Literature review for C-Sand: knowledge management

This paper draws on primary and secondary data to propose a taxonomy of strategies, or "schools," for knowledge management. The primary purpose of this framework is to guide executives on choices to initiate knowledge management projects according to goals, organizational character, and technological, behavioural, or economic biases. It may also be useful to teachers in demonstrating the scope of knowledge management and to researchers in generating propositions for further study. Eden, C. and F. Ackermann (1998). Making Strategy: the Journey of Strategic Management. London, Sage. Edvinsson, L. and M. Malone (1997). Intellectual Capital. London, Judy Piatkus Limited. Egbu, C. and K. Botterill (2001). Knowledge Management and Intellectual Capital: Benefits for project based industries. CoBRA. National and international governments, practitioners and academics have identified the area of knowledge management (KM) as critical for organisational and national competitiveness. Similarly, intellectual capital (IC) in the form of human capital is also seen as vital for project and organisational effectiveness. Managing knowledge and human capital is particularly relevant to the construction industry which is characterised by projects that are prototypical in nature , has temporary multi-disciplinary teams and structures Literature review for C-Sand 19/02/2002 Volume 1 46 and relies heavily on experiences as a basis for planning, decision making and the forming of project and organisational networks. This paper is based on an on-going postgraduate research study, which is aimed at investigating the role of knowledge management and intellectual capital assets on organisational innovations in project based industries. The study employs a combination of research approaches, including ethnographic interviews, postal questionnaires, and the analysis of archive documentation. Through a thorough review of the relevant literature and interviews with personnel from different organisations and project environments, the paper explores the challenges associated with understanding and applying KM and IC, together with the practical benefits that could ensure from their effective management. Lessons for the construction industry and for surveying practices in particular are also highlighted. The paper concludes that the effective management of KM and IC has the potential to contribute to time saving, cost reduction, improved supply chain management, respect for people, trust building ad improves process and product innovations. It is suggested that there is ample scope for empirical investigations in the areas of KM and IC, especially from a human resources management perspective. There is also a need for improved awareness of these important areas in construction and the quantitative and qualitative measurements of the contribution of KM and IC to projects and to organisational strategy. Espejo, R. (1993). Giving Requisite variety to strategy and Information systems. Systems Science, Plenum Press. Fahey, L. and L. Prusak. (1998). "The eleven deadliest sins of knowledge management. " California Management Review 40(3): 265-277. This article draws attention to a number of errors that could potentially cripple the efforts of any organization attempting to generate and leverage knowledge. Many of these errors are associated with the concept of knowledge itself how knowledge is understood in organizational settings. The article notes the sources of each error as well as some key implications for managing knowledge. It concludes with some brief suggestions on how to avoid, or at least ameliorate these errors. (Reprinted by permission of the publisher.) Friend, J. and A. Hickling (1997). Planning Under Pressure: the Strategic Choice Approach. Oxford, Butterworth-Heinemann. Gabriel, Y. (2000). Storytelling in Organisations. Oxford, Oxford University Press. This reference is made from an Imperial Collage Alumni presentation Details fround in early part of notebook 8. Galliers, B. and S. Newell (2001). Back to the future: From knowledge management to data management. The 9th European Conference on Information Systems, Bled, Slovenia, Moderna Obganizacija,. This paper argues for a return to fundamentals as we enter the new millennium. It argues that the field of Information Systems should no longer be distracted from its natural locus of concern and competence, or claim more than it can actually achieve. More specifically, and as a case in point, we Literature review for C-Sand 19/02/2002 Volume 1 47 eschew IT-enabled Knowledge Management, both in theory and in practice. We view Knowledge Management as the most recent in a long line of fads and fashions embraced by the Information Systems community that have little to offer. Rather we argue for a refocusing of attention back on the management of data, since IT processes data not information and certainly not knowledge. In so doing, we develop a model that provides a