This document discusses knowledge management as a strategic perspective for gaining competitive advantage. It argues that in today's changing business environment, the only sustainable advantage is the ability to leverage knowledge. The document outlines several frameworks for strategic management, emphasizing a knowledge-based view where competitive advantage comes from intangible assets like knowledge resources and capabilities. It discusses reasons for organizations to focus on knowledge management, including responding to market changes and retaining knowledge as employees turnover. The document also describes various knowledge management initiatives organizations can implement, such as creating knowledge portals and communities of practice, to capture both explicit and tacit knowledge to close strategic knowledge gaps and sustain competitive advantage.
Why are alliance sales so misunderstood? After all they represent a dramatically lower cost of sale than other alternatives? Is it because they involve joint value creation? make up your own mind by reading this simple presentation.
Alliance Best Practice Research into Cultural Factors in Strategic Alliance R...Mike Nevin
This research presentation was produced from 93 separate alliance manager inputs from organisations such as: PPD, Quintiles, Cognizant, Covance, ICON, and RPS.
The research shows a very high correlation between Cultural Success Factors in alliances and overall success.
The First Ever Handbook for Strategic Alliance Managers (Strategic Alliance H...Mike Nevin
The Strategic Alliance Handbook (SAH) gives practicing alliance executives all the tools they need to do their job, all in one place.
A sales manager has a sales manual and an accountant has an accounting manual, even a car mechanic has a car manual.
So why shouldn't an alliance manager have an alliance manual?
Why are alliance sales so misunderstood? After all they represent a dramatically lower cost of sale than other alternatives? Is it because they involve joint value creation? make up your own mind by reading this simple presentation.
Alliance Best Practice Research into Cultural Factors in Strategic Alliance R...Mike Nevin
This research presentation was produced from 93 separate alliance manager inputs from organisations such as: PPD, Quintiles, Cognizant, Covance, ICON, and RPS.
The research shows a very high correlation between Cultural Success Factors in alliances and overall success.
The First Ever Handbook for Strategic Alliance Managers (Strategic Alliance H...Mike Nevin
The Strategic Alliance Handbook (SAH) gives practicing alliance executives all the tools they need to do their job, all in one place.
A sales manager has a sales manual and an accountant has an accounting manual, even a car mechanic has a car manual.
So why shouldn't an alliance manager have an alliance manual?
"This presentation provides an introduction into Competence-based Strategic Management.
Competence-based Strategic Management is a relatively new way of thinking about how organizations gain high performance for a significant period of time. Established as a theory in the early 1990’s, competence-based strategic management theory explains how organizations can develop competitive advantage in a systematic and structural way. In other words, a competent organization has the ability [being capable of] to structurally and systematically coordinate and commit resources for respectively the realization of the organizations goals and objectives and the creation and distribution of customer value, in order to develop competitive advantage. For developing an integrated system of resources, management needs extraordinary analytic and appraisal skills. Furthermore, the idea behind competence-based strategic management is that the difference of the mix available resources between organizations, the speed with which resources are exploited and are develop, plus the costs which are involved, is determinative for the realisation of the organizations competitive advantage. Resources are all elements, tangible or intangible, which an organization can use for the arrangement of products and bring services on the market. The resources an organization can use may be either organization-specific of organization-addressable. An organization from a competence-based perspective is seen as an open social system. Open social system = dynamic and complex collection of elements, interacting as a structured functional entity that continuously interacts with its environment.
Five challenges play a central role in the application of competence-based strategic management in order to realize continuous value creation and distribution [strategic logic]:
- Recognize market opportunities
- Define product offers that create value for customers with targeted preferences
- Attract, retain and improve the best available resources for creating and realizing product offers
- Manage uncertainties in creating and realizing product offers
- Distribute value created to providers of required resources
When managing these challenges management can choose two approaches: statically and dynamically. The focus of the static approach to competence-based management is at entirely exploiting existing resources to develop competitive advantage in the short term. In this case strategy means a maximum exploitation of the current organizational competences of the organization. Answering the three central questions from the static interpretation the central issue is to maintain the existing resources of the organization in order to develop competitive advantage.
