Amir Pezeshkan

Major trends in knowledge management research: a bibliometric study

This study provides an overview of the knowledge management literature from 1980 through 2014. We employ bibliometric and text mining analyses on a sample of 500 most cited articles to examine the impact of factors such as number of authors, references, pages, and keywords on the number of citations that they received. We also investigate major trends in knowledge management literature including the contribution of different countries, variations across publication years, and identifying active research areas and major journal outlets. Our study serves as a resource for future studies by shedding light on how trends in knowledge management research have evolved over time and demonstrating the characteristics of the most cited articles in this literature. Specifically, our results reveal that the most cited articles are from United States and United Kingdom. The most prolific year in terms of the number of published articles is 2009 and in terms of the number of citations is 2012. We also found a positive relationship between the number of publications’ keywords, references, and pages and the number of citations that they have received. Finally, the Journal of Knowledge Management has the largest share in publishing the most cited articles in this field.

Knowledge Management Critical Failure Factors: A Multi-Case Study

Purpose - The goal of this paper is to present the main critical failure factors extracted from analyzing 10 case studies of failure in Knowledge Management (KM) systems and projects and present a framework in which the failure factors are linked to the different stages in the cycle of KM implementation. Design/Methodology/Approach - “Grounded theory” as a qualitative research technique has been applied to explore the main failure factors. Data was collected reviewing scholarly articles containing KM case studies (failure in KM implementation) and after an in-depth study - applying grounded theory method - the results of main critical failure factors categorized and analyzed in specific stages of implementing KM systems. Findings - Through review and analysis of 10 case studies, two main results were obtained: First, the main critical failure factors of KM projects were identified. Second, identified critical failure factors were traced along KM implementation cycle. A framework is proposed that shows the critical failure factors’ effect in each specific stage of the KM cycle. Practical Implication - The findings are incorporated into a framework of failure factors in KM projects and the proposed framework can help practitioners in organizations to avoid factors that lead to the demise of KM systems in each stage of KM project development cycle. This multi-case study research and its suggested framework are also useful for academics to gain a comprehensive view of KM critical failure factors for future studies. Research Limitation - The results of this research are generalized based on cases from prior literature. However, we have tried to be as inclusive as possible to ensure a representative sample of reported KM failures. In addition, organizations do not provide accurate reports of failure in their projects because of their policies, the image of their organization, and privacy, which could affect the identification of all failure factors. Originality/Value - To our knowledge this study is the first of its kind to provide an integrated perspective of critical failure factors for the implementation of KM through the inspection of 10 case studies and maps the failure factors on KM implementation cycle. It provides valuable information and guidelines that will hopefully pave the way for managers to avoid failure in implementation of a KM.

Dynamic Capabilities and Organizational Performance: A Meta-Analytic Evaluation and Extension

We move the dynamic capabilities view (DCV) forward in two important ways by meta-analysing prior empirical studies. First, we evaluate the two core theoretical tenets of the DCV: (1) Dynamic capabilities are positively related to performance, and (2) this relationship is stronger in industries with higher levels of technological dynamism. We find support for the former (rc = 0.296) but not for the latter, though results suggest the existence of moderators. Second, we theorize and demonstrate empirically that higher-order dynamic capabilities are more strongly related to performance than lower-order dynamic capabilities, lower-order dynamic capabilities partially mediate the relationship between higher-order dynamic capabilities and performance, and dynamic capabilities contribute more to performance in developing economies than in developed economies. These findings illustrate how the nature of the dynamic capability and the economic context in which it is utilized shape its value, thus offering a more nuanced conceptualization of the dynamic capabilities-performance relationship. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Which businesses actually help the global poor

Purpose – This paper suggests that BoP producer businesses provide greater potential positive impact on poverty alleviation than BoP consumer businesses. With this purpose, the authors explore the positive short‐term and long‐term economic effects of BoP producer businesses on the poor and compare these effects with those from BoP consumer businesses.Design/methodology/approach – The paper applies several economic and organizational theories to BoP businesses to shed light on the value each creates for the poor.Findings – It is argued that BoP producer businesses create more economic value for the poor by providing these societies with access to markets, capital and capabilities, and organizational advantages they currently lack.Practical implications – Implications for the poor, businesses considering opportunities at the BoP, and future research are discussed.Originality/value – With the help of economic theories, this paper describes the ways in which access to markets, well‐established organizations, ...

