...Knowledge Management and Organizational Learning William R. King Katz Graduate School of Business, University of Pittsburgh wking115@yahoo.com For centuries, scientists, philosophers and intelligent laymen have been concerned about creating, acquiring, and communicating knowledge and improving the re-utilization of knowledge. However, it is only in the last 15–20 years or so that a distinct field called “knowledge management” (KM) has emerged. KM is based on the premise that, just as human beings are unable to draw on the full potential of their brains, organizations are generally not able to fully utilize the knowledge that they possess. Through KM, organizations seek to acquire or create potentially useful knowledge and to make it available to those who can use it at a time and place that is appropriate for them to achieve maximum effective usage in order to positively influence organizational performance. It is generally believed that if an organization can increase its effective knowledge utilization by only a small percentage, great benefits will result. Organizational learning (OL) is complementary to KM. An early view of OL was “encoding inferences from history into routines that guide behavior” (Levitt and March, 1988, p. 319). So, OL has to do with embedding what has been learned into the fabric of the organization. 1 The Basics of Knowledge Management and Organizational Learning To understand KM and OL, one must understand knowledge, KM...
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...KCA JOURNAL OF BUSINESS MANAGEMENT: VOL. 2, ISSUE 1 (2009). STRATEGIC POSITIONING FOR SUSTAINABLE COMPETITIVE ADVANTAGE: AN ORGANIZATIONAL LEARNING APPROACH John I. Njuguna1 Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology Juja, Kenya Abstract Organizational learning is increasingly being considered as one of the fundamental sources of competitive advantage within the context of strategic management. However, most literature has not clearly linked organizational learning with sustainable competitive advantage. This paper, therefore, explores and discusses the role of organizational learning in helping business firms to achieve sustainable competitive advantage. Specifically, it deals with how organizational learning process can be used to develop knowledge resources and capabilities that lead to sustainable competitive advantage. The main method used is analysis and integration of theories to develop a conceptual model. This paper proposes that, through organizational learning a firm can develop hard to imitate knowledge resources and capabilities (human capital as well as organizational capital) that create value which in turn lead to superior performance. INTRODUCTION In the 21 century business landscape, firms must compete in a complex and challenging context that is being transformed by many factors from globalization, frequent and uncertain changes to the growing use of information technologies (DeNisi, Hitt and Jackson, 2003). Therefore, achieving a competitive...
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...Knowledge management and organizational performance: Theoretical Study 1. Introduction Knowledge is an asset that needs to be effectively managed. Interest in knowledge management (KM) has grown dramatically in the recent years, as more researchers and practitioners have become aware of the knowledge potential to drive innovation and improve performance. For an organization to remain competitive, it must effectively practice the activities of creating, acquiring, documenting, transferring, and applying knowledge in solving problems and exploiting opportunities. Many researchers argue what the organization comes to know explains its performance. The ultimate test of any business concept, such as KM, is whether it improves business performance. If organizations cannot use knowledge to improve performance, knowledge does not have measurable value. However, management research has often overlooked the role of knowledge and KM in the analysis of organizations and their performance. Most of KM research consists of either theoretical analyses of KM issues or case-based reviews of organizations’ KM practices. Consequently, KM research is short of offering an unambiguous understanding of the role of KM in improving organizational performance. On the other hand, effective KM entails an understanding of the interrelationships that may exist among KM processes such as knowledge acquisition, knowledge creation, knowledge documentation, knowledge transfer, and knowledge application. These...
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...Impacting Organizational Learning: The Training and Experiences of Quality Award Examiners and Assessors Prof. V.K. Susil Kumar Faculty and Manager – Placements Institute for Technology and Management, 11/D 14, Fourth Main Road, SIPCOT IT Park, Siruseri, Rajiv Gandhi Salai (OMR), Pudupakkam Post, Chennai – 603103 Landline: 044-32974148 Mobile: 9380502425 Abstract The Training and Experiences of Quality Award Examiners and Assessors aim to show that developments in the quality award assessment process in organizations can make a contribution, within a wider framework of organizational learning. The underpinning theoretical argument is that quality award models and associated organizational assessment processes can be used to achieve much wider benefits, than that of quality per se. The quality award assessment process has been applied in organizations from the mid-1980s to the present. The process uses models such as the Business Excellence Model and the Baldrige model. These models use an interpretation of quality, which is based on the holistic approach of total quality management. In parallel with the development of the assessment process, there has been considerable development in the field of organizational learning with an emphasis on developing learning based skills in employees. It shows how the learning experiences and skills developed and enhanced through the assessment process can be applied within an organization’s approach to learning in other...
