The recent innovation literature has increasingly emphasized the efficient use of knowledge and information not only inside the company borders, but particularly the knowledge locating outside the company borders, such as the knowledge of customers and users. In addition, the co-creation of new knowledge has gained fast in importance. Various types of collaborative web tools and approaches, such as social media, can enable and significantly increase the collaboration, the collaborative knowledge creation and the use of the distributed knowledge both within and outside the company borders. In this paper, we have studied the role and possibilities of social media in the sharing and creation of customer information and knowledge especially from the perspective of business-to-business companies’ innovation with an extensive literature review. Business-to-business context was chosen because it is in many ways a very different environment for social media than business-to-consumer context, and is
currently very little academically studied.
Social Software shows a fascinating range of usage possibilities in enterprises. Such tools are very simple and provide individual users with high degrees of freedom. This implies the need for a negotiation process, where users develop a shared understanding of how to use the tools in order to work together towards a common goal. In several case studies on organisational usage of microblogging we found that these adoption processes can be described by using Tuckman-Jensen’s model of group development, proposing five generic stages: forming, storming, norming, performing and adjourning. We apply this model to describe and interpret observations of microblogging adoption and argue that this process is mainly driven by social interactions rather than technical constraints.
Personal learning environments (PLEs) comprise a new kind of learning technology which aims at putting learners into centre stage, i.e. by empowering them to design and use environments for their learning needs and purposes. Setting a PLE approach into practice, however, is not trivial at all, as the proposed end-users have varying attitudes and experiences in using ICT in general and PLE software in particular. Here, practice sharing could be an enabler for increasing the usefulness and usability of PLE solutions. In this paper we examine the relevant issues of capturing and sharing ‘good practices’ of PLE-based, collaborative activities. By good practices we refer to learning experiences provided by learners for a networked community. Moreover, we introduce the concept of a pattern repository as a back-end service for PLEs which should, in the sense of community approaches like Last.fm, support PLE users in applying learning tools for their activities. Finally, we present a preliminary prototype and argue for the advantages of such a practice sharing infrastructure with respect to community literature, experiences, and an internal evaluation study.
As pointed out by several scholars, inter-organizational collaboration is an important vehicle for knowledge creation. But the process of integrating knowledge across organizational boundaries entails great complexity. In this paper, we argue that visualizing knowledge in inter-organizational meetings is a conduit of knowledge sharing, and enables innovative re-combinations of organizational competences. We propose an experimental design to uncover the advantages and possible disadvantages of using visual techniques as a support for inter-organizational knowledge sharing. In particular, we compare the process and the outcome of knowledge sharing in inter-organizational teams supported with 1) software-based visualization, 2) poster-based visualization, and 3) text-based methods. The first results of our experiments suggest that software-supported teams outperform the control groups in knowledge-sharing tasks, and exhibit greater satisfaction with teamwork process and outcome. After discussing relevant implications for both researchers and practitioners, we point out limitations of our study and suggest directions for future research.
Small-world networks represent a decentralised network topology in which several actors are strongly connected with each other. A high clustering coefficient and a high number of short paths within a social network characterise such a network. Particularly in the context of inter-organisational knowledge transfer among R&D organisations, the structure of small-world networks appears significant for effective knowledge transfer. This paper reports on an investigation into the nature of inter-organisational knowledge transfer among R&D organisations. The topology of a social network is explored using UCINET social network analysis software. From these findings, implications are drawn for ICT support at an interorganisational level.
In the economic and financial analysis domain a quick access to the right information plays a major role. Using current systems, the search for and presentation of data is very cumbersome. The data, mostly in form of time-series, is stored in various databases. In order to retrieve the searched data, the analysts need to know where to search and sometimes even the structure of the database and its coding. Then it is required to export the data, process the data and create a chart to view the data. This might take time from tens of minutes to hours.
In our work we present a first prototype of an integrated search engine that takes as input a natural language query and offers graphic and text output depending on the user task. The system automatically identifies the time-series answers, types of graphical data presentation and shows the results in a web browser and in Excel. The knowledge-based expert system uses domain ontologies for extraction of economic terms in the search queries and specially built data type taxonomy with user task and chart type ontologies for identification of graphic output.
