Knowledge Management in the Age of Cloud Computing and Web 2.0: Experiencing the Power of Disruptive Innovations
TL;DR: This paper explores the innovation phenomenon of cloud computing and Web 2.0 and specifically examines their impact on organizational knowledge and finds that some of these innovations are of a "disruptive" nature.
Abstract: Organizations, of all types, live in an increasingly dynamic world. Much of this dynamism is generated by developments or innovations in technology, especially information and communication technology (ICT). Some organizations take advantage of this dynamism and create new products and business models and thrive. Others ignore it or take a long time trying to adapt to it and struggle, often with negative consequences. Some of these innovations, to use the terminology of Christensen, are of a “disruptive” nature such as the telephone, the Web and recently cloud computing. This paper explores the innovation phenomenon of cloud computing and Web 2.0 and specifically examines their impact on organizational knowledge.
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TL;DR: In this paper, the authors propose a model to estimate the probabilite d'adoption of cloud computing (CC) in general and the probability of CC adoption in particular.
Abstract: Cet article a pour objectif de developper un cadre theorique qui explique la decision d’adoption de l’information en nuage (Cloud Computing (CC)) dans les pays emergents. Il met l’accent sur le role specifique de la capacite d’absorption technologique surtout lorsque la decision d’adoption a pour objectif de stimuler l’innovation. Pour se faire, nous adoptons une conception de la capacite d’absorption identique a celle developper par Todorova et Durisin (2007) qui proposent un cadre reliant les contributions de Cohen et Levinthal (1989) et Zahra et George (2002). Pour tester notre modele theorique, nous estimons deux modeles econometriques relatifs a la probabilite d’adoption du CC en general et a la probabilite d’adoption du CC pour innover. Nos donnees proviennent d’un questionnaire administre en mode face-a-face sur un echantillon aleatoire de 350 entreprises tunisiennes. Nos resultats empiriques confirment nos affirmations theoriques et montrent que la perception de la technologie est un facteur cle d’adoption du CC (en general), et que la capacite d’absorption est fondamentale pour l’adoption du CC pour une finalite d’innovation. Nous montrons egalement que la pression concurrentielle est un facteur explicatif important.
8 citations
Cites background or methods from "Knowledge Management in the Age of ..."
...The absorptive capacity considered in this work is close to the work of Todorova and Durisin (2007) who proposed a framework linking both the contributions of Cohen and Levinthal (1989) and Zahra and Georges (2002)....
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...Cloud Computing (CC) is a novel paradigm in computing and could be seen as a disruptive technology1 leading to paradigmatic changes both inside and outside the firm (Sultan, 2013)....
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...Cloud Computing (CC) is a novel paradigm in computing and could be seen as a disruptive technology 1 leading to paradigmatic changes both inside and outside the firm (Sultan, 2013)....
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TL;DR: The findings indicate that the Secondary Schools are not deriving the efficiency returns of the computers they have acquired due to the absence of a deliberate and effective strategy for knowledge management, and capacity building in knowledge management and improvement of Internet speed should be given priority attention by educational authorities.
Abstract: Given its capabilities to widen access, improve the quality and reduce the cost of developing, accessing and maintaining information, Information and Communication Technology (ICT) offers increased possibilities for managing knowledge. This paper thus investigates the level of utilization of ICT in the knowledge management processes in the Ghanaian educational system. Being a descriptive study, a randomly selected sample of second cycle educational institutions was surveyed through questionnaire. Using descriptive data analysis, the study found a low level of Information and Communication Technologies usage in knowledge management processes in the second cycle educational system. Knowledge management practices were found to be inefficient due to, among other things, absence of strategic policies and nonutilization of ICT. The findings indicate that the Secondary Schools are not deriving the efficiency returns of the computers they have acquired due to the absence of a deliberate and effective strategy for knowledge management. Also students, teachers and administrators in the second cycle schools are not benefitting from the information revolution for knowledge management. It was recommended that capacity building in knowledge management and improvement of Internet speed should be given priority attention by educational authorities.
7 citations
Proceedings Article•
09 Jun 2014
TL;DR: Four initial use situations in which in-memory apps contribute to greater MSS acceptance are proposed, which include accelerating MSS response time for both ad-hoc analysis and drill-down/drill-through analysis.
Abstract: Management support systems (MSS) help managers to perform their jobs more efficiently. With in-memory technology, a new IT enabler promises to support managers by benefits ranging from reducing time for MSS data entry and analysis to completing even new topics of analysis. Hence, the present situation is favorable for an MSS redesign applying in-memory apps. Such apps are fieldtested and ready-to-use, but from a business perspective they lack “impact.” Based on findings from a literature review and results from a workshop with an expert focus group validated with one-on-one manager interviews, we propose four initial use situations in which in-memory apps contribute to greater MSS acceptance: (1) In-memory apps should accelerate the MSS response time for both check status and receive an alert. In doing so, they should focus on information from management accounting. (2) By delivering information more timely, in-memory apps should contribute to MSS standard reports and financial closing. (3) In-memory apps should accelerate MSS response time for both ad-hoc analysis and drill-down/drill-through analysis. (4) Leveraging in-memory apps, MSS ad-hoc analysis and drill down/drill-through analysis should become more flexible.
