Strategies for Retaining Organizational Knowledge from Retiring Employees

Risk management business leaders face eminent knowledge loss from retiring senior leaders if written succession strategies are not in place. Grounded in the organizational knowledge creation theory, the purpose of this qualitative multiple case study was to explore the succession strategies used by risk management leaders to retain tacit knowledge from retiring senior leaders. Data were collected through semistructured interviews with five risk management leaders in Florida, organizational succession plans, and reports from organizational knowledge transfer programs. Data were analyzed using thematic analysis. Four themes emerged: organizational knowledge transfer, knowledge management-succession planning, knowledge retention, and generational knowledge transfer. A key recommendation is for risk management business leaders to develop written succession plans using mentoring and knowledge transfer tools while considering the succeeding junior leaders\u27 expectations. The implications for positive social change include the potential for organizational sustainability of risk management operations, increasing local economies through leadership development, and job sustainability

Proceedings of the Conference on Production Systems and Logistics: CPSL 2022

[no abstract available

Strategies for the development of the software industry in Columbia

Thesis (S.M.M.O.T.)--Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Sloan School of Management, Management of Technology Program, 2007.Includes bibliographical references (leaves 107-108).Using Michael Porter's framework for the competitiveness of the nations and Professor Michael Cusumano's theory on the orientation of the software companies toward services, I analyzed the country of Colombia's software industry to elaborate a diagnosis of current conditions and to generate some strategies for the Government and for the business sector using diagrams of dynamic systems. Keeping in mind that Colombia has significant human capital, success in this type of industry is likely, not only because the industry is highly dependent on human talent; but also because seeing the reality and determining that the number of qualified people is not very large, the country should create aggressive strategies to increase the number of people qualified for the industry. In the short term, it should emphasize the information technology (IT) services sector taking advantage of its strengths and looking for specific market niches. For the medium term it should look for software products where Colombia has a competitive advantage.(cont.) Studies the Government is conducting to identify industries favorable to domestic growth could be very valuable to the software industry and could focus on the products those types of industries need. For example, Colombia could begin to analyze if it is well-suited to develop software products for the bio-fuel industry, relatively new industry, Brazil could be a great client and Colombia already has the necessary natural resources for this type of industry.by Monica Cepero.S.M.M.O.T

A framework for evaluating the impact of business process outsourcing (BPO) on the operational performance of the mobile telecommunications industry, South Africa.

