bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The Research Gap between Soil Biodiversity and Soil-Related Cultural Ecosystem Services
Authors: Oberreich Marlene , Steinhoff-Knopp Bastian , Burkhard Benjamin , Kleemann Janina
Published: September 2024

Soil and soil biodiversity are often a neglected component in assessments of ecosystems and their services. One of the reasons is the increasing complexity of scientific investigation of biotic and abiotic interactions and mechanisms from soil biodiversity and soil components via ecosystem structures, processes, and functions that finally provide specific ecosystem services for human well-being. In particular, soil-related cultural ecosystem services are missing in the publications on interactions. We tested this hypothesis by using a systematic literature analysis and taking Germany as a case study. The findings revealed a huge research gap. Among 2104 peer-reviewed scientific papers, covering all types of soil-related ecosystem services, only 28 publications were related to soil-related cultural ecosystem services in Germany. Furthermore, the terminological awareness of “ecosystem services” is still limited. The following five main categories for cultural soil-related ecosystem services were identified: (1) place of sense, (2) spiritual value, (3) recreation, (4) forecasts and measures, and (5) soil as an archive. Soil as an archive was further divided into storage, archaeological site, and reconstruction of the past. By highlighting the importance of cultural soil-related ecosystem services and their interactions with soil biodiversity, this study underlines the urgent need to better consider soil biodiversity and soil processes in ecosystem service assessments. This systemic and interdisciplinary approach increases also the societal and political relevance of soil.
Higher Unilateral Muscle Imbalance at the Contralateral Knee 6 Months after Anterior Cruciate Ligament Reconstruction
Authors: López de Dicastillo Leonor , Villalabeitia Jesús , Delgado Diego , Jorquera Cristina , Andrade Renato , Espregueira-Mendes João , Middleton Patrick , Sánchez Mikel
Published: September 2024

There are a considerable number of patients who, after anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction (ACL), suffer from relapses or reduced performance. Data collected from isokinetic dynamometry can provide useful information on the condition of the knee during rehabilitation. Seventy-one young sports patients with ACL reconstruction performed concentric (CON) isokinetic dynamometry (CON/CON 90°/s and CON/CON 240°/s) to assess the muscle strength of the quadriceps (Q) and hamstrings (H) in both knees at 6 months after ACL reconstruction. Limb symmetry index (LSI) and the H/Q ratio were calculated. Comparative statistical tests and multivariate regression were performed. At 90°/s, 57 patients (80.3%) had an LSI below 90% for quadriceps and 28 (60.6%) for hamstring. The number of imbalanced patients according to H/Q ratio was higher in the non-operated knee (n = 56, 78.9%) (p < 0.001). At 240°/s, 49 cases (69.1%) had LSI values above 90% for quadriceps and 37 (52.1%) for hamstrings. Regarding H/Q, imbalanced cases were higher in the non-operated limb (n = 60, 84.5%) (p < 0.001). Strength data at 6 months after ACL reconstruction and post-operative rehabilitation indicated greater unilateral (H/Q) muscle imbalance in the non-operated knee than in the operated knee. Most patients did not achieve the adequate LSI values.
Real-Time Machine Learning for Accurate Mexican Sign Language Identification: A Distal Phalanges Approach
Authors: García-Gil Gerardo , López-Armas Gabriela del Carmen , Sánchez-Escobar Juan Jaime , Salazar-Torres Bryan Armando , Rodríguez-Vázquez Alma Nayeli
Published: September 2024

Effective communication is crucial in daily life, and for people with hearing disabilities, sign language is no exception, serving as their primary means of interaction. Various technologies, such as cochlear implants and mobile sign language translation applications, have been explored to enhance communication and improve the quality of life of the deaf community. This article presents a new, innovative method that uses real-time machine learning (ML) to accurately identify Mexican sign language (MSL) and is adaptable to any sign language. Our method is based on analyzing six features that represent the angles between the distal phalanges and the palm, thus eliminating the need for complex image processing. Our ML approach achieves accurate sign language identification in real-time, with an accuracy and F1 score of 99%. These results demonstrate that a simple approach can effectively identify sign language. This advance is significant, as it offers an effective and accessible solution to improve communication for people with hearing impairments. Furthermore, the proposed method has the potential to be implemented in mobile applications and other devices to provide practical support to the deaf community.
Symmetric Keys for Lightweight Encryption Algorithms Using a Pre–Trained VGG16 Model
Authors: Khudhair Ala’a Talib , Maolood Abeer Tariq , Gbashi Ekhlas Khalaf
Published: September 2024

