Characterising the knowledge approach of a firm: an investigation of knowledge activities in five software SMEs

An organisation’s ability to successfully compete in a changing market place is contingent on its ability to manage what it knows, in order to serve the objectives of the firm. While it has been argued that due to their size, knowledge management (KM) is not a concern for smaller organisations, in the current economic climate, it is expected that a more formalised approach to KM allows the company to seize opportunities as they arise, and deal with environmental uncertainty more effectively. In view of this, the objective of this study was to devise a classification of knowledge activities (KAs) which facilitates the exploration of a Small to Medium Sized Enterprises (SMEs) in terms of the type and extent to which knowledge is managed. Furthermore, analysis of KAs provided a greater understanding of the fit between the firm’s objectives and the KM approach pursued. In order to achieve this, five case studies were conducted. Based on the classification of KAs identified, a qualitative analysis approach was used to code each of the twenty eight interviews carried out. Both quantitative and qualitative content analysis methods were applied to facilitate data reduction and generate meaning from the significant volume of data collected. The output from this study includes a classification of KAs which provides rich insight into how SMEs are motivated to deal with knowledge as a means of achieving their organisational objectives. From a practitioner viewpoint, this study seeks to offer an improved understanding of a software SMEs’ approach to KM

Budget Deficit and Challenges of Knowledge Management in Higher Education: A Case Study of Two International Universities in the Netherlands

Over the past decade, knowledge management has become an increasingly important and critical issue. Both the scientific and commercial communities maintain that organizations with knowledge power can sustain their long-term competitive superiorities. Universities and higher education institutes are the main centers for the production and dissemination of knowledge and, as such, it is certainly necessary for them to implement an appropriate Knowledge Management System (KMS). In the 21st century, successful educational organizations will make use of knowledge and information in a more efficient way and will apply it to the creation of value. To cope with globalization, it is essential for Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) to effectively implement KMS in their organizations which will lead them to create more value and stay competitive. Even so, universities are facing a number of challenges while implementing KMS and budget deficits is one of the factors affecting the KM process in higher education institutes. There has not been adequate study on the impacts of budget deficit on KM activities in HEIs. The question that arises is:  how can these learning organizations overcome budget cuts and simplify the implementation of KM? The present study aims at investigating the challenges faced by two international universities in the Netherlands. Therefore, the study was conducted through case study design and used the Grounded Theory (GT) approach to unfold the impacts of budgetary deficit on the implementation of KMS within this context. A literature review method has also been used to get a deeper insight into some causes of budget deficit in HEIs. Initial findings of the study show that budget deficits have negative impact on KM activities in HEIs including increased workload for teachers, decrease in knowledge dissemination through publication and longer processes of problem solving activities. Keywords: Budget Deficit, Knowledge Management, Challenges, Higher Education, International Universities in the Netherlands, Grounded Theor

Enabling Knowledge Sharing Practices for Academic and Research in Higher Education Institutions.

This paper underscores the need for knowledge sharing practices as an enabler for enhancing academic and research activities in Higher education institutions (HEIs). Despite the various HEIs availing support driven digital infrastructure to open and free access of information (digital resources) to academic and research community, the uptake and adoption of knowledge sharing practices is not evident enough to measure up the initiatives. Lecturers, researchers and scholars in HEIs need to embrace knowledge sharing in pursuit of innovation, recognition and competiveness. The paper therefore highlights the benefits of knowledge sharing as well as obstacles it faces. This paper applied content analysis in terms of review of both print and electronic resources as methodology based on identified objectives. The review found out that knowledge sharing is key to innovation but has not been fully embraced by the intended community as should. The paper suggests a number of ways in which knowledge sharing can be effected in HEIs. Major recommendations included aggressive sensitization on benefits of sharing knowledge and incentives not only to the targeted but also to stakeholders. The study also recommends a dedicated office for research coordination, collaboration, networking and visibility purposes. The paper proposes future research into investigating institutionalization and integration of knowledge sharing and possible approaches that would encourage voluntary knowledge generation and intra-sharing amongst academics in HEIs. Keywords: knowledge management, knowledge sharing, higher education institutions, academics, lecturers, researchers, scholars. DOI: 10.7176/IKM/9-3-09 Publication date:March 31st 201

Capture, modeling and recognition of expert technical gestures in wheel-throwing art of pottery

International audienceThis research has been conducted in the context of the ArtiMuse project that aims at the modeling and renewal of rare gestural knowledge and skills involved in the traditional craftsmanship and more precisely in the art of the wheel-throwing pottery. These knowledge and skills constitute the Intangible Cultural Heritage and refer to the fruit of diverse expertise founded and propagated over the centuries thanks to the ingeniousness of the gesture and the creativity of the human spirit. Nowadays, this expertise is very often threatened with disappearance because of the difficulty to resist to globalization and the fact that most of those "expertise holders" are not easily accessible due to geographical or other constraints. In this paper, a methodological framework for capturing and modeling gestural knowledge and skills in wheel-throwing pottery is proposed. It is based on capturing gestures using wireless inertial sensors and statistical modeling. In particular, we used a system that allows for online alignment of gestures using a modified Hidden Markov Model. This methodology is implemented into a Human-Computer Interface, which permits both the modeling and recognition of expert technical gestures. This system could be used to assist in the learning of these gestures by giving continuous feedback in real-time by measuring the difference between expert and learner gestures. The system has been tested and evaluated on different potters with a rare expertise, which is strongly related to their local identity

