Francesco Sole

Applying a systems thinking framework to assess knowledge assets dynamics for business performance improvement

Knowledge assets represent strategic resources and sources of organizational value creation. Their effective development and deployment is at the basis of organizational value creation capacity. However there is still a lack of applied approaches and tools explaining how knowledge assets dynamics take place in organizational value creation mechanisms. In particular, there is a managerial need to define decision-support frameworks that can enable managers to understand how knowledge assets interact each other and with organizational performance in order to support the achievement of companys strategic objectives. A better understanding of why and how knowledge assets management initiatives can be turned into value creation mechanisms with positive impacts on business performance is fundamental to avoid misallocation of resources and to support management decisions. This paper proposes a systems thinking-based framework, the Knowledge Assets Dynamics Value Map (KAVDM), to explicate the working mechanisms by means knowledge assets can evolve on the basis of knowledge management initiatives and affect business performance improvements. The KAVDM offers a holistic view of the mechanisms at the basis of how knowledge assets are translated into organizational value. It supports the explanation and monitoring of how knowledge assets are interpedently and dependently linked, and how the management of one knowledge asset activates flow dynamics, that influence both other knowledge assets and business performance. Using the KAVDM managers can reflect upon the knowledge components grounding a companys value creation and assess their mental models and views of the reality. Finally, an application of the KAVDM within a construction company is presented and its main managerial benefits addressed.

A management model and factors driving performance in public organizations

Purpose – This paper seeks to analyse the characteristics of performance measurement and management systems in public organizations and to highlight the main factors driving performance in this sector.Design/methodology/approach – A literature review is carried out in order to outline the main issues related to the adoption and implementation of performance measurement and management systems in public organizations.Findings – The paper provides better information on the performance measurement and management systems in public organizations, by analyzing the performance dimensions, the use of performance measures and the factors influencing the implementation of the performance management process.Research limitations/implications – The paper presents a model for driving the implementation of a performance measurement system within public organizations and identifies the main factors influencing this process. The paper is conceptual in its nature and will be further developed through an empirical research i...

Using performance measures in public organisations: challenges of Italian public administrations

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to investigate the main challenges related to the use of performance measures in public organisations in order to identify the factors affecting the adoption and implementation of performance measurement systems. The empirical analysis is focused on the Italian Institutions.Design/methodology/approach – This paper is based on a two‐stage research process. First a systematic literature review has been carried out with the aim of identifying the factors enabling and hampering the adoption of performance measures in public organisations. Second on the basis of the results of the desk analysis a survey‐based investigation has been implemented involving Italian public institutions.Findings – The paper provides a twofold contribution. It analyses the factors affecting the adoption and implementation of performance measures in public organisations. On the other hand it presents the descriptive statistical results of the survey highlighting the position of Italian institutio...

Performance Measurement and Management in Smes: Discussion of Preliminar Results from an Italian Survey

Performance measurement and management (PMM) is a topic of increasing interest both in the academic and industrial ambits. While a large number of frameworks, case studies and surveys are available for large enterprises, little research has focused on small and medium enterprises (SMEs). As a consequence of that, little knowledge exist about the SME adoption of performance measurement systems, their use of financial and not financial indicators, the benefits in terms of strategy implementation and alignment. This paper present and discuss the preliminary results obtained from a survey research carried out within Italian SMEs. Interesting remarks are highlighted in terms of PMM diffusion, best practices and benefits in SMEs.

“The adoption and implementation of performance measurement process in Italian public organisations: the influence of political, cultural and rational factors”

One of the main challenges in the field of performance measurement and management in public organisations is about how to use and manage performance measures effectively. This study aims to examine the stages involved in the process of utilisation of performance measures, i.e. adoption and implementation, and to investigate the political, cultural and rational factors that affect this process. For this purpose, a theoretical model from the literature has been extended and tested by using the data gathered through a survey involving the managers of several departments of Italian regions and municipal districts. The final sample has included 201 usable observations. The data analysis has been conducted using structural equation modelling. A significant cause-and-effect relationship was found between the stages of adoption and implementation. Moreover, it was found that adoption is driven significantly by rational factors. Otherwise actual implementation is influenced by factors addressed both by political considerations, such as external interest groups and by rational evaluations such as resources. The effects of other rational and cultural factors on implementation stage are mediated by adoption.

How to Use Different Measures for Different Purposes: A Holistic Performance Management Model for Public Organizations

One of the main challenges in the field of performance measurement and management is about how to use and manage performance measures in an effective way in order to fully integrate them into the organizational management system. This paper draws upon this need and proposes a holistic performance management model aimed to highlight the linkages among measurement systems and the effective use of performance measures for improving decision making, performance and accountability, in the public sector.

Understanding value created by KIBS: a business customer perspective

Knowledge intensive business services (KIBS) hold a key place in the current research agenda. This is mainly due to the fact that, with the rise of knowledge economy, their importance has gradually increased as well as their overall impact on economy. However, in comparison with the manufacturing sectors, KIBS sector remains poorly studied. This paper attempts to enrich the existing literature on KIBS, by providing some insights, theoretically founded, concerning an area where little prior research has been done, i.e., the description and assessment of service value dimensions from a business customers perspective. In particular, on the basis of a literature review, eight different value dimensions are identified and described. These dimensions represent the building blocks of a conceptual model proposed for assessing the value created by KIBS for business customers.

Assessing the Value Dimensions for Customers in Knowledge Intensive Business Services

With the rise of knowledge economy, the importance of Knowledge Intensive Business Services (KIBS) has gradually increased as well as their overall impact on economy. However, in comparison with the manufacturing sectors, KIBS sector remains poorly studied. Especially little prior research has been done about the description and assessment of service value dimensions from a business customer’s perspective. This paper, on the basis of a literature review, identifies and describes eight different value dimensions. These dimensions represent the building blocks of a conceptual model proposed for assessing the value created by KIBS for business customers. Moreover, the paper describes an application of the model in a real case.

Understanding Organisational Knowledge-Based Value Creation Dynamics: A Systems Thinking Approach

In the modern knowledge economy knowledge assets play a pivotal role in companies’ value creation. Despite that, there is still a lack of approaches suitable to disentangle and assess how these assets take part in value creation. This represents a critical issue to face in order to make managers able to take better informed management decisions with regard to knowledge assets allocation and management This paper describes a model for analyzing how knowledge assets, properly managed, create value over time. The proposed model is grounded on principles underpinning the Systems Thinking approach and strategy maps. The paper presents a practical application of the model.