Doctoral Degree. University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban.Mobile telecommunication service providers in developing countries, particularly southern African mobile telecom operators outsource a range of activities like logistics, assembly operations, manufacturing, and design. The results of such decisions have not been proved empirically. Empirical evidence on whether or not outsourcing is beneficial lacks in the industry. Furthermore, there has been a minimum focus on the effects of outsourcing on the operational performance of firms.In light of the above, the study proposes a CPP framework that can be used to evaluate the impact of business process outsourcing (BPO) on the operational performance of mobile telecommunications industry in developing Southern African countries with particular reference to South Africausing cost, productivity and profitability (CPP) as the underpinning quantitative performance metrics by taking into consideration the drivers, benefits, and risks of the business strategy. The study is informed by the positivism research paradigm using deductive approach. A descriptive research design was adopted for the collection of quantitative data. Chi square test were conducted to establish the statistically significant relationship between business process outsourcing and cost efficiency, productivity and profitability and the operational performance of mobile telecommunication firms. A structured closed- ended questionnaire was used to collect raw data using the drop-off method in which questionnaires were distributed to two hundred and ten employees of the two mobile communication companies. The findings of this current study reflect that majority of the participants alluded that there is an improvement in cost efficiency, increase in productivity and profitability after BPO thereby improving the operational performance of the mobile telecom operators. These results suggest that there is a statistically significant relationship between BPO and cost, productivity and profitability. The results were reflected in the proposed cost, productivity and profitability (CPP) framework as part of the business performance outcome. The results are important to corporate management as this avoid relying on managers’ estimates in place of quantifiable metrics in deciding on whether to outsource or in source and can also assist management, policymakers and supply chain Practitioner in developing BPO policies. Abahlinzeki besevisi yezokuxhumana ngomakhalekhukhwini emazweni asathuthuka, ikakhulukazi opharetha bezingcingo zamaselula e-Afrika eseningizimu banikeza ngaphandle uchungechunge lwemisebenzi efana nokuhlela, ukuhlanganisa, ukukhiqiza, nokuklama. Imiphumela yalezi zinqumo ayizange ifakazelwe ngokwamandla. Ubufakazi obunamandla bokuthi ukukhishwa kwemisebenzi kuyazuzisa ukushoda embonini. Ngaphezu kwalokho, kube nokugxila okuncane emiphumeleni yokukhishwa kwemisebenzi ekusebenzeni kwamafemu. Ngokwalokhu okungenhla, ucwaningo luphakamisa uhlaka lwe-CPP olungasetshenziswa ukuhlola umthelela wokukhishwa kwezinqubo zebhizinisi (BPO) ekusebenzeni. ukusebenza kwemboni yezokuxhumana ngomakhalekhukhwini ekuthuthukiseni amazwe aseNingizimu ne-Afrika ikakhulukazi iNingizimu Afrika isebenzisa izindleko, ukukhiqiza kanye nenzuzo (CPP) njengesisekelo samamethrikhi okusebenza esilinganisweni ngokucabangela abashayeli, izinzuzo, kanye nobungozi besu lebhizinisi. Ucwaningo lwenziwa yi-positivism research paradigm kusetshenziswa indlela yokudonsela phansi. Kwamukelwa umklamo wocwaningo oluchazayo ukuze kuqoqwe idatha yobuningi. Ukuhlolwa kwe-Chi square kwenziwa ukuze kutholwe ubudlelwano obubalulekile ngokwezibalo phakathi kokukhishwa kwenqubo yebhizinisi kanye nokusebenza kahle kwezindleko, ukukhiqiza kanye nenzuzo kanye nokusebenza kokusebenza kwamafemu ezokuxhumana ngomakhalekhukhwini. Uhlu lwemibuzo oluvaliwe oluhlelekile lwasetshenziswa ukuqoqa idatha eluhlaza kusetshenziswa indlela yokushiya lapho imibuzo yasatshalaliswa kubasebenzi abangamakhulu amabili neshumi bezinkampani ezimbili zokuxhumana ngomakhalekhukhwini. Okutholwe kulolu cwaningo lwamanje kukhombisa ukuthi iningi labahlanganyeli likhombe ukuthi kukhona ukuthuthuka ekusebenzeni kahle kwezindleko, ukwanda kokukhiqiza kanye nokwanda kwenzuzo ngemuva kwe-BPO ngaleyo ndlela kuthuthukiswe ukusebenza kokusebenza kwabaqhubi bezingcingo zamaselula. Le miphumela iphakamisa ukuthi kunobudlelwano obubalulekile ngokwezibalo phakathikwe- BPO nezindleko, ukukhiqiza kanye nenzuzo. Imiphumela yabonakala ohlakeni v oluhlongozwayo lwezindleko, ukukhiqiza kanye nenzuzo (CPP) njengengxenye yomphumela wokusebenza kwebhizinisi. Imiphumela ibalulekile ekuphathweni kwebhizinisi njengoba lokhu kwagwema ukuthembela esilinganisweni sabaphathi esikhundleni samamethrikhi angabalulekayo ekunqumeni ukuthi bazonikezwa yini inkampani yangaphandle noma emthonjeni futhi kungasiza futhi abaphathi/ abenzi bezinqubomgomo/ Umsebenzi wochungechunge lokuhlinzeka ekuthuthukiseni izinqubomgomo ze-BPO

