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: The results indicate that the perceived usefulness is significantly associated with the expectations for knowledge creation and discovery, storage, and sharing, and that educational institutions may promote adoption of cloud computing in education by increasing the awareness of knowledge management practices.
170 citations
TL;DR: An exploration of the empowering and democratizing credentials of cloud computing will be attempted and an exploration of its potential to change many aspects of organizations’ operations, thinking, culture, work and their ability to control global warming is attempted.
56 citations
Cites background from "Knowledge Management in the Age of ..."
...Issues relating to security, utages (i.e., temporary loss of service) and interoperability (i.e., ortability or ability to change one’s supplier) and are the most ignificant (Sultan, 2013)....
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TL;DR: In this article, the authors analyze the relationship between knowledge management and innovation in SMEs in the region of Murcia, Spain and find that knowledge management can help SMEs to professionally develop employees, improve innovation processes, grow sales, satisfy customers and thus achieve organizational success.
Abstract: Introduction The era of knowledge plays an essential role in the economic growth and development of all enterprises (Foray, 2004; Mosconi & Roy, 2013). With the arrival of globalization, knowledge has become an intangible resource generator of permanent competitive advantage (Ikujiro & Hiroshi, 2013; Tunc Bozbura, 2007) and contributes to the generation of intellectual capital and to the economic activities of organizations (Kristandl & Bontis, 2007). In these times of constant motion, small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) require the extraction of knowledge from both domestic sources and foreign sources to achieve greater participation in the markets, foster innovation, and improve performance (Gold, Malhotra, & Segars, 2001; Morgan & Berthon, 2008). Knowledge management (KM) is a comprehensive approach that includes capture, receipt, and transfer of information in a company that considers the policies, procedures, knowledge, and experience of employees (Duhon, 1998). In addition, technology systems influence the behavior of employees and strengthen a culture based on the use and transfer of information (Davenport, 1994). KM is a business practice that integrates essential strategies, policies, techniques, and procedures (Davenport, 2013; Lavergne & Earl, 2006). The alignment of corporate strategy with KM is vital for adding value and achieving results (Chuang, 2004; M. H. Zack & Singh, 2010). KM influences business systems by increasing profitability, creating a harmonious atmosphere among employees, and ensuring businesses' sustainability and competitiveness (Darvish, Mohammadi, & Afsharpour, 2012; Darvish & Nazari, 2013). However, KM is not sufficiently widespread in SMEs, mainly due to the lack of strategic planning, lack of financial resources, distaste to change cultural, uncertainty regarding benefits, and technological immaturity, which are typical in these organizations (Edvardsson & Durst, 2013; Yew Wong, 2005). A reasonable number of empirical studies have analyzed the impact of KM and innovation in SMEs (Constantinescu, 2009; C. Yu, Yu-Fang, & Yu-Cheh, 2013). However, the relationship between innovation and performance is still a wide field for exploration (Price, Stoica, & Boncella, 2013; Vaccaro, Parente, & Veloso, 2010). Works on KM have placed minimal emphasis on the benefits generated in SMEs; the majority of research focuses on large organizations (Darroch, 2005; Roxas, Battisti, & Deakins, 2014). In addition, minimal understanding of how companies create, transfer, and use knowledge has led to difficulty in transforming knowledge into a competitive advantage (C. Lin, Wu, & Yen, 2012; Perrin, Vidal, & McGill, 2006). The difficulty of measuring KM in SMEs provides a reasonable explanation for the scarcity of empirical studies in this developing discipline (Becerra-Fernandez & Sabherwal, 2014; Choi, Poon, & Davis, 2008). By the great influence of the KM in the progress and development of SMEs, it is important to develop this type of study more regularly (Imran, 2014; Vaccaro et al., 2010). The objective of this work is to empirically analyze the relationships between KM, innovation, and performance in SMEs in the region of Murcia, Spain. In the current competitive global environment, it is important to analyze the key factors that affect the development and growth of these companies. The research questions that we attempt to answer are as follows: 1. Does knowledge management influence innovation activities in SMEs? 2. Does business innovation exert any influence on SME performance? Literature reveals that KM can help SMEs to professionally develop employees, improve innovation processes, grow sales, satisfy customers and thus achieve organizational success (Edvardsson & Durst, 2013; Lopez-Nicolas & Merono-Cerdan, 2011; Madrid-Guijarro, Garcia, & Van Auken, 2009). …
55 citations
Cites background from "Knowledge Management in the Age of ..."
...The theory of resources and capabilities in relation to the use of ICT improves the acquisition of knowledge and allows for the minimization of costs in training and information gathering (Dalkir, 2013; Hill, Jones, & Schilling, 2014; Sultan, 2013)....
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05 May 2016
TL;DR: The usage of digital channels by UK small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) is investigated and the impact caused on their strategic marketing position is assessed and a novel insight into strategic literature for SMEs is opened up.
Abstract: This article investigates the usage of digital channels by UK small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) and assesses the impact caused on their strategic marketing position. The research is based on statistical analysis of 66 surveyed SMEs in the context of the digital era. Despite indications from the relevant literature about the reluctance of SMEs to adopt advances in technological communication, the research reported indicates a high level of usage of digital channels, especially social media (SM). The web 2.0 technologies that facilitate the new digital channels are standardised, interactive, ubiquitous and cheap. These features change the way how companies communicate and shift fundamental marketing and business concepts. Due to this shift, the SMEs’ barriers for technology adoption, including lack of financial resources, knowledge and skills, are diminishing. The latter, supported also by the research findings, increases the impact of SMEs bringing them closer to the large corporations in ...
