An organisation's accumulation of knowledge has been identified as a key factor in its progress and survival. This is particularly the case for a business that involves service delivery and is very pertinent to the construction industry. The key to success in managing organisational knowledge is recognising the importance of managing (and maintaining) the knowledge of the staff in the face of staff retention challenges. Knowledge retention is integral to ensuring that the experience and tacit knowledge acquired by the staff during their service will not be lost when the staff leave the organisation. The concept of Knowledge Management (KM) is seen as the solution through the inculcation of knowledge sharing via various tools and techniques in managing the knowledge within parties in construction. The aim of this research is to identify where and how KM initiatives being used within PFI-FM healthcare projects as a result of the unique character of the associated PFI contracts and a wide range of FM services. The complexities involved in managing and delivering services at the operational stage of PFI projects and the vast amount of tasks and services stipulated in the FM context, particularly regarding the planning, types of services, time, place, tools and resources needed, make it a suitable area for KM adoption. This research, which involved exploratory studies, literature reviews, analyses of three case studies involving PFI-FM healthcare projects and structured interviews with the Facilities Managers, has managed to discover the adoption of KM tools in managing FM healthcare services among Facilities Managers in PFI healthcare projects. However, KM has not been used to its fullest potential; the incomplete application of KM initiatives has, thus, created some problems with regard to delivering PFI-FM healthcare services. The outcome has resulted in the formulation of a framework that combines the best practices of KM initiatives with practical approaches of managing organisational knowledge of FM healthcare services which derived from the case studies. The framework has been validated by experts evaluated from the industry and refined to ensure that the framework developed is practical. The most pertinent achievements of this research include demonstrations of the needs for KM initiatives in delivering PFI-FM healthcare services and the development of a framework to enable better service delivery among the PFI-FM healthcare service providers, particularly with regard to addressing the challenges derived from PFI contracts and the vast scope of FM healthcare services. Overall, the study provides a clear justification and indication from a theoretical point of view and empirical evidence from the facilities managers perspective of the significance of KM initiatives in delivering PFI-FM healthcare services in the UK. Furthermore, recommendations have been made to improve and enable comprehension of the framework application and facilitate its implementation in the construction industry.

Supply Chain Management (SCM) is becoming increasingly important in the modern business world. In order to effectively manage and integrate a supply chain (SC), a deep understanding of overall SC operation dynamics is needed. This involves understanding how the decisions, actions and interactions between SC members affect each other, and how these relate to SC performance and SC disruptions. Achieving such an understanding is not an easy task, given the complex and dynamic nature of supply chains. Existing simulation approaches do not provide an explanation of simulation results, while related work on SC disruption analysis studies SC disruptions separately from SC operation and performance. This thesis presents a logic-based approach for modelling, simulating and explaining SC operation that fills these gaps. SC members are modelled as logicbased intelligent agents consisting of a reasoning layer, represented through business rules, a process layer, represented through business processes and a communication layer, represented through communicative actions. The SC operation model is declaratively formalised, and a rule-based specification is provided for the execution semantics of the formal model, thus driving the simulation of SC operation. The choice of a logic-based approach enables the automated generation of explanations about simulated behaviours. SC disruptions are included in the SC operation model, and a causal model is defined, capturing relationships between different types of SC disruptions and low SC performance. This way, explanations can be generated on causal relationships between occurred SC disruptions and low SC performance. This approach was analytically and empirically evaluated with the participation of SCM and business experts. The results indicate the following: Firstly, the approach is useful, as it allows for higher efficiency, correctness and certainty about explanations of SC operation compared to the case of no automated explanation support. Secondly, it improves the understanding of the domain for non-SCM experts with respect to their correctness and efficiency; the correctness improvement is significantly higher compared to the case of no prior explanation system use, without loss of efficiency. Thirdly, the logic-based approach allows for maintainability and reusability with respect to the specification of SC operation input models, the developed simulation system and the developed explanation system.

Thesis (M.M.S.)--Victoria University of Wellington, 2009. / Includes bibliographical references.

Thesis (Ph.D.) - University of Queensland, 2005. / Includes bibliography.

