Patrick S.W. Fong, Chenghao Men, Jinlian Luo and Ruiqian Jia
Creativity and innovation are crucial in improving the organizational performance and sustaining competitive advantage. The purpose of this paper is to investigate the…
Abstract
Purpose
Creativity and innovation are crucial in improving the organizational performance and sustaining competitive advantage. The purpose of this paper is to investigate the relationship between knowledge hiding and team creativity.
Design/methodology/approach
The authors tested the hypotheses with a sample of 87 knowledge worker teams involving 393 employees and employers in China.
Findings
Knowledge hiding is negatively related to team creativity, fully mediated by absorptive capacity. In addition, the negative relationship between knowledge hiding and absorptive capacity would be weakened by task interdependence.
Practical implications
Team managers should take measures to avoid the development of knowledge hiding, which is indirectly related to team creativity via absorptive capacity within a team, and motivate team members to share more knowledge by training to improve their feelings of accountability, responsibility, and duty. In addition, managers can decrease knowledge hiding by strengthening within-team task interdependence.
Originality/value
This study is one of the first to investigate the relationship between knowledge hiding and team creativity and the moderating role of task interdependence in the relationship between knowledge hiding and absorptive capacity.
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Zehui Zhan, Jun Wu, Hu Mei, Qianyi Wu and Patrick S.W. Fong
This paper aims to investigate the individual difference on digital reading, by examining the eye-tracking records of male and female readers with different reading ability…
Abstract
Purpose
This paper aims to investigate the individual difference on digital reading, by examining the eye-tracking records of male and female readers with different reading ability (including their pupil size, blink rate, fixation rate, fixation duration, saccade rate, saccade duration, saccade amplitude and regression rate).
Design/methodology/approach
A total of 74 participants were selected according to 6,520 undergraduate students’ university entrance exam scores and the follow-up reading assessments. Half of them are men and half are women, with the top 3% good readers and the bottom 3% poor readers, from different disciplines.
Findings
Results indicated that the major gender differences on reading abilities were indicated by saccade duration, regression rate and blink rate. The major effects on reading ability have a larger effect size than the major effect on gender. Among all the indicators that have been examined, blink rate and regression rates are the most sensitive to the gender attribute, while the fixation rate and saccade amplitude showed the least sensitiveness.
Originality/value
This finding could be helpful for user modeling with eye-tracking data in intelligent tutoring systems, where necessary adjustments might be needed according to users’ individual differences. In this way, instructors could be able to provide purposeful guidance according to what the learners had seen and personalized the experience of digital reading.
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Fuzhen Liu, Jiang Wu, Xiao Huang and Patrick S.W. Fong
Knowledge sharing, as a kind of social behavior that incorporates collective intelligence to achieve a certain goal, has become a remarkable developing trend in recent years…
Abstract
Purpose
Knowledge sharing, as a kind of social behavior that incorporates collective intelligence to achieve a certain goal, has become a remarkable developing trend in recent years. Under the context of traditional teaching, this study aims to explore the manner in which students become effective in sharing knowledge to help optimize course design and improve our existing education.
Design/methodology/approach
Among 195 university students taking an elective, the effects of different incentives on group performance in completing tasks is explored on the basis of a randomized experiment.
Findings
Results show that intra-group cooperation can be helpful to student performance, whereas intra-group competition neither improves nor worsens student performance. The former is mainly driven by reciprocity, especially for that stimulated by inter-group competition, whereas the latter is stimulated by egoism. Thus, proper reciprocity can promote student behavior to increase voluntary contribution. In addition, intra-group differences do not interfere with group performance, especially task-oriented groups.
Originality/value
Certain suggestions are proposed to improve the curriculum design in large classrooms. Forming groups is the best way to strengthen student knowledge sharing. Within task-oriented groups, the incentives of inter-group competition can encourage students to deepen intra-group cooperation and thus effectively improve group performance under the conditions of external competition.