The main challenge within lightweight cryptographic symmetric key systems is striking a delicate balance between security and efficiency. Consequently, the key issue revolves around crafting symmetric key schemes that are both lightweight and robust enough to safeguard resource-constrained environments. This paper presents a new method of making long symmetric keys for lightweight algorithms. A pre–trained convolutional neural network (CNN) model called visual geometry group 16 (VGG16) is used to take features from two images, turn them into binary strings, make the two strings equal by cutting them down to the length of the shorter string, and then use XOR to make a symmetric key from the binary strings from the two images. The key length depends on the number of features in the two images. Compared to other lightweight algorithms, we found that this method greatly decreases the time required to generate a symmetric key and improves defense against brute force attacks by creating exceptionally long keys. The method successfully passed all 15 tests when evaluated using the NIST SP 800-22 statistical test suite and all Basic Five Statistical Tests. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first research to explore the generation of a symmetric encryption key using a pre–trained VGG16 model.
Diagnostic and Therapeutic Approach to Thoracic Outlet Syndrome
Authors: Rizzo Stefania , Talei Franzesi Cammillo , Cara Andrea , Cassina Enrico Mario , Libretti Lidia , Pirondini Emanuele , Raveglia Federico , Tuoro Antonio , Vaquer Sara , Degiovanni Sara , Cavalli Erica Michela , Marchesi Andrea , Froio Alberto , Petrella Francesco
Published: September 2024

Thoracic outlet syndrome (TOS) is a group of symptoms caused by the compression of neurovascular structures of the superior thoracic outlet. The knowledge of its clinical presentation with specific symptoms, as well as proper imaging examinations, ranging from plain radiographs to ultrasound, computed tomography and magnetic resonance imaging, may help achieve a precise diagnosis. Once TOS is recognized, proper treatment may comprise a conservative or a surgical approach.
Design, Topology Optimization, Manufacturing and Testing of a Brake Caliper MADE of Scalmalloy® for Formula SAE Race Cars
Authors: Vecchiato Luca , Capraro Federico , Meneghetti Giovanni
Published: September 2024

This paper details the conceptualization, design, topology optimization, manufacturing, and validation of a hydraulic brake caliper for Formula SAE race cars made of Scalmalloy®, an innovative Al-Mg-Sc alloy which was never adopted before to manufacture a brake caliper. A monoblock fixed caliper with opposing pistons was developed, focusing on reducing mass for a fixed braking force. The design process began with a theoretical analysis to establish braking force and pressure requirements, followed by preliminary design and topology optimization. The caliper was then manufactured using laser powder bed fusion (LPBF). Comprehensive experimental validation, including testing with static and rotating brake discs on an inertial dynamometer, confirmed the expected caliper’s performance, with the results showing strong alignment with finite element analysis estimations. In particular, strain and displacement measurements showed excellent correlation with numerical estimates, validating the design’s accuracy and effectiveness.
The Pathogenesis of CKD–Associated Pruritus: A Theoretical Model and Relevance for Treatment
Authors: Brennan Frank
Published: September 2024

Our understanding of the pathogenesis of uremic pruritus (also known as CKD–associated pruritus [CKD-aP]) remains elusive. Although multiple discrete changes in the immunochemical milieu of the skin of patients with CKD-aP have been described, a coherent theory of mechanism is absent. This article proposes a theoretical model of mechanism. It concentrates on the initiation phase of CKD-aP and its three parts: (1) genesis, triggered by first precipitants; (2) cascade of cytokine release that follows and the cross-talking of multiple skin cells with each other and afferent nerve fibers; and (3) enhancement. The limitation of the model will be described and ideas for future research proposed. Implications for management shall be examined.
Collective Transformation: Fostering Peer-Driven Transformational Leadership in Communities of Practice
Authors: ZHANG XUEYING
Published: September 2024

While transformational leadership (TL) thrives in uncertain environments through knowledge exploration, research often focuses on the top-down dynamics between managers and employees. This study analyzes peer-driven TL within communities of practice (CoPs). Effective TL involves personal changes that trigger similar transformations in others. With their emphasis on knowledge creation and innovation, CoPs facilitate TL development, community growth, and reliable environments that engender transformative responses among members. Through a comprehensive literature review, detailed analyses, and semi-structured interviews, this study examines the conditions that foster CoPs as facilitators for mutual TL among peers. A novel perspective on TL within CoPs is revealed, shifting focus from unidirectional manager–employee dynamics to peer-to-peer leadership emergence. By nurturing the conditions of role equality and shared narratives, organizations can pursue collective growth, empower employees, and propel organizational transformation through a network of decentralized leadership.
Ba in Projects and Programs: Creating the Habitat That Nurtures Knowledge
Authors: Villa Tiziano
Published: September 2024

