Ilona Ilvonen

Risks and benefits of knowledge sharing in co-opetitive knowledge networks

The purpose of this paper is to examine the benefits and risks of knowledge sharing in co-opetitive networks. Whilst some studies address the risks of co-opetition, this work examines how the risk or protection perspective is linked specifically to knowledge sharing in co-opetition. Knowledge is a valuable asset for companies, and sharing knowledge with competitors may provide major benefits yet also create major risks. The approach taken is to examine previous research from the angle of co-opetitive knowledge networks and knowledge sharing. Through the methodology of a literature review, the piece offers solid evidence that knowledge sharing and co-opetition in knowledge networks is an area that has not been widely studied. It thus shows that there is room for further studies in this field, which should address how a good balance between sharing and protection of knowledge within co-opetition can be found.

Knowledge Security Risk Management in Contemporary Companies -- Toward a Proactive Approach

Although emerging organizational knowledge systems, such as social media, are widely researched, related knowledge security risks have received less attention. Traditional information security management models tend to concentrate on the technological viewpoint to secure existing information assets. However, the use of contemporary approaches for knowledge creation and sharing offer new important possibilities for making use of internal and external knowledge. Simultaneously, their implementation involves changes in technologies, as well as a change in work processes and communications. Hence, knowledge security risk management should be developed from the current focus on relatively static containers and information assets toward more proactive management of the potential future risks of knowledge sharing. This paper introduces a proactive process for managing knowledge security risks and reports experiences of its use by professionals with experience in various topics of information and knowledge security.

Towards a Business-Driven Process Model for Knowledge Security Risk Management: Making Sense of Knowledge Risks

The purpose of this paper is to introduce a model to manage knowledge security risks in organizations. Knowledge security risk management is a sensemaking process that should be carried out by managers, and the proposed model works as a tool for the sensemaking process. The model is illustrated with an analytical case example. The process model helps to identify knowledge security risks and provides a comprehensive approach to evaluating and balancing the costs and benefits of knowledge sharing and knowledge risk management. The paper addresses calls for research on the emerging topic of knowledge security and the important topic of new knowledge sharing tools from the combined perspectives of business benefits and risk management. The results presented in this paper are preliminary and conceptual, and further research on the topic is suggested. The process model proposed in this paper can be a valuable tool for practitioners aiming to develop knowledge sharing practices in companies, and at the same time need to consider the security of knowledge.

Knowledge Sharing and Knowledge Security in Finnish Companies

Knowledge management includes several aspects, which can sometimes be even contradictory when operationalized in the daily activities of an organization. In this study, we empirically explore the knowledge management activities that large and small and medium sized companies in Finland have. The focus is especially on sharing and securing knowledge. The theoretical background for the paper is in the broader frame of knowledge management literature, and especially the knowledge sharing and knowledge security viewpoints. The empirical study offers a view on the status of both knowledge sharing and knowledge security in companies of different sizes. The study is able to identify the main challenges in knowledge sharing among companies of different sizes. Furthermore, the areas of knowledge security that still need more careful attention and development actions among companies in their daily operations, are also identified.

Preparing for Cyber Threats with Information Security Policies

Contemporary organisations in any industry are increasingly dependent on information systems. Today most organisations are online all the time, and their internal systems are used in environments that are already or easily connected to the internet. The paper analyses cyber threats and their potential effect on the operations of different organisations with the use of scenario analysis. The scenarios are built based on a literature review. One outcome of the analysis is that to an organisation it is irrelevant where a cyber threat originates from and who it is targeted for. If the threat is specifically targeted to the organisation or if the threat is collateral in nature is not important; preparing for the threat is important in both cases. The paper discusses the pressures that the cyber threats pose to information security policies, and what the role of the information security policy could be in preparing for the threats. Preparing for Cyber Threats with Information Security Policies

The role of an intermediator organisation in collaboration: how can an intermediator enhance value co-creation?

Collaboration brings synergy to organisations and leads towards superior value co-creation. However, successful collaboration and value co-creation face several challenges. We state that these challenges can be addressed with the help of an intermediator organisation (IO), and that it subsequently has a positive effect on value co-creation. This paper analyses the IO’s part in value co-creation in a collaboration network. Based on theoretical and empirical research the activities and consequent value creating benefits an IO brings to collaboration depend on the role or roles it plays in the network. According to our findings an IO can act as a creator, coordinator, facilitator, node and a resource. An IO facilitates the creation, development and maintaining of network relationships during collaboration. The value an IO creates is mainly indirect and intangible by nature and thus difficult to measure.

Balancing Knowledge Protection and Sharing to Create Digital Innovations

The creation of digital innovations requires active participation and knowledge sharing on behalf of all collaboration partners in inter-organisational settings. However, while the participants collaborate, they also have their own interests and as they are competitors in many cases, they have to protect their competitive knowledge. Collaboration thus requires balancing of knowledge sharing and protection on both the organizational and individual level. This paper reviews literature from several domains to assess how the balancing act is scoped and what kind of measures to achieve this balance prior research has identified. The balancing act is examined on the channel, partner and artefact levels. The paper identifies the balancing act as decisions made over the course of the collaboration both by the organizations as a whole, and by individuals on concrete knowledge artefacts in their daily work. Implications from the point of view of creating digital innovation are presented.

Reconciling digital transformation and knowledge protection: a research agenda

Abstract Digital transformation revolutionises the way people work not only in office settings but also in physical work settings such as manufacturing or construction. New ways of combining digital and physical innovations and intensified inter-organisational collaborations are key characteristics for success. Knowledge sharing becomes increasingly important, but its inter-organisational nature and the blurring of organisational boundaries create new challenges for the protection of knowledge. Existing research on knowledge protection mostly focuses on single organisations or on dyadic relationships. Complex sharing arrangements and especially sharing in networks has received little attention so far. This paper presents a literature review, integrating the perspectives of the base domains of knowledge, strategy, innovation, and information security management with the goal to identify knowledge protection requirements in the era of digital transformation. Five avenues for future research on knowledge protection to support organisations coping with challenges imposed by digital transformation are presented.

ACADEMIC LITERACY SUPPORTED BY INTEGRATED CONTENT AND LANGUAGE TEACHING – EVIDENCE FROM STUDENTS’ PERCEPTIONS

In higher education, the focus of instruction is usually on the substance knowledge areas. However, the development of generic working life skills has received increased attention in higher education, largely as a response to the needs of the labour market [1]. Writing and academic literacy are examples of such generic skills. Effective use of resources and finding a motivating way to deliver academic literacy instruction are goals that require innovative solutions from higher education institutions. Different variants of the content and language integrated learning (CLIL) paradigm have gained popularity in higher education to answer these economic and pedagogical concerns (see, e.g. [2]). This paper examines an integrated bachelor’s seminar course and writing instruction offered by the university’s language center. The integrated model is an innovation in which the students’ academic literacy and the quality of writing in the bachelor thesis can be improved with relatively little resource allocation, i. e., the language teacher. The areas covered in the language instruction include writing as a process, the structure of the thesis, citing sources, style and readability. Students were asked how the integrated language instruction supported their learning and writing. Since the technical university has multiple bachelor programs, comparison between students from different disciplines is done to gain insight of how the language instruction affects students with different literacy backgrounds and study curriculums. The students’ perceptions of the effect on their writing are compared with similar integration experiences discussed in other studies, e.g. [3], [4], [5].