This thesis begins by making two observations. First, that the regional economic landscapes in which we all live our daily lives, and which provide the basis for employment and prosperity, are constantly changing. Second, that one of the most popular strategies currently pursued by regions and nations for coping with such change, relies heavily on innovation within a few high-tech industries, biotech being one prominent example. The thesis is an investigation into the potential – and limits – of biotech-based development policies for creating renewal and economic growth at the local, regional or national scales. How does it really work when a team of biotech researchers develops a new invention? How can a small Swedish town manage to attract large foreign direct investments and stay competitive in the global biotech landscape? How is the performance of biotech knowledge workers affected by the places they live in, go to, leave, and make up? What impact can a biotech firm have on the local economic landscape in which it is located? These are the kind of questions that are studied in the four papers that make up this thesis. The thesis develops a conceptual framework within which we can better understand the extent to which mono-territorial actors, like regional and national policymakers, can influence high-tech sectors like biotech; sectors that are polycentric in nature and only partly take place in, or pass through, regional and national territories.

As a form of expert labour and organizational resource, knowledge workers are important in organizational life as producers and consumers of knowledge. The role of knowledge workers and the ways in which they transfer their knowledge become important as they possess the symbolic and analytic skills to undertake work which is contingent upon the application of ambiguous knowledge in uncertain, networked business environments. Yet, in much of the existing literature knowledge workers and knowledge transfer seem to have been partially interpreted and through a perspective maintaining an emphasis on organizational performance. Current understanding of the role of knowledge workers sees knowledge workers as either willing or reluctant to share knowledge, i.e. as either contributing to organizational efficiency or its opposite, while knowledge sharing is unequivocally understood as beneficial for organizational performance. The aim of the study is to produce an interpretation of knowledge transfer and the role of knowledge workers that extends beyond simplified and limited categories. The perspective of the knowledge worker is centrally adopted and, using this approach, the identity of knowledge workers and their interpretation of knowledge sharing are explored. The study focuses on 58 knowledge workers in the subsidiaries of five high-tech multinational companies in Athens, Greece, where complex, ambiguous knowledge work and operational interdependencies are supported by elaborate architectures of Knowledge Management initiatives. The method of data collection is interviews and data have been analysed by using QSR N-VIVO and developing thematic conceptual matrices. The findings suggest that, across organizational contexts, knowledge workers construct and maintain identities of competence and upward mobility and exhibit a combination of behaviour. Here, knowledge is better seen as being traded, rather than shared. Knowledge exchanges are subject to a set of knowledge trading principles which reflect self-interested and instrumental conceptualizations of competence and lead to the discrimination and selection of knowledge categories, uses and groups of colleagues. It is indicated that different conceptualizations of the self and various behaviours co-exist and manifest interchangeably thus both supporting and undermining corporate priorities throughout the course of practice. Knowledge worker self and behaviour play an ambivalent role in relation to corporate priorities disturbing but also harmonizing the organizational context. Monochrome notions of ‘sharing’, or interpretations assuming either the willingness to share knowledge or not reflect only part of who the knowledge worker is and why he/she transfers knowledge.

