Business Commons^™

Don’T Store It, Search For It: How Organizations Can Encourage Middle Managers To Search For Distributed Knowledge, Esther Tippmann, Pamela Sharkey Scott, Vincent Mangematin

Conference Papers

This qualitative study examined how middle managers, at the micro-level, search for distributed knowledge to resolve non-routine problems, and how the organizational context, at the macro-level, influences the knowledge search effectiveness. We find that middle managers proactively search organization wide knowledge resources, thus highlighting the significance of middle managers in integrating distributed knowledge. Further, our findings show the importance of the organization to provide supporting structures. In particular, we offer evidence that effective knowledge search does not rely on repositories but that organizational design aspects and a strategy for managing knowledge that emphasizes interaction opportunities, informality, and openness can promote …

An Investigation Of Knowledge Transfer And Retention In A Government Procurement Office, Garland T. Mobley

Theses and Dissertations

There is no measure for the loss of corporate memory. Organizations build a reservoir of knowledge in its employees, and this knowledge becomes a critical ingredient in an organization’s ability to carry out its mission. Knowledgeable people are extremely valuable and once they leave, their organizationally-applied knowledge leaves with them. This study introduces specific knowledge attributes that significantly impact effective tacit and explicit knowledge transfer and retention. Under this construct the proposed investigation explores a government program office to see if replacing experienced government employees with outsourced personnel impacts corporate knowledge retention. The study concludes that a loss of corporate …

An Assessment Of The Air Force Weather Agency's Readiness For Knowledge Management Initiatives, Daniel Tucker

Theses and Dissertations

The successful implementation of knowledge management (KM) initiatives requires a level of commitment and preparedness by the organization that is commensurate with the expected results. An organization must be willing to allocate the necessary resources to ensure their readiness to undertake new KM projects. The purpose of this study is to review AFWA’s organizational culture and measure its propensity for accepting KM initiatives. The study uses empirically validated constructs to evaluate and assess the organization’s people, culture, climate, processes and attitudes as they relate to KM. This research was conducted using semi-structured interviews to elicit respondents’ views about KM practices. …

Task-Technology Fit Assessment Of An Expertise Transfer System, Daphne R. Mcgill

Theses and Dissertations

Organizations today are using information technology to capture knowledge from experts and disseminate this knowledge to decision makers. Having the right information to the right person at the right time facilitates more effective and efficient decisions. This study uses Goodhue’s (1998) Task-Technology Fit (TTF) theoretical model to evaluate an Expertise Transfer Forum (ETF) developed by the Oklahoma State University for the Defense Ammunition Center’s quality assurance personnel. The preliminary findings suggest a good fit between the ETF and problem-solving tasks assigned to students in the DAC classroom environment. The participants also offered the following observations: • The ETF was more …

Control And Organizational Learning In Mncs: An Analysis Through The Subsdiaries Sector, Olivier De La Villarmois, Christophe Benavent, Firmanzah Firmanzah

The South East Asian Journal of Management

For any large complex organization the problem of ensuring its constituent activity in accordance with overall policy and, at the same time adopt to its environment, is a central and continuing concern. Thus, the fundamental question which must be answered is 'what control mechanism can facilitate the adaptation process in the local market?' In multinational corporations (MNCs), the control mechanism, imposed by headquarters, has an objective to integrate the subsidiaries' activities to the global strategy. however, the presents on the local market necessitates the adaptation to the local environment characteristics. The objective of this paper is to contribute solving the …

Risk Propensity And Knowledge Sharing Intentions Of Individuals In A Downsized Organization, Ward G. Willis

Theses and Dissertations

Downsizing can be a traumatic event for any organization. Using Affective Events Theory (AET), this study examined how the emotional reactions of employees to downsizing can impact organizational outcomes. It concludes that the use of downsizing activities decreases organizational commitment while increasing perceived psychological contract violation. Further, it shows that these constructs have a respective positive and negative relationship with knowledge sharing behavior. It also concludes that these relationships hold true not only for individuals most vulnerable to downsizing, but also for those who the organization would consider immune to such actions. These results suggest that organizational downsizing activities not …

