Knowledge Management and Innovation (original) (raw)
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In the situated learning theory, we disclose the existence of some tensions that may arise from two opposite forces within a context of communities of practice: the need for formalisation (large enterprises) and tacitness (creativity and innovation). Our study focuses on how these tensions are dealt with in a case study of a Portuguese innovative large enterprise that has developed a knowledge strategy over the last decade.
Journal of Knowledge Management, 2008
Purpose -The purpose of this paper is to examine the use of tacit knowledge within innovative organizations. It addresses what organizations can do to promote knowledge sharing in order to improve successful innovation. Compared to available research material on explicit knowledge, the use of tacit knowledge within companies is relatively unexplored. The use of tacit knowledge is assessed with special emphasis on its significance and implications in the innovation process. Design/methodology/approach -Existing research is structured with the objective of examining how companies make use of tacit knowledge. Key levers for tacit knowledge management are identified and the positive impact of tacit knowledge on innovation success disclosed.
Knowledge management in Brazilian, Portuguese and Polish organizations: A comparative analysis
Online Journal of Applied Knowledge Management
The knowledge emerges as a strategic factor that enables organizations to create wealth through the transformation of tacit knowledge into explicit knowledge. Knowledge Management (KM) activities are recognized as a critical issue for the development of innovation in the companies. However, KM is now a major challenge because, with the growth of available information, this task becomes increasingly complex. In addition, KM involves the management of organizational culture, based on principles of organizational learning. This paper presents the results of an exploratory study conducted among the decision makers of Portuguese, Brazilian and Polish companies and aims to determine the perception they have of the future needs of knowledge and information. We intended to identify future areas of research that can address the needs of knowledge that create conditions for a more sustainable business. Furthermore, this paper also aims to identify factors which could help to improve knowledge...
In the situated learning theory, we disclose the existence of some tensions that may arise from two opposite forces within a context of communities of practice: the need for formalisation (large enterprises) and tacitness (creativity and innovation). Our study focuses on how these tensions are dealt with in a case study of a Portuguese innovative large enterprise that has developed a knowledge strategy over the last decade. The keys for overcoming this risky confrontation are related to a combination of " knowledge vision " and the coordinator and culture roles. A question to be addressed by firms in similar situation is " who-knows-what " , in order to identify the key knowledge that must be transformed from tacit into explicit. This would avoid wasting too many resources on making explicit the wrong tacit knowledge. Further research is required in other firms and contexts, on a still underestimated problem within communities of practice.
Knowledge Management Within the Context of Organizational Innovation
Advanced MIS and Digital Transformation for Increased Creativity and Innovation in Business
Knowledge management aims to provide easy access and management of the information resource for the institutions and thus to create value by taking the right decisions. Since knowledge management has a decisive impact on the business performance and innovation process at different stages and requires a different knowledge management concept, enterprises should integrate innovation selection activities into knowledge management processes. Otherwise, businesses may face problems in the management processes of the information resources they have. The purpose of this chapter is to first specify the definition and tasks of knowledge management, then to examine the knowledge management processes and to correctly identify of the problems encountered in these processes to find and to implement effective solutions and to realize effective management of the knowledge management within the scope of organizational innovation. This study is very important for businesses with a large scale of the...
Technological and Organizational Tools for Knowledge Management: In Search of Configurations
Small Business Economics, 2003
Knowledge Management (KM) is becoming a growing concern in management research and practice because of its role in determining firm innovation capability and in enhancing working life quality of knowledge workers. This requires, even for Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) the creation of a sustainable work organization in terms of configuration of organizational and Information and Communication Technology (ICT) tools. With a particular emphasis in the area of Product Innovation (PI) and on the basis of a survey on 127 Italian SMEs, this paper aims at analysing the emergent technological and organizational approaches to managing knowledge in the PI process. Three different KM Configurations emerge: the 'technical', the 'relational' and the 'advanced' approach.
Tacit vs. explicit knowledge - the current approaches to knowledge management
The use of computers has over the last two decades led to the dominance of a database-centred view of organisational information resources. It is this school of thought that has become the focal point of many conceptualisations of knowledge management (KM). Many proponents of this school of thought propagate the development and implementation of KM databases. But knowledge is more organic than mechanical. Therefore, substituting database structures for the people who actually creates organisational knowledge will ultimately remove the intrinsic meaning of knowledge. This paper, based on an ongoing doctoral work, takes a dichotomous view of knowledge as either explicit or tacit and argues that the management of tacit knowledge, so far neglected in the literature on KM, is very important in conferring competitive advantages on organisations. Using empirical results from the research, it reveals the advantages of managing tacit knowledge. These benefits range from better customer service to prevention of project period escalation and improved workmanship. This paper concludes that behavioural approach to KM ensures that employees, who are the source of organisational knowledge, are well motivated to 'go the extra mile' in pursuit of organisational goals.
Managing knowledge associated with innovation
This article reports the results of empirical work carried out in a project funded by the UK Government's Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC). The project was concerned with operationalising knowledge management concepts in the context of interorganisational innovation. The companies that collaborated in this project were a major manufacturer of powered garden machinery and a major mobile telephone operator. The technique, which has been developed, operationalises the concepts of: tacit and explicit knowledge, radical and incremental innovation, and the five basic knowledge management processes: externalisation, dissemination, internalisation, socialisation, and discontinuous learning. The technique involves each participating party identifying the features that the successful innovation needs to possess. This is followed by the identification of the knowledge gaps that must be bridged if each feature is to be achieved. These knowledge gaps constitute the units of analysis. For each unit of analysis/knowledge gap, the size of the gap, and the nature of the required knowledge are estimated subjectively by each project team member. This allows both the identification of units which have high risk and the nature of the knowledge transformation processes, which need to be managed. The independently generated subjective perceptions are shared between the collaborating parties in a process of ''perceptual synthesis.'' At an operational level, the technique facilitates a productive dialogue between team members. At a managerial level, once a consensus regarding risk and vulnerability has been reached, improved project management becomes possible. D
Handbook of Research on Effective Project Management through the Integration of Knowledge and Innovation
This chapter presents considerations about the importance of innovation in organizational environments and highlights the role of knowledge in innovation creation. It is observed in the base activities related to the innovation systems, the constant presence of processes centered in learning, building, and knowledge sharing, whereas knowing knowledge management processes and promoting its implementation, both in the innovation systems scope and in the innovation systems agents scope, shows up as an alternative promoter for successful innovation systems deployment, development, and support, and, therefore, for the generation and management of innovation in their respective context. It emphasizes the relevance of knowledge sharing within the scope of innovation systems, where the knowledge management implantation is an essential strategy to the organizations that aim to maintain themselves in the competitive current market. For this purpose, it presents some approaches and models that...