Building dynamic capabilities in product development: the role of knowledge management

This paper contributes to the clarification of the connections between knowledge management and dynamic capabilities in the context of product development to see how they explain product development competences. Building on the knowledge management and dynamic capabilities literatures, the paper argues that the social side of knowledge management has a role to play as enabler of dynamic capabilities in the context of product development. Further, dynamic capabilities shape product development competences. Empirical evidence is provided by performing survey research with data collected from 80 product development projects developed in Spain.Capabilities , Knowledge management, Organizational knowledge

Organizational evolution and semiotics in complex environments: the case of the aerial safety

The effort in advanced information system that many organizations have achieved to improve performance under foreseeable situations has increased organizational complexity decreasing the capacity to deal with unforeseen situations. At this respect, our research question is: what is the limit for this model of development? Once reached, what are the alternatives to improve? An explanation can be organized around semiotic. To do this, the aerial safety learning model and its collateral effects will be analyzed.Air safety, Complex environments, Organizational evolution, Semiotics, Sense

Antecedents and consequences of knowledge integration in product development. An empirical evidence

The purpose of this paper is to explain product development performance through the link between knowledge management and knowledge integration. When product development teams integrate knowledge about two external entities -customers and suppliers, they acquire a better understanding of the market and of each other´s needs and capabilities, which enables them to operate and innovate better than their competitors. In this context, our theoretical framework focuses on the social enablers usually associated to knowledge management, and combine them with knowledge integration as to determine product development performance.

Information Technology and the Ambidexterity Hypotheses: An Analysis in Product Development

We investigated ambidexterity, defined as the capacity to simultaneously achieve exploration and exploitation activities at a product development level. Building on the knowledge management literature, we argue that information technology -defined by a combination of the convergent and divergent dimension- facilitate ambidexterity. Further, ambidexterity mediates the relationship between IT and performance. We found strong evidence that ambidexterity mediates the relationship between the IT that encourage these activities and subsequent performance in product development. Data collected from 80 product developments supported our hypotheses.Information technology, Ambidexterity, Product development , Performance Knowledge Management

Information technology as knowledge management enabler in product development. An empirical evidence

Product development is a knowledge intensive process. It is widely recognized as a mechanism that produces firms to learn, to enter new technological areas, and to deal more effectively with market uncertainty. Since technology management has become ingrained within the field of knowledge management, product development has been viewed and studied from a knowledge management perspective. In this context, this study focuses on a specific knowledge management initiative, information technology (IT). It empirically explores how IT influences on knowledge based capabilities of product development -specifically knowledge exploitation and exploration.Information technology, Knowledge management, Product development

Dynamism and complexity as antecedents of the knowledge strategy in product development

Focusing on product development, this study extends the understanding of the environment-strategy framework and investigates the relative effect of two classical environmental variables, dynamism and complexity, on the knowledge strategy. Adopting a knowledge-based view, and assuming that the strategy´s locus is knowledge creation -exploration- and knowledge application -exploitation-, the study suggests that the development of a knowledge strategy is a managerial strategic choice that is related to the environment. The results of a survey on product development managers indicate that product development efforts operating in highly dynamic environments mostly pursue exploratory strategies.

The Social Approach Of Knowledge Management: The Effect On The Organizational Learning Capacity

(WP 08/03 Clave pdf) The present study focuses on the issue of establishing behavioral initiatives of knowledge management for facilitating the development of a learning capacity in organizations. The analysis is accomplished through a validated questionnaire that surveyed 111 Spanish companies. The research findings show the positive relations between behavioral elements of knowledge management and learning capacity in organizations. So, these results validate that by creating and nurturing a trusting, creative and innovative climate, an organization can sustain its competitive advantages.Innovation, Knowledge management, Learning capacity, Trust

Team Vision in Product Development: how knowledge strategy matters?

In today´s more complex multinational and technologically sophisticated environment, the group has re-emerged in importance as the project team. Work teams are important to organizations in general, but are especially critical in product development because they span many functional areas including engineering, marketing, manufacturing, finance, etc, and new product teams must frequently be composed of individuals from different backgrounds and perspectives. In these circumstances, this paper addresses the contingency role that knowledge strategy plays in explaining the relationship between team vision and product development performance. After studying the team vision on 78 new product deveProduct development , Team vision, Knowledge strategy

Strategic process in operations and environment dynamism: a brazilian - spanish comparative study

The strategic process in operations (SPO) is influenced by the increasing environmental dynamism in the marketplace. Considering organizational knowledge as the support of the whole strategic process, managers may choose their objectives based on previous experiences. Manufacturing strategic process also allows the link between organizational knowledge and dynamic capabilities (Teece et al., 1997). Based on these aspects, this research replication presents a cross-country comparison focusing empirically some theoretical issues related to organizational knowledge and the SPO.Capabilities , Environment dynamism, Operations strategy, Organizational knowledge

Performance Evaluation Of Public And Private R&D Partnerships: (...)

(WP 07/03 Clave pdf) This paper focuses on organizational learning and knowledge management through the intersectoral R&D relationship between government, universities and private organizations and explores the conditions that influence its performance. A study of over 150 of these projects, funded by Spanish government agencies, is presented in this paper. We empirically investigate how participating firm characteristics, the locus of the R&D agreement, and its organizational characteristics influence intersectoral R&D project performance. Expected and unexpected results are presented and discussed. Performance is determined using a data envelopment analysis (DEA)-based model.Learning capacity, Partnerships, R&D, Knowledge management