Today Online Social Networks (OSN) are very popular Web sites which show remarkable user growth and attention on the Internet. One reason of the extraordinary success of these social software sites are the enhanced Web 2.0 technologies and concepts, but they do not really explain why a OSN in particular produce explosive growth while another similar Web site is drying out. We belief that these socio-technical mass phenomena can be better understood by introducing self-organization theory (SOT) and crowd behavior. These concepts can explain why spontaneous collective- and herd behaviors may emerge and how the development of these processes could look like. However OSN should not only grow fast, they also want to stay sustainable and get profitable. Hence an important question of these potential “overshoot and collapse” Web sites on the Internet is how to get it stabilized and turned into a long lasting and successful service. Therefore we present some considerations about growth and sustainability in the dynamic and competitive online world.
In the paper the new possibilities of eLearning 2.0 management systems for knowledge production, experience sharing and communication are presented. The Web 2.0 effects and mechanisms for knowledge capturing and construction are discussed. Reviews of seven new generation learning systems are done with aim one of them to be selected for knowledge building and competence development during the university education as well as after degree receiving. The analysis of eLearning 2.0 management systems is performed in context of the IEEE LTSA (Learning Technology Systems Architecture) component architecture.
This paper introduces a new model of personalized usage of the internet that is based on technologies of user representation, artificial intelligence and semantic augmentation of the content. By taking advantage of internet’s unprecedented dynamics, compared to traditional media, this user representation model incorporates cognitive, mainly, psychology theories, combined with parameters that constitute more traditional approaches in user profiling (such as demographics, expertise, etc). The purpose of this research is to alleviate difficulties that massive approaches impose on areas such as education and information processing, by integrating intelligent adaptive characteristics into web applications; this can lead to a highly adapted to each user’s needs content and more effective, in our case, learning.
There is plenty of hype around the term Web 2.0. While the change of the web has gathered increased attention from the Web 2.0 community itself, it seems that the corporate world feels unconfident how to apply the principles of the Web 2.0 to their businesses. Due to the ambiguity and fuzziness of the concepts describing Web 2.0 there is a lot of uncertainness. Highly affected industry branches like the media industry show interest but their fears of loosing their competitiveness because of not knowing how to handle the phenomenon Web 2.0 are evenly strong. Nevertheless, little academic work has been conducted on the implication of Web 2.0 to the business domain. This paper bridges the gap in having a deeper look into the phenomena of Web 2.0 leading to the development of a more graspable model for corporate use of Web 2.0 encapsulating a business focus and hence defining the term Corporate Web 2.0. By showing how the introduced model is applied, it helps companies including the media and other businesses to derive a business value from the new Internet.
Download Paper
Abstract: In this paper a novel form of online users, the “Online Crowds”, is described. “Online Crowds” gather virtually, behave and act collectively and produce effects and phenomena which would not be possible without the Internet [Hof 05]. A remarkable example is “The Million Dollar Homepage”1 where a clever student made more than £ 100.000 only by offering a simple but unique online idea. He used the dynamics between online users and companies to make money with almost no effort. To understand these “social contagion” processes, an interdisciplinary conceptual and psychological model of “Online Crowds” is introduced. The model is based on the principles of “Other directedness”, “Critical mass”, “Positive feedback loops” and the accelerating impact of network effects on the Internet. Some recommendations are sketched how such “Online Crowds” can be actively formed for promising online business models. If the behavior and the characteristics of “Online Crowds” are better understood, decision makers and providers will be better capable to predict and promote successful online communities and services.
Moreover a look at the positive and negative effects of these phenomena is taken and their challenges, as well as the implications for the affected society are analyzed. Especially the domain of New Media Technology (NMT) and the particular area of online recommender- and personalization technology are facing a potential for exploiting these Internet phenomena. Finally, a list of related work in the field and an outlook on further improvements in
the discussed approach are given.
This exploratory study aims to discuss issues on media measurement in relation to concurrent media consumption of digital media news services. A survey was conducted using a sample consisting of students from the Media Technology program at the Royal Institute of Technology (KTH), Stockholm, Sweden. The data was mainly analyzed qualitatively as the majority of the survey questions were open-ended. The respondents stated that a combination of the computer with the Internet where the media most common to consume simultaneously with other media such as TV or the mobile phone. The phone was the media most mentioned as prioritized when consuming media simultaneously. The findings thus indicate that simultaneous consumption is common among the media aware technology students in the sample.
Simultaneous media consumption might imply for the media companies that competition for the audience attention takes on new forms. This consumption might then affect media companies as their advertisers are becoming more and more aware of the phenomenon. Measures for media consumption have to be adapted to this behavior and previous research suggests that observation methods might be used to detect simultaneous media consumption.
