Knowledge management challenges in small-and medium-sized enterprises

Background & Research Focus Managing knowledge for innovation and organisational benefit has been extensively investigated in studies of large firms (Smith, Collins & Clark, 2005; Zucker, et al., 2007) and to a large extent there is limited research into studies of small- and medium- sized enterprises (SMEs). There are some investigations in knowledge management research on SMEs, but what remains to be seen in particular is the question of where are the potential challenges for managing knowledge more effectively within these firms? Effective knowledge management (KM) processes and systems lead to improved performance in pursuing distinct capabilities that contribute to firm-level innovation (Nassim 2009; Zucker et al. 2007; Verona and Ravasi 2003). Managing internal and external knowledge in a way that links it closely to the innovation process can assist the creation and implementation of new products and services. KM is particularly important in knowledge intensive firms where the knowledge requirements are highly specialized, diverse and often emergent. However, to a large extent the KM processes of small firms that are often the source of new knowledge and an important element of the value networks of larger companies have not been closely studied. To address this gap which is of increasing importance with the growing number of small firms, we need to further investigate knowledge management processes and the ways that firms find, capture, apply and integrate knowledge from multiple sources for their innovation process. This study builds on the previous literature and applies existing frameworks and takes the process and activity view of knowledge management as a starting point of departure (see among others Kraaijenbrink, Wijnhoven & Groen, 2007; Enberg, Lindkvist, & Tell, 2006; Lu, Wang & Mao, 2007). In this paper, it is attempted to develop a better understanding of the challenges of knowledge management within the innovation process in small knowledge-oriented firms. The paper aims to explore knowledge management processes and practices in firms that are engaged in the new product/service development programs. Consistent with the exploratory character of the study, the research question is: How is knowledge integrated, sourced and recombined from internal and external sources for innovation and new product development? Research Method The research took an exploratory case study approach and developed a theoretical framework to investigate the knowledge situation of knowledge-intensive firms. Equipped with the conceptual foundation, the research adopted a multiple case study method investigating four diverse Australian knowledge-intensive firms from IT, biotechnology, nanotechnology and biochemistry industries. The multiple case study method allowed us to document in some depth the knowledge management experience of the theses firms. Case study data were collected through a review of company published data and semi-structured interviews with managers using an interview guide to ensure uniform coverage of the research themes. This interview guide was developed following development of the framework and a review of the methodologies and issues covered by similar studies in other countries and used some questions common to these studies. It was framed to gather data around knowledge management activity within the business, focusing on the identification, acquisition and utilisation of knowledge, but collecting a range of information about subject as well. The focus of the case studies was on the use of external and internal knowledge to support their knowledge intensive products and services. Key Findings Firstly a conceptual and strategic knowledge management framework has been developed. The knowledge determinants are related to the nature of knowledge, organisational context, and mechanism of the linkages between internal and external knowledge. Overall, a number of key observations derived from this study, which demonstrated the challenges of managing knowledge and how important KM is as a management tool for innovation process in knowledge-oriented firms. To summarise, findings suggest that knowledge management process in these firms is very much project focused and not embedded within the overall organisational routines and mainly based on ad hoc and informal processes. Our findings highlighted lack of formal knowledge management process within our sampled firms. This point to the need for more specialised capabilities in knowledge management for these firms. We observed a need for an effective knowledge transfer support system which is required to facilitate knowledge sharing and particularly capturing and transferring tacit knowledge from one team members to another. In sum, our findings indicate that building effective and adaptive IT systems to manage and share knowledge in the firm is one of the biggest challenges for these small firms. Also, there is little explicit strategy in small knowledge-intensive firms that is targeted at systematic KM either at the strategic or operational level. Therefore, a strategic approach to managing knowledge for innovation as well as leadership and management are essential to achieving effective KM. In particular, research findings demonstrate that gathering tacit knowledge, internal and external to the organization, and applying processes to ensure the availability of knowledge for innovation teams, drives down the risks and cost of innovation. KM activities and tools, such as KM systems, environmental scanning, benchmarking, intranets, firm-wide databases and communities of practice to acquire knowledge and to make it accessible, were elements of KM. Practical Implications The case study method that used in this study provides practical insight into the knowledge management process within Australian knowledge-intensive firms. It also provides useful lessons which can be used by other firms in managing the knowledge more effectively in the innovation process. The findings would be helpful for small firms that may be searching for a practical method for managing and integrating their specialised knowledge. Using the results of this exploratory study and to address the challenges of knowledge management, this study proposes five practices that are discussed in the paper for managing knowledge more efficiently to improve innovation: (1) Knowledge-based firms must be strategic in knowledge management processes for innovation, (2) Leadership and management should encourage various practices for knowledge management, (3) Capturing and sharing tacit knowledge is critical and should be managed, (4)Team knowledge integration practices should be developed, (5) Knowledge management and integration through communication networks, and technology systems should be encouraged and strengthen. In sum, the main managerial contribution of the paper is the recognition of knowledge determinants and processes, and their effects on the effective knowledge management within firm. This may serve as a useful benchmark in the strategic planning of the firm as it utilises new and specialised knowledge.

