Socializing a knowledge strategy

Proponents of the resource‐based view of strategic management have argued for processes that align organizational knowledge resources to business strategy. In this view, competitive advantage accrues from accelerating organizational learning and non‐appropriable knowledge. An empirical approach known as socialization counters theories of both institutionalization and “strategic alignment.” Socialization enables knowledge strategy through values leadership and practice‐led process. Based on organizational structuration, socialization creates enduring, flexible process structures constructed by practice participants. Socialization results in sustainable processes, uniquely configured to business strategy, and more enduring and resilient than adopted or published process structures. Values leadership orients participants toward the goals, meaning, and value of organizational knowledge. Socialized business processes are non‐transferable, driven by strategic intent, and oriented to enduring organizational values that protect process integrity. A socialization approach integrates practice‐level internal knowledge networks to support business processes and strategy, leveraging knowledge more effectively than institutionalization approaches

KNOWLEDGE MANAGEMENT STRATEGIES AS INTERMEDIARY VARIABLES BETWEEN ITBUSINESS STRATEGIC ALIGNMENT AND FIRM PERFORMANCE

Since the relationship between knowledge management and ITbusiness strategic alignment should be investigated further, highlighting the importance of knowledge (both tacit and explicit) in the formation and implementation of IT strategy; this research aims to review and discuss the links between data, information, and knowledge; how researchers classify knowledge; the ways that firms could manage their knowledge and systems; the difficulties and challenges that firms might face when implementing knowledge management systems, and the ways in which managers should resolve such challenges; and empirical research on the linkage between knowledge management strategies and firm performance. Consequently, further research is needed to validate the ways researchers measure the associations among IT-business strategic alignment, knowledge management, and firm performance in both developed and developing countries and across different industries

KNOWLEDGE MANAGEMENT STRATEGIES AS INTERMEDIARY VARIABLES BETWEEN ITBUSINESS STRATEGIC ALIGNMENT AND FIRM PERFORMANCE

Since the relationship between knowledge management and ITbusiness strategic alignment should be investigated further, highlighting the importance of knowledge (both tacit and explicit) in the formation and implementation of IT strategy; this research aims to review and discuss the links between data, information, and knowledge; how researchers classify knowledge; the ways that firms could manage their knowledge and systems; the difficulties and challenges that firms might face when implementing knowledge management systems, and the ways in which managers should resolve such challenges; and empirical research on the linkage between knowledge management strategies and firm performance. Consequently, further research is needed to validate the ways researchers measure the associations among IT-business strategic alignment, knowledge management, and firm performance in both developed and developing countries and across different industries

Towards a methodology to help predict and reduce impact of projects on long-term costs, corporate strategy and existing IT infrastructure

University of Technology, Sydney. Faculty of Design, Architecture and BuildingThis thesis contributes to the body of project management and systems development knowledge, by investigating the success of a project beyond the standard criteria of project budget, objectives and timelines used to judge project performance. This research has been conducted as part of the UTS “Doctor of Project Management” course, which encourages extension of the theoretical study of project management to a commercial environment - by investigating problems related to practical applications of project management. This research attempts to highlight the unforeseen and unplanned impacts created by projects which are often neglected and excluded from project evaluation and strategic alignment. The goal of this study is to find ways to increase the overall benefits to organisations achieved through projects, while minimising unplanned and unforeseen negative impacts caused by projects. To identify long-term impacts caused by projects, a case study is conducted with a real example, focusing on a large, deemed to be successfully completed project within an Australian financial organisation. The case study explores the environment, processes and events throughout project cycle and identifies various factors that influence project flow and create unforeseen impacts outside the planned project actions and outcomes. The case study analysis showed that some crucial decisions made about the project would have been different if some of those unplanned impacts were discovered earlier, for example during the discovery stage of the project. The unplanned impacts resulting from this project were manifested through extended timeline, additional costs and numerous post-project systems interdependencies. Since the original decisions about the way in which the project was implemented were largely based on financial factors, these impacts would have been highly relevant to project planning and could have changed some important decisions crucial to the conduct of the project by the organisation. The case study is representative of how projects are managed in the case study organisation. The findings from the case study are further extended trough a mini-survey of 123 professionals, who confirmed that unplanned impacts created by projects are worth considering and managing. The survey respondents indicated that projects in their organisations were mainly concentrated on short-term, often isolated business needs and had little alignment with the overall strategy and coordination with other projects and initiatives. While organisations are aware of the problem and keen to improve management of unforeseen impacts and associated post-project costs, their efforts so far are largely informal. Both the case study and survey indicated the need for a formal way of managing the post-project impacts and alignment between projects and strategy within organisations. Based on the literature review, case study and survey results, the research arrived at a set of findings and suggestions. The suggestions are articulated through an organisational strategy alignment framework, covering four management areas: strategy and senior management, business management, systems development and project management. The main focus of the recommended actions is around effective management of vendor relationship, strategic alignment and unforeseen project impacts. The recommended actions are grouped around the management areas as follows: • Strategy and Senior Management Suggestions • Vendor management strategy directions • Strategy alignment directions • Roles and responsibilities • Business Management Suggestions • Business impact analysis approach • Project success evaluation • Effective communication • Systems Development Suggestions • Technical impact analysis approach • Solutions evaluation • Business and vendor communication • Project Management Suggestions • Project planning and impact analysis • Solution evaluation • Strategy alignment • Project success evaluation • Utilisation of past experiences • Effective communication The findings and resulting suggestions of this research contribute to: • Project management theory • Project management and systems development practice • Project management, strategic and IT management practice The main focus of this research is the identification of factors that cause unforeseen impact caused by projects on the IT environment and organisations. While the study provides a number of suggestions to improve the effective management of these factors, the detailed analysis of the recommended actions is not within the scope of this study and is suggested as an area for further research

