Alexander Ardichvili, Vaughn Page and Tim Wentling
This paper reports the results of a qualitative study of motivation and barriers to employee participation in virtual knowledge‐sharing communities of practice at Caterpillar…
Abstract
This paper reports the results of a qualitative study of motivation and barriers to employee participation in virtual knowledge‐sharing communities of practice at Caterpillar Inc., a Fortune 100, multinational corporation. The study indicates that, when employees view knowledge as a public good belonging to the whole organization, knowledge flows easily. However, even when individuals give the highest priority to the interests of the organization and of their community, they tend to shy away from contributing knowledge for a variety of reasons. Specifically, employees hesitate to contribute out of fear of criticism, or of misleading the community members (not being sure that their contributions are important, or completely accurate, or relevant to a specific discussion). To remove the identified barriers, there is a need for developing various types of trust, ranging from the knowledge‐based to the institution‐based trust. Future research directions and implications for KM practitioners are formulated.
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Alexander Ardichvili and Alexander Gasparishvili
This research sought to identify leadership styles of enterprise managers in four countries of the former USSR. The survey was based on the Bass and Avolio MLQ5x leadership styles…
Abstract
This research sought to identify leadership styles of enterprise managers in four countries of the former USSR. The survey was based on the Bass and Avolio MLQ5x leadership styles instrument. Valid responses were received from 2,391 managers and employees at nine manufacturing enterprises located in Russia, Georgia, Kazakhstan and the Kyrgyz Republic. The results suggest that managers in these four countries used three well‐known leadership styles – transactional, transformational, and laissez‐faire. However, the laissez‐faire style was not prevalent. Overall, transactional contingent reward leadership was used more often than any other approaches. Charisma and individualized consideration received the lowest scores among the transformational leadership style dimensions. Tests of the relationship between leadership styles and managerial performance measures indicated that contingent reward and charisma had the strongest relationship with positive outcomes. Individual country leadership style profiles and implications for developing leadership training programs, and for the transfer of Western organization development approaches are discussed.
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Knowledge management (KM) has long been a central concern for multinational manufacturing company Caterpillar Inc, whose competitive advantage depends on the experience of its…
Abstract
Knowledge management (KM) has long been a central concern for multinational manufacturing company Caterpillar Inc, whose competitive advantage depends on the experience of its employees – especially mechanical, electrical and chemical engineers, designers, new‐product‐development personnel, and equipment and material testers.
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After completion of the case study, students will be able to analyse the path of the entrepreneurship from idea generation to market development to scaling up business, examine…
Abstract
Learning outcomes
After completion of the case study, students will be able to analyse the path of the entrepreneurship from idea generation to market development to scaling up business, examine the impact of start-ups like Ergos on India’s agriculture value chain, discuss the challenges faced by tech entrepreneurs in growing a business, identify problems solved by Grain Bank Model and evaluate digitisation of farming’s custodial services such as warehousing, market linkages and loans.
Case overview/synopsis
The case study discusses how founders of Ergos, India-based leading digital AgriTech start-up, Kishor Kumar Jha and Praveen Kumar, started one of the unique models in the AgriTech landscape in India. After noticing the grim condition of small and marginal farmers in Bihar, India. Kishor and Praveen decided to put their banking and corporate experience to use in the farming sector. Ergos aimed to empower farmers by providing them with a choice on when, how much quantity, and at what price they should sell their farm produce, thus maximising their income. As a result, Ergos launched the grain bank model, which provided farmers with doorstep access of end-to-end post-harvest supply chain solutions by leveraging a robust technology platform to ensure seamless service delivery. Ergos faced many challenges in its journey related to financing, marketing and distribution. Amidst these developments, it remained to be seen how Kishor and Praveen would be able to realise their goal to serve over two million farmers across India by 2025 and create a sustainable income for them through its GrainBank Platform.
Complexity academic level
This case study was written for use in teaching graduate and postgraduate management courses in entrepreneurship and business strategy.
Supplementary materials
Teaching notes are available for educators only.
Subject code
CSS 3: Entrepreneurship
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Adeniyi D. Olarewaju, Sunday A. Adebisi and Olusoji J. George
The efficacy of conventional financing strategies such as angel investment and venture capital financing developed in the context of Western economies but applied to Africa…
Abstract
The efficacy of conventional financing strategies such as angel investment and venture capital financing developed in the context of Western economies but applied to Africa remains a subject of interest. This chapter, therefore, examined financing strategies that are indigenously peculiar to Africa and opportunities therein that could lead to entrepreneurial growth. Consequently, based on a number of criteria such as population and gross domestic product, five countries were selected from the five distinct African geographical regions while six different homogenous ethnic groups were selected from the five countries based on numbers (strength) and spread. A study of the financing strategies of these ethnic groups revealed germane customary funding practices based on culture and communal norms. Thus, as a result of the findings, a model was developed to explain the path to rapid entrepreneurship growth. It is emphasised that there are indigenous modes of financing strategies which the world could learn and adopt from Africa, particularly in instances where conventional theories or modes are not quite effective. Africa needs to achieve industrialisation and grow at a very rapid pace, and this could be achieved through indigenous financing strategies for its many unemployed youths. Advice for managers, educators and government officials are discussed.
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Alexander Serenko and Nick Bontis
This paper aims to explore antecedents and consequences of intra-organizational knowledge hiding.
Abstract
Purpose
This paper aims to explore antecedents and consequences of intra-organizational knowledge hiding.