The primary aim of the dynamic approach of the competence-based management is realising competitive advantage by constantly improving the existing resources and obtaining new resources. In this case strategy means a fit between exploiting the available resources and obtaining and developing [modify] new resources. At answering the three central questions from the dynamic interpretation the central issue is not only to maintain the existing resources of the organization but also the replacement or modification of these resources, in order to develop competitive advantage."
Market Based Strategic Planning For Early Stage Life Science Companies. See how to position your products and services to win the battle for your customers’ minds.
ANSWER THE FOLLOWING QUESTIONS AFTER YOU PAPER BELOWQUESTIONS.docxYASHU40
ANSWER THE FOLLOWING QUESTIONS AFTER YOU PAPER BELOW
QUESTIONS
1. Was there a clear and concise thesis statement? Explain.
2. Was there a clear and concise problem statement?
3. Was the problem statement supported by evidence? Explain.
4. Was there a clear and concise research question(s)? Explain.
5. Was the body of research organized and easy to understand? Explain.
6. Did the author answer the research question(s) clearly in the discussion section? Explain.
7. Were inferences drawn from the body of research? Explain.
8. Did the paper use proper APA formatting? Explain.
9. Did the author support assertions with in-text citations and references? Explain.
10. What areas need improvement? Explain. What areas were strongest? Explain.
11. Do you have any other constructive feedback or recommendations to help your peer improve? Explain.
12. How did reviewing this paper help you with your own research paper? Explain.
Economic Benefits of Knowledge Management
Database Management and Communications are two fields of study that can be taken at a lot of higher learning institutions today. These fields play a major role in business and its sustainability. The developments in information and communications technologies which have made knowledge production and exchange easier and further enhanced the methodologies of knowledge discovery are the major factors for the amount of scientific knowledge produced in the last 30 years and continues to grow rapidly.(Kaniki & Mphahlele, 2002) The practice of Knowledge Management as a field is relatively new in the U.S but has been in use by European companies for quite some time.
Human capital as an asset is slowly being realized by companies as a major contributor to maintaining the accounting bottom line and even remaining relevant. There has been a recent boom in technological tools that promote knowledge shares such as Microsoft SharePoint. Coupled with the new field of Knowledge Management, is this a viable resource to improve a company's productivity and profitability? Businesses should adopt a knowledge management process and collaborative technologies to be innovative and competitive in today’s market.
Statement of the Problem
It has become important in today’s workplace to take inventory of a business’s knowledge assets to include both tacit and explicit to increase equity, innovation and competitiveness. In today's free market and ever-changing economy, businesses understand the need to manage proprietary knowledge or “in house” knowledge to maintain competitiveness. How this is done and fostered in a way that it is embraced by the employees is the challenge realized by those who understand the need for knowledge management. For this reason, many business managers are seeking a solution. (Carlucci, 2006)
Purpose of the Study
The purpose of this study is to research different methods of knowledge management strategies to inform on how business can become more competit.
"This presentation provides an introduction into Competence-based Strategic Management.
Competence-based Strategic Management is a relatively new way of thinking about how organizations gain high performance for a significant period of time. Established as a theory in the early 1990’s, competence-based strategic management theory explains how organizations can develop competitive advantage in a systematic and structural way. In other words, a competent organization has the ability [being capable of] to structurally and systematically coordinate and commit resources for respectively the realization of the organizations goals and objectives and the creation and distribution of customer value, in order to develop competitive advantage. For developing an integrated system of resources, management needs extraordinary analytic and appraisal skills. Furthermore, the idea behind competence-based strategic management is that the difference of the mix available resources between organizations, the speed with which resources are exploited and are develop, plus the costs which are involved, is determinative for the realisation of the organizations competitive advantage. Resources are all elements, tangible or intangible, which an organization can use for the arrangement of products and bring services on the market. The resources an organization can use may be either organization-specific of organization-addressable. An organization from a competence-based perspective is seen as an open social system. Open social system = dynamic and complex collection of elements, interacting as a structured functional entity that continuously interacts with its environment.
