Leadership, Culture and Management Practices of High Performing Workplaces in Australia - Literature review Example

Table of Contents Introduction 2 Influence of knowledge management on learning drives: Sustainable innovation 3 Role of Knowledge Management to Bring Innovation: An Integrated Approach 4 How Organizational Culture Affects Innovation in Large Sized ICT Firms: A Pilot Study 6 Central Problems in the Management of Innovation 8 Leadership, Culture and Management Practices of High Performing Workplaces in Australia: The High Performing Workplaces Index 10 Conclusion 11 References 13 Introduction The continuously evolving business environment has increased the dependence on changes and made it mandatory for business to evolve their strategies according to the changing business environment. Various factors like culture, the work force, the manner in which information is sent and the growth opportunities presented by the business has made the business change. This makes it important that the business is able to understand the different factors and their relevance on changes. Ecowash Mobile looks to integrate the different factors which can ensure changes in their working scenario so that better strategies of changes can be implemented. This paper presents the manner in which issues of culture, management for change, innovation and knowledge management has an effect on business performance. To ensure the relevance of these factors different articles and past research has been gathered in areas pertaining to issues of culture, management for change, innovation and knowledge management. This has been linked to Ecowash Mobile highlighting the manner in which this factors have contributed towards change so that the different issues can be dealt in a proper way. The entire paper then concentrates on the manner in which different issues pertaining to culture; management for change, innovation and knowledge management help in the development of future strategies and has a positive outcome on the performance of the business as the critical analysis of the articles will help to broaden the horizon. Influence of knowledge management on learning drives: Sustainable innovation A paper presented by Chawla & Pachori (2012) show the importance of knowledge management and its importance in ensuring transformational strategies. The article highlights that the time has come when the business apart from quality control, business process engineering needs to look forwards towards knowledge management due to the wide contribution this field has on operations, IT, finance and human resource. This has made it important that business looks at knowledge management deeply and takes steps to develop it. Improving the share of knowledge management in business will ensure that the business is able to reduce turnover rates, ensure reduced time to train workers, and ensure innovation in all directions which helps to improve the business performance (Thompson & Walsham, 2004). This thereby increases the relevance of knowledge management and ensures that through this process the business is able to develop new business opportunities. This article has its relevance in case of Ecowash Mobile as the business through the process of knowledge management has been able to develop their business. The case clearly highlights that Ecowash Mobile has been able to improve its business by ensuring growth in its product line and adding new products. This has been due to knowledge management which has provided the management with the understanding of the market which has helped them to innovate with new things and products. This element has been reflected as the new product which they have developed looks towards providing proper services to the customer by providing them an opportunity to wash their cars without water at the same time ensuring that the paint is not damaged. This has been possible due to innovation and the ability of the employee to use it shows the presence of training programs which has helped them to gain efficiency. Thus, the article has its relevance to highlights the manner in which Ecowash Mobile has been able to use knowledge management to improve its business. The article supports the importance of having knowledge management to ensure better opportunities of innovation. This point is strengthened by the fact that the presence of knowledge management strategies in Ecowash Mobile ensured them to transform their business and helped to develop new products and services for better customer satisfaction. This thereby helps in the improvement of business and looks at developing new ways to deal with the business process better. The article further contributes to the fact that it helps to understand the manner in which knowledge management has its relevance to all fields and the manner in which efficiency of the business is improved. Role of Knowledge Management to Bring Innovation: An Integrated Approach The research carried out by Akram, Siddiqui, Nawaz, Gauri, & Cheema (2011) shows that there exist a relationship between innovation and knowledge management. This research was carried out on different firms to understand the quantitative aspect which showed that the relationship between knowledge management and innovation is so deeply involved that it leads towards the transformation of the business. This further showed that knowledge management has a positive effect on innovation as the different tools and transformation of knowledge through the asset base helps to improve the overall stature of the business and provides an opportunity to test something new (Cumming and Teng, 2003). This thereby highlights an important link that established between knowledge management and innovation which when utilized by the business in a positive manner helps to provide better opportunities of growth. The article has its relevance to the Ecowash Mobile case as there seems to be linkage between innovation and knowledge management. This is depicted by the fact that Ecowash due to knowledge management was able to generate an idea which showed that the customer wanted additional services for their car. The knowledge management process helped the management to understand that the customers were looking for an alternative to wash their car due to acute shortage of water. This made the management innovate and come up with an idea where another ingredient could be used as a substitute for water and care was maintained to ensure that it was safe. This innovation was there due to the identification of a new want which originated because of the fact that the business was able to develop their process of knowledge management and through that process develop new things to match the customer requirements. The article contributed towards my learning as it helped me to understand the underlying principle which helps in innovation. The article solidifies the learning that knowledge management is an integral part of the organization as it provides the required tool through which the business is able to undergo innovation and develop new ideas which were not present. The article shows that manner in which Ecowash Mobile was able