In this paper, we introduce a so-called DyVT tool (Dynamic social network Visualization Tool) to support spatiotemporal knowledge visualization and discovery in dynamic social networks. The dynamic aspects of social networks refer to contextualized information such as spatial, temporal as well as users’ personalized information. We also define an XML-based target language incorporating emerging formats like DyNetML, KML, and GraphML. It also provides means to express, store and interchange the dynamic aspects of complex dynamic social network data. Based on this language, users can animate and personalize spatiotemporal knowledge extracted from social network data like email threads or blogs. In addition, a Java based graphical user interface is also available to enable nonexperienced users to customize knowledge visualization easily. A mashup with Google maps for spatiotemporal visualization is provided. With this tool spatiotemporal knowledge on an IBM DB2 Mailing list database containing 69 mailing lists and 56389 mails altogether is well explored.
The knowledge maturing theory opens an important macro perspective within the new paradigm of work-integrated learning. Especially wikis are interesting socio-technical systems to foster maturing activities by overcoming typical barriers. But so far, the theory has been mainly based on anecdotal evidence collected from various projects and observations. In this paper, we want to present the results of a qualitative and quantitative study of Wikipedia with respect to maturing phenomena, identifying instruments and measures indicating maturity. The findings, generalized to enterprise wikis, open the perspective on what promotes maturing on a method level and what can be used to spot maturing processes on a technology level.
Performance in a task is influenced not only by the experience obtained in doing this task, but by how recent it is and by the experience obtained in doing similar tasks. Competence-Performance Approach is used as the theoretical framework. A modified version of Nembhard and Uzumeri learning and forgetting function is proposed to forecast performance by including the experience derived from other similar tasks. An experiment with voluntary students of telecommunication engineering was carried out. The tasks require assembly of electronic circuits. The results fitted well with the proposed model.
Straightforward expertise localization is crucial for personal and organizational efficiency and productivity. Common issues with existing approaches are the amount of effort required to build up the database and keeping it up-to-date, and the difficulty of establishing a complete coverage of the organization. The ExpertFinder system employs the concepts of referral chaining, social networks and user-generated data to enable a fast, low-effort and thereby low-cost approach to building an expertise localization database. At the same time, ExpertFinder provides a number of views on this database. We describe the design of the system and discuss in detail two pilots conducted at Océ-Technologies and the Telematica Instituut, the findings of which show high user participation and a good coverage of individual employee expertise and overall organizational expertise.
The innovation process is a rhythm of search and selection, exploration and exploitation, cycles of perspectives encountering which allow people to analyze problems from new points of view. In order to enable innovation, a lot of instruments have been developed connecting heterogeneous individuals thinking (e.g. social networks, web portals, wiki systems, organizational yellow-pages, etc.). In this paper we focus on web portals, and how these tools assist the users connections and the innovation processes among them. In particular, we analyze some services implemented in the Innovation Portal of the Brazilian Ministry of Science and Technology geared to stimulating the establishment of strategic partnerships and cooperation projects involving national firms and science institutions. These services are mainly based on social network analysis in order to manage connections (i.e. coordination) and innovation processes among users.
In many respects Web 2.0 and Knowledge Management (KM) are strongly related to each other. From a KM perspective the Web 2.0 evolution can serve as a pool of ideas for new ways of knowledge sharing, knowledge organisation and for the development of new architectures of measurable knowledge management systems. KM projects are usually developed in a process-oriented, goal-driven environment, embedded in complex organisational structures, whereas typical Web 2.0 applications like del.icio.us, flickr or friendster are building “their own context”. This paper will examine Tim O´Reilly’s eight generic Web 2.0 design patterns in terms of their applicability for a measurable KM System in an Enterprise 2.0. Two use cases will be presented and it will be discussed which of the design patterns could be enriched by technologies from the semantic web which will be summarized as a concept named “Enterprise n+1”.
Process management is an important task in many companies. However, most of the literature on process management focuses on aspects like execution and monitoring and does neither deal with knowledge management support for the maintenance and contextualization of process models nor with the integration of such tasks into work procedures and corresponding tools. An effective knowledge management for business processes needs meta-data describing not only the processes but also their parts and details. This paper proposes a knowledge infrastructure for process modelling, usage and maintenance, which is based on a social tagging approach derived from popular social bookmarking tools. The concept of a tag-based prototype is described, which enables knowledge management support for complex sets of processes.
