This paper aims to investigate the polarization present within the Design Thinking field ofresearch. Starting off from Johansson-Sköldberg et al. (2013), who first identified the distinctionbetween the two discourses Designerly Thinking and Design Thinking in 2010, we constructed a literature review and a framework of analysis based on conception of knowledge and its relationto the advancement of a research field. We claim that root-causes of the polarization derive from different knowledge bases, which then inhibit knowledge exchange as well as production. We conclude the paper by providing a suggestion for a way forward, claiming the applicability ofEngaged Scholarship within the realm of Design Thinking to make the field of research progresscreating relevance for both practitioners and scholars.

<p>The aim of this study was to determine whether or not knowledge was shared and created in the library of the University of the Western Cape (UWC). The study adopted the SECI model of Nonaka and Takeuchi (1995) as its theoretical framework. The service delivery points at the UWC library are as follows:&nbsp / Circulation section, which deals with walk-in&nbsp / users. These are users who, on a daily basis borrow books from and return books to the library. This section normally deals with queries such as users whose library cards are&nbsp / blocked due to outstanding library fines. It comprises front - desk staff, shelf attendants and inter-library loan staff members.&nbsp / Staff members working in the information section (IS)&nbsp / are referred to as faculty librarians (FAC/L&rsquo / s), who are regarded as section heads and liaise with faculties on campus on a regular basis. The information section deals with walk-in&nbsp / users on a daily basis.&nbsp / The other sections, namely cataloguing, acquisition and periodicals, provide mostly &lsquo / behind the scenes&rsquo / services, but their work is of such a nature that&nbsp / users have no access to their sections due to the strict policy with regard to areas of the library in which staff are working with new books and journals. Books and journals that are&nbsp / not on the cataloguing system are kept in the acquisitions and cataloguing section. This also has a significant impact on service delivery in the library. These sections have to&nbsp / ensure that books and journals are processed, in order for users to get access to these resources. This study attempted to answer the following research questions&nbsp / Is there&nbsp / evidence of knowledge sharing and creation in the UWC library? If so, what practices currently exist?&nbsp / How do staff share and create knowledge for service delivery not with general&nbsp / library users, but within and between the acquisitions, cataloguing and information sections?</p>

<p>The aim of this study was to determine whether or not knowledge was shared and created in the library of the University of the Western Cape (UWC). The study adopted the SECI model of Nonaka and Takeuchi (1995) as its theoretical framework. The service delivery points at the UWC library are as follows:&nbsp / Circulation section, which deals with walk-in&nbsp / users. These are users who, on a daily basis borrow books from and return books to the library. This section normally deals with queries such as users whose library cards are&nbsp / blocked due to outstanding library fines. It comprises front - desk staff, shelf attendants and inter-library loan staff members.&nbsp / Staff members working in the information section (IS)&nbsp / are referred to as faculty librarians (FAC/L&rsquo / s), who are regarded as section heads and liaise with faculties on campus on a regular basis. The information section deals with walk-in&nbsp / users on a daily basis.&nbsp / The other sections, namely cataloguing, acquisition and periodicals, provide mostly &lsquo / behind the scenes&rsquo / services, but their work is of such a nature that&nbsp / users have no access to their sections due to the strict policy with regard to areas of the library in which staff are working with new books and journals. Books and journals that are&nbsp / not on the cataloguing system are kept in the acquisitions and cataloguing section. This also has a significant impact on service delivery in the library. These sections have to&nbsp / ensure that books and journals are processed, in order for users to get access to these resources. This study attempted to answer the following research questions&nbsp / Is there&nbsp / evidence of knowledge sharing and creation in the UWC library? If so, what practices currently exist?&nbsp / How do staff share and create knowledge for service delivery not with general&nbsp / library users, but within and between the acquisitions, cataloguing and information sections?</p>

