As the complexity of the market environment increases, so does the need for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) to devise new innovative ways of strategically positioning themselves. Owing to resource constraints, it would be sensible for SMEs to adopt technologies that are relatively cheap and easily manageable, yet richly rewarding. Social media technology comes in handy in such scenarios; however, little is known about how SMEs are embracing this technology, especially in developing countries. This study presents the results of exploratory research conducted using semistructured interviews with 15 SME owners in Kenya. The findings suggest that social media technology appears to be particularly beneficial for supporting SMEs to position themselves better strategically. However, the adoption of such technologies in many cases has not been driven by a purposeful and thoughtful agenda, as external factors such as customers' and competitors' use of technology have influenced the initial adoption decision. Additionally, most of the SMEs are yet to fully exploit the capabilities of social media technology. The findings of this study not only advance an understanding of how the SMEs in developing countries are embracing social media technology but also offer an understanding of the strategies that SMEs can employ to enhance their social media experience for better strategic positioning.

Purpose While several studies have indicated the critical role played by the ability of countries to exploit knowledge as an economic resource, it would appear that there have been very few studies conducted on understanding the practices adopted by governments in relation to exploring knowledge, particularly in Africa. The purpose of this study is to investigate the prevailing knowledge management practices and technological solutions used by governments to support knowledge management. Design/methodology/approach To address the research objective of this study, semi-structured interviews and document analysis were used. The interviews were conducted with both senior and junior county officials from five counties in Kenya, with a total of 31 county officials participating. Further, various county documents were analysed both to seek convergence and corroborate the interview findings. Findings The study findings revealed that no systematic knowledge management practices existed in the county governments in Kenya, which were investigated. On the few occasions that the study did find evidence of knowledge management practices, these practices were isolated, informal, uncoordinated and rarely documented and/or communicated. Furthermore, the study found that there were inadequate policy frameworks in place to support knowledge management practices. The study also revealed a scarcity of relevant technological solutions tailored to support knowledge management practices. Research limitations/implications It was, thus, hoped that this research would promote an understanding of the prevailing local circumstances that hinder the effective utilisation of knowledge management practices and systems. The study recommends that county governments develop the capabilities required for creating and sustaining an enabling knowledge management environment through frameworks and policies that foster knowledge management practices and systems. The findings have practical implications for the way in which county governments in Kenya and other developing countries may improve their knowledge management practices and adopt appropriate technological solutions to support such practices. Originality/value Much of the existing literature on knowledge management is focussed on exploring such practices in large businesses. Studies centred specifically on the analysis of knowledge management practices in county governments in Africa, and how technological solutions may be used to build such practices are conspicuously lacking in the relevant literature.

Background: Over the years, there has been a growing interest in organisational research in the absorptive capacity (AC) construct, but only a few theoretical and empirical studies on this topic have been carried out over the last decade. However, a number of scholars and practitioners have continued to cite AC as a significant factor in determining the success or failure of organisations. With the dramatic changes in business environments, there has been a growing rise in the use of knowledge by organisations to help improve and maintain their competitiveness and consequently their survival. AC is a fundamental element that helps organisations to gain competitive advantage by producing commercial products or services through the transformation of knowledge.

Objective: The purpose of this article is thus to provide a review of the literature on this subject with the aim of finding out how both large and small enterprises stand to benefit from AC. We intend to affirm that, by successfully carrying out a learning process that is characterised by the exploration and exploitation of external knowledge and the organisation’s current knowledge base, organisations can realise competitive advantage irrespective of their size.

Method: In the literature search, three approaches were employed, namely academic databases, online search engines and a review of references of related studies which led to more relevant articles and works whose references were further reviewed and analysed. Content analysis was done on all collected articles for quality appraisal and synthesis, the results of which we present as discussions on various sections of this paper leading to answering of our study objective. Only peer-reviewed articles were used.

Results: Our findings reveal that, irrespective of the organisation’s size, it can benefit significantly from AC. The study further reveal that AC is a strong predictor of an organisation’s performance and hence a strategic asset for the organisation. Organisations with high AC are able to learn how to utilise new knowledge within their processes and come up with changes that improve their competitive advantage.

Conclusion: We submit that, because AC is a strong predictor of an organisation’s performance, it is imperative that the necessary measures are taken to improve the levels of AC for all firms, irrespective of their size.

Purpose The purpose of this study is to examine the state of research into knowledge management within local government in developing countries, to identify themes that have been studied and to identify important gaps in the literature that can inform a research agenda going forward. Design/methodology/approach A structured literature review method was used in this study. The authors reviewed academic literature published between 2009 and 2019. A total of 15 articles were identified and reviewed. Findings The findings reveal that, few authors have contributed to knowledge management within local government in developing countries and there is little international collaboration between authors. The authors found limited methodological and theoretical diversity and rigor in the reviewed work. The review identified themes that have been researched but evidenced a lack of guidelines and frameworks developed to promote knowledge management initiatives within local governments in developing countries. Overall, it was evident that this area was still little explored. As a result, there are many possibilities for future research. Originality/value This study provides a comprehensive systematic literature review of papers published on knowledge management in local governments in developing countries, identifying themes that have been studied and gaps for further research.

The use of Information Systems (IS) of acceptable quality has been viewed to be vital for improving the efficiency and effectiveness of business operations. Many SMEs in developing countries are beginning to embrace the use of IS to help improve their competitiveness. This venture, however, has not yielded the much anticipated benefits for many of these SMEs. For this reason, a number SMEs in developing countries have ended up dissatisfied with their IS investments. A considerable percentage IS solutions used within the SMEs in developing countries are inefficient and ineffective in helping meet the unique needs of the SMEs. This paper presents the results of an exploratory study into the quality of IS used within SMEs in Eldoret town, situated in Kenya. The study employs a qualitative research methodology with multiple case studies of seven SMEs. The results of the study indicate that the SMEs that participated in the study use IS solutions that were of unacceptable quality. The study further identifies factors that are responsible for this poor quality of IS and recommends actions that can be taken to improve the quality of IS within the SMEs.

No abstract

No abstract

No abstract