knowledge management (KM) strategy for a mental health organisation, an area that has, to date, limited attention in literature based on the factors that influence KM success. Design/methodology/approach A mixed-methods research was conducted to identify the organisational culture, resources, enablers and the influential factors of mental health knowledge management (MHKM). The data were collected in five referral mental hospitals and were analysed using quantitative, qualitative and triangulation methods. Findings The organisational culture has become a great barrier. Forty-three influential factors were identified. Otherwise, based on culture, resources, enablers and strengthen, weakness, opportunities and threaten (SWOT) analysed were adopted to propose ten of the critical success factors and were recommended into an implementation strategy. Research limitations/implications The paper has proven that KM is a new and emerging discipline in Indonesia, especially on mental health care. This will contribute to the governmental policy of KM implementation and enforce the quality of services. Practical implications This result has the potential to leverage interdisciplinary KM research. It supports a mental health organisation in applying KM. Originality/value This study is probably the first to analyse factors that are of influence in an MHKM initiative programme.

  September 27, 2016   doi: 10.1108/JKM-10-2015-0378   open full text
• Reconciling ambiguity with interaction: implementing formal knowledge strategies in a knowledge-intensive organization.
  
  Journal of Knowledge Management. September 27, 2016
  Journal of Knowledge Management, Volume 20, Issue 5, Page 959-979, September 2016.
  Purpose The purpose of this paper is to look at the actions autonomous knowledge workers perform to implement formalized knowledge strategies as part of an accreditation. Design/methodology/approach Using a strategy-as-practice framework, this paper follows a qualitative approach to study the implementation of a standard in a business school. The data collection was carried out over a 14-month period, with access to interviews, observations, meetings minutes and other institutional information. Findings Even though faculty members received similar information, the standard was implemented in different and conflicting ways. Three themes explain these differences: different approaches to ambiguous knowledge management practices, enablers and inhibitors of knowledge sharing and different conceptions of continuous improvement. Research limitations/implications As this was a single case, findings are not broadly generalizable. The research is based on rich data over a prolonged period, albeit in a very specific setting where unique actor and structural characteristics are not generally representative of the wider business and organizational environment. The nature of the university setting is quite unique. Although possible links to other fields which share some specific similarities with universities are provided, the contextual limitations are acknowledged. Accordingly, the work is presented as a basis for future enquiry when investigating implementation, especially activity-based research within knowledge-intensive organizations. Practical implications This paper provides a deep analysis of the actions knowledge workers perform when implementing standards promoted by organizational directives. It exposes tensions and conflicts among knowledge workers when implementing a standard. Our model is the basis for insights on how managers can balance the tensions of creative change and stable structure. Originality/value This paper describes how ambiguity and human interactions can reveal a deeper understanding of the different stages of standards implementation. It provides a model that uses the level of ambiguity and structure to explain how knowledge workers interacted in groups and as a whole can implement Assurance of Learning.

  September 27, 2016   doi: 10.1108/JKM-11-2015-0438   open full text
• Optimizing decisions using knowledge risk strategy.
  
  Journal of Knowledge Management. September 27, 2016
  Journal of Knowledge Management, Volume 20, Issue 5, Page 936-958, September 2016.
  Purpose The paper aims to focus on a strategic approach for making trade-offs between knowledge and risk. Design/methodology/approach Knowledge and risk are viewed as organizational resources that have an inherent trade-off between them, so that optimal firm performance does not necessarily arise through greater accumulation of knowledge nor from reduced risk. This trade-off is represented as an efficient knowledge-risk frontier. The paper examines the dynamics of this frontier on organizational performance. Findings The concept of knowledge-risk strategy is presented which contends that non-probabilistic risk or uncertainty originates from gaps in knowledge. Research limitations implications The paper proposes a new line of research to understand decision-making in organizations, particularly those which focus on knowledge intensive products and services. Practical implications The paper proposes managerial approaches to improve organizational positioning relative to the efficient knowledge-risk frontier through greater awareness of contributors to knowledge gaps and risk in decision situations, as well as traditional strategic tools such as outsourcing. Originality/value The postulated link between risk and knowledge gaps establishes a knowledge-based view of firm risk and recognizes trade-offs for decisions regarding knowledge accumulation.

  September 27, 2016   doi: 10.1108/JKM-11-2015-0465   open full text
• How to measure trust: the percolation model applied to intra-organisational knowledge sharing networks.
  
  Journal of Knowledge Management. September 27, 2016
  Journal of Knowledge Management, Volume 20, Issue 5, Page 918-935, September 2016.
  Purpose The present paper aims to explore how to measure trust as a receptivity force in an intra-organisational knowledge-sharing network with the help of self-developed algorithms of modelling percolations. Design/methodology/approach In this paper, a completely new methodology is applied by using a sample study of an international company’s financial centre as an example. Computer software has been developed to simulate the network and calculate the percolation thresholds by combining its characteristics, thereby revealing what and to what extent connectivity and trust, respectively, influence knowledge sharing. Findings The application of computer modelling to build up a percolation network is useful for answering questions about the determinants of knowledge sharing. Arguably, the authors demonstrate how the applied new methodology is superior in addressing how to measure the critical values of trust, connectivity and interaction issues, as well as leading to better insights about how these can be managed. The present paper confirms that trust is an essential factor influencing knowledge sharing and that there is a reciprocal effect between social interaction and trust. Practical implications The model provides a useful tool for assessing features of the intra-organisational knowledge-sharing network and thus an important foundation for implementing actions in practice. The findings of this study imply that managers should consider the important role of task-related trust between actors and in general for knowledge sharing. With the help of percolation modelling, the degree of trust in an organisation can be computed, and this provides managers with an approach for managing trust. Originality/value The topic of “how can trust be measured” is very important and is becoming even more important now because the financial crisis and other issues are raising questions about trust and moral compass rather than financial data. A percolation-based approach to studying knowledge sharing has not been researched in depth before now, and this study attempts to fill that gap. Fundamentally, this multidisciplinary research adds value to the theoretical foundation of the percolation network and research methodology to be used in social sciences and gives an example of their potential practical implications.

  September 27, 2016   doi: 10.1108/JKM-11-2015-0464   open full text
• Classifying emerging knowledge sharing practices and some insights into antecedents to social networking: a case in insurance.
  
  Journal of Knowledge Management. September 27, 2016
  Journal of Knowledge Management, Volume 20, Issue 5, Page 898-917, September 2016.
  Purpose The paper aims to explore a case of early adoption of the use of social media tools for the purposes of knowledge and information sharing across a supply chain in the UK home insurance market. Design/methodology/approach The methodology used includes genre and content analysis to analyze empirical data from blogs and posts via a customized social extranet [Engaging in Knowledge Networking via an interactive 3D Social Supplier Network (KNOWLEDGE NETWORK)] involving 130 users over a 13-month period. Findings The results uncover a set of emerging practices which support both information and knowledge exchange, but which are mainly driven by organizational factors such as buyer power and supplier competitive influencing. Research limitations/implications This study has contributed an overall conceptual understanding of reasons behind social media adoption by identifying organizational attributes of buyer power and supplier influence as key antecedents to knowledge sharing within a supply chain. Originality/value This paper builds on current thinking in social media theory by providing a window into organizational and supply chain attributes that can explain social media adoption within the context of knowledge sharing supply chains. A systematic classification of user posts over an extended period enabled this work to illuminate not only emerging knowledge sharing practices across a buyer-led supply chain but also the effects of buyer power on users in an online community.

  September 27, 2016   doi: 10.1108/JKM-11-2015-0432   open full text
• Antecedents and intervention mechanisms: a multi-level study of R&D team’s knowledge hiding behavior.
  