No / The overall aim of this paper is to explore the nature of the methodology employed in research published in some of the top business and management journals, with a view to understanding aspects of the creation of management knowledge. The article commences with a review of earlier research and commentary on the nature and appropriateness of competing research methodologies and designs. It reports the early bias in favour of positivism and quantitative methodologies, and explores the evolving recognition of the potential contribution of phenomenological research design and qualitative methodologies. An analysis was conducted of the research methodologies adopted by 120 articles drawn from twenty leading management journals published between 1991 and 2000. The findings section discusses key characteristics of authorship, and aspects of the research methodologies adopted. The conclusion notes the wide range of different methodological approaches adopted in pursuit of the development of management knowledge, and different research agendas. Further research needs to characterize and profile the relationship between these agendas and specific methodological approaches, and to develop understanding of the specific contributions of quantitative and qualitative approaches and their associated paradigms.

Internet-based and mobile technologies enable new ways of learning. They offer us new possibilities to access an enormous amount of knowledge at any time and everywhere. Among many advantages, the adaptations require a rethinking of our previous learning behaviour patterns and processes. The challenge for students is no longer to get access to information and knowledge, but to select the right one and to deal with the information and knowledge overflow. The aim of this research is to define, design and validate an advanced concept to support the contemporary learning processes. Therefore, the requirements for a new approach have been assessed, the available solutions from the related area of (personal) Knowledge Management have been investigated, and the weaknesses in the context of learning identified. The identified issues have been substantiated by university students via a quantitative survey. Besides several smaller aspects, knowledge fragmentation and the nescience of the knowledge formation process have been classified as the most critical ones. To overcome these problems, a methodological concept has been developed, and a corresponding technological design created. The chosen approach is an intelligent, independent intermediate layer, which traces the different steps our knowledge entities are going through. Based on personal and individual configurations, the system provides a comprehensive and overall observation of nearly all our knowledge work activities. It supports the building and accessing of the knowledge formation paths for every important knowledge unit, later path combination and the access to automatically generated versions of our work. Moreover, it helps the users not only to remember what they did, but also gives them some strong indications why they did it. This is achieved by combining different knowledge actions and looking at the influences they have on each other. The suggested concept has been critically proved and confirmed via a qualitative expert analysis and backed up by a quantitative survey among university students.

Construction is a project-based industry and construction supply chains generally work with a unique product in every project. Commonly, project organizations are reconfigured for each project. This means that construction supply chains are characterised by various practices and disjointed relationships, with the result that construction supply chain actors generally have transient relationships rather than long term risk sharing partnerships. A consequence of this is the lack of trust between construction clients, designers, main contractors and suppliers. Because the construction supply chain works as a disparate collection of separate organisations rather than as a unified team, the supply chain suffers from lack of integration. Knowledge flow in construction supply chains are hindered due to the reasons such as inadequate adaptation to collaborative procurement type projects, inadequate collaboration between the downstream and upstream supply chain, lack of interoperability of the design tools, lack of well structured SCM process and lack of well developed knowledge management applications. These characteristics of the construction supply chains are the main reasons for its low efficiency and productivity in project delivery. There is a need for the development of appropriate systems to ensure the effective diffusion of knowledge such that each actor of the supply chain adds value to the project delivery process. This is expected to result in the creation of knowledge chains in construction. It is believed that construction supply chain management (SCM), when integrated with knowledge management (KM), can successfully address the major problems of the industry The main aim of this research was to develop a framework to transform construction supply chains into knowledge chains . To reach this aim, the research first provided an overview of practices and issues in SCM across a range of industry sectors including construction, aerospace, and automotive industries. It discusses research and developments in the field of SCM and KM in construction industry, the key SCM issues with a knowledge flow focus, and the best practices from other industries to improve the construction supply chains. Furthermore, the results of the company specific and project specific case studies conducted in aerospace and construction industry supply chains are presented. These results include the key SC problems, key issues related to knowledge flow and the presentation of knowledge requirements of each supply chain actor. Following the data analysis process, a framework to transform the construction supply chain into a knowledge chain taking full cognisance of both the technical and social aspects of KM was presented. The main purpose of the knowledge chain framework was to enable construction bid managers/project managers to plan and manage the project knowledge flow in the supply chain and organise activities, meetings and tasks to improve SCM and KM throughout the supply chain in an integrated procurement type (PFI) project life cycle. The knowledge chain framework was intended to depict the knowledge flow in the construction supply chain specifically, and to offer guidance for specific business processes to transform the supply chains into knowledge chains. Finally, this research focused on the evaluation of the framework through industry practitioners and researchers. An evaluation of the Framework was conducted via workshop followed by a questionnaire comprising industry experts. The findings indicated that adoption of the Framework in construction project lifecycle could contribute towards more efficient and effective management of knowledge flow, standardisation and integration of SCM and KM processes, better coordination and integration of the SC, improved consistency and visibility of the processes, and successful delivery of strategic projects. The overall research process contributed the construction research in many perspectives such as introduction of knowledge chain concept for construction supply chains; comparative analysis of the SCM practices in different industry sectors, identification of best practices for construction supply chains, better demonstration of the maturity level and critical factors of the SCM within the construction industry, demonstration of the KC framework which integrates the supply chain process and knowledge sharing within a single framework which covers all the recent trends in the construction industry like collaborative procurement route projects, creation of better integrated SCs, applications like off site construction and BIM where all supply chain management and knowledge management should take place.

