bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
When lobbying backfires: balancing lobby efforts with insights from stakeholder theory
Authors: Ihlen Øyvind , Berntzen Øystein 
Published: July 2007

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to improve upon lobby theory by learning from a failed lobby campaign in which the lobbyist managed to annoy and anger key constituencies.Design/methodology/approachThe paper is a qualitative case study, conducted on attempts made by the Norwegian oil industry in 2002‐2004 to achieve a tax amendment. Qualitative interviews were carried out with oil industry representatives, two former ministers, political advisers, and members of parliament, and with journalists who had followed the campaign.FindingsThe main argument being put forward in this paper is that lobbyists should use insights from stakeholder theory.Research limitations/implicationsThe paper is a single‐case study and it is difficult to generalise its findings. This invites more research.Practical implicationsThe paper combines lobby theory with an approach suggested by stakeholder theory which might temper single‐minded advocacy that is too preoccupied with getting immediate political results, and help organizations to remember that it is important to develop good long‐term relations with stakeholders.Originality/valueThe paper has potential to improve lobby theory and efforts.
Risk assessment as a function of a successful merger: Merrill Lynch‐Advest merger
Authors: Grantham Susan 
Published: July 2007

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to examine the communication challenges Merrill Lynch encountered during the transition phase and post‐merger with Advest and the subsequent problems that resulted in drastically fewer numbers of Advest advisors joining, or staying with, Merrill Lynch than was first anticipated.Design/methodology/approachThe paper is based on interviews with Advest employees at the time of the merger; this case study includes an overview of the anticipated outcomes, the communication strategies employed by Merrill Lynch during its transition phase, and the barriers that contributed to the less than desired results that occurred.FindingsThe paper finds that Merrill Lynch determined that at least 65 percent of Advest's financial advisors would need to join Merrill Lynch by the closing date of the merger in December 2005 for the merger to be determined a financial success. Fifty percent of Advest financial advisors did not join Merrill Lynch by the closing date and, by July of 2006, approximately 80 percent of the advisors had left. Merrill Lynch failed to identify and address the primary concern to this key target audience; the anticipated change in the organizational culture. During the transition phase, Advest advisors gained much of their information from outside sources including competitors' recruiters who focused on the “Mother Merrill” reputation that was antithetical to Advest's organizational culture. The media also served as a primary source of information.Research limitations/implicationsThe paper shows that the pivotal issue affecting the success of this merger was the anticipated change by Advest's advisors to the organizational culture. Strategic communications that may have proven effective in addressing this issue during the merger between Merrill Lynch and Advest are not applicable for all mergers.Practical implicationsRisk assessments identify key areas of interests to both internal and external stakeholders. This activity empowers an organization to adopt a proactive approach to effectively communicate with key stakeholders. When a risk assessment is not conducted, or fails to identify key issues, the potential for a crisis increases. Had Merrill Lynch conducted a risk assessment that identified the impending change in the organizational culture as the issue most relevant to Advest's financial advisors, on‐point communication strategies could have been developed and delivered that would have reduced the risk of these employees leaving.Originality/valueThis paper highlights the need for risk assessment during the pre‐merger phase in order to develop and implement targeted communication plans.
The role of knowledge management in innovation
Authors: du Plessis Marina 
Published: July 2007

PurposeThis article seeks to clarify the role of knowledge management in innovation as an aid to addressing this complexity. The article seeks to identify the drivers for application of knowledge management in innovation. It also details the nature of the role of knowledge management in innovation as well as its value proposition.Design/methodology/approachThe methodology used was literature research and some personal experiences and interpretations.FindingsIn the fast changing business world of today, innovation has become the mainstay of organizations. The nature of global economic growth has been changed by the speed of innovation, which has been made possible by rapidly evolving technology, shorter product lifecycles and a higher rate of new product development. The complexity of innovation has been increased by growth in the amount of knowledge available to organizations.Originality/valueInnovation is extremely dependent on the availability of knowledge and therefore the complexity created by the explosion of richness and reach of knowledge has to be recognized and managed to ensure successful innovation.
Cultural space and technology enhance the knowledge process
Authors: Lamproulis Dimitris 
Published: July 2007

