A Proposed Framework for Designing Sustainable Communities for Knowledge Management Systems

Discussions at previous HICSS conferences have shown that there is no general agreement on definitions of knowledge management (KM) and knowledge management systems (KMS) success. A deep understanding of these concepts would help to design and implement efficient KM initiatives and systems. We present an exploratory research study to begin and facilitate a debate that will hopefully lead to a consensus definition of KM and KMS success. We chose an expert panel approach followed by two exploratory surveys to approach the KM and KMS success definition. The research shows only a few points of consensus. We present areas of agreement as well as of disagreement, which serve as a good starting point for further discussions on KM and KMS success

This study investigates the factors affecting the perceived usefulness of and the intention to use knowledge management (KM) systems by students. The research model posits that the intention to use KM systems in higher education depends on perceived usefulness, perceived user-friendliness, organizational rewards, and community of practice. A survey method was used to collect the data for the study. We used a convenience sample consisting of undergraduate students enrolled in various business courses in a Canadian University. The data obtained from a sample of 120 students were initially factor analyzed to identify the relevant factors. Separate factor analysis was conducted for each of three types of measures – the independent measures, the intermediate measures, and the dependent measure. In order to test the proposed hypotheses, we employed the method of multiple regression analysis. The findings suggest that organizational rewards and KM system characteristics positively impact perceived usefulness, and that user-friendliness, usefulness, organizational rewards, and community of practice are significant predictors of intention to use KM system. This analysis reveals that business schools need to focus on usefulness and practical relevance of knowledge captured in knowledge management systems. This is in line with the current debate in management education regarding the appropriateness of methods employed to teach business knowledge. Organizational rewards being a significant predictor of intention to use KM systems corroborate the expectancy theory. Therefore, it is important for business schools to communicate on the usefulness of their KM systems but also to encourage its usage through different incentives.

ABSTRACTWe empirically analyze the effects of a company’s community of practice and knowledge management system on knowledge management activities and management performance. We gather data by administering surveys to large- and mid-sized companies in Seoul, Gyeonggi, and other regions of Korea. The company samples collected are statistically analyzed using methods: hierarchical analysis and structural equation modeling. First, the community of practice has a positive effect on the knowledge management system. Second, both community of practice and knowledge management system positively affect knowledge management activities, of which the latter has a greater effect. Third, both factors also positively impact innovation performance, of which community of practice has a greater effect. The knowledge management system is not statistically significant in the structural equation model. Fourth, knowledge management activities positively affect innovation performance. The findings highlight the importance of refining and developing knowledge-based processes to lead an entire organization to higher innovation performance.

The success of Knowledge Management Systems (KMS) is ensured by the alignment of the technological infrastructure with other architectural elements of the organisation such as organisational forms, Knowledge Management (KM) process, human resource and reward systems. Despite the importance of the architectural alignment and KM, businesses tend to view KM as an information system project and focus on the implementation of KMS. The purpose of this research is to identify the architectural features of KM success organisations. The results of this research help managers to understand the architectural characteristics necessary to ensure KM success.

지식관리시스템(KMS)이 조직 내에서 확산되게 됨에 따라 효과적 활용방안에 대한 관심도 증가하고 있다. 본 연구에서는 연구조직을 대상으로 시스템 지식 품질, 조직지원, 개인특성이 KMS의 성공에 미치는 영향에 대한 실증적 연구를 시행하였다. 실증연구의 결과는 시스템 사용, 사용자 만족, 유용성 지각 등으로 측정된 KMS의 성공에 가장 큰 영향을 미치는 변수로는 KMS의 시스템 품질(system quality)인 것으로 밝혀졌다. 즉 시스템의 사용자들이 유용성을 인식하고 만족스럽게 사용하기 위해서는 시스템이 사용자들에게 편리하게 활용할 수 있도록 잘 설계되는 것이 매우 중요한 요인이다. 또한 KMS성공요인들 중에는 사용자 만족과 유용성 지각이 시스템 사용의 선행요인이라는 것도 밝혀지고 있다. 끝으로 사용자의 개인적 요인인 조직기반 자기존중감이 독립변수인 영향요인과 종속변수인 KMS의 성공 간에 조절역할을 하는 것도 구명되고 있다. 이 연구는 연구조직에서는 지식관리시스템의 활용빈도를 높이기 위해서는 시스템의 사용이 연구자 친화적으로 설계, 운용되는 것이 매우 중요한 요인이라는 시사점을 주고 있다. This research aims at investigating the factors determining the success of knowledge management system(KMS) in research organizations. Based on the literature survey and the general framework of IS success model, a new comprehensive model which is customized to the context of KMS is proposed. Some organizational support factors and an individual personality variable that moderates the relationship between predictors and the success factors are also integrated to the new model. A proposed model was tested by the technique of structural equation modeling using survey data from the employees in research organization. The results revealed that KMS quality had the strongest impact on the KMS success measured by perceived usefulness and user satisfaction and KMS use. The moderating effect of an individual personality factor, organization-based self esteem is also founded in the research.

