Factors in the Relationship between Maintenance Engineering and Knowledge Management

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to distinguish and describe knowledge management (KM) technologies according to their support for strategy.Design/methodology/approachThis study employed an ontology development method to describe the relations between technology, KM and strategy, and to categorize available KM technologies according to those relations. Ontologies are formal specifications of concepts in a domain and their inter‐relationships, and can be used to facilitate common understanding and knowledge sharing. The study focused particularly on two sub‐domains of the KM field: KM strategies and KM technologies.Findings”KM strategy” has three meanings in the literature: approach to KM, knowledge strategy, and KM implementation strategy. Also, KM technologies support strategy via KM initiatives based on particular knowledge strategies and approaches to KM. The study distinguishes three types of KM technologies: component technologies, KM applications, and business applications. They all can be described in terms of ”creation” and ”transfer” knowledge strategies, and ”personalization” and ”codification” approaches to KM.Research limitations/implicationsThe resulting framework suggests that KM technologies can be analyzed better in the context of KM initiatives, instead of the usual approach associating them with knowledge processes. KM initiatives provide the background and contextual elements necessary to explain technology adoption and use.Practical implicationsThe framework indicates three alternative modes for organizational adoption of KM technologies: custom development of KM systems from available component technologies; purchase of KM‐specific applications; or purchase of business‐driven applications that embed KM functionality. It also lists adequate technologies and provides criteria for selection in any of the cases.Originality/valueAmong the many studies analyzing the role of technology in KM, an association with strategy has been missing. This paper contributes to filling this gap, integrating diverse contributions via a clearer definition of concepts and a visual representation of their relationships. This use of ontologies as a method, instead of an artifact, is also uncommon in the literature.

Knowledge Management Research & Practice (2009) 7, 192–195. doi:10.1057/kmrp.2009.20 This special issue on Knowledge Management and e-Research Technologies aims to provide a distinctive perspective on the role of technology in knowledge work. We begin with the assumption that today’s knowledge work and research practice is increasingly mediated by a diversity of tools which may not traditionally be labelled as knowledge management technologies (Hendriks, 2001; Butler, 2002), but which are embedded within knowledge work practices. Although many have criticised the idea of formal knowledge management technology (Swan et al., 1999; Galliers & Newell, 2001; Hislop, 2002), it is highly apparent that contemporary knowledge work is facilitated using information and communications technologies (ICTs) of various types from the ‘macro’ knowledge management systems that have been heavily criticised to the more ‘micro’ emerging technologies that we may not traditionally associate with the term knowledge management technology. This special issue, therefore, returns to the debate on the role of technology within knowledge creation, dissemination and use, but explores this with a specific focus on the how new, flexible ICTs are emerging, which blur the boundary between technology and social knowledge practices. Within knowledge management theory, it is possible to observe two broad and enduring perspectives towards technology (elaborated persuasively and famously by Hansen et al. (1999) but also by Alavi & Leidner (2001); Schultze & Stabell (2004)) between those who seek to catalogue and capture knowledge within computer systems, believing knowledge as capable of objective representation and is therefore capable of codification (Schultze, 1998), and those who believe knowledge to be inherently tacit and social, and who argue technology’s role is to support collaboration (Schultze, 1998). Both perspectives seem much evident in literature on Knowledge Management Systems, which frequently adopts a view of ‘knowledge management’ through the management of either catalogued, codified, data or of collaborative, social relationships. These two perspectives of codification or collaboration have, however, created, in our opinion, an unhelpful dichotomy and instrumentalisation of ‘knowledge management technology’ (Mitev & Venters, 2009) leading to polarised literature of either codification technology or collaborative systems. This special issue thus seeks to present articles that will stimulate the debate on the interrelationship and connection between technology aiming to codify knowledge and that aimed at collaboration. Our argument is founded on the observation that human action is mediated by tools, in a myriad of forms, which have a materiality to us and form part of our ongoing practice (Orlikowski, 2007; Orlikowski & Scott, 2008). That knowledge is socially constructed through social interaction is Knowledge Management Research & Practice (2009) 7, 192–195 & 2009 Operational Research Society. All rights reserved 1477–8238/09