48 citations
TL;DR: In this article, the authors provide useful methodological insights into implementation of new service business models and the effect of servitization is industry specific and hence insights from a wide range of industries are included.
Abstract: Servitization is the move towards selling traditional product to selling a wide range of product-service bundle combinations. This movement contributes to firm sustainability and profitability and hence the competitiveness of nations.
Key points:
1. Servitization directly effects firm performance and territorial competitiveness. The special issue includes articles at both levels of analysis.
2. The effect of servitization is industry specific and hence insights from a wide range of industries are included here; among them engine production, construction, the music industry and cloud computing
3. The reduction of cost and the maximization of revenues are the main drivers of servitization. Contributions provide useful methodological insights into implementation of new service business models.
39 citations
Cites background from "Knowledge Management in the Age of ..."
...potential vendor lock-in, and ongoing security, privacy and reliability issues (Sultan, 2013)....
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TL;DR: In this paper, the authors use theory to analyze signals of change where are the opportunities, and how to size up competitors, and firm choices: identifying what choices matter and why.
Abstract: Section I: How to Use Theory to Analyze 1) Signals of Change Where are the Opportunities? 2) Competitive Battles: How to Size Up Competitors 3) Firm Choices: Identifying What Choices Matter 4) Non-Market Factors Influence Innovation Section II: Theory-Based Analysis 5) Disruptive Diplomas - The Future of Education 6) Disruption Spreads Its Wings - The Future of Aviation 7) Whither Moore's Law? - The Future of Semiconductors 8) Healing the 800-Pound Gorilla - The Future of Health Care 9) Innovation Overseas - Using Theory to Assess Corporate and Country Strategies 10) Breaking the Wire - The Future of Telecommunications Conclusion: What's Next Appendix Glossary Index About the Authors
620 citations
TL;DR: The author distinguishes between clouds that provide on-demand computing instances and those that provide in-service computing capacity, which are two different types of clouds.
Abstract: To understand clouds and cloud computing, we must first understand the two different types of clouds. The author distinguishes between clouds that provide on-demand computing instances and those that provide on-demand computing capacity. Cloud computing doesn't yet have a standard definition, but a good working description of it is to say that clouds, or clusters of distributed computers, provide on-demand resources and services over a network, usually the Internet, with the scale and reliability of a data center.
592 citations
"Knowledge Management in the Age of ..." refers background in this paper
...exist (Grossman, 2009; Voas & Zhang, 2009)....
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...Moreover, there are also efforts by some organizations such as the Cloud Computing Interoperability Forum intended to address this issue (Grossman, 2009)....
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TL;DR: A comprehensive review of theory, research, and practices on knowledge management develops a framework that contrasts existing technology‐push models with proposed strategy‐pull models and explains how the “critical gaps” between technology inputs, related knowledge processes, and business performance outcomes can be bridged for the two types of models.
Abstract: – To provide executives and scholars with pragmatic understanding about integrating knowledge management strategy and technologies in business processes for successful performance, – A comprehensive review of theory, research, and practices on knowledge management develops a framework that contrasts existing technology‐push models with proposed strategy‐pull models The framework explains how the “critical gaps” between technology inputs, related knowledge processes, and business performance outcomes can be bridged for the two types of models Illustrative case studies of real‐time enterprise (RTE) business model designs for both successful and unsuccessful companies are used to provide real world understanding of the proposed framework, – Suggests superiority of strategy‐pull models made feasible by new “plug‐and‐play” information and communication technologies over the traditional technology‐push models Critical importance of strategic execution in guiding the design of enterprise knowledge processes as well as selection and implementation of related technologies is explained, – Given the limited number of cases, the framework is based on real world evidence about companies most popularized for real time technologies by some technology analysts This limited sample helps understand the caveats in analysts' advice by highlighting the critical importance of strategic execution over selection of specific technologies However, the framework needs to be tested with multiple enterprises to determine the contingencies that may be relevant to its application, – The first comprehensive analysis relating knowledge management and its integration into enterprise business processes for achieving agility and adaptability often associated with the “real time enterprise” business models It constitutes critical knowledge for organizations that must depend on information and communication technologies for increasing strategic agility and adaptability
384 citations
TL;DR: Viewing SME knowledge management practices as scaled down versions of the practices found in larger organizations is incorrect, and SMEs have understandable resource constraints, and hence have to...
Abstract: Managing knowledge is a critical capability for small to medium‐sized enterprises (SMEs) to master because it helps them leverage their most critical resource. Organizational knowledge is the most salient resource at the disposal of SMEs in terms of availability, access, and depth. Successful SMEs are those who can leverage their knowledge in an effective and efficient manner, so as to make up for deficiencies in traditional resources, like land, labor, and capital.
379 citations
TL;DR: It is argued in this article that cloud computing is likely to prove commercially viable for many small and medium enterprises (SMEs) due to its flexibility and pay-as-you-go cost structure, particularly in the current climate of economic difficulties.
374 citations
"Knowledge Management in the Age of ..." refers background in this paper
...SMEs are likely to be among the main beneficiaries of this computing service due to their limited resources which constrain their ability to make large ICT investments (Sultan, 2010a, 2010b, 2010c, 2010d; Sultan, 2011)....
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