This qualitative case study focused on developing a better understanding of a major utility
company’s knowledge management/customer service information and communications as well as practices
that were implemented during a catastrophic hurricane. The data collection and analysis procedure
revealed a gap when a comparison of the actual knowledge management practices that were used and not
used in the utility company’s customer response during the hurricane. Organizational practices of highperforming knowledge-management companies were used to analyze and compare their practices to utility
company. Findings from the analysis resulted in the establishment of a Balanced Scorecard framework for
recommended best practices and action steps with the potential to set new strategies and trajectories for
allorganizations.
Employees’ Perceptions towards the Knowledge Management Practices: An Empiric...AkashSharma618775
This present study is aimed to understand the implementation of knowledge management process in
Bharat Heavy Electricals Limited – Hyderabad. In order to examine this, various knowledge management subdimensions such as acquisition of information, information dissemination, knowledge storage, knowledge transfer,
team work, empowerment and commitment to knowledge. These concerned sub-dimensions are able to determine
the various knowledge management dimensions like, knowledge creation, knowledge transfer and storage and
application and usage of knowledge. The study is also aimed to understand the role of organizational culture in
deriving the firms sustainability.
Effect of market penetration management strategies on performance of Small En...AkashSharma618775
Small businesses in Kenya face a myriad of challenges. Most of the establishments have gone under the
waters due to various reasons including market turbulences. The businesses leave the market as soon as they make
entry. If they stay, they stagnate at the same level they started. The objective of the study was to find out the effect
of market penetration strategies on the performance of small enterprises in Kenya. The study used descriptive
survey design. The study was conducted in Migori County, Kenya. The target population was 4997 which were
businesses registered by the department of Trade of Migori County in 2019. A sample of 481 individuals were
interviewed. This number was derived using Yamane sampling model. Data was collected from business owners
with the help of a structured questionnaire. The researcher used Cronbach’s alpha coeffect to test the reliability of
the study instrument. Data was sorted, sorted and entered using a statistical software program for social sciences
(SPSS). A simple linear regression was used to test the relationship between market penetration management
strategies and performance of small enterprises in Kenya. Pearson Product Moment correlation was employed in
testing the strength of the relationship between market penetration management strategies and growth of small
enterprises in Kenya.
ASSESSING THE ORGANIZATIONAL READINESS FOR IMPLEMENTING KNOWLEDGE MANAGEMENT ...ijitcs
The growing importance of business analytics and its increasing influence on the competitive advantage of
organizations leads to the necessity of knowledge management systems, which complex and needs
organizational readiness that has been the subject of earlier research. This study aims to examine whether
the affective factors on the assessment of the readiness for implementation of the knowledge management
system in all organizations are identical. Hence, first by a comprehensive study of literature, readiness
factors of the knowledge management system implementation including six factors of organizational
culture, individuals, information technology infrastructure, knowledge process, senior management
commitment, and strategy were extracted and have been tested in three different organizations of IT
services, educational and commerce. Based on the founding, different factors affect various organizations
and using a general model should not be advised.
External Business Environment and Performance of Microfinance Institutions: E...AkashSharma618775
This study examined the intensity of competition in the microfinance industry and its relationship
performance of MFIs in Nigeria. From a sample of 121 MFIs in Nigeria, data was collected via a structured
questionnaire. Data collected was analyzed via Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modeling (PLS-SEM
3.0) using the Statistical Package for Social Science (SPSS v22) and, findings suggest that MFIs were faced with
intense competition in the form of high cost and difficulty of entry, high operational cost and too many players in
the industry regardless of the type of product and services they offer or lending policies they embrace. The result
further reveal that the intensity of competition has significant negative influence on the amount of loans disbursed
and the amount disbursed to women. The study therefore recommends MFI managers to develop operational
mechanisms for cost and risk reduction to survive and excel.
An Investigation of the Effect of Challenges Encounters Female Entrepreneuria...AkashSharma618775
The participation of females in entrepreneurial activities is such a satisfying ideal that has proven to
convey positive contribution towards economic process. To ascertain this; the subject matter has presented herein.
Such presentation has been done by giving detailed analysis of the effects of challenges encounters female
entrepreneurial taking Malaysia, which is one of the transformed economies as the country of context. There is a
promising growth in entrepreneurial activities in the recent years in Malaysia; yet, this growth has seen to have
many male entrepreneurs leaving females with minimal rate of participation. There are challenges identified,
evaluated and analyzed to be the very reasons that leads to this scenario. The study employed three challenges
called economic, resource and cultural extracted from Isa et al., (2018); the challenges which are henceforth
implemented as independent variables (IVs) of the study. The study has found the significant correlation between
each of these IVs (EoC) and its subject matter; that’s female entrepreneurial (FE) in Malaysia the DV with the
significant levels of 0.026 and 0.012 respectively. The extent of effects was regretted to be 62% within the inverse
correlation of 0.89 to mean that the increase of EoC results to the decrease of FE and the decrease of EoC leads to
the increase of FE. The statistical analytics were measured using SPSS and data were secondarily reviewed from
the study of Hossain et al., (2018). For further researches; an expansion to reach other stakeholders like police
makers and officers of financial institutions has been recommended because, this study has been established on the
mere perspectives and opinions of entrepreneurs and not other stakeholders of entreprenerial activities.
This paper examines whether the long-run relationship between budget and external deficits follows the
tenets of the twin-deficit hypothesis, the Ricardian equivalence hypothesis, the current account targeting
hypothesis, or the feedback linkages. It also evaluates the effects of budget and trade deficits on economic growth.
On a global perspective, these have been in the recent period debated in developed and developing nations. In
contributing to this ongoing debate, the study applied unit root tests, cointegration analysis, a dynamic vector
error correction model and a multivariate Toda-Yamamoto long -run Granger-causality representation using
annual time series data for Kenya from 1980 to 2016. There is evidence of unidirectional causality running from
budget deficit to external deficit in support of the twin-deficit hypothesis. In the long run, budget deficit had
significant positive effects while trade deficit had significant negative effects, on real GDP growth. Overall, the
findings suggest that the authorities should promote policies that upscale fiscal discipline, curb budget deficits for
external stability and long-term economic growth, in Kenya. The evidence underscores the need for more country
specific studies in sub-Saharan Africa.
Tristart survey on business readiness among the youth and women timothy mahea...Timothy Mahea
A research conducted with a view to understand the Business Readiness among the youth and women in Kenya who have benefited from the youth and women enterprise development funds.
Determinants of knowledge management systems success in the banking industryjaysoncham
Abstract
Purpose – This study aims to examine the impact from technical and social aspects on knowledge
management system (KMS) success. Moreover, this study also attempts to examine the
interrelationships between KMS success and user satisfaction.
Design/methodology/approach – A questionnaire survey was used to collect data from the
commercial bank officers to test the proposed KMS success model. All the measurement scales adopted
in this study were adopted from the existing literature. The data collected in this study were analysed
using both SPSS and structural equation modelling approach via AMOS.
Findings – The research results indicate that both technical (knowledge quality, system quality and
service quality) and social factors (user trust and management support) play a significant and positive
role in system user satisfaction. The results also show that user satisfaction have a direct influence on
the success of KMS and vice versa.
Originality/value – This study is one of the few studies on KMS which include both the technical and
social perspectives in examining KMS success. This research study raises the importance of social
factors, which have been earlier neglected by many studies on KMS success models. Moreover, the
interrelationships relationship between KMS success and user satisfaction also been examined in this
study.
Employees’ Perceptions towards the Knowledge Management Practices: An Empiric...AkashSharma618775
This present study is aimed to understand the implementation of knowledge management process in
Bharat Heavy Electricals Limited – Hyderabad. In order to examine this, various knowledge management subdimensions such as acquisition of information, information dissemination, knowledge storage, knowledge transfer,
team work, empowerment and commitment to knowledge. These concerned sub-dimensions are able to determine
the various knowledge management dimensions like, knowledge creation, knowledge transfer and storage and
application and usage of knowledge. The study is also aimed to understand the role of organizational culture in
deriving the firms sustainability.
Effect of market penetration management strategies on performance of Small En...AkashSharma618775
Small businesses in Kenya face a myriad of challenges. Most of the establishments have gone under the
waters due to various reasons including market turbulences. The businesses leave the market as soon as they make
entry. If they stay, they stagnate at the same level they started. The objective of the study was to find out the effect
of market penetration strategies on the performance of small enterprises in Kenya. The study used descriptive
survey design. The study was conducted in Migori County, Kenya. The target population was 4997 which were
businesses registered by the department of Trade of Migori County in 2019. A sample of 481 individuals were
interviewed. This number was derived using Yamane sampling model. Data was collected from business owners
with the help of a structured questionnaire. The researcher used Cronbach’s alpha coeffect to test the reliability of
the study instrument. Data was sorted, sorted and entered using a statistical software program for social sciences
(SPSS). A simple linear regression was used to test the relationship between market penetration management
strategies and performance of small enterprises in Kenya. Pearson Product Moment correlation was employed in
testing the strength of the relationship between market penetration management strategies and growth of small
enterprises in Kenya.
ASSESSING THE ORGANIZATIONAL READINESS FOR IMPLEMENTING KNOWLEDGE MANAGEMENT ...ijitcs
The growing importance of business analytics and its increasing influence on the competitive advantage of
organizations leads to the necessity of knowledge management systems, which complex and needs
organizational readiness that has been the subject of earlier research. This study aims to examine whether
the affective factors on the assessment of the readiness for implementation of the knowledge management
system in all organizations are identical. Hence, first by a comprehensive study of literature, readiness
factors of the knowledge management system implementation including six factors of organizational
culture, individuals, information technology infrastructure, knowledge process, senior management
commitment, and strategy were extracted and have been tested in three different organizations of IT
services, educational and commerce. Based on the founding, different factors affect various organizations
and using a general model should not be advised.
External Business Environment and Performance of Microfinance Institutions: E...AkashSharma618775
This study examined the intensity of competition in the microfinance industry and its relationship
performance of MFIs in Nigeria. From a sample of 121 MFIs in Nigeria, data was collected via a structured
questionnaire. Data collected was analyzed via Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modeling (PLS-SEM
3.0) using the Statistical Package for Social Science (SPSS v22) and, findings suggest that MFIs were faced with
intense competition in the form of high cost and difficulty of entry, high operational cost and too many players in
the industry regardless of the type of product and services they offer or lending policies they embrace. The result
further reveal that the intensity of competition has significant negative influence on the amount of loans disbursed
and the amount disbursed to women. The study therefore recommends MFI managers to develop operational
mechanisms for cost and risk reduction to survive and excel.
An Investigation of the Effect of Challenges Encounters Female Entrepreneuria...AkashSharma618775
The participation of females in entrepreneurial activities is such a satisfying ideal that has proven to
convey positive contribution towards economic process. To ascertain this; the subject matter has presented herein.
