Business networks: assisting knowledge management and competence acquisition within UK manufacturing firms

2000 ◽  
Vol 7 (2) ◽  
pp. 160-170 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ian Chaston ◽  
Terry Mangles
Author(s):  
Alexander Smirnov ◽  
Tatiana Levashova ◽  
Nikolay Shilov ◽  
Alexey Kashevnik

Current worldwide economy conditions cause increasing popularity of collaborative business networks. Dealing with multiple organizations and multiple processes within a complicated network, identifying and locating a member that has a responsibility and/or a competence in a particular part of the network can be a laborious, time-consuming process. Knowledge management technology is aimed to assist in solving this problem. It requires intelligent interoperability support between information systems of collaborative network members. A presented approach is based on the context management technology. It allows allows describing the collaborative network at a particular moment. The context includes such current situation properties as time, location, competence profiles of collaborative network members, etc. The competence profiles allow formalizing and sharing member's knowledge and competencies.


2011 ◽  
pp. 912-920
Author(s):  
Dolphy M. Abraham ◽  
Linda Leon

This article reviews current research and practice of knowledge management (KM) and inter-organizational learning in supply chain networks. Knowledge management is the organizational process for acquiring, organizing, and communicating the knowledge of individual employees so that the work of the organization becomes more effective (Alavi & Leidner, 1999). Knowledge management is an increasingly important process in business organizations because “managing human intellect—and converting it into useful products and services—is fast becoming the critical executive skill of the age” (Quinn, Anderson & Finkelstein, 1998). Grover and Davenport (2001) state that KM becomes “an integral business function” when organizations “realize that competitiveness hinges on effective management of intellectual resources.” Grover and Davenport also argue that knowledge management works best when it is carried out by all the employees of the organization and not just KM specialists. Business organizations frequently partner with other firms to complement their core competencies. To collaborate effectively, partner firms have to communicate with each other information about business processes as well as share ideas of how to design or improve business processes. This phenomenon of knowledge sharing across organizational boundaries is called inter-organizational learning (Argote, 1999). Knowledge management, we posit, is necessary to facilitate inter-organizational learning and direct it in a way that supports the organization’s overall objectives. Supply chain systems are an example of business networks. Supply chains involve not only multiple corporate entities but also organizational units within a single organization. We present practices used in business organizations and networks of businesses to manage the information and knowledge sharing processes using the context of supply chain systems.


Author(s):  
Dolphy M. Abraham ◽  
Linda Leon

This article reviews current research and practice of knowledge management (KM) and inter-organizational learning in supply chain networks. Knowledge management is the organizational process for acquiring, organizing, and communicating the knowledge of individual employees so that the work of the organization becomes more effective (Alavi & Leidner, 1999). Knowledge management is an increasingly important process in business organizations because “managing human intellect—and converting it into useful products and services—is fast becoming the critical executive skill of the age” (Quinn, Anderson & Finkelstein, 1998). Grover and Davenport (2001) state that KM becomes “an integral business function” when organizations “realize that competitiveness hinges on effective management of intellectual resources.” Grover and Davenport also argue that knowledge management works best when it is carried out by all the employees of the organization and not just KM specialists. Business organizations frequently partner with other firms to complement their core competencies. To collaborate effectively, partner firms have to communicate with each other information about business processes as well as share ideas of how to design or improve business processes. This phenomenon of knowledge sharing across organizational boundaries is called inter-organizational learning (Argote, 1999). Knowledge management, we posit, is necessary to facilitate inter-organizational learning and direct it in a way that supports the organization’s overall objectives. Supply chain systems are an example of business networks. Supply chains involve not only multiple corporate entities but also organizational units within a single organization. We present practices used in business organizations and networks of businesses to manage the information and knowledge sharing processes using the context of supply chain systems.


Author(s):  
Nelson K. Y. Leung ◽  
Sim Kim Lau ◽  
Joshua Fan

Various types of Knowledge Management approaches have been developed that only focus on managing organizational knowledge. These approaches are inadequate because employees often need to access knowledge from external knowledge sources in order to complete their works. Therefore, a new inter-organizational Knowledge Management practice is required to enhance knowledge sharing across organizational boundaries in their business networks. In this chapter, an ontology-based Inter-organizational knowledge Network that incorporates ontology mediation is developed so that heterogeneity of knowledge semantic in the ontologies could be reconciled. The reconciled inter-organizational knowledge could be reused to support organizational Knowledge Management process semi- or automatically. The authors also investigate the application of ontology mediation that provides mechanisms of reconciling inter-organizational knowledge in the network.


2022 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Nagwan Abdulwahab AlQershi ◽  
Gamal Abdualmajed Ali ◽  
Hussein Abu Al-Rejal ◽  
Amr Al-Ganad ◽  
Ebrahim Farhan Busenan ◽  
...  

Purpose This study aims to explore the interaction of strategic knowledge management (SKM) and innovation on the performance of large manufacturing firms (LMFs) in Malaysia. Design/methodology/approach This study used a quantitative approach in investigating this interaction. Smart partial least-squares analysis was performed to test the hypotheses. Findings It was observed that administrative innovation, process innovation and product innovation were effective drivers of LMF performance. It was also ascertained that SKM has no moderating effect on the product innovation relationship with performance, although it does moderate the relationships between LMF performance and administrative innovation and process innovation, respectively. Research limitations/implications The main limitation of this study is its focus on Malaysian LMFs. It nevertheless contributes to the literature by extending understanding of SKM and innovation dimensions from multi-faceted perspectives. As this is largely ignored in the literature, the study paves the way for additional research. Practical implications The findings may be used as guidelines for chief executive officers, particularly on the way SKM and innovation can be developed for enhanced LMF performance, in the context of South Asian countries. Originality/value To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this is the first empirical work to confirm the main drivers of SKM, including in the analysis the effect of administrative innovation, process innovation and product innovation and performance, in the context of the manufacturing sector. In support of an original conceptual model, the insights contribute to the literature on innovation, LMFs, SKM and emerging economies.


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