By their nature, projects and programs are temporary and innovative initiatives, crowded by knowledge workers who are called to interact, discuss, collaborate, in an ad-hoc way of working due the uniqueness of the projectized environment. Because of this, one of the main challenges for project and program managers is “how to address the knowledge dimension”. In other word “how to create the habitat that nurtures knowledge, mainly the tacit one”. Creating the right Ba is the turning point. Of course, during the project/program life cycle, many and different Ba must be created and lived. This paper is aimed at discussing in a very practical way a collection of projectized Ba. They are: Ba for project risks identification according to a predictive approach; Ba for project sprint retrospective according to an agile approach; Ba for organizational change readiness in a large program; Ba for moving from project delivery to business value. Each Ba fosters the engagement of knowledge workers in sharing their tacit knowledge towards the common goal of the project/program. Is your project at risk of colliding with the iceberg of knowledge? Does the tacit knowledge remain in the deep layers of the iceberg? Doesn’t the register of lessons learned tell the true life of the project? Aren't project key people engaged in sharing knowledge? This paper can help you.
Identifying The Knowledge Spillover Hotspot and its Role in Neighbouring Country Innovation
Authors: Darfo-Oduro Raymond Kwame Adane , Stejskal Jan
Published: September 2024

The question on how to finance innovation activities of countries has taken a center stage in economic policy discussions in countries and among regional bodies. Such discussions require a policy direction to present alternative ways of financing innovation activities at lower cost in the face of dwindling resource available to countries and regional bodies for innovation activities. One important way of dealing with this challenge is to invest the limited resources in countries and sectors with the potential of higher knowledge spillover to benefit other countries and sectors. In this study therefore, we investigate to determine the knowledge spillover hotspot countries in Europe and how they affect neighbouring country’s innovation performance. For the purposes of policy to improve innovation performance in Europe, the knowledge spillover hotspot countries will guide European regional bodies to concentrate innovation investments in countries with the potential of high knowledge spillovers for the benefit of other countries. The study specifically investigated R&D spillover and explicit knowledge spillover hotspots in the manufacturing sectors of Europe and their effects.  Data for the study is unstructured and sourced from the World bank with the longest spans being 2005 to 2020 and shortest being 2013 to 2017. In all, nine countries were sampled based on data availability for the study. These countries include Poland, Germany, Slovakia, Slovenia, Lithuania, Belgium, France, Spain and Czech Republic. The study employed panel data analysis. Based on the Hausman test, fixed effect model was chosen as against random effect model. The results of the study show that after controlling for institutional and economic factors and ensuring robustness against heteroskedasticity and autocorrelation R&D spillover hotspots in Europe include Germany and Slovakia whereas explicit knowledge spillover hotspots are Poland, Slovenia, Lithuania and France. The results of the study have shown that the relationship between knowledge spillover from the hotspot countries and surrounding country’s innovation varies. For some of the hotspots, the relationship is linear whilst in others the relationship is nonlinear. The study also confirm that explicit knowledge is more susceptible to Knowledge  spillover.
Internet Treatment is a Blessing or a Curse: Health Knowledge Management
Authors: Żywiołek Justyna
Published: September 2024

The social distancing, isolation and shortage of health workers, as well as the COVID-19 pandemic, as well as the ageing of the society requiring healthcare, influenced the fast pace of digital innovation and the implementation of new technologies and even digital services in healthcare health. Is this transformation a blessing or a curse for healthcare? To answer this question, we conducted a literature review on new technologies, innovations in medicine and e-health. A research survey was also carried out in three countries and the Servqual analysis made it possible to estimate the trust in modern technologies for e-health and the trust of surveyors in these methods.
Digital Technological Solutions in Knowledge Transfer in Higher Education
Authors: Piersiala Luiza
Published: September 2024