This study aims to examine the influence of Knowledge Management (KM), Talent Management (TM), and Transformational Leadership (TL) on the performance of higher education institutions in Makassar, Indonesia, emphasizing the role of TL as a mediator between KM and TM and institutional performance. This quantitative study involved 325 lecturers from various universities in Makassar. Data were analyzed using Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) to assess the relationship between KM, TM, TL, and lecturer performance. The results showed that KM and TM have a significant positive influence on performance, both directly and through the mediation of TL. KM positively affects TL, and these two variables, along with TM, contribute significantly to performance improvement. However, the interaction between KM and TL did not show a significant moderating effect on performance, indicating that the direct influence of KM and TM is more dominant in this context. This study confirms the importance of the integration of KM and TM in improving the performance of higher education institutions and demonstrates the strategic role of TL in maximizing the effectiveness of these management strategies. The findings suggest that effective leadership can enhance the implementation of KM and TM, which overall improves organizational performance. The practical implications of this study are highly relevant for policy makers and university administrators in Makassar to develop and implement strategies that integrate effective KM and TM practices, directed by transformational leadership. Further research is recommended to use a longitudinal design to validate the findings and understand the dynamics of this relationship over time.

Prior research studies on knowledge management (KM) offer inconsistent support that it enhances firm performance. A majority of them discuss KM without incorporating the valuation of KM efforts. This article proposes a conceptual model comprised of six KM and two performance constructs. Performance is classified as financial and non-financial. Survey data from 313 Indian respondents is used to examine the influence of KM on firm performance. The results show that there is a strong, positive and significant link between the six KM constructs and organizational performance. Further, it is found that the influence of KM constructs on financial performance is indirect, that is, their influence is accomplished through the mediating variable organizational performance. The study provides evidence, firstly, through identifying important KM constructs and secondly by examining its influence on performance. It contributes to managerial practice by proposing an empirically validated KM model, which can guide KM practitioners in developing capabilities for enhancing organizational performance.

Purpose: To find out the influence of Knowledge management on employee performance at Kenya Power and Lighting Company. Methodology: The study was conducted in the Mount Kenya region, covering nine counties, and employed a descriptive research design to collect data from 1200 KPLC employees. Simple random sampling was used to select respondents from each of the nine operational clusters within KPLC. Data analysis was performed using SPSS Version 25, with descriptive statistics (frequencies and percentages) for summarizing the data, and multiple regression analysis for examining the relationships between variables. The results were presented in tables to facilitate easy interpretation of the findings. Results: The study established a statistically significant positive relationship between knowledge management and employee performance at Kenya Power and Lighting Company (KPLC). The correlation coefficient of 0.468 indicated a moderate positive relationship between the two variables. The R-squared value of 0.219 demonstrated that knowledge management practices explain 21.9% of the variance in employee performance. The adjusted R-squared value of 0.215 confirmed the model’s reliability even when accounting for additional variables. The regression coefficient (B = 0.504) implies that a one-unit increase in knowledge management leads to a 0.504 unit increase in employee performance. The regression model was statistically significant, with an F-statistic of 30.129 (p < 0.05), thereby confirming that knowledge management is a valid predictor of employee performance at KPLC. These results highlight the importance of structured knowledge-sharing systems in improving efficiency, innovation, and staff productivity in Kenya’s energy sector. Unique Contribution to Theory, Policy, and Practice: This study contributes to knowledge management theory, policy, and practice in public utilities, particularly within KPLC. Theoretically, it supports Social Exchange Theory, emphasizing the role of knowledge sharing in improving performance. Policy-wise, it advocates for integrating knowledge management into human capital development, with platforms like digital repositories and mentorship programs. Practically, it highlights the importance of fostering a culture of collaboration, incentivizing knowledge sharing, and incorporating it into performance appraisals to enhance employee productivity and organizational resilience.

