Special Issue: Knowledge Management - Current Trends and Challenges

Special Issue: Knowledge Management - Current Trends and Challenges
Author: Małgorzata Zięba
Publisher: Cognitione Foundation for the Dissemination of Knowledge and Science
Total Pages: 175
Release: 2017-01-01
Genre: Business & Economics
ISBN: 8394914454

Knowledge management (KM) has become an evolving discipline since the early 1990s, when organizations started perceiving knowledge as a valuable resource. This field of research has its origin in many disciplines, such as: information and IT management, computer science, enterprise management, organization science, human resource management and even philosophy, offering many potential research perspectives and approaches. For more than three decades, organizations of various types have been undertaking efforts to apply knowledge management, in order to benefit from a competitive advantage. Researchers and practitioners from diversified industries, and with different backgrounds, have tried to answer the question how to successfully manage knowledge, knowledge work and knowledge workers, still leaving much space for further research avenues Now, after all those years of research, some old questions have still not been answered and some new ones have arisen. During the pre-conference workshop on “The future of KM: short-time goals and long-term vision”, organized in Barcelona before the European Conference on Knowledge Management 2017 and conducted by myself and my colleague, Dr Sandra Moffett from Ulster University (UK), we asked the participants what their idea of the future of KM was. We could observe many different voices and approaches: some very pessimistic that KM is probably coming to an end, but mostly very promising that there are still many unexplored aspects of KM we should focus on and there is still a plethora of issues related to knowledge management that should be examined. Similar voices can be detected in the flagship article written by Meliha Handzic, who claims that KM definitely has a future, although it may not be without some challenges and obstacles to overcome. This paper links the past (three evolutionary stages of KM called fragmentation, integration and fusion) with the future of KM (three new trends named extension, specialization and reconceptualization). The author also suggests that KM should embrace different approaches under the “KM Conceptual Umbrella”, highlighting the possibility of addressing many themes, ideas or tools linked with knowledge. All the past and future evolutionary stages of KM are described in detail, together with the challenges that the KM field might face in the future. In the second paper, by Philip Sisson and Julie J. C. H. Ryan, the authors present a mental model of knowledge as a concept map being an input to KM research. The authors used qualitative methods, together with system engineering and object analysis methods, to collect various concepts and relate them. The issue of knowledge is elementary in knowledge management and showing the links between particular knowledge terms is of very high value to all KM researchers. Although the length of this article may constitute a challenge, it is definitely worth the effort as it illustrates many multifaceted, multilayered and multidimensional aspects of knowledge. The third paper by Karl Joachim Breunig and Hanno Roberts discusses another valid issue of value creation in the context of knowledge flow. The authors try to answer the question: How can we express knowledge in such a way that it can be monetized and made accessible to specific managerial interventions? Building on the previous extant studies and authors’ ideas, the paper points out that boundary spanners play a focal role in the monetization efforts of knowledge. In the fourth paper by Regina Lenart-Gansiniec one can read about crowdsourcing and the virtual knowledge sharing taking place in this process. The phenomenon of crowdsourcing is still under-researched and not much is known about the virtual exchange of knowledge in crowdsourcing and its benefits, such as co-creation, participation or gaining new ideas, and potential sources of innovations. Apart from the examination of the potential benefits of virtual knowledge sharing, the author also analyses ways of measuring virtual knowledge sharing in the process of crowdsourcing. The fifth paper by Kaja Prystupa concerns knowledge management processes in small entities and the role played by organizational culture. As the aim of this paper, the author set the examination of organizational culture in small Polish companies with the application of a symbiotic-interpretive perspective. Interesting outcomes of this study are: the confirmed role of organizational culture in KM initiatives, the importance of the founder and the industry, and the threat posed by organizational growth, which should be well-managed from the perspective of organizational culture so as not to hinder organizational performance. The sixth and the final paper, by David Mendes, Jorge Gomes and Mário Romão, deals with ways of creating intangible value through the use of a corporate employee portal. The authors undertake the effort to explain how such a portal fosters the creation of organizational values built on intangible assets. As the research confirms, an employee portal can be considered as a strategic tool for promoting organizational culture and cooperation, through information and communication fluxes and through the teamwork of collaborative functionalities. This issue of JEMI integrates contributions from Bosnia and Herzegovina, the United States, Norway, Poland and Portugal. I would like to express my gratitude to all the authors who contributed to this special issue, proving that knowledge management is still a valid topic, and offering abundant research opportunities. I would also like to express my sincerest thanks to the anonymous reviewers who contributed highly to the selection of the best submissions for this issue and guided the authors to further improvements in their works. Finally, I would like to pay special thanks to Dr Anna Ujwary-Gil, Editor-in-Chief of JEMI, for her kind invitation to prepare this special issue and her continual support at each stage of its preparation. I do hope that the readers of JEMI find the selected papers valuable and that they enrich their knowledge on KM issues. Additionally, I do believe that the collected works will be inspiring and offer some future directions for the examination of the knowledge management field. Dr. Małgorzata Zięba Guest Editor, JEMI Assistant Professor, Gdansk University of Technology, Poland