In a world of constant change and ongoing technological globalization, the challenges facing education are multidimensional. The modern generation of the academic community, especially technical universities, is increasingly demanding in terms of teaching materials: they expect dynamism, a digital approach and very good visual quality. The knowledge provided to them should be presented in an engaging way and using the latest technologies. The world in which society functions, especially young people, is described as a nanosecond culture, i.e. one in which everything is expected to be available immediately. Education has been digitized. Remote learning forced a change in the way knowledge was transferred. Classes and the method of transmitting knowledge should be adjusted to current requirements and the surrounding reality, which will be attractive, immersive and motivating for further learning for students. Traditional ways of education are no longer sufficient to meet society's complex expectations as people often change careers, seek new educational opportunities, and have difficulty coping with life, work, and competing for educational demands. The article is an attempt to answer the question: what digital methods and tools are used by students in the process of acquiring knowledge. Which of them are the most effective? The CAWI method was used for research. The respondents were full-time and part-time students of the first cycle (bachelor's/engineer's studies) and the second cycle (supplementary master's studies). The time scope of the analysis covers the period from November 2023 to December 2023. A survey was carried out with the participation of 245 student representatives.
Collaborative Policy Development for Effective, Flexible Working
Authors: Ryan Linda
Published: September 2024

In the post-COVID environment, work flexibility is an increasingly important factor in employee attraction and retention.  This new way of working is particularly challenging in the public sector as it is bound by high levels of rules, regulations and bureaucracy.  Academic literature on the post-Covid ways of working is limited as the research takes time to catch up to current practices and does not fully capture or address the novel issues currently faced by public sector managers. With the increasing demand for flexible working, it is vital to explore how public sector organisations exploit opportunities and avoid potential risks in this new way of working.  Through our empirical study with a public sector organisation, it is argued that the rapid shift to flexible working was possible as it leveraged off the pre-COVID organisational culture.  High levels of organic tacit knowledge exchange were possible through staff’s physical proximity in the workplace.  Under new flexible work practices, this is often no longer the case. For sustainable, effective knowledge exchange, operational policies must capture, consider and support operant knowledge exchange in this new geographically dispersed work environment.  Drawing on service design theory and public sector management literature, this study generates managerial and policy learnings, practices, and methodologies for collaborative work policy development. Firstly, we demonstrate that, as traditional operational policies focus on quantifiable, explicit knowledge and communication, a new user-centred approach to policy development is required.  It demonstrates the managerial need for collaborative policy development, which engages staff in capturing both explicit and tacit knowledge for effective operations.  Secondly, it identifies the implications of the loss of tacit knowledge exchange, particularly for staff new to the organisation. It highlights the implications of moving to online forms of engagement and collaboration and the impact on knowledge development and exchange.  Thirdly, we show the importance of critical reflection within co-creative policy development.  Critical reflection provides staff with opportunities and resources to question old practices, reflect on new practices and construct knowledge collaboratively.
How to Create New Business Knowledge Through Multi-Disciplinary Discussion
Authors: Hirose Yayoi
Published: September 2024

Generating innovative high-tech business in the DX (digital transformation) era requires the formation of multi-disciplinary teams, which include engineers and business experts or large companies and technology ventures. However, each team member tends to focus on certain objectives: Engineers aim to develop highly advanced technology, believing it will be in high demand, whereas business experts want engineers to follow their marketing strategies. The knowledge that is deemed necessary for generating innovative products or services differs between these groups. Thus, generating new business knowledge requires that members of multi-disciplinary teams disrupt their conventional ways of thinking, understand each other, exchange knowledge, and ultimately generate new knowledge. Previous literature on knowledge creation mainly discusses the generation of new knowledge within or between organizations that have relatively the same goals and organizational values, such as how to build trusting relationships for knowledge creation and exchange. However, as modern society comprises various fields of experts and numerous values, the discussion of knowledge exchange and creation needs to include knowledge creation among experts who have previously focused on different goals and values. Furthermore, generating innovative business requires individuals to disrupt their conventional ways of thinking, but previous studies on knowledge creation rarely mention how to do so in order to create innovative knowledge. Thus, this study aims to explore the impediments to new knowledge creation and proposes a new model that overcomes these impediments through multi-disciplinary discussions.
Corporate Taxonomy Mapping for Performance-Supporting KM
Authors: Nakash Maayan
Published: September 2024

Taxonomies are controlled vocabularies and multidimensional frameworks for organizing and classifying content. This study is the first to examine the meanings chief knowledge officers (CKOs) ascribe to corporate taxonomy mapping for enabling sustainable performance-driven knowledge management (KM). Utilizing a qualitative methodology, the research corpus comprised in-depth interviews, focus groups, participant observation, and cyber-ethnography. The findings underscore the essential role of investing resources in systematic taxonomy management as a cornerstone for attaining excellence in KM. Empirical evidence is provided for the critical importance of consistent taxonomies in establishing standardized terminology, facilitating systematic knowledge retrieval, and streamlining access within KM systems. Insight is provided into the constraints of contemporary technological advancements, including the capabilities of auto-tagging and classification through artificial intelligence (AI) and natural language processing (NLP) techniques. We underscore the nuanced interaction between human cognition and automated human-like capabilities in taxonomic classification, stressing the importance of embracing a balanced leadership socio-technical approach to the dynamic development of taxonomies. Furthermore, the study proposes promising avenues for future research to enhance the depth of inquiry into this subject matter.
International Assignments Management in a Knowledge-intensive Organisation: A Case Study
Authors: Gradim Adriana , Vale José , Vale Vera
Published: September 2024