A tag-based personalized item recommendation system using tensor modeling and topic model approaches

This research falls in the area of enhancing the quality of tag-based item recommendation systems. It aims to achieve this by employing a multi-dimensional user profile approach and by analyzing the semantic aspects of tags. Tag-based recommender systems have two characteristics that need to be carefully studied in order to build a reliable system. Firstly, the multi-dimensional correlation, called as tag assignment , should be appropriately modelled in order to create the user profiles [1]. Secondly, the semantics behind the tags should be considered properly as the flexibility with their design can cause semantic problems such as synonymy and polysemy [2]. This research proposes to address these two challenges for building a tag-based item recommendation system by employing tensor modeling as the multi-dimensional user profile approach, and the topic model as the semantic analysis approach. The first objective is to optimize the tensor model reconstruction and to improve the model performance in generating quality rec-ommendation. A novel Tensor-based Recommendation using Probabilistic Ranking (TRPR) method [3] has been developed. Results show this method to be scalable for large datasets and outperforming the benchmarking methods in terms of accuracy. The memory efficient loop implements the n-mode block-striped (matrix) product for tensor reconstruction as an approximation of the initial tensor. The probabilistic ranking calculates the probabil-ity of users to select candidate items using their tag preference list based on the entries generated from the reconstructed tensor. The second objective is to analyse the tag semantics and utilize the outcome in building the tensor model. This research proposes to investigate the problem using topic model approach to keep the tags nature as the “social vocabulary” [4]. For the tag assignment data, topics can be generated from the occurrences of tags given for an item. However there is only limited amount of tags availa-ble to represent items as collection of topics, since an item might have only been tagged by using several tags. Consequently, the generated topics might not able to represent the items appropriately. Furthermore, given that each tag can belong to any topics with various probability scores, the occurrence of tags cannot simply be mapped by the topics to build the tensor model. A standard weighting technique will not appropriately calculate the value of tagging activity since it will define the context of an item using a tag instead of a topic.

Design after design to bridge between people living with cognitive or sensory impairments, their friends and proxies

A carer or teacher often plays the role of proxy or spokesperson for a person living with an intellectual disability or form of cognitive or sensory impairment. Our research undertook co-design with people living with cognitive and sensory impairments and their proxies in order to explore new ways of facilitating communication. We developed simple functioning interactive prototypes to support people with a diverse range of competencies to communicate and explore their use. Deployment of the prototypes enabled use, appropriation and design after design by our two participant groups; adults living with cognitive or sensory impairments and children identified with language delays and autism spectrum disorder. The prototypes supported concrete expression of likes, dislikes, capabilities, emotional wants and needs and forms of expression that hitherto had not been fostered, further informing design. Carers and designers were surprised at the ways in which the technology was used and how it fostered new forms of social interaction and expression. We elaborate on how design after design can be an effective approach for engaging people living with intellectual disabilities, giving them greater capacity for expression and power in design and offering the potential to expand and deepen their social relationships.