Such presentation has been done by giving detailed analysis of the effects of challenges encounters female
entrepreneurial taking Malaysia, which is one of the transformed economies as the country of context. There is a
promising growth in entrepreneurial activities in the recent years in Malaysia; yet, this growth has seen to have
many male entrepreneurs leaving females with minimal rate of participation. There are challenges identified,
evaluated and analyzed to be the very reasons that leads to this scenario. The study employed three challenges
called economic, resource and cultural extracted from Isa et al., (2018); the challenges which are henceforth
implemented as independent variables (IVs) of the study. The study has found the significant correlation between
each of these IVs (EoC) and its subject matter; that’s female entrepreneurial (FE) in Malaysia the DV with the
significant levels of 0.026 and 0.012 respectively. The extent of effects was regretted to be 62% within the inverse
correlation of 0.89 to mean that the increase of EoC results to the decrease of FE and the decrease of EoC leads to
the increase of FE. The statistical analytics were measured using SPSS and data were secondarily reviewed from
the study of Hossain et al., (2018). For further researches; an expansion to reach other stakeholders like police
makers and officers of financial institutions has been recommended because, this study has been established on the
mere perspectives and opinions of entrepreneurs and not other stakeholders of entreprenerial activities.
This paper examines whether the long-run relationship between budget and external deficits follows the
tenets of the twin-deficit hypothesis, the Ricardian equivalence hypothesis, the current account targeting
hypothesis, or the feedback linkages. It also evaluates the effects of budget and trade deficits on economic growth.
On a global perspective, these have been in the recent period debated in developed and developing nations. In
contributing to this ongoing debate, the study applied unit root tests, cointegration analysis, a dynamic vector
error correction model and a multivariate Toda-Yamamoto long -run Granger-causality representation using
annual time series data for Kenya from 1980 to 2016. There is evidence of unidirectional causality running from
budget deficit to external deficit in support of the twin-deficit hypothesis. In the long run, budget deficit had
significant positive effects while trade deficit had significant negative effects, on real GDP growth. Overall, the
findings suggest that the authorities should promote policies that upscale fiscal discipline, curb budget deficits for
external stability and long-term economic growth, in Kenya. The evidence underscores the need for more country
specific studies in sub-Saharan Africa.
Tristart survey on business readiness among the youth and women timothy mahea...Timothy Mahea
A research conducted with a view to understand the Business Readiness among the youth and women in Kenya who have benefited from the youth and women enterprise development funds.
Determinants of knowledge management systems success in the banking industryjaysoncham
Abstract
Purpose – This study aims to examine the impact from technical and social aspects on knowledge
management system (KMS) success. Moreover, this study also attempts to examine the
interrelationships between KMS success and user satisfaction.
Design/methodology/approach – A questionnaire survey was used to collect data from the
commercial bank officers to test the proposed KMS success model. All the measurement scales adopted
in this study were adopted from the existing literature. The data collected in this study were analysed
using both SPSS and structural equation modelling approach via AMOS.
Findings – The research results indicate that both technical (knowledge quality, system quality and
service quality) and social factors (user trust and management support) play a significant and positive
role in system user satisfaction. The results also show that user satisfaction have a direct influence on
the success of KMS and vice versa.
Originality/value – This study is one of the few studies on KMS which include both the technical and
social perspectives in examining KMS success. This research study raises the importance of social
factors, which have been earlier neglected by many studies on KMS success models. Moreover, the
interrelationships relationship between KMS success and user satisfaction also been examined in this
study.
Identification and Ranking of Factors in Successful Implementation of Knowled...IOSRJBM
Many organizations focus on knowledge management and make huge investments in information technology. The purpose of this study was to identify and rank the driving factors in successful implementation of knowledge management in EghtesadNovin (EN) Bank of Iran using the AHP technique. 128 employees of the EN Bank participated in the study. Data were collectedusing a researcher-made questionnaire with a Cronbach’s alpha of 0.873. AHP was used in Expert Choice to rank knowledge management success factors. The results indicated that strategy, senior management support, human resource management, organizational infrastructure, culture, incentives, administrative processes, and employee involvement were respectively the most important factors in successful implementation of knowledge management in EN Bank.
Audit Committee Characteristics and Financial Performance of Deposit Money Ba...AkashSharma618775
The purpose of this study was to assess the predictive power of audit committee features on the financial
performance of listed Deposit Money Banks (DMBs) in Nigeria between 2009 and 2018. Thirteen (13) banks were
used over 10 years making a total of 130 firm year observation. The independent variable was audit committee
size, while the dependent variable was DMB financial performance measured by return on capital employed
(ROCE). The study used an ex-post factor research approach to address the research questions and the nature of
the study data. The study used the panel fixed effect approach (and the estimates were obtained using E-views 9).
The results show that audit committee size does not significantly predict ROCE nor does audit committee financial
skill and frequency of audit committee meetings. None of the independent variables have significant predictive
power on the performance of Deposit Money Banks in Nigeria. Thus, instead of DMBs focusing on expanding the
members of Audit committee, they should instead consider other things that can be done to have an effective audit
committee, such as gender, religion, region, ownership, etc that could possibly influence the performance of banks
in Nigeria.
“Probe In Multi-Ethnic Disputes About HR Practices In HRM”iosrjce
“Ethnic diversity adds richness to a society” *Gary Locke*
The real organization of human resource management is organizational culture and its reformation and
management. Ethos is closely related to organizational strategy, structure and intention. It influences staff's
notice of job selection, evaluation training, and reward and so on. In addition to the normal pressures of manmanagement,
managers are now required to deal with challenges, friction and misunderstandings emanating
from cross ethnic differences. Effective management in the modern environment necessitates cross ethnic
competency in order to get the best out of a multiethnic team. With the growing significance of developing
economies in the global business environment, Human Resource Management is facing increased difficulty in
managing cross-border ethnic relationships. This paper of mine analyze the HR must be knowledgeable about
multiethnic factors on both the domestic and global fronts in Human Resource Management As Dr Zareen
Karani Araoz, President and founder of “Managing Across cultures, Karani Lam & Associates, says in
global conference , "For an employee who repeatedly takes a conference call from US at 3 a.m. regularly is a
major problem area, but he finds it difficult to articulate this to his client or his counterpart in the US, due to
fear. In an institutionalized environment, it is easy to learn to be frank, where saying “NO” is often appreciated
rather than saying “YES” and failing to deliver on the promise
Salesforce CRM: A new way of managing Customer Relationship in cloud environmentEECJOURNAL
with the appearance of distributed computing, associations are hoping to move their Customer Relationship Management (CRM) applications from an On-Premise environment or we can say local servers to an On-Demand environment that is on a cloud server. The on-Premise environment is when an association has the framework and programming inside its system. In On-Demand environment, an outsider has the base and programming and charges the relationship in light of its participation show. Salesforce is the principle On-Demand CRM thing.
Entrepreneurial personal networks and performance of
small and medium scale Enterprises (SMEs) in Kano
State, Nigeria
1Amaka Cordelia Egele , 2Kibuuka Muhammad (PhD) , 3Mutenyo John (PhD)
Federal College of Education Kano, Nigeria.
2 3Kampala International University, Kampala, Uganda.
Information Technology (IT) Development Strategy of STIE INABA in the Perspec...AJHSSR Journal
Strategic planning is a relatively new concept for non-profit organizations (Bryson (1995) and
Nawawi (2000)). Strategic planning is needed in order that organizations can offer better service quality for their
customers and for the sustainability of their organizations. Nonprofit organizations have people who are focused
on achieving specific goals of their organizations (Ireland: 1999: 96-99). Their activities are indeed limited to
the budget and a constant need to raise funds through donations and assistance. When discussing about quality,
the first thing to consider is to get rid of the notions1) that nonprofit organizations cannot work like business
organizations, 2) that non-profit organizations cannot measure their performance, and 3) that quality
improvement techniques cannot be applied to non-profit organizations.
This research was in the form of a case study with Sekolah Tinggi Indonesia Membangun (STIE INABA) as the
research subject. The research method used was research and development. Research and development can be
defined as a process or steps to develop a new product or improve existing products that are accountable.
Based on the results of the analysis of the data collected, it can be concluded that the performance measurements
that had been applied produced less information and less effective strategic planning. IT Balance Scorecard was
used to analyze the relevance of the performance measurement indicators that had been established with the
Vision, Mission, and strategic objectives of STIE INABA. STIE INABA needs to build an information system
in the form of E-learning to support teaching and learning activities
KNOWLEDGE MANAGEMENT AND ORGANIZATIONAL PERFORMANCE IN ENGINEERING ORGANIZATIONIAEME Publication
The purpose of this study is to identify and understand the various knowledge management practices (KMP) and its influence on Organisational Performance (OP) in the engineering organization. The study has been undertaken with an aim to examine the role of knowledge management practices in enhancing the performance of an organization. A sample of 125 engineers were drawn using structured questionnaire. The responses were analysed using a statistical technique viz., Partial Least Square -Path Modelling (PLS-PM). The results of the analysis revealed that Knowledge Management Practices such as Knowledge Diagnosing, Knowledge Acquisition, Knowledge Generation, Knowledge Sharing, Knowledge Storing, Knowledge Application, have significant effect on financial, non-financial and operational performance of the organization.
key factors affecting on the e readiness assessment for small and mediumINFOGAIN PUBLICATION
Due to the increasing growth of information and communication technology and to optimum utilization of its advantages, organizations must to develop their existing capacities. To measure this capacity of any organization, be sure is evaluated, the e-readiness of the organization to enter the e-commerce market. The main objective of this paper is to identify key factors affecting in the Electronic Readiness assessing of SMEs in Shamsabad Industrial City, Tehran to enter the e-commerce market. In this paper to determine this factors after identifying and introduction of variety existing models, concepts; dimensions and indicators of research is extracted and is designed in the form of a questionnaire. Then, using a designed questionnaire is action to gathering insights of academic experts and professional and variety of concepts, dimensions and related indicators is evaluated to E-Readiness assessment. Finally, with regard to the reforms, have been identified key factors affecting the E-Readiness of small and medium manufacturing enterprises.
Identification and Ranking of Factors in Successful Implementation of Knowled...IOSRJBM
Many organizations focus on knowledge management and make huge investments in information technology. The purpose of this study was to identify and rank the driving factors in successful implementation of knowledge management in EghtesadNovin (EN) Bank of Iran using the AHP technique. 128 employees of the EN Bank participated in the study. Data were collectedusing a researcher-made questionnaire with a Cronbach’s alpha of 0.873. AHP was used in Expert Choice to rank knowledge management success factors. The results indicated that strategy, senior management support, human resource management, organizational infrastructure, culture, incentives, administrative processes, and employee involvement were respectively the most important factors in successful implementation of knowledge management in EN Bank.
