Organizational knowledge transfer through creation, mobilization and diffusion: A case analysis of InTouch within Schlumberger

There is a paucity of theory for the effective management of knowledge transfer within large organisations. Practitioners continue to rely upon ‘experimental’ approaches to address the problem. This research attempts to reduce the gap between theory and application, thereby improving conceptual clarity for the transfer of knowledge. The paper, through an in-depth case analysis conducted within Schlumberger, studies the adoption of an intranet-based knowledge management (KM) system (called InTouch) to support, strategically align and transfer knowledge resources. The investigation was undertaken through the adoption of a robust methodological approach (abductive strategy) incorporating the role of technology as an enabler of knowledge management application. Consequently, the study addressed the important question of translating theoretical benefits of KM into practical reality. The research formulates a set of theoretical propositions which are seen as key to the development of an effective knowledge based infrastructure. The findings identify 30 generic attributes that are essential to the creation, mobilisation and diffusion of organisational knowledge. The research makes a significant contribution to identifying a theoretical and empirically based agenda for successful intranet-based KM which will be of benefit to both the academic and practitioner communities. The paper also highlights and proposes important areas for further research

Associations and Mutual Properties - An Experimental Assessment

Associations are a widely used construct of object-oriented languages. However, the meaning of associations for conceptual modelling of application domains remains unclear. Ontological considerations in past research suggest that associations are related to the concept of mutual properties. Specifically, previous research has suggested that mutual properties, not associations, should be modelled, and guidelines for doing this in UML have been offered. This paper presents the results of an experimental study, which suggest that this guidance does in fact lead to improved models

Towards assessing the networkability of health care providers: a maturity model approach

This paper presents a networkability maturity model as an approach to assess a health care organisation's capacity with regards to being able to efficiently engage in business relationships. Continuously rising costs and increasingly restrained budgets for health care put pressure on the public health systems. A low division of labour and integration of processes along cross-organisational patient therapy provides large potential for improvements in efficiency and efficacy. It is the aim of the presented model to enable identification of potentials for improvements and respective measures to advance the ability to benefit from specialisation and collaboration along the value chain. The presented model is developed based on a classification of related state-of-the-art in maturity models to assess individual factors of networkability which are integrated to form an overall framework comprising six components and respective factors to be assessed. As networkability maturity addresses the interrelation of strategy, organisational design and information systems design, the paper adheres to requirements for effective design science research applied to the process of construction of a networkability maturity model applicable for health care providers. It therefore concludes with a case-based evaluation according to the design research literature and identification of further researc

A collective artefact design of decision support systems: design science research perspective

Purpose - The knowledge of artefact design in design science research can have an important application in the improvement of decision support systems (DSS) development research. Recent DSS literature has identified a significant need to develop user-centric DSS method for greater relevance with respect to context of use. To address this, this study develops a collective DSS design artefact as method in a practical industry context. Design/methodology/approach - Under the influence of goal-directed interaction design principles the study outlines the innovative DSS artefact based on design science methodology to deliver a cutting-edge decision support solution, which provides user-centric provisions through the use of design environment and ontology techniques. Findings - The DSS artefact as collective IT applications through the application of design science knowledge can effectively be designed to meet decision makers’ contextual needs in an agricultural industry context. Research limitations/implications - The study has limitations in that it was developed in a case study context and remains to be fully tested in a real business context. It is also assumed that the domain decisions can be parameterised and represented using a constraint programming language. Practical implications - We conclude that the DSS artefact design and this development successfully overcomes some of the limitations of traditional DSS such as low user uptake, system obsolescence, low returns on investment and a requirement for continual re-engineering effort. Originality/value - The design science paradigm provides structural guidance throughout the defined process, helping ensure fidelity both to best industry knowledge and to changing user contexts

How do Individuals Interpret Multiple Conceptual Models? A Theory of Combined Ontological Completeness and Overlap

When analyzing or designing information systems, users often work with multiple conceptual models because each model articulates a different, partial aspect of a real-world domain. However, the available research in this area has largely studied the use of single modeling artifacts only. We develop a new theory about interpreting multiple conceptual models that details propositions for evaluating how individuals select, understand, and perceive the usefulness of multiple conceptual models. We detail implications of our theory development for empirical research on conceptual modeling. We also outline practical contributions for the design of conceptual models and for choosing models for systems analysis and design tasks. Finally, to stimulate research that builds on our theory, we illustrate procedures for enacting our theory and discuss a range of empirically relevant boundary condition

Social Learning Systems: The Design of Evolutionary, Highly Scalable, Socially Curated Knowledge Systems

In recent times, great strides have been made towards the advancement of automated reasoning and knowledge management applications, along with their associated methodologies. The introduction of the World Wide Web peaked academicians’ interest in harnessing the power of linked, online documents for the purpose of developing machine learning corpora, providing dynamical knowledge bases for question answering systems, fueling automated entity extraction applications, and performing graph analytic evaluations, such as uncovering the inherent structural semantics of linked pages. Even more recently, substantial attention in the wider computer science and information systems disciplines has been focused on the evolving study of social computing phenomena, primarily those associated with the use, development, and analysis of online social networks (OSN\u27s). This work followed an independent effort to develop an evolutionary knowledge management system, and outlines a model for integrating the wisdom of the crowd into the process of collecting, analyzing, and curating data for dynamical knowledge systems. Throughout, we examine how relational data modeling, automated reasoning, crowdsourcing, and social curation techniques have been exploited to extend the utility of web-based, transactional knowledge management systems, creating a new breed of knowledge-based system in the process: the Social Learning System (SLS). The key questions this work has explored by way of elucidating the SLS model include considerations for 1) how it is possible to unify Web and OSN mining techniques to conform to a versatile, structured, and computationally-efficient ontological framework, and 2) how large-scale knowledge projects may incorporate tiered collaborative editing systems in an effort to elicit knowledge contributions and curation activities from a diverse, participatory audience