Thesis (PhD)--Macquarie University, Macquarie Graduate School of Management, 2006. / Bibliography: p. 253-276. / Introduction -- Knowledge and knowledge management systems -- Towards a measurement model of KMS success -- Research methodology -- Data analyses and results -- Conclusions and implications. / Knowledge management is becoming pervasive in organizations. Information technology (IT) has been widely used in organizational knowledge management initiatives, and organizations continue to invest in IT expecting that its use will improve knowledge workers' productivity and organizational performance. -- Knowledge management systems (KMS) are information technology applications designed for knowledge management. The pervasive use of KMS in organizations has raised crucial concerns about the use and value of KMS, which can be expressed as two key questions: - What are the key determinants to the users' acceptance and use of KMS in their daily work? - What is the actual role of KMS in the support of knowledge management? -- For this thesis, empirical research was conducted on KMS success in organizations from a social capital perspective, aiming to tackle these critical questions. Based on a review of existing studies on knowledge management and information systems success, two KMS research models are developed, namely a Socio-Technical System Framework of KMS and an Adaptive Structuration Theory (AST)-based KMS Success Model. The socio-technical framework model of KMS sets out the main KMS components and the interrelationships between these components, presenting a systematic view of KMS in organizations. The AST-based KMS success model represents dynamic and evolutionary KMS in organizations, proposing a system-to-value chain of KMS success linking KMS use to social capital, and to intellectual capital. In the research, the two models have been operationalized; consequently, a set of theoretical hypotheses has been derived. -- A set of survey instruments has been developed or adapted for the study. A preliminary study is used to test, adapt, and modify the new instruments. A web-based cross-sectional survey is conducted, and a sample of 362 knowledge workers from a variety of organizations enables the researcher to further validate the new instruments, assess the research models, and test the hypothesized relationships through structural equation modeling techniques (PLS and LISREL). The results provide clear evidence of the newly developed instruments' reliability, validity, and general applicability, and demonstrate that the research models have good explanatory power for the variances in the KMS use and social capital constructs. Significantly, the study has confirmed that KMS does have the expected significant positive effects on individual social capital development, a critical social infrastructure for knowledge management. The significant positive impacts of KMS use on three dimensions of social capital-structural, relational, and cognitive dimension-have been assessed, and significant findings have been achieved. Moreover, a set of potential critical determinants to users' acceptance and use of KMS has also been assessed in the study. The results have demonstrated the different levels of impacts of these factors on the users' acceptance and use of KMS. -- Based on the research results, recommendations are made for managers, and implications have been drawn for future research. -- Keywords: Knowledge Management Systems (KMS), KMS success measurement, performance-related use of KMS, structural equation modeling, social capital. / Mode of access: World Wide Web. / ix, 277, A23 p. ill

Thesis (MPhil)--Stellenbosch University, 2005. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: This paper was written with the intention of investigating how Knowledge Management (KM) influences an organization's competitive advantage. The objective of the research questions was to determine KM's role in a competitive advantage. Knowledge is the critical asset of any organization whether profit or nonprofit. This paper will discuss the meaning of the competitive advantage focusing attention in a non-profit organization, which will serve as a framework for subsequent argument and the remainder of the study. Research into KM's relation with business issues such as leadership, IT for KM, organizational structure was conducted. The objective was to determine the readiness of the institution in implementing Knowledge Management as a basis for its competitive advantage and also to determine the role of the leadership for KM and IT for KM and to propose a new agenda for the Chief Knowledge Officer. This paper is organized around six chapters. It begins with introduction and background chapters where the research question, research setting and KM's competitive advantage are discussed. An in-depth literature review follows in chapter two. Chapter three deals with the detailed description of the methodology followed to compile this paper. A data report and analysis in chapters four and five followed by recommendations for rolling out of KM initiative are considered. Research concludes in chapter six. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Hierdie studiestuk is geskryf met die bedoeling om die wyse waarop Kennisbestuur (KB) 'n organisasie se mededingende voordeel beïnvloed, te ondersoek. Die oogmerk van die navorsingsvrae was om KB se rol met betrekking tot mededingende voordeel te bepaal. Kennis is 'n belangrike bate vir enige organisasie met of sonder winsbejag. In hierdie stuk word die betekenis van mededingende voordeel bespreek met die klem op 'n organisasie sonder winsbejag wat as raamwerk sal dien vir daaropvolgende argumente en die res van die studie. Navorsing is oor die verband tussen KB en sake-aangeleenthede soos leierskap, inligtingstegnologie (IT) en organisatoriese struktuur gedoen. Die oogmerk was om die gereedheid van die instelling te bepaal vir die implementering van KB as 'n grondslag vir sy mededingende voordeel en ook om die rol van leierskap vir KB en IT vir KB vas te stel en om 'n nuwe agenda vir die Hoof Kennisbeampte voor te stel. Hierdie stuk bestaan uit ses hoofstukke. Dit begin met 'n inleiding en 'n hoofstuk met agtergrondinligting waar die navorsingsvrae, navorsingsomgewing en KB se mededingende voordeel bespreek word. 'n Deeglike literatuur-oorsig volg in hoofstuk twee. Hoofstuk drie handel oor 'n gedetailleerde beskrywing van die metodologie wat gevolg is om hierdie stuk te lewer. 'n Dataverslag en -ontleding word in hoofstukke vier en vyf oorweeg, gevolg deur aanbevelings vir die uitrol van 'n KB inisiatief. Die navorsingsgevolgtrekking is in hoofstuk ses vervat.