Audit Committee Characteristics and Financial Performance of Deposit Money Ba...AkashSharma618775
The purpose of this study was to assess the predictive power of audit committee features on the financial
performance of listed Deposit Money Banks (DMBs) in Nigeria between 2009 and 2018. Thirteen (13) banks were
used over 10 years making a total of 130 firm year observation. The independent variable was audit committee
size, while the dependent variable was DMB financial performance measured by return on capital employed
(ROCE). The study used an ex-post factor research approach to address the research questions and the nature of
the study data. The study used the panel fixed effect approach (and the estimates were obtained using E-views 9).
The results show that audit committee size does not significantly predict ROCE nor does audit committee financial
skill and frequency of audit committee meetings. None of the independent variables have significant predictive
power on the performance of Deposit Money Banks in Nigeria. Thus, instead of DMBs focusing on expanding the
members of Audit committee, they should instead consider other things that can be done to have an effective audit
committee, such as gender, religion, region, ownership, etc that could possibly influence the performance of banks
in Nigeria.
“Probe In Multi-Ethnic Disputes About HR Practices In HRM”iosrjce
“Ethnic diversity adds richness to a society” *Gary Locke*
The real organization of human resource management is organizational culture and its reformation and
management. Ethos is closely related to organizational strategy, structure and intention. It influences staff's
notice of job selection, evaluation training, and reward and so on. In addition to the normal pressures of manmanagement,
managers are now required to deal with challenges, friction and misunderstandings emanating
from cross ethnic differences. Effective management in the modern environment necessitates cross ethnic
competency in order to get the best out of a multiethnic team. With the growing significance of developing
economies in the global business environment, Human Resource Management is facing increased difficulty in
managing cross-border ethnic relationships. This paper of mine analyze the HR must be knowledgeable about
multiethnic factors on both the domestic and global fronts in Human Resource Management As Dr Zareen
Karani Araoz, President and founder of “Managing Across cultures, Karani Lam & Associates, says in
global conference , "For an employee who repeatedly takes a conference call from US at 3 a.m. regularly is a
major problem area, but he finds it difficult to articulate this to his client or his counterpart in the US, due to
fear. In an institutionalized environment, it is easy to learn to be frank, where saying “NO” is often appreciated
rather than saying “YES” and failing to deliver on the promise
Salesforce CRM: A new way of managing Customer Relationship in cloud environmentEECJOURNAL
with the appearance of distributed computing, associations are hoping to move their Customer Relationship Management (CRM) applications from an On-Premise environment or we can say local servers to an On-Demand environment that is on a cloud server. The on-Premise environment is when an association has the framework and programming inside its system. In On-Demand environment, an outsider has the base and programming and charges the relationship in light of its participation show. Salesforce is the principle On-Demand CRM thing.
Entrepreneurial personal networks and performance of
small and medium scale Enterprises (SMEs) in Kano
State, Nigeria
1Amaka Cordelia Egele , 2Kibuuka Muhammad (PhD) , 3Mutenyo John (PhD)
Federal College of Education Kano, Nigeria.
2 3Kampala International University, Kampala, Uganda.
Information Technology (IT) Development Strategy of STIE INABA in the Perspec...AJHSSR Journal
Strategic planning is a relatively new concept for non-profit organizations (Bryson (1995) and
Nawawi (2000)). Strategic planning is needed in order that organizations can offer better service quality for their
customers and for the sustainability of their organizations. Nonprofit organizations have people who are focused
on achieving specific goals of their organizations (Ireland: 1999: 96-99). Their activities are indeed limited to
the budget and a constant need to raise funds through donations and assistance. When discussing about quality,
the first thing to consider is to get rid of the notions1) that nonprofit organizations cannot work like business
organizations, 2) that non-profit organizations cannot measure their performance, and 3) that quality
improvement techniques cannot be applied to non-profit organizations.
This research was in the form of a case study with Sekolah Tinggi Indonesia Membangun (STIE INABA) as the
research subject. The research method used was research and development. Research and development can be
defined as a process or steps to develop a new product or improve existing products that are accountable.
Based on the results of the analysis of the data collected, it can be concluded that the performance measurements
that had been applied produced less information and less effective strategic planning. IT Balance Scorecard was
used to analyze the relevance of the performance measurement indicators that had been established with the
Vision, Mission, and strategic objectives of STIE INABA. STIE INABA needs to build an information system
in the form of E-learning to support teaching and learning activities
KNOWLEDGE MANAGEMENT AND ORGANIZATIONAL PERFORMANCE IN ENGINEERING ORGANIZATIONIAEME Publication
The purpose of this study is to identify and understand the various knowledge management practices (KMP) and its influence on Organisational Performance (OP) in the engineering organization. The study has been undertaken with an aim to examine the role of knowledge management practices in enhancing the performance of an organization. A sample of 125 engineers were drawn using structured questionnaire. The responses were analysed using a statistical technique viz., Partial Least Square -Path Modelling (PLS-PM). The results of the analysis revealed that Knowledge Management Practices such as Knowledge Diagnosing, Knowledge Acquisition, Knowledge Generation, Knowledge Sharing, Knowledge Storing, Knowledge Application, have significant effect on financial, non-financial and operational performance of the organization.
key factors affecting on the e readiness assessment for small and mediumINFOGAIN PUBLICATION
Due to the increasing growth of information and communication technology and to optimum utilization of its advantages, organizations must to develop their existing capacities. To measure this capacity of any organization, be sure is evaluated, the e-readiness of the organization to enter the e-commerce market. The main objective of this paper is to identify key factors affecting in the Electronic Readiness assessing of SMEs in Shamsabad Industrial City, Tehran to enter the e-commerce market. In this paper to determine this factors after identifying and introduction of variety existing models, concepts; dimensions and indicators of research is extracted and is designed in the form of a questionnaire. Then, using a designed questionnaire is action to gathering insights of academic experts and professional and variety of concepts, dimensions and related indicators is evaluated to E-Readiness assessment. Finally, with regard to the reforms, have been identified key factors affecting the E-Readiness of small and medium manufacturing enterprises.
International Journal of Business and Management Invention (IJBMI)inventionjournals
International Journal of Business and Management Invention (IJBMI) is an international journal intended for professionals and researchers in all fields of Business and Management. IJBMI publishes research articles and reviews within the whole field Business and Management, new teaching methods, assessment, validation and the impact of new technologies and it will continue to provide information on the latest trends and developments in this ever-expanding subject. The publications of papers are selected through double peer reviewed to ensure originality, relevance, and readability. The articles published in our journal can be accessed online.
The Journal will bring together leading researchers, engineers and scientists in the domain of interest from around the world. Topics of interest for submission include, but are not limited to
Knowledge management (KM) has become an effective way of managing organization‟s intellectual capital or, in other words, organization‟s full experience, skills and knowledge that is relevant for more effective performance in future. The paper proposes a knowledge management to achieve a competitive control of the machining systems. Then an application of Knowledge Management in engineering has been attempted to explain. The model can be used by the manager for the choosing of competitive orders.
THE IMPACT OF KNOWLEDGE MANAGEMENT ON THE FUNCTION OF EMPLOYEE PERFORMANCE AP...IJMIT JOURNAL
The study aimed at identifying the impact of knowledge management on the function of employee performance appraisals (it is one of the most important functions of human resources management) in Jordanian industrial public shareholding companies, relying on the descriptive analytical approach. A questionnaire has been developed and distributed on individuals of the study sample consisting of managers of departments and sections of human resources in each company. The number of questionnaire retrieved and valid for statistical analysis (294) representing (86.5%) of the distributed questionnaires. In order to analyze the study sample, reliance was placed on descriptive statistics, represented in the
arithmetic means and standard deviations, in addition to the multiple linear regression analysis in hypothesis testing. The study reached a number of findings, most importantly, the presence of statistically significant impact at the level of (α=0.05) for the knowledge management including its dimensions (knowledge generation, knowledge storage, knowledge sharing, knowledge application) on the function of
employee performance appraisals in Jordanian industrial public shareholding companies. The study has recommended that the Jordanian industrial public shareholding companies should follow an efficient evaluationsystem capable of identifying the employees’ weaknesses
This study undertook an empirical view towards analyzing the role youth capacity building can play in
entrepreneurship development. This study took a descriptive approach in its design and covered a sample of 519
rural entrepreneurs drawn from selected rural communities across the three geo-political zones of Enugu state using
purposive sampling technique. Data was gathered using a five point likert scale questionnaire and was analyzed with
chi-square test using the 23.0 versions of statistical package for social sciences (SPSS). The data analysis was based
on the 413 questionnaires that were validly filled and returned by the respondents. The study noted that capacity
building is not a choice; it is a fundamental route to youth entrepreneurship development. Hence, giving hand-outs or
even equipment without needful entrepreneurial knowledge is no longer fit to pass as youth capacity building. It was
therefore concluded that for sustainable entrepreneurship development especially among the youths in Enugu state,
there is need for well structured and functional capacity building programmes. The paper recommends that; to ensure
consistency and relevance of capacity building in the act of entrepreneurship development, states must
institutionalize capacity building, Governments should invest in and leverage on existing educational institutions to
advance and reduce the cost of entrepreneurship development oriented capacity building and that there is need to
invest massively on innovation biased capacity building programmes
Knowledge Management Strategies and Their Contribution to Small and Medium En...inventionjournals
Despite the many individual case studies on various knowledge management initiatives in large organisations, the perception of knowledge management practices and developments in Small and Medium enterprises suffers certain drawbacks. As such, there is paucity of information on the effects of different knowledge management strategies used by small firms in the hospitality industry in Kenya. The study sought to determine the contribution of knowledge management strategies on sales growth in the hospitality industry. Objective was to determine the contributions of knowledge management strategies on small and medium business sales growth. A cross-sectional survey research design was used for this study and a census was conducted on 39 businesses. A questionnaire with structured and unstructured questions was used to collect primary data from all the 39 top managers and supervisors of selected hospitality businesses since they are the key decision makers. Descriptive and regression analysis were used to analyze the data with the help of Statistical package for social sciences computer software. The findings from this study indicate that, though knowledge management strategies were used to a greater extent among the businesses, they did not significantly contribute to sales growth in the hospitality industry. This implies that the relationship was not significant because the use of the knowledge management strategies did not fully actualize the intended sales growth in the hospitality businesses. The results of this study have implications in enhancing the growth of Small and medium enterprises in Kenya.
IR Integrated Reporting - Creating Value Value to the Board #IIRCAgustin del Castillo
There is a recognized need to promote financial stability and sustainable development. Much can be achieved
if investment decisions are made on the basis of long- term value creation, especially if corporate behaviour
is aligned to this aim. Demonstrating the link between investment decisions, corporate behaviour and reporting is one aim of this Creating Value series.