7 citations
Cites background from "Knowledge Management in the Age of ..."
...Due to the 2008/2009 economic crisis and the ongoing financial turbulences in Europe, companies operate in an increasingly dynamic environment (Sultan, 2012)....
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Dissertation•
08 Dec 2017
TL;DR: This work reveals that CSN technology can be a supporting tool for strategic scanning process in some contexts, and proposes recommendations that might help organizations to adopt CSNtechnology as a supporting tools for strategic scan process.
Abstract: To preserve its stability and ensure a strong market position, an organization should be able to anticipate upcoming changes. The concept of scanning the environment for valuable information and indicative signals that allow an organization to predict a potential future event is termed “strategic scanning”.Strategic scanning is still considered a hard task to put in place. One of the reasons to explain this difficulty is the absence of a supporting tool which is also identified as a factor that can lead to the failure of the implementation and sustainability of strategic scanning.The development of social networks sites (SNS) proved to be extremely popular in the personal sphere, and started raising interest in the scientific community as well as in organizations.Growing awareness of the added value of SNS in organizations lead to the creation of numerous corporate social networks (CSN) technology that has transformed the way employees work and interact.On one hand, strategic scanning still lacks an “information management supporting tool”. On the other hand, CSN technology are widely spread ways to communicate, collaborate and share information. This makes CSN technology a potential candidate to support strategic scanning.The aim of our study is to investigate the adoption of CSN technology as a supporting IS for strategic process. To do so we ask 3 sub-questions:1-what is the fit between CSN technology and strategic scanning process?To answer this, we construct a theoretical framework by addressing the functionalities required to support a strategic scanning process, and addressing the functionalities offered by CSN technology.Our results show the existence of both a potential fit and misfit between CSN functionalities and strategic scanning process.Based on this observation, we attempt to study the reasons behind the adoption of CSN technology to support strategic scanning process.Hence, we address the determinants of CSN technology adoption in two different contexts of use -which is the aim of the two following sub-question.2-what are the determinants of CSN technology adoption (independently of its managerial context of use)?Adoption is the process of developing, implementing and having the will to make full use of the technology.Despite numerous studies attempting to understand technology adoption, existing theories and most of the models lack a holistic view and reflect a fragmented image.Thus, to answer the second sub-question, we draw a theoretical framework that consists of determinants of technology adoption and determinants of SNS and CSN technology adoption identified in the literature.Based on this theoretical framework, we identify 15 determinants that might influence the adoption of CSN technology independently of its managerial context of use.3-what are the determinants of CSN technology adoption to support strategic scanning process?To answer this, we split the list of 15 determinants previously identified into 2 groups: 1) determinants of CSN technology adoption to support strategic scanning process and 2) determinants of CSN technology adoption to support other business processes.Comparing these 2 groups allow us to identify determinants of CSN adoption to support strategic scanning process that do not emerge when addressing the adoption of CSN to support other business processes.We identified 15 determinants that might influence the adoption of CSN technology to support strategic scanning process. Importantly, among these determinants, only 5 determinants are reported in the case of CSN technology adoption to support strategic scanning process.Based on all the above, our work reveals that CSN technology can be a supporting tool for strategic scanning process in some contexts. Further, our study allows us to propose recommendations that might help organizations to adopt CSN technology as a supporting tool for strategic scanning process.
7 citations
01 Jan 2016
TL;DR: In this article, the impact of information technology infrastructure on knowledge ambidexterity and innovation performance was examined, and the potential amplifier role of social media capability on this equation was found.
Abstract: This study examines the impact of information technology (IT) infrastructure on knowledge ambidexterity
and innovation performance, and the potential amplifier role of social media capability on this equation.
The proposed theory is tested using the structural equation modeling technique and the partial least
squares method of estimation employing a secondary dataset on a sample composed of the 100 small U.S.
firms included in the 2013 Forbes America’s Best Small Companies ranking. The empirical analysis
suggests that IT infrastructure enables the firm to explore new knowledge and exploit existing/new
knowledge to innovate more and better. We also find that social media capability has an amplifier role on
this equation as follows: (1) IT infrastructure and social media capabilities dance together to enable
knowledge ambidexterity, and (2) knowledge ambidexterity and social media capabilities also dance
together to pursue innovation-based competitiveness.