PurposeThe purpose of this article is to provide an empirical basis for understanding how the cultural artifacts of space and technology enhance the creation of knowledge that leads to innovations.Design/methodology/approachThe paper initially provides a theoretical investigation identifying the research gap within the literature. Then, it follows an empirical research of the aforementioned gap. Findings derive from the content analysis of 13 in‐depth interviews taken from a creative organization in the UK.FindingsExplains the different ways that organizational space and technology enhance the production of knowledge that transforms into an innovation.Research limitations/implicationsThe research findings are limited in a small size creative organization from the UK. Thus, findings can be further tested within big corporate organizations and organizations located outside the UK.Practical implicationsSenior managers through this study can use the cultural artifacts of organizational space and technology in order to advance their organizations' ability to construct innovations.Originality/valueThis paper provides numerous findings illustrating how a successful creative organization links the cultural artifacts of physical space and technology with the creation of knowledge in the form of innovative interior and graphic design. This is a different aspect from the traditional approach that examines the creation of knowledge without answering how and why it occurs in a specific way, within an organization.
Organizational structure features supporting knowledge management processes
Authors: Claver‐Cortés Enrique , Zaragoza‐Sáez Patrocinio , Pertusa‐Ortega Eva 
Published: July 2007

PurposeThe idea that knowledge management can be a potential source of competitive advantage has gained strength in the last few years. However, a number of business actions are needed to generate an appropriate environment and infrastructure for knowledge creation, transfer and application. Among these actions there stands out the design of an organizational structure, the link of which with knowledge management is the main concern here. More specifically, the present paper has as its aim to identify the characteristics of organizational structure that facilitate the development of knowledge management processes.Design/methodology/approachThe research strategy used to achieve this aim is the multiple case study method, which has been applied to six Spanish firms of recognized international prestige characterized by their excellence and proactivity in matters of knowledge.FindingsIn general terms, the results show that these companies adopt flexible, increasingly flat organizational forms with fewer hierarchical levels which not only allow but also encourage communication and teamwork among staff members so that everybody can interact more easily. This makes it possible for employees to take better advantage of their competencies, generating organizational routines and increasing the value of their contributions thanks to the freedom of action they are given.Originality/valueThe main contribution made in this paper lies in the fact that, from a study of business practices, it describes the way in which certain Spanish companies construct knowledge socially and orient their behavior through their organizational structure.
Transfer of socially complex knowledge in mergers and acquisitions
Authors: Castro Casal Carmen , Neira Fontela Edelmira 
Published: July 2007

PurposeTaking the literature on knowledge and mergers and acquisitions as a basis, the purpose of this paper is to analyze some variables that influence the knowledge transfer in mergers and acquisitions.Design/methodology/approachUsing data from a sample of 57 domestic Spanish mergers and acquisitions this paper examines the influence on the transfer of knowledge from the acquired firm to the acquiring firm (or lead firm) of: the socially complex nature of the knowledge to be transferred, the knowledge base of the acquiring firm, and two dimensions of the integration process. In addition, the paper analyses the moderating effect of socially complex knowledge on the relationship: dimensions of the integration process‐knowledge transfer.FindingsThe results obtained show that the social complexity of the knowledge, the knowledge base existing in the acquiring firm, and the frequency of rich communication media have a positive influence on knowledge transfer.Research limitations/implicationsThe results should be interpreted with caution due to the size of the sample. Since the study was conducted in Spain the results could be affected by the cultural context. Further studies are required in order to corroborate the results and to explore these relationships over a longer period of time.Practical implicationsThis paper offers several recommendations to help managers to improve knowledge transfer in mergers and acquisitions.Originality/valueThis study tests empirically a model of knowledge transfer in mergers and acquisitions that integrate key factors that can affect knowledge transfer success. This study can help one to understand the knowledge transfer better and complements the very few studies hitherto produced.
Knowledge management among the older workforce
Authors: Slagter Floor 
Published: July 2007

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to draw the attention to the necessity of knowledge management (KM) among the older workforce and to provide guidelines for human resource (HR) managers on how to engage in this process.Design/methodology/approachFirst, characteristics of older employees, viewpoints of HR managers on the older workforce and critical success factors of KM are explored through a literature review and conversations in the field. Thereafter these findings are combined in order to arrive at those aspects that an ideal organizational culture for KM must entail among the older workforce. When a more proactive management style is incorporated in this culture, KM among older employees will be significantly facilitated.FindingsThe paper finds that there exist opportunities for synergy between a proactive management style towards older employees and effective KM among this group. HR managers need to review their point of view towards the older worker in order to facilitate knowledge sharing.Research limitations/implicationsThis article's intention is to give general guidelines to HR managers on how they can facilitate KM among older workers. It is not extensively based on direct empirical findings; therefore further research is needed to verify, falsify, specify and complete the conclusions and recommendations made in this article.Practical implicationsThis paper constitutes a real potential to develop a variety of new approaches in knowledge management, in particular towards older employees.Originality/valueThe paper brings together two topics, which have explicitly combined but received little attention from researchers. It provides HR management with practical suggestions on how to empower their older workforce and ensure knowledge sharing.
Visual representations in knowledge management: framework and cases
Authors: Eppler Martin J. , Burkhard Remo A. 
Published: July 2007