The importance of knowledge in organizations has been steadily growing. Traditional economies focused on land, labour, and capital as their main production factors, and saw knowledge as external to the economic process. Over the last few decades, economists have started discussing the role of knowledge and technology in economic growth. The Resource-Based View of the firm explains the contribution of resources and capabilities of the firm to accomplish sustainable competitive advantage. As an extension of this view, the Knowledge-Based View of the firm suggests that knowledge is the basic economic resource, which explains an organization's sustainable competitive advantage. This view argues that in the knowledge-based economy, management of productivity of the knowledge-worker is the crucial challenge for growth and development. Organizational Capabilities are important for enhancing the competitive advantage and performance of the firms. However, the relationship between Organizational Capabilities and Knowledge-Worker Productivity have not previously been empirically examined. The current research, through Knowledge-Based View of the firm, examines the issue of effective knowledge integration from the perspective of Organizational Capabilities. This perspective suggests that effective knowledge integration improves the capabilities of an organization, which enhances the factors influencing the productivity of the knowledge-worker. Knowledge Integration Mechanisms were studied using four variables: Rules and Directives, Sequencing, Routines, and Group Problem-Solving. All these four variables were hypothesized to positively influence the three forms of Organizational Capabilities, namely Local Capability, Architectural Capability, and Process Capability. Then, the effect of these Capabilities on the Factors of Knowledge-Worker Productivity was examined. These factors were identified as Task Clarity, Autonomy, Innovation, Learning, Quality, and Value Addition. Through analysis of surveys collected from over three hundred knowledge professionals, this research empirically models and uncovers key aspects of these constructs. The results provide a basis for understanding the knowledge-based theory of the firm, which postulates that knowledge integration is the primary role of the firm. The data was analyzed using Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modeling. This method was chosen because it allows the analysis of all the relationships simultaneously. From the analysis of data collected, results of this research suggests that Process Capability has got maximum influence on the Factors of Knowledge-Worker Productivity; and Group Problem-Solving, as a Knowledge Integration Mechanisms, was found to be most significant in the development of Organizational Capabilities. These results conform to those reported in the literature, that is improved Factors of Knowledge-Worker Productivity is dependent on Organizational Capabilities, which are enhanced by effective Knowledge Integration Mechanisms. Overall, this thesis expands the Knowledge-Based View of the firm by integrating the above mentioned three constructs. This integrated view provides insights on the significance of knowledge integration and illustrates how firms develop a set of capabilities that can improve the Factors of Knowledge-Worker Productivity. The findings from this research can be used to develop sound strategies for effective leverage of Knowledge Management, ensuring organizational development.

Knowledge management consists an emerging subject, relevant to the organizational context, especially those organizations that envision maintenance, growth, competitiveness and innovation in the market. Nowadays, it is unnecessary talk or put in question the importance of knowledge management for organizations. Studies about how to become more tangible and, in some way, facilitate and leverage the use of this relevant resource are still been sougth. The objective of this study was to determine which tools are used to support each step of the process of knowledge management in organizations: identify, obtain, distribute, use, create, share, sustain and dispose, relating management style: dynamic, passive, people-oriented and systems oriented. To support the research model studies were considered De Sordi (2008) that presents a model of knowledge management containing defined stages, and studies of Choi and Lee (2003) related style of knowledge management. The method of research used a multicase study, a qualitative approach, where the data was collected through direct observation, document analysis and semi-structured interviews with eight respondents in four organizations working in software development. As a result the study finds that innovative tools to bring to light practices used by organizations in each stage of knowledge management, other words, routine actions that allow the maximum possible utilization of knowledge relevant to the internal context of the organization. Thus, the study points to the contributions from both academia as details some intrinsic aspects addressed by theorists who describe steps to the process of knowledge management, and for the professional context serve as a parameter to organizations who feel the need to better manage knowledge in their surrounding environment and have no examples for this effective management. Also concluded that knowledge management can be effective regardless of the direction the company has about the management style, but style needs to be noted at the time of creating tools or means to manage knowledge. / A gestão do conhecimento constitui-se num tema emergente e relevante ao contexto organizacional, principalmente àquelas organizações que vislumbram manutenção, crescimento, competitividade e inovação no mercado. Nos dias de hoje, é dispensável discorrer ou colocar em questão a importância da gestão do conhecimento para as organizações. O que ainda se busca são estudos que tornem mais palpáveis e, de algum modo, facilitem e potencializem a utilização deste recurso tão pertinente na atualidade. Assim, o objetivo deste estudo foi verificar quais ferramentas são utilizadas para sustentar cada etapa do processo de gestão do conhecimento nas organizações: identificar, obter, distribuir, utilizar, criar, compartilhar, sustentar e descartar, relacionando-as ao estilo de gestão: dinâmico, passivo, orientado para pessoas e orientado para sistemas. Para dar suporte ao modelo da pesquisa foram considerados os estudos de De Sordi (2008) que apresenta um modelo de gestão do conhecimento contendo etapas definidas e, os estudos de Choi e Lee (2003) relacionados ao estilo de gestão do conhecimento. Quanto ao método da pesquisa utilizou-se um estudo multi-caso, de abordagem qualitativa, onde a coleta de dados ocorreu através de observações diretas, análise de documentos e entrevistas individuais semiestruturadas com oito respondentes em quatro organizações que atuam no desenvolvimento de softwares. Como resultado constata-se que o estudo inova ao trazer à luz ferramentas práticas utilizadas pelas organizações em cada etapa do processo de gestão do conhecimento, ou seja, ações rotineiras que permitem o máximo possível de aproveitamento do conhecimento pertinente ao contexto interno da organização. Assim, o estudo aponta contribuições tanto ao meio acadêmico uma vez que, minudencia aspectos intrínsecos pouco abordados por teóricos que descrevem etapas para o processo de gestão do conhecimento, quanto para o meio profissional podendo servir de parâmetro para organizações que sentem necessidade de gerir melhor o conhecimento que circunda em seu meio e não dispõem de exemplos para esta efetiva gestão. Do mesmo modo concluiu-se que a gestão do conhecimento pode ser eficiente independentemente da orientação que a empresa possui quanto ao estilo de gestão, porém o estilo precisa ser observado no momento de se criar ferramentas ou meios para gerir o conhecimento.