7 citations
References
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Book•
01 Jan 2003
TL;DR: The Innovator's Solution as discussed by the authors is a must-read for all senior managers and business leaders responsible for innovation and growth, as well as members of their teams, and is a necessary addition to any innovation library.
Abstract: An innovation classic. From Steve Jobs to Jeff Bezos, Clay Christensen's work continues to underpin today's most innovative leaders and organizations. A seminal work on disruption--for everyone confronting the growth paradox. For readers of the bestselling The Innovator's Dilemma--and beyond--this definitive work will help anyone trying to transform their business right now. In The Innovator's Solution, Clayton Christensen and Michael Raynor expand on the idea of disruption, explaining how companies can and should become disruptors themselves. This classic work shows just how timely and relevant these ideas continue to be in today's hyper-accelerated business environment. Christensen and Raynor give advice on the business decisions crucial to achieving truly disruptive growth and propose guidelines for developing your own disruptive growth engine. The authors identify the forces that cause managers to make bad decisions as they package and shape new ideas--and offer new frameworks to help create the right conditions, at the right time, for a disruption to succeed. This is a must-read for all senior managers and business leaders responsible for innovation and growth, as well as members of their teams. Based on in-depth research and theories tested in hundreds of companies across many industries, The Innovator's Solution is a necessary addition to any innovation library--and an essential read for entrepreneurs and business builders worldwide.
2,204 citations
Book•
19 Nov 2013
TL;DR: The Innovators Dilemma by Clayton M. Christensen as discussed by the authors is one of the most influential business books of all time and has been cited by the worlds best-known thought leaders, from Steve Jobs to Malcolm Gladwell.
Abstract: A Wall Street Journal and Businessweek bestseller. Named by Fast Company as one of the most influential leadership books in its Leadership Hall of Fame. An innovation classic. From Steve Jobs to Jeff Bezos, Clay Christensens work continues to underpin todays most innovative leaders and organizations. The bestselling classic on disruptive innovation, by renowned author Clayton M. Christensen. His work is cited by the worlds best-known thought leaders, from Steve Jobs to Malcolm Gladwell. In this classic bestsellerone of the most influential business books of all timeinnovation expert Clayton Christensen shows how even the most outstanding companies can do everything rightyet still lose market leadership. Christensen explains why most companies miss out on new waves of innovation. No matter the industry, he says, a successful company with established products will get pushed aside unless managers know how and when to abandon traditional business practices. Offering both successes and failures from leading companies as a guide, The Innovators Dilemma gives you a set of rules for capitalizing on the phenomenon of disruptive innovation. Sharp, cogent, and provocativeand consistently noted as one of the most valuable business ideas of all time The Innovators Dilemma is the book no manager, leader, or entrepreneur should be without.
1,844 citations
TL;DR: In this paper, the call came in late on Thursday afternoon and right away I wished I hadn’t answered the phone. We had received a last-second opportunity to bid on a sizable piece of work that the Partner on the other end of the line really wanted to pursue.
921 citations
"Knowledge Management in the Age of ..." refers background in this paper
...In a study involving 40 managers, Cross et al. (2001) asked those professionals to reflect on a recent project that was important to their careers and to indicate where they obtained information critical to the project’s success....
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01 Jan 2000
TL;DR: In this article, the authors report on a cross-industry research program assessing ways to promote knowledge creation and transfer in networks of employees and find that people are often more reliant on other people thanthey are on databases when seeking answers to unstructured questions.
Abstract: Many early knowledge management initiatives focused heavily on informationtechnology and codified knowledge and so missed performance improvementopportunities from interventions targeting knowledge embedded within networks ofemployees. Despite advanced technical solutions employed to manage organizationalknowledge, we continue to find that people are often more reliant on other people thanthey are on databases when seeking answers to unstructured questions. As a result,organizations creating more cohesive networks on knowledge related dimensions arebetter able to collectively solve problems, create new knowledge and transfer explicit andtacit knowledge embodied within employees. The following article reports on a cross-industry research program assessing ways to promote knowledge creation and transfer innetworks of employees. Specifically, we have found four characteristics of relationshipsimportant for knowledge creation in networks: 1) knowing what others know; 2) havingaccess to other people’s thinking; 3) having people be willing to actively engage inproblem solving; and 4) having a safe relationship to promote learning and creativity.Mapping these dimensions in social networks yields targeted social and technicalinterventions managers can employ to improve a network’s ability to create and shareknowledge.
918 citations
TL;DR: Even though the technology faces several significant challenges, many vendors and industry observers predict a bright future for cloud computing as mentioned in this paper, and many experts predict a promising future for the cloud computing.
Abstract: Even though the technology faces several significant challenges, many vendors and industry observers predict a bright future for cloud computing.
626 citations