Knowledge management strategy: an organisational development approach

Abstract

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to formulate a knowledge management strategy model that aligns with the organisational growth stage and the characteristics of the business processes at every growth stage. The difference in characteristics at each growth stage has an impact on the characteristics of business processes, such as decision making and the period of process execution. Design/methodology/approach This research focussed on three fashion companies in Indonesia, and data were collected using a historical case-study method. Data collection was performed through in-depth interviews with the business owners, directors and managers, by direct observation, and through the collection of secondary data from the companies’ documents. Findings Through this research, a knowledge management strategy based on organisational growth stages was produced. It was found that when an organisation is at the entrepreneurial stage, the knowledge management strategy focussed on humans with tacit knowledge as well as explicit knowledge. At the growth stage, a transformation of tacit knowledge into explicit knowledge, especially at the individual level, is required, whereas at the expansion stage, the focus of the knowledge management strategy is on a system usage at the organisation level. Research limitations/implications Research using the case studies method has a limitation in the generalisation of the model. The knowledge management strategy generated in this study is unique to the fashion industry, where if the research were performed in other industries, there is a possibility for different results. Moreover, the characteristics of the business processes that are examined in this study are limited to the period of implementation and level of interaction. Other more detailed dimensions such as task variety and task analysability can be used to obtain more detailed characteristics of business processes. Practical implications Using the knowledge management strategies model formulated at every growth stage, the company owner can specify a knowledge management strategy that suits the organisation’s goal. Also, the results of this research can provide information on the priority for developing a knowledge management system aligned with the company’s growth. Originality/value The knowledge management strategy formulation from the organisational development point of view has not been investigated previously. In fact, the needs of the organisation, along with its growth, will change. Therefore, this research provides a new perspective which is more dynamic and can be integrated into formulating the knowledge management strategy.

Nexus of knowledge-oriented leadership, knowledge management, innovation and organizational performance in higher education

“…These institutions are mainly involved in knowledge-based business processes such as knowledge creation, development and dissemination through research, teaching and learning and knowledge transfer (Mahdi et al, 2019;Paoloni et al, 2019) and based on these processes they contribute to economic growth and societal development of a country through generation of new ideas (Ahmed et al, 2017;Fullwood and Rowley, 2017;Ramjeavon and Rowley, 2017). Additionally, HEIs can promote innovation and enhance their organizational development, efficacy and performance through effective knowledge management (KM) strategies (Ahmad et al, 2017;Andriani et al, 2019;Masa'deh et al, 2017). Therefore, based on Rowley's (2000) earlier emphasis on KM in HEIs, the educational sector has increasingly invited the attention of KM scholars and practitioners during the past few years.…”

The impact of quality management practices on knowledge management processes: a study of a social security corporation in Jordan

“…Leadership and management commitment; customer focus; people management; strategic planning; processes management; rewards and recognition; and employee involvement all acted as the independent variables. The KM processes were adopted from the following studies: Andriani et al (2019), Chang and Lin (2015), Zwain (2012), Hoe (2006), Bhatt et al (2005) and Al-Madi et al (2013) and represented the dependent variables. The model aimed to demonstrate how the dimensions and processes may fit together and impact on each other.…”

Linkages Between Knowledge Management Process and Corporate Sustainable Performance of Chinese Small and Medium Enterprises: Mediating Role of Frugal Innovation

“…External knowledge search is defined by Dost et al (2019) as the accessing and utilizing of external information as derived from proper sources. Innovations may be conducted by firms cooperating with external sources of knowledge to gain knowledge external to the organization ( Shibin et al, 2018 ; Andriani et al, 2019 ). Academic researchers noted that collaboration patterns depend on how open a firm is to its external environment, and that different types of interaction with their external environment can produce different patterns of collaboration ( Iqbal et al, 2021 ).…”