Current Issues in Knowledge Management

Current Issues in Knowledge Management
Author: Jennex, Murray E.
Publisher: IGI Global
Total Pages: 404
Release: 2008-02-28
Genre: Computers
ISBN: 1599049198

"This book combines research on the cultural, technical, organizational, and human issues surrounding the creation, capture, transfer, and use of knowledge in today's organizations. Topics such as organizational memory, knowledge management in enterprises, enablers and inhibitors of knowledge sharing and transfer, and emerging technologies of knowledge management, offering information to practitioners and scholars in a variety of settings"--Provided by publisher.

The Academy of Management Annals

The Academy of Management Annals
Author: James P. Walsh
Publisher: Taylor & Francis
Total Pages: 750
Release: 2007
Genre: Administrative agencies
ISBN: 080586220X

The Academy of Management is proud to announce the inaugural volume of The Academy of Management Annals. This exciting new series follows one guiding principle: The advancement of knowledge is possible only by conducting a thorough examination of what is known and unknown in a given field. Such assessments can be accomplished through comprehensive, critical reviews of the literature--crafted by informed scholars who determine when a line of inquiry has gone astray, and how to steer the research back onto the proper path. The Academy of Management Annals provide just such essential reviews. Written by leading management scholars, the reviews are invaluable for ensuring the timeliness of advanced courses, for designing new investigative approaches, and for identifying faulty methodological or conceptual assumptions. The Annals strive each year to synthesize a vast array of primary research, recognizing past principal contributions while illuminating potential future avenues of inquiry. Volume 1 of the Annals explores a wide spectrum of research: corporate control; nonstandard employment; critical management; physical work environments; public administration team learning; emotions in organizations; leadership and health care; creativity at work; business and the environment; and bias in performance appraisals. Ultimately, academic scholars in management and allied fields (e.g., sociology of organizations and organizational psychology) will see The Academy of Management Annals as a valuable resource to turn to for comprehensive, up-to-date information--published in a single volume every year by the preeminent association for management research.

Research Handbook on Innovation Governance for Emerging Economies

Research Handbook on Innovation Governance for Emerging Economies
Author: Stefan Kuhlmann
Publisher: Edward Elgar Publishing
Total Pages: 555
Release: 2017-01-27
Genre: Business & Economics
ISBN: 1783471913

Although in recent years some emerging economies have improved their performance in terms of R&D investment, outputs and innovative capacity, these countries are still blighted by extreme poverty, inequality and social exclusion. Hence, emerging countries are exposed to conditions which differ quite substantially from the dominant OECD model of innovation policy for development and welfare. This Research Handbook contributes to the debate by looking at how innovation theory, policy and practice interact, and explains different types of configurations in countries that are characterized by two contrasting but mutually reinforcing features: systemic failure and resourcefulness. Focusing on innovation governance and public policies, it aims to understand related governance failures and to explore options for alternative, more efficient approaches.

Knowledge Management, Organisational Learning and Sustainability in Tourism

Knowledge Management, Organisational Learning and Sustainability in Tourism
Author: Aurora Martíınez-Martínez
Publisher: Taylor & Francis
Total Pages: 267
Release: 2023-12-05
Genre: Business & Economics
ISBN: 1003813860

This book explores the link between environmental knowledge management and the sustainability challenges being faced by organisations, individuals and society. Comprising both theoretical and empirical chapters, the volume describes how knowledge management and organisational learning can help achieve a sustainable tourism sector. Environmental knowledge has become one of the most important resources for organisations in the current competitive environment. Organisations need to turn their knowledge into agile structures to respond to the challenges resulting from current and future environmental challenges, and from increased competitiveness and social changes. It is therefore important for business decision-making processes to be based on environmental knowledge instead of relying on unconfirmed, often biased information. In this vein, reliable knowledge structures and a framework become an imperative for sustainable development. Development of these innovations shall be addressed through systematic mechanisms such as integration of sustainability and environmental issues, attention to technological innovation, improved absorptive capacity, targeting social challenges as well as investment in human resource development. The book will be of great value to students and researchers of social sciences with a focus on tourism, human geography, marketing, knowledge management and environmental studies. The chapters in this book were originally published as a special issue of Journal of Sustainable Tourism.