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Jiaojie Han, Amnon Rapoport and Patrick S.W. Fong
The purpose of this paper is to investigate the impact of incentive contracts in multi-partner project teams (MPPTs) on the agents’ effort expenditure and project performance…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to investigate the impact of incentive contracts in multi-partner project teams (MPPTs) on the agents’ effort expenditure and project performance, analyze how the agents allocate their efforts between production and cooperation and offer suggestions for project managers on how to design incentive contracts.
Design/methodology/approach
The paper proposes a model of MPPT in which agents are inequity-averse and their effort expenditures are exogenously bounded. An extensive numerical example is presented in online Appendix 2 to illustrate the theoretical results.
Findings
The paper suggests that if the potential benefit of the agents’ cooperation in MPPT is high or if both agents exhibit inequity aversion and the efforts’ marginal costs are low, then group-based incentive contracts outperform individual-based incentive contracts. It also shows that the impact of the incentive contract on the agents’ effort expenditure and project team performance is correlated with several critical project attributes.
Originality/value
Fulfilling a need to study the design of incentive structures in MPPTs, the paper complements the existing literature in three ways. First, in contrast to single-partner project teams, it considers projects with multiple partners where cooperation between them enhances the project outcome. Second, rather than focusing on individual production problems, it considers multi-task projects with constrained efforts that must be allocated between production and cooperation. Third, it analyzes the effects of changes in the project attributes, incentive intensities and information transparency on the effectiveness of the contract.
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Patrick S.W. Fong and Paul Dettwiler
This article interweaves the disciplines of knowledge management and entrepreneurship, where the purpose is to develop a model that depicts the knowledge creation relationship of…
Abstract
Purpose
This article interweaves the disciplines of knowledge management and entrepreneurship, where the purpose is to develop a model that depicts the knowledge creation relationship of entrepreneurial firms in particular and its environmental context related to real estate management. How does the educational level of workers affect knowledge creation in entrepreneurial firms?
Design/methodology/approach
This article is based on the results of a survey in Sweden that consisted of an investigation of the offices of 967 enlisted growth firms covering the entire country, forming a basis for further theoretical development.
Findings
The findings suggest that education level has a gravitational character according to traditional location theories. Three concepts from the theories of entrepreneurship are transferred to real estate management factors where the educational level of staff would play a significant role.
Practical implications
Entrepreneurial firms have a particular vulnerability, which is their human capital, and require particular management skills to prevent losses.
Originality/value
The significant contribution of this paper is that it provides a basis for conceptualising a model of knowledge creation in entrepreneurial (in contrast to conservative) firms performing under dynamic and competitive environments.
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Jodith K.L. Leung and Patrick S.W. Fong
Storytelling is regarded as a fundamental way for humans to communicate with each other, no matter whether in the form of folklore, myths or war stories. Storytelling is applied…
Abstract
Purpose
Storytelling is regarded as a fundamental way for humans to communicate with each other, no matter whether in the form of folklore, myths or war stories. Storytelling is applied in management and organisational practices in order to achieve specific purposes. Management activities within projects are similar to managing organisations with high complexity. Storytelling can then be applied in the construction project environment to achieve specific management purposes. This paper aims to explore the potential roles of storytelling in the construction industry through analysing its applications in other sectors, and to align the applications of storytelling to construction projects.
Design/methodology/approach
Through an in‐depth literature review of the nature of stories and storytelling, and their roles in management and organisational practices, this study determines how stories can contribute to the effective sharing of knowledge in the construction project environment. Cases of storytelling applications in construction projects are also presented, with the aim of showing the uniqueness of storytelling.
Findings
Storytelling is a potential approach for managing construction project knowledge through the features of stories and storytelling by preserving, transferring, and learning from current or past experiences of both construction projects and firms.
Research limitations/implications
The findings illustrate gaps in the current knowledge and pave the path for future research in this particular area.
