KM value creation : evidence from a case

One of the fundamental knowledge management questions is how organizations can use their knowledge to create value. There is general agreement that knowledge management should add value. It is not clear, however, what value means in the context of knowledge management and how it is created. This fundamental question is complex as value has different meanings to different people. Understanding value in the context of KM will lead to better understanding of the potential sources of value creation from knowledge management and better management of knowledge assets. It will inform the measurement of knowledge and its impacts on organizations. It will lead to recognition of the contribution of knowledge assets to organizational success.This paper provides a review of prior research on value creation and how this can improve the understanding of value in the context of knowledge management. Based on this review it poses questions to explore value creation in the context of knowledge management. It then reports on preliminary analysis of a case study of a process-based knowledge management system and the expressions of value, value creating actions and value capture as perceived by different stakeholders.<br /

Towards a Definition of IT Management Sophistication in Small Firms

This paper reports the results of a study aimed at understanding and characterising IT management sophistication in small businesses. A multiple-case study approach was therefore used to explore the IT management practices of small businesses. Data collection involved four small-medium chartered accountancy (CA) firms and three IT firms closely associated with the CA industry. The case results combined with past research suggested 30 individual indicators of IT management sophistication. Further investigation of these 30 indicators yielded five underlying factors characterising IT management sophistication, namely planning, controlling, organising, leading and external expertise. The results provided a useful foundation for examining the impact of IT management sophistication on organisational performance and developing appropriate improvement strategies. Directions for future research are also discussed

Organizational information systems competences in small and medium-sized enterprises

We used resource-based theory and evidence from empirical studies to evolve a framework of IS competences in small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). The framework significantly improved our understanding of internal IS expertise in SMEs. We used relevant IS competence and SME literature, as well as empirical data from SME case studies. Our set of twenty two IS competences were organized around six macro competences. Each competence refers to a specific ability at the organizational rather than the individual level and they cover a broad range of activities, such as those associated with recognising business opportunities, IS planning, accessing IS knowledge, defining requirements, software and hardware sourcing, applications development, and managing relationships with IS suppliers. The framework was tested against prior literature, including studies of IS adoption, IS success, and entrepreneurial competence. Each competence was fully explained and discussed using evidence from the case studies. The framework creates a comprehensive set of IS competences that can be used in both SME practice and research.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Organisational IS Resilience: a pilot study using Q-methodology

Organisational resilience has gained increasing attention in recent years. This paper focuses on an aspect of organisational resilience, i.e., on IS resilience. Given the potentially devastating implications of disruptions to organisations, understanding the dynamics of the successful adaption of IS within organisations indicates an important avenue for future research. In this paper, we adopt Agency theory to develop a conceptual framework, focused on decision making and planning for IS resilience. Concourse theory and Q-methodology were used to develop a Q-sort questionnaire, which was refined through interviews with researchers and IS professionals. The resulting 38 statements were then sorted by eight managers. Q-sort methodology identified three types from the data, each representing distinct collective perspectives. These types are described and discussed, along with implications of findings as well as suggestions for future research

Evaluating the Alignment of IT with Business Processes in SMEs

This paper takes a new approach to IT alignment by focusing on the alignment of IT with business processes. Thus the paper focuses on operational alignment rather than strategic alignment. The paper proposes a new instrument for measuring IT alignment, based on the process view of firms. The Process Classification Framework (PCF) (APQC 2006) was used to create a 24 item instrument that formed part of a questionnaire for structured interviews with managers in 66 SMEs. Analysis using partial least squares indicated a positive relationship between IT alignment and IT Success. In addition, IT alignment was found to be low in many firms, and low for many business processes. The typical SME had about 5 business processes with insufficient IS support. However, IT alignment was at an acceptable level for the most important business processes. The study also indicates that the business process view could provide an efficient measure of IT alignment. Opportunities for further research are outlined

Spreadsheet Infusion in Small Audit Firms in Thailand

For decades, spreadsheets have been one of the most commonly used computer applications by auditors. However, the use of spreadsheets varies considerably from one firm to another. Successful spreadsheet implementation can be viewed as occurring when spreadsheets are diffused to all auditors within an organization and are used to the fullest potential. This study aims to identify factors that contribute to the different levels of spreadsheet use among audit firms to help auditors use spreadsheets to their fullest potential (infusion). Using a series of case studies, this study found infrastructure flexibility and training to be critical infusion enablers at an early implementation stage. At later stages, support from IT champion, certain psychological factors such as staff self-efficacy, and social networks were found to be more important. Therefore, audit partners should focus on particular enablers at the right time in order to encourage auditors to use technology to its fullest potential

IT Alignment and Organizational Performance in Small Firms

This study focused on the alignment of business strategy and IT strategy among 256 small UK manufacturing firms. IT alignment was explored using both the matching and moderation approaches, leading to a measure of alignment for each firm. The group of firms with high IT alignment achieved better organisational performance than firms with low IT alignment. As well as confirming prior findings in large firms, the study extended our understanding of IT alignment in small firms

Introduction, dispersal and naturalisation of the Manila clam Ruditapes philippinarum in British estuaries, 1980-2010

The introduction of the Manila clam into British coastal waters in the 1980s was contested by conservation agencies. While recognizing the value of the clam for aquaculture, the government decided that it posed no invasive risk, as British sea temperatures would prevent naturalization. This proved incorrect. Here we establish the pattern of introduction and spread of the species over the first 30 years of its presence in Britain. We report archival research on the sequence of licensed introductions and examine their relationship in time and space to the appearance of wild populations as revealed in the literature and by field surveys. By 2010 the species had naturalized in at least 11 estuaries in southern England. These included estuaries with no history of licensed introduction. In these cases activities such as storage of catch before market or deliberate unlicensed introduction represent the probable mechanisms of dispersal. In any event naturalization is not an inevitable consequence of introduction and the chances of establishment over the period in question were finely balanced. Consequently in Britain the species is not currently aggressively invasive and appears not to present significant risk to indigenous diversity or ecosystem function. However it is likely to gradually continue its spread should sea surface temperatures rise as predicted

A Search for 6.7 GHz Methanol Masers in M33

We report the negative results from a search for 6.7 GHz methanol masers in the nearby spiral galaxy M33. We observed 14 GMCs in the central 4 kpc of the Galaxy, and found 3 sigma upper limits to the flux density of ~9 mJy in spectral channels having a velocity width of 0.069 km/s. By velocity shifting and combining the spectra from the positions observed, we obtain an effective 3sigma upper limit on the average emission of ~1mJy in a 0.25 km/s channel. These limits lie significantly below what we would expect based on our estimates of the methanol maser luminosity function in the Milky Way. The most likely explanation for the absence of detectable methanol masers appears to be the metallicity of M33, which is modestly less than that of the Milky Way