to generate a new idea as an alternative to water for washing car shows the manner in which innovation is done. This helps to understand the underlying principles governing the demand of humans and helps to identify the manner in which the business efficiency improves. In addition to it the article shows its usefulness as the situation is depicted in the case of Ecowash Mobile where the management based on the changing business environment understood the customer wants and developed products to match their taste and preference. This has thereby facilitated to understand the process of knowledge management and has strengthened the learning in the manner knowledge management fosters innovation. How Organizational Culture Affects Innovation in Large Sized ICT Firms: A Pilot Study A research carried out by Chorda, Valencia & Valencia (2010) highlights that the process of innovation is largely dependent on the behavior demonstrated by senior level managers within the organization. The research which looked towards a pilot study over three firms backed the findings by previous studies which showed that organizational culture especially the culture which the top level managers demonstrate has a bearing on the innovation level. The research further shows that the characteristics, values and behaviour demonstrated by individuals shape up the manner in which innovation will take place within the organization (Voelpel, Leibold & Streb, 2005). This is seen in Ecowash Mobile as the business was able to produce new ideas at each point of time to grow their business. This culture should ensure that there is less rigidity, bureaucracy and hierarchical organizational structure so that better and effective decisions can be taken which will foster the path of growth and ensure continuous innovation within the organization. The article has its relevance to Ecowash Mobile as it shows the manner in which culture has influenced the process of innovation in the company. The case clearly depicts that the upper level managers were flexible in their approach and ensured proper cultural changes which has resulted in making changes in the manner the performance of the business gets altered and being able to adapt to the local culture has ensured that it didn’t face any obstacle. Further, the flexibility demonstrated by the upper level managers ensured that the culture facilitated the process of innovation and helped to develop new ideas. This also ensured that the culture of the organization was willing to accept the changes and look towards improving their business so that there is overall growth and satisfaction among the people. The article contributes towards future learning as it helps to understand the underlying assumptions which facilitate innovation. This article helps to understand the importance of culture in the organization and the manner in which the business is able to facilitate the process of change and growth. The article also strengthens the learning of the fact that culture present in an organization has an indigenous role to play in shaping the process of innovation and in ensuring that the business is able to change with changing business environment. This aspect has been better understood from the perspective of Ecowash Mobile where the management was able to make changes in the overall process and was primarily due to the culture which the business demonstrated through their leaders. The article thereby has its usefulness with regard to the Ecowash Mobile case as it shows the manner in which the business was able to prosper and ensure better strategies for their process of innovation and development of new ideas. Central Problems in the Management of Innovation The research carried out by VanDeVen (2006) shows that the process of innovation has to face four problems i.e. new ideas, people, transactions and institutional problems which have to be dealt with for effective innovation. This brings forward to an important fact that businesses looking towards improved innovation have to take care of different factors which include new ideas, people, transactions and institutional problems to gain utmost advantage. The problem related to it can be mitigated to a certain exchange if the business is able to develop a culture where the process of innovation is able to pass off smoothly (Leavitt, 2005). This will require that the process of knowledge management is developed within the organization and the decisions are taken after looking at the different issues related to new ideas, people, transactions and institutional problems so that better strategies can be formulated and innovation attained. This article has its relevance to the Ecowash Mobile case as the case clearly highlights that the management was able to deal with the problems related to new ideas, people, transactions and institutional problems. This can be seen from the fact that the new idea which was generated within the organization ensured that the new product and services provided the customers with something extra. The management also ensured that the company absorbed the culture at which they were working which helped to reduce the amount of problems that could have been otherwise witnessed due to people and transactions. Further, Ecowash Mobile also looked towards ensuring that the strategies that were developed were tested first and then made available to the people. This helped to ensure that the basic infrastructure in relation to the new ideas, people, transactions and institutional problems were tested. This article thereby shows the different factors which have to be considered during the process of innovation and has its relevance to the Ecowash Mobile situation. This thereby helped the company in extending their product line and adding new products which accepted by the people. This also ensured that the management looked at having a mechanism where through the process knowledge management the business was able to look into factors related to new ideas, people, transactions and institutional problems. This thereby ensured better strategies for Ecowash and shows the manner in which the article contributes towards the understanding of the situation in the company. The article has contributed towards the learning as it has helped to understand the manner in which factors like new ideas, people, transactions and institutional problems needs to be treated during the process of innovation. In addition to it being able to visualize the same in case of Ecowash Mobile helps to strengthen the understanding and also makes it important to consider the importance of innovation. This article substantiated the fact that developing the framework through which the process of innovation is developed requires proper integration of culture and developing a process which will help to improve performances. Thus, the article was very useful and helped to understand the different areas which have relevance on innovation and looking into different factors like new ideas, people, transactions and institutional problems helps to improve the overall process of innovation and ensures that the business is able to take better decisions