Collaborative improvement as an inspiration for supply chain collaboration

The battlefield of competition is today moving from the level of\ud individual firms to the one of the extended enterprises, that is, networks of customers and their suppliers. This paper discusses how learning and continuous improvement today take place in processes based on daily collaboration at intercompany level, i.e. Extended Manufacturing Enterprises (EMEs). The purpose of the paper is to present a preliminary theory on Collaborative Improvement (CoI), i.e. continuous improvement at the EME level. Based on a literature review on Supply Networks, and Continuous Improvement and on evidence from two explorative case studies, the paper proposes a model for Collaborative Improvement in EMEs and discusses a research approach based on Action Research and Action Learning to further develop preliminary theory and actionable knowledge on how to foster and sustain CoI in EMEs

The organisational characteristics and knowledge management enabler towards employee entrepreneurial orientation in Klang Valley manufacturing industries

The aim of this study is to examine the relationship between organisational characteristics, knowledge management enabler, learning orientation and employee entrepreneurial orientation among the manufacturing industry employees in Klang Valley, Malaysia. The theoretical model based on Resource-Based Theory approach to the employee entrepreneurial orientation was developed. To answer the research questions, seven hypotheses were formulated. These are; (i) There is significant relationship between organisational characteristics and learning orientation, (ii) There is significant relationship between knowledge management enabler and learning orientation, (iii) There is significant relationship between learning orientation and employee entrepreneurial orientation, (iv) There is significant relationship between organisational characteristics and employee entrepreneurial orientation, (v) There is significant relationship between knowledge management enabler and employee entrepreneurial orientation, (vi) learning orientation mediates the relationship organisational characteristics and employee entrepreneurial orientation, and (vii) learning orientation mediates the relationship knowledge management enabler and employee entrepreneurial orientation. Self-administered questionnaires were distributed to the manufacturing industry employees. A total of 386 manufacturing employees of all levels were involved in this study, making an overall 25.73 percent response rate. This study utilised the Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modelling (PLS-SEM) to establish the validity and reliability of the measurement model and test the relationships. The findings of the study showed that both organisational characteristics and knowledge management enabler have significant influences on employee entrepreneurial orientation. The results indicated that learning orientation has a mediating role in the relationship between organisational characteristics towards employee entrepreneurial orientation, and knowledge management enabler towards employee entrepreneurial orientation. The findings offered several theoretical and practical implications to employees and policy makers. The limitations of the study are addressed and recommendations for future research work also offered

Knowledge Management in the Pharmaceutical Industry: Between Academic Research and Industry Regulations

The pharmaceutical sector is one of the pillars of the world’s economy. A significant proportion of its value lies in intellectual assets generated through continuous innovation and lengthy development cycles within a strictly regulated environment. The purpose of this paper is to address the gap between knowledge management (KM) as an expanding academic discipline in the pharmaceutical industry and at the same time a growing regulatory expectation. A systematic review of 137 refereed KM articles revealed six empirical research themes in the pharmaceutical industry. In a subsequent step, the discovered themes and subthemes were compared with the extant regulatory expectations as explained in 128 regulatory guidelines. Findings shed the light on the gap between academic KM research and the current thinking of regulatory bodies. Some regulated knowledge processes were underrepresented in academic literature. The paper offers also novel insights and recommendations for future developments in academic research, regulations and/or industry

The impact of knowledge management processes on organisational performance

Copyright @ 2012 ISEing.In today's increasingly competitive business environment, the use of knowledge to gain a competitive advantage has become a serious concern for all organisations. However, despite the increasing number of studies relating to Knowledge Management (KM) in developed countries, few studies have explored this issue within the context of developing countries. Moreover, some industries have been affected more acutely than others in the transition to a knowledge-based economy. Towards covering this gap, this study aims at investigating the impact of Knowledge Management processes on Organisational Performance (OP). In this paper, the authors propose a conceptual model through an in-depth investigation of the previous and current studies in the area of Knowledge Management and Organisational Performance. Through an extensive classification of Knowledge Management processes, the proposed model explores the impact of each Knowledge Management process on improving the level of Organisational Performance. It is envisaged that this model can play a role in guiding the process of Knowledge Management implementation in order to maximise the beneficial effects of Knowledge Management processes on Organisational Performance