Questioning the conventional wisdom: culture‐knowledge management relationships

Linking knowledge management processes to innovation

Purpose

This paper aims to analyse the relationship between knowledge management processes and innovation (KM-IN) in Brazilian and Portuguese companies.

Design/methodology/approach

The tests were performed using a sequential mixed-method approach. Quantitative analysis was conducted using 341 observations from Brazilian and Portuguese companies and partial least squares techniques. Qualitative analysis was conducted using ten interviews and content analysis techniques.

Findings

Results showed differences between Brazilian and Portuguese companies with respect to the relationship between knowledge sharing process and innovation. Portuguese companies cope with the geographical dispersal of operations and the lack of interpersonal skills by introducing formal knowledge sharing processes.

Practical implications

Findings demonstrate that the transfer of knowledge processes to foreign countries may demand adjustments according to cultural traits. Specifically, the findings will be of interest to firms intending to expand their activities between Brazil and Portugal.

Originality/value

Although researchers have investigated the influence of the national context in many countries, country comparisons are still scarce.

Knowledge sharing in higher education institutions: a systematic review

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to help in providing a better understanding on knowledge sharing amongst academics in higher education institutions (HEIs). The aim of this study is realized by profiling existing literature to understand the determinants of knowledge sharing, research trends, theories, and future research opportunities.

Design/methodology/approach

After carefully examining the extant literature and by utilizing relevant academic-based research databases, a total of 73 papers published in peer-reviewed journals over the last decade were reviewed and analyzed using well-established systematic literature review methodology.

Findings

The adopted systematic review revealed that there are limited contributions in understanding knowledge sharing in HEIs when compared with other sectors. The review provides a number of avenues for future research including technological, cultural, organizational, and behavioral aspects at different levels.

Practical implications

This study helps in offering a focal point to senior management in HEIs for realizing the requirements for developing appropriate strategies and programs to promote knowledge sharing among academics and consequently enhance their institutions’ performance.

Originality/value

This study utilized Jesson et al. (2011) in presenting a comprehensive systematic review of knowledge sharing specifically in the context of HEIs. This paper offers some theoretical and practical insights on what contributes toward understating the determinates affecting knowledge sharing practices among academics.

A model for assessment of uncertainty in tacit knowledge acquisition

Purpose

Expert systems have come to the forefront in the modeling of problems. One of the major problems facing the expert system designers is to develop an accurate knowledge base and a meaningful model of uncertainty associated with complex models. Decision-making is based on knowledge, and decision system support needs a knowledge base as well. An adequate knowledge acquisition (KA) process leads to accurate knowledge and improves the decision-making process. To manage the risk of a medical service (twin pregnancy in this case) a knowledge management system was created. The captured knowledge may be associated with an uncertainty. This study aims to introduce a method for evaluating the reliability of a tacit KA model. It assisted engineering managers in assessing and prioritizing risks. The study tried to use this method in risk management and new case in the health domain.

Design/methodology/approach

In this study, relevant variables were identified in the knowledge management literature reviews and the domain of expertise management. They are validated by a group of domain experts. Kendall’s W indicator was used to assess the degree of consensus. On the basis of combined cognitive maps, a cognitive network was constructed. Using Bayesian belief networks and fuzzy cognitive maps, an uncertainty assessment method of tacit KA was introduced. To help managers focus on major variables, a sensitivity analysis was conducted. Reliability of model was calculated for optimistic and pessimistic values. The applicability and efficacy of the proposed method were verified and validated with data from a medical university.

Findings

Results show that tacit KA uncertainty can be defined by independent variables, including environmental factors, personality and acquisition process factors. The reliability value shows the accuracy of the captured knowledge and the effectiveness of the acquisition process. The proposed uncertainty assessment method provides the reliability value of the acquisition model for knowledge engineers, so it can be used to implement the project and prevent failures in vital factors through necessary actions. If there is not a satisficed level of reliability, the KA project reliability can be improved by risk factors. The sensitivity analysis can help to select proper factors based on the resources. This approach mitigated some of the disadvantages of other risk evaluation methods.

Originality/value

The contribution of this study is to combine the uncertainty assessment with tacit KA based on fuzzy cognitive maps and the Bayesian belief networks approach. This approach used the capabilities of both narrative and computational approaches.