This diploma thesis deals with the process of learning, knowledge management and the concept of learning organization as strategic directions in the field of education, learning and development of employees. The theoretical part describes knowledge management as an essential part of the management of a successfully functioning and continuously developing organization, which is exposed to increasing pressure of competition, demanding clients and economic burden. In this case the setting of corporate culture towards the learning organization is equally important. Since the organization set up in this direction has created a suitable environment for the effective development of knowledge, skills and experience, not only in the classical form of lifelong learning, which is given in case of the general nurses by legislation, but above all the creation, development and transfer of knowledge between individuals and the team is emphasized. In the practical part, first the selected organization is analyzed including analysis of fulfilling the criteria of the learning organization followed by the qualitative research devoted in the first stage to mapping the system of education and development of the employees in the organization and in the second phase to finding the attitudes of the nurses within a...

My thesis is focused on knowledge management and its quality in Czech companies. The issue is one of the most current and very important topic since the interest in knowledge and namely in its management and utilisation by as large as possible number of employees has been rapidly growing worldwide. The main objective of my thesis is to evaluate the level of knowledge management in Czech companies and suggest procedures leading to elimination of most frequent errors therein. The introduction of my thesis provides basic definitions from the field of knowledge management, namely data, information and knowledge, and gives definitions of most important factors that influence knowledge management. Chapter two surveys the current state of knowledge management, namely modern approaches towards knowledge management, classification of knowledge suggested by various authors and different styles of knowledge management. Chapter three is focused on modern trends in human resources and influence of the company’s structure upon knowledge management. Chapter four contains description of ways of origin of knowledge followed by activities necessary to know prior to introduction of knowledge management. Chapter five gives a survey of current development in information systems and products supporting knowledge management. The final part of my thesis presents an assessed questionnaire survey and gives recommendations to the discussed issue. Included are suggested procedures how to proceed and act in human resources management and IT investments in companies intending to introduce knowledge management. In addition, this chapter gives examples of contributions from science, practice and pedagogic procedures.

Knowledge Management Systems are deployed in organisations of all sizes to support the coordination and control of a range of intellectual assets, and the low cost infrastructures made available by the shift to ‘cloud computing’ looks to only increase the speed and pervasiveness of this move. However, their implementation has not been without its problems, and the development of novel interventions capable of supporting the mundane work of everyday organisational settings has ultimately been limited. A common source of trouble for those formulating such systems is said to be that some proportion of the knowledge held by a setting’s members is hidden from the undirected view of both The Organisation and its analysts - typically characterised as a tacit knowledge - and can therefore go unnoticed during the design and deployment of new technologies. Notwithstanding its utility, overuse of this characterisation has resulted in the inappropriate labelling of a disparate assortment of phenomena, some of which might be more appropriately re-specified as ‘hidden knowledges’: a standpoint which seeks to acknowledge their unspoken character without making any unwarranted claims regarding their cognitive status. Approaches which focus on the situated and contingent properties of the actual work carried out by a setting’s members - such as ethnomethodologically informed ethnography - have shown significant promise as a mechanism for transforming the role played by members’ practices into an explicit topic of study. Specifically they have proven particularly adept at noticing those aspects of members’ work that might ordinarily be hidden from an undirected view, such as the methodic procedures through which we can sometimes mean more than we can say in-just-so-many-words. Here - within the context of gathering the requirements for new Knowledge Management Systems to support the reuse of existing knowledge - the findings from the application of just such an approach are presented in the form of a Pattern Language for Knowledge Management Systems: a descriptive device that lends itself to articulating the role that such hidden knowledges are playing in everyday work settings. By combining these three facets, this work shows that it is possible to take a more meaningful approach towards noticing those knowledges which might ordinarily be hidden from view, and apply our new understanding of them to the design of Knowledge Management Systems that actively engage with the knowledgeable work of a setting’s members.

In my diploma thesis I have described several management theories and concepts used in practice and illustrated them with examples from the practice. The theory does not always coincide fully with the praxis, there are rather some common points. Both the company I write about and its management system are very specific, therefore it is a very interesting example, but not generally predicative. I would be glad if this thesis could also serve as a well- arranged material for the people in our company. In the theoretical part I have treated the management theory first in general and then several particular theories or concepts which I examined more deeply. These are the manager theory, the motivation theory, critical success factors, management by objectives, knowledge management. The empirical part concerns the practical use of these theories the company of my interest. The whole thesis is thematically wide, but the extent is limited here. Therefore it does not contain whole descriptions of the theories, but rather insights and some chosen elements. Also the empirical part does not fully examine the function system of the company and the work in it, but chooses the elements corresponding with the theoretical concepts described instead.

Knowledge as company resource which brings competitive advantage is frequently discussed topic. And managing of knowledge pays increasing attention, because it is possible to maximize utility and minimize losses of knowledge by using appropriate knowledge management. This paper is focused on analysis of Knowledge management process in the context of Unicorn ES Powered Company methodology and on suggestion of possible form of management of the process and its parts, which is the overall goal of this paper.