Taking our own medicine: Applying librarian expertise to improve organizational health through knowledge management

Information in organizations needs to be managed to gain a competitive advantage in competitions. E-commerce, one of the most prominent industries in Indonesia, has dynamic market conditions that frequently change requirements and recent layoffs, which can harm the companies if not correctly managed. Knowledge and information usually stored in a knowledge management system (KMS) are essential to negate this, and Agile software development methodologies can manage frequent requirement changes. However, a study about KMS's success in Agile teams, primarily e-commerce, needs to be conducted to know if KMS can help companies sustain their business in Indonesia. This research analyses the KMS success in Indonesia's e-commerce companies that use Agile as their software development methodologies. This study used a quantitative approach with 31 respondents who worked or previously worked in an e-commerce company in Indonesia, using Agile as software development methodologies and experienced using KMS daily. Data was processed and analyzed using the Partial Least Square-Structural Equation Modeling (PLS-SEM) and SmartPLS tools. The results of this study indicate that KMS net benefits in Agile teams in E-commerce in Indonesia are influenced by the user's intentions to use and user satisfaction when using the KMS.

Many mobile knowledge management (KM) systems have been described in the literature having unique and interesting features, each being inserted into a specific application domain. This fragmentation in the application domain makes it difficult to compare and define a set of core features of mobile KM systems. Analysing and comparing features and strategies of several systems from different application domains makes it possible to identify the core features that form a mobile KM system. Consequently, we may use these core features to define the evaluation and comparison framework of mobile KM systems, regardless of its application domain. The purpose of this work is to define these core features and discuss their importance, through the analysis of six mobile KM systems, highlighting the positive and the negative aspects of the KM processes. The contributions of this work are the framework and the list of core features of mobile KM systems.

Many mobile knowledge management (KM) systems have been described in the literature having unique and interesting features, each being inserted into a specific application domain. This fragmentation in the application domain makes it difficult to compare and define a set of core features of mobile KM systems. Analysing and comparing features and strategies of several systems from different application domains makes it possible to identify the core features that form a mobile KM system. Consequently, we may use these core features to define the evaluation and comparison framework of mobile KM systems, regardless of its application domain. The purpose of this work is to define these core features and discuss their importance, through the analysis of six mobile KM systems, highlighting the positive and the negative aspects of the KM processes. The contributions of this work are the framework and the list of core features of mobile KM systems.

The purpose of this study is to examine the effect of the knowledge management (KM) system on the hospital services performance. The hospital located in DKI Jakarta (Indonesia) that has implemented the KM system as a pilot project is the population of this research. Where the respondents are medical personnel at the hospital. This study analyzes the correlation between the use of KM systems and the performance of hospital services, using independent-samples T-tests and ANOVA tests from SPSS and R Commander programs to prove the hypothesis of the two variables, namely the use of KM systems (capabilities) and hospital services performance. The results of this research have succeeded in proving that there are significant differences between medical personnel who rarely use the KM system and who often use it, with those who often have a greater level of service performance. Thus, it can be concluded that the KM system used by hospital has a positive effect seen in the performance of medical personnel.

