Exploiting tacit knowledge through knowledge management technologies

The purpose of this paper is to examine the contributions and suitability of the available knowledge management (KM) technologies, including the Web 2.0 for exploiting tacit knowledge. It proposes an integrated framework for extracting tacit knowledge in organisations, which includes Web 2.0 technologies, KM tools, organisational learning (OL) and Community of Practice (CoP). It reviews a comprehensive literature covering overview of KM theories, KM technologies and OL and identifies the current state of knowledge relating to tacit knowledge exploitation. The outcomes of the paper indicate that Internet and Web 2.0 technologies have stunning prospects for creating learning communities where tacit knowledge can be extracted from people. The author recommends that organisations should design procedures and embed them in their Web 2.0 collaborative platforms persuading employees to record their ideas and share them with other members. It is also recommended that no idea should be taken for granted in a learning community where tacit knowledge exploitation is pursued. It is envisaged that future research should adopt empirical approach involving Complex Adaptive Model for Tacit Knowledge Exploitation (CAMTaKE) and the Theory of Deferred Action in examining the effectiveness of KM technologies including Web 2.0 tools for tacit knowledge exploitation

Identifying the driving forces of rural economic growth: the impact of intellectual spillovers, technology, and amenities on employment growth in the US Midwest

This dissertation examines a number of issues related to economic growth in rural regions. The major themes explored are the roles of spatial technological externalities in the creation of new knowledge, the impacts of technology and technology spillovers on non-farm employment growth, and the role of amenities influencing non-farm employment growth. The theoretical model examines the interaction between rural and urban areas in an overlapping generations model allowing migration of high skill workers. The major theoretical conclusions reached suggests: (1) if technology spillovers exist in the urban market then high skill individuals will seek employment in the urban area where they earn an income superior to that in the rural area; and (2) the usefulness of rural amenities as a means to attract individuals is not unambiguous since the trade-off between higher urban wages and rural amenities will depend to a large extent on what type of equilibrium, i.e. high vs. low steady state equilibrium, the economy is in currently. In the empirical applications spatial econometric methods are employed to control for and examine the effect of economic activity in surrounding counties. In chapter two are identified the variables which have significant impacts on new knowledge and technology creation as measured by patents and finds impressive evidence of spatial knowledge spillins. That is, the patenting behavior in close, neighboring proximity tends to have a positive impact on patenting activity in the home county. Chapter three examines the role of local technology and knowledge creation embodied in patents on employment growth in the US Midwest over the period 1969--2000. The results from the empirical analysis overwhelmingly suggest that when patent counts within the county are used as an indicator for new knowledge and technology, then this variable has a strong positive impact on non-farm employment growth within the county. The final chapter exploits the tradeoff relationship between wages and non-monetary amenity benefits. The research indicates amenities in the home county as well as amenities in surrounding counties have an important influence on non-farm employment growth

Knowledge management in the Malaysian Armed Forces: a study on perceptions and applications in the context of an information and communication technology environment / Ismail Manuri

The development of modern warfare is reflected by the rising importance of having knowledge advantage over adversaries. Leadership, sense making, problem solving and decision-making are more complex and more demanding in military situations. Command and control is taking on new dimensions, and the role of military personnel is evolving into that of ‘thinking soldier’. The “information superiority” becomes the determinant of the future war management and requires a drastic improvement in information management, assurance, exchanging and sharing of superior knowledge. The aim of the study is to examine the attitude of the MAF officers’ towards Knowledge Management that include knowledge creation, Knowledge Management processes, Knowledge Management applications, and technology

Spatial Labor Markets and Technology Spillovers - Analysis from the US Midwest

In this paper we examine the relation between geographic location and innovative behavior. Knowledge spillins, as opposed to knowledge spillovers, are modeled as an externality which exists between geographically close economic agents and enters the representative inventor production function explicitly from neighboring regions. To proxy new innovative behavior and new knowledge generated we use counts of patent filings per county. The proposed geographic spillin is tested for the US Midwestern States of Iowa, Minnesota, Missouri, Kansas, Nebraska, South Dakota and North Dakota using a newly constructed data set and implementing spatial statistical methods. The data set is comprised of primary inventor utility patent filings per county for the years 1975-2000. The results do indeed suggest spatial interaction does occur and innovative activity in surrounding counties is an important factor in explaining new innovative behavior. Further analysis also reveals lagged patenting behavior within the county also has a significant impact on patenting activity suggesting innovative externalities exist over both space and time.patents; employment growth; technology spillovers; spatial spillovers

A SOCIOTECHNICAL MODEL FOR UNDERSTANDING ORGANIZATIONAL TECHNOLOGY AND KNOWLEDGE TRANSFER

Traditional technology transfer strategies tend to focus on physical organizational assets. However, these strategies tend to ignore essential social aspects of technology transfer which are key for organizations to harness the full benefits of these valuable yet usually underperforming partnerships. This paper will introduce a sociotechnical model for understanding technology transfer as an emergent result of key interactions between social and technical elements of both organizations involved. Applying a sociotechnical framework to technology transfer will allow for the application of sociotechnical concepts and tools with the potential of improving the learning quality of technology transfer efforts in which both parties will be able to learn from the other within a sociotechnical context. The paper will begin with a discussion of sociotechnical concepts within the context of knowledge and technology transfer. Recommendations for using the information in this paper to improve organizational technology transfer and absorption will be offered towards the end of the paper. This paper is mainly aimed at managers and knowledge management professionals although academics interested in technology and knowledge transfer within a sociotechnical context would also benefit from this paper