Knowledge represents a crucial part of the development of intellectual capital (IC). Therefore, the way knowledge is managed can impact IC creation and/or loss in an organisation. However, the need to manage knowledge resides in the strategic perspective of knowledge to sustain competitive advantage in a knowledge economy, especially in the context of international assignments. This work has the goal of understanding how personnel mobility affects the knowledge and intellectual capital management of a knowledge-intensive organisation. This study therefore applies a qualitative methodology to analyse how knowledge and intellectual capital are managed in the context of international assignments from a Portuguese knowledge-intensive organisation. Exploratory interviews and direct observation were used to achieve the goal of this study. This work identifies three main knowledge management processes that are involved in the context of international assignments, namely knowledge transfer, knowledge sharing and knowledge hiding. The goal is to increase knowledge transfer and sharing behaviours while reducing knowledge hiding ones. This study goes further and identifies that power, motivation and culture can influence the way these processes occur in an organisation Considering the work here presented, the results cannot be generalised to other organisations and industries due to the nature of the applied methodology, but it can serve as a benchmark for other organisations in the same industry. If other researchers find this topic interesting, it would be pertinent to conduct research in other organisations and industries to achieve a broader understanding and compare results.
Using Agent-Based Simulation to Investigate the Dynamics of Knowledge-Exchange in Organisations
Authors: Rudawska Aleksandra , Ingram Fred J.
Published: September 2024

Knowledge-sharing between employees is a complex and dynamic interpersonal process that we investigate using a system thinking approach. Individuals make their knowledge-related decisions (seeking, sharing, hiding knowledge) based on various factors (their traits, experiences, perception of others and the context). Overall, organizational knowledge-sharing is a product of behavioural dependencies and changes in the behavioural patterns of individuals as well as the interactions between individuals and groups.
In this paper, our goal is to investigate how employees’ reactions to the behaviours of others in the organization, due to disruption or individual behavioural strategy, affect the extent of knowledge-sharing over time. To do this we identify several feedback loops in solicited knowledge-sharing interactions and build an agent-based simulation model of knowledge-sharing in 40-person organization. We perform two ‘in silico’ experiments. The first investigates the organizational consequences of a local disruption that immediately reduces the inclination to seek and share knowledge of a group of individuals. The second experiment compares the organizational consequences of four strategies for deselecting individuals who have previously declined to share knowledge.
The results of the first experiment show that the local event causing higher likelihood of knowledge-rejection affects the overall organizational knowledge exchange due to disruptions in knowledge-seeking attempts. The second experiment indicates that knowledge source selecting strategy reduces not only rejection rates, protecting emotion resources of the seeker, but also reduces knowledge seeking attempts and knowledge-sharing. Empirical studies are needed to obtain more data to enhance the model’s realism and to verify or refute the modelling assumptions.
Business Transformation Powered by Knowledge Management in the Context of Corporate Sustainability
Authors: Pawłowski Krystian
Published: September 2024

The economic objectives in the different stages of the development of industrial era enterprises were operationalised by changing paradigms. After the industrial revolution and mass production stages, the economies of scale paradigm was followed by the waste elimination paradigm initiated by Toyota, based on the assumption that it is possible to reduce the costs of producing a car without employing the economies of scale. Lean companies improved their ability to meet individual customer needs but continued to be equipped with capital-intensive fixed assets with limited flexibility, thus seeking to extend product series and life cycles. The development of technology accompanying the above organisational changes aimed at increasing the agility of enterprises and the concept of KM 4.0 concluded the fourth stage of industrial production development. A new market objectives of enterprises was the customisation of a product to the individual requirements of a specific customer, characteristic of engineering-to-order production, but with the guarantee of low prices and short delivery cycle times typical of mass production. This paper addresses the issue of the relationship between the level of incorporation of KM 4.0 methods and tools allowing for transformation from Mass production to Mass Customization and the possibility of achieving objectives in terms of economic, human resources and environmental aspects. The empirical research covered 150 medium-sized and large enterprises operating in Poland in various industries. In summary, it can be concluded that there is a correlation between the implementation level of chosen KM 4.0 methods and tools supporting product customisation and the level of efficiency in terms of achieving "triple bottom line" goals in the aspect of economics, the aspect of human resources and the aspect of ecological goals. The methods indicated above largely concern operational and production processes and allow flexible delivery of highly customised products at a price comparable to that of mass products. The conditions and developments in the knowledge economy mean that modern organisations need to build an organisational strategy based at an operational level on KM methods and tools.
Community-Led Innovation: Lessons from VEB2023, European Capital of Culture Programme
Authors: Lorincz Katalin , Hargitai Judit
Published: September 2024

