Knowledge Contribution Motivators – An Expectation-Confirmation Approach

Individual knowledge needs to be shared across IS developing organizations to provide information for all types of decisions. Considering knowledge management (KM) as a two-part process of knowledge contribution and knowledge seeking, we focus on the former one as it is (1) the required condition for knowledge sharing and (2) the greater challenge to accomplish by organizations compared to implementing successful knowledge seeking. Distinguishing different types of individual and organizational extrinsic motivators based on self-determination theory, we use expectation-confirmation theory (ECT) to analyze the extent to which software developers’ expectations towards knowledge contributions are fulfilled by organizations. Additionally, showing extrinsic motivators’ importance for software developers to contribute to KM systems, we provide organizations a roadmap for setting favorable conditions. Whereas our consolidation of previous research on knowledge contribution provides guidelines for future research on extrinsic motivators, we contribute to existing theory by applying ECT to the context of KM contribution

Broker Positions in Task-Specific Knowledge Networks

In this paper we empirically investigate various benefits and costs associated with broker characteristics of individuals who operate in the account management system of financial service providers. We narrow our focus to broker positions in two specific task-specific knowledge networks that facilitate account management. We study the effect of broker positions on the contribution of individuals to organizational performance. We measure such a contribution by measuring the perceptions of others concerning a particular individual. We also explore how certain personal costs are associated with these task-specific broker positions. More specifically, we explore how these positions affect role ambiguity and role conflict, as self-perceived by that particular individual. To test the hypothesized effects we collect data for a network consisting of 55 individuals. We conclude with stating that service specification broker positions benefit organizations, but service delivery broker positions are detrimental to an organization and that they also invoke personal costs.social networks;account management;role stress;task-specific broker positions

Macroeconomic analysis and individual economic rationality: some lessons from Wicksell to Schumpeter and von Mises

The purpose of this contribution is to investigate the problem of the room attributed to individual economic rationality by circulation approaches. Our investigation will not privilege however the modern contributions of this approach but will instead utilize the works of some economists of the past, namely, Knut Wicksell, Josef Schumpeter and Ludwig von Mises. Our first section will recall how the modern ‘circulation approach' considers the problem of the compatibility between economic individual rationality and macroeconomic analysis and how this problem emerged in Wicksell's original theory of a pure credit economy. Section 2 will focus on the transition from Schumpeter's circular flow to economic development and show how it is directly related to the problem of economic rationality. Section 3 will show that Mises' conception of economic progress emphasizes the importance of consumers and producers' individual behaviours. In the last section, we will finally draw some conclusions from our previous investigation of Wicksell, Schumpeter and Mises' works and confront them to the developments of the modern circulation approach.Individual economic rationality ; macroeconomic analysis ; knowledge ; beliefs

The contribution of Muslims to science during the Middle Abbasid Period (750-945)

A history of Muslims’ contribution to present-day science and technology is the exploration of the missing account of their glorious past. Muslims integrated science, theology, and philosophy as they were urged to study, acquire knowledge, and learn from others' expertise and civilization. The significance of this study lies not in recounting the specific contribution of Muslims to the individual disciplines of science such as medicine, mathematics, astronomy, geometry, geology, mineralogy, chemistry, philosophy and architecture, and trigonometry. Those accounts though greatly important in their own right have been the central focus of a number of works. This paper highlights those aspects of Muslims’ contribution to scientific body of knowledge that are subtle and perhaps more important to the development of the entire body of the scientific knowledge. Through an analysis of socio-cultural and historical context, the paper concludes that the contribution of Muslim scientist lies in (a) bringing to light the work of ancient Greek scholars in the field of science, and (b) bringing to the knowledge of Europe the works of Indian men of science, especially in mathematics, astronomy and medicine

Medical case reports: A pillar of medical knowledge beyond large datasets

[Extract] Over the last decade, the advent of big data and the unrelenting focus on evidence-based medicine from large datasets have raised questions about the relevance and value of medical case reports within the medical literature. Nevertheless, case reports documenting individual patients’ detailed experiences and outcomes have long been a cornerstone of medical knowledge. This editorial highlights the importance of case reports as a valid and indispensable contribution to medical literature and argues that the focus on large datasets should not overshadow them

Knowledge workers' creativity and the role of the physical work environment

ABSTRACT The present study examines the effect of the physical work environment on the creativity of knowledge workers, compared with the effects of creative personality and the social-organizational work environment. Based on data from 274 knowledge workers in 27 SMEs, we conclude that creative personality, the social-organizational work environment, and the physical work environment independently affect creative performance. The relative contribution of the physical work environment is smaller than that of the social-organizational work environment, and both contributions are smaller than that of creative personality. The results give support for HR practices that focus on the individual, on the social-organizational work environment, and on the physical work environment in order to enhance knowledge worker creativity

Visions and Challenges in Managing and Preserving Data to Measure Quality of Life