Similar to Crisis Knowledge Management to Affect Customer Service Response (20)
As the only superpower in the world, the fundamental interest of the United States in the Syrian conflict
is to maintain its superpower status. Guided by this principle, the United States has important interests in Syria:
Toppling or at least the long-term weakening of the Syrian Assad regime; Containing Russian and Iranian
influence in Syria; Fighting terrorism such as ISIS to prevent Syria from becoming a terrorist base; Opposing the
Syrian government’s use of chemical weapons; Supporting Syrian Kurdish forces on the basis of not breaking with
Turkey, etc. Interest is the unity of needs and means to realize them. With the development of the situation in Syria,
the ability of the United States to fulfill its needs is also changing, which leads to the differences of its main
interests in different historical periods of the Syrian conflict, not only in the content of interests, but also in the
priority of interests. In the Syrian conflict, the constant changes in the important interests of the United States
show that the United States is increasingly unable to safeguard its superpower status
The paper focus on entrepreneur skill through business education program to curb restiveness for
sustainable development. Need for entrepreneur skills acquisition were identified, business education program
and functions of entrepreneur were identified and sorted out as the types of entrepreneur in our present society.
Conclusion was drawn which include effort towards creating good initiatives in order to develop our dear
societies as it become the focus in 21st century. Therefore parents and business society should emulate a kind of
economy strategies like China, Germany, and America etc. in order to provide means of surviving strategies
among individuals in the entire nation.
Non-linguistic symbol is a carrier of language,which carries ideas, positions, attitudes and emotions
that people communicate. Based on the case of business communication and the theoretical framework of
semiotics, this paperprobes intothe influence of nonverbal signs on international business banquets from a
cultural perspective, and then puts forward relevant strategies to promote the smooth communication. The study
finds that nonverbal signs play a significant role in the communication and exchange of international banquets.
Nonverbal signs can be made use of to accurately understand the meaning of the other party, and further foster
the realization of effective communication. The purpose of this study is to aimed to provide correspondent
strategies for language barriers encountered in business banquets and business activities, in an attempt to
provide certain implications for such fields as business discourse research, business communication and
cultural exchanges.
Nawāl al-Sa'dāwī has criticised sharply the discourse of masculine God in her works, either
fiction or non-fiction. The phenomena is interesting to be analyzed since there are no many feminists who have
courageoulsy discuss the problem. By paying attention on her works, this paper is aimed to answer the
question: What are the forms of Nawāl al-Sa'dāwī's criticism on the masculinity in the discourse on God? What
is the positionisation of the criticism in the meaning of discourse on divinity and why did Nawāl Al-Sa'dāwī
criticise? The paper gives meaning to the reading on the deconstruction that emphasizes the plurality and
meaning of the relation between the signifie and signifiant in language. Nawāl al-Sa'dāwī offers a new meaning
which is different, humanistic, and visionary, since the masculinity of discourse on God had been structured by
the ruler as a philosophical basis for the theological justification to structurise the patriarchal point of view to
preserve women's subordination. She has made her deconstruction as a strategy for liberation of women and
establishment of their autonomy as their fundamental condition, a gift from God. This autonomy of women had
been actualised in the early history of mankind through the reconstructive reading on history of ancient Egypt
which has been done by her.
The contending forces generated by friction between the collaborative platform firms in the paid transportation of people’s market, and the regulation present in anti-trust policies in Costa Rica will be discussed in depth as a means of determining the economic impacts that new regulatory bills may cause.The recent entryof developing countries into the collaborative economy has caused social and economic tensions due to the lack of an updated and rejuvenated legal framework which could reconcile the economic and legal differences.The expected results of a new anti-trust policy to regulate collaborative transportation platform firms in Costa Rica are a higher regulated price, a lower quantity supplied of hailing rides, and a loss of efficiency in the sector consequence of the new technical requirements. The case of Uber Company’s entry in Costa Rica is used to depict these economic effects.
The Srebrenica event during the war in Bosnia and Herzegovina has become one of the most
famous. It has also brought the first verdict of the criminal offense of genocide before the international
body after the Second World War. The purpose of this paper is not to attempt relativization of facts or to
answer the question of whether it was truly genocide in a subjective sense, but rather to comment on
judicial practice in those essential segments related to dubious questions and theses. The purpose is, of
course, to understand the issues in order to understand and classify other terrible events in the recent
war or current or future conflicts and trials more easily and correctly.
This paper examine the impact of macroeconomic factors on firm level equity premium. Following
the concept of macro-based risk factor model, we consider macroeconomic variable set of equity premium
determinant. The macroeconomic variables include interest rate, money supply, industrial production, inflation
and foreign direct investment. The macroeconomic variables are not in control of the firm's management. These
are the external factors which affect the company as well as the overall market returns. The Macro-based
Multifactor Model is estimated for the whole sample. It is found that the market premium and the selected five
macroeconomic factors significantly affect the firm level equity premium of non-financial firms. Increase in
market premium, money supply, foreign direct investment and industrial production positively affect the firm
level equity premium while increase in interest rate and inflation negatively affects the firm level equity
premium. These findings are beneficial for the common shareholders, institutional investors and policy makers
to find more specific insight about the relationship between macroeconomic variables and equity premium of
non-financial sectors.
The paper focus on entrepreneur skill through business education program to curb restiveness for
sustainable development. Need for entrepreneur skills acquisition were identified, business education program
and functions of entrepreneur were identified and sorted out as the types of entrepreneur in our present society.
Conclusion was drawn which include effort towards creating good initiatives in order to develop our dear
societies as it become the focus in 21st century. Therefore parents and business society should emulate a kind of
economy strategies like China, Germany, and America etc. in order to provide means of surviving strategies
among individuals in the entire nation.
In this Article the historical survey of puppet art in Pakistan are explained. The survey starts from
1947 to till now. The roots of this art are traced back to the Indus valley civilization, to the Sub Continent, and
eventually to the areas which are now known as Pakistan. Same like India there is no clear history of Puppet
art in Pakistan. This research concludes the details of the history after independence. Underlying research has
strived to explore the significance and the importance of the puppetry as art form and some extent for the sake
of education in Pakistan. This art is subject to decline because of lack of interest of the people in it. This
research explains to know the brief history about puppets stories its reasons and the struggle of the artist to
make this term so prominent. The research also counts the positive aspects of the puppetry that despite all the
odds is still alive and working in our society. Besides this many organizations are also contributing to this field
of art. It proves that the puppetry is in the cultural roots of the people of this region. If a nation is alive then its
art and culture is also alive. Underlying research contributes towards creating awareness for this art and
entertainment form.
Based on John Bailey’s theory of Cultural Adaptation, this research mainly focuses on the differences
between Chinese and the United States’ diet culture, analyzes the background and causes of differences between
Chinese and Western diet cultures, and further expounds the long-standing exchanges and collisions between
Chinese and Western diet culture differences so as to reveal the development status and existing problems of
international business activities under the diet culture differences. The study is aimed to provide certain references
for the elimination of cultural barrier in international business communication and thus promote the smooth
development of international market.
In Indonesia, forest fires become a problem every year during the annual dry season, when fires
are lit to clear and/or prepare land for agriculture. The smoke from the fires creates a haze that affects not only
the area where land is being cleared but also neighboring countries since it travels with the wind. This study
explores media framing related to haze that blanketed parts of Indonesia, Malaysia, and Singapore, through a
qualitative content analysis of the news stories published in 2017 in three leading English newspapers from the
three countries: The Jakarta Post (Indonesia), The Straits Times (Singapore) and The Star (Malaysia). A
theoretical framework from Semetko & Valkernburg (2000) who suggest five media framing (conflict,
responsibility, economic consequences, human interest, and morality) is used in the analysis. The research
questions: What were the main frames used in the three newspapers from the three countries? The results
indicate that responsibility was the most visible frame in the three newspapers. Alleged land clearance by
plantation companies and individuals was the main theme associated with the responsibility frame
and more, the discourse of as a vehicle through which messages are communicated in film
is taking centre stage. Its use necessitates an understanding not only of the vocabulary, but also of the content.
Cameroon filmmakers exploit language to expound and portray how the society is still constantly faced with the
problem of power manifestation and most especially, the marginalisation of women. Limits are set as to where
and what a woman can say in the presence of men. Considered a cultural marginalization, a woman’s words
are not to be heard in public spaces where men are. As such, language in traditional settings, sets limitations
for the woman in almost all aspects of life. Through a semiotic reading of Victor Viyouh’s Ninah’s Dowry and
circumscribed by feminist criticism, this paper attempts to portray the role of the sign in promoting male
domination in Cameroon. The woman is constructed by words and images as the weaker sex and subjected to
the men
The purpose of this study was to describe the use of newspapers as a source for English
Language Acquisition. Its aim was to investigate the extent of which newspapers can affect and enhance the
learning of English language. The Technical English curricular aims to extent learners’ English language
proficiency in order to meet their needs, in everyday life including for knowledge acquisition purposes, and for
workplace use. Effectiveness learning entails learning beyond the classroom. In this regard, newspaper may be
a good resource that can be used to promote and enhance English language learning. This study explored
whether newspaper as an alternative to the textbook able to arouse learners’ interests in learning English.
Newspaper as a tool for language learning.
This study was conducted in Institute Latihan Perindustrian Kuala Lumpur (ILPKL) to obtain students’
views on using the newspapers and to access the effects of its use on their learning. The quantitative modes used
for the data collections. The findings of the study indicated that the use of newspapers did indeed have positive
effect on learners. For the benefit of learners, it is therefore hoped that there, would be greater usage of
newspaper as source for English language acquisition in the classroom.
The goal of this work is to address, from the conceptual framework of theories on “deliberative
democracy”, the role played by the Judicial Power, being an integral part of the State, as the institutionalized
field of deliberation for making collective decisions.
In order to do this I will start by analyzing, from a legal-institutional perspective, the way in which the
National Constitution of Argentina distributes the functions of the State and how it divides the competences to
decide on the Public Thing. Furthermore, I will analyze which are the degrees of deliberation and of citizen
participation (direct or indirect) in each portion of the constituted power. Then, I will develop my intuition about
the way Justice operates as an institutional form of citizen participation within a Social State of Law, comparing
such proposal with the opinion of authors that highlight the countermajoritarian nature of the Judicial Power. I
will present some representative cases of the intervention of the Judicial Power in the making of
institutionalized public decisions, generated by the action of minorities with little or no political representation
and in which, after a deliberative practice, government measures that gave a positive response to the proposals
of the actors were ordered.
As an anticipation of my opinion, I will say that in our current Argentinian constitutional system there
is a paradox in which the Judicial Power (being, due to its origin, the least democratic of the powers) allows for
the development of procedural discursive practices, enabling the Public Decision Making to be the product of
the deliberation between parties (citizens and governments) on a level of equality and freedom of speech in
which arguments are exchanged in a rational way and in a previously regulated framework within a formalized
procedure.
