Factors affecting the use of wiki to manage knowledge in a small company

Knowledge management in SMEs: a follow-up literature review

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to structure existing research on knowledge management (KM) in small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) to offer a comprehensive overview of research strands and topics in KM in SMEs to determine their evolution over time.

Design/methodology/approach

The paper, which is considered a follow-up literature review, is based on a systematic literature review that covers 180 scientific papers that were published since the review paper by Durst and Edvardsson in 2012 that covered 36 papers.

Findings

The findings of this review and those of the aforementioned review are brought together in the form of an overview that structures research on KM in SMEs based on themes that, in turn, allow the derivation of promising research directions and research questions aimed at structuring future research on KM in SMEs.

Originality/value

By combining the findings of this review with the findings from the review published in this journal in 2012, this paper offers, to the best of the authors’ knowledge, the most comprehensive literature review on KM in SMEs produced to date.

How Social Media Facilitates the Knowledge Management Process: A Systematic Review

The aim of this review is to present the social media roles that facilitate knowledge management processes. This paper used a systematic literature review method based on PRISMA guidelines. The literature search was conducted using the following five electronic scientific databases: Web of Knowledge, Science Direct, Emerald, PubMed and Scopus. The search identified 82 selected works and the findings showed that social media facilitates knowledge acquisition by being used as a source of knowledge, facilitating knowledge accessibility and influencing knowledge creation and creating an interactive environment. Social media has created a new dimension of knowledge organisation by evolving knowledge storage, retrieval and classification activities. Social media has developed into a new flexible form of user’s communication by removing knowledge-sharing barriers, and accelerated knowledge sharing, in particular collaborative sharing. Finally, social media facilitates knowledge application activities such as knowledge translation, decision-making, education, problem-solving, team work and research process. The knowledge activities in social media need to be monitored for quality and reliability, and endangerment of ethics, users’ privacy, fake news, false information and negative comments need to be maintained.

The impact of mobile shadow IT usage on knowledge protection: an exploratory study

Purpose

The mobile shadow information technology (IT) phenomenon is both completely misunderstood and negatively explored by those participating inside the organizational ecosystem. It represents all internet-based software, any other solutions for communications or employees’ sharing without any formal authorization or approval from the IT department. Such behavior can lead to a security breach of the organization’s data privacy, as these risks could disseminate it without the organization fully knowing. Recent research identifies that shadow IT is rarely covered from the knowledge sharing and knowledge protection (KP) perspective. This paper aims to provide an insight on how mobile shadow IT as a phenomenon could impact KP of an organization as a whole.

Design/methodology/approach

This is an exploratory study based on a qualitative approach. The authors conducted interviews with 11 IT users to answer the main research question. The interview guidelines were divided into three parts: types of mobile shadow IT and occurrence; KP nature in the workplace; and mobile shadow IT impact on KP.

Findings

The research findings identified that most interviewees use mobile shadow IT without any notice or permission from their IT departments. This sharing also negatively impacts the KP in the organization. The most common mobile shadow IT applications are the clouded type like Dropbox, Google Drive and WhatsApp. Interviewees are using mobile shadow IT mainly because organizations do not provide suitable tools to communicate efficiently. The authors concluded that mobile shadow IT harms KP with no security and privacy on what is being shared because this process is unmonitored by the organization.

Practical implications

For adequate knowledge and data protection, IT departments need to take more actions and efforts. This study can help IT decision-makers cope with the technology changes while understanding mobile shadow IT impacts. This study also offers insight regarding types of applications that can be used as an alternative tool for employees rather than using unauthorized applications. This research shows that medium-sized organizations are free to use these applications, which can cause damage to organizations.

Originality/value

This research is arguably among the first to explore the interviewees’ perspectives on how mobile shadow IT impacts KP. This paper also provides theoretical and practical insights by identifying the three primary constructs and how mobile shadow IT usage can affect KP.

Unveiling the Mechanisms to Rescue the Unknown Knowledge

The main aims of this research are threefold: (1) to create a new conceptual framework underlying the dimensions of unconscious knowledge; (2) to explore how people convert the knowledge they do not know into personal and useful knowledge; and (3) to identify the strategies of how the unconscious knowledge can emerge, in an individual way or with the help from an external agent. The paper presents a new conceptual framework based on the unconscious knowledge. Different mechanisms and strategies based on different ways to generate knowledge are proposed. The most important results of this paper are as follows: (1) a new conceptual framework that is based on the unknown knowledge creation; (2) new strategies that move from the unaware knowledge to the learned and conscious one; and (3) new tools, methodologies, and technologies to enhance the creation of this type of knowledge.

