Knowledge management in SMEs: the case of Icelandic firms

This paper presents findings from a survey on knowledge management (KM) in small- and medium-sized firms (SMEs) in Iceland. It analyses the extent, strategy and effects of KM. The results indicate that more managers in SMEs need to consider the strengths and weaknesses of KM, and implement a formal KM strategy. Only 24% of Icelandic firms have a KM programme in place, and most of them have invested in simple information and communication technology technologies. The most common way of sharing tacit knowledge in Icelandic firms is encouraging face-to-face communication. The survey indicates that the benefits of KM programmes are quite positive even in SMEs. Accordingly, the research findings indicate that KM could improve organisational and managerial as well as financial aspects of SMEs. This research was carried out in only one country, and is based on a questionnaire. Its results should therefore be interpreted with care.     

Knowledge management view of environmental sustainability in manufacturing SMEs in the Philippines

This study highlights the role of knowledge management (KM) in enabling small and medium enterprises (SMEs) in a manufacturing industry in a developing country to engage in environmentally sustainable business. Drawing on the knowledge-based view of the firm, it argues that resource-constrained SMEs rely on their relational capital to augment their capability to innovate in order to find better and environmentally sound ways of doing business. However, SMEs need to harness their KM orientation in order to leverage the knowledge-based resources emanating from their relational capital towards building their innovation capability. This capability is essential in integrating effective environmental management practices in business. The findings from our analysis of data from a survey of 241 manufacturing SMEs in the Philippines support these hypotheses and underscore the importance of developing an organisational capability to engage in KM in order to adopt sustainable business practices. The implications of the findings are also discussed.     

Knowledge management technology-in-practice: a social constructionist analysis of the introduction and use of knowledge management systems

This paper argues that Knowledge Management Technology (KMT) is socially constructed in use based on the affordances and constraints of the technology artefact. Since many Knowledge Management (KM) systems are introduced with vague purposes (such as to improve knowledge sharing) it is therefore their affordances and constraints which strongly shape the socially constructed ‘KMT-in-practice’. The paper argues that knowledge is also socially constructed and that knowledge creation requires an element of surprise and challenge to routine. Using a case study of the British Council's KM programme between 1998 and 2003, the paper explores the social construction of a KMT as it is developed and used; describing how various features afforded by the technology influence its adoption and institutionalisation. The paper concludes by arguing that KMTs-in-practice, which are successful in supporting knowledge creation, must paradoxically remain in a state of neither stabilisation and acceptance, nor abandonment and disuse. Practical implications of how this might be achieved are provided.     

以产学研联合实现中小企业的知识引进与吸收

产学研合作对于中小企业来说具有与大型企业同等的重要性.然而,鉴于规模小、资金实力弱、政策支持不足等因素,中小企业参与产学研合作的现状并不乐观.本文从分析影响中小企业与科研机构互动的因素入手,考察了发达国家促进中小企业参与产学研合作的相关做法,介绍了我国和广东省中小企业参与产学研合作的现状,并阐述了广东省政府完善中小企业参与产学研合作的必要性.     

Knowledge management: a neuro-hemispherical view of the field

Knowledge Management Research & Practice - The definition and subsequent use of knowledge within and across organisational and social contexts has been a vibrant and evolving growth area over...     

国外知识管理研究述评

知识管理是当今管理科学、信息科学交叉融合的最新理论成果之一，日益受到理论界与产业界的关注。90年代以来，关于知识管理的研究大量涌现。本文对知识、知识管理、智力资本、知识管理框架体系等现有理论进行了评论性回顾，并对相关研究领域急需解决的问题做了展望。     

A literature review on knowledge management in SMEs

This paper provides a systematic review of the literature on knowledge management (KM) in small and medium enterprises (SMEs) and SME networks. The main objective is to highlight the state-of-the-art of KM from the management point of view in order to identify relevant research gaps. The review highlights that in recent years the trend of papers on the topic is growing and involves a variety of approaches, methodologies and models from different research areas. The vast majority of papers analysed focus on the topic of KM in the SME while there are only few papers analysing KM in networks populated by SMEs. The content analysis of the papers highlights six areas of investigation from which were derived ten research questions concerning three perspectives: the factors affecting KM; the impact of KM on firm’s performance; the knowledge management systems.     

Classification of different knowledge management development approaches of SMEs

There is established evidence to suggest that small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) face different knowledge management (KM) challenges to larger firms. There is emerging theory and practice concerning KM in SMEs as a whole. SMEs may not, however, be an homogeneous group when addressing KM. The study's objective was to investigate whether there are different approaches towards KM development within SMEs. The responses of 33 SMEs to a 60-item structured analysis of KM practices were analysed using hierarchical cluster analysis, ANOVA and post hoc multiple comparisons of means. Four distinct configurations of practices were identified. These were the KM practices of ‘unengaged’ businesses, ‘comprehensive KM practice’ businesses, ‘knowledge-ownership oriented’ businesses and ‘learning and co-production oriented’ businesses. These different groups of SMEs appear to approach KM in fundamentally different ways. The categorisation provides a useful framework for addressing the take-up of KM initiatives in SMEs.     