The current work presents a literature review about life skills, which have been studied for a
long time; however, it was until 1993 when the World Health Organization (WHO) placed them among the 10
basic abilities which allow the individual to develop correctly in various contexts. From that year, a series of
actions were taken to standardize a common language around them and have derived in several promotion and
research around this topic. In many countries of Latin America and Spain, the teaching of life skills have been
incorporated into the basic education and shown good results since its implementation. Regarding higher
education, this proposal can prove promising in view of acknowledging that universities at present do not only
form specialists in a given discipline, but also promote integral development. It isconcluded that teaching life
skills in higher education can aid in the students’ integral development.
The services of local government legislators and customary court judges are often associated with
self-abnegation. However, most of these officials use their positions as money making ventures and material and
financial considerations have been the principal catalyst in the quest for such offices. It is because of these
recurrent occurrences in developing countries in general and Cameroon in particular that the study revisits the
situation in West Cameroon. It contends that most of these officials used their offices in amassing wealth as the
quest for increases in allowances and privileges became the common characteristic. Where these perceived
gains were not forthcoming, legislators and judges resorted to corrupt practices and their decisions/judgements
were often based on material and financial considerations. When some of them found it difficult to raise money
from services offered to their constituents, they simply abandoned their duties for personal businesses or juicy
opportunities elsewhere. The study concludes that legislation which warrants only selfless and dedicated
individuals to seek for these positions is needed. Again, it holds that local communities should be empowered to
sanction recalcitrant officials with little or no interference from central authorities. In this way, the engaging of
unpatriotic citizens in the management local government affairs will be checked.
The need to deepen the study of nationality formation and consolidation processes in Cuba, has
found in the Masonic fraternity an unobjectionable source of information, closely linked to the deepest roots of
nationalist thought and feeling. Masonic researches have become vital in unraveling the historical fabric that
gave way to the beginning of struggles for the Island independence.
The present research, as part of a doctoral thesis project -in the initial phase-, aims to elucidate the importance
this subject refers to researchers from Cuba and the world. It also pretends to focus on Freemasonry in
Guantánamo province, as an effort to explain the main factors that contribute to the social reproduction of
Masonic fraternity from a sociological perspective which is an insufficiently studied subject into the Cuban
context. The relationships that underlie the fraternal group's behavior and cohesion will be revealed by using
the prosopographic method, the theory of social networks and the analysis of socialization forms.
The article traces the genealogy of the concept of Nature and landscape from the romanticism to
the second industrial revolution. This archeology of ideas aims to dissect Nature as a subject of discourse in
order to propose it as an “empty container” filled with fantasy and which has been instrumentalized by
(sometimes) conservative power axes. The ongoing ecological crisis demands a set of new theoretical
approaches towards what is that thing “out there” that we call Nature since the romantic paradigm only gives
away a passive and contemplative image that serves to economic exploitation and aesthetical consumerism.
Through the lens of eco-criticism, the aim is to dismantle and deconstruct the fantasy of Nature by proposing
different entry points from interdisciplinarity and critical studies.
Using a theoretical concept by combining linguistic relativity and linguistic determinism – the
structure of our language; a set of specific selected words influence man’s perception of the world and language
use determines thought and action, data was collected and analysed qualitatively. The aim of the paper is to
illustrate the pertinence of culture in language use and actions with emphasis to explore the contextual symbolic
meanings of specific words in Africa nation states’ quest for peace. Specifically, in this paper we examine
carefully selected and uttered lexis and their significant meanings in Cameroon, South Africa and Uganda. The
results of the study confirmed that words have unique significance in relation to the culture, history and identity
of a particular African people. Words used in the Cameroon context, ‘all is well’, are mostly words of hope and
assurance in a war-free nation. The interpretation of some words, ‘Rhodes must fall’, generate disputes and
lead to violent actions in the search for peaceful and prosperous co-existence in an apartheid ridden country
like South Africa. Certain words of greetings, ‘you still exist’, though a total recall of pain and torture in a
period of turbulence and massacre in Uganda, portray gratitude and delightedness among citizens.
A special school is a school catering for students who have special educational needs due to serve
learning difficulties, physical disabilities or behavioural problems. Special schools may be specifically
designed, staffed and resourced to provide appropriate special education for children with additional needs. A
Special school is a school for children who have some kind of serious physical or mental problem.The present
study examines the job stress of teachers working in special schools. The sample of the study comprised of 156
special school teachers working in aided and private special schools in Tirunelveli district, Tamilnadu. Simple
random method was used to select the sample from the population.Survey method was used to collect data. The
findings revealed that there is significant difference in job stress of teachers working in special schools with
regard to locality of special school teachers, qualification and work experience of special school teachers.
More from International Journal of Arts and Social Science (20)
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He discussed the concept of quality improvement, emphasizing its applicability to various aspects of life, including personal, project, and program improvements. He defined quality as doing the right thing at the right time in the right way to achieve the best possible results and discussed the concept of the "gap" between what we know and what we do, and how this gap represents the areas we need to improve. He explained the scientific approach to quality improvement, which involves systematic performance analysis, testing and learning, and implementing change ideas. He also highlighted the importance of client focus and a team approach to quality improvement.
Ethnobotany and Ethnopharmacology:
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Bio-prospecting tools for drug discovery,
Role of Ethnopharmacology in drug evaluation,
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Read| The latest issue of The Challenger is here! We are thrilled to announce that our school paper has qualified for the NATIONAL SCHOOLS PRESS CONFERENCE (NSPC) 2024. Thank you for your unwavering support and trust. Dive into the stories that made us stand out!
Basic phrases for greeting and assisting costumers
Crisis Knowledge Management to Affect Customer Service Response
1. International Journal of Arts and Social Science www.ijassjournal.com
ISSN: 2581-7922,
Volume 2 Issue 2, March-April 2019.
Dr. Judith A. Riggs Page 19
Crisis Knowledge Management to Affect Customer Service
Response
Dr. Judith A.Riggs
King Graduate School, Monroe College, Bronx, New York, USA
ABSTRACT:This qualitative case study focused on developing a better understanding of a major utility
company’s knowledge management/customer service information and communications as well as practices
that were implemented during a catastrophic hurricane. The data collection and analysis procedure
revealed a gap when a comparison of the actual knowledge management practices that were used and not
used in the utility company’s customer response during the hurricane. Organizational practices of high-
performing knowledge-management companies were used to analyze and compare their practices to utility
company. Findings from the analysis resulted in the establishment of a Balanced Scorecard framework for
recommended best practices and action steps with the potential to set new strategies and trajectories for
allorganizations.
KEYWORDS –communication, crisis management, customer service, knowledge management, leadership,
learning and development, operations management, organizational performance
I. INTRODUCTION
Academics and practitioners recognize knowledge management and service quality as research areas of
great interest. Knowledge management has emerged over the past two decades in response to the demands
and unpredictable nature of the 21st century. Dominant external factors, such as climate change, have
affected the operation of organizational environments. Accordingly, knowledge has surfaced as an
extremely valuable asset [1]. Statistics indicate that more than 80% of economic value generated is linked
directly to knowledge [2].
The knowledge management (KM) domain encompasses many areas, such as managing knowledge,
intellectual capital, knowledge economies, and KM systems. Within and across these and other areas, KM
directs attention to issues related to service quality, information technology, operations, people, and
performance [3].
Twenty-first century leadership recognizes that service quality impacts business performance and
customer satisfaction [4]. The quality of service reflects the extent to which a delivered service meets or
exceeds customer expectations. For survival and sustainability in this constantly changing era, delivering
superior quality service requires consistently adapting to customer expectations [5].
1.1 Knowledge Management History: The Knowledge-Based Economy
Housel and Bell [6] argued that current and former economies have depended upon knowledge as
fundamental for generating worth. The Industrial Revolution’s agrarian economy relied on knowledge for
planting and farming. Value was placed on tangible assets including equipment and land. However, no
value was placed on intangible assets, specifically, the farmers’ ability to apply farm-related knowledge.
Profound change has altered the shape and economic base of society [2]. Consequently, the primary source
of value creation, productivity, and economic growth has shifted to knowledge.
The 21st century economy measures organizational wealth based on the value of existing knowledge,
the capacity to generate future knowledge, and the effective exploitation of all knowledge [7]. Thus,
2. International Journal of Arts and Social Science www.ijassjournal.com
ISSN: 2581-7922,
Volume 2 Issue 2, March-April 2019.
Dr. Judith A. Riggs Page 20
organizations are charged with harnessing and leveraging the knowledge of each member of the
organization, that is, the organization’s collective intelligence [8].
Sixty years ago, the United States dominated the world markets. The national and international demand
for goods and services was significant; the United States accounted for more than 50% of the worldwide
average of goods and services produced (Davenport & Prusak, 1998) [2]. However, at this time, the U.S.
share in the world economy is less than 15%, which a clear indication that U.S. companies no longer
control the global marketplace. This decline suggests that American enterprises can no longer expect that
the ―products and practices that made them successful in the past will keep them viable in the future‖
(p. 13) [2].
Managing in a period of great change forces companies to re-examine past assumptions [9]; therefore,
the big question:What to do? becomes the mantra—particularly for large companies who have experienced
long-term success for the past century. These organizations are considered icons; however, due to
unforeseen disasters and unmanageable crises, they could decline and may even become extinct. According
to Drucker [9], the root of the problem is outdated organizational assumptions no longer fit the current
reality. The outdated assumptions dictate the following organizational behavior, organizational decisions,
and organizational definition of important outcomes. The assumptions are about the customers, the existing
marketplace, the competitors, and the organization’s strengths and weaknesses.
Transformational leadership is required to address the outdated assumptions that have resulted in
organizations with fundamental misconceptions. The development of effective strategies is essential to
bridge the gaps. If the gaps are bridged, organizations will be equipped to chart a sustainable new course of
action suitable for the constantly changing 21st century [8].
1.1.1 The State of Knowledge Management
There is growing recognition that knowledge is an important economic resource [10]. Managing an
organization’s knowledge has become essential for 21st century business survival and sustainability and,
furthermore, studies have suggested that knowledge is considered a strategic resource to create and
maximize business value [11].
Debate exists regarding KM as a separate discipline because the integrative foundation of KM allows
attachment to several disciplines [12]. The domain challenge leads to conceptual plurality. For the purposes
of this study, conceptual plurality is defined as the numerous mental representations to explain the
empirical data connected with a discipline. Despite the KM debate, Dalkir [13] argued that KM continues
to professionally evolve. Multiple empirical studies have been conducted and numerous articles published
on topics related to knowledge strategy, knowledge creation, knowledge sharing, systems, and tacit and
explicit knowledge [14].
Further debate in the field concerns people-over-technology issue [15]. The debate considers whether
KM manages knowledge resources, specifically people, or whether KM is a data management system.