Though it had earlier antecedents, the concept of Knowledge Management (KM), as we now know it, evolved as a concept in the late 1980s. The term originated in the consulting community. It arose from the merger of two factors: the recognition of the importance to an organisation of its information and knowledge assets, and from the emergence of the Internet and the almost immediate recognition of the utility of the Internet as an information and knowledge sharing tool, particularly for geographically dispersed organisations. KM has gone through four stages:(1) An emphasis upon the new technology and upon the development of "best practices" or "lessons learned".(2) An increased recognition of human and cultural factors, and upon the development of "communities of practice" to facilitate the sharing of information.(3) An increased recognition of the importance of designing the systems for retrievability, and the importance of data design and structure, including taxonomy development and utilisation.(4) An emphasis upon extending KM systems beyond the parent organisation to include, for example, vendors and suppliers, customers, users, alumni, etc.KM has exhibited remarkable staying power and growth in a fashion that is dramatically different from all other business enthusiasms of the late 20th century.

Educators all over the world are facing the challenges brought by education reform. Schools need to become more aware how Knowledge Management (KM) can help them be more effective in leveraging organizational knowledge to improve organizational effectiveness to face the increasing requirements for school improvement. Although KM has been regarded as the advanced management strategy in the business world for leveraging their intellectual assets, few studies have been conducted in the school setting. The present study will shed light on how to implement KM in a school setting through the leadership provided by the principal. This study can be a model for those educators who would like to implement KM in their schools.
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\nAlthough KM researchers have identified that leadership is a critical factor in KM implementation, few studies have explored the actual impact of leadership in the process of KM implementation. Moreover, the literature review shows that leadership by the principal is the essential element for school success in KM. This study shows that a principal’s leadership-driven approach is necessary for KM implementation and explores its impact on the process of KM implementation for school improvement.
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\nThe study uses insider action research to explore how the principal’s leadership can be incorporated into KM in a school environment and evaluate the effectiveness of this Leadership-Driven KM Implementation in a school setting, so that this study can offer practical advice and guidance to the principals who would like to try KM in their practice.
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\nIn this study, KM was implemented in a school by starting with two basic approaches: Information-Based and People-/Interaction Based Approaches. The Principal’s Knowledge Leadership was integrated with the two approaches to strengthen the implementation of the KM strategies. The principal acted as the knowledge leader with the roles of knowledge vision builder, knowledge enabler builder and knowledge role model. Under the strong leadership of the principal, both the Information-Based and People-/Interaction Based Approaches have been implemented with achievements in sharing information/knowledge and nurturing a sharing culture and trust. The principal assessed teacher’ readiness, implemented Information-Based and People-/Interaction-Based approaches and strengthened knowledge leadership through the process. This study can serve as a model for implementing KM in schools.
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\nThis study shows that the principal’s leadership was the key driver for KM Implementation. The principal performed his leadership with clear direction and thoughtful procedures of implementing Information-Based and People-/Interaction-Based Approaches, thoughtful allocation of the school resources, and shaping learning for staff. As a result, the school developed a Knowledge Base and a Digital Archive as knowledge repositories and Lesson Study and Communities of Practice as platforms for knowledge sharing. The
\nSchool’s achievements in KM implementation were recognized through improvement in students’ testing achievements, appreciation by KM practitioners, and recognition and awards from government examiners and experts. This study recommends that Leadership-Driven Knowledge Management is of value in the implementation of KM in schools to help schools become learning organizations so they can better face the challenges brought by waves of education reform and societal change.

Using case-based reasoning (CBR), the authors integrate the techniques of cognitive task analysis (CTA), hierarchical clustering and ontology and propose a Web-based CBR knowledge management (KM) system for investigating the construction of a KM system with multiple information techniques to support KM activity in industry. The maintenance service centres of a computer company are used as an example to illustrate extracting the maintenance knowledge necessary to construct a PC troubleshooting KM system. The effectiveness of applying a Web-based CBR KM system to support KM activities in the KM life cycle is subjected to practical verification.

Discussions at previous HICSS conferences have revealed that there is no general agreement on definitions of knowledge management (KM) and knowledge management system (KMS) success. We developed these concepts and presented them earlier this year. Using an expert panel approach followed by two exploratory surveys, we identify KM success measures. The research demonstrates that measures for KM success are required on multiple dimensions. This paper thus also presents a set of dimensions with measures that can be used to determine if KM in an organization is successful.

Sharing practice: problems and possibilities