Originality/value
The research examines promising implementations of stories and storytelling in the construction industry through examination of the literature.
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Patrick S.W. Fong and Hang Fung Lee
In the knowledge economy, the management of knowledge is important because the value of corporations and individuals is directly related to their knowledge and intellectual…
Abstract
Purpose
In the knowledge economy, the management of knowledge is important because the value of corporations and individuals is directly related to their knowledge and intellectual capital. This is especially true for real estate management, which is of increasing concern to the public and plays an important role in the property market today. This paper aims to show the nature of property professionals' acquisition, sharing and reuse of knowledge in their work.
Design/methodology/approach
To better understand the practices of knowledge management (KM) currently employed by property management firms, a study of the general practices of knowledge management in property management firms in Hong Kong was undertaken. This study described the notion of knowledge and knowledge management and investigated the norms of property professionals in acquiring, sharing and reusing knowledge in their daily practices. It also analyzed the relationship between size of firms and methods of knowledge acquisition and sharing. A questionnaire survey was conducted to study the opinions of professional property managers on the acquisition and reuse of knowledge and experience in their daily work. Questionnaires were sent to 103 PM firms with a response rate of 30 percent.
Findings
The survey results reveal that property managers mostly acquire their knowledge from the internet and newspapers. They also obtain knowledge from their colleagues and thus they are always important target persons with whom to share knowledge. In addition, property managers have close contact with professionals within and beyond their profession, allowing them to tap into and share knowledge across organizational boundaries. Although property managers are willing to share knowledge with others, there is no evidence to show that there are formal knowledge management strategies in PM firms. It seems that there is a need for explicit knowledge management strategies in property management, which could leverage their employees' knowledge assets.
Research limitations/implications
Past research that studied other types of knowledge workers may not be applicable to the unique nature of professionals working in the property management sector.
Originality/value
The originality of this paper is that it examines the practices of property professionals in acquiring, sharing and reusing knowledge in their daily practices which have not been studied systematically before. This paper also makes suggestions for improving knowledge‐managing strategies in this profession to prevent knowledge loss.
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Patrick S.W. Fong and Sonia K.Y. Choi
Quantity surveying firms are characterized by their professional identity and knowledge‐driven nature; knowledge is crucial to their success in the competitive and dynamic…
Abstract
Purpose
Quantity surveying firms are characterized by their professional identity and knowledge‐driven nature; knowledge is crucial to their success in the competitive and dynamic business environment. As knowledge management is still in its infancy in the construction industry and structured knowledge management processes have not yet been adequately deployed in the surveying discipline, this research seeks to focus on the implicit knowledge management processes being undertaken in professional quantity surveying firms in Hong Kong.
Design/methodology/approach
A framework of knowledge processes was developed from a detailed literature review in an attempt to enhance the knowledge flow in Hong Kong professional quantity surveying firms. The applicability and validity of the framework were verified by quantitative research methods. Based on the proposed process model, a questionnaire survey was then conducted to study the opinions of professional quantity surveyors on the details of these processes; the questionnaire was returned with a response rate of 42.6 percent out of 260.
Findings
From the findings of the questionnaire survey, the research confirms the six knowledge management processes in quantity surveying firms, namely acquisition, creation, storage, distribution, use, and maintaining. There is a general lack of specifically assigned staff for knowledge acquisition from external sources, knowledge acquisition having an overall mean value marginally below the passing point, and a relatively low reliance on external knowledge by these firms.
Research limitations/implications
The paper unravels some of the mysteries and difficulties of transferring knowledge both within and across projects. The findings can equally be applied in other project‐based industries.
Practical implications
A clear policy/strategy governing the ways in which knowledge should be handled is far from prevalent in Hong Kong quantity surveying firms. The appointment of managers for knowledge aspects was only carried out by one third of the responding quantity surveyors. Despite the absence of such an appointment and policy, nearly half of the responding quantity surveyors can seek the necessary knowledge when they need it.
