Knowledge Management and Culture - Annotated Bibliography Example

Knowledge Management Annotated Bibliography Exercise Theme: Knowledge management and culture Most organization feels that there is need for knowledge sharing in order for them to be able to compete in the modern world. According to Davenport, et al. (1999-200) who states that scholars and observers from different disciplines as disparate as sociology, economic and management science agree that a transformation has occurred which made knowledge management the centre stage of every organization. Alavi and Leidner(2001) define knowledge as a broad and abstract notion that has defined epistemological debates in western philosophy since the classical Greek era. The bibliography begins with Barrichi’s (2009) article which tries to convince the reader that there is nothing like free knowledge. The second article by Srinivasan (2004) looks at knowledge in the different perspective of narration and story telling. The last three articles written by Ajmal et al (2008), Rivera- Vazsquez (2009) and Ajmal et al (2009) takes the perspective of cultural aspect in knowledge management. Title and reference of article Barichini, F. (2009) “Cultural and social issues for knowledge sharing” journal of knowledge management, Vol. 13 No.1 pg 98-110 Type of article Research article- Langenzersdorf, Austria Aim/purpose of article The article aim’s to show that there is no free knowledge. The author argues that knowledge management is used as a business transaction since everyone needs or want reward for any information he or she gives regardless of the type of reward he will get. sample, location, method of data collection and analysis [methodology] Sample: 150 (10% response rate, the people who participated were the CEOs, top management executive rank managers and middle level manager from Taiwan) selected randomly from different positions, departments, and industries Instrument: questionnaires Analysis: qualitative research analysis is used to identify the most important factor. Cluster analysis was used to perform the semantic interpretation of the answer by matching key words Findings 1. Qualitative research identified that in the 11 statements seven scored above the average level of six points. The author found relationship between three statements has having low variance 2. Firms which implement motivation which include personal recognition are able to boost the moral of the employees hence making them have the morale to work harder since at the end there will be personal recognition. 3. No significant association between cultural knowledge capability and KS. 4. The finding is significant in a sense that in order for a flow of knowledge management there is need for incentives to be introduced in order to motivate the employees to share and work together as a team. Significance of article in relation to: other articles, your topic OR prior research The aim of this article is to point out that without personal individual gain in an organization there will always be barrier to knowledge management. In order for knowledge to flow freely organizations should deal with this issue as a business transaction other than the right of the company. Limitations of article, e.g. location, industry, focus The survey analyses only Central European countries. The limitation would not be there if the survey was carried out in other parts of the world as well since it would have a cultural perspective with diverse culture. Strength/s of article This article offers strong argument on the basis that everyone expects something in return for any information given be it monetary reward or another type of information as an exchange for their own information Weakness/es of article The survey used talked about trade in knowledge but nothing to do with culture since different cultures traded differently from each other. The paper should have shown the aspect of culture and what role culture plays or should play in this business transaction Title and reference of article Srinivasan, R. (2004) “knowledge architecture for cultural narratives”, journal of knowledge management Vol. 8 pg. 65-74 Type of article Research paper- School of design, Harvard university Aim/purpose of article This article tries to introduce the little known way of communication using narratives and stories as a basis for knowledge sharing. This article tries to prove that the approach of new cultural and community based domain yields are new and unused territories sample, location, method of data collection and analysis [methodology] Sample size: The author used a community of Somali immigrants in the Boston area which Is approximately 6,000 people Analysis: the analysis used was that of concept mapping technique. This is where the author used a search engine with about five words commonly used to get narratives on the Somali people and their culture. Findings The findings also indicate that the introduction of narratives and stories can serve as a basis for knowledge passing from one person to the other. This also can be used in designing, creating and managing of knowledge architecture in a dynamic context of communities. Significance of article in relation to: other articles, your topic OR prior research The article is significant in a sense that it followed the traditional way of knowledge management where story telling and narratives were used as a means of communicating to the members of the same community. Still it has the possibility of a correlation with the idea that knowledge management is a business transaction since even in the traditional way a story was told as a mean for personal gratification or warning of impending danger. The story teller expected people to react on his narration Limitations of article, e.g. location, industry, focus The survey is internet based and does not cover thoughts of people who do not have access to the internet. Strength/s of article The study of culture is strongly argued in this paper since it is the first one to deal solely on culture in relations to knowledge management. Weakness/es of article The article weakness stems from the fact that it is internet based and most people who might be able to provide knowledge on story telling and narration might not be able to access the internet. So based on this kind of survey only a few people are involved or are able to absorb the knowledge derived from such a tradition which is universal in many cultures Title and reference of article Ajmal, M.M. and Koskinen, K. U, (2008) “knowledge transfer in project based organizations: organizational culture perspective, project management journal, Vol. 39, No.1, pg 7-15 Type of article Research article- University of Vaasa and Tampere university of technology, Finland Aim/purpose of article The article aim to investigate how knowledge is created and transferred in a project based organization settings using cultural perspectives sample, location, method of data collection and analysis [methodology] The article gives suggestion on knowledge acquired through project based organization but it does not analyse instead it give suggestions on question to be answered in order for an project based organization to be successful in implementations Findings The major finding of this paper is the understanding of the culture in