Visual narratives and counter-narratives in aged care : Centring the participant as photographer in social science research

As detailed by a number of scholars (Emmison & Smith, 2000, 2012; Harrison, 1996, 2002, 2004), photographs and the process of photographing can provide fertile ground for sociological investigation. Examining the production of photography can tell us much about inclusion/omission and power/knowledge in a variety of social settings. Recently, some researchers have begun to utilise the participatory action research methodology, PhotoVoice, where people take and share photographs as a means of communicating and advocating on a specific topic. While medical sociologists have used PhotoVoice to communicate the impacts of disease in vulnerable populations (eg Burles, 2010), little social research has been done that combines PhotoVoice and older persons. This is interesting given the world’s population is ageing and the general lack of research that examines what daily life is like for older people living in aged care (Timonen & O’Dwyer, 2009). In response, a recent project tracked 10 participants who recently transitioned into living in residential aged care (RAC). The project combined the use of PhotoVoice methodology with repeated in-depth interviews. Residents were asked to orally and visually describe the positives and negative aspects of their daily lives. In the first instance, they shared the use of a RAC owned camera and later had the opportunity to access a camera for their sole use. Photographic analysis emphasised the value of centring the participant as an autonomous photographer in social research. In the photographs captured on a shared use camera, the photographs tended to depict predominately positive life stories (e.g. weekly morning tea outings, social activities). In comparison, the photographs captured on the sole use camera also described intimate but everyday activities, spaces, objects and people that frequented in their daily lives. Shifting the responsibility of the camera and photography solely to the participants resulted in the residents disrupting conventions of ‘suitable’ subject matter to photograph (Harrison, 2004) and in doing so, provided a much richer insight into what daily life is like in aged care.

Creating a legal framework for copyright management of open access within the Australian academic and research sector

This chapter analyses the copyright law framework needed to ensure open access to outputs of the Australian academic and research sector such as journal articles and theses. It overviews the new knowledge landscape, the principles of copyright law, the concept of open access to knowledge, the recently developed open content models of copyright licensing and the challenges faced in providing greater access to knowledge and research outputs.

Green urbanism and diffusion issues

This paper addresses the research question, ‘What are the diffusion determinants for green urbanism innovations in Australia?’ This is a significant topic given the global movement towards green urbanism. The study reported here is based on desktop research that provides new insights through (1) synthesis of the latest research findings on green urbanism innovations and (2) interpretation of diffusion issues through our innovation system model. Although innovation determinants have been studied extensively overseas and in Australia, there is presently a gap in the literature when it comes to these determinants for green urbanism in Australia. The current paper fills this gap. Using a conceptual framework drawn from the innovation systems literature, this paper synthesises and interprets the literature to map the current state of green urbanism innovations in Australia and to analyse the drivers for, and obstacles to, their optimal diffusion. The results point to the importance of collaboration between project-based actors in the implementation of green urbanism. Education, training and regulation across the product system is also required to improve the cultural and technical context for implementation. The results are limited by their exploratory nature and future research is planned to quantify barriers to green urbanism.

