Mobilising knowledge across organisational boundaries: addressing human issues in the telecommunications industry

The key question addressed in this research is ‘how can we effectively manage and mobilise knowledge in the extended enterprise?’. We explore how knowledge sharing and transfer occur when developing new products, with special reference to the telecommunications industry. The benefits of implementing knowledge management strategies have been proven but research has largely focused on technology as a solution. Working together with European-based telecommunication companies, we focus instead on the softer, human issues. The main human barriers identified include international differences, accuracy and protection of knowledge, maintenance of communication channels, lack of time, fear of penalties and market position.     

Development of absorptive capacity over time and across boundaries: The case of R&D consortia

Absorptive capacity (AC) has been identified as the ability of firms to acquire, assimilate, and apply external knowledge, and thus as a pre-condition for learning from knowledge environment. However, extant literature has focused on AC as (1) a static and (2) a firm-centred concept. In particular, there is little conceptual framing and empirical evidence of how AC develops over time and across boundaries. Taking R&D consortia as the unit of analysis and based on insights from three in-depth case studies of collaborative R&D, our contribution is a framework for AC development over time and across inter-organizational, intra-organizational, and practice boundaries at different stages of collaboration in R&D consortia. Using this framework, we identify a set of mechanisms which enable the development of AC and we discuss the preconditions for these mechanisms. For R&D managers, our research implies that in order to enhance effectiveness of knowledge transfer and learning in R&D consortia they need to develop a strategy that (1) supports learning and AC development throughout the whole cycle of the collaboration, not only by focusing on intra-firm capabilities, but in particular by providing flexible interfaces for overcoming a variety of interaction and learning boundaries between heterogeneous R&D partners, and (2) enables the integration of created and acquired knowledge within the organization once the collaboration is over.     

Learning from international business affiliates: developing resource-based learning capacity through networks and knowledge acquisition

Resource-based learning capacity (RBLC) is an organization's specific resources – both human and tangible – that can be organized to enhance learning processes. This study develops and tests a model that examines the relationship between the learning efforts of focal firms from their international business affiliates (IBAs) – organizations located outside the focal firm's domestic market with whom the focal firm has a relationship – and the focal firms' RBLC. This learning process refers to the transfer of knowledge from the IBA to the focal firm. Results indicate that while learning effectiveness positively influences the RBLC of the focal firm, learning efficiency has a negative impact on RBLC. The IBA's home country network centrality and the tie strength between the focal organization and the IBA are found to influence learning effectiveness positively. Tie strength also enhances learning efficiency. Finally, the findings indicate that the IBA's home country network centrality enhances the strength of the ties between the focal organization and its IBA.     

Innovation: a knowledge transfer perspective

One means of innovation is the adoption of new knowledge from external sources. This article describes theory building research to improve the transfer of knowledge between universities and businesses that are collaborating together. Using pilot studies and in-depth interviews based on real-life innovation projects, the research identified and confirmed two hypothetical constructs; that successful knowledge transfer comes from the transfer of tacit knowledge; and that tacit knowledge can best be transferred in this arena using rich media channels. This article describes the research and goes on to assess a range of channels for their media richness and their ability to transfer tacit knowledge. This article then positions this in the frame of collaborative or open innovation. It concludes that selection of the appropriate channel can improve the innovation through the transfer of knowledge between organisations and presents a model for successful application.     

External knowledge search,absorptive capacity and radical innovation in high-technology firms

Open innovation and absorptive capacity are two concepts based on the idea that companies can leverage the knowledge generated externally to improve their innovation performance. The aim of this paper is to analyse the joint effect of open innovation and absorptive capacity on a firm's radical innovation. Open innovation is expressed in terms of external search breadth and depth strategies and absorptive capacity is described by distinguishing between potential and realized absorptive capacity. In order to test our hypotheses, we carried out empirical research in firms operating in high-technology industries. The results indicate that internal routines and processes for absorbing external knowledge help explain radical innovation as they show a significant effect of potential and realized absorptive capacity. Also, there is a moderating effect of absorptive capacity on open innovation. Specifically, potential absorptive capacity exerts a positive effect on the relationship between external search breadth and depth and radical innovation. Realized absorptive capacity moderates the influence of external search breadth. These findings confirm the complementary nature of absorptive capacity and open innovation search strategies on radical innovation.     