  Journal of Knowledge Management. September 27, 2016
  Journal of Knowledge Management, Volume 20, Issue 5, Page 880-897, September 2016.
  Purpose The purpose of this paper is to examine why employees hide knowledge and how organizations intervene and influence the negative effects of knowledge hiding. This study builds and tests a theoretical model at both individual and team level. Design/methodology/approach Data were collected from universities, research institutes and enterprises’ research and development (R&D) teams in China via a two-wave survey. The final sample contained 417 cases. Hierarchical linear modeling was used to test hypotheses. Findings The results show that territoriality plays a mediating role between psychological ownership and knowledge hiding, and that organizational result justice negatively moderated the relationship between territoriality and knowledge hiding. Procedure justice negatively moderated the relationship between territoriality and rationalized hiding, and that between territoriality and evasive hiding. Interactive justice negatively moderated the relationship between territoriality and rationalized hiding, and that between territoriality and evasive hiding. There were thus interactive effects among territoriality, perceived knowledge value and psychological ownership; the relationship between individual psychological ownership and territoriality was weaker when perceived knowledge value was lower and task interdependence was higher, and stronger with higher perceived knowledge value and lower task interdependence. Research limitations/implications Territorial behaviors, such as knowledge hoarding and misleading within R&D teams, are the primary challenges for organizations’ positive activities, including internal sharing, teamwork and organizational goal accomplishment. Researching knowledge territoriality in the Chinese cultural context will help to distinguish territorial behaviors and to take preventive measures. In addition, this study not only enables managers to understand clearly the precipitating factors of knowledge territoriality and the relationships among them but also provides constructive strategies for reducing the negative effect of organizational intervention in knowledge territoriality. Originality/value This study adopts a multilevel modeling method and not only reveals the “black box” of interaction among psychological ownership, territoriality and knowledge hiding at the individual level but also probes the three-way interaction of perceived knowledge value, team task dependency and psychological ownership with territoriality at both individual and team levels, and then discusses the mediation effect of organizational justice on the relationship between territoriality and knowledge hiding. The conclusion of this study not only enriches the literature on knowledge hiding in the field of knowledge management but also helps to elucidate the function and intervention mechanism of knowledge hiding.

  September 27, 2016   doi: 10.1108/JKM-11-2015-0451   open full text
• Understanding knowledge creation in the context of knowledge-intensive business processes.
  
  Journal of Knowledge Management. September 27, 2016
  Journal of Knowledge Management, Volume 20, Issue 5, Page 858-879, September 2016.
  Purpose This paper aims to investigate knowledge creation in the context of knowledge-intensive business processes (KIBPs) and seeks to identify the challenges and opportunities associated with this phenomenon. Design/methodology/approach This study used a grounded theory approach to develop a framework based on 30 interviews across three different types of organizations. Findings The findings argue knowledge creation in the context of KIBP is negatively influenced by the lack of support for process-competency requirements within knowledge-intensive (KI) processes. These process-competency requirements center on the ability to effectively engage with the process, develop reasoning skills to handle KIBP and gain a higher-level perspective of the KIBP within the organization. Practical implications For practitioners, the opportunity exists to explore their organizational influences on the process-competencies to reduce the negative impact of any gaps identified within their KIBPs. Originality/value Although previous studies explore knowledge creation in a broad sense, this paper examines the phenomenon specifically within the context of KIBPs and analyze the potential for organizations to enhance their knowledge creation initiatives in this context.

  September 27, 2016   doi: 10.1108/JKM-11-2015-0443   open full text
• Guest editorial.
  
  Journal of Knowledge Management. September 27, 2016
  Journal of Knowledge Management, Volume 20, Issue 5, Page 845-857, September 2016.
  Purpose This paper aims to further research on leadership and knowledge management through formal knowledge strategies in knowledge-intensive organizations (KIOs), and analyse knowledge management challenges and approaches within KIOs, especially tacit knowledge. Design/methodology/approach This paper is based on conceptual and literature research. Findings Managing knowledge as an organizational asset involves how knowledge is obtained, stored and organized, and accessed and shared when needed. This is crucial for KIOs. Knowledge that is not captured, understood and transferred, throughout the organization, is useless. This requires the integration of systems and processes with people and leadership. Tacit knowledge generation and transfer is especially important in KIOs. In particular, the success of KIOs depends crucially on management’s ability to give leadership in a way that supports knowledge-intensive teamwork. The global nature of internal and external knowledge networks adds to the leadership challenge. This can be made more complex by cultural differences, intellectual property protection (formal and informal) and talent scarcity. Research limitations/implications Further research is needed to identify the types of KIO and to better understand sound common knowledge management and related leadership principles across all types of KIO and those that are more context-dependent on the type of KIO and/or its business and cultural context. More research is needed on policy making organizations, in-company policy-making research and development and creative industries. Originality/value The paper takes forward research on leading knowledge management in KIOs and introduces 14 challenging new papers in this specific field of research.

  September 27, 2016   doi: 10.1108/JKM-07-2016-0296   open full text
• Developing a knowledge management policy for ISO 9001: 2015.
  
  Journal of Knowledge Management. August 03, 2016
  Journal of Knowledge Management, Volume 20, Issue 4, Page 829-844, July 2016.
  Purpose International Organization for Standardization (ISO) 9001: 2015 quality management systems places an obligation on organizations to consider the role of organizational knowledge as a resource. The purpose of this paper is to systematically relate the key fundamentals of knowledge management to the seven quality management principles of ISO 9001: 2015. It is the first to consider this relationship. Design/methodology/approach The paper traces the history of quality standards and the background to the inclusion of an organizational knowledge clause in ISO 9001: 2015. It then systematically considers the seven quality management principles in relation to knowledge management principles. Findings The core elements of the knowledge management standard are incorporated with the organizational knowledge clause. Explicit and tacit knowledge are addressed by the ISO standard. Knowledge and its management will become increasingly important in organizations driven by ISO certification requirements. Research limitations/implications ISO 9001: 2015 was released in September 2015 which means that organizations have yet to apply the organizational knowledge clause. This paper is a conceptual one which needs to be complemented with empirical research. Practical implications This paper identifies the role of knowledge management principles as they apply to ISO 9001: 2015 and the seven quality management principles. More than 1.1 million organizations are certified to ISO 9001, plus many others who use the standard informally. Those involved with organizational quality will need to understand the role of knowledge in the organization. Social implications Quality services and products need to be underpinned with strategic knowledge management. Originality/value This paper is the first to discuss knowledge management in relation to the seven quality management principles which assist the development of policy for quality management.

  August 03, 2016   doi: 10.1108/JKM-11-2015-0472   open full text
• Primary knowledge management practices applied in Brazil, Russia, India and China (BRIC) industries from 2001-2010.
  
  Journal of Knowledge Management. August 03, 2016
  Journal of Knowledge Management, Volume 20, Issue 4, Page 812-828, July 2016.
  Purpose This study aims to expose the main knowledge management (KM) practices applied in BRIC (Brazil, Russia, India and China) industries using scientific literature published in the Scopus database from 2001 to 2010. Design/methodology/approach A search was performed in papers selected from the Scopus database, which houses the KM practices of industries in BRIC countries. Findings The results show that Brazil, Russia and India have an easier way of converting tacit knowledge into explicit knowledge compared to China, where informal relationships of trust and friendship play a special role within organizations, as well as where the political structure (communism) is an intervening factor. Brazil, Russia and India practice similar KM mechanisms such as the use of technology, process standardization and electronic data management. They also model the positive experiences of western companies. In China, interpersonal relationships shape the tacit and explicit features of organizations. Research limitations/implications The methodological filter could potentially limit the volume of responses, as not every case study can demonstrate the usual practices of KM. Empirical studies are able to capture the nuances and even provide a holistic picture of these practices. Practical Implications The results have practical implication, in particular. They are expected to help managers and workers to better comprehend KM practices in BRIC countries or even suggest new KM practices in the business. Originality/value The main discussion of this paper brings together a large range of KM practices applied in BRIC, addressing similarities and differences between KM deployments.

  August 03, 2016   doi: 10.1108/JKM-12-2015-0522   open full text
• Ba virtual and inter-organizational evolution: a case study from a EU research project.
  
  Journal of Knowledge Management. August 03, 2016
  Journal of Knowledge Management, Volume 20, Issue 4, Page 793-811, July 2016.
  Purpose Taking Nonaka’s SECI model as the main reference, this paper aims to offer reflections on the virtual evolution of ba, the places for knowledge creation. Indeed, looking at the current scenario, widening the knowledge spiral to the inter-organizational epistemological level is inevitable. To this aim, information technology tools and virtual communities can establish effective interactions to exchange knowledge, making ba evolve congruently. Design/methodology/approach The paper takes the exemplary case of a platform developed during a European research project called “BIVEE: Business Innovation in Virtual Enterprise Environments”. The investigative approach chosen is participatory action research (PAR), with two researchers conducting PAR in real time, and two others involved ex post. Findings The paper shows that the virtual evolution of ba can lead the SECI model towards an inter-organizational level. Moreover, through a learning history, it describes how all the phases of the SECI process, even the Socialization one, can take place or be supported in virtual spaces. Research limitations/implications Taking into account just one single exemplary case study provides a rich, contextualized understanding of phenomena, while allowing only some theoretical generalizations. Originality/value This paper contextualizes the SECI model within a Web platform for open innovation, to investigate whether the knowledge creation process can take place entirely within a virtual environment linking subjects from different organizations. In so doing, it applies the SECI model to the phases of the innovation process, called waves.

