Knowledge sourcing and knowledge reuse in the virtual product prototyping: an exploratory study in a large automotive supplier of R&D

Abstract

The capacity of organizations to share knowledge is seen as a source of competitive advantage in many industries. Knowledge sourcing and knowledge reuse have been indicated as important enablers of organizational efficiency and innovation performance. Although firms may own valuable knowledge, the presence of barriers to knowledge sourcing and reuse may hinder the exploitation of such knowledge. The present study explores the barriers to knowledge sourcing and reuse from electronic repository and their implications within the virtual product prototyping stage of new products development. The study is based on 24 interviews with research and development (R&D) employees of a large supplier of R&D in the automotive sector. Results demonstrate that the poor operational quality of a repository hinders knowledge sourcing; thereby, people prefer sourcing knowledge from other colleagues rather than from the repository. Moreover, the inefficiencies in knowledge sourcing from a repository, the poor quality of the codified knowledge and its complexity affect the reuse of existing knowledge. This study reveals that knowledge sourcing and knowledge reuse can affect the time performance in the virtual product prototype development process.

Antecedents of Knowledge Sourcing and Reuse from a Knowledge Repository in the Virtual Product Prototyping: The Role of Knowledge and System Quality Dimensions

“…The reuse of existing design knowledge is the key to realise rapid product design (Lu et al ., ). However, apart from a recent qualitative study on the design of a virtual vehicle prototype through the DMU (Filieri and Alguezaui, ), no research has investigated the antecedents of knowledge sourcing (KS) and knowledge reuse (KR) within the virtual product prototype development (VPPD) in the automotive sector. For instance, it is valuable and current to investigate the determinants of knowledge sourcing and reuse from a repository within the product prototyping process.…”

Knowledge management and leadership: the carbon emissions scandal in the automobile industry

“…product performance (Laksman and al, 2008), operations management (Taylor and Taylor, 2008), transfer of knowledge (Gentile-Lüdecke. and Giroud, 2012) balance scorecards (Hassan, 2012), strategy (Moore, 2012), action learning (Strategic Direction, 2013), knowledge sourcing and reuse (Filieri, and Alguezaui, 2015), critical success factors (Karami and al, 2015), innovation and knowledge policy (Macneil and Hughes, 2016), and green innovation (Leal Milan and al, 2016),…”

“…The analysis related to countries so different as Brazil (Laksman and al, 2008), Germany (Moore, 2012), India ( (Rajadhyaksha, 2005, Pillania, 2008), Iran (Hassan and al, 2012, Karami and al, 2015, Italy (Filieri, and Alguezaui, 2015), Japan (Aoshima, 2002), Taylor and Taylor, 2008), Poland (Gentile-Lüdecke. and Giroud, 2012), Spain (Strategic Direction, 2013, Leal Milan and, and the UK (Moore, 2012, Macneil andHughes, 2016).…”

“…and Giroud, 2012, Filieri, and Alguezaui, 2015, Strategic Direction, 2013, Macneil and Hughes, 2016, and Leal Milan and al, 2016. All those analysis were centred in success -how to achieve it and how to replicate it.…”

“…and Giroud, 2012, Filieri, and Alguezaui, 2015, Strategic Direction, 2013, Macneil and Hughes, 2016, and Leal Milan and al, 2016, and also from a more strategic point of view in the Intellectual Capital field (Aoshima, 2002, Rajadhyaksha, 2005, Laksman and al, 2008, Taylor and Taylor, 2008, Hassan, 2012, Moore, 2012, or Karami and al, 2015.…”