1,721,068 research outputs found
Enterprise social networks for knowledge sharing: Lessons from a medium-sized company
Full text linkThe use of Enterprise Social Networks (ESNs) as knowledge management tools has been widely investigated in case of big organizations, while there is little knowledge about advantages and possible implementation problems in small and medium-sized enterprises. To fill this gap, the paper analyses the case of adoption and use of the Yammer platform by a medium-sized Italian company. Yammer is an ESN service platform owned by Microsoft which includes several Web 2.0 features and whose interface resembles a typical public social network like Facebook. The research applied a quantitative approach: A questionnaire was submitted to all users of the ESN platform in the company between January and February 2017, with a response rate of 41%. The study contributes to the literature on social media as KM tools, by providing insights into the possible barriers that can undermine the success of ESN platforms as KM tools in the context of medium-sized enterprises. Specifically, it highlights that two factors (intrinsically connected to the size of the company) are particularly crucial: The limited number of users, and a sort of naïve ("me-too") implementation strategy. An important lesson is that the success of ESNs in medium-sized enterprise is influenced by personal (individual) and organizational factors, even more than technical ones. Especially, the need to reach a minimum critical mass of users can be a challenge. A limitation of the study is that it investigated only one company operating in a sector with specific knowledge needs and capabilities
Information as a circular resource – facilitating information exchange to extend product-life
No full textPurpose: This paper aims to study a circular economy business model that offers services with embedded information exchange capabilities to extend product life through maintenance and repair. Information exchange has been identified as a critical factor in advancing the principles of a circular economy, and this research was conducted to illustrate how information exchange can facilitate maintenance and repair. Design/methodology/approach: The study has a case study approach of collecting data through semi-structured interviews and questionnaires. Findings: Information exchange on what and when to do something engages end-users in maintenance and facilitates learning. For repair, the problem description and possible solutions are information that must be exchanged. Both types of information exchange are facilitated by simple tech solutions relying on known and inexpensive technology (e.g. e-mail service, video call and text messaging). Research limitations/implications: The study contributes to the organisational development and knowledge management fields with novel insights on how information exchange and circular economy are related and can be facilitated. Practical implications: The study provides insights for companies looking for solutions on how to generate revenue from services and reduce resource consumption. The findings of the study suggest that the development of circular business models does not always require expensive high-tech solutions. Originality/value: To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this study is unique as it is empirically based on insights into how information exchange can extend product life through the use of simple digital tools
Knowledge management and learning for innovation in smes
No full textKnowledge is commonly considered the key ingredient of innovation, and hence the effectiveness of innovation activities depends on how companies manage their learning processes. This requires that companies fill their “knowledge gaps” and reduce uncertainty regarding various innovation-related issues about technical, economic, and market aspects. Especially in the case of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), there is evidence that companies go through learning processes and manage innovation-related knowledge, but this is often done in an informal and substantially “unconscious” way. In particular, the adoption and use of systematic knowledge management (KM) practices for collecting, creating, and exploiting useful knowledge is scarcely diffused among SMEs. This topic deserves further investigation, considering that those companies are an essential part of the economy. By investigating a sample of 12 cases of innovative projects in SMEs, this study examines the critical KM issues in innovation implementation. The goals are: a) to detect and categorize the need of companies to fill their knowledge gaps in relation to the various elements and activities that are involved in the innovation process; b) to examine what KM practices are adopted and the success or limits of these practices; and c) to investigate whether and how systematic KM approaches are or can be used to effectively perform these learning processes, and the possible problems in their adoption. The study contributes to the literature about KM in SMEs, especially in relation to innovation. From a practical point of view, it offers food for thought to SME managers about the key role played by knowledge in the innovation processes and about how to better manage it
Knowledge management processes and innovation phases: insights from metalworking SMEs
No full textThe paper analyses how SMEs manage the knowledge needed to carry out innovation, focusing on how the various knowledge management (KM) processes (acquisition, documentation, sharing, application) come into play during the different phases of the innovation process (idea generation, ideas selection, project development, launch). In fact, little is known about the KM processes and practices that SMEs employ during their innovation activities. Given the novelty of the issue, a multiple case study was carried out on 13 innovative projects implemented by as many Italian manufacturing SMEs. Empirical evidence shows that all KM processes play a role in the various phases of the innovation process, but this role changes from phase to phase. Furthermore, the study highlights that the practices used in the various processes may vary in relation to the type of innovation that is being developed. Lastly, it confirms that SMEs tend to adopt an informal and emergent KM approach