This article deals with a special type of ePortfolio, the Learning and Personal Development Planning Portfolio (PDP). It explores the technical challenges deriving from pedagogical requirements of PDP processes and discusses how semantic web technologies can contribute to an integrated “ePortfolio-PDP System”.
This contribution describes the Online-Community INPUD. The authors´ point of view is to explain the online community as an approach to cultivate knowledge transfer. The case study gives insights into the relations of informal structures, social proximity and trust. On this basis the success factors for knowledge transfer are described with a theoretical approach, which emphasizes the relevance of social roles and derives design aspects for socio-technical knowledge systems in general.
Digital media are used to facilitate social structures thus building digital social networks. Disturbances in such networks occur on different levels (egocentric level, subgroup level, network) and have to be analyzed in the multidimensional context of reference disciplines like sociology and knowledge management. This paper presents a first repository of disturbance patterns for the analysis of digital social networks. Based on the Actor-Network Theory and the Social Network Analysis, new socio-theoretical models for handling complex media settings were developed. On these models a pattern language is defined to describe multidimensional disturbance patterns and to store them in a newly developed pattern repository. The core of the pattern language is the formal expression language for pattern (FELP) which used to specify the structural and the content-specific properties of digital social networks. Results can be visualized with open source graph visualization software. To evaluate the approach a case study has been performed in a repository containing 118 mailing lists and 17.359 individuals. Patterns like troll, spammer and burst have been applied successfully.
The paper outlines how attention metadata enables a tight integration between organisational knowledge stores and human resource management on the one hand and learning management system in corporate contexts on the other hand. The approach relies on an extension of AttentionXML, a metadata standard to capture the attention a user spends on digital content. We suggest relying on attention metadata to unobtrusively capture the attention of employees at the workplace (e.g. through workflow systems, knowledge management systems, human resource management systems, etc.) and use the captured information to enable a targeted steering of learning process of the employee in companies in accordance with company’s and employee’s aims and goals.
This paper focuses on two technological aspects. Firstly, the MISTRAL system is briefly introduced in order to give some insights into one possible way of gaining and managing multi-modal information that is extracted from a meeting corpus and semantically enriched. And secondly, a multi-model approach is analysed and explained for the purpose of enabling different personalised and context-dependent views on the gained information spaces. As the system consists of several specialised sub-systems, the focus is set on the Semantic Applications Unit (SemAU), which represents the front-end sub-system to external clients. The SemAU is responsible for the main user-centred functions of MISTRAL: Search & Retrieval, Modelling & Adaptation, and Multiple Visualisations.
Software documentation is often a neglected aspect of software development although high quality end user documentation is an important competitive instrument. The process of creating such documentation is knowledge-intensive. In this contribution an end user documentation refers to a collection of knowledge which is compiled by various distinct knowledge sources within a company. To meet the highly specialised needs of such documentation a wiki is implemented. The background, the implementation procedure, and the characteristics of a corporate wiki are introduced.
Experts from different research fields are of the same opinion about personalisation in e-learning environments: the tenet of modern teaching and learning paradigms is that different learning goals require different didactical approaches. Thus, technological challenges and didactical expectations must be differentiated from and adapted to learners’ opportunities and objectives. Based on the utilisation of Dynamic Background Libraries (DBLs) in adaptive e-learning systems, this paper gives one example where the predictability of a learning need does not function, because learner expectations arise after the personalisation procedure. The focus is set on a new DBL implementation that considers some lessons learned from evaluation results and goes a step beyond semantics (“meaning”), i.e. pragmatics (“intension”). For this purpose, the enhanced DBL version (called Concept-based Context Modelling System) uses Concept Molecules, which allow not only static semantic descriptions and relations, but also pragmatic linkages on single concepts in order to enable multiple on-purpose semantic views.
Organizational procurement is a process of information exchanges and price bargaining between buyer and seller. The process and its outcome are both influenced by the professional experience of the relevant agents, the cognition of the agents concerning market risk, the analysis of contingency in the bargaining process, etc. Decisions of an enterprise are composed by the individuals in the company. How to congregate and motivate the individuals to make good decisions for running the business in a company, are challenging issues today. A consulting model for the evolution of an organizational market is built, based on literature review of inter-organizational negotiations, and in-depth interviews with top-level executives in a few leading Taiwanese companies engaged in organizational procurement. An experimental study is conducted based on the proposed model, and the empirical data is collected to gain knowledge of organizational procurement decision making. TOVE and Protégé are applied in designing the ontology for creating valuable information for marketplace administrators building appropriate strategies for their businesses.