Griffiths and Moon [15] acknowledged that misconception guides organizations to consider knowledge
resources separate from people. Data is stored in technological systems that, when triggered, are shaped
into knowledge through the interactions of people. Organizations are being forced to realize that
―knowledge lies less in its databases than in its people‖ and, further, people are the creators and carriers of
knowledge (p. 121) [16]. Leaders, aspiring to create a better future for the organization, are encouraged to
see beyond the data and focus on the social context that shapes and provides meaning to the data. Dalkir
[13] argued that within and outside of the organization’s boundaries, knowledge is created and transferred
via human interactions, technology, processes, and procedures.
3. International Journal of Arts and Social Science www.ijassjournal.com
ISSN: 2581-7922,
Volume 2 Issue 2, March-April 2019.
Dr. Judith A. Riggs Page 21
II. STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM AND PURPOSE OF THE STUDY
Service quality has surfaced as an area of great concern to practitioners and researchers because of its
tremendous impact on business performance and customer satisfaction [4]. The quality of service reflects
the extent to which a service meets or exceeds customer requirements and expectations. If expectations are
greater than performance, quality is perceived as unsatisfactory and, consequently, customer dissatisfaction
follows [17].
World-class business organizations view knowledge as the most valuable strategic asset for survival
and sustainability [2]. However, organizations that play a critical role in the life of society often do not
capitalize on best practices of knowledge management to enhance service quality. Despite the rapid pace of
change that is characteristic of the 21st century, many organizations have failed to become outwardly
focused, market oriented, and knowledge driven. The failure to look externally, in order to enhance existing
resources and capabilities, has resulted in competitive disadvantages and risk to organizational
sustainability [2].
Greater organizational performance requires management and practitioners to identify current
practices, both adequate and inadequate, and seek best practices for knowledge acquisition and knowledge
transfer. Furthermore, appropriate procedures, methods, and instruments, which ensure an inward flow of
ideas, build stronger capabilities, and discover gaps, are required.
Figure 1 shows how performance and value can be driven by the exchange of knowledge-acquisition
and knowledge-transfer practices to improve organizational response and service delivery to the customer.
Figure 1. Knowledge Management Flow to Improve Performance and Customer Value
Each of these efforts can become part of an organization’s strategic planning initiative that, when
shared with stakeholders, facilitates a transfer of ideas that recognizes gaps and enhances capabilities
through the sharing of knowledge.
The purpose of this study was threefold:
1. identify the organizational practices used by the utility company during the hurricane disaster,
2. compare utility company’s practices to the best practices of exemplary companies, and
3. use the information obtained to propose a pathway from current knowledge management practices
to exemplary practices for the studied utility company.
Knowledge Acquisition
The acquiring of information
Knowledge Transfer
The process and dissemination
of information
OrganizationalResponse Customer Service Response
Knowledge Management
and Customer Service
Best Practices
4. International Journal of Arts and Social Science www.ijassjournal.com
ISSN: 2581-7922,
Volume 2 Issue 2, March-April 2019.
Dr. Judith A. Riggs Page 22
Three questions served to guide the study and inform the selected methodology:
1. What were the knowledge management practices utilized by the utility company during the
catastrophic hurricane crisis?
2. Considering the weaknesses identified in knowledge management practices, what knowledge
management best practices might benefit the utility company’s customers?
3. What processes or procedures might facilitate the transformation from poor knowledge
management practices to best knowledge management practices?
The unpredictable climate of the 21st century has charged today’s business enterprises to seek how
best to capitalize on knowledge management practices for survival, competitive advantage, and
sustainability. Alryalat and Alhawari [18] stated that organizational survival and competitive advantage
result from getting the right information transferred to the right people, instantaneously. Consider, for
example,a recent unprecedented and catastrophic hurricane.A major utility companyplayed a pivotal role in
the process of saving lives. People in distress called the North American emergency telephone number
(911) or the utility company’s direct telephone line, and the calls were intercepted by the utility company’s
voice automation system. The severity of the hurricane required the utility company’s immediate response
to customers as electrical fires were erupting, people’s homes were sinking, and loss of life and property
was at stake. Sadly, the company had difficulty acquiring and transferring knowledge, which resulted in a
deficit of service quality and value to the customer.
The utility company’s knowledge-acquisition and knowledge-transfer processes were inadequate in
responding to customers’ needs. Immediate customer response was critical due to the severity of the wind
and water damage from the storm. The lapse in response time resulted in inadequate information transfer to
the right entity at the right time. The utility company’s lack of adequate practices and infrastructure
capability resulted in the organization’s failure to transfer and share information in real time [18]. The
organization’s response to the customer signified the existence of organizational gaps.
III. SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY
This research is of great value because the studied utility companyis one of the largest investor-owned
energy companies in the United States. The company provides a wide range of energy-related products and
services to its customers, a captive audience. Of particular interest is the fact that the company has been in
existence for almost two centuries. However, due to its stature as an energy icon, the company is
accustomed to operating under the theme of ―business as usual.‖ Davenport and Prusak [2], however,
argued that companies can no longer continue to operate under the misconception of ―business as usual.‖
Yesterday’s assumptions no longer fit into today’s reality. Nonetheless, the assumptions about the
organization’s strengths, weaknesses, and customers, dictate the organization’s behavior, decisions, and
response when faced withwhat to do, especially during crises [9]. Consequently, when the catastrophic
hurricane occurred, the organization chanted, ―What do we do?‖ while the customers shouted, ―Help!‖ to
an unresponsive organization.3.1 Research Context
The studied utility company is one of the largest investor-owned, energy-delivery companies in the United
States. It servesover three million customers and, yet, it has no statement of vision, but it does have six
guiding principles and corporate values that include:
1. plan the work and work the plan,
2. seek and accept responsibility,
3. communicate openly,
4. work in teams,
5. improve continuously, and
6. celebrate success.
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The company provides electrical and natural gas service toseveral areas in the Northeastern United
States.While the utility company operates in a challenging and unpredictable business environment, there
were serious questions surrounding the company’s organizational performance and service quality based on
responses to customers and stakeholders during the catastrophic hurricane. The assessment of the utility
company’s performance was obtained from the sources outlined in the Instruments Used in Data Collection
section.
3.2 Instruments Used in Data Collection
Data collection focused on the utility company’s knowledge-management practices and customer-service
quality during the hurricane. Two forms of data collection were used that provided responses to this study’s
research questions. Archival data served as the primary source of data collected for analysis in the study,
and structured interviews were the secondary source of data collection.
The interviews consisted of 20 open-ended questions, and they were designed to collect additional
information about the utility company’s practices as it related to knowledge management and customer
service during the hurricane.Data collection for a gap analysis was used to inform the identification and
evaluation of the factors and practices that impacted the knowledge transfer for emergency response and
customer service.
3.3 Methodology
While there were several possible qualitative approaches considered for the purposes of exploring the
selected topic, case study was determined to be best suited to explore a singular event over which the
researcher had little influence or input. This assertion has been supported in previous research using the
identified methodology. Specifically, Yin [19] declared that explanatory-exploratory case study is the
preferred strategies when ―the investigator has little control over events, and . . . the focus is on a
contemporary phenomenon within some real-life context‖ (p. 1).
Historically, case study has been of value for understanding situations of uncertainty and instability
because of the generation of new knowledge that is applicable in the specific context of the case study, as
well as other similar contexts [20]. Many companies use case studies as vehicles for understanding and
improving business performance and providing recommendations for solutions to specific problems [2].
The case study provided the context of information for the completion of a gap analysis, which is a
process that compares an organization’s existing operations to where the organization would like to be from
a best-practices perspective. The utility company case study looked intently at the data from both archival
records and interview transcripts, drawing conclusions regarding the specific content within emergency
response, customer service quality, and communication, including knowledge acquisition and knowledge
transfer.
Case study methodology was also used to analyze the data related to the best practices of high-
performing companies that have excelled in knowledge management and customer-service practices. An
analysis of the research literature focused on AT&T, the General Electric Company (GE), and the
International Business Machines Corporation (IBM). The companies’ exemplary practices were compared
to the practices of the studied utility company. For this study, the focus was on the practice of knowledge
management as it related to quality of service. The study also examined the utility company’s gaps by
comparison of the actual knowledge management practices that were used and those practices that were not
used in response to the company’s customers during the hurricane.
Understanding this transformation involved a comparison of the subject utility company’s behavior to
that of exemplary companies using archival data and personal interviews.This study used the Kaplan and
Norton’s [21] Balanced Scorecard to provide a knowledge management framework for a set of
recommended changes offered to the company by an external evaluator. The Balanced Scorecard was a
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powerful tool for measuring the assets of the organization through the framework of four perspectives:
finance, customer, internal, and learning and growth [21]. The utility company’s practices were found to be
less than exemplary; therefore, findings were designed to suggest ways in which the company could
transition to exemplary practices. The Balanced Scorecard mapped the solution for the utility company’s
transformation from poor knowledge management practices to best knowledge management practices [21].
During the past two decades, service quality has surfaced as an area of great concern to practitioners
and researchers because of its tremendous impact on business performance and customer satisfaction 4].
World-class companies utilize case studies as vehicles for understanding and improving business
performance and, furthermore, providing recommendations for solutions to specific problems 2].
The competitive and rapidly changing 21st century markets force leadership to expand their learning
and growth by identifying and evaluating methods and practices that drive organizational performance.
External analysis and internal best practices are both necessary to compare practices utilized by best-in-
class organizations. Developmentof appropriate action steps charts a new trajectory to increase
organizational performance, service quality, and customer satisfaction. The maximization of best practices
enables organizations that play a critical role in the life of society to minimize risks to their competitive
advantage and sustainability in the 21st century.
IV. FINDINGS
The findings of this qualitative case study resulted from examining the emergency knowledge management
practices used by the organization to affect customer service response. The purpose of this study was to
identify the organizational practices used by a major utility company during a catastrophic hurricane
disaster; compare the utility company’s practices to the best practices of exemplary companies; and use the
information obtained to propose a pathway from current knowledge management practices to inform the
implementation of exemplary practices.
Broad themes and patterns emerged from the analysis of recurring messages that were derived from
three different types of data sources. The data sources included archival data, interviews, and reflective
notes.
4.1 Data Analysis
The data analysis process consisted of phases including:
1. organizing data for analysis;
2. conducting a scan of data for ―major organizing ideas,‖ credibility, and initial categories, in
addition to, continual reflecting on the data; and
3. classifying and interpreting the data into codes, ―the heart of qualitative data analysis,‖ from which
themes were generated (p. 184) [22].
The first phase involved the review and organization of collected data. Numerous sources of archival
data were examined for the purpose of obtaining information to determine responses to the research
questions posed within the study. In addition to the review of archival information, three interviews were
conducted and a review and organization of the transcript data was performed to interpret themes presented
in the materials.
The second phase of the process involved conducting a scan of the data for creditability, organizing
major ideas, and developing the initial categories of the themes. In addition, this phase included the
continual reflection of the data, analytical questioning, and writing of memos.