Originality/value
Although the study applies uniquely to quantity surveying professional services firms and may not yield an evaluation that is comparable with previous studies, it is hoped that the same survey instrument can be applied to other types of project‐based professional services organizations in order to find out whether there are differences among different professions in terms of how they manage their organizational knowledge. In addition, these future studies can offer a benchmarking effect to firms providing customized professional services to clients.
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Salama S. Al-Qubaisi and Mian Ajmal
There is limited research that indicates the relation between knowledge management practices (KMPs), organizational culture (OC) and operational efficiency performance (OE) by…
Abstract
Purpose
There is limited research that indicates the relation between knowledge management practices (KMPs), organizational culture (OC) and operational efficiency performance (OE) by using Balanced scorecards (BSC) specifically in oil and gas sector. This relationship is not yet acknowledged through empirical tests. The purpose of this paper is to fill this gap by providing a better understanding of that relationship and its importance with regard to business outcomes.
Design/methodology/approach
In order to examine the relationship between OC and OE, this research takes a BSC perspective with the mediating impact of KMPs. Three hypotheses were developed using literature review and tested through the application of confirmatory factor analysis in structural equation modeling. Altogether, 568 valid responses were collected from one of the biggest oil and gas companies in the UAE.
Findings
All KMPs were found to have significant relationship with OE and OC. Also, KMPs mediate the relationship between OC and OE. In addition, the results show that the standardized coefficients of these paths and the loadings of the indicators on their factors are significant. Pearson’s correlations indicate strong evidences of the joint impact of OC and KM practices on OE, with a possible mediator impact of KM practices on OE.
Research limitations/implications
One of research limitations is the type of organization. Future research may include other industries such as manufacturing and construction. Only the operational variable is evaluated and there is no consideration of other dimensions such as leadership type, organizational structure and technology.
Originality/value
This paper is the first in the UAE and the region to examine the relationship between OC and KMPs by considering OE from a BSC perspective with the mediating impact of KMPs.
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The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) states in 2018 that safeguarding “civil liberties is critical” to their official duties. The Office for Civil Rights and Civil Liberties…
Abstract
The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) states in 2018 that safeguarding “civil liberties is critical” to their official duties. The Office for Civil Rights and Civil Liberties within DHS, as its website explains,
reviews and assesses complaints from the public in areas such as: physical or other abuse; discrimination based on race, ethnicity, national origin, religion, gender, sexual orientation, or disability; inappropriate conditions of confinement; infringements of free speech; violation of right to due process … and any other civil rights or civil liberties violation related to a Department program or activity.
My chapter tracks the centrality of deportability in shaping the civil liberties and rights that DHS is tasked with enforcing. Over the course of the twentieth century, people on US soil saw an expanding list of civil liberties and civil rights. Important scholarship concentrates on the role of the courts, state and federal governments, advocacy groups, social movements, and foreign policy driving these constitutional and cultural changes. For instance, the scholarship illustrates that coming out of World War I, the US Supreme Court ruled that the First Amendment did not protect something the Justices labeled “irresponsible speech.” The Supreme Court soon changed course, opening up an era ever since of more robust First Amendment rights. What has not been undertaken in the literature is an examination of the relationship of deportability to the sweep of civil liberties and civil rights. Starting in the second decade of the twentieth century, federal immigration policymakers began multiplying types of immigration statuses. A century later, among many others, there is the H2A status for temporary low-wage workers, the H2B for skilled labor, and permanent residents with green cards. The deportability of each status constrains access to certain liberties and rights. Thus, in 2016, when people from the Office for Civil Rights and Civil Liberties within DHS act, they are not enforcing a uniform body of rights and liberties that applies equally to citizens and immigrants, or even within the large category of immigrants. Instead, they do so within a complicated matrix of liberties and rights attenuated by deportability, which has been shaped by the history of the twentieth century.