An investigation of the effect of extroverted and introverted personalities on knowledge acquisition techniques

Purpose This paper aims to explore the relationship between personality traits (introversion versus extroversion) and knowledge acquisition (KA) techniques. Design/methodology/approach The major methodology of the current study is survey. Results are based on 152 usable responses provided by experts in different industries including electronic, communication, information technology, computer and biology. The major analytical technique used is Pearson correlation analysis. Findings According to the results, there are significant relationships between personality traits (i.e. introversion versus extroversion) and KA techniques. Research limitations/implications This study was conducted on data from 152 Iranian experts which limits the generalizability of the results. This limitation can be addressed by future studies conducting similar studies on cross-country samples. Further, due to the analytical technique adopted in this study, causality implications cannot be drawn from the results. Originality/value This study reveals linkages between personality traits (i.e. introversion versus extroversion) and KA techniques. Results shed light on the KA process for both scholars and practitioners involved in KA programs in the organizations.

Developing a Knowledge Map Driven Framework for Human Resources Strategy Formulation: A Knowledge Based IT Company Case Study in Iran

Purpose – The main purpose of this paper is developing a framework for human resource strategy (HRS) planning based on knowledge maps in organizations. Design/methodology/approach – Considering literature review of HRS planning in one hand and knowledge mapping in another hand to develop a framework, and then deploying this framework in a company as case study. Findings – A knowledge map-driven framework for HRS formulation, which attempts to improve the process of HRS, is the main finding of this research. The results of the implementation of this model in a knowledge-based IT company may show its potential capability for deploying the model in similar corporations for better formulation of HRS. Originality/value – Linking of HRS with knowledge maps is quite new. This paper opens up new outlines in human resource management from a knowledge-based point of view. It may have value for experts who work and research in both areas especially in the field of human resources in knowledge-based organizations.

Host Country Network, Experiences, and International Alliances Formation in Emerging Markets

We theorize that a foreign firm’s position in alliance networks in a host country and its experience in the industry in general and in the host country in particular, jointly influences its attractiveness and willingness to form strategic partnership with firms from the home and host country for different reasons. Through a longitudinal analysis of a population of U.S. venture capital (VC) firms that invested in mainland China during 1997 and 2010, we find that their network centrality in China has an inverted U-shaped relationship with the likelihood of syndication with Chinese/the other U.S. VC firms. Moreover, their experience moderates this relationship. While their general experience in the VC industry moderates their partnership with the other U.S. firms, their host country experience moderates their partnership with Chinese firms.

Developing a Human Resource Strategy Framework: A Knowledge Oriented Approach

In today’s business world, human resource is concerned as fundamental capital of organizations. In fact, human resource is the chief organizational tool to achieve the strategies and goals. According to the significance of human resource, the present research aimed to develop a framework, by which the human resource strategies can be developed on the basis of the knowledge dimension, which is one of the most important resources for generating competitive advantage. Previous models and approaches did not concern to the knowledge aspect of the employees in human resource strategy process, which is a significant lack in these models. The main difference of the framework of this research and that of previous study is paying due attention in work to the knowledge in human resource strategy development process as a determinant factor, especially for the knowledge based organizations. Indeed, the main finding of this study is development of a human resource strategy framework that emphasizes to the knowledge aspect, which is applicable in new businesses of the present era of transferring to the knowledge based organizations. For validating the suggested framework, the expert opinion, one of the research methods for conceptual studies, was used.

Manpower Discipline Based on Knowledge Skills: The Case of a Consulting Company in Iranian Commercial Marine Industry

In today’s world, some industries have been shifting to the knowledge based industries. Marin industry as a knowledge-dependent industry in which the knowledge and technology changes have a noticeable pace, is a good example of the knowledge based industries. In knowledge based organization and industries, the knowledge manpower plays the most important role in the organization. In fact, the knowledge workers are the real owner of the organization’s knowledge domains. So, to achieve a sustainable competitive position, organizations in commercial marine industry have to articulate suitable human resources strategies. In this article, a practical approach is defined to evaluate the knowledge capabilities based on which the appropriate strategies for manpower can be made. The case of this article is a consulting company which is working in commercial marine industry area in Iran. As the result of doing this research, this company articulates suitable strategies for its manpower after identification of the knowledge capabilities and domains available in the organization. According to this process, the manpower of the company is divided to 4 categories: workers who should be trained, workers who should be maintained and promoted, workers who should be dismissed, and specialists who should be hired due to knowledge requirements of the organization. The results of this study can highlight the roadmap of manpower strategy definition and application based on employees’ knowledge skills, which can be beneficial for both academics and practitioner in knowledge management and human resource strategic planning areas.