http://ejkm.com EJKM News en © 2012, EJKM Tue, 14 Feb 2012 12:53:26 +0000 Tue, 14 Feb 2012 12:53:26 +0000 EJKM EJKM EJKM RSS generator http://blogs.law.harvard.edu/tech/rss As an essential component of knowledge management systems, visualizations assist in creating, transferring and sharing knowledge in a wide range of contexts where knowledge workers need to explore, manage and get insights from tremendous volumes of data. Knowledge visualization context may incorporate any information in regard to the decisional problem context within which visualizations are applied, the visualization profiles of knowledge workers as well as their intended purposes. Due to the inherent dynamic nature, these contextual factors may cause the changing visualization requirements and difficulties in maintaining the effectiveness of a knowledge visualization when contextual changes occur. To address the contextual complexities, visualization systems to support knowledge management need to provide flexible support for the creation, manipulation, transformation and improvement of visualization solutions. Furthermore, they should be able to sense, analyze and respond to the contextual changes so as to support in maintaining the effectiveness of the solutions. In addition, they need to possess the capability to mediate between the problem and the knowledge workers through provision of action and presentation languages. However, many visualization systems tend to provide weak support for fulfilling these system requirements. They do not provide adequate flexibility for adapting the visualizations to fit different knowledge visualization contexts. This motivated us to propose and implement a flexible knowledge visualization system for better aiding knowledge creation, transfer and sharing, namely, Contextual Adaptive Visualization Environment (CAVE). CAVE provides flexible support for (1) sensing and being aware of changes in the problem, purpose and/or knowledge worker contexts, (2) interpreting the changes through relevant analysis and (3) responding to the changes through appropriate re-design and re-modelling of visual compositions to address the problem. In order to fulfil the requirements posed above, we developed and proposed conceptual models and frameworks which are further elucidated through system-oriented architectures and implementations. http://www.ejkm.com/volume10/issue1/p1 Xiaoyan Bai, David White and David Sundaram http://www.ejkm.com/volume10/issue1/p1 Sun, 01 Jan 2012 01:01:01 +0000 The rapid development of virtual worlds has created new possibilities for supporting formal and informal knowledge acquisition and learning processes online. Consequently, greater immersion of “knowledge workers” in cooperation and communication tasks in social virtual worlds should be a more prominent topic in sociological and cognitive-psychological research designs. The relatively new social potential of virtual worlds can be examined using theoretical models that describe the use and assessment of virtual world technologies in contexts of knowledge acquisition and exchange. In this paper, three co-created scenarios will be described to help demonstrate how virtual worlds can be used to explore new forms of interaction in (virtual) social contexts. These scenarios and the results of the avatar-based ethnographic investigation during the process of co-creation and collaboration will be introduced and used to reflect on the 3D projects. Afterwards, two sets of criteria to evaluate 3D environments for learning and teaching will be presented. The paper ends with suggestions for further research concerning the effects of immersion during collaboration and education in virtual worlds and an outlook on other upcoming 3D projects. http://www.ejkm.com/volume10/issue1/p15 Klaus Bredl, Amrei Groß, Julia Hünniger and Jane Fleischer http://www.ejkm.com/volume10/issue1/p15 Sun, 01 Jan 2012 01:01:01 +0000 Nowadays knowledge is becoming an increasingly important factor of organizational competitiveness. The way it is shared within the organization is essential and central not only to the success of organizations but also among those who share it, since those who take part in the knowledge sharing process also benefit from it. Since middle managers have an important position within the organization and play a significant role in the knowledge sharing process, this paper focuses on the knowledge sharing of those middle managers who work at medium and large-sized enterprises in Hungary. A new method of how to measure middle managers’ maturity of knowledge sharing is presented in this paper. Between 2007 and 2010 an empirical survey was conducted during which 400 middle managers working at medium- and large-sized enterprises in Hungary were investigated by a questionnaire. The answers of this survey have been analysed using Principal Component Analysis and four different principal components concerning the maturity of knowledge sharing have been identified. These four components are the availability among middle managers, the availability among the middle managers and their subordinates, the usefulness of knowledge among middle managers and the usefulness of knowledge among the middle managers and their subordinates. http://www.ejkm.com/volume10/issue1/p26 Zoltán Gaál, Lajos Szabó, Nóra Obermayer-Kovács and Anikó Csepregi http://www.ejkm.com/volume10/issue1/p26 Sun, 01 Jan 2012 01:01:01 +0000 This paper investigates personal knowledge development in online learning environments using the perspective of a model adapted from Nonaka and colleagues’ SECI model. To this end, the SECI model, which was originally designed to describe organisational knowledge creation and conversion, was adapted to conceptualise personal knowledge development in online learning at the individual level. As the SECI model was originally conceived at the organisational level, in order to measure personal knowledge development at the individual level in the context of online learning, a measurement instrument was created in order to measure the scores of individual online learners on Externalisation, Combination and Internalisation. It is argued that Socialisation is not a relevant mode in the context of online learning and is therefore not covered in the measurement instrument; this is explained further in the paper. This measurement instrument also examines the interrelationships between the three modes and a new model – the so-called EC-I model – is proposed to depict these interrelationships. The measurement instrument is based on data collected through an online survey, in which online learners report on their experiences of personal knowledge development in online learning environments. In other words, the instrument measures the magnitude of online learners’ Externalisation and Combination activities as well as their level of Internalisation, i.e. the outcomes of their personal knowledge development in online learning. For Externalisation and Combination, formative indicators were used, whereas