  August 03, 2016   doi: 10.1108/JKM-09-2015-0342   open full text
• Communication behavior and online knowledge collaboration: evidence from Wikipedia.
  
  Journal of Knowledge Management. August 03, 2016
  Journal of Knowledge Management, Volume 20, Issue 4, Page 769-792, July 2016.
  Purpose This paper aims to elucidate the collaborative mechanism of knowledge collaboration in online communities. The effects of participant communication behaviors enabling knowledge collaboration, such as public discussion, private messaging and registration, are comprehensively investigated in relation to individual and group performances. Design/methodology/approach Eight communication categories of participants are defined according to their communication behaviors, and the average number of knowledge contributions at the individual level and the helpfulness toward collaboration efficiency at the group level are compared across the participant categories. Findings The results show that simultaneous participation in both task-oriented public discussion and relationship-oriented private messaging has a synergistic effect in promoting individual knowledge sharing, and that additional registration – disclosing one’s identity – significantly enhances efficiency in group collaboration. The role of public discussion appears to be as significant as that of private messaging with regard to online knowledge collaboration. Practical implications First, encouraging members to participate in both task-oriented discussion and casual personal communication is important for eliciting more knowledge contributions. Second, although social capital based on one-to-one private messaging has attracted much attention with respect to knowledge sharing, many-to-many public discussions that more deeply and broadly influence knowledge conversion should be more highly emphasized. Third, the perceptions of shared value and reputation based on registration also need to be cultivated to increase collaboration efficiency. Originality/value In contrast to most previous research that focused on only one type of communication, this study offers a big-picture view of the relationship between communication and online knowledge collaboration by adopting a comprehensive approach to participant communication behavior. A systematic classification of communication behaviors enables this work to illuminate the diverse effects of different communication types or styles on both individual- and group-level performances, thereby improving the understanding of the overall collaborative mechanism. This study thus provides fresh insights on effective management of online communities.

  August 03, 2016   doi: 10.1108/JKM-08-2015-0312   open full text
• Knowledge sharing and individual work performance: an empirical study of a public sector organisation.
  
  Journal of Knowledge Management. August 03, 2016
  Journal of Knowledge Management, Volume 20, Issue 4, Page 749-768, July 2016.
  Purpose The purpose of this study is to examine whether individual-level knowledge sharing (in terms of attitudes, benefit estimations, self-efficacy and actualised behaviours) affects individual work performance. Design/methodology/approach Hypotheses are tested through structural equation modelling of survey data collected from 595 members of a public organisation. Findings The findings confirm the hypothesis that knowledge-sharing propensity impacts positively on knowledge-sharing behaviour. Additionally, knowledge-sharing behaviour mediates the relationship between knowledge-sharing propensity and individual performance. The latter effect is also significant amongst the most highly educated members of the organisation but not among those with the lowest educational levels. Originality/value This paper provides insights into the knowledge-sharing–attitude–behaviour–work performance linkage. It thus addresses a relatively neglected area in knowledge management (KM) research, namely, that of individual knowledge behaviours and their performance impact, with an aim to better understand the micro-foundations of KM. It also contributes to knowledge on KM in the public sector.

  August 03, 2016   doi: 10.1108/JKM-10-2015-0414   open full text
• Communities of practice as an initiative for knowledge sharing in business organisations: a literature review.
  
  Journal of Knowledge Management. August 03, 2016
  Journal of Knowledge Management, Volume 20, Issue 4, Page 731-748, July 2016.
  Purpose This paper aims to review the research and to summarise the evidence on communities of practice (CoPs) as a tool for sharing knowledge. It will highlight the related literature from the past two decades by looking at potential barriers, solutions and influential factors regarding CoPs within business organisations. Design/methodology/approach The study consists of a constructed approach to determine the sources for the review that covers relevant literature on the topic of CoPs. Findings This paper provides insights about the important role of CoPs in fostering knowledge-sharing within business organisations. It suggests that the impact of globalisation has encouraged many business firms to intentionally establish CoPs as a vital tool for knowledge management (KM) initiatives. It also appears that the importance of the three organisational factors – top management, structure and culture – lies in their ability to have a direct effect on intentionally established CoPs within business organisations. Research limitations/implications The paper suggests a number of ways in which intentionally established CoPs can be developed within business companies. This paper limited its review to three organisational factors. Investigation of other organisational factors is needed. Originality/value This paper provides a detailed insight into the management literature on CoPs as an initiative for knowledge sharing within business organisations.

  August 03, 2016   doi: 10.1108/JKM-12-2015-0494   open full text
• Should knowledge be shared generously? Tracing insights from past to present and describing a model.
  
  Journal of Knowledge Management. August 03, 2016
  Journal of Knowledge Management, Volume 20, Issue 4, Page 713-730, July 2016.
  Purpose The purpose of this study is to attempt to answer the following questions: Are people generous at work places? How often do we see people willing to share, when someone seeks knowledge from them without any expectation? What’s the point in having knowledge when somebody doesn’t share it? Then again, why do firms, reward employees to share their knowledge? ¬ ¬? Does sharing knowledge between people need a commercial acceptance or rewarding inspiration? In firms, people, who do not have relevant work-related knowledge, seek it from others. Thus, this implies that people can either share their knowledge or hoard knowledge or share partial knowledge. This research shows that sharing knowledge has existed for centuries and has been practised through generosity, with proof that the more you share the more you obtain in return. The authors analyse the role of generosity in sharing knowledge by tracing insights from literature, religion, science and modern day management scholarly views, and they show how it can lead firms to succeed. In this paper, the authors will propose a direction for future researchers on how developing generosity helps towards sharing knowledge. They also propose a model of generosity based on literature and its interpretation. Design/methodology/approach This paper is based on extensive reviews of literature, articles and opinions from scholars. The authors use a keyword protocol to investigate articles from Google scholar and other sources on generosity and knowledge sharing. Findings This paper finds significant relationships and validated shreds of evidence on how generosity towards knowledge sharing has helped humanity in the past and how generosity can help firms to succeed. Originality/value This paper is the first of its kind in trying to explore how developing generosity among people can play a role in facilitating knowledge sharing for firms to succeed. This further suggests a new direction of research for scholars engaged in exploring the role of generosity with a proposed model.

  August 03, 2016   doi: 10.1108/JKM-10-2015-0401   open full text
• Negotiate, reciprocate, or cooperate? The impact of exchange modes on inter-employee knowledge sharing.
  
  Journal of Knowledge Management. August 03, 2016
  Journal of Knowledge Management, Volume 20, Issue 4, Page 687-712, July 2016.
  Purpose The purpose of this paper is to investigate the impact of exchange modes – negotiated, reciprocal, generalized, and productive – on inter-employee knowledge sharing. Design/methodology/approach Based on the affect theory of social exchange, a theoretical model was developed and empirically tested using a survey of 691 employees from 15 North American credit unions. Findings The negotiated mode of knowledge exchange, i.e. when a knowledge contributor explicitly establishes reciprocation conditions with a recipient, develops negative knowledge sharing attitude. The reciprocal mode, i.e. when a knowledge donor assumes that a receiver will reciprocate, has no effect on knowledge sharing attitude. The generalized exchange form, i.e. when a knowledge contributor believes that other organizational members may reciprocate, is weakly related to knowledge sharing attitude. The productive exchange mode, i.e. when a knowledge provider assumes he or she is a responsible citizen within a cooperative enterprise, strongly facilitates the development of knowledge sharing attitude, which, in turn, leads to knowledge sharing intentions. Practical implications To facilitate inter-employee knowledge sharing, managers should focus on the development of positive knowledge sharing culture when all employees believe they contribute to a common good instead of expecting reciprocal benefits. Originality/value This is one of the first studies to apply the affect theory of social exchange to study knowledge sharing.

  August 03, 2016   doi: 10.1108/JKM-10-2015-0394   open full text
• Knowledge diversity and firm performance: an ecological view.
  