Management International Review

Management International Review
Author: Jan Hendrik Fisch
Publisher: Springer Science & Business Media
Total Pages: 173
Release: 2013-11-11
Genre: Business & Economics
ISBN: 3322910016

As a field of research, the joint of innovation and internationalization is eminently fruitful because these two aspects of management have a reinforcing influence on one another. Innovation enables internationalization, internationalization triggers innovation. A balanced set of authors, from near to far and from upcoming to established reflect the latest research in this area in this special issue of mir.

Knowledge Management: Current Issues and Challenges

Knowledge Management: Current Issues and Challenges
Author: Coakes, Elayne
Publisher: IGI Global
Total Pages: 323
Release: 2003-03-31
Genre: Business & Economics
ISBN: 1931777675

"This scholarly discussion of managerial challenges details the most recent research on how organizations can better create, share, and exploit knowledge. Spanning the business and public service context, the information provided covers practical issues such as measuring returns, establishing trust, and integrating technology. Also discussed are knowledge management systems, Internet support, and information systems development."

Encyclopedia of Geography

Encyclopedia of Geography
Author: Barney Warf
Publisher: SAGE Publications
Total Pages: 3543
Release: 2010-09-21
Genre: Science
ISBN: 1452265178

Simply stated, geography studies the locations of things and the explanations that underlie spatial distributions. Profound forces at work throughout the world have made geographical knowledge increasingly important for understanding numerous human dilemmas and our capacities to address them. With more than 1,200 entries, the Encyclopedia of Geography reflects how the growth of geography has propelled a demand for intermediaries between the abstract language of academia and the ordinary language of everyday life. The six volumes of this encyclopedia encapsulate a diverse array of topics to offer a comprehensive and useful summary of the state of the discipline in the early 21st century. Key Features Gives a concise historical sketch of geography′s long, rich, and fascinating history, including human geography, physical geography, and GIS Provides succinct summaries of trends such as globalization, environmental destruction, new geospatial technologies, and cyberspace Decomposes geography into the six broad subject areas: physical geography; human geography; nature and society; methods, models, and GIS; history of geography; and geographer biographies, geographic organizations, and important social movements Provides hundreds of color illustrations and images that lend depth and realism to the text Includes a special map section Key Themes Physical Geography Human Geography Nature and Society Methods, Models, and GIS People, Organizations, and Movements History of Geography This encyclopedia strategically reflects the enormous diversity of the discipline, the multiple meanings of space itself, and the diverse views of geographers. It brings together the diversity of geographical knowledge, making it an invaluable resource for any academic library.

Cities and the Knowledge Economy

Cities and the Knowledge Economy
Author: Tim May
Publisher: Routledge
Total Pages: 218
Release: 2017-11-02
Genre: Business & Economics
ISBN: 1317609433

Cities and the Knowledge Economy is an in-depth, interdisciplinary, international and comparative examination of the relationship between knowledge and urban development in the contemporary era. Through the lenses of promise, politics and possibility, it examines how the knowledge economy has arisen, how different cities have sought to realise its potential, how universities play a role in its realisation and, overall, what this reveals about the relationship between politics, capitalism, space, place and knowledge in cities. The book argues that the 21st century city has been predicated on particular circuits of knowledge that constitute expertise as residing in elite and professional epistemic communities. In contrast, alternative conceptions of the knowledge society are founded on assumptions which take analysis, deliberation, democracy and the role of the citizen and communities of practice seriously. Drawing on a range of examples from cities around the world, the book reflects on these possibilities and asks what roles the practice of ‘active intermediation’, the university and a critical and engaged social scientific practice can all play in this process. The book is aimed at researchers and students from different disciplines – geography, politics, sociology, business studies, economics and planning – with interests in contemporary urbanism and the role of knowledge in understanding development, as well as urban policymakers, politicians and practitioners who are concerned with the future of our cities and seek to create coalitions of different communities oriented towards more just and sustainable futures.