Organisational culture and privatisation:A case study of the Argentinean railway sector

Public units that have been through a deregulatory process operate in a new market, see their legal framework radically altered, have to fight for customers and to generate their own resources. Such changes affect the way a company operates and obviously also affect the culture an organisation has. This study illustrates how the organisational culture of Ferrocarriles Argentinos, an Argentinean state-owned-enterprise, was transformed as a consequence of the company's partitioning and subsequent transfer into private hands. The case provides a good example of how a weak and dysfunctional culture was re-oriented towards an emphasis on customers, cost-reduction and efficiency. It also provides an interesting example for the management of ongoing as well as future privatisation processes. The insights gained through this study could find application within organisations that, though belonging to the private sector, have been heavily regulated and are trying to get rid of the pernicious cultural by-products of this regulation.

Exploring the theory and practice of knowledge exchange:intention, context and characteristics

The concept of Knowledge Exchange (KE), increasingly adopted by policy makers and practitioners, is used to describe policy, investment and related forms of collaboration between universities and public, private and third sector partners. The concept is inclusive of formal and informal collaborations that extend beyond universities’ traditional roles as centres of research and teaching excellence with a recognised potential to generate significant social and economic benefits. This enquiry sets out to clarify the concept of KE as a distinct mode of university collaboration and identify important factors that act to shape the effectiveness of KE projects as the basis for exploring how future projects can be supported to maximise effectiveness. The overall aim is addressed is through a review of relevant literature and a case study analysis incorporating six knowledge exchange projects undertaken within the context of The Creative Exchange, one of four AHRC funded Knowledge Exchange Hubs. Each project focused on addressing opportunities and challenges associated with digital innovation across a variety of social contexts. The study reflects the premise that to design and enable knowledge exchange initiatives effectively, it is necessary to understand the intention, context and characteristics of this mode of collaboration and the factors that shape the delivery of the related projects. Distilled from the case study analysis and elements of the literature review, a typology of three distinct forms of University collaboration is developed (Technology Transfer, Knowledge Transfer and Knowledge Exchange) and an Exploratory Mode of KE identified. The exploratory mode is situated in the context of a innovation funnel, illustrating how the concept can be integrated in to a wider process of KE project development. Research insights provide a basis for identifying enabling factors that influenced the design and delivery of the selected projects, these insights in turn are used to inform the design of an enabling framework to support future KE projects

Proposed taxonomy and framework to support the decision-making of investments in Big Science