Design thinking frameworks as transformative cross-disciplinary pedagogy

Final report for the Australian Government Office for Learning and Teaching. "This seed project ‘Design thinking frameworks as transformative cross-disciplinary pedagogy’ aimed to examine the way design thinking strategies are used across disciplines to scaffold the development of student attributes in the domain of problem solving and creativity in order to enhance the nation’s capacity for innovation. Generic graduate attributes associated with innovation, creativity and problem solving are considered to be amongst the most important of all targeted attributes (Bradley Review of Higher Education, 2009). The project also aimed to gather data on how academics across disciplines conceptualised design thinking methodologies and strategies. Insights into how design thinking strategies could be embedded at the subject level to improve student outcomes were of particular interest in this regard. A related aim was the investigation of how design thinking strategies could be used by academics when designing new and innovative subjects and courses." Case Study 3: QUT Community Engaged Learning Lab Design Thinking/Design Led Innovation Workshop by Natalie Wright Context "The author, from the discipline area of Interior Design in the QUT School of Design, Faculty of Creative Industries, is a contributing academic and tutor for The Community Engaged Learning Lab, which was initiated at Queensland University of Technology in 2012. The Lab facilitates university-wide service-learning experiences and engages students, academics, and key community organisations in interdisciplinary action research projects to support student learning and to explore complex and ongoing problems nominated by the community partners. In Week 3, Semester One 2013, with the assistance of co-lead Dr Cara Wrigley, Senior Lecturer in Design led Innovation, a Masters of Architecture research student and nine participating industry-embedded Masters of Research (Design led Innovation) facilitators, a Design Thinking/Design led Innovation workshop was conducted for the Community Engaged Learning Lab students, and action research outcomes published at 2013 Tsinghua International Design Management Symposium, December 2013 in Shenzhen, China (Morehen, Wright, & Wrigley, 2013)."

Dynamics of nitrogen and suspended solids removal in experimental stormwater biofilters under intermittent wetting and drying

This research study comprehensively analyses the dynamics of nitrogen and suspended solids removal in stormwater biofilters. The study focuses on pollutant removal during an event with time, rather than the conventional event-mean analysis. Antecedent dry days (number of days in between rainfall) during which biofilters remain dry and the inflow concentration of pollutants were two other important variables analysed in this study. The research outcome highlights the significance of dry-phase processes and the process of stabilization on filter performance and sets a paradigm shift from the current approach towards an innovative way of performance analysis of biofilters.

Agent-based modelling and simulation of airplane boarding processes

Passenger flow simulations are an important tool for designing and managing airports. This thesis examines the different boarding strategies for the Boeing 777 and Airbus 380 aircraft in order to investigate their current performance and to determine minimum boarding times. The most optimal strategies have been discovered and new strategies that are more efficient are proposed. The methods presented offer reduced aircraft boarding times which plays an important role for reducing the overall aircraft Turn Time for an airline.

Key beliefs influencing young drivers' engagement with social interactive technology on their Smartphones: A qualitative study

Objective The main aim of this study was to identify young drivers' underlying beliefs (i.e., behavioral, normative, and control) regarding initiating, monitoring/reading, and responding to social interactive technology (i.e., functions on a Smartphone that allow the user to communicate with other people). Method This qualitative study was a beliefs elicitation study in accordance with the Theory of Planned Behavior and sought to elicit young drivers' behavioral (i.e., advantages, disadvantages), normative (i.e., who approves, who disapproves), and control beliefs (i.e., barriers, facilitators) which underpin social interactive technology use while driving. Young drivers (N = 26) aged 17 to 25 years took part in an interview or focus group discussion. Results While differences emerged between the three behaviors of initiating, monitoring/reading, and responding for each of the behavioral, normative, and control belief categories, the strongest distinction was within the behavioral beliefs category (e.g., communicating with the person that they were on the way to meet was an advantage of initiating; being able to determine whether to respond was an advantage of monitoring/reading; and communicating with important people was an advantage of responding). Normative beliefs were similar for initiating and responding behaviors (e.g., friends and peers more likely to approve than other groups) and differences emerged for monitoring/reading (e.g., parents were more likely to approve of this behavior than initiating and responding). For control beliefs, there were differences between the beliefs regarding facilitators of these behaviors (e.g., familiar roads and conditions facilitated initiating; having audible notifications of an incoming communication facilitated monitoring/reading; and receiving a communication of immediate importance facilitated responding); however, the control beliefs that presented barriers were consistent across the three behaviors (e.g., difficult traffic/road conditions). Conclusion The current study provides an important addition to the extant literature and supports emerging research which suggests initiating, monitoring/reading, and responding may indeed be distinct behaviors with different underlying motivations.