organization and how to either improve on them or route them out. The introduction of new culture depends mostly with the age of the organization that is if it is new then it is easy to introduce new culture but if it is an old company then it is very hard to change their culture into anything new. Significance of article in relation to: other articles, your topic OR prior research The article illustrates the importance of the four core culture which are the control core culture which is concerned with ensuring certainty predicability, safety and accuracy among other knowledge management skills in an organization. the second core is competence core culture which is concerned with achievements of the team. The third is collaboration core culture which is concerned with the team playing capability of the team and the last one is cultivation core culture which is concerned with meaningful self actualization of the members. This core structure is important for knowledge flow in the organization Limitations of article, e.g. location, industry, focus The article does not give a set guideline but generalize the whole issue. Strength/s of article It provides generalization of the guidelines which are to be followed in order for a project based organization to succeed in its knowledge management endeavours Weakness/es of article There is no survey to prove their theories they just state facts. Title and reference of article Rivera-Vazquez J. C et. Al. (2009) overcoming cultural barriers for innovation and knowledge sharing, journal of knowledge management, Vol.13 No5. Pg.257-270 Type of article Research article- Business and entrepreneurship, Universidad del Turabo. Gurabo, Puerto Rico Aim/purpose of article The main purpose of this research is to show how cultural barriers might affect the inflow of communication in every level of an organization. And also the ability of organization to go beyond culture and work together as a community sample, location, method of data collection and analysis [methodology] Sample: The research was done in four companies in Puerto Rico municipality of Caguas and the companies involved were a subsidiary of international water system company, municipality of Caguas, a clothing company and a party rental company Method: questionnaires Analysis: Qualitative interview was used to explore how the enterprises promoted the efficiency of knowledge production among the employees Findings 1. The results were that the organizations showed the low power distance capability of managers to take into account the views of their employees 2. the organizations were collective and realized that team work was important in management of knowledge and its flow in an organization and showed that the employees were more cooperative if the management used the two types of capabilities which is low power distance and collective capabilities Significance of article in relation to: other articles, your topic OR prior research The significance is that in order for any organization to work there is need for reduction of the communication gaps between management and the employees and also experience should be taken into consideration regardless of the culture of the person or their position in the company Limitations of article, e.g. location, industry, focus The survey was done in only four companies in Puerto Rico and the data was not enough to be presented as representing the country of Puerto Rico. This makes the data collected and the analysis less significant to knowledge management Strength/s of article The strength of the article is that they used international based companies in their survey which gave it credibility but not enough to be taken as the national analysis of knowledge management with regards to cultural barriers Weakness/es of article The article is not accurate enough to be taken as a significant analysis. Title and reference of article Ajmal M. M. et al,(2009) cultural impact on knowledge management and learning in project based firms, the journal of information and knowledge management systems Type of article Research based- Department of Production, University of Vaasa, Vaasa, Finland Aim/purpose of article The aim of this article is to show the use of diversity of culture in organizations as a means for introduction of flexibility of knowledge management in project based firms sample, location, method of data collection and analysis [methodology] the paper used a deep conceptual study analysis which was used to go deeper into the root theories of the knowledge management . Findings Culture plays a significant role on the knowledge management capacity of any organization. It also came to a conclusion that the senior management should be involved morally and also id need be budgetary in order for knowledge management to flow in an organization Significance of article in relation to: other articles, your topic OR prior research The significant finding is that knowledge management has got little to do with technology and a lot to do with activities of the individuals in the project based firm Limitations of article, e.g. location, industry, focus It offers theories without tangible evidence as to how vulture affects the knowledge management Strength/s of article The articles serve as a reference guide to be followed in conceptual analysis. Weakness/es of article The generalization of theories. This bibliography has shown that in every organization there is need for knowledge management and that In order for an organization to succeed the organization has to recognize the cultural aspect of the knowledge. Every body in the organization should have the freedom to give out their views regardless of status in the company. The organization also needs to have a model for the knowledge flow in the company this should be in different levels that is: “the individual, the small group, the organization and inter organizational domain” Hedlund (2007). As a result this bibliography has shown the importance of knowledge management in the organization and the need for implementation of open channels for the knowledge to flow from one person to the other Reference: Barichini, F. (2009) “Cultural and social issues for knowledge sharing” journal of knowledge management, Vol. 13 No.1 pg 98-110 Srinivasan, R. (2004) “knowledge architecture for cultural narratives”, journal of knowledge management Vol. 8 pg. 65-74 Ajmal, M.M. and Koskinen, K. U, (2008) “knowledge transfer in project based organizations: organizational culture perspective, project management journal, Vol. 39, No.1, pg 7-15 Rivera-Vazquez J. C et. Al. (2009) overcoming cultural barriers for innovation and knowledge sharing, journal of knowledge management, Vol.13 No5. Pg.257-270 Ajmal M. M. et al,(2009) cultural impact on knowledge management and learning in project based firms, the journal of information and knowledge management systems Hedlund, G. (2007), a model of knowledge management and the N-form Corporation, the strategic management journal, vol. 15, issue S2 pg. 73-94 Davenport et al, (1999), successful knowledge management projects, the knowledge management year book 1999-2000, Buttersworth- Heinemann Alavi and Leidner (2001) Review: knowledge management and knowledge management systems: conceptual foundations and research issues, Vol. 25 No. 1 pg> 107-136 Read More