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...Knowledge Management. Contemporary Trends and Issues ORGANIZATIONAL LEARNING Povilas Brilius Baifoteka Ltd, Lithuania, povilas@baifoteka.com Abstract: Organizational Learning (OL) is recognized to have established itself as a discipline. However, it remains unclear what it is primarily focused onto – practical problem solving or theoretical descriptive analysis. Due to largely fragmented literature, sometimes interweaving concepts and a variety of attitudes, practitioners find it difficult to easily apply this field, meantime theorists call for more comprehensive understanding of OL. This article focuses on contemporary trends in OL research. It argues and unveils that current OL investigation has made a shift towards holistic and integrative approach in which individual has more powers to make a decision. Article illustrates such contemporary shift of mind by (a) summarizing most important literature in the field (b) providing examples of latest research in OL area. For a smoother analysis, author builds and applies working framework of dichotomies between concepts (dialectical approach). Keywords: organizational learning, contemporary trends, holism. JEL Classification: D800, D830 1. Introduction During the last 50-60 years Organizational Learning (OL) has undoubtedly established itself as a discipline – a number of concepts have been constructed and applied theoretically, numerous schools with distinct models have emerged. However, a question may be posed – to what...
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...International Bulletin of Business Administration ISSN: 1451-243X Issue 11 (2011) © EuroJournals, Inc. 2011 http://www.eurojournals.com Role of Knowledge Management to Bring Innovation: An Integrated Approach Kashif Akram Lecturer, Department of Commerce The Islamia University of Bahawalpur (Pakistan) E-mail: kashifdms@yahoo.com Tel: +92 63 9240298 or +92 334 7266860 Suleman Hafeez Siddiqui Lecturer, Department of Management Sciences The Islamia University of Bahawalpur (Pakistan) E-mail: sulman.siddiqui@yahoo.com Tel: +92 63 9240298 or +92 322 5172513 Muhammad Atif Nawaz Lecturer, Department of Economics The Islamia University of Bahawalpur (Pakistan) E-mail: atifnawaz_iub@yahoo.com Tel: +92 63 9240298 or +92 314 6864997 or +92 333 3030313 Tauqir Ahmad Ghauri Lecturer, Department of Management Science The Islamia University of Bahawalpur (Pakistan) Ph. +92 63 9240298 Cell +92 333 6183035 E-mail: tauqir.lec@gmail.com Amjad Khawar Hayat Cheema Lecturer, Department of Economics The Islamia University of Bahawalpur (Pakistan) E-mail: khawar790@hotmail.com Tel: +92 63 9240298 or +92 321 4076799 Abstract Purpose: The basic objective of the study is to reconcile the literature on knowledge management and innovation in organizations. The study seeks to examine and elaborate the linkage between knowledge management process and innovation process to dig out the important relationships and flows of activities. Design/Methodology/Approach: The study is induced using qualitative methodology...
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...E-Learning Strategy 1 E- Learning Strategy and Knowledge Management (Insert Your Full Name Here) (Insert Your Institution’s Name Here) April 18, 2016 E-Learning Strategy 2 E- Learning Strategy and Knowledge Management Introduction The role of the Human Resource department in the workplace has shifted dramatically as these consultants, specialists and teams apply proven methods of management to what would otherwise be an extensive and unproductive employee base. The field of human resources encompasses the type and level of management necessary for the active and effective recruitment, hiring, day-to-day employment practices, job termination policy, job description policy and much more (Hesselbein, Goldsmith, and Somerville, 2001). While the requirement to maintain a strong and productive labor field had never truly been lost on the savvy employers of the past, the recent advances in human resources knowledge have actually brought this field into the active role that it entails in order to implement positive changes upon a company’s strength and capability among its competitors. It is through the development and conveyance of an understanding of positive, hands-on techniques that, when successfully executed within a company’s employees, a human resources team can actually change conditions on the ground, human resources professional everywhere have started to notably widen profit margins to a greater extent, by increasing not only competence, but productivity...
