Executive Summary Since the existence of organization, organizational knowledge has been managed more informally than in formal ways. This was done through a knowledge supporting culture, by trusting and managing the employees. This was possible due to the small size of the organizations and co-location of employees. However, increasing global competition and growth of marketplaces have created a competitive incentive among many companies to consolidate and reconcile their knowledge assets as a means of creating value that is sustainable over time. In such a scenario, a need was felt to formally manage knowledge by developing capabilities. The objective of this research article is to explore the knowledge management (KM) capabilities in large Indian organizations and their impact on knowledge effectiveness. It is based on the premise that together the perspectives of KM infrastructure and KM processes provide a useful theoretical foundation for defining important aspects of knowledge effectiveness in organizations. Knowledge management capabilities are explored with respect to infrastructure, structure, and culture. Knowledge management processes comprise creation/acquisition, storage, dissemination, and application. This research has found evidence that large Indian organizations have started realizing the importance of managing knowledge as a strategic asset. However, the approach is different in different organizations. Some organizations rely more on creating knowledge infrastructure capabilities through culture and structure while others equally emphasize the need of process approach to manage both tacit and explicit knowledge within the organization. KM effectiveness is defined in terms of improved communication, enhanced collaboration, improved employee skills, better decision-making, and improved productivity. Data collected from 156 organizations was subject to structural equation modelling. The results established that both infrastructure capabilities and process capabilities play an important role in improving KM effectiveness.

Today's turbulent business environment poses a challenge of survival for all organizations. Flexibility to adapt to these changes is the key to success. Role of Information Technology innovations like Cloud Computing cannot be denied in achieving organizational flexibility. Introduction of cloud computing has changed the manner in which

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to explore the factors that drive the adoption of cloud-based services and further understand the impact of this adoption on the organizational flexibility. This study presents information technology executive’s perspective and discovers new constructs of organizational flexibility that can be achieved due to the adoption of cloud-based services, which is the main contribution of this paper. Design/methodology/approach – This study uses in-depth interview approach. Total 21 Indian cases were studied by interacting with respondents having similar profiles (i.e. CIOs, CTOs, technology heads, and systems managers). Based on the literature review a semi-structured questionnaire was prepared and administered through in-depth interviews. Findings – Analysis of data reveals that cloud-based services provide relative advantage in terms of scalability, accessibility, and on-demand deployment of services within no time. Easy to use interface, experience, and expertise of the cloud service provider as well as support from top management plays important role in the cloud adoption decision. Further the study also identifies that no matter which model of cloud-based services (software-as-a-service (SaaS), platform-as-a-service (PaaS), or infrastructure-as-a-service (IaaS)) is used; cloud-based services’ adoption impacts organizational flexibility, which can be divided into four categories, namely, economic flexibility, process flexibility, performance flexibility, and market flexibility. Research limitations/implications – This is an exploratory study conducted through in-depth interviews hence the results can further be verified through a quantitative research. The study does not explore negative factors that may discourage adoption of cloud-based services. Though two factors vendor lock-in and security emerged as a concern very prominently in the in-depth interviews but this issue can further be explored in detail. Originality/value – This study bridge the gap in the research by identifying the factors that drive the adoption of cloud-based services in different forms (SaaS, PaaS, and IaaS) as well exploring the impact of cloud adoption on the organizational flexibility in case of Indian organizations.

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to discuss business processes as building‐blocks of organisational capabilities and outsourcing of business processes as a viable management approach to building strategic organisational capabilities.Design/methodology/approachThe paper develops a conceptual framework based on “strategic partnering” to successfully implement “global sourcing” of organisational capabilities and validates this framework using multiple case studies research.FindingsThe paper identifies business process management, relationship management and the outsourcing value propositions as the key dimensions for business process outsourcing (BPO) success.Research limitations/implicationsThe paper is based on case studies of seven European clients and ten Indian service providers of BPO services. A larger survey of BPO clients and service providers may further strengthen the proposed framework and make the findings more conclusive.Practical implicationsThe proposed framework helps both the BPO client and the service provider organisations in understanding the critical role of relationship management in realising the intended BPO service outcomes. It also helps the BPO clients and the service providers to understand the risk and business value implications of BPO value proposition.Originality/valueThe paper addresses a dearth of literature on BPO service provision and establishes the need for dyadic study of BPO services from both the client and the service provider perspective simultaneously for understanding the dynamics of this emerging service sector.

In the past decade, business process outsourcing (BPO) has emerged as an important economic and business issue. Successful offshoring and outsourcing of business processes to low-cost destinations has made BPO a strategic decision. Inconsistencies at the client and service provider levels globally are requiring clients to build competencies in outsourcing management. Clients are further pushing service providers to build capabilities such as business process management and information technology management competencies. A research survey is carried out with European clients to identify the critical competencies of the service provider and clients for building a successful relationship. The survey indicates that the clients' focus is on BPO outcome delivery for building successful relationship and not so much on the service provider's competencies.

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to discuss business processes as building blocks of organizational capabilities and outsourcing of business processes as a viable management approach in building winning relationships.Design/methodology/approachThe paper develops a conceptual model to successfully implement “global sourcing” of organizational capabilities for the service provider and validates this framework using questionnaire survey methodology.FindingsThe paper identifies business process management and relationship management value propositions as the key dimensions for business process outsourcing (BPO) success. However, these value propositions fall short of building winning relationships.Research limitations/implicationsThe research is based on questionnaire survey of Indian BPO service providers. A survey of BPO clients may further strengthen the proposed framework and make the findings more conclusive.Practical implicationsThe proposed framework helps both the BPO client and the service‐provider organizations in understanding the critical role of relationship management in realizing the intended BPO service outcomes.Originality/valueThe paper establishes the importance of capability service provision by the service provider as value proposition.

Purpose -Pedagogy today has become a function of technology and this relationship becomes all the more promising when used to address the educational needs of the constantly changing and fast evolving business school education. Business schools today are responsible for empowering future managers and leaders with not only the knowledge and insights but also with the ability to sense and respond to the unanticipated changes of the turbulent business environment. The objective of this paper is to conceptualize an integrated pedagogical framework that combines "richness" of augmented reality, classroom teaching and academic research with "reach" of social networking to yield a paradigm of agile business school education. Design/methodology/approach -The authors propose a conceptual model that would help in building entrepreneurial agility through business school education when internal factors collectively optimize the richness of education content and external factors provide the reach necessary to create a field for socialization that helps in building knowledge. Findings -The authors' conceptual model consists of three sub-paradigms derived from the theories they discuss: richness (from theory of experiential learning), reach (from social network theory) and business school education agility (from contingency theory). These three dimensions together enable the authors to understand and propose a new model for business schools, which would have the objective of producing more graduates with entrepreneurial agility. Research limitations/implications -This research is just an attempt towards integration of emerging technologies to offer agile and experiential education. More research is needed to assess the effectiveness of various teaching and learning techniques. Multivariate analysis would be helpful in determining the multitude of effects on learning that can occur within a business school environment. Originality/value -Agile business school education is a new variation on business school pedagogy that combines traditional-style education with technology to provide education that is relevant today and will be relevant in dealing with unforeseen events in the future. Agile business school education will enable graduates to build and lead agile and successful organizations.

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