Differentiating Knowledge Processes In Organisational Learning: A Case Of ‘Two Solitudes’, Siu Loon Hoe, Steven L. Mcshane

Research Collection School Of Computing and Information Systems

The fields of organizational behaviour (OB)/strategy and marketing have taken different paths over the past two decades to understanding organisational learning. OB/strategy has been pre-occupied with theory development and case study illustrations, whereas marketing research has taken a highly quantitative path. Although relying on essentially the same foundation theory, these two solitudes have had minimal cross-fertilisation. Furthermore, both fields tend to blur or usually ignore the distinction between structural and informal knowledge processes. The marketing literature, in particular, relies on the MARKOR scale, which measures structural knowledge processes. Informal knowledge acquisition and dissemination processes are almost completely ignored. The purpose …

Relational Space: Creating A Context For Innovation In Collaborative Consortia, Hilary Bradbury, Benyamin B. Lichtenstein, John S. Carroll, Peter M. Senge, Edward H. Powley

College of Management Working Papers and Reports

Corporations are collaborating to meet complex global challenges heretofore considered beyond the mandate of business leaders. These multi organizational consortia are not philanthropic efforts but operate within market parameters with limited input from Non Governmental Organizations. In order to examine some dynamics of successful collaborative processes, we pursue an in-depth multi-method case study of “The Sustainability Consortium,” which has convened numerous Fortune 50 senior managers since 1999. We uncover the primacy of “relational space” – a rich context of trust and inquiry – within which participants create innovative projects for doing business in a sustainable way. Our analysis uncovers the …

Information Systems (Is) Connectivity As A Moderator Of The Effects Of Is Support For Information Interpretation On Firm Performance: An Empirical Study, Michael J. Zhang

WCBT Faculty Publications

This study examined and tested the roles of information systems (IS) connectivity in influencing the performance impacts of IS support for information sharing and IS support for information interpretation. Using data collected from a survey of large U.S. firms and the Research Insight (Compustat) database, the results showed that when IS connectivity was high, IS support for information sharing was positively related to profitability whereas IS support for information interpretation was negatively associated with profitability. These findings suggest that a high level of IS connectivity is a two-end sword for firms which rely on both IS support for information sharing …

A Comparative Assessment Of Knowledge Management Education Across The United States Department Of Defense, Gary Lee Wright

Theses and Dissertations

Knowledge is a critical resource for organizations today, especially to the DoD. When organizations understand what knowledge is, they can begin to draw value from it. Drawing value from knowledge is best accomplished through the processes of knowledge management: knowledge creation, knowledge storage and retrieval, knowledge transfer, and knowledge application (Alavi and Leidner, 2001). Organizations can create an environment in which these processes flourish by ensuring the organization has the elements of a supportive leadership, structure to control and optimize knowledge sharing, technology to facilitate the KM processes, and a commitment to maximize knowledge sharing and continuously improve (Stankosky et …

Is Support For Top Managers' Dynamic Capabilities, Environmental Dynamism, And Firm Performance: An Empirical Investigation, Michael J. Zhang

WCBT Faculty Publications

Despite a continual interest in developing information systems (IS) to support the work of top managers, assessing the impact of IS support for top managers and their capabilities on the bottom-line performance of firms has received little attention in existing literature. Drawing upon the resource based view of competitive advantage, this paper argues that firms that provide IS support for their top managers’ dynamic capabilities may enjoy competitive advantage and superior firm performance. The performance impact of IS support for two key dynamic capabilities of top managers (fast response and mental model building) under different (dynamic vs. stable) external environments …

Order Lead-Time Improvement Following Enterprise Information Technology Implementation: An Empirical Study, Mark Cotteleer, Elliot Bendoly

Management Faculty Research and Publications

This paper investigates the influence of enterprise systems implementation on operational performance. The work extends the literature on enterprise systems by focusing on changes in process dynamics as a source for ongoing firm-level performance improvement. A case discussion of Tristen Corporation, a firm that implemented ERP and subsequently experienced benefits through gains to its continuous improvement efforts, is examined in light of theorized impacts of such implementations on process dynamics. Analyses of longitudinal data suggest that performance along a key metric motivating the ERP initiative (i.e., order fulfillment lead-time) showed a significant improvement immediately after system deployment. The data further …

