This dissertation presents the findings of an empirical study of the effectiveness of knowledge management practices in an environment of principal-agent and market testing conditions in the Australian Defence Organisation (ADO) during the period 2001-2005. Using a grounded theory research approach and a longitudinal case study, the ADO's workforce planning community of practice is the focus of the study. The research is conducted in the context of the knowledge-based view of the firm, which holds that organisational effectiveness and thus sustained competitiveness is dependant on the continual creation, application and protection of new and unique knowledge. Pertinent knowledge management theories are reviewed and reframed in terms of loose coupling concepts, which are then used to describe the variety of knowledge creating relationships and opportunities for workforce planning that become apparent during the course of field research studies. The impact of market testing, as a precursor to outsourcing, on the creation of new knowledge in workforce planning is examined progressively during field studies. The role of leadership in maintaining effective workforce knowledge management practices emerges as the primary category in the loose coupling analysis process. The paper suggests that in order to sustain competitive advantage in workforce planning that is conducted in a commercial support or market testing environment, trust-based leadership and the use of appropriate knowledge management practices are necessary. The dissertation has important implications for research and practice. Specifically, the loose coupling framework provides a focus for literature reviews in future research of knowledge management and, in terms of professional practice, the framework is developed into an aide-m??moire that can be used to enhance knowledge management practices to meet workforce planning objectives. The aide-m??moire potentially has wider application as a tool to assess the effectiveness of knowledge management within the organisation as well as informing the selection of remedial knowledge management practices. Limitations of the paper are acknowledged and recommendations are made for further research.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:ADTP/241091 |
| Date | January 2008 |
| Creators | Antoniak, Edward, Information Technology & Electrical Engineering, Australian Defence Force Academy, UNSW |
| Publisher | Awarded by:University of New South Wales - Australian Defence Force Academy. |
| Source Sets | Australiasian Digital Theses Program |
| Language | English |
| Detected Language | English |
| Rights | http://unsworks.unsw.edu.au/copyright |
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