The third phase comprised coding the data. The coding process involved analyzing the primarily
textual data and assigning codes to segments of the data. The codes were based on the research questions,
and applied to both archival data and interviews. Other aspects of the data analysis included reflection
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notes, review of the literature about the utility company’s performance during the hurricane, as well as
suggested best practices.
The analysis of archival data and interview statements disclosed a concentration of gaps in poor
knowledge management practices, particularly knowledge acquisition and knowledge transfer. Hence, these
two knowledge management practice areas weaved a pattern throughout the themes and subthemes.
4.2 Themes and Subthemes Developed
Once the coding was completed, further analysis led to the creation of four themes and eight subthemes.
Table 1. Definition of Themes and Subthemes [21]
Identified Themes/Subthemes Definitions
Knowledge Management The management of a company’s most valuable knowledge and knowledge-
related assets to increase performance and value to customers.
Knowledge acquisition The continuous acquisition of valuable information/knowledge that creates
value for employees, customers, and the organization.
Knowledge transfer The continuous movement of valuable information/knowledge that creates
value for employees, customers, and the organization.
Service Quality and Customer Restoration The delivery of quality service to customers during the catastrophic
hurricane restoration efforts.
Operations Management The development and management of efficient processes, procedures,
technologies, and equipment required to improve organizational
performance, reduce costs, and add value to customers.
Processes/procedures Documents providing directives for routine and emergency occurrences in
every area and function of the company.
Technology The continuous management of data, processes, and systems required to
improve customer service.
Equipment The acquisition of state-of-the-art equipment required to maximize
operations and quick response time to customers during crisis
Workforce Retention The preservation of knowledgeable employees. The skills and training
(knowledge base) required to increase organizational performance and
service quality to customers
Aging population The acquisition and preservation of institutional knowledge, prior to
workforce attrition.
Workforce staffing The continuous assessment of human capital required to meet operational
needs, which add value to customers.
Skills and training The continuous recruitment and hiring of workforce with essential job-
related skills and training required to service customers
4.2.1 Theme 1: Knowledge Management
Analysis of the data revealed the utility company’s practices for the management of knowledge,and there
was evidence of gaps in knowledge management,which hinderedthe company’sresponse to customers.
Contractors were hired but theywere delayed in performing their jobs because they had no direct
communication with the control center, thus reducing quick decision making.
4.2.1.1 Subtheme: Knowledge Acquisition
Analysis of the data disclosed gaps in the utility company’s practices for capturing knowledge.. The data
acquired and aggregated from customers was critical for the company’s timely response to customers
during the catastrophe.
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4.2.1.2 Subtheme: Knowledge Transfer
Analysis of the data also revealed gaps in utility company’s practices for transferring to the appropriate
people at the right time.The information and data transferred within the company to customers was vital to
the company’s decision making andtimely response.
4.2.2 Theme 2: Service Quality and Customer Restoration
Analysis of the data within the study revealed inadequate practiceswithin the utility companyconcerning
service quality to customers during the restoration efforts. Severe gaps in the quality of the customer
service was evident in the Moreland Report [23].The report revealed that over 900,000 customers in the
company’sservice territory suffered electric outages at the peak of the hurricane. The Moreland
Commission investigation of the utility company uncovered numerous problems with its performance
during the hurricane. Specifically, the report indicated inadequacies prolonged theduration that customers
were out of power [23].The report also concluded that ―customers increasingly rely on . . .website outage
maps for outage information . . . the insufficient service confused customers during the restoration period‖
(p.48) [23].The Moreland Report [23] also noted that gaps existed in localized estimated restoration times,
which should have been more accurate as to when power would be restored to the service areas, which
were essential for customers to plan during that period[23].
4.2.3 Theme 3: Operations Management and the Impact on the Customer
Analysis of the data disclosed that the utility company’s practices for the management of operations during
routine and emergency occurrences. The gaps in operations management substantially contributed to the
company’s poor response to the customer.
4.2.3.1 Subtheme: Processes and Procedures
The analysis of the data revealed gaps in the utility company’s processes and procedures, which affected
the company’s response to customers. Its processes and procedures were outlined in the company’s
corporate procedure documents.The documents provided directives for routine and emergency occurrences
in every area and function of the company; however, the utility company’s emergency plans lacked
formalized processes for dealing with the restoration of homes and businesses that were shut off due to
severe flooding.
4.2.3.2 Subtheme: Technology
Analysis of the data revealed gaps in the utility company’sinformation technology practices that impacted
the company’s customer response during the hurricane. Several technology gaps were disclosed and
underscored in the Moreland Report [23], which focused on technology weaknesses during the catastrophe.
Further, the need for damage assessment data prior to restoration was conveyed in the Moreland Report
[23].Additional technology inadequacies were evidenced in the company’s outage managementsystem.
4.2.3.3 Subtheme: Equipment
Analysis of the data disclosed inadequate equipment as a substantial gap relating to the utility
company’soperations and response to customers during the hurricane.The company seemed to have
adopted an unacceptable ―run it until it breaks‖ mentality,whereongoing maintenance was replaced by
emergency repairs, which were conducted only when the equipment failed. Theutility company appeared to
be reluctant to performroutine equipment inspections.
4.2.4 Theme 4: Workforce Retention
Analysis of the data revealed gaps in the utility company’s practices for the management of workforce
retention. Human resource strategy and practices focused on four priorities, one of which was retention.
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The company’s practice for addressing retention was by offering compensation and benefits that were
competitive within the marketplace.
There was evidence of gaps in workforce retention that were significant contributors to utility
company’s response to customers during the hurricane.
The demographics of the workforce showed a substantial number of younger and older employees,
with relatively few employees in the mid-range experience levels. As older employees retire, they takewith
them their vast institutional knowledge,it creates a gap for which there may not be sufficient replacements.
4.2.4.1 Subtheme: The Aging Population
The severity of hurricane underscored utility, industry-wide issues with aging human capitaland vast
institutional knowledge leaving the company The Center for Energy Workforce Development conducted a
survey that pointed to an increase in the quantity of employees with more than 28 years of service since
2006 [24]. While designed for the industry, the survey directly addressed the issue with utility company’s
―graying‖ workforce. The Moreland Commission was also concerned about the impact of ―graying‖ on the
retention of the workforce. The report stated:
The aging of the workforce is problematic during storm response because human
resources, just like physical plants, are less resilient and more vulnerable during high
stress conditions mandatory overtime in the form of multiple 16-hour days under the
worst of physical circumstances was taking its toll and threatening the storm response.
(p. 54) [23]
The significance of the aging population gap was also of concern to the IBEW as exemplified in their
statistic: ―50% of the utility workforce will be eligible for retirement within the next five years‖ [24]. The
industry-wide statistic directed attention to the utility company’s pool of experienced workers at the time of
the catastrophe. Notwithstanding the age factor and physical strain during storm conditions, the company’s
pre-retirees represent an accumulation of knowledge assets that provide significant value to the company;
furthermore, the asset was essential for a sufficient response to customers during the hurricane.
4.2.4.2 Subtheme: Workforce Staffing
Another issue that emerged the utility company’s human resource practices relating to assessing staffing
requirements. The gap in utility company’s workforce staffing was underscored by the UWUA, which
outlined the shortfall by stating, that the company:
needs to increase its full-time, in-house personnel staffing. There is simply too much
work and too many issues for too few workers . . . should be required to hire at the
baseline staffing level and to fill promptly any vacancies that may occur from time-to-
time. . . . was in a weakened condition . . . prior to the arrival . . . . The condition is the
result of the [c]ompany being significantly understaffed. (p. 4) [23]
The reduced workforce significantly affected utility company’s response to customers during the
hurricane. The UWUA affirmed the customer impact by stating, ―the reduced workforce means that
[during] the months leading up to the storm, important maintenance and related activities were either being
ignored orperformed on a reduced basis‖ (p. 4) [23].
4.2.4.3 Subtheme: Skills and Training
Analysis of the data provided evidence and underscored the shortage of essential job-related skills and
training required to service customers during the hurricane.The majority of training was conducted at the
company’s training and education facility. Despite the company’s training efforts, its response to the
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hurricane was significantly compromised by the apparent lack of appropriate skills and training of
employees.
The Public Service Commission (PSC) observed the shortfall in 2009 at which time they reprimanded
The company’s skills and training deficit delayed the customer response time during the
hurricane.Furthermore, the Moreland Report stated that many utilities conduct refresher courses in the days
prior to storm predictions.
The ―refreshers‖ alleviate inaccuracies during the storm event. For example, the damage-
assessing department of . . . ―undergo[es] four hour event[s] to better understand the
overhead electric system . . . the course is divided into 2 hours of classroom and 2 hours
of . . . Learning Center where there [are] physical examples of poles, equipment, and
other electrical equipment. (p. 50) [23]
It is unclear whetherthe utility company provided storm training for its workforce prior to the
hurricane. While out-of-state contractors became part of the company’s workforce during the storm, they
were unfamiliar with safety standards and the layout of the company’s electrical system. Thus, the
insufficiency of skills training, together with inadequate attention to safety standards, was a detriment to
customers during the hurricane.
V. BEST PRACTICES
IBM, the Ritz-Carlton Hotel Company, General Electric Company, and AT&T were analyzed for
knowledge management best practices. The summary of the findings are presented in Table 2, which
represents the utility company’sgaps and the best practices from the aforementioned exemplary knowledge
management companies.
The International Business Machines Corporation (IBM) successfully utilized social media to acquire
and transfer knowledge while simultaneously engaging with and enhancing relationships with customers.
Through their Social Customer Relationship Management, IBM followed its customers in a virtual
community-based environment, where knowledge was acquired, transferred, and exchanged, unreservedly,
via networks such as IBM.com Communities, IBM Podcasts, Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, YouTube, and
unlimited blogs. The social media channels enhanced customer interaction and communication that
provided a medium for responding to customer queries, advertised IBM events, acquired customer ideas
and feedback, shared employee experiences and practices, trained employees and customers, and facilitated
customer-to-customer exchanges [24].
The Ritz-Carlton Hotel Company (Ritz-Carlton) was recognized as the Malcolm Baldrige National
Quality Awardee for consistently exceeding customer expectations. The company culture and unwavering
values were key success factors that directed excellent employee behavior. Employees were empowered
while acquiring continuous and rigorous training in excellent customer service delivery. Regardless of
positionality within the organization, employees were expected to deliver world-class customer service
with zero tolerance for non-conforming behavior. Despite the rigorous training and zero tolerance for
nonconformity, the Ritz-Carlton valued employees and extended them trust, which was essential for
encouraging risk-taking and innovation for the benefit of the customer [25].
General Electric Company (GE) was equated with excellence in operations management and service
delivery to customers. The corporation acknowledged that in service environments, performance and
customer satisfaction were dependent on the management of operations and investment in technology
systems. Furthermore, great operations required great investments in people for process improvement and
efficient utilization of technology that rapidly responded to customers [26].