Global mobility, wireless technology and networked society are transforming the airport territory. These changes (hard factors) have been analysed in airport planning and transportation studies (Koll-Schretzenmayr 2003; Banister 2003; Schaafsma 2003; Knippenberger &Wall 2010; Salewski & Michaelli 2011; Convenz & Thierstein ed. 2014 et al) and architecture and design (Edwards 1998; Blow 2005; Cuadra 2002; Uffelen 2012; Gensler 2013 et al). But design strategies focusing on the passenger experience (soft factors) have not yet been thoroughly assimilated by architecture and design. On the theoretical level this dissertation spans the analysis of current methodologies in social studies (e.g. Castells 1996; Gottdiener 2000; Cresswell 2006; Urry, 2007; Elliott & Urry 2010; Adey 2010 et al) and their relation to architectural and urban studies concepts for the airport. The latter includes the “Airport as City” (Güller & Güller 2000), “Aviopolis – A Book about Airports” (Fuller & Harley 2005) and “Aerotropolis” (Kassarda 2010). This dissertation also explores IT and aviation industry interests at the interface between technology and air travellers. In this light aviation industry research and solutions (Amadeus 2011, SITA 2013) are important to consider, as well the philosophy behind who travels and for what purpose (Sloterdijk 1998; Koolhaas 1998; Gottdiener 2000; Urry 2007; Birtchnell & Caletrio 2014 et al). Here, the author’s previous field research at Frankfurt International Airport is relevant. We live more mobile lifestyles, we work in hybrid spaces (Suoza 2006; Duffy 2010 et al), and we consequently need to share information and collaborate differently. Using constant travellers as a case study, the impact of physical and informational mobility on perceptions of and behavioural patterns in the airport can lead to a deeper understanding of mobile work and the air travel experience. New design strategies can be developed from research about constant travellers, and the results may improve their work and air travel experience. The author’s combination of design approaches from architecture and social science (sociology and psychology) methodologies can better address the real needs of constant travellers in hybrid workspaces. It is hoped that this dissertation will inspire airport architects and designers, interaction designers and the aviation industry to pay more attention to users’ needs in their design processes.

Inkorporering av teknik som AI ökar på arbetsplatser och i synnerhet inom kunskapsintensiva industrier. För organisationer som ingår i dessa branscher är den digitala utvecklingen en avgörande komponent för framgång. Även mänskliga resurser som kunskapsarbetare ses som en viktig komponent och deras samarbete med teknik kan därför bli avgörande för att organisationer ska fortsätta god utveckling och konkurrenskraft. Samarbetet mellan människa och teknik, även kallat teaming, är ett viktigt forskningsområde som behöver fler kunskapsbidrag. Forskning visar att flera faktorer är viktiga vid design av teaming, inklusive relationen mellan teknik och människa. Studien använder sig av en kvalitativ forskningsansats där relaterad litteratur bidrog till tre teman som därefter bidrog med vägledning vid datainsamling och analys av data från studiens semistrukturerade intervjuer. Studiens slutsats bidrog till underliggande faktorer som delades upp i de tre identifierade teman Uppfattning, Tillit och Arbetsflöde. Uppfattning beskriver kunskapsarbetarens inställning till teaming och AI-assistenten. Tillit beskriver viktiga aspekter för att kunskapsarbetare ska kunna lita på assistenten. Arbetsflöde beskriver förändringar som skulle kunna ske i specifika delar i deras arbete och vilka aspekter som är viktiga att prioritera. Sammanfattningsvis krävs det att designers involverar användarna i teaming för att identifiera de viktiga aspekterna för ett fungerande arbete. / Incorporation of technology such as AI is increasing in workplaces, especially in knowledge-intensive industries. For organizations that are part of these industries, digital development is a crucial component for success. Human resources such as knowledge workers are also seen as an important component and their collaboration with technology can therefore be decisive for organizations to continue good development and competitiveness. The collaboration between humans and technology, also called teaming, is an important research area that needs more knowledge contributions. Research shows that several factors are important when designing teaming, including the relationship between technology and people. The study uses a qualitative research approach where related literature contributed to three themes which contributed with guidance in data collection and analysis from the study's semistructured interviews.The study's conclusion contributed to underlying factors divided into the three identified themes Perception, Trust and Workflow. Perception describes the knowledge worker's attitude towards teaming and the AI assistant. Trust describes important aspects for knowledge workers to be able to trust the assistant. Workflow describes changes in specific parts of their work and which aspects are important to prioritize. In summary, it is required that designers involve the users in teaming to identify the important aspects for a functional work

