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Article
Publication date: 1 April 2005

Sari Salojärvi, Patrick Furu and Karl‐Erik Sveiby

The impact of knowledge management on the financial success of companies has not yet been properly researched. This paper aims to make a contribution by examining the relationship

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Abstract

Purpose

The impact of knowledge management on the financial success of companies has not yet been properly researched. This paper aims to make a contribution by examining the relationship between sustainable sales growth and knowledge management activities in 108 Finnish small and medium‐sized enterprises (SMEs).

Design/methodology/approach

Data were generated from a questionnaire survey of 108 SMEs from different fields and thematic interviews with ten companies.

Findings

Higher levels of KM‐maturity were found to correlate positively with long‐term sustainable growth. Although Finnish SMEs display a surprisingly high awareness about KM, only a minor proportion of the sample firms has been able to benefit in terms of growth from their KM‐related activities. The results have implications for policy formulation in the field of SMEs, since half the Finnish SMEs in the sample do not grow. We found that the fast‐growing companies with high KM‐maturity are applying KM‐related activities in a comprehensive and balanced way, thereby raising question marks around the effectiveness of eclectic “KM implementations”.

Research limitations/implications

This research was carried out in only one country and the results cannot be generalised. Furthermore, this study does not provide any information concerning the causal relationship of knowledge management and SME performance. Therefore, further studies in the field are needed.

Practical implications

The results from this study also suggest that SMEs might be able to shift into higher growth by applying a comprehensive KM‐approach incorporating all intangible assets equally.

Originality/value

This study provides new information concerning the relationship between knowledge management and small business performance.

Details

Journal of Knowledge Management, vol. 9 no. 2
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1367-3270

Keywords

Available. Content available
Article
Publication date: 1 January 2008

1234

Abstract

Details

Management Research News, vol. 31 no. 1
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0140-9174

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Article
Publication date: 14 March 2016

Violetta Khoreva

The purpose of this paper is to examine the association between leadership development practices and the following employee attitudes: affective commitment, commitment to…

2870

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to examine the association between leadership development practices and the following employee attitudes: affective commitment, commitment to acceptance of increasing performance demands and commitment to building competencies. Building on social exchange theory, the study seeks to reveal whether affective commitment mediates the relationship between leadership development practices and both commitment to acceptance of increasing performance demands and commitment to building competencies.

Design/methodology/approach

Structural equation modelling was utilized to analyse survey data representing a sample of 332 high-potential employees in eight Nordic multinational corporations.

Findings

The study findings show that by means of affective commitment, organizations can expect an induced commitment to acceptance of increasing performance demands as well as an induced commitment to building relevant competencies among employees who engage in leadership development practices.

Research limitations/implications

Given the cross-sectional nature of the study, future research is encouraged to look into how the relationship between leadership development practices and employee attitudes evolves over time.

Originality/value

The study provides insights into the underlying processes by which leadership development practices become reflected in desired employee attitudes. It offers a useful point for future efforts to explore the impact of human resource management (HRM) on employees and organizations through various mediators with the purpose of establishing the current trends within HRM and avoiding tensions in future.

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Article
Publication date: 2 March 2015

Violetta Khoreva and Vlad Vaiman

The purpose of this paper is to investigate the responses of employees, who are identified as talents by their multinational enterprises, in regards to leadership development…

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Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to investigate the responses of employees, who are identified as talents by their multinational enterprises, in regards to leadership development activities. By applying social exchange and expectancy theories, the authors examine the association between talent identification, perceived effectiveness of leadership development activities, willingness to participate in those activities and actual participation in them.

Design/methodology/approach

The data were collected through a web-based questionnaire entitled “Leadership2020 Talent Survey”. Eight multinational enterprises joined the survey and delivered a sample based on the target group definition.

Findings

The analysis shows that perceived effectiveness of leadership development activities is positively associated with willingness of employees to undertake those activities. The results also reveal that there is no significant association between the employees’ willingness to participate in leadership development activities and their actual participation in those activities.

Research limitations/implications

Given its cross-sectional nature, the authors cannot completely exclude the possibility of common method bias having impact on the results of this study. The authors thus call for longitudinal research to examine the nature of causality within the relationships analyzed in this study.

Practical implications

Managers and practitioners should keep in mind that willingness to participate in leadership development activities does not always result in actual participation of employees in those activities. Symbolic representations may be very different from representations in real-life situations. Investigations that rely on the willingness as a proxy for actual behaviour must thus be interpreted with caution.

