Mark Horwitch and Robert Armacost
Businesses have had a rough time marshalling what they know into systems that help cut costs and boost profits—and they've had only themselves to blame. But new lessons from the…
Abstract
Businesses have had a rough time marshalling what they know into systems that help cut costs and boost profits—and they've had only themselves to blame. But new lessons from the U.S. Army are showing that KM can be highly effective.
Raja Roy and Mazhar Islam
We investigate product innovation by a cohort of entrants who use technology that eventually suffers disruption. We concentrate on two types of entrants – those with and those…
Abstract
We investigate product innovation by a cohort of entrants who use technology that eventually suffers disruption. We concentrate on two types of entrants – those with and those without relevant prior experience in the disrupted technology. Using the industrial robotics industry as the context of our study, we explore product innovation using disrupted technology during two time periods: the first prior to sales takeoff of the disruptive products and the second subsequent to takeoff. We find that the two types of entrants did not differ in product innovation prior to takeoff, but firms with prior experience in the disrupted technology manufactured more innovative products subsequent to the sales takeoff of disruptive products. Our research underscores that the boundary conditions of the utility of prior experience is more nuanced than that which literature suggests – it affects product innovation only in the post-sales takeoff period when the demand uncertainties are relatively low. Our findings also suggest that the boundary conditions of Christensen’s thesis are narrower than predicted by prior literature.
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Muhammad Umar, Mark Wilson and Jeff Heyl
This study aims to build on the extant literature of knowledge management (KM) capabilities, notably infrastructure and processes, and examine how these capabilities influence the…
Abstract
Purpose
This study aims to build on the extant literature of knowledge management (KM) capabilities, notably infrastructure and processes, and examine how these capabilities influence the resilience of supply chains that experience regular natural disasters.
Design/methodology/approach
A multiple case study approach has been adopted to investigate the role of KM within foods supply chains of two different South Asian regions. This context was selected as these regions are prone to regular natural disruptions and these food supply chains also play a crucial role in the relief process.
Findings
The data shows that supply chain resilience can be enhanced when supply chain members collaborate to generate, share and use knowledge. These KM processes are greatly facilitated by KM infrastructure capabilities. IT advancements, a cohesive collaborative culture and the presence of strong central hubs firms in the network facilitate knowledge generation, knowledge sharing and knowledge utilisation, thus building supply chain resilience. Given the abductive nature of this research, these findings form the most likely associations, but with a degree of uncertainty. Hence, the authors provide propositions for further detailed research in this important area.
Originality/value
This study is one of the few, as far as the authors can tell, that seeks to examine the influence of KM on the resilience of supply chains. Further, uncovering the sub-structure of KM in this context adds to this emerging body of literature.
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Krisztina Demeter, Levente Szász and Harry Boer
Many firms today operate international manufacturing networks (IMN) of plants, which may serve different purposes and have different levels of competences. This diversity…
Abstract
Purpose
Many firms today operate international manufacturing networks (IMN) of plants, which may serve different purposes and have different levels of competences. This diversity influences the effectiveness of different manufacturing practices, which has not yet been explored in the literature. The purpose of this paper is to investigate the relationship between plant role and the “goodness” of its manufacturing practices.
Design/methodology/approach
Data are used from a sample of 471 plants from the sixth edition of the International Manufacturing Strategy Survey.
Findings
The findings show that plants with higher competences use more practices successfully than less competent plants. Furthermore, more competent plants tend to strengthen their differentiation performance, while less competent plants focus on and achieve cost performance improvements instead.
Practical implications
The associations between plant role, manufacturing practices and performance provide important input for the global design of a firm’s IMN as a whole, and the development of local plants within the network.
Originality/value
The “goodness” of manufacturing practices has not been investigated in the plant role literature; the effect of plant role on the “goodness” of manufacturing practices has not been studied in the OM contingency literature. This paper shows that while the role of a plant in a firm’s IMN hardly affects the efforts it puts into implementing different manufacturing practices, it has an important moderating influence on the performance implications of these practices.