This research report captures a detailed exposition of an investigation on Knowledge Management (KM) practices in public and private sector entities in three industries (health, education and business loans) of Limpopo province – a proxy of the rural areas of South Africa. The investigation was necessitated by a need to understand KM in organisational context experiencing constraints in terms of resources that enable KM. It was found through an intensive literature review that there were very few empirical studies on KM practices of organisations operating in the rural areas, particularly in Africa. The theoretical framework of the study emanates from the knowledge-based view which has been popularised by the seminal work of Peter Drucker and Nonaka in the early half of the 90s. The knowledge-based view as presented in chapter 2 recognises the strategic role of knowledge in organisations. Its genesis is traced from the theories of classical scholars such as Socrates, Plato and Aristotle. Various empirical studies of entities which have adopted the knowledge-based view are presented in chapter 2 of this report. The researcher observes from an intensive KM literature study that the average modern organisation could be categorised as knowledge-intensive considering that knowledge workers constitute the majority of its workforce. The definitions of a knowledge-based organisation and knowledge workers are presented in the operational definitions of key concepts. Arising from the identified gaps in KM literature as presented towards the end of chapter 2, this study was conducted as a comparative study between public and private sector entities in three research industries focusing on their extent of ICT application and degree of knowledge-oriented social factors for information and knowledge sharing. The investigation was guided by three research objectives as discussed in chapter 1 of this research report. The main purpose of the study was to answer two fundamental research questions as reflected in chapter 1. In answering the two research questions, the researcher identified four research hypotheses in line with the findings established from KM literature. These hypotheses are discussed in chapter 2 of this report.The underlying hypothesised statement guiding the study was to determine whether there were any significant differences in KM implementation between public and private sector entities in the three research industries in terms of four research constructs. These are: application of ICTs for knowledge and information sharing, degree of achievement of knowledge-based outcomes, tacit knowledge acquisition and the degree of knowledge-oriented social factors. Organisational culture, organisational structures, human resource practices and leadership comprised the social factors tested in the study. The research data were collected through a mixed research design approach combining the advantages of a survey instrument and interviews (this is fully reflected in chapter 3 of this research report). The research results (as presented in chapter 4) pointed to some form of significant differences in KM implementation between public and private sector entities in the education and business loans industry, but there were no significant differences in KM implementation between public and private sector entities in the health industry. Arising from the findings of the study, a model for improved KM implementation is presented in chapter 4 (figure 4.16). It was found during the investigation that all the research entities approached KM implicitly through KM related practices. KM related practices were found to be far more entrenched in the health industry (both public and private sector entities), the private sector entities in the education and business loans industries than was the case with the public sector entities in the education and business loans industries. In the entities where KM related practices were found to be entrenched, there were concerted efforts towards improved organisational processes. The study has managed to unravel the importance of KM related practices in laying the foundation for a formalised KM approach. / Graduate School of Business Leadership / D.B.L.

Magistro baigiamojo darbo objektas – informacijos vadyba, žinių vadyba, Lietuvos Vyriausybinės organizacijos. Darbo tikslas – ištirti informacijos vadybą ir žinių vadybą Lietuvos Vyriausybinėse organizacijose. Darbo uždaviniai: atskleisti informacijos vadybos ir žinių vadybos sąvokas; išanalizuoti informacijos vadybos ir žinių vadybos dedamuosius; ištirti informacijos vadybos ir žinių vadybos taikymą Lietuvos Vyriausybinėse organizacijose. Naudojantis mokslinės literatūros analizės, apibendrinimo metodais prieita prie išvados, kad Lietuvos Vyriausybinėse organizacijose informacijos ir žinių vadyba yra taikoma, bet nėra tikslingai valdoma. Išskirti tam tikri padaliniai ir (ar) atskiri asmenys, atsakingi už visų informacijos ir žinių vadybos procesų ar jų dalį funkcionavimą organizacijose. Nepaisant to, kad informacijos ir žinių vadybos potenciali organizacijai suteikiama nauda Lietuvos Vyriausybinėse organizacijose nėra suvokta, tačiau jos jau dabar turi tvirtą pagrindą informacijos ir žinių vadybos vystymuisi ir klestėjimui. Šis mokslinis magistro darbas bus naudingas tiek mokslininkams, tiek praktikams, o taip pat visiems besidomintiems informacijos ir žinių vadybos tematika teoriniu bei praktiniu aspektais. / The object – information management, knowledge management, the Lithuanian governmental organizations. The main goal of this scientific Master Diploma work – to explore the information and knowledge management in the Lithuanian governmental organizations. Objectives – to uncover the definitions of information and knowledge management; to explore the components of the information and knowledge management; to examine the use of the information and knowledge management in the Lithuanian governmental organizations. Using the analysis or scientific literature and the generalization methods the information and knowledge management were examined in the Lithuanian governmental organizations. It was discovered, that the information and knowledge management are already being used in the governmental organizations, though they are not being properly managed. There are separate departments, responsible for the work of the information and knowledge management’s processes or at least part of them. Despite everything, the true value of the information and knowledge management is not yet recognized by the Lithuanian governmental organizations, though even now there is a steady foundation for the development and prosperity of the information and knowledge management. This scientific work could be useful for those interested into the theory and practices of using the information and knowledge management.