ICT Skills Application in Teaching and Research by Lecturers in some Selected Universities in Nigeria

This research was carried out to investigate ICT skills application in teaching and research by lecturers in some selected universities in Nigeria. The cross-sectional survey research design was adopted. The targeted population were lecturers in the three universities in Benue State; namely, University of Agriculture, Makurdi; Benue State University, Makurdi and the University of Mkar, with a total of 1,537 lecturers. Out of this population, 306 lecturers were drawn as a sample for the study. Cluster and simple random sampling were employed for sample selection. Questionnaire was used as the instrument for data collection. The data collected from the respondents were sorted, organized, presented and analysed using mean and standard deviation, while inferential statistics in form of One-way Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) was used for testing the two null hypotheses at 0.05 level of significance. The study revealed that university lecturers in Benue State apply ICT skills in teaching to some extent, and in the area of research, they apply their ICT skills to a moderate extent. The result of two hypotheses showed that there is a difference in the extent of ICT skills application in teaching by the lecturers in the Federal, State and Private Universities, while, for ICT skills application in research by the lecturers there is no significant difference in the extent of the application in the Federal, State and Private Universities in Benue State. It was therefore recommended that ICT inclined professional librarians and university ICT personnel should offer more personalized support services to lecturers that need the training to be able to integrate ICTs in teaching and research processes. The management of the universities should furnish lecturers’ offices and classrooms with ICT tools and Internet connectivity as this would grant lecturers enabling environment to apply their ICT skills in research and teaching sessions

DIGITAL SKILLS PROFILE AND ACADEMIC STAFF SERVICE DELIVERY DURING COVID-19 PANDEMIC LOCK DOWN IN UNIVERSITIES IN CROSS RIVER STATE

This study assessed the academic staff digital skill profile and service delivery during COVID-19 pandemic lock down in universities in Cross River State. Ex-post facto research design was adopted for the study. The population of the study was 2427 academic staff of the university of Calabar and University of Cross River State. The sample for the study was 755 academic staff who were drawn through the simple random sampling technique. The instrument for data collection was the researchers’ made Academic Staff Digital Skill Profile and Service Delivery Questionnaire (ASDSPSDQ). The instrument was validated by three experts from Educational Management and Research and Evaluation unit, Educational Foundation all in the University of Calabar. The reliability of the instrument was established through the split-half reliability method. Population t- test of single mean was used to analyse the data collected. The result revealed the digital skill standing of academic staff and as well as how this influences their service delivery in an era of COVID-19 pandemic

A Gateway to Economic Success

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts is a leader in the United States, a gleaming example of the American dream and the way life should be. We are always at the forefront of world-class innovation, house arts and culture that rival some of the best cities in the world, and have high-class educational institutes rivaled by almost no other region. Massachusetts leads the way when it comes to progressive ideals that provide for the less fortunate and ensure equality for all while keeping taxes reasonable, unemployment down, and living wage jobs readily available. With all that said, I began to ponder why our economic development and grants system was centered around Gateway Cities. There is a concern in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts regarding gateway cities and their effectiveness. Despite significant investment into the support and development of sizable former manufacturing and mill communities, it seems the Gateway Cities program has failed at creating economic and fiscal growth midpoints. A majority of the investment into these communities has been mismanaged. A large portion of this financial boost has stayed within the geographical barrier and not trickled out into the surrounding communities as initially intended. Has this investment from the Commonwealth changed anything or caused increased metrics in these communities? This problem has negatively affected non-gateway communities and made these once prosperous mill towns even more reliant on state funds. Turning negatives into positives, I believe the COVID-19 funding mechanism and the federal, state, and local partnership therein is the best way to re-distribute the Gateway funds to assist Massachusetts municipalities with overcoming covid and future economic and cultural developmental needs

Technology Foresight on Emerging Technologies: Implications for a National Innovation Initiative in Brazil

Prospective studies about emerging technologies and their implications for public policy formulation indicate critical choices ranging from global to national level, even to the individual firm or institution. Emerging technologies have been shaping the future of some industries and transforming many others. In many cases, these technologies will determine the restructuring of industries as never before. Specially designed for enabling better planning and future decisions, technology foresight (TF) methods are used to foresee diffusion of innovations, mapping out commercially viable roadmaps for technological development. This paper is concerned with a methodological instrument adopted in Brazil as support for building the Agenda for a National Innovation Initiative (NII), which was articulated by government, universities, R&D institutions, and private firms. It presents and discusses an integrated methodological approach for a TF study, specially designed for the purpose of this Brazilian innovation policy instrument, concerning three emerging technologies – nanotechnology, biotechnology, and information and communication technologies (ICT)