RÉSUMÉ: Au cours des sept dernières décennies, les projets de Mégascience (Big Science) ont adopté une dimension internationale, sont devenus plus complexes et plus coûteux, rendant ainsi plus difficile la prise de décision des gouvernements en matière d’investissement. Combinant des méthodes de recherche qualitatives et quantitatives, l’objectif principal de cette recherche est d’aider les gouvernements nationaux à améliorer leur capacité à prendre des décisions éclairées et structurées en matière d’investissement en Mégascience, avec la participation de la communauté scientifique et de l’industrie. Pour atteindre cet objectif, deux objectifs spécifiques sont poursuivis. Le premier vise à construire une taxonomie générale de la Mégascience qui offre une compréhension globale allant au-delà de la vision traditionnelle du terme, c’est-à-dire de gros projets d’infrastructure pour la physique de haute énergie. Cette taxonomie est construite sur la base de domaines de recherche qui, en combinaison avec des définitions pratiques et complètes, peut être utilisée pour présélectionner des projets qui, s’ils répondent à des exigences spécifiques, seront éligibles à recevoir des financements importants. Le deuxième objectif spécifique est la structuration du problème de l’investissement gouvernemental en Mégascience. À cet effet, une série de 50 entretiens avec des parties prenantes de haut niveau de la Mégascience trace un portrait détaillé de la complexité de la prise de décision de financement. Les résultats ont révélé qu’il existe une seule cause principale du problème de décision d’investissement en Mégascience qui est la nature même de la Mégascience, dont le but est d’explorer la frontière de la connaissance, plutôt que le montant astronomique du financement en lui-même. La structuration du problème a également révélé que pour résoudre le problème, il est nécessaire de promouvoir un processus décisionnel qui soit objectif, et donc fondé sur des critères qualitatifs et / ou quantitatifs. Au final, cette recherche propose un cadre systématique et personnalisable afin de faciliter la prise de décision en matière d’investissements dans le domaine de la Mégascience. Le système propose un index de la Mégascience (« BigSci Index »), compatible avec toutes les initiatives en Mégascience de façon à fournir un cadre transparent, éclairé et fondé sur des données probantes pour le processus décisionnel et la reddition de comptes. La communauté scientifique, les représentants de l’industrie et les analystes gouvernementaux sont des éléments centraux de cette cadre. Les résultats de cette recherche offrent une double perspective par l’intermédiaire d’une contribution à une meilleure compréhension du phénomène de la Mégascience et également par l’introduction d’une nouvelle approche du problème de la prise de décision dans le financement des projets. L’adoption du cadre proposé permettrait de garantir aux gouvernements une prise de décision éclairée dans les investissements en Mégascience tout en adoptant les meilleures pratiques dans un processus rationnel, structuré et objectif. Ces avantages comprennent également une utilisation plus efficace des fonds publics et une plus grande transparence dans la prise de décision. Cela se traduirait en effet par une augmentation des avantages sociaux, économiques, politiques et scientifiques des investissements dans des projets de Mégascience.----------ABSTRACT: Over the past 70 years, Big Science projects have adopted an international dimension, which has become more complex, costly, and challenging regarding governments’ decision-making in investments. Combining qualitative and quantitative research methods, this research’s primary goal is to support national governments to improve their capacity to make informed and structured decisions on Big Science investments, with the participation of the scientific community and the industry. To reach this goal, two specific objectives are pursued. The first specific objective is to build a taxonomy of Big Science that provides a comprehensive understanding of the term beyond the traditional view of BigSci as high-energy physics infrastructure projects. This taxonomy is built based on research fields that, along with a proposed workable and comprehensive definition of Big Science, may be used to pre-select candidate project proposals to receive significant investments if they meet specific requirements. The second specific objective is to structure the problem of government investments in Big Science. To that effect, a set of 50 interviews with high-level Big Science stakeholders provided an in-depth portrait of the complex situation of the funding decision. The results revealed a single prime cause of the Big Science investment decision problem, which is the inherent nature of Big Science of exploring the frontier of knowledge, rather than the exorbitant amount of funding it demands. The problem structuring also revealed that to solve the problem, it is necessary to promote a decision-making process that should be objective, i.e., grounded on qualitative and/or quantitative criteria. In the end, this research proposes a systematic and customizable framework for supporting the decision-making of Big Science investments. The framework introduces the BigSci Index, which addresses any Big Science initiative and provides measures to ensure transparent, informed, and evidence-based decision-making and accountability. The scientific community, industry representatives, and government analysts are central components of the framework. The results provide a two-fold perspective: they contribute to a new understanding of the phenomenon of Big Science and offer a new approach to its funding decision problem. Adopting the proposed framework for the government decision-making of Big Science investments would ensure that decisions are well informed, follow best practices, and involve a rational, structured, and objective process. The benefits also include more effective use of public funds and greater clarity and transparency in decision-making. These, in turn, would translate into increased social, economic, political, and scientific benefits from investments in Big Science projects

Indian family businesses in Durban

From introduction: This is a study of Indian family businesses in the central business district of Durban, a sea port on the coast of Natal, in South Africa

Technology 2002: the Third National Technology Transfer Conference and Exposition, Volume 1

The proceedings from the conference are presented. The topics covered include the following: computer technology, advanced manufacturing, materials science, biotechnology, and electronics