PurposeThe purpose of this article is to explore the potential of visualization for corporate knowledge management.Design/methodology/approachThe employed methodology consists of a taxonomy of visualization formats that are embedded in a conceptual framework to guide the application of visualization in knowledge management according to the type of knowledge that is visualized, the knowledge management objective, the target group, and the application situation. This conceptual framework is illustrated through real‐life examples.FindingsThe findings show that there is much room for knowledge management applications based on visualization beyond the mere referencing of experts or documents through knowledge maps.Research limitations/implicationsThe research implications thus consist of experimenting actively with new forms of visual knowledge representation and evaluating their benefits or potential drawbacks rigorously.Practical implicationsThe authors encourage managers to look beyond simple diagrammatic representations of knowledge and explore alternative visual languages, such as visual metaphors or graphic narratives.Originality/valueThis paper consists of two elements: first, the systematic, descriptive and prescriptive approach towards visualization in knowledge management, and second the innovative examples of how to harness the power of visualization in knowledge management.
Mechanisms of tacit knowing: pattern recognition and synthesis
Authors: Johnson William H.A. 
Published: July 2007

PurposeThe paper sets out to integrate what is known about the concept of tacit knowledge and proposes a pattern recognition and synthesis (PRS) framework as an explanation of how tacit knowledge is created.Design/methodology/approachIn this conceptual piece it is argued that knowledge is monistic and that the dichotic distinction between tacit and explicit is an artifact of analytic treatment. The PRS framework models the development of personal knowledge via the process of tacit knowing within the individual, who is within an organizational setting.FindingsThe PRS model complements extant models of organizational learning by providing possible mechanisms for tacit knowing that have not yet been elucidated. Specifically, as a perception‐based model its main conclusion is that all tacit knowledge must be built up within individuals, which has major implications for the time and energy invested in knowledge creation activities.Research limitations/implicationsFuture research can test the propositions given.Practical implicationsThe conclusions of the paper suggest that tacit knowledge creation depends on practice by the knower. Ironically, this also suggests a method for how tacit knowledge can be developed even in virtual projects that involve information and communications technologies (ICTs) without face‐to‐face interaction.Originality/valueThe paper argues for a focus in knowledge management on the individual and leads to new insights about how best to manage tacit knowledge creation. Researchers looking at the concept of tacit knowledge and managers who want to understand the limitations and constraints on tacit knowledge development will find the paper's conclusions helpful.
Powering down: remedies for unsustainable ICT
Authors: Forge Simon 
Published: July 2007

PurposeThe paper aims to examine the contribution of information and communication technology (ICT) to climate change, the origins of ICT unsustainability and explores some possible remedies.Design/methodology/approachThe paper draws on a variety of sources to survey the many problems of sustainable ICTs; their energy consumption trends; planned obsolescence; hazardous materials and hazardous disposal; and analyses the way forward.FindingsHighlights the unsustainability of many ICT trends, e.g. power consumption in data centers, and the extent to which ICT affects progress towards an economy's environmental sustainability.Originality/valueThis paper provides a novel approach to ICT sustainability, highlighting unsustainability of current software technology and related hardware trends, especially the threat of operating systems to planetary sustainability, as well as the growing power consumption trends in data centers.
Futures studies in Egypt: Water Foresight 2025
Authors: Shakweer Abeer , Youssef Reham M. 
Published: July 2007

PurposeThis paper aims to discuss the Egyptian experience in futures studies through the conducting of a foresight study into the future of water in Egypt to 2025.Design/methodology/approachFutures wheel, questionnaires, focus groups, and scenarios workshops have been used in this study.FindingsThe paper represents the obstacles that had to be surmounted in engaging key stakeholders in the foresight study and suggests a set of conclusions and recommendations that could help in a better integration of futures studies into the Government's strategic planning process.Originality/valueThe paper introduces a tailored methodology for a successful scenarios building process in Egypt. Also, it advises on how futures studies could be integrated into the policy making process in Egypt.
Democracy's tribulations: what's in store?
Authors: Richardson Jacques 
Published: July 2007

PurposeThe author seeks to explain the assaults made recently on the democratic process in many parts of the world.Design/methodology/approachThe democratic mechanism is broken into operational segments in order to identify the variety of dysfunctions or attacks involved.FindingsDemocracy, spreading geographically during the past century and a half, is suffering setbacks in diverse global regions. The author describes the phenomenon and its results.Originality/valueAs in chemistry, physics and mechanics, a process may be difficult to understand if observed only in part. In order to perceive the significance of the process, a holistic approach is a preferred strategy for comprehension.
Chronotope Space: managing the complex trade‐offs between the properties of the strategic landscape and the time frame being considered
Authors: Aaltonen Mika 
Published: July 2007