知识管理: 21世纪高等学校管理改革的新范式

知识经济催生了知识管理，高等学校作为特殊的知识密度型组织，与企业一样迫切需要知识管理战略的有效支撑。在剖析高等学校实施知识管理战略必然性基础上，阐述了高等学校知识管理的内涵和特征，并结合中国高等教育管理的现状，提出了营造文化氛围，创新组织结构，改进激励机制，建立知识库，构建数字化校园等基于知识管理的高校改革的几点设想，对期对中国高校管理改革提供一种新的思路。     

Knowledge management process effectiveness: measurement of preliminary knowledge management implementation

While knowledge management (KM) has been widely discussed by many academics and practitioners, measurement is undoubtedly the least developed aspect of KM due to the intangibility of knowledge assets. It is of paramount importance to establish performance measures at different stages of KM implementation even from the beginning so that its effectiveness can be identified. This paper thus serves to explore KM performance measurement from the angle of KM process effectiveness. Through the data collected from 289 managers in the Malaysian telecommunication industry, where KM implementation is just beginning to take place, significant interactions were found between four of the five proposed KM preliminary success factors (i.e. business strategy, K audit, K map, KM team) and all four KM elements of strategies (i.e. technology, culture, leadership, measurement) with KM process effectiveness. The findings of this study serve as a guide for organizations in driving their KM journey and reaching their destinations even at the beginning stage of their KM implementation.     

Knowledge management: An information science perspective

Knowledge management (KM) is an emerging field of specialization in a number of professions, including Information Science (IS). The different professions are contributing to and influencing the developments in KM in their own ways. However, it is argued here that IS is not contributing to the advancement of KM as much as it should for a number of apparent reasons. The main purpose of the paper is to call on the members of the IS profession to take a more proactive and visible role in advancing KM by showing that KM is a natural and long-awaited development in IS and that a number of circumstances have made KM to be an area of emphasis in IS whose time has come. The paper also aims at contributing towards achieving a consensus among IS professionals on conceptualization, goals, and scope of KM in IS. The recommendations of the paper focus on how the profession could proactively be involved in advancing KM.     

Knowledge management: Taxis Parisiens case study

This paper presents a case study of the management and operation of the Paris taxi cab service (Taxis Parisiens), which is one of the world's largest and most complex public transport operations. The method adopted is to consider the taxi cab service as a set of processes forming a knowledge value chain, which forms the basis of a continuous learning cycle. The case study investigates the management and operation of the Taxis Parisiens community by analysing the corresponding practice along the knowledge value chain. This is achieved by identifying the roles of the main stakeholders associated with the Taxis Parisiens community, discussing current licensing and examination processes, considering the potential use of Information Technology and making recommendations for improved knowledge management practices.     

Knowledge management system: an agent-based approach

Knowledge Management Research & Practice - Knowledge is an important asset in any enterprise because of global competition and the rapid development of information technology. Knowledge...     

Information,knowledge and collaboration management in the internationalisation of SMEs: A systematic literature review

Information and knowledge can be seen as key resources for improving the internationalisation processes of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). Collaboration has also been considered as an important facilitator of these processes, particularly by nurturing information and knowledge sharing. However, the current literature is unclear about the way SMEs can access information and assimilate knowledge in a collaborative network context, to support decision-making. This paper systematically reviews the literature, examining the role of information, knowledge and collaboration in internationalisation decisions of SMEs. To this end, 38 relevant journal articles were analysed, with the identification of some important issues, as well as gaps in the existing empirical knowledge. This analysis provided valuable input for the development of research suggestions and directions for future work in this area.     

供应商管理过程中的知识管理

指出供应商管理中的知识管理研究是目前供应商管理研究领域的最新课题,阐明供应商管理中知识管理的核心内涵以及对现实的指导意义。在前人研究成果的基础上,给出供应商管理过程的5个阶段;并根据供应商管理的整个过程,分析供应商管理各阶段知识的特性及其获取、转移和扩散。     

知识管理和知识管理网络

分析和说明了学习和组织学习、知识和组织知识、知识管理的概念，概括了有关文献对知识的分类，分析了知识交流的模式和知识管理的目的，并提出建立组织知识管理网络的基本思路。     

知识供应链中高校与中小企业的利益分配研究

分析了知识供应链不同于普通供应链的特点,并且对企业与高校,高校与高校两个层次的利益分配机制进行了经济学分析,力求为我国的中小企业发展指出一条新的发展之路     

供应链中的知识管理

基于物流与资金流的供应链理论已经不能满足现代企业在剧变的生存环境中赢得竞争优势的要求，知识已经成为提高供应链整体动作效率进而提高供应链成员竞争优势的关键性要素之一，在原有的基于物流与资金流的供应链管理的基础上强化知识管理已经成为供应链管理发展的必然趋势之一，本文认为加强供应链成员间的知识共享与传播是供应链中知识管理的关键性内容，提高知识创新与运用的效率是其直接目标，指出了供应链中知识管理的基本内容，提出了相应的策略。