This paper discusses cultural constraints in transferring knowledge. In international companies or cooperation at least two different organisational cultures face each other. Organisational cultures are often driven by the national context, in which the company operates basically. In order to gain and sustain competitive advantages in a globalised competition, companies aim at transferring market knowledge and expertise in the presence of organisational and national cultural barriers. In doing so, managers have to consider the political-legal, the economical and the socio-cultural framework (cp. Welge/Holtbrügge 2003). Recent studies indicate that companies do not consider cultural constraints in an appropriate manner, while doing international business (cp. Elenkov et al. 2005, Demorgon 2004, Poech 2002, Schmid 1996, Schmidt-Dorrenbach 1991, Stadler 2004, Welge/Holtbrügge 2003). This paper discusses the transfer of knowledge and explores its affection by organisational culture. Finally, methods and recommended actions for improving the transfer of knowledge through cultural boundaries will be given.
A novel approach for improving current practices of Knowledge Management within
an organization is introduced. This methodology is inspired upon the European Foundation for Quality Management (EFQM) and the Ibero-American Foundation for Quality Management (FUNDIBEQ) excellence models and Carnegie Mellon Capability Maturity Model (CMM) for software processes. The major contribution of this approach is to define a roadmap to reach further levels of maturity along five dimension of analysis, by stressing different areas for improvement. A survey instrument was developed to gather the subjective assessment of the members of the organization. This tool is supplemented by individual interviews and a workshop held with the key players to evaluate further evidence of maturity in each dimension.
In this paper we describe first experiences with AdeLE prototype, a framework for adaptive e-learning utilising both eye tracking and content tracking technology. We outline features of the first prototype and their relevance for the user. We report more in detail about current research challenges where we observe users’ learning behaviour in real time by monitoring characteristics such as objects and areas of focus, time spent on objects, frequency of visits, and sequences in which content is consumed. This research is focused on analysing eye-movement patters during learning and linking these patterns with cognitive processes. Possible areas of application are described, such as using the information about the position of the eye for providing additional context specific information to the learner. The framework ensures not only adaptivity to the users’ preferences, knowledge level and the real-time tracking of their behaviour, but also the relevance, accuracy and reliability of the knowledge provided.
This paper describes the process followed for visualizing, using DynMap, the student’s evolution through the learning process of a Computer Security course at the University. DynMap is a system based on Concept Maps developed with the aim of providing the education community with a tool that facilitates the inspection of student data. After a brief introduction, the paper describes the problem we face. Then, the main characteristics, functionality and components of DynMap are described. Next, the results of two studies conducted to validate DynMap are presented. Finally, some conclusions and the future perspective are presented.
Although both e-learning and knowledge management are about facilitating learning in organization, the major obstacle to bring both of them together can be traced back to different paradigms of learning, resulting from the different nature of the knowledge they are dealing with. In this paper, a knowledge maturing process is presented to illustrate the change of nature and the discontinuities. This lays the foundation for a better understanding. In order to overcome the discontinuities, the consideration of context is proposed, which offers the required continuity.
In this paper, a terminological and pragmatic paradigm shift is proposed and undertaken from the field of Personalisation Systems towards the field of Adaptive Systems. A new conceptual framework for both topics is developed in order to enable a deeper insight into the challenges and benefits of merging the fields. The aim of this paper is to define a generic and component-based Personalisation Model (PM), which is derived from an analytical perspective on systems that are pertinent to adaptation. Furthermore, validity and applicability of the PM are demonstrated for the field of adaptive e-learning. Thus, practical experiences within the AdeLE (Adaptive e-Learning with Eye-Tracking) research project are discussed.
This paper focuses on a framework for supporting knowledge sharing in organizations through computer support. Results from three ethnographic field studies of organizational knowledge in three kinds of settings show that sharing of knowledge, or finding things out, is a highly contingent matter. There is no single solution to support this. Instead, a combination of communication tools, awareness applications and information management solutions provide a suitable framework for knowledge sharing. One of the field studies also included an evaluation of a number of lightweight prototypes developed based on the three areas focused on in the framework. The results from the evaluation indicate that the framework is suitable for the purpose of supporting knowledge sharing.
In this paper we introduce AdELE, a framework for adaptive e-learning utilising both eye tracking and content tracking technology. The framework is based upon the combination of fine-grained real-time eye tracking with synchronous content tracking, a user profiler, an adaptive multimedia learning environment, and a dynamic background library. The framework ensures not only adaptivity to the users’ preferences, knowledge level and the realtime tracking of their behaviour, but also ensures the relevance, accuracy and reliability of the knowledge provided.