Originality/value

The authors found that employees often fail to act in accordance with their stated eagerness. According to the findings, there is a clear discrepancy between expressed willingness to implement certain behaviour and its actual implementation. This study poses a strong bias in overestimating the likelihood that an employee will engage in a desirable behaviour based on his/her willingness to do so.

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Article
Publication date: 12 September 2016

Violetta Khoreva and Maarten van Zalk

The implicit assumption since the beginning of the science and practice of human resource management (HRM) has been that if we do HRM well, this will somehow make organizations…

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Abstract

Purpose

The implicit assumption since the beginning of the science and practice of human resource management (HRM) has been that if we do HRM well, this will somehow make organizations perform more effectively. The purpose of this paper is to address this “somehow” by investigating the antecedents of work engagement among high potential employees.

Design/methodology/approach

The data were collected through a web-based survey from 439 high potential employees of 11 Finnish multinational enterprises. Structural equation modeling was utilized to analyze the data.

Findings

In line with the social exchange perspective, the findings demonstrate that it is through the fulfillment of psychological contract and through increased organizational identification that high potential employees become more engaged with their organizations in response to participation in leadership development activities.

Research limitations/implications

Given its cross-sectional nature, the authors cannot completely exclude the possibility of common method bias having impact on the study results. The authors thus call for longitudinal research to examine the nature of causality within the associations analyzed in this study.

Originality/value

This is one of the first empirical studies, which examines the previously underexplored association between leadership development activities and employee attitudes. In addition, this study addresses the lack of research investigating such a specific group of employees as high potential employees, those employees who rank at the top in terms of performance and competencies, and who are considered to be of highest concern for organizations.

Details

Career Development International, vol. 21 no. 5
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1362-0436

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Article
Publication date: 3 January 2017

Violetta Khoreva, Vlad Vaiman and Maarten Van Zalk

The purpose of this paper is to enhance the theoretical and empirical understanding of the process through which talent management (TM) practice effectiveness impacts…

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Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to enhance the theoretical and empirical understanding of the process through which talent management (TM) practice effectiveness impacts high-potential employees’ commitment to leadership competence development.

Design/methodology/approach

Structural equation modelling was utilized to analyse survey data representing a sample of 439 high-potential employees from 11 Finnish multinational corporations.

Findings

First, the authors found that the more high-potential employees perceived TM practices to be effective, the more they were committed towards leadership competence development. Next, the findings revealed that the association between TM practice effectiveness and commitment to leadership competence development operates by means of psychological contract fulfilment. Finally, the authors found that female employees possessed a stronger reaction to the effectiveness of TM practices by demonstrating higher levels of commitment to leadership competence development than male employees.

Originality/value

This study supports social exchange theory, which postulates that when organizations invest in their employees, the employees are likely to reciprocate these corporate investments in positive ways. The findings indicate that TM practices may help high-potential employees to make sense of their employment relationship and communicate to employees those attitudes and behaviours that organizations value. The authors thus advocate that in order to have the desired effect, such as for instance the increased commitment to leadership competence development, it is crucial for organizations to invest in those TM practices that are perceived as effective by employees.

Details

Employee Relations, vol. 39 no. 1
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0142-5455

Keywords

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Article
Publication date: 8 January 2018

Harri Laihonen and Sari Mäntylä

The characteristics of new public management and new public governance are well known, but their impact on managerial knowledge needs and the implementation of knowledge…

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Abstract

Purpose

The characteristics of new public management and new public governance are well known, but their impact on managerial knowledge needs and the implementation of knowledge management in local government remains unclear. The purpose of this paper is to elaborate the key elements of a public organization’s knowledge strategy and shows how knowledge management can support public management.

Design/methodology/approach

A case study on the application of an action research process was conducted to study how the City of Tampere in Finland aimed to overcome challenges in utilizing performance information by applying the ideas of knowledge management.

Findings

The study suggests that a holistic knowledge management strategy promotes the use of performance information by providing a systematic management framework for gathering and utilizing the information.

Practical implications

Four factors appear critical for strategic knowledge management in local government. First, it should be driven by the city’s strategy. Second, it should be carefully integrated into the general management system. Third, clear processes and responsibilities for refining the data are needed. Fourth, the quality of the data must be guaranteed. The results also emphasize the roles of management culture and continuous performance dialogue.

Originality/value

This paper makes two contributions. First, it extends the analysis of a knowledge management strategy to public management, and second, it provides a practical illustration of the development process, where knowledge was put into prime focus in developing public management.

Details

Journal of Knowledge Management, vol. 22 no. 1
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1367-3270

Keywords

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