Effective knowledge sharing within project teams is critical to knowledge-intensive professional service firms. Prior research studies indicate a positive association between trust, social-cognitive factors, and effective knowledge sharing among co-workers. The conceptual framework proposed here builds on these studies, and draws from theoretical foundations from the organizational behavior, psychology, information studies, sociology, and management literature on organizational trust and knowledge sharing, and identifies the most significant factors found to influence organizational knowledge sharing directly and indirectly through trust. The study makes methodological contributions in the form of conceptualizations for knowledge sharing behavior, trust, and tie strength. Also, it provides a more nuanced and focused analysis, by factoring for knowledge type and co-worker working relationship. Data were collected from 275 knowledge workers (‘legal professionals’ and paralegals) engaged in shared legal project work, at one of Canada’s largest multijurisdictional law firms. The nature of their work required a significant reliance on co-workers, for both explicit and tacit knowledge. Multiple regression analysis, among other statistical techniques, was used to test the hypotheses and determine significant relationships. Of the factors examined in the study, the three found to have the strongest effect on respondents’ trust in their co-workers were shared vision, shared language, and tie strength. Furthermore, the two factors found to have the strongest effect on organizational knowledge sharing behavior were trust and shared vision. Overall trust was also found to have a mediating effect between shared vision and knowledge sharing behavior, and between shared language and knowledge sharing behavior. A significant implication for practitioners is that effective knowledge sharing among co-workers requires a nurturing manager to work on developing co-worker trust and shared vision. Furthermore, a manager wanting to promote trust between co-workers must nurture shared language and shared vision.

Effective knowledge sharing within project teams is critical to knowledge-intensive professional service firms. Prior research studies indicate a positive association between trust, social-cognitive factors, and effective knowledge sharing among co-workers. The conceptual framework proposed here builds on these studies, and draws from theoretical foundations from the organizational behavior, psychology, information studies, sociology, and management literature on organizational trust and knowledge sharing, and identifies the most significant factors found to influence organizational knowledge sharing directly and indirectly through trust. The study makes methodological contributions in the form of conceptualizations for knowledge sharing behavior, trust, and tie strength. Also, it provides a more nuanced and focused analysis, by factoring for knowledge type and co-worker working relationship. Data were collected from 275 knowledge workers (‘legal professionals’ and paralegals) engaged in shared legal project work, at one of Canada’s largest multijurisdictional law firms. The nature of their work required a significant reliance on co-workers, for both explicit and tacit knowledge. Multiple regression analysis, among other statistical techniques, was used to test the hypotheses and determine significant relationships. Of the factors examined in the study, the three found to have the strongest effect on respondents’ trust in their co-workers were shared vision, shared language, and tie strength. Furthermore, the two factors found to have the strongest effect on organizational knowledge sharing behavior were trust and shared vision. Overall trust was also found to have a mediating effect between shared vision and knowledge sharing behavior, and between shared language and knowledge sharing behavior. A significant implication for practitioners is that effective knowledge sharing among co-workers requires a nurturing manager to work on developing co-worker trust and shared vision. Furthermore, a manager wanting to promote trust between co-workers must nurture shared language and shared vision.