which fosters growth and development on different fronts. Leadership, Culture and Management Practices of High Performing Workplaces in Australia: The High Performing Workplaces Index The research carried out by Boedker, Vidgen, Meagher, Cogin, Mouritsen & Runnalls (2011) showed that leadership, and culture and management practices have a role in developing the business. The article states that having proper leadership, cultural integration and management practices fosters the process of innovation as the business is in a better place to take innovative decisions. This has made it important that business looks at knowledge management deeply and takes steps to develop it. Knowledge management thereby looks to transfrom the business by providing new avenues and ways to deal with the changes and challenged that may arise. This requires that the management is able to understand the importance of managing changes which will help to foster the process of innovation and ensure better strategies to achieve the growth potential (Society for Knowledge Economics, 2008). The article thereby helps to understand the manner in working on different areas of leadership, culture and management practices helps to improve overall innovation process. The article has its relevance in case of Ecowash Mobile as the article stresses on the fact that businesses ned to develop the culture which looks at the mutual benefit of all so that proper strategies in relation to knowledge management can be developed. This is widely visible in case of Ecowash Mobile as the business was transformed uder proper guidance which helped to make the necessary changes and evelve the business into somethig big. This thereby ensures that Ecowash Mobile was able to absorb the culture of the place where it was working and developed innovation and knowledge management based on it. The case further highlights that by following the process of leadership, culture and management practices the management was able to ensure timely changes which ensured extension of their product line and development of new products and services. The article has contributed towards my learning as it has helped to understand the manner in which leadership, culture and management practices has helped towards the development of innovation. This article strengthens the view that knowledge management is a perspective which requires all round integration as seen from the Ecowash Mobile where the management through their practices was able to change the process of innovation. The findings of the article is clearly substantiated by Ecowash Mobile and helps to improve the understanding regarding the manner in which knowledge management in important in the business context. This helps to understand the underlying principles governing the demand of humans and helps to identify the manner in which the business efficiency improves. It has thereby strengthened the view that leadership, culture and management practices helps to improve the overall performance and ensures better strategies through which the process of innovation will be governed. Conclusion This paper thereby looks into the different aspect of culture, management for change, innovation and knowledge management which is important for an organization to innovate and grow. Ecowash Mobile demonstrated the manner in which different factors pertaining to culture, management for change, innovation and knowledge management were dealt with. This helped the management to innovate continuously and add new products which extended their product line. Further, the management strategy also ensured that they were able to generate a new idea for a product so that better innovation techniques were developed. This ensured that the business was able to look at different factors which helped them to integrate culture in their working scenario which thereby fostered the process of knowledge management and helped the organization to be innovative. In addition to it the different research carried in the direction of culture, management for change, innovation and knowledge management showed that it is important for the business to innovate and develop the process of knowledge management. This was also seen in case of Ecowash Mobile. Further, the research and article in this direction point out that the business has to look towards using different strategies where innovation can be fostered. This requires that the characteristics, values and behavior demonstrated by individuals shape up the manner in which innovation will take place within the organization is taken into consideration. In addition to it the management has to understand the importance of managing changes which will help to foster the process of innovation and ensure better strategies to achieve the growth potential. This will help to ensure that the process of innovation is developed through the process of cultural integration and will help in the development of knowledge management which will ensure better results. This will thereby ensure that the entire process results in developing new strategies which will yield better benefits for the business over a longer peiod of time. References Akram, K., Siddiqui, S., Nawaz, M., Gauri, T. & Cheema, A. 2011. Role of Knowledge Management to Bring Innovation: An Integrated Approach. International Bulletin of Business Administration, 243 (11), pp. 121-134 Boedker C., Cogin J., Langford P., Meagher K., Mouritsen J., Runnalls M., Sheldon P., Simmons S. and Vidgen R. (011. Leadership, Culture and Management Practices of High Performing Workplaces in Australia: Literature Review and Diagnostic Instruments, funded by the Department of Education, Employment and Workplace Relations, published by the Society for Knowledge Economics, January, 2011 Chawla, S. & Pachori, S. 2012. Influence of knowledge management on learning drives: A sustainable innovation, 2nd International Conference on Humanities, Geography and Economics (ICHGE'2012) Singapore Cumming, J.L. and Teng, B.S. 2003. Transferring R&D Knowledge: They Key factors affecting knowledge transfer success. Journal of Engineering and Technology Management, 20, pp.39-68 Chorda, I., Valencia, J. & Valencia, U. 2010. How Organizational Culture Affects Innovation in Large Sized ICT Firms: A Pilot Study. Entrepreneurship: Theory and Practice, 23 (3), pp.169‐189 Leavitt, H. 2005. Applied Organizational Change in Industry: Structural, Technological, and Humanistic Approaches. Chapter 27 in J. March (Ed.), Handbook of Organizations, Rand McNally, Chicago, 1144-1170. Society for Knowledge Economics, 2008. Australia’s National Innovation System, submission to Dr Terry Cutler’s National Innovation Review Panel, sponsored by the Business Council of Australia, April, 2008 Thompson, M. and Walsham, P. 2004. Geoff, Placing Knowledge management in context Journal of Management Studies, 41 (5), pp. 725-747 VanDeVen, A. 2006. Central Problems in the Management of Innovation. Management Science, 32 (5), pp. 590-607 Voelpel, S., Leibold, M. & Streb, C. 2005. The Innovation Meme: Managing Innovation Replicators for Organizational Fitness. Journal of Change Management, 5 (1), pp. 57‐69 Read More