Piera Centobelli

Aligning enterprise knowledge and knowledge management systems to improve efficiency and effectiveness performance: A three-dimensional Fuzzy-based decision support system

Abstract The purpose of this paper is to propose a three-dimensional fuzzy logic approach to evaluate the level of alignment between the knowledge an enterprise possesses and the knowledge management systems (KMSs) it adopts. The study also aims to propose the KMSs best suited to reducing misalignment and improving operational performance in terms of efficiency and effectiveness, analysing the level of alignment between an enterprises knowledge and its KMSs from both the ontological and epistemological points of view. The authors have used the proposed methodology to develop a software-based Knowledge Management Decision Support System (KM-DSS), which was tested on a small and medium enterprise (SME) operating in the high-tech industry. The results highlight that the proposed DSS allows managers to evaluate knowledge management processes and identify which KMSs to adopt to improve alignment with the nature of the knowledge their enterprise possesses as well as to increase their level of efficiency and effectiveness.

Knowledge management systems: the hallmark of SMEs

This paper provides an overview of the knowledge management systems (KMSs) adopted by small and medium enterprises (SMEs). KMSs are divided into two categories: knowledge management tools (KM-Tools) and knowledge management practices (KM-Practices). On the basis of the analysis of the literature, two research questions (RQs) were identified and addressed through semi-structured interviews carried out in a sample of 35 SMEs operating in high-tech industries. The first RQ concerns the degree of adoption of KMSs by SMEs. The second RQ regards the relationship between KM-Tools and KM-Practices. As far as the degree of adoption of KMSs, the paper highlights that SMEs are not a homogeneous world but there are a variety of approaches and behaviours. As far as the relationship between the degree of adoption of KM-Tools and KM-Practices, the paper identifies three groups of SMEs that seem to point out the stages of the process of adoption of KMSs: Introduction, SMEs that deal with the process of knowledge management exploiting practices and tools that are already known; Growth, SMEs that adopt specialist practices of knowledge management acquiring new organisational and managerial competence in the field of knowledge management; Maturity, SMEs that invest in new technology and that acquire new technological competence in the field of knowledge management. This categorisation paves the way for further theoretical and practical implications for both managers and policy makers.

Food cold chain management: From a structured literature review to a conceptual framework and research agenda

Since last few years, cold chain management (CCM) has gained growing interest among practitioners, policymakers, researchers and academicians. The purpose of this paper is to provide a review focused on food cold chain management (FCCM) over the last 16 years to identify state of the art in the literature, highlight research gaps and define appropriate research questions (RQs) for future research.,The paper analyzes the content of 89 research articles published on the topic of food cold chain (FCC) from 2001 to 2016 within different journals. The Scopus and Web of Science databases were taken into consideration to shortlist research articles. Henceforth, the authors scrutinized the FCC industry to offer some effective strategies to tackle the chain complexities. The authors also draw interwoven between FCC infrastructure, integration, stakeholders’ interest, value addition, partners’ performance and overall food cold chain performance (FCCP) into a conceptual framework.,This paper identifies four research gaps in the literature of FCC concerning the most popular approaches used for the FCCP measurement, the performance measurement metrics, the factors which negatively affect the FCCP and the main sustainability issues in FCC.,This study identifies RQs which represent possible areas of investigation to improve the body of the FCCP evaluation and management. Furthermore, the FCC practitioners, food authorities and researchers might find this review useful, as it draws a clear picture of research in the respective domain.

How to deal with knowledge management misalignment: a taxonomy based on a 3D fuzzy methodology

This paper aims to propose a new three-dimensional (3D) fuzzy logic methodology to evaluate the level of misalignment between an enterprise’s knowledge and the knowledge management systems (KMSs) it adopts.,The proposed methodology was implemented by means of a field analysis based on semi-structured face-to-face interviews involving a sample of 61 small and medium enterprises (SMEs) operating in high-tech and/or complex industries.,The paper highlights that while there is generally a high level of misalignment between an enterprise’s knowledge and the KMSs adopted, there are also a broad variety of behaviours. The paper identifies a taxonomy able to bring together the various types of behaviour associated with how an enterprise’s knowledge is related to KMS selection. Specifically, four behaviour patterns were identified, and the enterprises were then categorised accordingly as being guideposts, practice laggards, tool laggards or latecomers.,The proposed taxonomy provides an operational tool that can be used by enterprises and policy makers alike. The paper shows how enterprises can use this tool to understand which category they belong to and support decision-making to introduce changes leading to improved levels of alignment. Policy makers, on the other hand, can use the proposed taxonomy to identify measures to support the competitiveness of local systems by improving management processes and knowledge sharing among enterprises.,The paper highlights the difficulties that SMEs experience in adopting KMSs that are truly aligned with their knowledge and proposes a methodology to improve alignment.

Boundaries of digitalization – Why companies are still using e-mail and other traditional tools to manage their knowledge – and will they continue?

This chapter identifies relevant digital tools and managerial practices supporting firms in the different phases of knowledge management process. Based on a survey that involved 25 suppliers operating in high-tech industries, this chapter highlights that firms are generally inclined to use not updated knowledge management systems (KMS) instead of the newer ones, which are also cheaper and user friendly. This gap shows the difficulties that suppliers have to be responsive to the rapid technological changes as well as the lack of support from information and communication technology (ICT) vendors in the decision making process for choosing adequate IT-based tools (KM-Tools). The chapter also highlights that the majority of suppliers investigated adopts a variety of knowledge management practices (KM-Practices) that are used on average more intensely than KM-Tools. The field analysis demonstrates that many practices are common to many suppliers and that customers play a crucial role in supporting suppliers in their knowledge management process.

The Simulation of Flow Shop Production System in PTO Environment Through a Matrix Approach in System Dynamics Logic

This paper faces the problem of industrial production optimization through a simulation based approach and in a context of high rigidity production constraints. When an industrial plant is made by several work centers, operating in a typical flow shop configuration, its operation can be seen as a sequence of discrete events, whose optimization can be solved as a scheduling problem. The approach shown in this work is based on a System Dynamics simulation logic. In despite of an apparent greater complexity if compared to traditional discrete event simulation approaches, this logic allows to identify at each instant the position and the confluence of each single order and, moreover, to decide in a dynamic way operations planning at each work center. The simulation approach makes use of matrices to develop the model. In order to evaluate the efficacy of the proposed approach, we have applied it to a case study, considering a flow shop production system in a PTO environment.