When designing a hybrid or a blended learning concept many choices are to be made. Different eLearning arrangements can be combined with different ftf learning arrangements. The blend of learning comprises more than just combining web-based with ftf arrangements. Among other decisions designers of eLearning and blended learning arrangements have to decide how the collaboration of learners is supported in a course. Possibilities for collaboration can be offered by web-based facilities or by ftf meetings. In the present paper different online facilities for collaboration and ftf communication were compared to each other. It was investigated how efficient learners collaborate in these settings and how satisfied they are. The results show that designers of online courses have to keep in mind how suitable certain communication settings are for a specific didactic approach. Whether a learning arrangement was suitable, was dependent on the type of task which groups of learners had to solve together.
Higher education is supposed to prepare its graduates to enter the workplace and apply and adapt their knowledge to the specific requirements of the setting. However, by adhering to traditional instructional models and to a view of learning that is very different from that required within the workplace, higher education fails to adequately prepare students to deal with rapid changes and emergent demands that require individuals to learn and adapt in situ and on the job. The advent of hybrid learning has allowed one mechanism for changing existing practices. Although hybrid environments can offer additional support for traditional instructional and learning methods, we think its potential lies in supporting new forms of learning and facilitation—specifically those related to self-organized learning and critical reflection—by using new types of technologies and tools. We would like to address the use of a specific kind of technology—personal Webpublishing systems (PWS)—to support this type of learning. In this paper, we present the reasoning behind the use of such technologies and describe the organization of a learning environment and identify the roles and structure of the face-to-face component and the online toolkits for supporting self-organized learning. We will also describe the new roles that facilitators and learners must adopt within these hybrid environments.
E-learning at the workplace might be accompanied by synchronous cooperative learning episodes of small groups using net-based communication. In a field study carried out in a large software company an interaction of factors determining the quality of such cooperative learning was observed. In this study, a software tool was used which supported a specific instructional design by phase-specific delivering of instructions and learning materials as well as by means of process control (including turn-taking, role assignment, and coordination of task flow). There was no tutor or instructor present in the learning sessions. The learning processes of six small groups were evaluated on the basis of a content analysis. Results demonstrate a high amount of topic-oriented contributions and the realization of the expected learning activities. It was concluded that the learning processes were successful because of the fine-grained implementation of the instructional design in the software tool. However, feedback data indicated a low acceptance of the software tool. Participants evaluated the process control as being restrictive. It was assumed that there was a non-optimal interaction between the factors technology and target group / context in the study.
Experience-based Information Systems (EbIS) become more and more sophisticated from a technical point of view. However, there are several shortcomings that seem to limit the input and usage of these systems. The problems identified in this paper are related to knowledge acquisition, to learning issues, as well as to the users’ motivation and trust. We introduce an approach to both enhance the content of the experience base (EB) and to improve learning from experiences at the same time: weblogs maintained during daily work can serve as input for experience bases and learning element bases (LEB). Retrieved experiences are then enriched with additional learning elements in micro-didactical learning arrangements. An empirical study explores the suitability of using weblogs for such an approach.
In a corporate environment one would like to enable employees to learn from each other not only when co-located, but also in distributed settings: ideally access to experiences of others should be available from any location (e.g. another part of the globe) and at any time (e.g. after the expert retires). In these settings traditional apprenticeship models do not scale. In this paper we describe a case where the application of personal webpublishing technology seems to provide a “window” onto practice, creating an environment where people can observe and “steal” practices of each other. We explore how these apprenticeship-like relations between weblog authors are supported by processes of articulating, “stealing” and refining practices within the public weblog networks on the Internet. Finally, we also discuss possibilities of replicating these patterns and experiences in corporate settings.
In this paper, adopting a structurationist perspective on technology, we explore the relationship between organizational forms and ICTs when the “matter” to deal with is knowledge production and innovation. The reason why such focus is relevant is twofold. On the one hand it has been widely underlined the importance of knowledge as strategic asset [Stewart 97]. On the other, is because we believe that many KM technology investments haven’t generate the expected results and benefits [Davenport 00]. A structuration theory reading of KM technologies could provide a lens in order to draw some interesting explanations on some problematic aspects of KM implementations and, moreover, on some interesting prescriptions on how future implementations should be approached.