  Journal of Knowledge Management. August 03, 2016
  Journal of Knowledge Management, Volume 20, Issue 4, Page 671-686, July 2016.
  Purpose Knowledge has been considered a crucial organizational asset for gaining competitive advantages. It is critical for a firm to maintain a knowledge composition that is productive. This study aims to examine the applicability of the diversity–stability principle in ecology to knowledge management and further investigate the impact of knowledge diversity on firm performance. Design/methodology/approach A theoretical framework for knowledge diversity and firm performance is proposed; a questionnaire survey was conducted to evaluate the research framework. Fifty-eight valid responses from experts were collected to measure knowledge strength and diversity of 20 enterprises in four industries, and financial indexes of the 20 enterprises from 2008 to 2012 were collected to analyze the research model. Findings The results show that higher information technology (IT) capabilities in a firm lead to higher levels of knowledge strength and diversity. The strength and diversity of knowledge in a company can improve average company performance and reduce performance variations. Research limitations/implications This paper presents a new perspective that applies the ecological concept of diversity to examine the value of knowledge in organizations. The findings expand our understanding of the role of IT and knowledge in organizational performance. A limitation is that the sample size is relatively small, which may limit the generalizability of the findings. Practical implications CEOs and chief knowledge officers can apply the findings herein to assess their organizational knowledge profiles and maintain a healthy knowledge ecology in strategic planning. They should be aware that both knowledge strength and knowledge diversity are crucial to the stability of firm performance. Originality/value The ecological view of knowledge management stresses the importance of maintaining a healthy intensity and diversity of knowledge at the macro level and indicates a new direction for knowledge management.

  August 03, 2016   doi: 10.1108/JKM-10-2015-0377   open full text
• Knowledge sharing is knowledge transfer: a misconception in the literature.
  
  Journal of Knowledge Management. August 03, 2016
  Journal of Knowledge Management, Volume 20, Issue 4, Page 653-670, July 2016.
  Purpose The paper aims to clearly differentiate knowledge sharing (KS) and knowledge transfer (KT) besides exemplifying their interconnections to minimize the current confusions in the knowledge management (KM) literature. Design/methodology/approach An extensive literature review method was used to analyse relevant literature on both KS and KT to clearly delineate their differences and their interconnections. Findings The paper found that KS is a subset of KT (using personalization strategy), whereas KT as a whole is a broader concept, if compared with KS. However, KS is not one of the immediate processes involved in KT (using codification strategy). The processes involved in KS and KT differ according to the strategy used (in KT) and perspective chosen (in KS). Other findings include KS (unidirectional) as reflective concept (viewed so far), whereas KS (bidirectional), KT (personalization) and KT (codification) as formative concepts. Research limitations/implications The findings of this paper were based on the review of selected relevant articles only. Practical Implications The paper will minimize the current confusions in the KM literature and will assist future researches on both KS and KT to ensure what these concepts entail to avoid construct underrepresentation. Originality/value As compared to previous attempts, the present paper has shown the interconnections between KS and KT, as well as the differences based on the two perspectives of KS (unidirectional/bidirectional) and the two strategies of KT (personalization/codification), and such effort is new in the literature.

  August 03, 2016   doi: 10.1108/JKM-11-2015-0427   open full text
• Measuring knowledge in organizations: a knowledge-in-practice approach.
  
  Journal of Knowledge Management. August 03, 2016
  Journal of Knowledge Management, Volume 20, Issue 4, Page 637-652, July 2016.
  Purpose This paper aims to develop a reliable and valid scale for measuring the underlying knowledge involved in work. To do so, it builds on the knowledge-in-practice (KIP) framework that suggests different types of work have different underlying knowledge characteristics. This allows us to answer two important questions: What are the underlying characteristics of KIP that are important to effectively manage a firm’s knowledge resources? How do we measure these characteristics? The answers help to build theoretical and empirical understanding of the construct of KIP. Design/methodology/approach The study uses a discovery-oriented survey design methodology to design the survey instrument, followed by a mixed-methods approach to validate the scale. Findings A new scale is developed for measuring the tacitness and learnability of the knowledge involved in work. It allows work units to be evaluated based on the underlying knowledge involved in different types of work. Research limitations/implications The KIP scale can be used for measuring the type of knowledge characteristics in organizations. Academics can use this study as a basic model to explore knowledge across different contexts and focus on the different characteristics within and across work contexts. Practical implications The study provides a clearer and more granular understanding of knowledge in organizations that can be used as a guideline to refer to when measuring and assessing knowledge requirements. Originality/value Scholars have pushed to understand work from a knowledge and collaboration perspective. A measurement scale for the KIP framework provides a critical first step towards this outcome.

  August 03, 2016   doi: 10.1108/JKM-11-2015-0478   open full text
• The impact of knowledge management on job satisfaction.
  
  Journal of Knowledge Management. August 03, 2016
  Journal of Knowledge Management, Volume 20, Issue 4, Page 621-636, July 2016.
  Purpose This paper aims to propose that knowledge management (KM) could be a way to nurture job satisfaction and examine how KM can increase individual employees’ job satisfaction. Design/methodology/approach A theoretical model concerning the connections between five facets of KM (knowledge acquisition, knowledge sharing, knowledge creation, knowledge codification and knowledge retention) and job satisfaction is proposed. It is then empirically tested with a structural equation modelling partial least squares analysis of a survey data set of 824 observations, collected from the members of a Finnish municipal organisation. Findings Existence of KM processes in one’s working environment is significantly linked with high job satisfaction. Especially intra-organisational knowledge sharing seems to be a key KM process, promoting satisfaction with one’s job in most employee groups. Interestingly, significant knowledge-based promoters of job satisfaction differ as a function of job characteristics. Practical implications KM has a strong impact on employee job satisfaction, and therefore, managers are advised to implement KM activities in their organisations, not only for the sake of improving knowledge worker performance but also for improving their well-being at work. Originality/value This paper produces knowledge on a type of consequence of KM that has been largely unexplored in previous research, individual job satisfaction. Also, it promotes moving the KM literature to the next stage where the impact of KM practices is not explored as a “one size fits all” type of a phenomenon, but rather as a contingent and contextual issue.

  August 03, 2016   doi: 10.1108/JKM-10-2015-0398   open full text
• Harnessing network-based intellectual capital in online academic networks. From the organizational policies and practices towards competitiveness.
  
  Journal of Knowledge Management. June 06, 2016
  Journal of Knowledge Management, Volume 20, Issue 3, Page 594-619, May 2016.
  Purpose The paper aims to investigate the standpoints and practices of university members from European developing countries regarding the harnessing of the intellectual capital (IC) within online academic social networks. Design/methodology/approach A questionnaire-based survey with 210 university members was conducted, with the indicators adopting prior measurement scales which were further adapted to a network framework. Findings The organizational policies and practices relate positively and highly significantly with the valuation of the network-based IC components. Moreover, 63 per cent of the professional and organizational competitiveness of higher education institutions is determined by the exploitation of the IC embedded in online academic networks. Research limitations/implications All survey respondents were from the European developing countries, which may limit the general applicability of the findings. Also, the emphasis is laid solely on online academic networks. Practical implications This paper brings to the fore both the potential and the state-of-the-art in leveraging the IC of online specialized networks which are indicative of the academic field. When acknowledged as such, the network-based IC is liable to generate substantial competitive advantages at the professional and organizational levels at the same time. Originality/value This research adds to the extant literature in two main ways. First, it advances a new construct – network-based IC – in the context of the online academic social networks. Second, it proposes a research model for addressing the network-based IC from a competitive advantage perspective.

  June 06, 2016   doi: 10.1108/JKM-05-2015-0208   open full text
• Web GIS to enhance relational capital: the case of general merchandise retailers.
  
  Journal of Knowledge Management. June 06, 2016
  Journal of Knowledge Management, Volume 20, Issue 3, Page 578-593, May 2016.
  Purpose This paper aims to study the impact of information and communication technologies in organizations to capture and manage intellectual capital. The paper focuses particularly on the use of Web-based geographical information systems (Web GIS) to increase relational capital. Design/methodology/approach This paper analyzes in detail the Web sites of 143 general merchandise retailers, which have been grouped according to their dominant operational format. Menus and search tools have been used to find out about the way in which these retailers provide information to the customers about their stores, with special attention to the use of Web GIS. Findings The results obtained show that most of the companies analyzed use Web GIS to provide information about the location and other characteristics of the stores. The findings in this paper also suggest that the quantity and quality of the information provided by is somewhat related to the company size. Research limitations/implications The limitations of this study come from the difficulty of predicting whether small and medium enterprises (SMEs) will generalize the use of Web GIS in the future. Practical implications The findings of the paper suggest that large retail firms have adopted Web GIS to provide information to the customers and for other geomarketing purposes. Moreover, SMEs should use Web GIS to improve their relationship with customers. Originality/value To the authors’ knowledge, no paper has analyzed in detail the use of Web GIS by companies with the aim of enhancing relational capital.

  June 06, 2016   doi: 10.1108/JKM-06-2015-0218   open full text
• ERP as an organizational innovation: key users and cross-boundary knowledge management.
  