The "Microgrant" funding scheme launched under the Veszprém-Balaton2023 aimed to ignite creativity and innovation within local communities, businesses, and organizations in Veszprém and the Balaton region, as part of the European Capital of Culture initiative. Facilitated by the Veszprém-Balaton Region Public Foundation for Culture 2022-2023, this initiative utilized a unique four-round framework wherein community-driven projects ranging from community gardens to cultural exhibitions were presented and evaluated through a community decision-making process. Utilizing a cooperative board game format, the community decision-making process ensured diverse perspectives were considered, fostering consensus among jury members. The Microgrant project, with a funding pool of HUF 350,000 (approx. EUR 915), sought to empower local communities by supporting small-scaled projects all year round. These projects not only enriched the local cultural landscape but also fostered community cohesion and engagement. The research methodology approached the issue of social innovation from several angles. Structured interviews were conducted with VEB2023 staff (7 people) to map the application process and the community decision-making process, a questionnaire survey measured the opinions of jury members involved in community decision-making (64 people), and spatial and thematic characteristics were used to examine the 241 winning mini-proposals. The paper delves into the practical implementation of community decision-making process, focusing on innovation, sustainability and adaptability. Beyond economic considerations, these initiatives have indirectly contributed to enhancing the subjective quality of life, diversifying the cultural offerings of the Lake Balaton region, and shaping the attitudes of residents towards community involvement and cultural preservation. Based on the outcomes, new inquiries arise: How can we leverage community decision-making, a methodology closely intertwined with the social dimension of sustainability, in forthcoming initiatives? How might this approach be flexibly adapted to various settlement and spatial development blueprints? And what are the key attributes that describe the potential of small-scaled communities?
Capability Development for Within-Organization Distinctiveness in Sub-Brand Products: A Case Study in the Media Industry
Authors: Piepponen Amanda , Maijanen Päivi , Jantunen Ari , Ritala Paavo
Published: September 2024

Digital transformation necessitates firms to continuously innovate their product and service portfolios, which drives firms to develop their capabilities accordingly. While adapting to the evolving environment, incumbent firms develop new digital offerings that both seek novelty but also build on the existing brands and capabilities. Using a single case study design with 27 interviews from a media company, this study explores the capability development in the context of an incumbent creating a new, digital sub-brand and seeking a within-organization optimal distinctiveness. This study examines how an incumbent firm develops its capabilities and what organizational factors and practices facilitate and hinder the development of the new sub-brand and its associated capabilities. The findings show that developing capabilities for internal distinctiveness is a complex, organizationally embedded challenge that requires consideration of distinctive skills, professional norms and values, and how managerial and technical structures and systems are set up.
Knowledge Transfer Across Borders in Multinational Companies
Authors: Liu Gang , Zhao Yixiao , Saleem Sumbal Muhammad
Published: September 2024

Hong Kong S.A.R., China is one of the most economically prosperous areas in the world, with numerous multinational companies (MNCs) operating here. It is of vital importance for MNCs to leverage their knowledge across the entire organization, including both the head office and overseas branches. However, many MNCs struggle with knowledge transfer across borders due to the differences in national cultural and institutional factors. Therefore, this research seeks to explore these factors affecting knowledge transfer in MNCs in the Hong Kong S.A.R., China. Six semi-structured interviews with professional practitioners were carried out. Knowledge is transferred in MNCs mainly by three processes, namely, on-the-job training, knowledge-sharing sessions, and knowledge retention of leaving employees. Cultural differences including language differences, geography differences and power distance, technical factors, and institutional differences, including organizational structure differences, senior management support, and employee motivation do affect knowledge transfer of MNCs. This study adds new insights into knowledge transfer issues across the boundaries of MNCs in Hong Kong. It provides significant managerial implications that are helpful to these multinational organizations to achieve effective knowledge management in the global context to overcome cultural and institutional obstacles.
Adopting a Learning Organization Philosophy to Promote Knowledge: Sharing in the University
Authors: Mhlongo Patrick
Published: September 2024