Design/methodology/approach
A model was developed and tested with data collected from 691 knowledge workers from 15 North American credit unions.
Findings
Knowledge hiding and knowledge sharing belong to unique yet possibly overlapping constructs. Individual employees believe that they engage in knowledge hiding to a lesser degree than their co-workers. The availability of knowledge management systems and knowledge policies has no impact on intra-organizational knowledge hiding. The existence of a positive organizational knowledge culture has a negative effect on intra-organizational knowledge hiding. In contrast, job insecurity motivates knowledge hiding. Employees may reciprocate negative knowledge behavior, and knowledge hiding promotes voluntary turnover.
Practical implications
Managers should realize the uniqueness of counterproductive knowledge behavior and develop proactive measures to reduce or eliminate it.
Originality/value
Counterproductive knowledge behavior is dramatically under-represented in knowledge management research, and this study attempts to fill that void.
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Marc Oberhauser, Dirk Holtbrügge and Igor Gurkov
The purpose of this study is to investigate how the attitudes of Russian managers are affected by personal attributes, environmental conditions and also cognitive processes.
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this study is to investigate how the attitudes of Russian managers are affected by personal attributes, environmental conditions and also cognitive processes.
Design/methodology/approach
Based on social cognitive theory, the authors developed hypotheses and tested them against data collected from 173 Russian managers via an online survey. A linear regression analysis revealed several determinants of ethical attitudes within the Russian context.
Findings
The findings suggest that personal values (i.e. political orientation), environmental conditions (i.e. hierarchical level, ownership – state-owned versus private – of the current employer, industry in which a manager works) as well as cognitive processes (i.e. the presence (absence) of multilingualism at the workplace) strongly affect ethical attitudes of Russian managers in several issues related to both job ethics (relations inside the organization) and business ethics (relations outside the organization).
Practical implications
Revealing a positive effect of multilingualism as cognitive process on managers' ethical attitudes, this study calls for incorporating a second lingua franca, for example, English, within the working context.
Originality/value
The study provides an in-depth investigation of the determinants of ethical attitudes in Russia. Conducting a single-country study, the authors are able to reveal locally meaningful determinants that may otherwise be overlooked.
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Jörg Freiling, Perttu Kähäri, Rebecca Piekkari and Fabian Schmutz
This study sheds light on the uncharted phenomenon of regional management in coordinating services across borders. Based on a multiple case study of four German industrial…
Abstract
This study sheds light on the uncharted phenomenon of regional management in coordinating services across borders. Based on a multiple case study of four German industrial manufacturing firms with servitization strategies we seek to better understand what kind of organizational challenges servitization poses for the MNC and whether these challenges can be met through regional management models. This chapter initiates a conversation on the available design options for running service operations regionally.
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Alexander Serenko and John Dumay
The purpose of this study is to develop a list of citation classics published in knowledge management (KM) journals and to analyze the key attributes and characteristics of the…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this study is to develop a list of citation classics published in knowledge management (KM) journals and to analyze the key attributes and characteristics of the selected articles to understand the development of the KM discipline.
Design/methodology/approach
This study identifies 100 citation classics from seven KM-centric journals based on their citation impact reported by Google Scholar and analyzes their attributes.
Findings
The KM discipline is at the pre-science stage because of the influence of normative studies espousing KM practice. However, KM is progressing toward normal science and academic maturity. While the discipline does not exhibit the signs of the superstar effect, scholars from the USA and UK have made the most significant impact on the development of the KM school of thought. KM scholars should be more engaged in international collaboration.
Practical implications
Practitioners played a key role in the development of the KM discipline and thus there is an opportunity to develop more scientific research approaches based on critical and performative research agenda.
Originality/value
The study is novel and a must read for KM scholars because it is the first to comprehensively analyze the ideas that are the origins of the KM discipline.
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Steven V. Manderscheid and Peter D. Freeman
The purpose of this study is to review literature relevant to leader transition and the navigation of polarities, paradoxes, and dilemmas that exist in organizations. Furthermore…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this study is to review literature relevant to leader transition and the navigation of polarities, paradoxes, and dilemmas that exist in organizations. Furthermore, the researchers aim to critique the literature and provide suggestions for practitioners and researchers interested in leader transition through the lens of polarity, paradox, and dilemma.
Design/methodology/approach
The authors conducted an extensive review of the literature for this study. They searched the following databases: ABI/INFORM, Academic Search Premier, Business Source Premier, PsychInfo, and Dissertations Abstracts. To conduct their search, the researchers used the terms; leader, manager, and supervisor in conjunction with the terms transitions, adaptation, socialization, assimilation, polarity, paradox, dilemma, polarity thinking, polarity management, leadership, team, organization, conflict management, creativity, and combinations of the same.
Findings
There is very little research conducted on either topic independently and no research conducted on both collectively. The literature on leader transitions also states that transitions are times of uncertainty and stress. The findings suggest that some of this uncertainty and stress could result from the inability to recognize and manage polarity, paradox, and dilemma. Furthermore, the literature does not acknowledge this connection nor does it specify the polarities that exist for leaders in general or leaders in transition.
Originality/value
Based on personal experiences working with organizational leaders and training and organization development professionals, the authors believe that there is great potential to help train new leaders on polarity thinking. If training and development professionals see value in polarity thinking for transitioning leaders and can respond with timely training interventions, it could have a positive impact on new leader effectiveness and subsequent organization performance.