Knowledge management in agile innovative organisationsGuillermo Pérez‐Bustamante
1999 Journal of Knowledge Management
doi: 10.1108/13673279910259358
Technology and innovation processes are formed by knowledge bases and continuous flows of information. Their intangibility and the actual trend to support the competitiveness of the firm in the synergetic relations of its intangible assets have led to a new form of analysis of the technological innovation processes. Technology management also requires assuming new activities to manage effectively the flow of information and the knowledge reservoirs which are necessary to provide a quick answer to the uncertainty and dynamism of technological evolution. The firm should also create knowledge milieus , common shared environments or ba s and a clear knowledge culture. In this paper, we review the importance of the knowledge consideration of technology and its incidence on the innovation process, and then we analyse which are the main charactersitics of knowledge management and how it should be put into practice in the innovating firm, where knowledge managers are an essential component.
Knowledge management, response ability, and the agile enterpriseRick Dove
1999 Journal of Knowledge Management
doi: 10.1108/13673279910259367
This paper defines the agile enterprise as one which is able to both manage and apply knowledge effectively, and suggests that value from either capability is impeded if they are not in balance. It looks at the application of knowledge as requiring a change, and overviews a body of analytical work on change proficiency in business systems and processes. It looks at knowledge management as a strategic portfolio management responsibility based on learning functionality, and shares knowledge and experience in organizational collaborative learning mechanisms. It introduces the concept of plug‐compatible knowledge packaging as a means for increasing the velocity of knowledge diffusion and the likelihood of knowledge understood at the depth of insight. Finally, it reviews a knowledge portfolio management and collaborative knowledge development architecture used successfully in a sizable cross‐industry informal‐consortia activity, and suggests that it is a good model for a corporate university architecture.
Modelling of knowledge flows and their impactKenneth Preiss
1999 Journal of Knowledge Management
doi: 10.1108/13673279910259376
The context of this paper is knowledge as applied to organizations and processes which need to generate a financial income stream, whether for‐profit or not‐for‐profit. Such organizations in the past were usually at arm’s length, operating static (not time‐dependent) work processes. Today, such organizations usually work in very close interaction. This creates a single system of linked nodes of organizations, working in a dynamic regime, even though each node may be a separate legal entity. For such a dynamic linked system, one monitors and measures performance by monitoring and analyzing flow rates and accelerations. The paper shows the three major flows of such a system, which are the flows of money, goods and services, and knowledge. Results of research into such linked and dynamic processes over the last decade are presented in a way which sets the stage for detailed quantitative analyses of the flow rates of knowledge and of the impact of the knowledge flow rate on the flow of money into an organization.
“If only HP knew what HP knows”: the roots of knowledge management at Hewlett‐PackardCharles G. Sieloff
1999 Journal of Knowledge Management
doi: 10.1108/13673279910259385
While the term “knowledge management” is relatively new, many of the concepts have deep historical roots. Hewlett‐Packard’s strong culture and traditional business practices established an environment that encouraged innovation and the sharing of knowledge throughout the company. However, the reliance on local and informal approaches eventually became a weakness when the company had to deal with rapid growth and increased competitive pressures. The growing gap between the potential and actual value of HP’s collective intellectual assests was reflected in a widely quoted management complaint from the 1980s, “If only HP knew what HP knows.” However, the need for more explicit and deliberate strategies for managing knowledge has only recently become clear, as the disruptive technology of the Internet and the World Wide Web triggered an explosion in the availability of information and knowledge, but did nothing to expand our limited attention capacity.
On‐line communities: helping them form and growJoseph Cothrel; Ruth L. Williams
1999 Journal of Knowledge Management
doi: 10.1108/13673279910259394
The rise of e‐mail and other computer‐based communication technologies has enabled members of global organizations to collaborate and exchange information to an uprecedented degree. The term “on‐line community” (OLC), coined in the early days of computer networking, is now being applied to groups of employees with common professional goals and interests who seek to add value by extending themselves virtually. However, the performance of these corporate OLCs has not always kept pace with their lofty aspiration. To find out why, Arthur Andersen’s Next Generation Research Group, in cooperation with Anheuser‐Busch, The Mutual Group, and Shell US, studied 15 very different OLCs. Among the questions we sought to answer were: how successful are OLCs in achieving their state purpose? What distinguishes a truly successful OLC? What are some pitfalls that everyone is encountering? This article presents findings and lessons learned from our in‐depth interviews with the organizers of these virtual groups.
University‐enterprise interaction in biotechnology in the south of BrazilNeila C. Viana da Cunha; Edi Madalena Fracasso
1999 Journal of Knowledge Management
doi: 10.1108/13673279910259411
This article aims to analyze the interaction between university and enterprise based on the experience of two biotechnology centers in the state of Rio Grande do Sul, namely the Biotechnology Center of the State of Rio Grande do Sul and the Biotechnology Center of the Federal University of Pelotas. The multiple‐case method was chosen to analyze and identify university‐enterprise interaction models. A theoretical review established a typology of university‐enterprise interaction constituted by three models: classic model, market model and partnership model. Ten university‐enterprise interaction projects were classified. At the Biotechnology Center of the State of Rio Grande do Sul the five projects were mainly on the lines of the market model, whereas at the Biotechnology Center of the Federal University of Pelotas the five projects were mainly the classic model of interaction. A culture of interaction between university and enterprise must be stimulated at both centers, and actions were proposed for this purpose.
Organizational innovation and virtual institutesZhouying Jin
1999 Journal of Knowledge Management
doi: 10.1108/13673279910259420
The world has entered the Knowledge Age. Numerous events provide evidence that traditional organizational systems are finding it difficult to maintain their competitiveness in this unpredictable world. The “organization” itself has become the most important factor of competition.Organizational revolution is the first item on the agenda. This paper examines traditional Chinese research organizations and concludes that organizational innovation is a precondition for creation and innovation. The author discusses a new type of reserach organization ‐ the virtual institute (VI), its background and significance. The author also looks at the organizational change in China and offers examples of VIs both in the USA and in China. The experiences of implementing VIs in China indicate that the VI is an inevitable trend for the future. Finally, the author discusses the outlook and challenges of VI.