Due to the current economic situation the formation of trans-organisational networks is getting more and more important especially for small- and medium-sized companies in order to stay competitive. Trans-organisational networks consist of at least two legally independent companies or institutions whose aim is to increase the individual competitiveness and innovativeness by a closer collaboration without a legal integration. One form of such transorganisational networks is the Business Cooperative Network (BCN). By an objective oriented integration of the partners’ intellectual assets new products and services can be developed and marketed. Those synergetic results allow the achievement of the main objectives of the network as such and the ones of the individual partners, e.g. the increase of the competitiveness, safeguarding the economic sustainability and the further development of the individual intellectual assets relevant for core competencies. In order to allow an effective idea generation process for new knowledge based products and services, the intellectual assets of the partners have to be transparent. Therefore they have to be systematically identified, represented and combined. Until now there is no methodology for the identification of synergy potentials derived from the objective oriented combination of intellectual assets within BCNs. Based on the experiences of the authors in trans-organisational network projects a clear demand for such a methodology is given. Only by a systematic identification, representation and integration of the individual partners’ intellectual assets the objectives of the network and the individual partners can be achieved. The first step in the presented methodology is the identification of core competencies of the individual partners and the related intellectual assets. In order to identify the synergy potential that results from the objective oriented combination of the partner’ intellectual assets they have to be represented in a synergy potential identification matrix. It is the aim of this matrix to oppose the partners’ intellectual assets in order to identify potential products and services. The paper at hand presents this methodology and describes the different steps that have to be performed in order to identify the synergy potentials. Finally the experiences from an explorative study are presented. The methodology was developed in the framework of a PHD-work at the University of Linz and applied in a company that participates in a BCN.
Knowledge is more and more a key factor within companies. Nearly 40 percent of all employees are so called “knowledge workers“. Distribution and inquest of knowledge within companies are supported by skill management systems. Although not all aspects and potentials of this instrument are yet utilized skill management systems have spread widely within business organizations. This paper summarizes the requirements, scopes and problems for skill management system within the company.
In many organisations, conservation of specialised expertise is picked out as a central theme only after experienced members have already left. The paper presents the SELaKT method, a method for Sustainable Expert Localisation and Knowledge Transfer based on social network analysis (SNA). It has been developed during a project co-operation between the Department of Information Science at the Institute for Media and Communication Studies, Free University Berlin, and the Fraunhofer Institute for Production Systems and Design Technology IPK, Berlin. The SELaKT method uses recent insights into network analysis and pragmatically adapts SNA to suit organisational practice. Thus it provides a strategic tool to localise experts, to identify knowledge communities and to analyse the structure of knowledge flows within and between organisations. The SELaKT method shows its advances and increasing relevance for practical use by integration of specific organisational conditions and requirements into the process of analysis.
In this paper we present the results of two studies aimed at understanding how employees find knowledge available in their organisation. Data about knowledge awareness and knowledge finding strategies were collected in two research organisations using interviews and on-line questionnaires. The results of the two studies demonstrate interesting patterns. First, we found that although people say that they are aware of knowledge in their organisation, they also indicate that the same knowledge is developed at different places in their organisations. Second, asking others and searching own mailbox and other own digital and paper archives – and not organisation-wide repositories – are most popular ways for finding in-house knowledge. The results are discussed in terms of implications from the perspective of employees and from the perspective of organisations.
Companies are starting to recognise synergies between knowledge management, training and e-learning programs, but a closer look reveals that these integration ideas are rarely implemented in practice. The goal of this paper is to provide a starting point for collaboration between corporate KM and HR/learning teams by mapping existing practices of linking KM, training and e-learning efforts. We provide an overview of experiences and future ideas of collaboration derived from several studies, group them in three themes and then illustrate each theme with a scenario. The first theme gives examples of using HR and training instruments to support knowledge management. The second theme represents cases of using KM methods (namely a community of practice) to support HR learning management efforts. The last theme describes how KM and HR/learning teams could work on joint initiatives. Then we discuss the added value of the scenarios and propose further practical steps and research directions.
This paper aims at analyzing by bibliometric methods the economic literature dealing with Innovation in Services, giving at the same time an overview of the main topics of discussion. To achieve this, the software toll BibTechMon was useed. Our analysis shows that in the last 15 years attention has been primarily focused on technological change in telecommunications, media and the software industry and its consequences for the market structure in these sectors. These results are supported by an additional cluster analysis.