Five challenges play a central role in the application of competence-based strategic management in order to realize continuous value creation and distribution [strategic logic]:
- Recognize market opportunities
- Define product offers that create value for customers with targeted preferences
- Attract, retain and improve the best available resources for creating and realizing product offers
- Manage uncertainties in creating and realizing product offers
- Distribute value created to providers of required resources
When managing these challenges management can choose two approaches: statically and dynamically. The focus of the static approach to competence-based management is at entirely exploiting existing resources to develop competitive advantage in the short term. In this case strategy means a maximum exploitation of the current organizational competences of the organization. Answering the three central questions from the static interpretation the central issue is to maintain the existing resources of the organization in order to develop competitive advantage.
The primary aim of the dynamic approach of the competence-based management is realising competitive advantage by constantly improving the existing resources and obtaining new resources. In this case strategy means a fit between exploiting the available resources and obtaining and developing [modify] new resources. At answering the three central questions from the dynamic interpretation the central issue is not only to maintain the existing resources of the organization but also the replacement or modification of these resources, in order to develop competitive advantage."
Market Based Strategic Planning For Early Stage Life Science Companies. See how to position your products and services to win the battle for your customers’ minds.
ANSWER THE FOLLOWING QUESTIONS AFTER YOU PAPER BELOWQUESTIONS.docxYASHU40
ANSWER THE FOLLOWING QUESTIONS AFTER YOU PAPER BELOW
QUESTIONS
1. Was there a clear and concise thesis statement? Explain.
2. Was there a clear and concise problem statement?
3. Was the problem statement supported by evidence? Explain.
4. Was there a clear and concise research question(s)? Explain.
5. Was the body of research organized and easy to understand? Explain.
6. Did the author answer the research question(s) clearly in the discussion section? Explain.
7. Were inferences drawn from the body of research? Explain.
8. Did the paper use proper APA formatting? Explain.
9. Did the author support assertions with in-text citations and references? Explain.
10. What areas need improvement? Explain. What areas were strongest? Explain.
11. Do you have any other constructive feedback or recommendations to help your peer improve? Explain.
12. How did reviewing this paper help you with your own research paper? Explain.
Economic Benefits of Knowledge Management
Database Management and Communications are two fields of study that can be taken at a lot of higher learning institutions today. These fields play a major role in business and its sustainability. The developments in information and communications technologies which have made knowledge production and exchange easier and further enhanced the methodologies of knowledge discovery are the major factors for the amount of scientific knowledge produced in the last 30 years and continues to grow rapidly.(Kaniki & Mphahlele, 2002) The practice of Knowledge Management as a field is relatively new in the U.S but has been in use by European companies for quite some time.
Human capital as an asset is slowly being realized by companies as a major contributor to maintaining the accounting bottom line and even remaining relevant. There has been a recent boom in technological tools that promote knowledge shares such as Microsoft SharePoint. Coupled with the new field of Knowledge Management, is this a viable resource to improve a company's productivity and profitability? Businesses should adopt a knowledge management process and collaborative technologies to be innovative and competitive in today’s market.
Statement of the Problem
It has become important in today’s workplace to take inventory of a business’s knowledge assets to include both tacit and explicit to increase equity, innovation and competitiveness. In today's free market and ever-changing economy, businesses understand the need to manage proprietary knowledge or “in house” knowledge to maintain competitiveness. How this is done and fostered in a way that it is embraced by the employees is the challenge realized by those who understand the need for knowledge management. For this reason, many business managers are seeking a solution. (Carlucci, 2006)
Purpose of the Study
The purpose of this study is to research different methods of knowledge management strategies to inform on how business can become more competit.
how to apply entrepreneurial and strategic tools, techniques, and concepts in ways that help the firm create increasing amounts of wealth.
six domains: innovation, networks, internationalization,organizational learning, top management teams and governance, and growth.