Higher education institutions, as with organizations in other sectors, are operating in an environment characterized by rapid change, complexity, competition and stakeholder demands. Therefore, these institutions are continuously exploring and adopting effective strategic approaches to survive and remaining competitive. The Learning Organization philosophy is one of the concepts that has been predominantly adopted by organizations in the private sector in order to remain competitive. The aim of this study was to investigate the applicability of a Learning Organization philosophy as a strategy to promote knowledge-sharing across functional boundaries in a university. The study adopted a survey design underpinned by a post-positivism philosophical worldview. Hence, a cross-sectional design was adopted. Stratified simple random sampling was used to select participants from a population of employees at a University of Technology. The data collection instrument used in the study was a self-administered questionnaire. The Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) was used to analyze the data. Overall, the findings of the study revealed that the adoption of a Learning Organization philosophy would promote knowledge-sharing beyond functional boundaries in Universities of Technology. Knowledge in an organizational context is regarded as a strategic asset and the Learning Organization is regarded as a philosophy that fosters knowledge creation and sharing. It is through learning that knowledge is created, and knowledge becomes useful when it is shared. Therefore, this study provides organizations, especially Universities of Technology, with necessary insights into the adoption of a Learning Organization philosophy as a strategy to promote knowledge-sharing beyond functional boundaries.
From Concept to Market: Integrating Organizational Knowledge Creation to Bridge Technology and Business Gaps
Authors: Hansen Irina-Emily , Mork Ola Jon , Kleppe Paul Steffen , Giske Lars Andre
Published: September 2024

This study explores the intersection of project development and organizational knowledge creation within the context of industry-academia collaboration, applying Nonaka and Takeuchi's organizational knowledge creation model as the theoretical framework. Conducted at the Manufacturing Laboratory (Manulab) at the Norwegian University of Science and Technology in Aalesund, the research investigates how integrating academic research into industrial applications can be optimized through effective knowledge management and the use of practical tools. The findings emphasize the critical role of knowledge workers, including researchers, engineers, sales managers, and decision-makers from the industry, in every project phase. A significant focus is placed on the Manulab-industry competence-building process, which progresses in parallel with the Technology Readiness Level and Business Readiness Level axes. This dual advancement strategy ensures that technological innovations meet both technical standards and market needs, enhancing their commercial viability. The study demonstrates that adopting a structured framework incorporating TRL and BRL helps overcome common challenges such as the creation of technically sound but commercially unviable technologies. Additionally, the integration of simulation platforms has facilitated the active involvement of diverse stakeholders throughout the development process, improving the practical application of Nonaka and Takeuchi's model. Specifically, the research tests two hypotheses: (1) that the use of TRL and BRL frameworks for tracking and verifying project progress is a practical tool for applying Nonaka and Takeuchi's model, and (2) that the use of simulation platforms in the product development process, by involving diverse stakeholders, significantly improves the alignment and synchronization of technology and business concept development. The research concludes that successful implementation of academic research in industrial settings requires a comprehensive understanding of organizational knowledge creation, strategic collaboration, and the use of practical tools like TRL and BRL. These findings advocate for a systematic approach to project development that emphasizes both theoretical knowledge and actionable insights for effective industry-academia collaboration.
Measuring The Process of Knowledge Transmission and Absorption in The Organization
Authors: Szymczyk Katarzyna
Published: September 2024

The aim of the paper is to identify the degree of knowledge sharing and measure the scale of behavior related to giving and receiving knowledge in the organization. The author of this study focuses on presenting and analyzing the results of a quantitative survey conducted among 131 academy employees. Academic teachers and non-academic staff participated in the study conducted in March-April 2024 based on a questionnaire developed by R.E. De Vries, B. Van den Hoff, and J.A. De Ridder in 2006. A five-point Likert scale was used to measure the knowledge transfer and absorption scale. The study results showed that the transmission of knowledge and its absorption generally occur evenly. This means that employees, on the one hand, share knowledge, but on the other hand, they are also willing to use and acquire knowledge from others. This may result from a specific behavioral model created because of the conditions imposed in the organization, or it was created due to the need for cooperation and co-help in sharing knowledge to facilitate and improve work. The presented study is preliminary and requires further development to enrich the actual knowledge-sharing subjects' theory and practice. Yet, the presented data can be useful in comparative analyses and other deepening studies on similar matters.
A Case Study on how Space Agencies are Capitalizing on Space Projects: Lessons Learned Through Capture Events
Authors: Gibek Isabelle , Herd Andrew , Galarreta Daniel , Cavan Estelle , Castanet Fabien
Published: September 2024