  Journal of Knowledge Management. June 06, 2016
  Journal of Knowledge Management, Volume 20, Issue 3, Page 557-577, May 2016.
  Purpose The purpose of this study is to provide more insight in the ways key users act as knowledge managers and boundary spanners during the enterprise resource planning (ERP) system usage phase. Despite the recognized importance of key users during the implementation phase of an ERP system, little is known about their role in the ERP usage phase. Design/methodology/approach To provide rich insight in the boundary-spanning mechanisms utilized by key users to share knowledge, a qualitative approach was applied. In this study, “abductive” theme coding for 58 interviews with key users, end-users and managers has been used. This paper found six mechanisms and characterized them as “crossing” structural, social or cognitive boundaries. Findings Six boundary-spanning mechanisms have been distinguished which have been applied by key users to overcome several knowledge management issues. Subsequently, these mechanisms lead to a model which describes three different roles that key users may fulfill to efficiently share and transfer knowledge during the ERP usage phase. Research limitations/implications Knowledge barriers during an ERP implementation and their accompanying six boundary-crossing mechanisms have been distinguished. Practical implications The recognition of the essential role that key users can fulfill during the usage phase of an ERP system is an important implication. Management has to take into account that tasks and responsibilities of key users have to be clear from the start and they may cautiously select employees who are suited to become key users. Originality/value The main contribution is the importance of the impact of key users on the effectivity of knowledge management during the ERP usage phase.

  June 06, 2016   doi: 10.1108/JKM-05-2015-0195   open full text
• Towards building internal social network architecture that drives innovation: a social exchange theory perspective.
  
  Journal of Knowledge Management. June 06, 2016
  Journal of Knowledge Management, Volume 20, Issue 3, Page 534-556, May 2016.
  Purpose This paper aims to contribute toward the extension and further development of the social exchange theory. It provides conceptual insights on social networks in geographically dispersed organizations, and how intra-organizational social interactions influence organizational behavior, employees relationship exchange inclination and innovation drive. Design/methodology/approach A thematic literature review method was used to conduct an extensive review of relevant literature. Findings Guided by the tenets of the social exchange theory, the authors’ analysis and discussions elucidate how intra-organizational social network architecture can be developed, supported and utilized to drive innovations in geographically dispersed organizations. Research limitations/implications A general limitation and perhaps also a strength of this type of conceptual paper is that it is a synthesis (thematic discursive analysis) of existing theory and published research. Thus, there are no primary empirical content. However, the issue of empirical evidence is nevertheless mediated by the fact that the discussions and argumentation process generate key propositions which could be validated in subsequent research endeavors. Also, the selection of relevant literature is restricted specifically to the topic of the study. The authors strived to ensure rigor through a robust and comprehensive literature review which was organized thematically according to all the key words in the main and sub-topics covered in Section 2. Practical implications The insights presented suggest that management should pay serious attention to organizational design – that is, not only from the conventional contractual obligations point of view, but rather, the increasing importance of social capital should also be given some priority when thinking of resilient ways to encourage collaborations and efficient knowledge management. In other words, intra-organizational social network architecture should be considered as organizational capability and utilized as a toolset for the SIHRM to harness knowledge flow and unleash innovation. Social implications As both bonding and bridging ties are not only critical for success of project teams but also intensify knowledge symmetry across different units of the organization, they are a major conduit for sustainable open innovation culture within organization. To develop competitive capabilities throughout the organization, it is important for the SIHRM to be involved in global networking, and as a network leader, the human resource management function must have an awareness of leading trends and developments in social networking. The ability to mobilize the appropriate resources and a sense of timing and context in implementing such architecture within the geographically spread organization is crucial. Originality/value The novel contribution of this paper is twofold. First, the study provides an implementable framework which scholars and practitioners could use to develop and test the actualization of an intra-organizational social network architecture in a geographically dispersed organization. Second, the study has provided some key propositions and a well-grounded direction for further research to inspire further development/extension of the social exchange theory.

  June 06, 2016   doi: 10.1108/JKM-06-2015-0212   open full text
• IT innovation strategy: managing the implementation communication and its generated knowledge through the use of an ICT tool.
  
  Journal of Knowledge Management. June 06, 2016
  Journal of Knowledge Management, Volume 20, Issue 3, Page 512-533, May 2016.
  Purpose Without effective implementation, no information technology (IT) strategy can succeed. There has been much re-search into IT planning, but few studies have developed one of the most important phases of IT strategy: IT Implementation. IT implementation can be improved at information and communication technology (ICT) organizations through the use of organization learning models (OLM) and the implementation of ICT tools. This paper has two purposes define an OLM framework that determines the best practices to increase knowledge at individual, group and/organizational levels, and define and implement an ICT tool to facilitate the integration and institutionalization of the OLM. The ICT tool is based on the technology roadmapping technique that allows an organization to manage at an executive level what, when and how the IT strategy is going to be implemented. Design/methodology/approach This paper is based on a case study performed at an ICT organization that provides ICT services to financial institutions. The study was carried out in 2014. It analyzed over 24,000 projects, which translated into an equivalent of more than 18 million man-hours. The proposal was assessed at a very large ICT organization. Findings This paper proposes a framework called SPIDER to effectively implement OLMs based on Big Data management principles for monitoring and reporting current status of IT innovation strategies. These kinds of approaches contribute to solve the problems identified in the state-of-the-art regarding the communication and monitoring the implementation status of IT innovation strategies. During this research work, several factors that are essential to implement these kinds of approaches in large banking organizations were identified: effort required to elaborate the monitoring and reporting activities; easiness to understand the reported information; detailed planning of the implementation program; and focus on communication efficiency. Originality/value This paper determined the best practices to manage knowledge generated during the implementation of an IT strategy. Additionally, this paper defined and implemented an ICT tool to properly communicate and monitor the implementation of an IT innovation strategy, based on technological roadmap techniques.

  June 06, 2016   doi: 10.1108/JKM-06-2015-0217   open full text
• The effect of online social networks and competency-based management on innovation capability.
  
  Journal of Knowledge Management. June 06, 2016
  Journal of Knowledge Management, Volume 20, Issue 3, Page 499-511, May 2016.
  Purpose The purpose of this paper is to explore the effect of online social networks and competency-based management on innovation capability. Design/methodology/approach The paper is theory-confirming. Theoretical relationships were tested using an empirical study of 289 firms from the Spanish biotechnology and telecommunications industries. Findings Results confirm that online social network use for internal cognitive processes (e.g. reading, searching and storing information) and external cognitive processes (e.g. sharing and co-creating knowledge) positively affects knowledge transfer. This knowledge helps firms to achieve superior competency in R&D to succeed in innovation programs. Research Limitations/implications All survey respondents were from Spain, which may limit the generalizability of findings. A longitudinal approach was not used. However, doing so would make it possible to explore time lags between online social network use, competency-based management and innovation. Practical Implications This paper highlights the potential as well as the limitations of online social networks and competency-based management in promoting innovation capability. Businesses must consciously manage the assimilation and use of online social networks to benefit from them. Originality/value The study contributes to the literature by identifying effects on innovation capability at the meso-level (i.e. online social networks). Findings highlight the need for a shift in focus away from collaborating and interacting in online social networks (micro-level) and organizational contexts (macro-level) so as to improve innovation capability.

  June 06, 2016   doi: 10.1108/JKM-05-2015-0175   open full text
• The impact of IT-based knowledge management systems on internal venturing and innovation: a structural equation modeling approach to corporate performance.
  
  Journal of Knowledge Management. June 06, 2016
  Journal of Knowledge Management, Volume 20, Issue 3, Page 484-498, May 2016.
  Purpose The purpose of this paper is to assess the perceived importance of information technology (IT) as a core factor enabling innovation in knowledge management (KM). The aim is to propose an approach for using the IT tools for KM involved in the design of effective learning applications to help the firms to guide internal venturing development. Design/methodology/approach The research design at the base of the present research has provided a survey which was conducted on a sample consisting of 187 different companies located in the Italian provinces of Naples and Caserta, from the segments of the electronics, the computer and network systems, the software (SW) development, aimed at deepening connections and influences of the use of IT-based knowledge management system (KMS). Structural equation modeling technique has been performed to get results. Findings Consistent with what has been observed in previous studies (Del Giudice and Straub, 2011), the empirical analysis developed has confirmed that 72 per cent of companies surveyed has defined themselves much agree on the ability of KMS for supporting complex phenomena such as internal venturing: both encouraging the individual to become “intrapreneur”; and helping the employee to improve their performances within business processes in which they are likely to be involved. Originality/value This paper reviews key research literature issues on IT revolution for KM. With the growth of new and exciting IT opportunities, however, comes the daunting opportunity to experiment interoperable, easy to use, engaging and accessible IT applications that communicate the right information needed to reconfigure innovative mechanisms for entrepreneurism and organizational performance.