Read attachedpages about 3-M and their approach to innovationRes.docxmakdul
Read attachedpages about 3-M and their approach to innovation
Research one of 3M’s innovations.
Write a full two page paper in which you respond to the following questions:
1. How did the creative thinking process work in the development of this product? Describe what took place in each of the four steps.
2. Analyze what type of innovation this was—invention, extension, duplication, or synthesis. What characteristics of the innovation have led you to this conclusion?
3. Explain which of the sources of innovative ideas discussed in this week’s reading help account for this product’s success and why?
Include a minimum of two sources
The Entrepreneurial Mind-Set in Organizations: Corporate Entrepreneurship
Thus, 3M’s philosophy was born. Innovation is a numbers game: The more ideas, the better the chances for a successful innovation. In other words, to master innovation, companies must have a tolerance for failure. This philosophy has paid off for 3M. Antistatic videotape, trans- lucent dental braces, synthetic ligaments for knee surgery, heavy-duty reflective sheeting for construction signs, and, of course, Post-it notes are just some of the great innovations devel- oped by the organization. Overall, the company has a catalog of 60,000 products.40
Today, 3M follows a set of innovative rules that encourages employees to foster ideas. The key rules include the following:
•
Don’t kill a project. If an idea can’t find a home in one of 3M’s divisions, a staffer can devote 15 percent of his or her time to prove it is workable. For those who need seed money, as many as 90 Genesis grants of $50,000 are awarded each year.
• Tolerate failure. Encouraging plenty of experimentation and risk taking allows more chances for a new product hit. The goal: Divisions must derive 25 percent of sales from products introduced in the past five years. The target may be boosted to 30 percent in some cases.
• Keep divisions small. Division managers must know each staffer’s first name. When a division gets too big, perhaps reaching $250 million to $300 million in sales, it is split up.
• Motivate the champions. When a 3M employee has a product idea, he or she recruits an action team to develop it. Salaries and promotions are tied into the product’s progress. The champion has a chance to someday run his or her own product group or division.
• Stay close to the customer. Researchers, marketers, and managers visit with customers and routinely invite them to help brainstorm product ideas.
•
Share the wealth. Technology, wherever it is developed, belongs to everyone.41 3-4c structuring the Work environment
Structuring the Work environment
When establishing the drive to innovate in today’s corporations, one of the most critical steps is to invest heavily in an innovative environment. A top-level manager’s job is to create a work environment that is highly conducive to innovation and entrepreneurial behaviors. Within such an environment, each employee has the opport ...
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Developing Ambidexterity in Organization for Sustainable Competitive AdvantagesSeta Wicaksana
Nokia, Blackberry, TWA, Kodak, Olivetti, Enron, Blockbuster, Delta Airlines, Swiss Air, Arthur Andersen, General Motors, Chrysler, Lehman Brothers, Worldcom…and many other world-known companies went busted …one of the main reasons their failure is because they failed to become ambidextrous
Research shows that ambidexterity is critical for successful strategy execution and that leads to higher performance but at the same time, it emphasizes that the tension between two distinct capabilities is a key strategic challenge.
Educaterer India is an unique combination of passion driven into a hobby which makes an awesome profession. We carve the lives of enthusiastic candidates to a perfect professional who can impress upon the mindsets of the industry, while following the established traditions, can dare to set new standards to follow. We don't want you to be the part of the crowd, rather we like to make you the reason of the crowd.
Today's Effort For A Better Tomorrow
Study of Knowledge Management Articles:
Part 1: A Critical Review Of Knowledge Management As A Management Tool.
Part 2: The Use Of Tacit Knowledge Within Innovative Companies: Knowledge Management In Innovative Enterprises.
Part 3: Knowledge Management and Process Performance.
Part 4: Knowledge Outsourcing.
Macroeconomics- Movie Location
This will be used as part of your Personal Professional Portfolio once graded.