Health-related data analysis plays an important role in self-knowledge, disease prevention, diagnosis, and quality of life assessment. With the advent of data-driven solutions, a myriad of apps and Internet of Things (IoT) devices (wearables, home-medical sensors, etc) facilitates data collection and provide cloud storage with a central administration. More recently, blockchain and other distributed ledgers became available as alternative storage options based on decentralised organisation systems. We bring attention to the human data bleeding problem and argue that neither centralised nor decentralised system organisations are a magic bullet for data-driven innovation if individual, community and societal values are ignored. The motivation for this position paper is to elaborate on strategies to protect privacy as well as to encourage data sharing and support open data without requiring a complex access protocol for researchers. Our main contribution is to outline the design of a self-regulated Open Health Archive (OHA) system with focus on quality of life (QoL) data.Comment: DSS 2018: Data-Driven Self-Regulating System

Exploring the Influence of Ethical Norms on Organizaional Knowledge Management: An Ethical Climate Perspective

Since 1990, knowledge management has been developed and adopted as an essential strategy to foster the creation as well as utilization of organizational intellectual resources. Organizational intellectual capital is derived both individually and collectively from the process to create, store, share, acquire and apply the personal and organizational knowledge. Numerous studies have proposed that organizational culture is essential to support organizational knowledge management activities and effectiveness. However, many organizations put much emphasis on the individuals’ knowledge contribution and subsequent performance, neglecting the importance of brainstorming or contribution of knowledge sharing with others. In addition, some organizations only focus on the development of public goods, despite the concerns of individuals’ self-interest or possible risk. The only single aspect of individual or collective approach toward knowledge management will inevitably lead to the ethical conflicts in the organization. The purpose of this study intends to examine the ethical norms within an organization and its possible influence on the members’ evaluation, satisfaction, engagement, and job performance about the organizational knowledge management process. The research constructs are identified and measuring items will be developed on the basis of literature review. The method to carry out this study will utilize survey methodology. Meanwhile, statistical analysis will also be conducted to test our hypothesized relationships between constructs

Broker Positions in Task-Specific Knowledge Networks

In this paper we empirically investigate various benefits and costs associated with broker characteristics of individuals who operate in the account management system of financial service providers. We narrow our focus to broker positions in two specific task-specific knowledge networks that facilitate account management. We study the effect of broker positions on the contribution of individuals to organizational performance. We measure such a contribution by measuring the perceptions of others concerning a particular individual. We also explore how certain personal costs are associated with these task-specific broker positions. More specifically, we explore how these positions affect role ambiguity and role conflict, as self-perceived by that particular individual. To test the hypothesized effects we collect data for a network consisting of 55 individuals. We conclude with stating that service specification broker positions benefit organizations, but service delivery broker positions are detrimental to an organization and that they also invoke personal costs

Scientific knowledge and scientific uncertainty in bushfire and flood risk mitigation: literature review

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY The Scientific Diversity, Scientific Uncertainty and Risk Mitigation Policy and Planning (RMPP) project aims to investigate the diversity and uncertainty of bushfire and flood science, and its contribution to risk mitigation policy and planning. The project investigates how policy makers, practitioners, courts, inquiries and the community differentiate, understand and use scientific knowledge in relation to bushfire and flood risk. It uses qualitative social science methods and case studies to analyse how diverse types of knowledge are ordered and judged as salient, credible and authoritative, and the pragmatic meaning this holds for emergency management across the PPRR spectrum. This research report is the second literature review of the RMPP project and was written before any of the case studies had been completed. It synthesises approximately 250 academic sources on bushfire and flood risk science, including research on hazard modelling, prescribed burning, hydrological engineering, development planning, meteorology, climatology and evacuation planning. The report also incorporates theoretical insights from the fields of risk studies and science and technology studies (STS), as well as indicative research regarding the public understandings of science, risk communication and deliberative planning. This report outlines the key scientific practices (methods and knowledge) and scientific uncertainties in bushfire and flood risk mitigation in Australia. Scientific uncertainties are those ‘known unknowns’ and ‘unknown unknowns’ that emerge from the development and utilisation of scientific knowledge. Risk mitigation involves those processes through which agencies attempt to limit the vulnerability of assets and values to a given hazard. The focus of this report is the uncertainties encountered and managed by risk mitigation professionals in regards to these two hazards, though literature regarding natural sciences and the scientific method more generally are also included where appropriate. It is important to note that while this report excludes professional experience and local knowledge from its consideration of uncertainties and knowledge, these are also very important aspects of risk mitigation which will be addressed in the RMPP project’s case studies. Key findings of this report include: Risk and scientific knowledge are both constructed categories, indicating that attempts to understand any individual instance of risk or scientific knowledge should be understood in light of the social, political, economic, and ecological context in which they emerge. Uncertainty is a necessary element of scientific methods, and as such risk mitigation practitioners and researchers alike should seek to ‘embrace uncertainty’ (Moore et al., 2005) as part of navigating bushfire and flood risk mitigation