PurposeThis article seeks to emphasize the importance of two elements; the nature of the strategic landscape and time, which are often neglected in foresight and strategic management by putting them in a form that makes them the basis for twenty‐first century strategic management.Design/methodology/approachThe multi‐ontology approach states that the properties of strategic landscapes vary from linear to complex and even to disruptive, and that the dynamics of action in each of them is different. Consequently, when analyzing strategic landscapes, variations between them should be distinguished and different tools and methods applied accordingly.FindingsAn added sensitivity to socially and situationally constructed worlds allows for new tactical and strategic possibilities.Research limitations/implicationsThis article is not a concluding chapter, rather an opening one that points the way for a number of necessary further developments.Practical implicationsThe article suggests that more contextually constructed approaches with respect to strategic landscapes and time are required; and that when applied they will lead to more appropriate and more effective outcomes in both sense‐making and decision‐making.Originality/valueThe article's concept of chronotope space enables us to dissect the complex tradeoffs between the properties of strategic landscape and the time frame at stake.
Risk‐avoiding cultures toward achievement of knowledge sharing
Authors: Lai Ming‐Fong , Lee Gwo‐Guang 
Published: July 2007

PurposeThe knowledge base of a firm is increasingly believed to underlie firm performance, and culture is commonly viewed as the major obstacle to effective knowledge management. This study seeks to evaluate the relevance of organizational culture and to explore how it can influence the achievement of knowledge sharing within an enterprise.Design/methodology/approachAn empirical survey of Taiwan's firms was conducted to study organizational cultures, but also to determine how risk‐avoiding culture affects the achievement of knowledge sharing.FindingsAn effective culture is formed by process formalization and tendentiousness of a defensively firm attitude to decision making should be developed. Furthermore, management should plan a healthy empowerment system to encourage employees to fully utilize their talents and skills in their jobs.Research limitations/implicationsThis study raises questions regarding the most appropriate combination of risk‐avoiding cultures for knowledge sharing. Since it involved a large mailing of a lengthy, blind survey to busy managers, the response rate was expected to be low. Even so, the low‐response rate raises questions regarding the generalizability of the finds, and thus it is important that the study be replicated in Taiwan or another country.Practical implicationsThis study demonstrates the importance of considering risk‐avoiding cultures in achieving knowledge sharing in relation to issues of compatibility. Such organizations benefit from understanding the relationships between the three cultures and the implementation of such programs within organizations.Originality/valueThis study highlights the need to consider culture when knowledge management programs are implemented that may be incompatible with the existing culture. Such organizations can benefit from understanding the importance of culture in knowledge sharing.
The effect of industry clockspeed on supply chain co‐ordination
Authors: Meijboom Bert , Voordijk Hans , Akkermans Henk 
Published: July 2007

PurposeThe relevance of “industry clockspeed” to supply chain co‐ordination (SCC) has recently been stressed but hardly been researched. Taking an information‐processing perspective, the purpose of this paper is to examine the development of SCC theory under varying clockspeed circumstances.Design/methodology/approachThis exploratory research project investigated four Dutch multinational firms operating in industries with different “clockspeeds”.FindingsThe main findings of this exploratory research suggest that, with increasing clockspeed, the use of inventory as a means of providing slack against uncertainty decreases, whereas the use of lateral relations increases. Remarkably, the role of outsourcing is substantial in both low‐ and high‐clockspeed settings, but limited in the intermediate group. Opposite to this, the role of vertical information systems is limited in low‐ and in high‐clockspeed industries, but substantial in medium‐clockspeed firms. These findings are consistent with the basic theory of organisational life‐cycle patterns.Research limitations/implicationsMore data should be collected and analysed in subsequent research, e.g. data relating to more companies, investigated over longer periods of time, paying attention to multiple dimensions such as company age and size. Organisational solutions that may deal with accelerating industry clockspeeds are platform‐based product development, time and form postponement, and modular production networks.Practical implicationsSupply chain managers should be wary of one‐size‐fits‐all solutions irrespective of current industry settings or company maturity stage.Originality/valuePrevious research argues that the shorter the life cycles of the products that firms sell, the more rapidly they have to invent not just new products, but new ways of organising as well. This study is a follow‐up to this work with a focus on the co‐ordination within a supply chain in response to varying levels of industry clockspeed, an issue hardly considered in earlier work.