Bongsug Chae

Review: The paradoxes of knowledge management: An eastern philosophical perspective

This article proposes paradox as a novel lens for viewing and understanding KM and the role of information technology. The article builds a paradoxical framework that integrates extant understandings of paradox from philosophy and organization studies. The framework includes the discussion of the nature of paradox, its usefulness for understanding KM, its management and finally an alternative, paradoxical view of KM. Using the proposed view of KM we then review KM-related studies mainly in the field of information systems and organization studies and identify exemplary tensions and paradoxes in KM phenomena. This review serves three purposes: (1) it organizes and structures the jumble of topics in KM by analyzing critically the way the literature approaches those topics; (2) it illustrates the implicitly unitary view of KM by extant studies; and (3) it illustrates the potential value of the paradoxical framework for fostering creative and complex insights into future inquiry of KM. Then, we discuss how to embrace and even nurture KM tensions and paradoxes and, from a paradoxical view, discuss organizational characteristics and information technology necessary for successful KM practices. Finally, several implications for research and practice are drawn.

Incorporating an ethical perspective into problem formulation: implications for decision support systems design

As organizations become ever larger and increasingly complex, they become more reliant on information systems and decision support systems (DSS), and their decisions and operations affect a growing number of stakeholders. This paper argues that DSS design and problem formulation in such a context raises ethical issues, as DSS development and use puts one party, the designers, in the position of imposing order on the behavior of others. Thus, decision support systems are more than technical artifacts and their implications for affected parties should be considered in their design and development. The paper integrates Jones model [Acad. Manage. Rev. 16 (1991) 366] of moral intensity with Mitroffs five strategies for avoiding Type III errors [I.I. Mitroff, Smart Thinking for Crazy Times: The Art of Solving the Right Problems, Barrett-Koehler Publishers, San Francisco, 1997], solving the wrong problem [H. Raiffa, Decision Analysis, Addison-Wesley, Reading, 1968], and proposes a model for incorporating ethical issues into DSS design and problem formulation. A survey of managers is used to assess the current situation regarding use of elements of the integrated model. The results are somewhat encouraging in that 40% of the respondents felt that their organizations did follow the model reasonably well, yet 23% felt their organizations did not.

Self‐destructive dynamics in large‐scale technochange and some ways of counteracting it

Purpose – Seeks to raise the question of why large‐scale technochange is difficult and often failure‐prone and to attempt to answer this question by viewing technochange as an instance of institutional change and design in which self‐destructive mechanisms are inherently embedded.Design/methodology/approach – In order to explore the complex institutional dynamics of large‐scale technochange the paper uses the exploration/exploitation framework originally developed by March and extended by Lanzara to the study of institution‐building processes in the political domain. The argument is that problems in implementing large‐scale technochange stem from learning dilemmas in the inter‐temporal and inter‐group allocation of material and cognitive resources. The paper uses a case of large‐scale technology in a major US university system to illustrate the institutional perspective on technochange.Findings – It is argued and illustrated that the development and redesign of large‐scale information systems involve both...

Organizational paradoxes: dynamic shifting and integrative management

Purpose – The primary purpose of this paper is to demonstrate the importance of viewing paradoxes, which are commonly‐accepted logical perspectives that appear contradictory, as being useful for organizational learning and to show why organizational paradoxes need to be managed integratively.Design/methodology/approach – The cultural industries (those that promote art, music and entertainment) are used as a backdrop for developing propositions that explain the benefits of dynamically shifting between poles of a paradox and the relationship between elements of managing multiple paradoxes integratively and organizational outcomes.Findings – It is expected that organizations which move between the poles of paradoxes are more likely to increase organizational knowledge about their capabilities and to enhance their ability to deal with paradoxes.Research limitations/implications – Organizational researchers should consider identifying the direction and rate of movement along the poles of paradoxes by organizat...

A complexity theory approach to IT-enabled services (IESs) and service innovation: Business analytics as an illustration of IES

While firms view services as the main source of their revenue and competitive advantage, understanding of service and service innovation is limited. This lack of understanding is especially significant in IT-Enabled Services (IESs) and IES innovation. Much work is needed to understand the contemporary trend of integrating diverse material and social resources to address complex organizational and individual needs. This article proposes a novel framework for IES and IES innovation and develops propositions and implications for research and practice. This work draws upon the tenet of complexity theory and conceptualizes IES as complex adaptive systems (CAS), with such properties and behaviors as diverse adaptive elements, nonlinear interaction, self-organization, and adaptive learning, and IES innovation as a co-evolutionary process of variation, selection, and retention (VSR). The proposed framework is illustrated using business analytics (BA) as a new kind of decision support service (DSS) throughout this paper. Several propositions are developed. Finally, we present a discussion and implications.