  June 06, 2016   doi: 10.1108/JKM-07-2015-0257   open full text
• Group dynamics and the role of ICT in the life cycle analysis of community of practice-based product development: a case study.
  
  Journal of Knowledge Management. June 06, 2016
  Journal of Knowledge Management, Volume 20, Issue 3, Page 465-483, May 2016.
  Purpose This paper aims to examine the dynamics of a community of practice (CoP) through a case study of eCars – Now! They offer open-source blueprints of the electric conversion kits globally. The authors analysed the CoP by considering its entire life cycle, starting from the motives for its establishment, through its active performance, up to the current stage, where the members need to decide whether the community will remain viable. Particular attention was paid to the group dynamics and issues that seemed relevant to the change in dynamics which determine whether a CoP maintains its vitality or dissipates. Design/methodology/approach The qualitative case study was chosen as the research strategy (Yin, 1984) to answer the research question and understand the target phenomenon of the CoP by analysing textual data. This particular case was chosen because of its unusual revelatory value for the case CoP which aims at creating a tangible innovation by using a platform that normally aims at intangible problem-solving (Eisenhardt and Graebner, 2007). In the data collection, the authors used method and researcher triangulation (Patton, 1990). Findings Life cycle analysis revealed four themes that explained the change in the group dynamics and the dispersal of the community: differentiation and dispersal of interests, growth that resulted in role differentiation, virtuality in community development and inclusion of investors. The themes were all related to the fact that the case community operated with not only knowledge, but also with a tangible product. Therefore, the tangibility of a problem to be solved seems to play a pivotal role in a CoP’s operations and dynamics and, in part, also explains the changing role of information and communications technology (ICT) in the process. Research limitations/implications However, this paper identified also different ways to characterize community participation, which was also relevant from group dynamics point of view. Thus, the topic should be studied further. Group dynamics in general, as it relates to the success of CoPs, should be also investigated further. Additional studies should implement the inclusion of external resources in the community. Further research is also needed to investigate tangible and intangible outcomes achieved through CoPs. Much of the available research was conducted over short periods; prolonged interactions in a CoP context could show different results. Practical implications In conclusion, at the beginning of the life cycle of the eCars community, ICT played a significant role. It helped increase awareness of the community in the first place and enabled people to join in, which thus enabled the community to evolve. When the operations evolved and the life cycle progressed, both the physical meeting place as well as personal interaction and communication became emphasized and much more important. In the maturing stage, the role of ICT, and especially social media, is the essential part of the community. Social implications This analysis suggests that at the early stage of a community, the plans can be somewhat random, even utopian, but when the community evolves, this uncertainty can become a problem. First, it affects achieving the actual, and in this case, concrete results. Second, uncertainty and unclarity dampen enthusiasm and motivation, which are of utmost importance due to the voluntary participation. This paper also concludes that when the operations evolved and the life cycle progressed, both the physical meeting place as well as personal interaction and communication became increasingly important. Originality/value This paper argues that the ideological basis for this kind of community should be openness. All information should be available for everyone who registers to the community platform on the internet. This community was working in the mindset of open innovation. Technical documentation and all other material were available for everyone in the community’s wiki pages, which attracted a lot of people who were delighted by eCars. Many advisors delivered technical information and good advice to the practitioners of the community through the platform. The hang arounds were also very well-informed in this stage regarding how the core group was working.

  June 06, 2016   doi: 10.1108/JKM-06-2015-0227   open full text
• IT and relationship learning in networks as drivers of green innovation and customer capital: evidence from the automobile sector.
  
  Journal of Knowledge Management. June 06, 2016
  Journal of Knowledge Management, Volume 20, Issue 3, Page 444-464, May 2016.
  Purpose Despite the positive effects of customer capital (CC), questions remain over how managers enable CC growth by applying their skills and capabilities through managerial actions and strategies, such as developing information technology (IT) capability, fostering relationship learning (RL) activities and developing green innovation performance (GIP) with clients. These questions are especially pertinent in small and medium-sized enterprises and automotive industry companies that operate through supply chains, where knowledge about customers is likely to result from personal contact between customers and organisational members. The purpose of this paper is to analyse the extent to which these managerial actions were more likely to lead to the successful creation of CC. Design/methodology/approach Using the partial least squares technique, this paper studies how these three managerial actions impact on CC. To do so, data from 140 companies in the Spanish automotive components manufacturing sector have been used. Findings The findings support the influence of RL on both GIP and CC. RL is a key managerial action in exploiting customer information and knowledge advantages, enabling firms to structure and reconfigure resources to produce new ways to compete and to satisfy stakeholders. In addition, results show that GIP is a determinant of CC because of its contribution to achieving sustainable competitive advantage, with GIP performing a mediating role in the relationship between RL and CC. A second contribution shows that IT is not in itself able to yield a competitive advantage, thereby validating the existence of complementary or co-focused strategic assets such as RL and GIP, which enhance IT’s influence on CC. Research limitations/implications The authors were unable to explore the subtleties of the processes over time. Future research should include a longitudinal study. Practical implications This study considers RL an essential factor in achieving both GIP and CC. Consequently, managers should seek to build strong RL cultures. In addition, this study shows that IT is not in itself able to yield a competitive advantage, thereby validating the existence of complementary or co-focused strategic assets such as RL and GIP. Originality/value No study has ever examined these three antecedent variables (IT, RL and GIP) together, with the aim to examine their effects on CC.

  June 06, 2016   doi: 10.1108/JKM-05-2015-0203   open full text
• Factors affecting the use of wiki to manage knowledge in a small company.
  
  Journal of Knowledge Management. June 06, 2016
  Journal of Knowledge Management, Volume 20, Issue 3, Page 423-443, May 2016.
  Purpose This paper intends to present and discuss the findings of a case study analysis of the adoption and use of a wiki system by a small enterprise that is intended as a tool for managing the knowledge needed to successfully perform its business activities. The study aims at contributing to the still insufficient research on the factors influencing the use of new Web 2.0 technologies in small organisations to support internal knowledge management. Design/methodology/approach The study combines a qualitative and quantitative approach. The main unit of analysis is the wiki system of a small company, particularly its implementation and usage by the company’s employees. Relevant information about the wiki was collected through six interviews to different company members, and by means of an online survey submitted to almost all employees. Interviews involved the CEO of the company, the system developers and two typical users. The survey was made through a questionnaire of 19 questions online administered by means of a popular free-access online poll website (freeonlinesurveys.com). Findings Through the reconstruction of the history of the system, the study allowed to understand how the wiki has been introduced and is effectively used inside the case company. The findings of the study highlight that the wiki technology, being light and user-friendly, can be particularly suited for small companies. At the same time, they reveal that the successful implementation of such a system is not a spontaneous and automatic result, but requires a resolute support by top management, a good motivation of participating employees and a clear definition of purposes and ways of use. Practical implications The findings of the study contribute both to the academic research, by making available to scholars further empirical evidence about the use of Web 2.0 technologies in small organisations, and to the practice, by providing some guidelines to managers of small companies who are attempting to adopt and use wikis to effectively manage their knowledge assets. Originality/value The paper contributes to the limited research about the adoption and use of wikis as knowledge management system, both in general and in the particular case of a SME. Furthermore, by investigating the behaviours and opinions of individual knowledge workers, it takes into account a perspective that the literature has so far neglected.

  June 06, 2016   doi: 10.1108/JKM-05-2015-0205   open full text
• New ICTs for Knowledge Management in Organizations.
  
  Journal of Knowledge Management. June 06, 2016
  Journal of Knowledge Management, Volume 20, Issue 3, Page 417-422, May 2016.
  Purpose The purpose of this special issue is to point out the possibilities of new information and communication technologies (ICTs) for knowledge management (KM) in organizations, offering different perspectives on and approaches for the role of new ICTs for KM, as well as measuring the impact and diffusion of new ICTs for KM within organizations. Design/methodology/approach The selection of the papers included in this special issue is largely based on the work of the conference “7th European Conference on Intellectual Capital - ECIC” (April 2015, Cartagena, Spain), where the special issue editors organized a track on “New ICTs for Knowledge Management in Organizations”. The conference gathered leading scholars in the fields of intellectual capital and KM, dealing with the acquisition, creation and sharing of collective intelligence and how to utilize increased academic knowledge and networking in promoting economic and organizational innovations and changes. Findings The collection of papers covered in this special issue identifies challenging problems on the role of new ICTs for KM and their role in the design and implementation of innovative products, services or processes in organizations. Research limitations/implications The special issue tries to offer some new relevant advances for the academic and practice communities in the growing body of research analyzing new ICTs for KM. However, the theoretical and empirical advances showed represent only a partial view, which corresponds to the impact of new ICTs for KM at the organizational level of analysis. Practical implications The nature of new ICTs, such as social networking tools, wikis, internal blogging and the way they are used, suggest that nowadays they may differ from traditional organizational systems in two critical ways: the voluntary (typically not mandatory) use and their lack of activity or process orientation. Originality/value The special issue explores the phenomena by integrating different perspectives and approaches, including qualitative and quantitative empirical. This integration overcomes some limitations about the understanding of the issues under investigation.