The Australian Qualifications Framework for bachelor degree in property economics

The Australian Qualifications Framework (AQF) requires every course in Australia to be reviewed and compliant by 2015. This paper compares the difference between AQF level 7 and level 8 and outlines the paradigm shift in course development, improvement and quality assurance. The AQF requires an outcome oriented process which influences the development, monitoring and implementation of AQF courses. Firstly the graduate profile is defined to underscore the direction of the property course development. Required graduate attributes are then defined, together with course learning outcomes. Each unit/subject assessment is then designed to reflect the desired learning outcomes, and then finally the unit/subject content is backfilled. This reverse engineered process will ensure that all students have been taught and assessed on the graduate attributes which will form the graduate profile. Therefore, monitoring the inclusion of learning outcomes on unit/subject level during course restructure and development is crucial to achieve the course learning outcomes. This paper recommends that further evaluation needs to be conducted in the course development phases by involving professional accreditation bodies, industry representatives, students and recent graduates in this course development process. It also discusses challenges for developing an undergraduate property course.

Local buckling studies of cold-formed steel compression members at elevated temperatures

Cold-formed steel members have been widely used in residential and commercial buildings as primary load bearing structural elements. They are often made of thin steel sheets and hence they are more susceptible to local buckling. The buckling behaviour of cold-formed steel compression members under fire conditions is not fully investigated yet and hence there is a lack of knowledge on the fire performance of cold-formed steel compression members. Current cold-formed steel design standards do not provide adequate design guidelines for the fire design of cold-formed steel compression members. Therefore a research project based on extensive experimental and numerical studies was undertaken to investigate the local buckling behaviour of light gauge cold-formed steel compression members under simulated fire conditions. First a series of 91 local buckling tests was conducted at ambient and uniform elevated temperatures up to 700oC on cold-formed lipped and unlipped channels. Suitable finite element models were then developed to simulate the behaviour of tested columns and were validated using test results. All the ultimate load capacity results for local buckling were compared with the predictions from the available design rules based on AS/NZS 4600, BS 5950 Part 5, Eurocode 3 Parts 1.2 and 1.3 and the direct strength method (DSM), based on which suitable recommendations have been made for the fire design of cold-formed steel compression members subject to local buckling at uniform elevated temperatures.

Preparing engineering graduates for the knowledge economy through blended delivery of mathematics

Contemporary higher education institutions are making significant efforts to develop cohesive, meaningful and effective learning experiences for Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) curricula to prepare graduates for challenges in the modern knowledge economy, thus enhancing their employability (Carnevale et al, 2011). This can inspire innovative redesign of learning experiences embedded in technology-enhanced educational environments and the development of research-informed, pedagogically reliable strategies fostering interactions between various agents of the learning-teaching process. This paper reports on the results of a project aimed at enhancing students’ learning experiences by redesigning a large, first year mathematics unit for Engineering students at a large metropolitan public university. Within the project, the current study investigates the effectiveness of selected, technology-mediated pedagogical approaches used over three semesters. Grounded in user-centred instructional design, the pedagogical approaches explored the opportunities for learning created by designing an environment containing technological, social and educational affordances. A qualitative analysis of mixed-type questionnaires distributed to students indicated important inter-relations between participants’ frames of references of the learning-teaching process and stressed the importance (and difficulty) of creating appropriate functional context. Conclusions drawn from this study may inform instructional design for blended delivery of STEM-focused programs that endeavor to enhance students’ employability by educating work-ready graduates.

Analysis of distributed beamforming in cooperative communications network with phase shifter based smart antenna nodes

This research study investigates the application of phase shifter-based smart antenna system in distributed beamforming. It examines the way to optimise the transmit power by jointly maximising the directivity of the array antennas and the weight vector for distributed beamforming. This research study concludes that maximising directivity can lead to better transmit power minimisation compared to maximising field intensity. This study also concludes that signal to noise power ratio maximisation subject to a power constraint and power minimisation subject to a signal to noise power ratio constraint yield the same results.