In the fast moving businesses the ability to be flexible and adaptive to change is crucial. When monitoring their operating environments for weak signals and for other disruptive information companies face filters that hinder the entry of the information to the company. We are discussing three filters: mentality filter, surveillance filter and power filter. Each filter has a logic of its own that hinders effective knowledge flow. We introduce a software tool that helps to overcome these filters especially in a strategy formulation process.
This paper is based on on-going research carried out in the framework of an EU project aimed at enhancing knowledge management (KM) in enterprises. It deals with the impact of (inter)cultural factors on the accessibility and presentation of eLearning content. Once the empirical research is completed and the data analysed, guidelines will be proposed for developing Web-based training modules for culturally heterogeneous user groups sharing the same professional background. Special consideration will be given to contextual and community features.
An analysis of the development of the concept of knowledge is provided involving the consequences of the scientific and the management revolution. The situation of conceiving knowledge in the industrial society is outlined. An analysis of important factorst leading to he present sitation is provided focusing on the role of the IT-revolution, esp. Artificial intelligence and knowledge based systems and organisational learning as a key factor of value creation. Finally the present situation is outlined ending with a conception of what knowledge management is.
Simulated learning environments provide an efficient means for improving individual skills in specific problem solving and learning situations. One crucial aspect of an optimal system for simulated training environments is its capability to keep track of the improvements of the user along the whole training process. In this paper we present a set-theoretical formal framework that can be applied for the efficient assessment of the skills of an individual in a simulated learning environment. The basic concept underlying our approach is that of a functional skill mapping of the simulated learning environment through problem spaces.
This paper shows how knowledge space theory can be adapted to an organizational context for the efficient assessment of action in an organization. The research mentioned here was presented and discussed elsewhere [Stefanutti, Cristante and Tomasini 2001];in this context we just take it as an example for illustrating some relevant features of a particular class of models derived from knowledge space theory, called ‘action structures’. ln this paper we show (1) how an action structure is constructed in practice and which kind of phenomena it allows to model; (2) how this model can be used in a practical situation for assessing the operating state of an organization.
Employing collaboration technology for Knowledge Management some inherent challenges have to be met. One important prerequisite is that users adjust their patterns of interaction and cooperation and agree on the adjustments of others so they can practice cooperative knowledge management to their satisfaction. ln dynamic environments, however, the patterns of cooperation must he continuously reassessed and revised. This paper suggest an approach to record and display process information in a way that makes transparent the patterns of interaction and produces navigable process displays that can be incorporated into work routines. We introduce a technical architecture, describe a concrete usage scenario and reflect on potential applications.
This paper reports on long-term research work of recycling networks in Germany and Austria from a knowledge-based perspective. Using data from expert interviews, we
discuss the key determinants of inter-organizational knowledge transfer within networks. In particular, we highlight the factor of mutual trust as important determinant of knowledge transfer in company recycling networks. One important goal of our empirical research is the institutionalization of knowledge transfer through the implementation of a central recycling agency in order to build core capabilities and to create intellectual capital.
The rapid emergence of a global knowledge economy both shortens the timetable for progress on sustainable development and also offers a potential “win-win” alternative to the traditional trade-off between growth and environmental sustainability. The Lisbon Strategy and e-Europe initiative to accelerate development of the knowledge economy in Europe already addresses several aspects of social and economic sustainability. However, the trends in most resource-use and environmental impact indicators are still worsening, and much more needs to be done to realise the potential benefits of structural change in business and employment, notably in the service sector. The Stockholm and Göteborg EU Summits, and the subsequent Rio+10 conference give a timely and unique opportunity to establish European coherence and leadership in seeking sustainable development in the knowledge economy.
However, we also need a new clarification of individual and business-level responsibilities for lifestyle and business organisation changes, and a much wider take-up of innovative “win-win” solutions for growth with reductions in resource use and impacts.
Humans are not able to cope with the exponential growth of information and the increasing speed of information and business processes fostered by information and communication technologies. Technical support not only for information storage and retrieval but also for information selection, process planning, and decision support is needed. Most of the ICT investments, however, do not foster innovation or productivity. Recent studies show that ICT-based training is the main instrument of knowledge management. On-line media and selfdirected learning environments are among the most effective training solutions in terms of cost, time and logistics. In the last few years, the percentage of employees participating in training courses increased. At the same time, there has been a decline of training budgets. E-Learning is able to deliver more valuable training for less money only if it is part of an integrated knowledge and skills management system. Two case studies of knowledge and meta data management systems are discussed.