The issue of effectively learning from experience through Lessons Learned (LL) is a long-standing one. Its deployment in the space sector, although more recent, is a well-established issue in the space business. Both the European Space Agency (ESA) and the French Space Agency (CNES) include Lessons Learned capitalization in their processes regarding development of orbital systems. One of the goal of these activities is to improve the risk assessment managed by the project teams, by providing them with lessons learned coming from previous projects. Management procedures, technical standards and handbooks used by the projects can also be improved as a result of the lessons capitalization. There are several steps in the capitalization process. Lessons Learned proposals need to be collected, then analyzed by experts, shared and agreed before being turned into understandable and usable lessons. Finally, these lessons need to be made available to the potential users. The first step in the capitalization is to collect the lessons, which is time consuming. People working in space projects do not usually produce lessons on their own. In order to help them, both agencies have organized Lessons Learned capture events, gathering people working on a project, and inviting them to elaborate collectively the Lessons Learned from their project experience. Attendees can come not only from the agencies, but also from their partners (for example other agencies, industrial companies). The paper deals with how ESA and CNES apply their LL processes. It especially describes the case study of capture events (preparation, typical description of an event, outcomes). The emphasis is put on the methods used both to have participants committed to the approach and to produce useful lessons. Events typical examples are given. Finally, the paper compares ESA and CNES approaches and insists on the benefits capture events can bring to Organizations.
Trust is a Factor Determining the Sharing of Knowledge Among Employees of Modern Organizations
Authors: Gajda Joanna
Published: September 2024

In the conditions of a knowledge-based economy, the basic and necessary factor responsible for the transfer of this resource is organizational trust. Organizational trust triggers employees' willingness to cooperate to share knowledge. Without trust in the work environment, skepticism and reluctance to participate in the exchange of knowledge prevail among employees, which makes it difficult to use it in everyday activities. Aim. The aim of the article is to examine the relationship between trust and knowledge sharing due to the importance of these factors in building organizational effectiveness. Method. Quantitative research was carried out in Poland using the CAWI method. In order to carry out the research, an original survey questionnaire was prepared and distributed to respondents via the Internet. The research group consisted of 358 people.Results: The research results revealed differences between the socio-demographic characteristics of research participants and the factors of trust in the management staff and members of the employee team that favor knowledge sharing. Conclusions: The research results expand knowledge of the conditions that should be met in an organization so that its members can gain confidence in sharing knowledge. Knowledge obtained from the analysis of own research results may be useful for the organization. It allows you to increase your superiors' awareness of the need to make efforts and take actions to build trust among employees.
Knowledge Transfer Dynamics in Family Businesses Through Digitalisation: A Systematic Literature Review
Authors: Talarico Alessia , Lorena Antonio , Zoccali Ludovica , Ventura Marzia
Published: September 2024

In the current unpredictable and constantly evolving scenario, knowledge is a strategic resource for businesses (Argote L., Ingram P., 2000), particularly in the case of family businesses (Zapata – Cantu L. et al., 2023). In this context knowledge transfer is most important and technology and innovation can concretely support the transfer of information, both inside and outside organizations; but family businesses are not very technology-oriented (Bouncken R. & Schmitt F., 2022). So, the aim of this study is to understand how digitalization could impact on knowledge transfer dynamics in family businesses and in particular on codifying explicit knowledge, on transfer of tacit knowledge and on generational succession in family businesses.
Artificial Intelligence in Medicine: Opportunities and Challenges
Authors: Darvishmohammadi Tahmineh , Özkal Ayşe , Özkal Ahmet Selim
Published: September 2024

Currently, artificial intelligence (AI) is used in many fields of medicine such as cardiology, endocrinology, neurology, and particularly gastroenterology where AI increases the quality of images obtained from related imaging techniques. Also, medical diagnosis is greatly affected by AI algorithms and deep learning techniques. AI shows potential for not only monitoring and managing treatment plans but also promises accurate diagnosis and prediction of diseases. This paper aims to review the future opportunities and challenges of AI applications in medicine. The results show a bright future with multiple opportunities in medical diagnosis, radiology, and pathology fields with increasing accuracy, image quality, and decreasing radiation dose. Additionally, AI will facilitate medical research studies which is a great contribution to the medical world. Challenges and ethical limitations will be mostly related to the validity and reliability of data, bias, responsibility issues, risks and unpredictable consequences, and equitable application which need establishing clear guidelines and regulations. This paper suggests a more extended educational program for both healthcare professionals and patients to achieve the best result.