tentative means of distinguishing between these terms. This model also forms the basis for ongoing empirical research designed to test the efficacy of our argument in a number of case companies currently implementing ERP and Knowledge Management Systems Gold, A. H. , A. Malhotra, et al. (2001). "Knowledge management: An organizational capabilities perspective. " Journal of Management Information Systems 18(1): 185214. A hallmark of the new economy is the ability of organizations to realize economic value from their collection of knowledge assets as well as their assets of information, production distribution, and affiliation. Despite the competitive necessity of becoming a knowledge-based organization, senior managers have found it difficult to transform their firms through programs of knowledge management. This is particularly true if their organizations have long histories of process and a tradition of business success. This research examines the issue of effective knowledge management from the perspective of organizational capabilities. This perspective suggests that a knowledge infrastructure consisting of technology, structure, and culture along with a knowledge process architecture of acquisition, conversion, application, and protection are essential organizational capabilities or "preconditions" for effective knowledge management. Through analysis of surveys collected from over 300 senior executives, this research empirically models and uncovers key aspects of these dimensions. The results provide a basis for understanding the competitive predisposition of a firm as it enters a program of knowledge management. Goleman, D. (1985). Vital Lies, Simple Truths :The Psychology of Self-Deception. London, Bloomsbury. Hansen, M. T. , N. Nohria, et al. (1999). "What's your strategy for managing knowledge? " Harvard Business Review: 106-116. Some companies automate knowledge management; others rely on their people to share knowledge through more traditional means. Emphasizing the wrong approach or trying to pursue both at the same time can quickly undermine your business. Hedlund, G. (1994). "A Model of Knowledge Management and the N-form Corporation. " Strategic Management Journal 15: 73-90. A model of knowledge management is developed. It builds on the interplay between articulated and tacit knowledge at 4 different levels: the individual, the small group, the organization, and the interorganizational domain. The model is applied on differences between Western and Japanese patterns of knowledge management. These are related to organizational characteristics, Literature review for C-Sand 19/02/2002 Volume 1 48 such as employment systems, career patterns, and organization structure. Effective knowledge management is argued to require departures from the logic of hierarchical organization and the M-form structure. The alternative N-form is characterized and suggested as more appropriate. It entails combination of knowledge rather than its division, which is the basic principle of the M-form. Other attributes of the N-form are temporary constellations of people, the importance of personnel at lower levels, lateral communication, a catalytic and architectural role for top management, strategies aimed at focusing and economies of depth, and hierarchical structures. Howard, N. , P. Bennett, et al. (1993). "Manifesto for a Theory of Drama and Irrational Choice. " Journal of the Operational Research Society 44(1): 99-103. Kelly, G. A. (1955). The psychology of personal constructs. New York, W.W. Norton. Leask, C. , R. Seaward, et al. (1999). "Combining Methodologies: Issues arising, and lessons learned, from developing a knowledge management system. " This paper examines how more that one methodology can be used in an industrial setting to achieve a desirable outcome, and critically evaluates the degree to which the methodologies and methodology users can be effectively combined. It is written in the context of projects that analyse and design a system to facilitate effective knowledge sharing. Leonard, D. (1995). Wellsprings of Knowledge. Boston, Massachusetts, Harvard Business School Press. Levy, M. , C. Loebbecke, et al. (2001). SMEs, Co-opitition and knowledge sharing: The IS role. Global Co-Operation in the New Millennium The 9th European Conference on Information Systems, Bled, Slovenia. Co-opetition, simultaneous co-operation and competition, is a recent phenomenon. Co-opetition entails sharing knowledge that may be a key source of competitive advantage. Yet, the knowledge gained by co-operation may also be used for competition. There is little investigation of how this problem may be modelled and, hence, managed. A game-theoretic framework for analysing inter-organisational knowledge sharing under co-opetition and guidelines for the management of explicit knowledge, predicated on coordination and control theory has been proposed, but remains untested. This research empirically investigates these issues in the context of small and medium-sized