Objective:
Prepare a presentation or a paper using research, basic comparative analysis, data organization and application of economic information. You will make an informed assessment of an economic climate outside of the United States to accomplish an entertainment industry objective.
How to Make a Field invisible in Odoo 17Celine George
It is possible to hide or invisible some fields in odoo. Commonly using “invisible” attribute in the field definition to invisible the fields. This slide will show how to make a field invisible in odoo 17.
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!
Welcome to TechSoup New Member Orientation and Q&A (May 2024).pdfTechSoup
In this webinar you will learn how your organization can access TechSoup's wide variety of product discount and donation programs. From hardware to software, we'll give you a tour of the tools available to help your nonprofit with productivity, collaboration, financial management, donor tracking, security, and more.
Model Attribute Check Company Auto PropertyCeline George
In Odoo, the multi-company feature allows you to manage multiple companies within a single Odoo database instance. Each company can have its own configurations while still sharing common resources such as products, customers, and suppliers.
Synthetic Fiber Construction in lab .pptxPavel ( NSTU)
Synthetic fiber production is a fascinating and complex field that blends chemistry, engineering, and environmental science. By understanding these aspects, students can gain a comprehensive view of synthetic fiber production, its impact on society and the environment, and the potential for future innovations. Synthetic fibers play a crucial role in modern society, impacting various aspects of daily life, industry, and the environment. ynthetic fibers are integral to modern life, offering a range of benefits from cost-effectiveness and versatility to innovative applications and performance characteristics. While they pose environmental challenges, ongoing research and development aim to create more sustainable and eco-friendly alternatives. Understanding the importance of synthetic fibers helps in appreciating their role in the economy, industry, and daily life, while also emphasizing the need for sustainable practices and innovation.
The Roman Empire A Historical Colossus.pdfkaushalkr1407
The Roman Empire, a vast and enduring power, stands as one of history's most remarkable civilizations, leaving an indelible imprint on the world. It emerged from the Roman Republic, transitioning into an imperial powerhouse under the leadership of Augustus Caesar in 27 BCE. This transformation marked the beginning of an era defined by unprecedented territorial expansion, architectural marvels, and profound cultural influence.
The empire's roots lie in the city of Rome, founded, according to legend, by Romulus in 753 BCE. Over centuries, Rome evolved from a small settlement to a formidable republic, characterized by a complex political system with elected officials and checks on power. However, internal strife, class conflicts, and military ambitions paved the way for the end of the Republic. Julius Caesar’s dictatorship and subsequent assassination in 44 BCE created a power vacuum, leading to a civil war. Octavian, later Augustus, emerged victorious, heralding the Roman Empire’s birth.
Under Augustus, the empire experienced the Pax Romana, a 200-year period of relative peace and stability. Augustus reformed the military, established efficient administrative systems, and initiated grand construction projects. The empire's borders expanded, encompassing territories from Britain to Egypt and from Spain to the Euphrates. Roman legions, renowned for their discipline and engineering prowess, secured and maintained these vast territories, building roads, fortifications, and cities that facilitated control and integration.
The Roman Empire’s society was hierarchical, with a rigid class system. At the top were the patricians, wealthy elites who held significant political power. Below them were the plebeians, free citizens with limited political influence, and the vast numbers of slaves who formed the backbone of the economy. The family unit was central, governed by the paterfamilias, the male head who held absolute authority.
Culturally, the Romans were eclectic, absorbing and adapting elements from the civilizations they encountered, particularly the Greeks. Roman art, literature, and philosophy reflected this synthesis, creating a rich cultural tapestry. Latin, the Roman language, became the lingua franca of the Western world, influencing numerous modern languages.
Roman architecture and engineering achievements were monumental. They perfected the arch, vault, and dome, constructing enduring structures like the Colosseum, Pantheon, and aqueducts. These engineering marvels not only showcased Roman ingenuity but also served practical purposes, from public entertainment to water supply.