The Creation Of Organizational Learning Solutions In The Call Center At Direct Checks Through Action Research, Joel Lamoreaux

Regis University Student Publications (comprehensive collection)

Maximizing potential revenue and profitability performance continues to be a key objective for Direct Checks as the company's core product - personal checks - moves through the decline stage of the product life cycle; and, the department with the most potential to positively impact the financial performance will be the Call Center, as a majority of the company's orders are captured through this channel. This department, however, continues to struggle with the establishment of a culture where the learning and sharing of information is embedded into the operating norms and values of employees, specifically around how to best sell to …

Knowledge Creation: Revisiting The 'Ba' Humbug: People And 'Latent' Knowledge In Organizational Learning, Donald Nordberg

Donald Nordberg

This paper is a draft of an article that appeared in the Icfai Journal of Knowledge Management in 2007. Knowledge management theory has struggled with the concept of knowledge creation. Since the seminal article of Nonaka in 1991, an industry has grown up seeking to capture the knowledge in the heads and hearts of individuals so as to leverage them for organizational learning and growth. But the SECI process of socialization, externalization, combination and internalization outlined by Nonaka and his colleagues has dealt essentially with knowledge transfer rather than creation. This paper looks at attempts to fill the gap in …

Virtuous Leadership: A Theoretical Model And Research Agenda, Craig L. Pearce, David A. Waldman, Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi

Department of Management: Faculty Publications

In this manuscript we attempt to shed light on the concept of virtuous leadership. We first attempt to identify the nature of virtuous leadership. Next, we specify two potential antecedents of virtuous vertical leadership. Specifically, we identify the personal characteristic of responsibility disposition as well as environmental cues as potential predictors of subsequent virtuous leadership. Moreover. we articulate how virtuous vertical leadership might result in virtuous shared leadership. We also demonstrate how both vertical and shared virtuous leadership can act as key factors in the creation of organizational learning. Importantly. we specify several important research implications of our theoretical model. …

Crm 활성화를 위한 조직관련 요인에 대한 연구, Chan Wook Park

Asia Marketing Journal

No abstract provided.

An Exploratory Analysis Of Factors Affecting Participation In Air Force Knowledge Now Communities Of Practice, David C. Fitzgerald

Theses and Dissertations

As the AF continues to lose its knowledge base through retirements and downsizing, the need to get maximum use from the remaining knowledge base becomes increasingly important. In their efforts to help the Department of Defense and the Air Force Chief Information Officer (AFCIO) meet their knowledge management goals, Air Force Material Command (AFMC) has been working to implement the use of communities of practice. A primary goal of AFMC/DRW , the AF Knowledge Now program office, and the office of the AFCIO is to increase effectiveness and participation within communities of practice. The goal of this research is to …

An Exploration Of Cultural Factors Affecting Use Of Communities Of Practice, Peter L. Hinrichsen

Theses and Dissertations

On-line communities of practice are potentially powerful social learning networks that can improve organizational performance. Unfortunately, administrators of on-line communities of practice report that community members do not take full advantage of this potential. This study used Shaw and Tuggle's (2003) factors of knowledge management (KM) culture affecting organizational acceptance of a knowledge management initiative to explore this issue. It was hypothesized that respondents whose communities of practice possessed higher average community use per member would rate KM culture variables higher than respondents whose communities possessed a lower average community use. An analysis of survey data collected from Air Force …

The Mediating Role Of Organizational Learning Between Absorptive Capacity And Performance In Companies Employing Enterprise Resource Planning Software, Edith Galy

Theses and Dissertations - UTB/UTPA

This dissertation focuses on the acquisition of information systems technology and how the acquisition of information systems (IS) can improve the performance of a firm. The central purpose of this dissertation is to contribute to the literature that explains the success of IS projects. It addresses the organizational processes that contribute to the successful implementation of IS, and explains why some organizations achieve financial returns and strategic advantages from their IS efforts while others do not.