Knowledge as a circular resource – Integrating information exchange and circular business models for product-life extension
No full textThe change from a linear to a circular business model requires the development of new services that integrate information exchange with product usage to prolong product life through maintenance and repair. Information exchange has been identified as important for promoting circular economy, and this study draws on empirical data from a two case studies to demonstrate what information should be exchanged and how the exchange should be facilitated. Case company A offered maintenance of white goods (e.g., washing machine) as a subscription service where reminders and maintenance guides were emailed monthly to customers. Company B offered virtually guided repairs of white goods. The study finds that sharing information on what and when to do something facilitates end-users to participate in maintenance and learn about maintenance; more than half of the company A questioned customers reported that they learnt from guides and were involved in maintenance due to guides and reminders. For repair the problem description and possible solutions is information that must be exchanged, and a simple voice and video call can facilitate repairs that prolong product life with a minimum cost for the end-user. Both types of information exchange are facilitated by simple-tech solutions relying on known and cheap technology (e.g., email service, video call, and text-messaging). The findings of the study suggest that the development of circular business models does not always require expensive high-tech solutions to integrate information flow with product flow and usage, and that companies are recommended to experiment with designing solutions based on known technology
Proceedings of the 19th European Conference on Knowledge Management
No full textProceedings della 19^ edizione della Conferenza ECK
Collaboration for innovation in small KIBS companies: Implications for knowledge management
No full textThe development and introduction of innovations in small KIBS (Knowledge Intensive Business Services) companies raises significant challenges in terms of knowledge management (KM). In the case of small KIBS, especially due to the lack of resources and managerial attitudes. KIBS companies may need to engage in knowledge exchanges with other business partners for the development of common projects, which, in turn, brings up specific KM issues. The paper explores the special KM problems emerging in the management of knowledge exchanges between two small KIBS companies collaborating for the development of a service innovation for the HORECA (Hotel-Restaurant-Catering) sector that consists of an online platform for clients. The case shows that, on the one hand, it was not possible, for the company, to develop all the knowledge that was necessary for delivering the service (especially, the company lacked technical competencies). On the other hand, it was difficult to simply acquire this knowledge "on the market". Eventually, a joint venture was established with another small KIBS provider of online services. The basic idea was to integrate and exploit the different specializations and complementary knowledge of the two companies, for a common business goal. But, as the case shows, this operation of joining and integrating different pieces of knowledge possessed by the two distinct companies is all but easy, and it requires proper conditions that may be hard to find in real situations. The study thus gives useful lessons for KM research and business management of small KIBS companies
The continuous recombination of codification and personalisation km strategies: A retrospective study
Full text linkIt is increasingly considered important to understand how companies plan their Knowledge Management (KM) strategy. The literature provides evidence that there may be different possible approaches to KM strategy. A significant distinction has been made between "codification" and "personalization". Sometimes, these two approaches have been seen to be alternative to one another. In other cases scholars argued that a company can follow a strategy that mixes the two approaches depending on diverse intertwined factors. Still, on this topic, the literature provides various and sometimes contrasting results that need clarification and confirmation. Especially, there is the need to understand if changes in internal and external conditions may induce modifications in a firm's KM strategy.The goal of the study is to analyse how the mix of codification and personalisation can vary over time in the same company, due to changing organizational and environmental conditions. With this purpose, the evolution of KM initiatives of a multinational company was investigated. The findings of the study confirm that the strategic mix can change over the years due to modifications in the factors of the company's internal and external context. Furthermore, the case shows that the different factors have different weight and play a different role in influencing such changes. Specifically, in the investigated case, the factors related to the competitive context affected the evolution of the KM strategy more significantly than internal factors (which were just enablers or constraints of the evolutionary path). In addition, the study shows that this classic distinction between codification and personalization may not be easy to use in practical terms, due to the complexity of KM activities and needs in a company: This point can represent a fresh start of a future research agenda