Knowledge integration is a fundamental capability for Global New Product Development(NPD) success that allows exploiting windows of opportunity and foster innovation.Although Global NPD projects are recipients of project management methodologies,literature emphasizes a gap in how project management tools can support a knowledgeintegration capability. Therefore, this study aims to explore how project lessons learned,a project management tool, can enable knowledge integration in a global NPD context. To this extent, this study presents the case study of Company X, applying a qualitativemethod which follows an interpretivist philosophical stance and an inductive approach.The case study was conducted through semi-structured interviews with project managersand team members from two Research & Development (R&D) Centers. The datacollected was analyzed using a template analysis and matrix display. The literature review of this study introduces knowledge integration as a capability forglobal NPD, its mechanisms and influencing organizational factors. Project lessonslearned are presented as a project management tool that encompass experiences fromprojects and hence serve as a source of knowledge. This results in a theoretical frameworkfor knowledge integration and project lessons learned as an enabler of this capability,which works as a foundation for the empirical research. The findings of the applied methodology confirmed the elements of the theoreticalframework, and contributed to develop a framework that illustrates how project lessonslearned enable knowledge integration capability. Moreover, the findings explored theorganizational context of Global NPD projects, the tacit and explicit mechanisms tointegrate knowledge in and between projects and the different levels on which theorganizational factors influence the knowledge integration process. Recommendationsfor an effective knowledge integration are suggested for both academics and practitioners,as well as potential areas of research to continue extending the knowledge on this field.

This research aimed to investigate how and why festival volunteers share knowledge in pulsating UK music festival organisations, through an interpretation of volunteers’ lived experiences of knowledge sharing during the event lifecycle. Within the UK music festival sector, competition for leisure spend is high, and successful management of knowledge activities has the ability to improve business, innovation, and competitive advantage. Research across Knowledge Management Studies, Festival Studies, and People and Organisation Studies is dominated by positivist, quantitative research; whereas, this research investigated a fuzzy concept (knowledge) in a socially-constructed world (music festival) and interpreted multiple realities of social actors (volunteers). To do this, a qualitative, phenomenological study was suitable to explore in-depth experiences and unveil meanings attached to them. Purposive sampling using social media resulted in a sample of adult festival volunteers (n=28) being recruited. The methods selected enabled the ability to privilege the participants’ voice and their lived experience; these were diaries (n=11) and in-depth interviews (n=9), or both (n=8). The empirical data generated was interpreted using thematic analysis, using Atlas.ti. The findings of this research illustrate how and why volunteers share knowledge that is attributed to a successful process of volunteering, which enables effective knowledge management and reproduction. Where volunteers’ motivations are satisfied, this leads to bounce-back, episodic volunteering. Knowledge enablers and the removal of barriers create conditions that are conducive for knowledge sharing, which have similar characteristics to conditions for volunteering continuance commitment. Where volunteers do not return, the organisation leaks knowledge. The original contribution of this research is through its use of qualitative phenomenological methods to explore how and why UK music festival volunteers share knowledge.

It is true that we live in the world which is more and more influenced of knowledge. Knowledge, knowledge assets, knowledge potential is term we can hear of every day in our live. Processes in economy have big influence to the knowledge potential because it is dynamic and very sensitive quantity. The main aim of the doctoral thesis was to identify, how economic crisis influence the knowledge potential of organization.