Bringing corporate strategy to life through firm-wide and strategic supply chain performance alignment, to perform as required within strategic supply chains

Background: The corporate strategy gap between formulation and execution is an ongoing struggle, with few execution efforts aligned with strategy, contributed by a continually changing business environment, poor performance management, slow strategy execution and inadequate technology capabilities. These matters are increasing complexity for top management in corporate strategy formulation and cascading, which are key to building a world-class firm. To address this problem in practice, this research study focused on executives at B2B firms operating in strategic supply chains and identified gaps in the literature. In the supply chain performance management domain, there is limited research on top management’s supply chain-related role and supply chain’s role in corporate strategy formulation. In the strategic performance management domain, linkages with supply chain are unclear, and there is limited research on corporate strategy cascading. This study aims to resolve the research problem: How do executives at top performing B2B firms in Australia form and cascade corporate strategy firm-wide to ensure that the firm performs as required within its strategic supply chains? Methodology: This research study develops and examines a theoretical framework through a qualitative interpretive methodology and explores the intersection of two major domains Strategic Performance Management and Supply Chain Performance Management by applying Dynamic Capabilities Theory. The research problem was dissected into two research issues to explore the sensing, seizing, and transforming dynamic capabilities and microfoundations of dynamic capabilities associated with corporate strategy formulation and cascading to help resolve the research problem. Findings: This research study found that top management are dedicated to supply chain performance management from a strategic planning perspective during corporate strategy formulation, because they know that strategic supply chain elements in corporate strategy drives value and firm growth. Using dynamic capabilities, top management incorporate strategic supply chain considerations into corporate strategy to seize strategic supply chain opportunities and performance objectives, by sensing the requirements of strategic supply chains, to transform the firm and strategic supply chain operations to be capable of seizing the opportunities, to gain and sustain significant supply chain competitive advantages and superior supply chain performance. Top management recognise strategic supply chains as critical to business success, and value supply chain knowledge and expertise in the top management team as well as participation from key personnel from cross-functional areas, especially key supply chain-focused personnel. Successful corporate strategy cascading and firm-wide strategic alignment to strategy entails the development and alignment of business plans and budgets, strategic performance alignment, supply chain strategy alignment, cross-functional alignment, people performance strategic alignment (individual, rewards and teams), performance behaviour alignment and strategic supply chain alignment. Further, the findings of this study enrich the discourse on strategic supply chain performance management by supporting the view that dynamic capabilities enable executives and B2B firms to gain and sustain significant competitive advantages and superior supply chain performance within strategic supply chains. Contribution: The findings enabled the development of a revised theoretical framework that addresses the gaps identified in the literature. This research study advances the body of knowledge of the two major domains and the Dynamic Capabilities Theory, and identifies the sensing, seizing, and transforming dynamic capabilities and microfoundations of dynamic capabilities associated with corporate strategy formulation and cascading with a strategic supply chain performance focus. The key components of corporate strategy cascading are identified, and a definition is proposed. A key output of this research study included a Strategic Supply Chain Performance Management Framework outline as a guide for executives at B2B firms operating in strategic supply chains, which identifies the key components to formulate and cascade a corporate strategy with a strategic supply chain performance focus to achieve and sustain superior competitive advantage. A new term and definition for strategic supply chain performance management is also proposed