Fatores críticos de sucesso à manutenção de comunidades de prática e suas dimensões de análise
Full text linkDissertação (mestrado) - Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina, Centro Tecnológico, Programa de Pós-Graduação em Engenharia e Gestão do Conhecimento, Florianópolis, 2012Esta pesquisa almejou identificar os fatores críticos de sucesso (FCS) à manutenção das Comunidades de Prática que estabelecem relação com as dimensões de análise das Comunidades. Para tanto, realizou-se uma busca sistemática da literatura em que emergiram 112 FCS à manutenção das CoPs. Concomitante, identificaram-se na literatura algumas dimensões de análise para Comunidades, tais como: individual, organizacional, liderança, comunidade, cognitiva, tecnológica e econômica. Em virtude das características de alguns dos fatores revelados, e pela ausência de dimensões que os contemplassem, outras três dimensões foram propostas: a relações de poder, a cultural e a operacional. Após o levantamento dos FCS e das dimensões, alocaram-se os fatores às dimensões que melhor lhes representavam, além de respeitar a indicação dos autores quando assim o fizeram, resultando em quadros de referência por dimensão e seus respectivos FCS. Em seguida, foi possível verificar que alguns fatores transitavam entre duas dimensões de análise, o que se denominou de interseção de dimensões diversas. Por fim, chegou-se aos 28 fatores críticos de sucesso à manutenção das CoPs e suas dimensões de análise, circunstância que possibilitou a criação de um quadro-síntese com tais informações. Respeitando a caracterização da pesquisa quanto aos fins, indica-se que o primeiro resultado é de origem aplicada, porquanto possui como base de motivação a resolução de problemas concretos referente à gestão das CoPs, qual seja: a identificação dos fatores críticos de sucesso à manutenção das CoPs, e suas vinculações às dimensões de análise. O segundo repousa no campo da contribuição teórica, visto que pode auxiliar como ponto de partida para investigações futuras sobre a temática.Abstract : This research sought to identify the critical success factors (CSFs) for the maintenance of Communities of Practice that establish relationship with the Communities# dimensions of analysis. Therefore, it was carried out a systematic search of literature where 112 CSFs emerged for the maintenance of CoPs. Concomitantly, it was identified in the literature some analysis dimensions for Communities such as: individual, organizational, leadership, community, cognitive, technological and economic. Because of the characteristics of some of the factors revealed, and due to the absence of dimensions that behold them, three other dimensions were proposed: the power relations, as well as the cultural and the operational. After surveying the CSFs and dimensions, the factors were allocated to the dimensions that best represented them, besides respecting the suggestion of the authors when they did so, resulting in charts of reference by dimension and respective CSFs. Then it was possible to find that some factors were transiting between two dimensions of analysis, which was so called intersection of varied dimensions. Finally, it was reached 28 critical success factors for the maintenance of CoPs and their analysis dimensions, a circumstance that enabled the creation of a summary table with such information. Having regard to the characterization as to the purposes, it is indicated that the first result is of applied origin, since it has as a basis of motivation the resolution of specific problems regarding the management of CoPs, namely, the identification of critical success factors for the maintaining of CoPs, and their linkages to the analysis dimensions. The second result lies in the field of theoretical contribution, since it can help as a starting point for future research on the topic
The continuous recombination of codification and personalisation KM strategies: A longitudinal study
No full textThe notion of Knowledge Management (KM) strategy has long attracted the attention of scholars and practitioners. The literature provides evidence of different possible KM strategies. Particularly, an important distinction has been made between codification and personalization. While these can be seen to be alternative to one another, some studies argue that a company can follow a strategy that mixes the two approaches. The effective combination of personalization and codification may depend on the interaction of diverse factors, such as competition, leadership, politics, culture, technology. On this issue, however, the literature still provides mixed and sometimes contrasting results. Furthermore, available empirical studies are based on case studies of the KM strategic approach of one or more companies at a specific point in time. Instead, it may be interesting to check if conditions that change through time may also induce changes in a firm’s KM strategy.
This study aims to analyse how the mix of codification and personalisation can vary over time in the same company, due to changing organizational and environmental conditions. With this purpose, the evolution of KM initiatives of a multinational company has been investigated. The findings not only add to what already emerged in previous literature, but also better highlight the interrelations between the various factors that influence these changes. Lastly, the study raises the question of whether the classic distinction between codification and personalization strategies has still a practical usefulness or is just a simple abstract reference: this point can represent a fresh start of a future research agenda
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