The motivations for a company to adopt Knowledge Management (KM) and Customer Relationship Management (CRM) systems can be very varied, which brings an additional complexity to the adoption decision. It is important to understand the main drivers of KM and CRM adoption so that companies can better target their performance indicators. However, the influence of KM on organization performance in hotel industry has received less attention. In addition, the relationship between CRM technology and hotel performance is still ambiguous. In the right context, this paper tends to bring attention to the influences of KM and CRM to improve hotels performance. It presents and discusses the main findings of a study undertaken among a sample of large hotels Algerian, identifying and discussing the main motivations for KM and CRM systems utilization and adoption in order to improve hotels performance. A survey of 80 hotels executives was conducted on hotels operating in the Algeria west territory. In short, the results of this study may help these businesses to effectively use KM and CRM, so as to improve hotels performance and subsequently create a sustainable competitive advantage.

Companies are adopting more technologies than ever to maximize the benefit of Knowledge Management (KM). However, recent global analyses of such investments highlight the fact that not all of them are necessarily successful. Too much emphasis on technology without incorporating organizational culture can easily result in failed implementation of KM technology. The key factors for the higher return on the KM technology are the choosing the right technologies for given organizational culture and the effective utilization of those technologies. The purpose of this research is to explore possible relationships between the KM technology types and organizational culture orientations regarding effective utilization of KM technology. Data used to test hypotheses derived for this research were obtained from 294 responders from the Organizational Culture Profile (OCP) survey instruments and 143 responders from the Knowledge Management Technology Profile (KMTP) survey instruments representing 29 separate organizations. The OCP provides a profile of an organization's culture orientation while the KMTP provides a profile of the organization's effective utilization of KM technologies. The results of this research suggest that organizations utilizing collaborative technologies effectively identified people-oriented culture orientation. On the other hand, effective utilization of distributive technologies does not show any relationship with organizational culture orientation.

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to examine the efficacy of knowledge management (KM) based systems and best practices that could be used to address operational issues in the oil and gas sector.Design/methodology/approachGiven little was known empirically about the strategies and practices which contribute to improved performance, innovation and continuous improvement in the oil and gas sector qualitative method was used. Semi-structured interviews were used to derive senior managers’ constructs of project delivery efficiency and KM based systems. The interviews were analysed through the use of a qualitative analysis software package NUDIST NVivoTM. Participants were selected using purposive sampling. Validity and reliability were achieved by first assessing the plausibility in terms of already existing knowledge on some of the operational issues raised by participants.FindingsThese were synthesised into a framework capturing seven well-defined stages. All these steps emerged as being related; they are comprised of independent variables. These steps were found to comprise of knowledge management technology approaches, knowledge management people approaches, KM strategies and value enhancing practices.Research limitations/implicationsAlthough the findings are pertinent to oil and gas organisations, it will be important to conduct follow-up research validating the potential for using the results of this study to establish frameworks for knowledge and information management in different organisations and contexts. This will provide not only data about the validity of the framework in generic terms but will also generate additional data on the application of KM strategy.Practical implicationsAs shown in this study, successful KM based systems requires the aligning of business strategy, technology for KM, project management operations with an enterprise knowledge-sharing culture. Such sharing requires managing the behaviour of project personnel such that knowledge transfer becomes part of the organisation’s norm.Social implicationsThe implementation of KM based systems requires deliberate planning and action to create the conditions for success and put in place the strategy, leadership, goals, process, skills, systems, issue resolution, and structure to direct and exploit the dynamic nature of project work. The strategies proposed in this research cannot be expected to resolve all KM issues in the oil and gas sector. However, their use defines an approach that is superior to the traditional approaches typically adopted and consequently merits far wider application.Originality/valueThe proposed framework presents a better way of optimising the performance of project-based operations thus enabling oil and gas organisations to reform their poor performance on projects and empower them to better manage emerging cultural challenges in their future projects. Reflecting on their experiences, the participants confirmed that the proposed KM framework and its seven well-defined stages were central to the effectiveness of KM in oil and gas operations. Although the scope of this research was restricted to projects in Nigeria and the UK, the geographical focus of this research does not invalidate these results with respect to other countries. The fact is that the oil and gas sector globally shares some common fundamental characteristics.