Knowledge Management as a Survival Strategy to Enhance Competitive Advantage in the Zimbabwean Tourism and Hospitality Industry

The Tourism and Hospitality industry has been exposed to turbulent business environment as a result of the unstable economic challenges affecting the Zimbabwean economy. .In this unpredictable environment, thinking smart creates sustainability hence the study aims to leverage the appropriateness of Knowledge management as a survival strategy to enhance competitive advantage in the Zimbabwean Tourism and Hospitality industry:   The research was prompted by the observation that, despite Zimbabwe leapfrogging in the   tourism sector from the time of multi currency, the country remains essentially a consumer nation with nothing to show on the knowledge based  economy. The researchers used a descriptive research design to systematically examine the significance of incorporating knowledge management concept in human resource policies, culture, structure and ICT systems in the hotel and tourism sector in Zimbabwe. Questionnaires and interviews were used to collect data. The main findings   are that human resources does not align its policies with knowledge management practices, lack of knowledge management system in the ICT is affecting knowledge sharing and utilisation to take place, bureaucratic organizational structures and individualistic or unsupportive culture are hindering the flow of information from deep smarts to novice. Poor knowledge management comes from lack of clear human  resource  management procedures, lack of policies for management of intellectual capital and lack of learning culture and organizational structures. The study recommends that human resources should align knowledge management with rewards, support knowledge sharing culture, teamwork and reduce bureaucratic structures .There has  be a general shift from traditional  information management  approach whereby data with no real meaning is stored ,shared and captured. A Knowledge Officer to be used. A paradigm shift from tall organizational structures to more flatter and matrix structures so that knowledge can flow freely in the entities Keywords: Zimbabwe, tourism and hospitality, knowledge management, technology, knowledge bureaucrac

Knowledge Management as a Survival Strategy to Enhance Competitive Advantage in the Zimbabwean Tourism and Hospitality industry.

The Tourism and Hospitality industry has been exposed to turbulent business environment as a result of the unstable economic challenges affecting the Zimbabwean economy. .In this unpredictable environment, thinking smart creates sustainability hence the study aims to leverage the appropriateness of Knowledge management as a survival strategy to enhance competitive advantage in the Zimbabwean Tourism and Hospitality industry:The research was prompted by the observation that, despite Zimbabwe leapfrogging in the tourism sector from the time of multi currency, the country remains essentially a consumer nation with nothing to show on the knowledge based economy. The researchers used a descriptive research design to systematically examine the significance of incorporating knowledge management concept in human resource policies, culture, structure and ICT systems in the hotel and tourism sector in Zimbabwe. Questionnaires and interviews were used to collect data. The main findings are that human resources does not align its policies with knowledge management practices. Lack of knowledge management system in the ICT is affecting knowledge sharing and utilisation to take place. Bureaucratic organizational structures and individualistic or unsupportive culture are hindering the flow of information from deep smarts to novice. Poor knowledge management comes from lack of clear human resource management procedures, lack of policies for management of intellectual capital and lack of learning culture and organizational structures. The study recommends that human resources should align knowledge management with rewards, support knowledge sharing culture, teamwork and reduce bureaucratic structures .There has been a general shift from traditional information management approach whereby data with no real meaning is stored ,shared and captured. A Knowledge Officer to be used. A paradigm shift from tall organizational structures to more flatter and matrix structures so that knowledge can flow freely in the entities Keywords: Zimbabwe, tourism and hospitality, knowledge management, technology, knowledge bureaucrac

Dzielenie się wiedzą wśród pracowników o zróżnicowanym stażu organizacyjnym – wyniki badań przeprowadzonych wśród polskiej kadry menedżerskiej

