Knowledge management enablers: a case study
| Published date | 01 July 2006 |
| DOI | https://doi.org/10.1108/02635570610671489 |
| Pages | 793-810 |
| Date | 01 July 2006 |
| Author | Ying‐Jung Yeh,Sun‐Quae Lai,Chin‐Tsang Ho |
| Subject Matter | Economics,Information & knowledge management,Management science & operations |
Knowledge management
enablers: a case study
Ying-Jung Yeh
Department of Business Administration, National Taiwan University of Science
and Technology, Taipei, Taiwan, Republic of China
Sun-Quae Lai
Department of Industrial Engineering and Management, National Taipei
University of Technology, Taipei, Taiwan, Republic of China, and
Chin-Tsang Ho
Department of Accounting and Information Technology, National Chung Cheng
University, Min-Hsuing Chia-Yi, Taiwan, Republic of China
Abstract
Purpose – To analyze the crucial role that enablers play in carrying out knowledge management
within the enterprise.
Design/methodology/approach – This research uses the method of a case study and has directed
the survey on Advanced Semiconductor Engineering, Inc. (ASE) and VIA Technologies, Inc. (VIA). It
is anticipated through the case study of these two companies that it will be possible to verify the
finding of enablers concluded by other papers, thus showing the inter-relationship between theory and
business.
Findings – It is found that among the enablers: on the part of strategy and leadership; obtaining top
managements’ support is most important; among organization culture enablers is the forming of an
atmosphere and culture of sharing is most important but needs to be supplemented by informational
technology; among people enablers, other than training courses and channels that provide learning,
employee incentive program is one of the executing key factor; and among informational technology
enablers, other than the digitization of documents, the function of speedy search of information for its
re-use is becoming more and more important.
Practical implications – The result of this study not just validates theory with reality; it also
provides a reference for the academia as well as the business field.
Originality/value – This paper has discovered that establishing a dedicated unit for implementing
knowledge management is also one of the key enablers. Its role does not just stop at managing
knowledge, but instead it plays the role of furthering knowledge management by taking on the duty of
assisting and coordinating different departments in their communication.
Keywords Knowledgemanagement,Knowledge managementsystems, Corporate strategy,Leadership,
Organizationalculture, Communication technologies
Paper type Case study
1. Introduction
The information technology boom has caused enterprises to realize the shift from the
resource economy of controlling land, machines, factories, raw materials, and labor
forces to the knowledge economy of creating business value through the utilization of
intangible knowledge. This has caused “knowledge management” to be of crucial
importance in the public sector as well as the private sector both for organizations as
well as for individuals, and it has grabbed people’s attention and generated significant
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Knowledge
management
enablers
793
Industrial Management & Data
Systems
Vol. 106 No. 6, 2006
pp. 793-810
qEmerald Group Publishing Limited
0263-5577
DOI 10.1108/02635570610671489
discussions. However, as enterprises start to manage their organizations’ knowledge
they need to be clear of the factors that will influence knowledge management, which
are known as knowledge management enablers. Because enablers are the driving force
in carrying out knowledge management, they do not just generate knowledge in the
organization by stimulating the creation of knowledge, but they also motivate the
group members to share their knowledge and experiences with one another, allowing
organizational knowledge to grow concurrently and systematically (Ichijo et al., 1998;
Stonehouse and Pemberton, 1999).
Knowledge management enablers are the mechanism for the organization to
develop its knowledge and also stimulate the creation of knowledge within the
organization as well as the sharing and protection of it. They are also the necessary
building blocks in the improvement of the effectiveness of activities for knowledge
management (Ichijo et al., 1998; Stonehouse and Pemberton, 1999). In related research,
knowledge management enablers include the methods of knowledge management,
organizational structure, corporate culture, information technology, people, and
strategies, etc. (Bennett and Gabriel, 1999; Earl, 1997; Arthur Anderson Business
Consulting, 1999; Arthur Anderson and APQC, 1996; Zack, 1999; Davenport, 1997;
Long, 1997; Bose, 2004).
In the process of carrying out knowledge management, enterprises have to face the
varying conditions of corporate culture, workflow processes, and the integration of
group members’ knowledge. They also need strong support from top management,
because it is possible that during the process they will encounter resistance from
employees. Enterprises also need to increase the usage of information technology in
order to help the problem regarding the flow of information. Therefore, other than the
collection of knowledge management theories, if through the study of actual
experiences of various companies we can identify the key enablers, then we will be able
to observe the various aspects of knowledge management as well as its overview.
Thus, through the study of key enablers among the best practices in the knowledge
intensive industry, this research not just tries to validate theory with reality, but it also
hopes to provide a reference for academia as well as the business field. Although we
might not be able to successfully duplicate previous experiences, through comparing
and contrasting various enterprises’ efforts on knowledge management we will be able
to help enterprises understand the effect that different enablers have on the case
companies.
2. Literature review and discussion
Knowledge management has a significant influence on the success or failure of
business management, and hence bringing in knowledge management within a
corporation has become one of the hottest topics for literature discussion. Besides,
knowledge management is a key component in an organization’s ability to realize the
full potential of its intellectual assets in strategic and tactical decision making and in
creating a competitive advantage (Hsieh et al., 2002; Bose, 2004; Rowley, 2004). In order
to ensure the success of bringing in knowledge management, it is crucial to be able to
acquire the key enablers so as to make it possible to effectively utilize an organization’s
limited resources, reduce the use of manpower, material, and time, and still be able to
achieve the expected results.
IMDS
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