GE’s best practice included three-day workouts that improved organizational performance and
operations efficiency through cooperative problem solving. The process typically involved the selection of
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employees and managers from various organizational levels who were divided into teams that deliberated
about possible solutions to an assigned operational issue. Proposals were developed and offered by the
team and, if accepted by management, then enacted within the organization [27].
AT&T’s best-in-class practice for workforce succession was praised by the learning elite, which
recognized best companies in learning and development. AT&T realized the link between a talented and
dedicated workforce and the organization’s on-going success. The highly recognized mentoring program
paired selected management trainees and/or high-performing employees with senior members with a work
history of more than 20 years. AT&T provided the media, both face-to-face and via technology, for
capturing, transferring, and storing, the knowledge gained by senior level managers and executives
throughout their career. AT&T’s history of commitment to this practice earned the organization the
distinction as best-in-class for workforce succession planning (L. Hudson, personal communication, July
10, 2014).
Table 2. Detailed Description of Studied Utility Company’s Gaps and Best Practices of Knowledge
Management Companies
Best Practice Company and Description
Knowledge Management IBM – The successful practice in knowledge acquisition and
knowledge transfer, also known as Social Customer
Relationship Management, utilized social media communities
of engaged customers and colleagues to acquire/transfer
information that benefitted the organization and customers.
Service Quality Ritz-Carlton –Exceeds expectations in service quality and was
the recipient of the Malcom Baldrige National Quality Award.
The company culture, embedded in the organizational values
stated in the Credo, Motto, Three-Steps of Service, mandated
exemplary employee behavior standards for customer service
delivery. Employee customer service training was continuous
and rigorous, which benefitted the delivery of world-class
service to customers.
Operations General Electric Company – GE was renowned for excellence
in operations management, process improvement, and service
delivery to customers. GE’s well-respected, three-day
workout practice improved cooperative problem solving
through examination and recommendation of process
improvements, which upon acceptance, were enacted within
the organization.
Workforce Retention and Recruitment AT&T – Best-in-class practice for workforce succession
planning, acknowledged by the learning elite, AT&T was
exemplified through the well-respected mentoring program
that pairs selected junior members with highly experienced
senior members. AT&T provided the medium for exchange
through face-to-face interactions and technology designed to
capture, transfer, and store, the information/knowledge gained
and shared.
The Balanced Scorecard maps the solution for utility company’s transformation from poor knowledge
management practices to best knowledge management practices. Table 3 represents a proposed strategy
map (Balanced Scorecard) that the utility could use to chart a new direction toward a customer-centric
organization.
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VI. BALANCED SCORECARD FRAMEWORK
In this case study, the research analyses resulted in the proposed Balanced Scorecard, which is the
framework that charts the action plan for the studied utility company’s suggested new trajectory.The
Balanced Scorecard Strategic Action Plan summarizes how the utility company can create sustained value
for the organization and its customers.
The Balanced Scorecard identifies the studied utility company’s knowledge management key
processes that drive success and align their strategic customer-focused goals with strategies that benefit the
organization and customer [28]. The Balanced Scorecard uses four distinct perspectives:
1. financial,
2. customer,
3. internal, and
4. learning and growth.
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Table 3. Proposed Utility Company’s Balanced Scorecard Strategic Action Plan (Adapted from Kaplan & Norton, 2004 [21])
Financial Perspective Maintain distribution and
transmission systems
Maintain gas/steam
generation facilities
Add customer operations
instructors to learning center
staff
Hardening of electrical
system
Improve technology
systems
Customer Perspective Ensure price is equivalent
to service value
Upgrade call center
operations
Acquire and store customer
information
Restore service in a timely
manner
Deliver quality service
Internal Perspective Knowledge Acquisition Knowledge Transfer Customer Relationship Mgmt. Bridging Gaps
Establish and maintain Establish and maintain Establish customer Leadership builds a bridge: hire and
social media channels and social media channels and service representative retain knowledgeable and experienced
informal networks to informal networks to protocol for appropriate workforce; commit to continuous
capture customer transfer organizational behavior and attitude; training; refocus on team work by
information, feedback information, employee provide timely and encouraging risk taking and cooperative
ideas, and suggestions; and customer experiences, relevant information of problem solving; reexamine and upgrade
train employees and ideas, and practices delivery of quality internal and external processes,
customers service to customers procedures, practices, performance
evaluations, and policies
Learning and Growth
Perspective
Human Capital Information Capital Organizational Capital
Develop human capital assets through Develop technology infrastructure Leadership is required to create
valuing tacit knowledge and transferring via designed to improve customer customer-centric culture to enhance
on-the-job training; align workforce with service delivery; upgrade service quality and customer
new customer-focused strategies to improve technology to improve operational satisfaction; managers empowered to
customer satisfaction; improve succession performance; solicit and value innovate, exercise risk taking to solve
planning for the graying workforce; train employee and customer feedback problems without retribution;
workforce in use of updated technology; as essential to redefine service organization exploits internal and
enhance workforce skills to improve quality practices, procedures, and external best practices; transfers and
performance processes, which will reduce cost uses practices throughout the company
and response time
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6.1 Financial Perspective
The utility company’s financial perspective identifies tangible gaps that require financing to achieve the
customer-focused strategic goals. The first two gaps acknowledge maintenance of both transmission and
distribution wires and gas/steam facilities.The third gap delineates the need for additional, qualified
Customer Operations Instructors for the Learning Center. The fourth gap draws attention to hardening of
the electrical system, the process of fortifying the grid for flexibility, and responsiveness to severe weather
conditions.The fifth and concluding gap in the financial perspective pinpoints the purchasing of improved
technological systems to deliver quicker and more efficient service delivery to customers during
emergencies.
Further, the utility company’s budget and accounting systems require integration with the four Balance
Scorecard perspectives, and the organizational structure, technology, and business context, in order to be
effective[29].
6.2 Customer Perspective
The company’s customer perspective outlines its value response to customers, delineates what customers
seek, and allows managers to identify priority customers [30]. The company’s value response to customers
include:
1. pricing that is equal to customer service value,
2. upgrading of call center operations,
3. acquisition and storage of customer information,
4. timely restoration of service, and
5. delivery of quality service.
6.3 Internal Perspective
The studied utility company’s internal perspective directs attention to important knowledge management
processes that are connected with the day-to-day operations that deliver service to customers [31]. The
utility company’s critical knowledge management processes include Knowledge Acquisition, Knowledge
Transfer, and Customer Relationship Management, and Bridging Gaps.
6.4 Learning and Growth Perspective
The utility company’s learning and growth perspective is the final perspective, and it is fundamental to the
proposed company Balanced Scorecard. The frame identifies the skills and infrastructure required to
sustain the utility company’s knowledge management processes and the behavior required to interact with
customers [21]. Further, the learning and growth perspective pinpoints the intangible assets that are
fundamental to the organization’s strategy and are classified into three categories: human capital,
information capital, and organizational capital. The goal of the learning and growth perspective is to label
which jobs and employee competencies (human capital), which information technology systems
(information capital), and which climate/culture (organizational capital) are required to support the internal
processes that create value [21]. Enhancement and strategic alignment of the intangible assets are critical to
providing significant value to the utility company and service quality to its customers.
The utility company’s organizational capital advances through leadership shaping a customer-focused
organization, not just in word but in deed; management empowerment to encourage risk taking for problem
solving and decision making; leadership fostering an environment conducive to continuous learning, and
identification and transfer of best practices throughout the company.
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The studied utility can bridges the gaps through:
1. the commitment of leadership to shape a customer-focused culture to enhance service quality to
customers,
2. hiring and adequately training, and retaining, a knowledgeable workforce,
3. refocusing on the company’s core principles, particularly teamwork,
4. valuing and encouraging risk-taking, innovation, and cooperative problemsolving, and
5. re-examining/upgrading internal and external processes and procedures, practices, performance
evaluations, and policies.
The primary advantage of the proposed Balanced Scorecard is that the strategy map facilitates the
transformation from the company’s poor knowledge management practices to better practices that provide
sustained value to the organization, the customer, and the shareholders. The concept of the Balanced
Scorecard to utilize knowledge management strategies to create value to customers is realized through
acceptance by the utility company leadership.
Crisis-management leadership requires examination of organizational vision, or lack thereof, core
values, and strategic positioning, all of which prepare the utility company’s employees with a successful
response from the organization to the customer. Failure to plan for and adapt to uncertainties, such as
climate change, produces unsuccessful crisis response, loss of revenue, and reputational [32]. Further,
leaders must communicate effectively, because customers derive certain messages from the quality of a
response. The leadership response, also known as the information transfer, speaks to the customer about the
organization’s behavior and the importance the organization attaches to customers [32].
Leadership and crisis management direct attention to reexamination of policy decisions. Leaders make
policy decisions expecting outcomes that achieve their organizational objectives. However, leadership
misconceptions and faulty assumptions about the past guide inadequate decision making, and it results in
unsuccessful outcomes [9]. The organizational response to the customer is directly affected by the quality
of leadership decisions and the existing internal and external policies. Thus, leadership is required to
increase value to the organization and customer by developing adaptive policy changes in response to
environmental shifts [33].
VII. RECOMMENDATION FOR FUTURE RESEARCH
Cybersecurity threats to the grid is an area of great concern to researchers and practitioners both nationally
and globally. The Governor of the State of New York has established a Cyber Security Advisory Board
comprising leading authorities in the field. Further, the State of New York has partnered with the Center for
Internet Security, a nationally renowned non-profit entity that assists the government and private
enterprises in the preparation and response to cyber-attacks. As technological advancements have exposed
the energy industry to cyber threats, it’s reliance on the linkage of these entities’ critical operating systems,
via the Internet and the growth in smart grid technologies, have presented opportunities and challenges..
The opportunity exists at this time to diligently prepare and strengthen response capabilities while
embracing the advancement of these technologies. The Bipartisan Policy Center, a recognized think tank,
has issued a report entitled, ―Cybersecurity and the North American Electric Grid: New Policy Approaches
to Address an Evolving Threat.‖ Additionally, researchers may be interested in examining this relatively
new interest area [34]. Finally, the methodology used in this dissertation research is also appropriate for
routine use in both identifying weaknesses and developing approaches to dealing with those weaknesses.
VIII. CONCLUSION
Organizational change should begin with appropriate action steps that lead an organization and workforce
to learning and growth. Leadership is charged with creating an environment, where,
People continually expand their capacity to create the results they truly desire, . . . where
new and expansive patterns of thinking are nurtured, where collective aspiration is set
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ISSN: 2581-7922,
Volume 2 Issue 2, March-April 2019.
Dr. Judith A. Riggs Page 34
free, and where people are continually learning to see the whole together. (p. 3) [35]
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How to Cite:
Dr. Judith A.Riggs, ‘’ Crisis Knowledge Management to Affect Customer Service Response’.
International Journal of Arts and Social Science, 2019. 2(2), 19-35. ISSN: 2581-7922.
www.ijassjournal.com