The French Revolution, which began in 1789, was a period of radical social and political upheaval in France. It marked the decline of absolute monarchies, the rise of secular and democratic republics, and the eventual rise of Napoleon Bonaparte. This revolutionary period is crucial in understanding the transition from feudalism to modernity in Europe.
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June 3, 2024 Anti-Semitism Letter Sent to MIT President Kornbluth and MIT Cor...Levi Shapiro
Letter from the Congress of the United States regarding Anti-Semitism sent June 3rd to MIT President Sally Kornbluth, MIT Corp Chair, Mark Gorenberg
Dear Dr. Kornbluth and Mr. Gorenberg,
The US House of Representatives is deeply concerned by ongoing and pervasive acts of antisemitic
harassment and intimidation at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT). Failing to act decisively to ensure a safe learning environment for all students would be a grave dereliction of your responsibilities as President of MIT and Chair of the MIT Corporation.
This Congress will not stand idly by and allow an environment hostile to Jewish students to persist. The House believes that your institution is in violation of Title VI of the Civil Rights Act, and the inability or
unwillingness to rectify this violation through action requires accountability.
Postsecondary education is a unique opportunity for students to learn and have their ideas and beliefs challenged. However, universities receiving hundreds of millions of federal funds annually have denied
students that opportunity and have been hijacked to become venues for the promotion of terrorism, antisemitic harassment and intimidation, unlawful encampments, and in some cases, assaults and riots.
The House of Representatives will not countenance the use of federal funds to indoctrinate students into hateful, antisemitic, anti-American supporters of terrorism. Investigations into campus antisemitism by the Committee on Education and the Workforce and the Committee on Ways and Means have been expanded into a Congress-wide probe across all relevant jurisdictions to address this national crisis. The undersigned Committees will conduct oversight into the use of federal funds at MIT and its learning environment under authorities granted to each Committee.
• The Committee on Education and the Workforce has been investigating your institution since December 7, 2023. The Committee has broad jurisdiction over postsecondary education, including its compliance with Title VI of the Civil Rights Act, campus safety concerns over disruptions to the learning environment, and the awarding of federal student aid under the Higher Education Act.
• The Committee on Oversight and Accountability is investigating the sources of funding and other support flowing to groups espousing pro-Hamas propaganda and engaged in antisemitic harassment and intimidation of students. The Committee on Oversight and Accountability is the principal oversight committee of the US House of Representatives and has broad authority to investigate “any matter” at “any time” under House Rule X.
• The Committee on Ways and Means has been investigating several universities since November 15, 2023, when the Committee held a hearing entitled From Ivory Towers to Dark Corners: Investigating the Nexus Between Antisemitism, Tax-Exempt Universities, and Terror Financing. The Committee followed the hearing with letters to those institutions on January 10, 202
June 3, 2024 Anti-Semitism Letter Sent to MIT President Kornbluth and MIT Cor...
Km -a_strategic_perspective
1. Knowledge Management – A Strategic Perspective
Preamble
"In the emerging economy, a firm's only advantage is its ability to leverage and
utilize its knowledge."
...Larry Prusak, Executive Director - The Institute for Knowledge Management
We are living in an economy of kaleidoscopic change where the only element,
which is constant, is change. The industry environment is being influenced by
unexpected, multiple changes reducing the period for which organizations can
hold on to a competitive advantage. Every sector of industry in every corner of
the globe has been affected by this change.
One of the catalyst of this change has been the market which has also changed
from a seller’s market to a buyer’s market. The buyers are more informed, thanks
to the growth of Internet and consequently, information dissemination.
Organisations, over the years, have practiced many methods to create and
sustain competitive advantage. Some of the initiatives are TQM, BPR, SCM, and
CRM. These initiatives, although have resulted in firms attaining some
competitive advantage, are replicable and not sustainable over a longer period of
time. Hence, organisations are now focusing on methods of creating new
knowledge and harnessing existing knowledge to gain sustainable competitive
advantage.