Purpose – This paper aims to describe the creation of innovative and intelligent systems to optimise energy efficiency in manufacturing. The systems monitor energy consumption using ambient intelligence (AmI) and knowledge management (KM) technologies. Together they create a decision support system as an innovative add-on to currently used energy management systems. Design/methodology/approach – Energy consumption data (ECD) are processed within a service-oriented architecture-based platform. The platform provides condition-based energy consumption warning, online diagnostics of energy-related problems, support to manufacturing process lines installation and ramp-up phase and continuous improvement/optimisation of energy efficiency. The systems monitor energy consumption using AmI and KM technologies. Together they create a decision support system as an innovative add-on to currently used energy management systems. Findings – The systems produce an improvement in energy efficiency in manufacturing small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). The systems provide more comprehensive information about energy use and some knowledge-based support. Research limitations/implications – Prototype systems were trialled in a manufacturing company that produces mooring chains for the offshore oil and gas industry, an energy intensive manufacturing operation. The paper describes a case study involving energy-intensive processes that addressed different manufacturing concepts and involved the manufacture of mooring chains for offshore platforms. The system was developed to support online detection of energy efficiency problems. Practical implications – Energy efficiency can be optimised in assembly and manufacturing processes. The systems produce an improvement in energy efficiency in manufacturing SMEs. The systems provide more comprehensive information about energy use and some knowledge-based support. Social implications – This research addresses two of the most critical problems in energy management in industrial production technologies: how to efficiently and promptly acquire and provide information online for optimising energy consumption and how to effectively use such knowledge to support decision making. Originality/value – This research was inspired by the need for industry to have effective tools for energy efficiency, and that opportunities for industry to take up energy efficiency measures are mostly not carried out. The research combined AmI and KM technologies and involved new uses of sensors, including wireless intelligent sensor networks, to measure environment parameters and conditions as well as to process performance and behaviour aspects, such as material flow using smart tags in highly flexible manufacturing or temperature distribution over machines. The information obtained could be correlated with standard ECD to monitor energy efficiency and identify problems. The new approach can provide effective ways to collect more information to give a new insight into energy consumption within a manufacturing system.

Interviews with 10 marketing managers of 10 four-wheeled motor vehicle brand in Jakarta that have the highest sales in January up to April 2017 show that the managers do not have enough cognitive understanding of knowledge management (KM). However, the managers, in general, are very eloquent when discussing about practical business aspects such as supply-chain, business competition, products, organizational culture, and company’s performance. Based on previous research, KM was placed as independent or intervening or moderating variable on company’s performance. The aim of this study is to analyze the role of KM on company’s performance. By using stratified random sampling, linear regression, moderated regression, and path analysis, it can be concluded that KM can be as independent, moderating, or intervening variable. KM becomes similar to a “bottleneck” when the managers do not know well what and how to implement KM. Therefore, this study suggests that needed further researches are needed to explore the role of KM and to understand how KM can be implemented in a company in order to sustainably improve the company’s performance.

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to determine whether there is a relationship between improving the management of projects and the use of knowledge management (KM). Additionally, this paper sought to determine if KM practices in use by practitioners of project management are significant in terms of improving the management of projects, as well as the impact of these KM practices in use by practitioners on improving the management of projects.Design/methodology/approachA main research question supported by seven research hypotheses were postulated. A survey was used to collect data from 99 project managers randomly selected from the list of worldwide members of the project management Institute (PMI).FindingsThe findings reveal the influence of KM on the improvement of the management of projects. The KM practices and tools mostly used by project managers are presented.Originality/valueThis study is the first one of the type that tries to identify and to demonstrate the relationship between the fields of KM and project management through the collection of data among project management practitioners.

This study aims to identify and synthesise the main factors that influence knowledge management (KM) in business environments. Using the PRISMA approach, a systematic review of 44 empirical and conceptual articles published between 2020 and 2024 was conducted. The findings indicate eight key variables that are critical for strengthening KM: leadership, technology, entrepreneurial orientation, strategic orientation, learning orientation, innovation, human resource management, and high-performance work systems. The findings show that leadership promotes collaboration and trust, creating a supportive environment for KM. Technological advancements facilitate efficient knowledge sharing and application, while strategic alignment ensures KM supports organizational goals. Human resource practices engage employees in knowledge processes, and high-performance work systems enhance knowledge acquisition and utilization. Innovation drives the generation of new ideas, and entrepreneurial orientation encourages a proactive approach to leveraging knowledge for competitive advantage. Despite the growing interest in KM, challenges such as resistance to change, inadequate infrastructure, and varying employee readiness hinder its effective implementation. This study emphasizes the need for an integrated KM approach that addresses these barriers while aligning KM strategies with organizational needs. Future research should investigate how these factors interact across different industries and cultural contexts to optimize KM practices and improve organizational performance.