Approccio relazionale e co-creazione di valore in sanità: il caso dell’Assistenza Domiciliare Integrata

2014 - 2015Aim – The work aims to analyse the National Heath Care Service (NHCS) in order to trace pathways and evolutions that have produced its actual configuration. It highlights limitations of traditional managerial models in health care in order to define new approaches built on the tradition but oriented to a new vision of health service. The aim is to point out some relevant variable for the survival of National Heath Care Service that, in the last years, have been neglected. The purpose is to propose possible actions to focus the attention on the patient in the perspective of relational approach and value co-creation. In order to achieve this aim, an empirical investigation on the satisfaction produced by Integrated Home Care (IHC) in the Salerno province is proposed. Methodology – The work offers an analysis of the National Heath Care Service’ evolution and of the relationship among providers and users in health context. The increasing dissatisfaction in the health context is analysed through a Systematic Literature Review focused on the topics of knowledge management, information asymmetry and cognitive distance. Evidences of literature are analysed using a conceptual framework based on the Viable Systems Approach and on the Service Dominant Logic. Proposed hypothesis are verified trough an empirical investigation on the satisfaction produced by Integrated Home Care in the Salerno province. Specifically, the pathway of research is based on the collection and elaboration of direct data, through a survey, and indirect data, extracted from medical records of patients and analysed with a structural equation model. The investigation aims to measure the satisfaction of patients produced by IHC in the Salerno province and its evolution along the time in order to verify the validity of the hypothesis on which the work is based. Findings – The work offers an interpretation of National Heath Care Service based on the more recent indications of managerial studies. The adoption of a quali-quantitative pathway of research produces some reflections useful to improve the fitting of NHCS to the emerging context’s needs. Empirical evidences show the relevance of relational approach and value co-creation to face the emerging challenges in the health context. Approccio relazionale e co-creazione di valore in sanità: il caso dell’Assistenza Domiciliare Integrata IV Research limitation – Empirical evidences should be further checked with reference to different pathways of National Heath Care Service and observing a more extensive geographical area. Results, therefore, should be considered only the first step of a research pathways oriented to define the future evolution of NHCS. Research and Managerial implication – The study provides a new interpretative perspective of National Heath Care Service’s dynamics. Building on the existent literature and on the adopted conceptual framework, it traces some guidelines to improve efficiency, effectiveness and sustainability in the management of NHCS acting on the Relational Approach and on the value co-creation logic. Originality – The analysis of dissatisfaction in the health context as result of information asymmetry and cognitive distance among provider and user is an advancement of the existent national and international contributions on the topic. The definition of an interpretative model oriented to explain the relationships among providers and users in order to trace possible actions to improve the satisfaction in the health context opens to new possible research pathways. In the end, the empirical investigation on the satisfaction produced by Integrated Home Care represents the first step of an ambitious long pathway of research to which it is linked the evolution of NHCS. Keywords – National Heath Care Service; Integrated Home Care; Relational Approach; Value co-creation; Viable Systems Approach; Service Dominant Logic; Systematic Literature Review; Information Asymmetry; Cognitive Distance; Structural Equation. [edited by Author]XIV n.s

Social relations, human resource management, and knowledge transfer in work organisations: toward an integrated approach

Hailed as the basis for competitive advantage of contemporary firms, knowledge transfer has recently emerged as a key research topic in the organisation and management field. Despite wide recognition of the importance of social relations for effective knowledge transfer, there is little understanding of the micro-sociological foundations of this process, and even less understanding of the ways in which human resource management practices can support social relations conducive to knowledge transfer and sharing. The present study developed an integrated conceptual model with the aim to improve understanding of the mechanisms for and the conditions under which social relations can be transformed into useful, actionable knowledge. To test this model, quantitative data were gathered through a questionnaire survey of 135 knowledge workers from three Irish-based organisations. Qualitative data were also collected through semi-structured interviews with the human resource managers and knowledge managers of these organisations. The findings demonstrated that, at the interpersonal level of analysis, the effective transfer of knowledge hinges upon the extent to which individuals share a common lexicon for communication and trust each other, both professionally and personally. In particular, personal trust was found to be key to the transfer of tacit knowledge, thereby underlining the importance of positive affect as a criterion for the formation of productive knowledge exchange relations. In regard to the role of human resource management, it was found that employees’ perceptions of reciprocal task interdependence, job feedback, selective staffing, intensive socialisation, and relational-oriented training and development are related strongly to their perceptions of a social climate of teamwork and cooperation and, consequently, of knowledge sharing attitudes. Importantly, the effect of these practices was found to be mediated by employees’ perceptions of line managers’ support for knowledge sharing. The study concluded by suggesting the need for further integration of social relations into research on the role of human resource management practices in knowledge transfer and organisational learning

Information Systems Foundations: Theory Building in Information Systems

This volume presents the papers from the fifth biennial Information Systems Foundations Workshop, held at The Australian National University in Canberra from 30 September to 1 October 2010. The focus of the workshop was, as for the others in the series, the foundations of information systems as an academic discipline. The emphasis in the 2010 workshop was on theory building in information systems, which is a non-trivial and difficult issue because the field deals with such a wide range of phenomena, from the highly technological in nature to the distinctly human and organisational in focus. The theory building problem stems from the fact that the sciences that underlie and deal with technologically-oriented fields generally result in theories that fit within the ‘covering law’ model—that is, are assumed and believed to have universal applicability and explanatory and predictive power—whereas, by contrast, theories in the human sciences are generally much more conditional, contextual, tentative and open to exceptions. Successfully marrying the two is, not surprisingly, a challenge that the chapters in this volume explore