The importance of focus on knowledge as a source of competitive advantage is
understood better when one looks at the ratio of market value to book value of a
knowledge intensive firm, e-g Infosys which has got a ratio of more than 10.
This paper emphasizes the importance of harnessing and creating knowledge
and the strategies that they could follow to achieve sustainable competitive
advantage.
Strategy concepts and frameworks
Strategy is a method/plan adopted by a firm to balance it’s external environment
(opportunities and threats) and the internal capabilities (strengths and
weaknesses)
Various management consultants and thinkers have defined the process of
strategy in various ways. Porter’s model focused on defining a firm’s strategy in
terms of it’s product/ market positioning. Building on Porter’s notion of
competitive advantage, the resource based view of strategy argues that the
resources and capabilities of an organisation can be a source of competitive
advantage if they processes certain characteristics of being rare, durable and
2. difficult to imitate, flexible and durable. If firms have resources with these
characteristics, they can position themselves strategically on the basis of these
resources and capabilities. Most of the tangible resources may not have these
characteristics and hence organisations have to focus on intangible assets to be a
source of competitive advantage. Many authors have stressed on the strategic
importance of intangible assets for firms to achieve competitive advantage
(Itami, 1987: Hall, Teece). Teece et al (1990s) in their paper on ‘dynamic
capabilities’ emphasise on knowledge as a source of competitive advantage
through the definition of the term. They define the term dynamic capabilities as
follows :
“ The term ‘dynamic’ refers to the shifting character of the environment; certain
strategic responses are required when time-to-market and timing is critical, the pace of
innovation is accelerating and the nature of future competition and markets is difficult to
determine. The term ‘capabilities’ emphasizes the key role of strategic management in
appropriately adapting, integrating, and re-configuring internal and external
organizational skills, resources and functional competencies toward changing
environment”.
The emphasis, from this definition, is on adapting to the changing environment,
through organizational learning and innovation, for which knowledge is the
base. This knowledge based view of strategy, which emphasizes building, and
sustaining competitive advantage on the basis of the knowledge resources and
capabilities of a firm has gained currency due to the following reasons
• market is in a state of flux and going through a string of realignments
• resources and capabilities are easily replicable
• the unprecedented growth of information superhighway has accelerated
the spread of explicit knowledge and consequently the speed of
replicability
• Tacit knowledge gained through years of experience is not easily
replicable.
and hence any strategy based on market and product mix or resources and
capabilities may not provide the firm with a sustainable competitive advantage.
The importance of integration of knowledge available in the organisation is also
stressed upon by authors like Huff, who, argue that managers look upon
collective knowledge and experience in constructing mental models of strategic
issues and terms this as ‘strategic frames’ and any strategic decision is a
combination of multiple strategic frames.
3. Reasons for emphasis on KM
The need to focus on managing knowledge within the enterprise results from
• economic and market-driven requirements created by customer demands
and international competition
• Increase in customer demands for products and services that fulfill their
particular needs more precisely and to a greater advantage
• Loss of knowledge to the organisation due to increased personnel
turnover
• It helps organisations to be able to repeat the processes followed in past
successful projects.
• Effective knowledge management practices helps organisations avoid
repeating mistakes of past projects, thereby reducing the time span
required for completing current projects.
The importance of knowledge is also focused on by Michael Zack, while defining
the ‘strategic knowledge gap’, which is the gap between what the organisation
needs to know and what it does now and knowledge management is the process
by which organisations could bridge this gap.
Value addition through knowledge
Many firms have evidenced substantial savings or an increase in their value by
using knowledge inputs and modifying their internal processes. A case in point
is Texas Instruments, which was able to save the equivalent of the investment in
a new semiconductor fabrication plant, by sharing best practices between the
existing plants. (O’Dell 1996).
Process of knowledge creation and dissemination
There are many ways in which knowledge can be created and disseminated
across organisation. Any organisation that aims to create a knowledge
management system should have to follow these general knowledge
management initiatives.