Purpose: The purpose of this study is to analyze the effect of knowledge management on organizational performance with innovation as a mediating variable. This research aims to understand how effectively managing knowledge can foster innovation and ultimately enhance performance within healthcare organizations. Research Methodology: This study employs a quantitative approach, with data collected from 100 employees at the Tanjung Agung Health Center. The sample was selected using the Slovin formula to ensure representativeness. Data were gathered through structured questionnaires and analyzed using SPSS software to test the relationships between knowledge management, innovation, and organizational performance. Results: The results show that knowledge management significantly and positively affects both innovation and organizational performance. Furthermore, innovation functions as a mediating variable, meaning that better knowledge management leads to increased innovation, which subsequently improves organizational performance. These findings are particularly evident among employees at Tanjung Agung Health Center, suggesting the critical role of internal knowledge systems in driving institutional success. Conclusion: The study concludes that effective knowledge management is essential in fostering innovation, which plays a key role in enhancing organizational performance. Promoting a culture of knowledge sharing and learning can yield long-term benefits for institutional development. Limitation: The research was limited to a single health center and focused only on two variables, which restricts the generalizability of the findings across different settings or sectors. Contribution: This study provides valuable insights into how innovation strengthens the link between knowledge management and performance, offering a strategic direction for organizational improvement, especially in healthcare settings.

The purpose of this study is to examine, test, and evaluate the influence of the knowledge management and the role of human resources (HR) as a strategic partner in the strategic planning and organizational performance.The study conducted in public hospitals and the private sectors in the region of Bali Province, with the respondent is the head of the hospital in upper and middle levels.At each hospital is given three respondents representing organizations and the unit of analysis is the organization.The data collected directly from respondents using research instruments.Techniques of analysis used partial least square (PLS).The result proves the knowledge management and the role of HR as a strategic partner to improve the accuracy of strategic planning, and strategic planning can improve organizational performance.Knowledge management is also shown to increase the role of HR as strategic partner.Knowledge management does not directly effect the performance of organization, but it proved that the strategic planning mediate the influence of knowledge management on organizational performance.This suggests that knowledge management is not a direct determinant of organizational performance, but its existence becomes an important input of the strategic planning process in an effort to improve organizational performance.The role of HR as a strategic partner also not directly affects the performance of organization, and strategic planning proved to mediate the role of perfect pair strategic HR relationship with organizational performance.This illustrates that the involvement of HR executive as a strategic partner is not direct determinant of organizational performance, but the strategic role of a source of organizational capabilities to conduct strategic planning, in an effort to improve organizational performance.Based on these results, it means that strategic planning is based on the knowledge management and HR role as a strategic partner can be a strategic capabilities, are valuable, rare, inimitable and non substitutable.These capabilities can become the core competencies of the organizations to improve or enhance the performance, which is a source of competitive advantage of the organization in a changing business environment rapidly.

The role of knowledge management as a strategic intervention in higher education in developing economies has not been studied extensively. Higher education plays a central role in a country’s economy through knowledge creation and dissemination to its stakeholders. The main purpose of this article was to examine the role and influence of knowledge management in decision-making and strategy formulation at leading universities in Africa and to establish if knowledge management was adding value and competitiveness to the institutions. A survey across 20 leading African universities was conducted in 2014. A mixed method of quantitative and qualitative approaches was adopted. The results show that knowledge management does have the potential to positively influence institutional strategy formulation, but should ideally be represented at executive level for its potential to be fully realized. More knowledge management practice is needed in the areas of academic teaching and learning, and research. There was a lack of sophisticated and powerful knowledge management Information Systems in most of Africa’s leading institutions. Those institutions that utilized KM more strategically, inclusive of specialized KM Information Systems were the higher ranked institutions. This suggests that knowledge management could play a crucial role in a University’s success and competitiveness.