Motivating knowledge sharing through a knowledge management system

Based on both economic and sociological theory, the effects of supervisory control and organizational support on the frequency and effort of individuals in contributing their personally held valuable knowledge to a “best practices-lessons learned, repository-based” knowledge management system (KMS) were compared. Supervisory control, as expected, had significant impact on frequency, but it also had unexpectedly significant influence on effort. When system variables—usefulness and ease of use—were controlled for, the organizational support measure had little effect on either outcome. These results provide greater support for economic-agency-theory motivators of knowledge sharing and lesser support for organizational support motivators than has been previously believed. They also emphasize the important impact of systems variables in motivating KMS use. Since the study was conducted in a government (joint civilian–military) organization, the organizational type may significantly influence the results. However, since the result is contrary to the conventional wisdom that suggests that a “knowledge-sharing culture” is all-important, at the very least, this study shows that the nature of the organization may moderate the relationship between the motivational approach and the outcomes.     

CEO successor compensation: outside versus inside successions

We propose that outside CEO candidates will have greater bargaining power than insiders. As a result, outside CEO successors will likely receive greater total compensation than inside CEO successors. Outside successors, meantime, pose more risk to the hiring firm than inside successors due to higher information asymmetry. As a result, outside successor compensation packages are tilted towards more performance-related pay-at-risk, while inside successor packages have a higher percentage in salary. In addition, outside successors may want to utilize the structure of their compensation at their previous firm in their new contracts. Using a sample of 99 firms with outside successors who were not CEO in their prior firms, matched by industry and size to firms that hired inside candidates, we find evidence supporting these hypotheses.     

Retaining the Productive Employee: The Role of Personality

Abstract

Prior meta-analyses and quantitative reviews have examined the construct-related true-score correlations by personality in predicting important organizational outcomes or have focused on relatively specific, practical problems generally associated with using personality tests in selection. However, there lacks a theoretical integration of major theories developed in the literature. In this review, we propose an integrative research paradigm for personality research by identifying key mediating and moderating mechanisms explaining why, how and when personality traits predict employee work effectiveness. Based on the compatibility principle, we develop a theoretical model to reconceptualize the effect of the five-factor model (FFM) on broadly defined work effectiveness outcomes. We contend researchers have not exploited the breadth of the FFM bandwidth and thus have underestimated the predictive power of personality. In support of our new propositions, we systematically review the almost overwhelming literature by focusing on retaining productive employees, in order to contribute theoretically by identifying a few key generalizable findings and to improve managerial efficiency by uncovering possible “best practices”.     

East meets West: a case example of knowledge transfer

This article highlights some of the similarities and differences in management theory and practice between the UK and the Former Soviet Union (FSU) and Central and East European (CEE) states. It does so in the context of a debate over the appropriateness and extent of cultural dominance in knowledge transfer of theory and practice, which has occurred during the last decade, and which is still unresolved. It reviews a scheme for knowledge transfer which offered a flexible structure within which the organizers could amend their material in the light of their growing experience with the way in which the scheme operated, and whereby they might avoid some of the mistakes of cultural dominance made within other schemes offered elsewhere The Joint Industrial and Commercial Attachment Programme (JICAP), its structure, approach and some outcomes are outlined as a case example. Sponsored by the British Council to arrange visits by middle and senior managers from the post-command economies to the UK for intensive management training and work placement in an organization complementary to their home employment, JICAP was typical of the best Western thinking in management development of the time. The espousals and realities, the benefits and flaws in this approach are examined, drawing on the perceptions of the JICAP delegates themselves in terms of their personal and business development. Czarniawska's model of the travel of ideas (Czarniawska and Joerges 1996) is used as an organizing framework within which the problems of knowledge transfer, culturally dominant or maximally flexible, can be examined, and the underlying issues identified. This notion of flexibility, within which alternative perspectives can be negotiated and new meanings created, constitutes the main contribution proposed by this paper.     

The carrying capacity of a region: A planning model

While traditional planning often assumes unlimited growth potential, in reality such growth has absolute limits in terms of resources available and maintenance of the ecosystem. These limits (the region's carrying capacity) can be modeled; one such model, the State-of-the-System (SOS) Model, is described in this paper and is designed to test various assumptions about the desired growth of an area under explicit side conditions or limitations. Such a model could be used to test the validity of establishing comprehensive plans, to identify critical growth constraints, and to weight policy choices.     

