Knowledge is Power

In this chapter, the authors suggest that the success of the Knowledge – Knowledge Management – Knowledge Transfer – Innovation – Competitive Differentiation and step-by-step progression may be moderated and even compromised by cultural considerations. These can be the result of organizational and/or national cultural characteristics impacting on organizations and employees. These organizational and national cultural variables can be closely intertwined. The geographical focus of this chapter is based on Egypt, located in the Middle East/North Africa, currently in a state of political upheaval. The focus on Egypt reflects the interest and experience of the authors, and the perception that culture may be playing a part in the problems experienced by companies in Egypt in achieving a high level of sustained innovation. Companies in Egypt are still struggling to gain competitiveness in world markets, and culture is playing a big role in this struggle. Currently, politics and demands for democratic representation are also muddying the waters. These cultural issues, the authors argue, can be seen in terms of moderating the behavior of employees in the knowledge accumulation and knowledge transfer processes. Qualitative evidence is presented from interviews with managers at five Information and Communications Technology companies which suggest that the authors’ propositions may be well-founded.

New Perspectives on Knowledge Management

In the following chapter, the authors give an overview of knowledge management, display various forms of knowledge relevant to different companies, discuss the process steps of knowledge management: generation, transfer, retention, and most importantly: show how knowledge, companies, and environments interact to optimize their corporate knowledge flows. The chapter’s aim is to provide a comprehensive picture of the complex interconnections in knowledge management. The authors draw upon approaches discussed in contemporary literature on knowledge management and additionally argue that the way knowledge is handled and retained depends on various systems logics that influence how knowledge is handled and managed within organizations.

Service Science Innovations

The purposes, problems, and principles of the organization, and the structure of the electronic government, questions of development of the electronic government in the countries of the world, and the spectrum of represented services are considered in the present chapter.

An Innovative Firm

Understanding the factors that drive successful innovative firms is central for sustaining competitive advantages. Researchers argue that competitive advantages through innovation could be achieved by undertaking or developing new products or new processes (technological or organisational). Based on the literature reviewed, a model was developed to capture the nature of an innovative firm. The model was applied and validated. This chapter argues that innovation is possible where it would be less expected. The identification and exploitation of key innovation factors lead, when implemented, to innovative firms: those that continually provide the market with innovation. This chapter offers important insights into understanding the meaning of an innovative firm. It provides a good supporting case of a real company to help understand the various aspects of innovation within a mature commodity-producing industry.

Productivity and Innovation in Services

A multidisciplinary approach to service science is necessary in order to study, design, improve, and manage service systems and processes in such a way that they add as much value as possible to their customers. It creates the need for service industry transformation, services innovations, and increasing services quality, productivity, efficiency, and effectiveness. Technology leveraging is identified as the key force enabling the advancement in all three main areas of services research. Its strategic priorities include encouraging service infusion and growth, improving well-being through transformative service, creating and maintaining true and sustained service culture. Service development requires stimulating service innovations, enhancing service design, and optimizing service networks and value chains. Finally, better service implementation encompasses effective branding and selling services, enhancing the service experience through value co-creation, as well as measuring and optimizing the value of services.

How Service Firms Manage Innovation

By acknowledging the strategic importance of developing and managing new activities in the service sector, the chapter studies the key business dimensions and performance drivers of innovation, and the determinants of new service success. Therefore, this chapter seeks to address three objectives: (1) yield a critical synthesis of research linked to managing innovation in the service industry, (2) provide a detailed study of innovation management and success factors within the service sector, and (3) determine the links between the service development process and how new services perform.

Network Strategies of Hospitality Companies in Emerging and Transitory Economies

The chapter focuses on the strategies of domestic and international hotel chains operating in the Russian market. Within this theoretical framework and using the current market situation, the strategies of domestic and international hotel chains are differentiated and classified.

Formulating a Knowledge Management Strategy

This chapter presents a systematic approach that can be followed to formulate a Knowledge Management (KM) strategy. The management of knowledge should be integrated into the other management activities in the enterprise and linked to the business strategy. An empirical survey was conducted to investigate the current situation with regard to KM activities in a life-insurance company and to determine the relationship between the KM activities and the business strategy. The results indicated that there is a clear understanding of the importance of KM and steps are recommended to formulate a KM strategy for the enterprise.

Business Education across Cultures and Languages

This chapter first presents the effect of culture and language on the efficiency of business education across cultures and languages. It begins with the effect that culture and language may have on the amount and the quality of knowledge transferred from business educators to business learners when the educator and the learner are affiliated to different cultural backgrounds or when the language of education is different from the native language of the educator, of the learner, or of the two. Then, it defines several concepts related to business education across English and several other languages. Secondly, an investigation among business educators across cultures and languages is conducted. Findings reveal that culture and language have a significant impact on the perception of business concepts and on the ways business educators deliver their knowledge. The research involves seven languages namely Arabic, Chinese, French, English, Japanese, Russian, and Spanish, and their respective cultures.

PLC and SWOT Reengineered

Two widely used such strategic tools are the SWOT and PLC analysis and the SRCL (Service Re-Cycle for Life). This chapter offers revitalized tools aimed at finding ways to better manage and leverage changes to the benefit of services industry businesses