The population in this dissertation consists of top level IS executives in the US or Canada employed in firms who have implemented enterprise resource …

The Future Search Conference: A Development Tool For Organizational Learning, Paula S. Weber, Vicky J. Mcintyre, Margaret A. Young

Mountain Plains Journal of Business and Technology

The future search conference methodology was examined for its utilization of organizational learning tools. Organizational learning tools are tools designed to aid an organization toward becoming a learning organization. Analysis reveals that future search conference design includes organizational learning tools of dialogue, scenario planning, the “Merlin Exercise” and knowledge management and mapping. To some extent, the future search conference design also uses practice fields and action learning.

Virtualness And Knowledge In Teams: Managing The Love Triangle Of Organizations, Individuals, And Information Technology, Terri L. Griffith, John E. Sawyer, Margaret A. Neale

Management & Entrepreneurship

Information technology can facilitate the dissemination of knowledge across the organization- even to the point of making virtual teams a viable alternative to face-to-face work. However, unless managed, the combination of information technology and virtual work may serve to change the distribution of different types of knowledge across individuals, teams, and the organization. Implications include the possibility that information technology plays the role of a jealous mistress when it comes to the development and ownership of valuable knowledge in organizations; that is. information technology may destabilize the relationship between organizations and their employees when it comes to the transfer of …

An Investigation Of Air Force Communities Of Practice: A Descriptive Study Of Evolution Through Assessment Of People, Process, And Technology Capabilities, Jason R. May

Theses and Dissertations

A variety of theories state that communities of practice (CoPs) "evolve" or "mature" through various stages over time. Such theories posit that each stage is characterized by different people, process, and technology attributes/capabilities that ultimately necessitate differing strategies for achieving effectiveness (Gongla and Rizzuto, 2001). A primary goal of AFMC/DRW, AFMC Electronic Learning (eLearning) Knowledge Management Integrated Project Team, and the office of the Air Force Chief Information Officer is to increase CoP participation and effectiveness. This descriptive, cross-sectional research, surveyed all CoP managers of all CoPs "hosted" by AFMC/DRW with a quantitative/qualitative, 86 question, 5-point Likert, survey. This research …

Developing As A Learning Organization : A Hong Kong Case Of Sensegiving And Career Contracts, Robin Stanley Snell

Hong Kong Institute of Business Studies Working Paper Series

I discuss a qualitative case study of a Hong Kong-based utility company where commercial imperatives drove, but also circumscribed, development toward ‘Learning Organization’ (LO) ideals. The case illuminates the paradox of promoting greater openness and creativity through top down sensegiving, as many managers and professionals participated in collective development towards LO ideals, but were seduced into what nearly became a propaganda trap. The case also highlights the importance of honouring psychological contracts, in that a covenant with the workforce, which leveraged the company’s dominant industry position, restored an atmosphere of mutuality with a marginalized rump. Noting that the focal company …

The Effects Of Organizational And Individual Learning On Job Satisfaction And Organizational Commitment, David Lee Wright

Doctoral Dissertations

The objective of this dissertation was to assess how certain organizational-level and individual-level factors affect member job attitudes. Specifically, market orientation and organizational learning, contingent on the individual's orientation toward learning, were examined as potential predictors of job satisfaction and organizational commitment. Individual performance of employees affects organizational performance. Consequently, these organizational and individual factors are significant to management because of their potential influence on the attitudes of employees.

A national sample consisting of sales and marketing executives made up the sample frame. A self-report questionnaire was mailed to 2000 randomly selected potential respondents. The return of 213 usable questionnaires …

Sustaining International Linkages: A Dynamic Competence View, William C. Bogner, Howard Thomas

Research Collection Lee Kong Chian School Of Business

Strategic alliances have been growing in popularity among firms over the past 10 years. The basis for the formation of truly strategic alliance has been presented by several authors who use the theoretical foundations that are popular in strategic management, in particular the resource-based theory of the firm, organizational learning theory and industrial organizational economics. Still, little has been said about why these alliances are sustained. This paper takes those same theoretical bases and constructs a basic set of propositions about the continuation of strategic alliances.