  June 06, 2016   doi: 10.1108/JKM-02-2016-0057   open full text
• Beginning a journey of knowledge management in a secondary school.
  
  Journal of Knowledge Management. March 29, 2016
  Journal of Knowledge Management, Volume 20, Issue 2, Page 364-385, April 2016.
  Purpose Despite the fact that schools should be places where learning occurs, most schools have overlooked the importance of knowledge. In contrast, commercial firms have recognized knowledge as a strategic intangible asset and a key resource of the enterprises. Therefore, enterprises have already harnessed knowledge to a great extent with wide practice of knowledge management (KM). The purpose of this paper is to show that KM could be applied to the education sector similar to the practice in the business world for leveraging intellectual assets. This paper examines how schools can kick off the process of KM implementation. This paper also reports what have been done and what should be done in KM implementation better in a school. This can give insights for schools which will try KM in near future. Design/methodology/approach The paper uses a case study in a secondary school to explore how KM can be kicked off and sustained in a school setting. A KM system called knowledge base and a document management system called Digital Archive were developed to serve as the infrastructure for knowledge sharing. Lesson study and communities of practice (CoPs) were adopted to be the platforms for knowledge sharing among teachers in the school. A case study of the processes and lesson learned was done in this paper. Multiple sources of data, including observations, questionnaires and interviews, have been collected for evaluation. Findings In this paper, KM implementation was found to be effective through dual approaches: information-based and people-/interaction-based approaches. A knowledge base and a Digital Archive as knowledge repositories and lesson study and CoPs as platforms for knowledge sharing have been successfully established to facilitate sharing information/knowledge and nurturing a sharing culture and trust. Challenges faced and the related coping strategies during the process of implementation were shared and reflected. It was also found that building sharing culture is the critical turning point of the process of KM implementation. Breaking through the barrier of sharing was found to be very essential to KM implementation. Research limitations/implications This paper adopts case study methodology to report the process of KM implementation in a school. Although these results of the study conducted in one school may not be generalized to other school contexts, the lessons learned in the study will be a strong empirical evidence of research of KM implementation, especially in schools. Because of the limited number of prior studies and the importance of the pioneering work of launching KM implementation, this paper tries to address the research gap by using theory building from cases as a research strategy rather than theory testing research, especially in “how”and“why” in the steps of kicking off KM implementation in an unexplored research area. Practical implications This paper shows a case of KM implementation in a school with thoughtful procedures of implementing information-based and people-/interaction-based approaches. The paper is a showcase that will shed light on the processes and lessons learned and also helps to provide a model for schools who are interested in applying KM in their schools. Social implications Most people might think that KM can be applied only in commercial sector. This paper shows that KM can also be adopted in schools as well as other sectors. Originality/value This paper represents one of the pioneering work of implementing KM in a school. It hopes to make contributions for KM implementation also in the public sector within which are non-profit-making organizations.

  March 29, 2016   doi: 10.1108/JKM-04-2015-0155   open full text
• Knowledge management in small and medium enterprises: a structured literature review.
  
  Journal of Knowledge Management. March 29, 2016
  Journal of Knowledge Management, Volume 20, Issue 2, Page 258-291, April 2016.
  Purpose This paper aims to review and critique the knowledge management (KM) literature within small and medium enterprises (SMEs), offers an overview of the state of research and outline a future research agenda. Design/methodology/approach Papers published in KM journals are analysed using a structured literature review methodology. The paper analyses 89 papers published in ten journals specialising in the field of KM. Findings KM within SMEs is a research area of growing importance. Findings show that literature on KM in SMEs is fragmented and dominated by unrelated research, with few comparative studies between countries and several countries receiving little attention. Additionally, different definitions of SMEs are used and different kinds of SMEs (e.g. micro, small and medium) are often treated as equivalent, making comparison almost impossible. The results show a failure to address the implications of findings for practitioners and policymakers, which risks relegating the KM research on SMEs to irrelevance. Originality/value The paper presents a comprehensive structured literature review of the articles published in KM journals. The paper’s findings can offer insights into future research avenues.

  March 29, 2016   doi: 10.1108/JKM-08-2015-0320   open full text
• Review of empirical research on knowledge management practices and firm performance.
  
  Journal of Knowledge Management. March 29, 2016
  Journal of Knowledge Management, Volume 20, Issue 2, Page 230-257, April 2016.
  Purpose Knowledge management (KM) has emerged as one of the most discussed new management methods. Among the most debated areas in KM has been the association between knowledge and firm performance, but a lack of understanding and consensus still remains as a major issue. This paper aims to address the research gap by reviewing the empirical literature and determining how KM-based managerial and organizational practices are related with firm performance. Design/methodology/approach This study followed a systematic review procedure. Findings The findings demonstrate that utilization of KM practices is significant driver for innovation. Also, specific leadership characteristics and organizational arrangements are likely to support firm performance through more efficient and effective management of knowledge resources. Research limitations/implications This study adds to the discussion on knowledge-based view of the firm by pointing out the key organizational and managerial practices that are associated with firm performance. The results of this study also add structure to the previously scattered discussion on KM practices by synthesizing the relevant literature Practical implications Measuring KM performance is characterized by organizational complexity; this study demonstrated that innovation is a likely outcome of utilization of KM practices, but there are numerous other factors that influence the financial performance figures. Also, this study points out that organizations should pay attention to specific KM leadership attributes and organizational arrangements in order to achieve firm performance through KM. Originality/value This is the first systematic literature review on KM practices and firm performance. The results increase understanding of efficient and effective management of knowledge resources for organizational benefit.

  March 29, 2016   doi: 10.1108/JKM-09-2015-0336   open full text
• Managing knowledge in the construction industry through computational generation of semi-fiction narratives.
  
  Journal of Knowledge Management. March 29, 2016
  Journal of Knowledge Management, Volume 20, Issue 2, Page 386-414, April 2016.
  Purpose Narratives are useful to educate novices to learn from the past in a safe environment. For some high-risk industries, narratives for lessons learnt are costly and limited, as they are constructed from the occurrence of accidents. This paper aims to propose a new approach to facilitate narrative generation from existing narrative sources to support training and learning. Design/methodology/approach A computational narrative semi-fiction generation (CNSG) approach is proposed, and a case study was conducted in a statutory body in the construction industry in Hong Kong. Apart from measuring the learning outcomes gained by participants through the new narratives, domain experts were invited to evaluate the performance of the CNSG approach. Findings The performance of the CNSG approach is found to be effective in facilitating new narrative generation from existing narrative sources and to generate synthetic semi-fiction narratives to support and educate individuals to learn from past lessons. The new narratives generated by the CNSG approach help students learn and remember important things and learning points from the narratives. Domain experts agree that the validated narratives are useful for training and learning purposes. Originality/value This study presents a new narrative generation process for a high-risk industry, e.g. the construction industry. The CNSG approach incorporates the technologies of natural language processing and artificial intelligence to computationally identify narrative gaps in existing narrative sources and proposes narrative fragments to generate new semi-fiction narratives. Encouraging results were gained through the case study.

  March 29, 2016   doi: 10.1108/JKM-07-2015-0253   open full text
• Conceptualising social media support for tacit knowledge sharing: physicians’ perspectives and experiences.
  
  Journal of Knowledge Management. March 29, 2016
  Journal of Knowledge Management, Volume 20, Issue 2, Page 344-363, April 2016.
  Purpose This paper aims to explore the potential contributions of social media in supporting tacit knowledge sharing, according to the physicians’ perspectives and experiences. Design/methodology/approach Adopting a qualitative survey design, 24 physicians were interviewed. Purposive and snowball sampling were used to select the participants. Thematic analysis approach was used for data analysis. Findings The study revealed five major themes and over 20 sub-themes as potential contributions of social media to tacit knowledge flow among physicians. The themes included socialising, practising, networking, storytelling and encountering. In addition, with the help of the literature and the supporting data, the study proposed a conceptual model that explains the potential contribution of social media to tacit knowledge sharing. Research limitations/implications The study had both theoretical (the difficulty of distinguishing tacit and explicit knowledge in practice) and practical limitations (small sample size). The study findings have implications for the healthcare industry whose clinical teams are not always physically co-located but must exchange their critical experiential and tacit knowledge. Originality/value The study has opened up a new discussion of this area by demonstrating and conceptualising how social media tools may facilitate tacit knowledge sharing.