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...internal disruptions (Industry discontinuities , Product life cycle shifts, and Internal company dynamics) • Change is aimed at competitive advantage (Uniqueness, Value, Difficult to imitate) • Change is sytemic and revolutionary - Reshaping organization's design elements • Change demands a new organizing paradigm (gamma change) • Change is driven by senior executives and line management (envisioning, energizing, and enabling) • Change involves significant learning - Must learn how to enact the new behaviors Intergrated Strategic Change - Extends traditional OD process into content oriented discipline of strategic management • Key Features: - Strategic Orientation - Stratic change capability - Individual and organizations are integrated into the process • Applications Stages (Strategic analysis, strategic choice, and design and implement the strategic change plan) Organization Design - Configures the organizations structure, work design, HR practice, and management to guide members' behavior • Conceptual Framework ( Strategy, Structure, Work Design, HR Practices, and Management / Information Systems) • Application Stages (Clarify design focus, designing the organization, and implementing the design Culture Change • Concept of Organization Culture (artifacts, norms, values, basic assumptions) • Organization culture and organization effectiveness - Culture affects performance through its influence on the organization's ability to implement change •...
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...Knowledge Management (KM) refers to practices used by organizations to find, create, and distribute knowledge for reuse, awareness, and learning across the organization. Knowledge Management programs are typically tied to organizational objectives and are intended to lead to the achievement of specific outcomes such as shared intelligence, improved performance, or higher levels of innovation. Role of knowledge management The goal of Knowledge Management is not to capture all knowledge, but rather manage the knowledge that is most important to the organization. It involves applying the collective knowledge and abilities of the entire workforce to achieve specific organizational objectives. * Increases customer service-responding to customer’s faster with more relevant and complete information gains sales and retains clients. * Compliance with regulations- effective knowledge management will reduce the cost of audits and assist in complying with regulations such as health and safety. * Reducing administration labour cost-less movement of information around and outside the company saves staff time and cost of labour. * Better collaboration- projects requiring content and information from different departments and external parties benefit from easy access allows greater team work and competition. * Reduce wastage of time and mistake-Access to constantly updated information from an easy to locate source prevents repetition of work on out of dated documents...
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...OL vs. LO Porschia Phelps September 6, 2009 Organizational Learning Introduction When asked to define learning a mundane response to this inquiry would be that learning is simply the acquirement of knowledge. But as a seasoned marketing/management student I can confidently say that a definition of that caliber doesn’t even begin to scratch the surface of all the components and concepts that are present when providing a suitable definition of learning. As a marketing/management student I have quickly learned that when discussing the subject of learning there are many aspects. In looking into these many facets of learning we begin to find room for various outlooks and debate. Among the areas that have been indentified are the subjects of Organizational Learning and Learning Organizations. Though to the general public these two subjects may sound the same deciding to make the same exact assumption of their meanings would prove to be the wrong assessment to form. Although these two maybe closely related they both possess their own definitions and notions. Because of their possession of their own concepts there is room for discussion and deliberation. It is within these two subjects that we also find much opportunity for comparing and contrasting. Review of Literature Introduction Before you can fully begin to form a view point on the subjects of organizational learning and learning organizations you must first have a complete understanding of what these ideas are and also...
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...it is a learning organization Introduction With the advance of economy, the competitions between enterprises are increasingly fierce. The research about organizational learning (OL) can be traced back to 1970s, Argyris and Schön gave a definition that diagnoses and corrects the mistake of organizations. Later, Huber (1991) published one of the most superior views about OL that during the processing of information, if the organizations’ potential behavior is changed, organizational learning has been generated in this process. Until Senge published his book named “THE FIFTH DISCIPLINE-The art & Practice of the learning organization” in 1990, the research of organizational learning enters to the climax. Basic meaning of the learning organization is that an organization is continuous expending to create its future and it has been aimed to growth the ‘knowledge intensity’ of enterprises (Senge, 1990). However, whether in theory or practice in enterprises, learning organization and organizational learning are extremely easy to confuse the two concepts. Generally, many people believe that organizational learning and learning organization are two interchangeable concepts; but from the academic point of view, the two thoughts closely related while having qualitative difference. Just like the title says, a learning organization is not an organization, which can learn. This article will start from the definition of organizational learning and learning organization...