for Internalisation reflective indicators were used. The measurement instrument is one of the main foci of this paper and is therefore discussed in-depth. In sum, the paper proposes a modified version of the SECI model, extending the applicability of the original SECI model from the organisational to the individual level. It outlines a new measurement instrument which can be used to measure Externalisation and Combination, i.e. personal knowledge development processes, and Internalisation, i.e. personal knowledge development outcomes. http://www.ejkm.com/volume10/issue1/p39 Markus Haag and Yanqing Duan http://www.ejkm.com/volume10/issue1/p39 Sun, 01 Jan 2012 01:01:01 +0000 An organisation’s ability to successfully compete in a changing market place is contingent on its ability to manage what it knows, in order to serve the objectives of the firm. While it has been argued that due to their size, knowledge management (KM) is not a concern for smaller organisations, in the current economic climate, it is expected that a more formalised approach to KM allows the company to seize opportunities as they arise, and deal with environmental uncertainty more effectively. In view of this, the objective of this study was to devise a classification of knowledge activities (KAs) which facilitates the exploration of a Small to Medium Sized Enterprises (SMEs) in terms of the type and extent to which knowledge is managed. Furthermore, analysis of KAs provided a greater understanding of the fit between the firm’s objectives and the KM approach pursued. In order to achieve this, five case studies were conducted. Based on the classification of KAs identified, a qualitative analysis approach was used to code each of the twenty eight interviews carried out. Both quantitative and qualitative content analysis methods were applied to facilitate data reduction and generate meaning from the significant volume of data collected. The output from this study includes a classification of KAs which provides rich insight into how SMEs are motivated to deal with knowledge as a means of achieving their organisational objectives. From a practitioner viewpoint, this study seeks to offer an improved understanding of a software SMEs’ approach to KM. http://www.ejkm.com/volume10/issue1/p48 Ciara Heavin and Frederic Adam http://www.ejkm.com/volume10/issue1/p48 Sun, 01 Jan 2012 01:01:01 +0000 Knowledge-oriented organizations are bricks for the knowledge-based society construction. Building knowledge-based society and economy suppose challenging transition processes from the classical structure of an organization to new organizational forms that help to fill the gap between actual society and the future knowledge-based society and economy. This transition generates new issues in knowledge creation and sharing processes, related to the particularities of the new organizational forms. Therefore, in the last few years, our researches are oriented to developing and testing a number of forms of organization designed to facilitate an efficient and effective transition toward the knowledge-based society, like communities of practice, (virtual) networks of professionals or knowledge ecosystems (KE). Under this general frame, this paper presents the results of our research aiming to capture the necessary changes that a medical organization specialized in rehabilitation (the National Institute of Rehabilitation and Physical Medicine from Bucharest, Romania - INRMFB) has to undertake for converting its classical structure into a new knowledge-oriented one, possible and easily to being integrated into a Virtual Network for Home Health Rehabilitation of the impaired people – the meta goal of our research in recent years. Specifically, within its five sections, the paper outlines: 1. An introduction in the macro and micro-level empirical setting in which the study is carried out; 2. The methodological approach based on Social Network Analysis (SNA). Although quit often used in the medical field, as we will see in the second section of the paper, the SNA methods and models aren’t used yet in the particular area of health rehabilitation; 3. The objectives of the empirical study that can be summarized as follows: Mapping of the knowledge flows & needs in the target community of practice. The aim of this step is to produce an accurate picture of the knowledge flows that the target community identified at the INRMFB actually enacts in the accomplishment of its organizational objectives. Analysis & Diagnosis: Identification of critical aspects and areas of improvements (e.g. knowledge needs, knowledge bottlenecks, structural determinants of inefficiency or of poor performance). Design: definition of the functional specifications for redesigning the agents, network and of the functionalities of Knowbots. 4. The survey we have designed for data collection. According with the particularities of the macro and micro-level in which our study is carried out, we have designed a survey that will help us both for diagnosing the knowledge-sharing-structure of INRMFB, and for finding adequate solutions for potential critical aspects identified in this medical facility.; 5. A set of conclusions and recommendations for the new knowledge-oriented organizational structure to be created within the INRMFB. Alongside with performing SNA in the health rehabilitation field, an important output of our study is to find answer to the following questions: Cans the classical organizational structure of the INRMFB be transformed into a knowledge-based one, by reengineering the knowledge flows and agent’s roles? If and where within the actual structure a virtual knowledge agent (knowbot) can and should be integrated? Our paper is a consequent continuation of our work in the KE area, contributing to the completion of an integrate vision over the role of the KM techniques, human and virtual agents in the emerging of knowledge-based society. It presents a work still in progress, the final results of our study going to be presented within the ECKM2011 conference. http://www.ejkm.com/volume10/issue1/p64 Virginia Maracine, Luca Iandoli, Emil Scarlat and Adriana Sarah Nica http://www.ejkm.com/volume10/issue1/p64 Sun, 01 Jan 2012 01:01:01 +0000 In the knowledge management world there are many different terms flying around. Some are more important and frequently used than others. In this paper, we present and discuss the development and views of three terms: knowledge transfer, knowledge sharing http://www.ejkm.com/volume10/issue1/p82 Dan Paulin and Kaj Suneson http://www.ejkm.com/volume10/issue1/p82 Sun, 01 Jan 2012 01:01:01 +0000 Our paper introduces the Global Knowledge Management Framework (GKMF) which describes components and influence factors of knowledge management in globally distributed settings. The framework identifies the key aspects when designing knowledge management p http://www.ejkm.com/volume10/issue1/p93 Jan Pawlowski and Markus Bick http://www.ejkm.com/volume10/issue1/p93 Sun, 01 Jan 2012 01:01:01 +0000