A Survey on Knowledge Management in Universities in the QS Rankings: E-learning and MOOCs

Purpose – Many public organizations are employing Information Technology “IT” in Knowledge Management “KM” (Silwattananusarn and Tuamsuk, 2012; Alavi and Leidner, 2001; Chatti et al., 2007). Within universities, the use of IT could be an enabler to create and facilitate the development of knowledge (Joia, 2000; Garcia, 2007; Tian et al., 2009; Sandelands, 1997); to improve knowledge sharing (Aurelie Bechina Arntzen et al., 2009; Alavi and Gallupe, 2003); to develop communities of practice (Adams and Freeman, 2000). In the educational organizations IT is also a tool to improve the quality of learning (EC, 2000). E-learning is based on digital technologies (Aspen Institute Italy, 2014), through multiple teaching methods (Derouin et al., 2005), as tools for KM (Wild et al., 2002). The websites of some universities allows anyone to follow free lessons, through the internet. These types of free online courses are known as Massive Open Online Courses „MOOCs“ (EC, 2014; Sinclair et al., 2015). The purpose of this study is to verify the type of teaching adopted by European universities and understand how training through e-learning can improve the processes of transmission and sharing of knowledge allowing everyone, not only to students, to take lessons through the web. Design/methodology/approach – The analysis allows detecting data on universities by region through the study of the websites of the top 100 European universities present in a ranking called Quacquarelli Symonds, “QS World University Rankings 2015/16”. The method used to collect the data was marked by the creation of a specific database in which are inserted, for each university, different information: status (public/private), size, age, number of enrolled students, references on websites. In this Excel spreadsheet was also taken into account the type of educational offer provided by each university, with particular reference to the provision of online courses and courses open to all. Originality/value – The article aims to provide a detailed study on the use of technology in the educational context. The exploration allows you to design, within other universities unranked, styles of teaching online to share knowledge. Practical implications – The survey, currently, is the first step of a larger project which aims to analyse the different types of e-learning platforms used by 100 universities in the European rankings QS to make teaching online. From the results of this first phase, it has emerged that all the surveyed European universities provide training not only through classroom lessons, but also with a variety of courses through e-learning even for free through MOOCs

A Survey on Knowledge Management in Universities in the QS Rankings: E-learning and MOOCs

Purpose – Many public organizations are employing Information Technology “IT” in Knowledge Management “KM” (Silwattananusarn and Tuamsuk, 2012; Alavi and Leidner, 2001; Chatti et al., 2007). Within universities, the use of IT could be an enabler to create and facilitate the development of knowledge (Joia, 2000; Garcia, 2007; Tian et al., 2009; Sandelands, 1997); to improve knowledge sharing (Aurelie Bechina Arntzen et al., 2009; Alavi and Gallupe, 2003); to develop communities of practice (Adams and Freeman, 2000). In the educational organizations IT is also a tool to improve the quality of learning (EC, 2000). E-learning is based on digital technologies (Aspen Institute Italy, 2014), through multiple teaching methods (Derouin et al., 2005), as tools for KM (Wild et al., 2002). The websites of some universities allows anyone to follow free lessons, through the internet. These types of free online courses are known as Massive Open Online Courses „MOOCs“ (EC, 2014; Sinclair et al., 2015). The purpose of this study is to verify the type of teaching adopted by European universities and understand how training through e-learning can improve the processes of transmission and sharing of knowledge allowing everyone, not only to students, to take lessons through the web. Design/methodology/approach – The analysis allows detecting data on universities by region through the study of the websites of the top 100 European universities present in a ranking called Quacquarelli Symonds, “QS World University Rankings 2015/16”. The method used to collect the data was marked by the creation of a specific database in which are inserted, for each university, different information: status (public/private), size, age, number of enrolled students, references on websites. In this Excel spreadsheet was also taken into account the type of educational offer provided by each university, with particular reference to the provision of online courses and courses open to all. Originality/value – The article aims to provide a detailed study on the use of technology in the educational context. The exploration allows you to design, within other universities unranked, styles of teaching online to share knowledge. Practical implications – The survey, currently, is the first step of a larger project which aims to analyse the different types of e-learning platforms used by 100 universities in the European rankings QS to make teaching online. From the results of this first phase, it has emerged that all the surveyed European universities provide training not only through classroom lessons, but also with a variety of courses through e-learning even for free through MOOCs