• Creation of knowledge teams
• Sharing of best practices
• Development of knowledge databases
• Creation of knowledge centers
• Selection and use of collaborative technologies
• Creation of Intellectual capital teams
4. Specifically, organisations could create a knowledge portal in the organizational
intranet, establish communities of practice and harness the knowledge gained by
persons in an organisation, through years of experience, through the processes of
debriefing and mentoring.
Knowledge portal
Knowledge portal is a single point reference for knowledge storage, search and
dissemination within an organisation. This ideally works on the intranet and one
of the major features by which tacit knowledge is captured and stored is through
discussion forums from which knowledge can be mined and extracted.
Communities of practice
The focus on knowledge as a source of competitive advantage has necessitated
organisations to embark on a change in structures, which would facilitate
knowledge sharing and dissemination. Some of the organizational forms created
for this purpose are cross-functional teams, work groups etc. The latest
organizational form created for this purpose is the Communities of practice
(Cop).
Communities of practice are groups of people informally bound together by
shared expertise and passion for a joint enterprise (Wenger & Snyder).
They can be formal or informal groups within an organisation or across
organisations, but it is important to focus on garnering the knowledge acquired
through the discussions within this group.
They are more effective than teams since members of these communities
organize themselves and focus on value addition and hence the commitment
towards this is higher.
They help create a bank of best practices and thus help develop the critical
capabilities, which are essential for organizational success and to sustain
competitive advantage.
The characteristics of knowledge creation which are focused on making tacit
knowledge explicit are
• To express the inexpressible through metaphor and analogy
• To disseminate knowledge converting individual knowledge to
organizational knowledge
• Ambiguity and redundancy as factors in the process of knowledge
creation
5. Creativity, Innovation and knowledge strategy
Creativity and innovation play a very important in designing and driving the
business strategy of any present day organisation. In the present industry
scenario, an organisation does not enjoy sustainable competitive advantage,
merely by possessing resources and capabilities. They should be able to combine
these resources in new and different ways or develop new capabilities to gain
sustainable competitive advantage. This is possible through creative thinking
and innovation.
Some of the innovations brought out by organisations are a result of application
of new knowledge and the others are a result of working with and recasting
existing knowledge, termed as ‘architectural innovation’ (Henderson & Clark
1990, Henderson & Cockburn 1995) and ‘ combinative capabilities’ (Kogut &
Zender 1992).
New ways of
combining existing
resources
Competitive
advantage
Experience &
knowledge
Develop new
capabilities
Creativity &
Innovation
6. Approach to competitive advantage
Organisations pursue different strategies to align their KM strategies with the
business strategies. Some of these strategies are
Strategy Focus
Codification strategy Automation and application of IT
Personalisation strategy Building a learning strategy
Strategic management of Intellectual
capital
Building, managing, and exploiting
knowledge-related assets
Enterprise effectiveness strategy applying all the available knowledge
in the best interest of the firm.
Conclusion
In the current industry scenario of flux and uncertainty, organisations cannot
achieve sustainable competitive advantage, by pursuing just a product-market
based strategy or a resource based strategy. They need to appreciate the
importance of the knowledge existing in the organisation and harness the
knowledge through appropriate knowledge management strategies and align
this strategy with the business strategy. Moreover, they also need to create new
knowledge through creative methods and build new capabilities to achieve
sustainable competitive advantage.
Identify knowledge gap
Formulate knowledge strategy
Align knowledge strategy
with business strategy
Formulate business strategy
Competitive advantage
7. References
Eliezer Geisler – Harnessing the value of experience in a knowledge-driven firm
-– Business horizons May/June 1999
David Skryme -- From Information management to knowledge mangement
Karl Wiig -- What future management users may expect -- Journal of knowledge
management Vol 3 Number 2
Michael Zack -- Competing on knowledge -- www.kmadvantage .com
Michael Zack -- Knowledge & strategy
Kark Wiig -- What future Knowledge users may expect
R Suresh