  March 29, 2016   doi: 10.1108/JKM-06-2015-0229   open full text
• Knowledge sharing and social capital in globally distributed execution.
  
  Journal of Knowledge Management. March 29, 2016
  Journal of Knowledge Management, Volume 20, Issue 2, Page 327-343, April 2016.
  Purpose The purpose of this study is to assess whether social capital explains level and quality of knowledge sharing in globally distributed execution. More specifically, the study examined how knowledge sharing in combined European–Asian teams of a globally operating engineering and construction company was affected by these teams’ social capital. Design/methodology/approach Social capital was approached via constructs covering its structural, relational and cognitive dimensions. Data for 325 employees were collected via an online questionnaire and analysed using multiple regression models. Findings The analyses confirm that components of social capital offer powerful explanations of both the level and the quality of knowledge sharing. The study also found many differences in how social capital affects the level versus the quality of knowledge sharing and also in how it works in the European versus the Asian situations. No social capital factor appeared to significantly predict both level and quality knowledge sharing in the European and Asian situations alike. Originality/value This study is novel in empirically establishing how knowledge sharing in globally distributed execution is affected by teams’ social capital as an integrative construct bringing together individual and group characteristics.

  March 29, 2016   doi: 10.1108/JKM-07-2015-0268   open full text
• The relationship between face to face social networks and knowledge sharing: an exploratory study of manufacturing firms.
  
  Journal of Knowledge Management. March 29, 2016
  Journal of Knowledge Management, Volume 20, Issue 2, Page 308-326, April 2016.
  Purpose This paper aims to explore the relationship between face-to-face social networks and knowledge sharing. Design/methodology/approach Qualitative data gathered through 25 semi-structured interviews in five manufacturing firms were collected and analysed. A grounded theory approach was used to analyse the data, which was supported through NVivo qualitative data analysis software. Findings The results reveal that face-to-face social networks facilitate knowledge sharing in diverse ways. These include the use of multiple communication styles, brainstorming and problem-solving, learning and teaching, training, consultations and employee rotation. Practical implications The findings of this research are expected to help practitioners to comprehend the big picture and scope of the steps they take to facilitate knowledge sharing in organisations. Viewing knowledge sharing from a holistic perspective can help practitioners comprehend how face-to-face knowledge sharing fits with and complements other knowledge-sharing channels, such as electronic social media and document repositories. In addition, through face-to-face social networks, practitioners can leverage work groups to increase knowledge sharing, meaning that potential cost savings and improved work practices can be achieved. Originality/value For researchers, three new models are developed which provide new insights into the nature of the relationship between face-to-face social networks and knowledge sharing. The first model relates to brainstorming and problem-solving, the second to knowledge levels and the direction of learning and teaching and the third to factors influencing social networks and knowledge sharing.

  March 29, 2016   doi: 10.1108/JKM-07-2015-0251   open full text
• Emergent approach to knowledge management by small companies: multiple case-study research.
  
  Journal of Knowledge Management. March 29, 2016
  Journal of Knowledge Management, Volume 20, Issue 2, Page 292-307, April 2016.
  Purpose The purpose of this paper is to investigate the knowledge management (KM) approach followed by small companies. In particular, after introducing the notion of emergent approach, the paper aims to examine if that notion is useful to properly describe the way small businesses approach their KM activities. Design/methodology/approach The study is based on the results of a qualitative survey involving 12 owners and managers of small companies belonging to the knowledge-intensive business services (KIBS) sector. The survey uses the case-study method. Findings The findings confirm that the approach to KM adopted by small companies can be defined as emergent: in the analysed cases, there were no formal KM plans, despite the fact that the examined companies have all introduced various KM practices. This shows that there can be the need to define KM approaches that better fit smaller companies. Practical implications Although an emergent approach may be seen as unplanned, companies should learn how to be aware of their KM practices and, once they are, how to develop them properly. For executives to be able to recognize emergent KM practices, notions and elements of KM need to be introduced in their business background and professional education (e.g. how KM fits into a small organization, what KM processes are, what KM tools and practices exist, etc.). Originality/value The study contributes to the understanding of KM in really small entities, still a much under-explored topic.

  March 29, 2016   doi: 10.1108/JKM-07-2015-0271   open full text
• Knowledge hoarding: antecedent or consequent of negative acts? The mediating role of trust and justice.
  
  Journal of Knowledge Management. March 29, 2016
  Journal of Knowledge Management, Volume 20, Issue 2, Page 215-229, April 2016.
  Purpose The purpose of this paper is to investigate whether and how knowledge hoarding, functions as antecedent and consequent of work related negative acts, as a measure of bullying. The authors investigate the relation as mediated by trust and justice. Design/methodology/approach Data stem from a longitudinal study in which questionnaire responses were collected twice from 1,650 employees in 52 workplaces. Structural equation modelling was used to analyse the two models. Design-based corrections were made to accommodate the multi-level structure of data. Findings The analyses showed that knowledge hoarding was both an antecedent and a consequent of negative acts. First, over time, knowledge hoarding was indirectly related to negative acts mediated by trust and justice. Second, negative acts were both directly and indirectly related to knowledge hoarding over time. The study thus points to the existence of a vicious circle of negative acts, psychological states of trust and justice, and knowledge hoarding behaviours, which presumably will affect both individual and organizational outcomes negatively. Research limitations/implications The use of already collected, self-report data, single-item measures, and the two-year time lag could pose potential limitations to the study. Practical implications Preventive and repair actions could potentially impact both negative acts and knowledge hoarding by focusing on increasing the social exchange quality at work unit level. Originality/value This paper combines two strands of research, that of bullying at work and that of knowledge management, within which research on knowledge hoarding has been an under-researched area.

  March 29, 2016   doi: 10.1108/JKM-06-2015-0222   open full text
• The impact of (low) trust on knowledge sharing.
  
  Journal of Knowledge Management. March 29, 2016
  Journal of Knowledge Management, Volume 20, Issue 2, Page 199-214, April 2016.
  Purpose This paper aims to explore the differences in the level of knowledge sharing between co-workers in high versus low trust situations, for cognition-based trust and for affect-based trust as well as implicit and explicit knowledge. Design/methodology/approach The differences were examined through data provided by 102 professionals working for a financial organization in The Netherlands. Findings The differences in the level of knowledge sharing in high versus low trust situations are significant. The effect is larger for affect-based trust and for implicit knowledge. Research limitations/implications The survey has been conducted within one organization only. Practical implications Organizations should realize the importance of trust between their co-workers, and in general, there is much to gain by increasing the levels of trust between co-workers, as this will also increase knowledge sharing between co-workers. Originality/value Previous studies have not examined the situation of low trust and its effect on the level of knowledge sharing within a homogeneous group of co-workers.

  March 29, 2016   doi: 10.1108/JKM-10-2015-0391   open full text
• Why share expertise? A closer look at the quality of motivation to share or withhold knowledge.
  
  Journal of Knowledge Management. March 29, 2016
  Journal of Knowledge Management, Volume 20, Issue 2, Page 181-198, April 2016.
  Purpose The purpose of this study is to investigate the role of motivation for knowledge sharing (KS) by assessing how four qualitatively different motivation types, as per self-determination theory (SDT), predict KS, its quality and its undesirable counterpart, knowledge withholding. Design/methodology/approach The study was carried out as a survey (n = 200) in an expert organization. The analyses were conducted using structural equation modeling. Findings Autonomous type of extrinsic motivation (identified motivation) was the strongest predictor of KS (in work meetings) and its quality, whereas the other motivation types (intrinsic, introjected and external) had no independent contribution to variance in KS. Knowledge withholding was negatively associated with identified and positively with external KS motivation. Research limitations/implications Single organization limits the generalizability of the results. Future studies should further investigate the role of identified motivation for various KS behaviors. Practical implications The findings suggest that autonomy-supportive management practices known to facilitate self-determined behavior can improve KS. Fostering external motivation by incentivizing KS may be both ineffective and have undesirable consequences. Originality/value Few prior studies investigate KS motivation beyond external and intrinsic motivation or apply SDT to KS using SDT-based scales. This study distinguishes between four different motivation types and is the first to investigate their differential impact on KS and its quality. It is also the first to demonstrate the importance of identified motivation for KS. It further elucidates how the quality of KS motivation is reflected in knowledge withholding, an overall underinvestigated behavior.

  March 29, 2016   doi: 10.1108/JKM-03-2015-0124   open full text