Understanding knowledge translation in university–industry research projects: a case analysis in the automotive sector

Purpose – In this paper, we depart from extant conceptualisations of knowledge translation mechanisms to examine projects as a way to achieve effective knowledge transfer. Our empirical analysis focused on a university–industry research project in the automotive industry. Design/methodology/approach – The empirical analysis was based on a qualitative investigation. We analysed material collected within a research project involving a partnership between two universities and Fiat-Chrysler Automotive (FCA), a multi-brand auto manufacturer with a product range covering several different market segments. We used three data collection techniques: internal document analysis, participant observation and semi-structured interviews. Findings – Our findings show that, in a U-I research project, goals represent a key dimension to support knowledge translation. Defining the goal implies an ongoing negotiation process, where researchers and company employees work together, in order to converge towards a shared meaning of the goal. In this sense, goal orientation and goal-based interaction have significant implications for knowledge translation processes

INTERORGANIZATIONAL RELATIONSHIPS IN ITALIAN LOGISTIC PLATFORMS: THE ROLE OF META-LOGISTIC OPERATORS

ABSTRACT The logistic system as an element giving a competitive advantage to individual organizations and business firm systems alike, is now becoming increasingly relevant (Håkansson e Persson, 2004). In particular, logistic platforms (in Italian, interporti) carry out a highly central role in the Italian economic system, in that apart from facilitating interconnections between various transport modalities, also facilitate the role of ports as links joining up overland routes with sea routes (Boscacci F., 2003). Many logistic studies, and more generally studies relating to supply chain management adopt a systems-type perspective, in which continuous interaction takes place between actors and activities characterizing the system and bringing about its success. In this sense, as Christopher claims (1992), "real competition is not [any more] company against company but rather supply chain against supply chain" (p.14). The aim of the paper is analysing the activities carried out within the logistic platforms infrastructures, amongst which a leading role is played by a certain special typology of actor, defined as Meta-Logistic Operators (MLOs)

Valori e competenze manageriali del settore pubblico e privato

Un recente articolo pubblicato da Darling S. D. and Cunningham B. J. (2016) ha proposto una nuova riflessione sul tema delle competenze nel settore pubblico, con particolare riferimento al collegamento con la performance. Quello che emerge dai risultati dello studio è la necessità di valorizzare le specificità della pubblica amministrazione che sia per aspetti dimensionali, culturali e di regolazione presenta proprie peculiarità

Modelli di gestione della conoscenza

Modelli di gestione della conoscenza (Un possibile schema di classificazione; Il cognitivismo; Il cognitivismo sociale; Il social-construction; Le best practice

Quando gli imprenditori usano i clan: il caso del re dei video poker

Per comprendere le dinamiche competitive di molti settori non si può prescindere dal ruolo e dal peso che esercita la criminalità organizzata. L’interesse dei clan nei confronti di tanti comparti economici ha fatto nascere quella che diversi studiosi definiscono «area grigia» (Sciarrone, a cura di, 2011), dove si intrecciano le relazioni tra gli imprenditori, le organizzazioni criminali, le imprese mafiose, i politici, gli amministratori pubblici e i professionisti. La relazione tra impresa e criminalità organizzata merita uno sforzo di approfondimento almeno per due motivi fondamentali: in primo luogo perché è un argomento che la letteratura, in particolar modo quella manageriale, ha, salvo rare eccezioni, trascurato; in secondo luogo perché il fenomeno condiziona, in maniera crescente, le dinamiche di numerosi settori dell’economia italiana e non solo (Riccardi 2014). Prima di approfondire la configurazione dei rapporti tra imprenditori e organizzazioni criminali è necessario, preliminarmente, chiarire le caratteristiche delle imprese mafiose. L’organizzazione criminale, infatti, per garantire la propria presenza sul territorio e attuare le proprie strategie di sviluppo nell’economia legale costituisce e/o acquisisce imprese che definiremo mafiose. Queste imprese rappresentano spesso il tramite attraverso cui le organizzazioni criminali stabiliscono contatti con il sistema imprenditoriale. In questo paragrafo passeremo in rassegna i contributi che hanno affrontato questo tema, facendo riferimento principalmente a studi di area sociologica, criminologica, di political science o a lavori, di taglio non accademico, prodotti da esperti del settore, in particolare magistrati o appartenenti alle forze dell’ordine