Linking Knowledge Management, Business Excellence and Innovation Performance

This research examined the extent to which the management of knowledge and the application of business excellence frameworks can contribute to innovation performance. A model of Knowledge Management (KM) and Business Excellence (BE) framed the study. Intensive case studies were conducted with six Australian service sector organizations that had won business excellence awards to determine the ways in which a business excellence framework can inform knowledge management practices that lead to sustained innovation performance. Analysis of the data revealed the manner in which the Australian Business Excellence Framework (ABEF) informed knowledge management practices and contributed to innovation in the six service sector organizations. Although the research is preliminary in nature, results indicate that principles of the ABEF shaped KM activities through fostering continuous improvement which in turn encouraged a stronger focus on incremental rather than radical forms of innovatio

Knowledge Management to Support Supply Chain Sustainability and Collaboration Practices

This exploratory research examined the contribution of knowledge management (KM) to sustainability and collaboration practices across a number of small to medium size Australian food and beverage exporters. A growing focus on sustainable supply chain management (SSCM) in global supply chains offers opportunities for organizations to create value and secure competitive advantage by employing strategic KM practices to support SSCM. Analysis of eight case study organizations revealed that KM contributes to SSCM across a number of areas, including strategic focus, protecting firm reputation and performance, risk management, innovation, collaboration and relationships with partners

Supporting Supply Chain Innovation and Sustainability Practices through Knowledge and Innovation Management

This paper extends exploratory research on the contribution of knowledge and innovation management (KIM) to innovation and sustainability activities across a number of small to medium size Australian food and beverage exporters in Australia as part of a longitudinal research project. Recent trends in sustainable supply chain management (SSCM) in global supply chains sees a greater focus on achieving more social and transformational forms of sustainability, rather than traditional economic or environmental approaches. Applying a framework of sustainability-oriented innovation, analysis of eight case study organizations revealed that innovation practices across these firms largely reflected an economic focus on sustainability, followed by some activities in the environmental domain. However, more transformative forms of innovation, such as those addressing social/community concerns, were lagging. Although further research is recommended, we offer some propositional speculation on why successful SMEs with a strong reputation for innovation are still driven predominantly by financial considerations

The Role of Knowledge Management in Innovative Supply Chain Design

This exploratory research examined the contribution of knowledge management (KM) to supply chain management (SCM) and its specific role in supply chain design. Following a review of relevant literature, a conceptual model was developed to indicate the knowledge domains involved in an innovative approach to supply chain design. The contributions of KM are investigated and analyzed through a case study of supply chain design in the Australian beef industry. While KM supported supply chain design through various KM processes such as knowledge acquisition, sharing, dissemination and protection, the most significant contribution came from the process of knowledge integration. This indicates the significant potential of KM to play a major role in supporting the complex nature of contemporary supply chain design

Introduction to Managing Knowledge for Innovation, Agility, and Collaboration Minitrack

N/

Understanding The Roles Of Is/It In Sustainable Supply Chain Management

A growing focus on sustainability issues has permeated the area of Supply Chain Management (SCM) over the past two decades. The concept of Sustainable Supply Chain Management (SSCM) has been introduced to reflect a commitment to addressing economic, environmental and social dimensions of sustainability in managing supply chain activities. The transition from traditional SCM to the new landscape of SSCM implies that the roles of IS/IT supporting SCM may need to be revisited as a result of the shift to a SSCM focus. Currently, the role of IS/IT in SSCM has only been discussed in a fragmented manner in a handful of studies. In this conceptual paper, we therefore explore current understandings of SSCM practices focusing on identifying the way IS/IT roles are played out in supporting SSCM practices. We find that SCCM presents a serious challenge to the IS/IT community for leveraging the transformation role of IS/IT that can help increase the adoption of SSCM practice

Telework and People with Disabilities:Perspectives of Managers and Employees from Australia

People with disabilities face unique challenges to access work and participate in a work culture and environment. The increasing uptake of telework is promising from a digital inclusion perspective for people with disabilities. This qualitative study explored barriers and problems of including people with disabilities through telework in Australia. The study focused on management and worker perspectives and findings indicate that both parties face unique challenges to accommodate and include people with disabilities in telework arrangements. Worker barriers to access telework relate to management attitudes, physical and infrastructure problems, social isolation misconceptions, lack of management trust, insufficient telework opportunities and inadequate management knowledge of IT support and reasonable adjustment for people with disabilities. Management issues involve cultural intolerance towards diversity and disability in general, as well as a lack of policies and processes that create a supportive environment for people with disabilities who wish to telework