Transformational and Transactional Leadership Behaviours and their Effect on Knowledge Workers' Propensity for Knowledge Management Processes

This paper seeks to raise the question as to why knowledge management (KM) initiatives adopted by organisations fail to achieve the intended outcomes. Based on literature, it is argued, first, that internal leadership is the most critical antecedent which leads knowledge workers (KWs) propensity to engage in KM processes and second, that, transformational and transactional leader behaviours are the key predictors of KM propensity. Consequently, four types of transformational leader behaviours and two types of transactional leader behaviours are conceptualised as energisers of KWs propensity to KM processes and thus bring the KM success. Accordingly, the paper extends current understanding of the association between KM and leadership considering the specific leader behaviours in both transformational and transactional leadership theory where neither the KM nor the leadership field provides a detailed explanation of specific leader behaviours.

Should knowledge be shared generously? Tracing insights from past to present and describing a model

Purpose

The purpose of this study is to attempt to answer the following questions: Are people generous at work places? How often do we see people willing to share, when someone seeks knowledge from them without any expectation? What’s the point in having knowledge when somebody doesn’t share it? Then again, why do firms, reward employees to share their knowledge? ¬ ¬? Does sharing knowledge between people need a commercial acceptance or rewarding inspiration? In firms, people, who do not have relevant work-related knowledge, seek it from others. Thus, this implies that people can either share their knowledge or hoard knowledge or share partial knowledge. This research shows that sharing knowledge has existed for centuries and has been practised through generosity, with proof that the more you share the more you obtain in return. The authors analyse the role of generosity in sharing knowledge by tracing insights from literature, religion, science and modern day management scholarly views, and they show how it can lead firms to succeed. In this paper, the authors will propose a direction for future researchers on how developing generosity helps towards sharing knowledge. They also propose a model of generosity based on literature and its interpretation.

Design/methodology/approach

This paper is based on extensive reviews of literature, articles and opinions from scholars. The authors use a keyword protocol to investigate articles from Google scholar and other sources on generosity and knowledge sharing.

Findings

This paper finds significant relationships and validated shreds of evidence on how generosity towards knowledge sharing has helped humanity in the past and how generosity can help firms to succeed.

Originality/value

This paper is the first of its kind in trying to explore how developing generosity among people can play a role in facilitating knowledge sharing for firms to succeed. This further suggests a new direction of research for scholars engaged in exploring the role of generosity with a proposed model.

The interaction effect of organizational practices and employee values on knowledge management (KM) success

Purpose

– The purpose of this paper is to examine the interaction effect of organizational practices and values of employees on KM success in organizations.

Design/methodology/approach

– An online survey was undertaken covering 207 employees from the IT, Telecommunication, Food and Beverages and Banking industries in Sri Lanka. The data were analyzed with Partial Least Squares (PLS).

Findings

– Teamwork, incentives for KM and continuous learning influence employee propensity for KM positively. Furthermore, employee self-transcendence and employee openness to change, moderate the effect of both teamwork and incentives for KM on employee propensity for KM respectively. Yet, openness to change does not moderate the impact of continuous learning on employee propensity for KM.

Research limitations/implications

– A multi-level study which measures organizational practices at organizational level and individual values at individual level is a necessity in order to corroborate the present findings. The type of industry and gender should be further examined since they are found to influence values of employees.

Practical implications

– Not only organizational practices such as compensation, job design and performance management but also employee values should be aligned to KM. Thus, recruitment and selection as well as training and development become imperative for the success of KM initiatives.

Originality/value

– This is one of the first attempts to consider individual values in the context of KM and report an empirical study from Sri Lanka from where relatively few studies are reported.

Cultural camouflage--a critical study of how artefacts are camouflaged and mental health policy subverted

This study identifies hidden artefacts in a public organisation. In contrast to earlier studies, it focuses on artefacts as concealing rather than conveying meaning. Negligent behaviour caused by an unpopular culture was recognised in five psychiatric wards at a Swedish university hospital. Data comprising observations (87 h) and interviews (n = 60) were collected over a period of 48 months (2008-2011). Four different items used in everyday work representing a deeper meaning of the organisation were identified during the observations. The items selected were work attire, nametags, keys and restraint beds. These were considered particularly promising when it came to the aim of the study, namely, to find out how artefacts are camouflaged. The observations and the interviews revealed that these were controversial and contested artefacts in the organisation. The study uses the term 'cultural camouflage' for behaviour that ignores and consciously conceals symbols that have negative values. This concept contrasts with previous research that shows how artefacts are emphasised and how they contribute to the character of the activity in a transparent way. Conservative and backward-looking behaviour among staff provided one explanation as to why artefacts were concealed. Another was the need to establish harmonious internal interactions.