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Farag Edghiem, Xiuli Guo, Carl Bridge and Martin McAreavey
Based on initial observation, this paper aims to explore the current practices of collaborative knowledge sharing (KS) between North West Universities and highlight new avenues of…
Abstract
Purpose
Based on initial observation, this paper aims to explore the current practices of collaborative knowledge sharing (KS) between North West Universities and highlight new avenues of future relevant research.
Design/methodology/approach
A netnographic observation was conducted to unveil the current practices of KS between North West Universities.
Findings
The paper concludes that there is little or no evidence of collaborative KS practices amongst North West Universities in response to the present Covid-19 transition.
Practical implications
This paper provides useful, practical insight that may assist decision-makers to establish KS initiatives within North West Universities and beyond. A strategy is also proposed to nurture collaborative KS amongst North West Universities and within wider work-applied management practice.
Originality/value
This paper presents an unconventional conceptualisation of KS practices amid the present Covid-19 pandemic with the fresh perspective of North West England Universities.
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Roger (Rongxin) Chen, Liang Wang, Eric Ping Hung Li and Guodong Hu
As entrepreneurial top management teams in multidivisional forms are typically treated in pertinent literature as the default organizational solutions for developing dynamic…
Abstract
Purpose
As entrepreneurial top management teams in multidivisional forms are typically treated in pertinent literature as the default organizational solutions for developing dynamic capabilities, the emerging innovative organizational forms tend to be overlooked, even though they could be a viable means of transforming established enterprises. The present case study examines how Haier's microenterprise and platforms influenced the firm's dynamic capabilities development.
Design/methodology/approach
The paper presents a qualitative case study of Haier Group Corporation in China.
Findings
The findings indicate that Haier employed a loosely coupled relationship between its headquarters and the microenterprises, developed quasi market-based exchange relationships and established peer-to-peer learning opportunities and coordination among its microenterprises. Data analyses further revealed that Haier has adopted three-step routines to capture market opportunities and enhance operational efficiency. This research extends the sensing-seizing-reconfiguration model typically recommended in the existing literature. It also demonstrates that organizational configuration is an important aspect of dynamic innovation. In summary, the study results showcase microdivisionalization as a new way for developing dynamic capabilities to better adapt to the ever-changing market environments.
Originality/value
In summary, our study showcased microdivisionalization as a new way for firms to change the organization structure and business strategies to better adapt to the ever-changing market environments.
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Satyendra C. Pandey and Andrew Dutta
In a progressively more knowledge‐dependent economy, businesses need to learn to harness the knowledge that resides within their organizations. However, organizations often find…
Abstract
Purpose
In a progressively more knowledge‐dependent economy, businesses need to learn to harness the knowledge that resides within their organizations. However, organizations often find it challenging to manage this most important asset that people possess. Researchers have asserted that it is mostly organizational factors that pose a challenge to the management of knowledge. The purpose of this paper is to examine the role of knowledge infrastructure capability in knowledge management (KM) practices within an organization.
Design/methodology/approach
This paper employs a single case study strategy to explore the objective. A medium‐sized, global Indian IT solutions company, headquartered in Bengaluru, India (MindTree Ltd) was chosen, as this company is admired globally for its KM initiatives and also featured in the Globally Most Admired Knowledge Enterprises (MAKE) list in 2010. Research methods included in‐depth, semi‐structured interviews with key informants, as well as non‐obtrusive participant observation.
Findings
The study's findings show the relevance of knowledge infrastructure capability in KM excellence. The case highlights the role of a knowledge‐sharing culture throughout management systems and routines. The findings also suggest that organizational structure plays a facilitating and steering role in developing the culture of knowledge.
Research limitations/implications
The issues identified are explored in a single case‐study setting. Future research could look at the relevance of the findings to other similar settings and in multi‐site settings, to bring about a wider theoretical generalization.
Practical implications
This study will help managers to understand the role of knowledge infrastructure capabilities in KM success and will help them to devise further studies to realize the full potential of KM initiatives.
Originality/value
This paper adds empirical insight from the Indian ITES industry on existing literature concerning KM.