The paper investigates the issue of knowledge sharing by employees at different stages of seniority and has two aims: a cognitive one and an empirical one. The cognitive aim is to provide a synthesizing presentation of selected models of knowledge organization. The context shall be a concept of the functioning of employees of varying seniority developed by one of the Authors of the paper. The empirical aim is to answer the question: Is there a correlation between employees’ level of seniority and their knowledge sharing level? In order to achieve the empirical aim, a survey was conducted among 58 Polish managers from 13 medium-sized enterprises who assessed knowledge sharing of 272 employees by means of the validated Questionnaire on the characteristics of employees of varying seniority. The study revealed that there is a correlation between employees’ knowledge sharing level and their seniority levels (which, however, fades after 14 years of employment).Przedmiotem opracowania jest problematyka dzielenia się wiedzą wśród osób o zróżnicowanym stażu organizacyjnym. Opracowanie realizuje dwa cele: poznawczy i empiryczny. Poznawczym celem jest syntetyczne zaprezentowanie modeli organizacji wiedzy w kontekście autorskiej koncepcji funkcjonowania pracowników o zróżnicowanym stażu organizacyjnym. Empiryczny cel to uzyskanie odpowiedzi na pytanie: czy jest zależność między stażem organizacyjnym pracowników a poziomem dzielenia się wiedzą? Aby zrealizować cel empiryczny, zaplanowano badanie, w którym uczestniczyło 58 przedstawicieli polskiej kadry kierowniczej z 13 średniej wielkości przedsiębiorstw. Oceniali oni poziom dzielenia się wiedzy łącznie 272 pracowników za pomocą skali zwalidowanego kwestionariusza charakterystyki pracowników o zróżnicowanym stażu pracy. W wyniku przeprowadzonych badań okazało się, że istnieje zależność między poziomem dzielenia się wiedzą a stażem pracy pracowników posiadających dłuższe doświadczenie organizacyjne, jednak zależność ta nie występuje w przypadku osób o stażu organizacyjnym powyżej 14 lat

Retención de conocimiento en las agencias espaciales

Este trabajo de fin de máster revisa desde una perspectiva eminentemente práctica, una de las actividades clave de la gestión del conocimiento en el ámbito de las agencias espaciales: la retención del conocimiento. Incluye un análisis de la gestión del conocimiento en el sector aeroespacial y en las agencias espaciales, el estado de la cuestión de la retención del conocimiento, métricas e indicadores y una propuesta de plan de acción para la retención del conocimiento.This final project goes through one of the key knowledge management activities in the framework of the space agencies: knowledge retention. It includes a detailed analysis of knowledge management in the aerospace sector and space agencies, state-of-the-art practices for knowledge retention, metrics and indicators and an action plan proposal for knowledge retention.Aquest treball de fi de màster revisa des d'una perspectiva eminentment pràctica, una de les activitats clau de la gestió del coneixement en l'àmbit de les agències espacials: la retenció del coneixement. Inclou una anàlisi de la gestió del coneixement en el sector aeroespacial i en les agències espacials, l'estat de la qüestió de la retenció del coneixement, mètriques i indicadors i una proposta de pla d'acció per a la retenció del coneixement

CARING ECONOMICS DALAM RUMAH TANGGA MASYARAKAT MELAYU KUBU RAYA

Artikel ini dimaksudkan untuk mengetahui bagaimana caring economic terjadi dalam rumah tangga masyarakat Melayu Kubu Raya di Kalimantan Barat. Penelitian ini menggunakan pendekatan kualitatif, yang lebih bersifat natural, deskriptif, dan induktif. Pemilihan sumber data atau subjek-subjek penelitian berlangsung secara bergulir sesuai kebutuhan hingga mencapai kejenuhan, dengan subjek penelitian yakni masyarakat Melayu Kubu Raya yang ada di Kalimantan Barat. Hasil penelitian menunjukkan bahwa caring economic terjadi dalam rumah tangga masyarakat Melayu Kubu Raya, terlihat pada: (1) Masyarakat Melayu Kubu Raya terbiasa memberikan kesempatan kepada rumah tangga baru untuk tetap tinggal di rumah orang tua, baik dari pihak laki-laki maupun perempuan, sampai dengan pasangan tersebut mampu hidup mandiri secara ekonomi; (2) Bertukar hasil pertanian/perikanan juga menjadi keseharian antar rumah tangga masyarakat Melayu Kubu Raya dalam memenuhi kebutuhan rumah tangga mereka; (3) Kebiasaan rumah tangga untuk mementingkan menggunakan uang/harta yang dimiliki untuk keperluan yang lebih prioritas, misalnya orang tua lebih memilih untuk menggunakan uang/harta yang dimiliki untuk biaya pendidikan atau bahkan biaya pernikahan anak-anak mereka dibandingkan untuk keperluan memperbaiki rumah atau membeli/memperbaharui elektronik yang ada di rumah mereka

Assessment of an enterprise employee portal using dashboard monitoring system: a case study

A portal is a browser-based application that provides a web platform for users to improve inter-department collaboration and customer service. Portals are classified either as internal facing portals or external public facing portals. This study addresses the problems facing an internal portal related to its contents, functions and usability and provides a list of essential contents and functions that it should include through integrating theories and industry best practices. The theory framework is based on literature review and the industry best practices are based on the analysis of a number of internal portals of companies used as case studies. These two were compared to develop an information mapping grid to identify gaps between theories and practices. A case company was used to uncover additional insights on employee portal content and functionalities through the analysis of actual and perceived user portal usage. The results were then compared using an information mapping grid to derive a set of content and functionalities to improve usability of an internal employee portal. Results of this study indicate that customization and personalization is an important feature of an employee portal, however, features pertaining to communication and collaboration support, search support, help system and employee self-services appear to be more important in practice. The information mapping grid derived, the data warehouse architecture developed and the Dashboard Monitoring systems created to assess usability of an employee portal are applicable to similar enterprises --Abstract, page iii