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... | 7 | |6.0 |Conclusion |8 | |7.0 |References | 8 | 1.0 Introduction The title of this journal is Organizational Learning Practices in the Project Management Environment. The author is Timothy G. Kotnour from University of Central Florida, Orlando, Florida, USA. This journal focuses on understanding how project managers continuously improve their project quality and performance by building knowledge through learning. Beside that, for the project organization to learn, organizational members must create, share and apply knowledge. The organizations members will create new knowledge for learning experiences. Learning-by-doing occurs when a problem solver associates plans and actions to accomplish...
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...available at ScienceDirect Technological Forecasting & Social Change Intellectual capital and new product development performance: The mediating role of organizational learning capability Ya-Hui Hsu a,⁎, Wenchang Fang b,1 a b Department of Business Administration, Ming Chuan University, 11F, No.318, Fuhe Rd., Yonghe City, Taipei 234, Taiwan Department of Business Administration, National Taipei University, 69, Sec 2, Jian-Kuo N. Rd, Taipei 104, Taiwan a r t i c l e i n f o a b s t r a c t Previous studies rarely examined the relationship between intellectual capital and organizational learning capability. Moreover, most studies neglect the mediating effect of organizational learning capability in the relationship between intellectual capital and new product development performance. This study uses interviews and the survey method to discuss the relationships governing intellectual capital, organizational learning capability, and new product development performance. Results are based on empirical data from Taiwan's IC design industry, and are generated by the Partial Least Squares (PLS) method. Results show that human capital and relational capital actually improve new product development performance through organizational learning capability. Although structural capital positively affects organizational learning capability, managers should pay attention to possibly negative effects of structural capital on new product development performance. Relational capital is...
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...perspective of organizational effectiveness that describes the application of lean management practices is organizational learning perspective. This perspective focuses on the most value input as known as knowledge. Organizational learning is founded on the idea that organizational effectiveness depends on the organization’s capacity to acquire, share, use, and store valuable knowledge (Mcshane & Von Glinow, 2012). Sunderland Royal hospital engages in organizational learning perspective through learning lean management from external knowledge. Sunderland’s employees took tour at Nissan Factory to acquire and share knowledge from Nissan work plant, and later they applied and stored knowledge in their work unit. Employees always play critical role in this process and they are important intellectual capital of learning organizations. They can use and share knowledge through the process by mapping out their work process and identifying ways to reduce waste process. As Sunderland’s employees discovered ways to reduce average patient’s wait time, they can improve efficiency and quality service. Also, many other health care around the world apply lean management in their organization by receiving lean training from Japan. Flinders Medical center also learned and adopted lean knowledge after seeing South Australian Medical Facility experienced problem of overload patients in its emergency department. Bolton Hospitals NHR Trust in United Kingdom has perspective of learning organization...
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...- 216 EMPLOYEE TRAINING AND DEVELOPMENT AND THE LEARNING ORGANIZATION UDC 331.363 Jelena Vemić Faculty for Service Business, kamencic@verat.net Abstract. The global competition and swiftness of changes emphasize the importance of human capital within organizations, as well as the swiftness and ways of knowledge gaining of that capital. In the economy where uncertainty is the only certainty, knowledge is becoming a reliable source of sustained competitive advantage. Knowledge is becoming basic capital and the trigger of development. Previously built on foundations of possessing specific resources and low costs, present day competition is based on knowledge possessing and efficient knowledge management. Modern organizations, therefore use their resources (money, time, energy, information, etc.) for permanent training and advancement of their employees. Organizations which are constantly creating new knowlegde, extending it through the entire organization and implementing it quickly inside the new technologies, develop good products and excellent services. These activities determine the company as a learning organization with constant innovation being its sole business. These are organizations which realize that learning and new knowledge are becoming the key of success, and that education is crucial for abundance. Key Words: human resource management, knowledge management, learning organization, education, development, knowledge workers 1. INTRODUCTION Changes in technology, especially...
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