系统风险的会计决定:企业财务风险、经营风险、系统风险的时变关联

新企业会计准则的颁布有力推进了我国金融工具信息披露制度建设,但是到目前为止,研究者对会计信息和上市公司系统风险的关系还不是很清楚.本文提出了新的经济理论模型用于研究财务风险、经营风险和系统风险的动态关联.主要结论:一、财务杠杆和经营杠杆以乘子的形式放大了无杠杆条件下的企业系统风险,这一结论在时变的条件下仍成立;二、理论证实了无杠杆条件下的企业系统风险来源于公司净利润-流通市值比率、销售增长率和平均价格增长率的变动;三、财务风险和经营风险间存在一个权衡,例如经营风险高的公司,将会选择一个较低的财务风险,使得公司有一个相对合理的系统风险.因此,会计风险披露制度的推进可以为投资者提供更多和更好的有关公司风险的信息.     

The ‘ART' of knowledge:: Systems to capitalize on market knowledge

The authors argue that current knowledge management practice, which focuses on managing explicit data and information technology, is not enough. Tacit knowledge, such as subjective insights or emotions must also be considered.Converting between these forms of knowledge is important, and the concept of ART (action–reflex–trigger) systems is introduced to enable this to take place. ART systems enable companies to implement a multi-dynamic approach to knowledge management.The complex concept of ‘ba' is introduced—a shared mental space for knowledge creation—which provides a foundation for knowledge creation. The authors explore the nature, context and enabling conditions for ART systems and show how ba can be employed in ART systems.A case study—of the Seven-Eleven Japan corporation is presented, whose outstanding success is based on the capitalization of market knowledge, striking a balance between supportive IT and human insight, to achieve a multi-dynamic approach to knowledge management. The company integrates several interlinked ba and ART systems.     

The interactive relationship of corporate culture and knowledge management: a review

Knowledge management and corporate culture are two managerial concepts that are often connected in articles, especially in knowledge management literature. It is, however, a rather complex relationship, as evidenced by the existence of various theoretical and empirical contributions as well as various implicit assumptions. This review therefore, aims at systemizing and clarifying different approaches towards the relationship between intraorganizational knowledge management and corporate culture. I identified three different perspectives on this topic. The first perspective regards cultural values as knowledge resources. The second approach deals with the characteristics of “knowledge cultures” that are regarded as a favorable antecedents for knowledge management. The third view assumes a different causal relationship because knowledge management initiatives can also modify cultural assumptions if employees are subject to positive experiences. This paper describes all three, discusses their underlying assumptions, and shows their implications for theory and practice. By comparing the three perspectives, this systematic review reveals that they are based on different theories and therefore, their results cannot be easily combined. Our conclusions show that being aware of these differences and providing a common theoretical basis opens up avenues for future research in this field.     

The Effects of a Point-of-Purchase Display on Relative Sales: An In-Store Experimental Evaluation

An in-store experiment was performed to investigate the effects of a point-of-purchase display on unit sales of dishwashing liquid. The experimental conditions consisted of periodically placing two copies of the same display in convenience stores and supermarkets. The results were unanticipated; point-of-purchase displays did not change relative sales of the target brand. An antecedent intervention such as a point-of-purchase informational display is not sufficient to change consumer choice in the presence of utilitarian reinforcement in the form of a lower-priced competing product.     

The need for knowledge modification in technology change: a framework to consider changes in domain complexity,knowledge and productivity

This paper researches productivity in relation to domain complexity and the present knowledge capacity in an organisational context. The study is based on five very different case studies. Three studies are conducted in Denmark, Germany, Mexico and China and are related to knowledge transfer in the relocation of manufacturing facilities. Two studies investigate operation and automation of oil and gas production in the North Sea. The case study method involves semi-structured interviews, surveys, an analysis of historical production data and observations. Based on the findings from the field studies, the paper develops a conceptual framework that management can use for discussions of productivity, development of knowledge and design of learning programmes when considering changes in the complexity of a domain or a change in knowledge.