Applications of Wiki in web-based research support system

Purpose

This paper is to address the research gaps about Research Support System (RSS) as mentioned by earlier articles, and to provide a possible solution to develop an RSS for supporting academics in conducting their research.

Design/methodology/approach

This study adopts a single-case study with the application of netnography. Data were collected from an ongoing-using Wiki and the data were analysed using the theoretical lens established from earlier articles.

Findings

The result confirmed the possibilities of using Wiki to establish a system for supporting research. The authors have established a 3-stage EDM (Establishment, Development, Management) process model for illustrating the steps.

Research limitations/implications

This single-case study revealed the possibility for using Wiki as RSS for helping academics to conduct their research through providing support in preparing literature review, conducting project management and providing an archive for research methodologies. The paper also provided suggestion for practitioners on the implementation of the RSS.

Originality/value

This paper presents one of the earliest studies for developing a model to explain how to develop an RSS that gives a more concrete definition of RSS and outline a process of using Wiki as an RSS.

Use of knowledge management systems: analysis of the strategies of Brazilian small and medium enterprises

Purpose

This paper aims to highlight the degree of diffusion and intensity of use of knowledge management systems (KMSs) among small and medium enterprises (SMEs) in Brazil and apply a taxonomy that synthesizes the strategies of use of KMSs by the SMEs. In addition, it seeks to better understand the processes, practices and technologies of KM by SMEs, pointing improvements in the KMS of Brazilian SMEs and contributing to obtain better results in the search for efficiency and innovation.

Design/methodology/approach

Based on a literature review on KMSs used by SMEs, an empirical investigation was conceived, developed and conducted through online questionnaires involving 49 selected SMEs operating in several sectors.

Findings

This paper reinforces the results of the previous work of Cerchione and Esposito (2017) that point to the existence of a reciprocal relationship between KM-Tools and KM-Practices: one reinforces the other and vice versa. On the other hand, it indicates a difference in the behavior of Brazilian companies in relation to the sample of Italian companies studied by Cerchione and Esposito (2017), which presented a negative correlation between the general differentiation index and the general use intensity index of SMEs, while the Brazilian ones showed a positive correlation.

Research limitations/implications

The study points out the need for greater dissemination of practices and tools to support knowledge management (KM), as well as greater support for the implementation and effective use of these practices and tools within the organizational context of SMEs.

Practical implications

This paper identifies the main practices and tools to support KM used by Brazilian SMEs, indicating the need for investments in employee training and acquisition of tools.

Social implications

SMEs represent an important part of the generation of jobs and income in Brazil. Initiatives that lead to the successful implementation of tools and practices to support KM can increase the efficiency and productivity of these organizations.

Originality/value

This paper applies in a sample of Brazilian companies the taxonomy proposed by Cerchione and Esposito (2017) combining strategies of SMEs for the use of KMSs.

Exploring antecedents of social media usage in B2B: a systematic review

Purpose

This paper aims to review the state-of-the-art literature on social media adoption in business-to-business (B2B) contexts to propose an inclusive and theoretical viewpoint to understand the antecedents of this phenomenon.

Design/methodology/approach

This paper presents the results of a systematic literature review. For this purpose, 29 studies published in academic journals, books and conference papers in the field of marketing and management from 2001 to 2017 were analysed.

Findings

The results show that the number of studies has increased in the past five years. Three different groups of antecedents are identified by considering the nature of these factors (personal, organisational and external) and analysed at two different levels of adoption: individual and firm/function. Managerial implications and future research insights are provided.

Research limitations/implications

This research area deserves much more attention, both theoretical and empirical, to analyse the existing classifications and develop new categories of antecedents of social media adoption in B2B. Further studies are needed on the individual level of adoption, on new skills and capabilities required to use social media as well as on the social factors influencing usage.

Practical implications

The literature review allows to understand the role of personal, organisational and social antecedents and suggest ways to improve the level and quality of adoption.

Originality/value

Despite a considerable interest in research on social media, this paper provides the first complete framework in the new field of study concerning social media adoption in B2B.

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

Purpose

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.

Design/methodology/approach

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.

Findings

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.

Practical implications

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.

Originality/value

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.

The acceptance of corporate wiki use for knowledge diffusion purposes

Purpose

Scholars and practitioners alike view knowledge as a crucial organisational asset. Over the past decade, several knowledge management (KM) technologies have emerged, such as wikis. A wiki is a web-based hypertext application that supports a collaborative and conversational approach to KM. While wikis are generally simple to use, their adoption for managing organisational knowledge sometimes meets resistance from employees. The purpose of this paper is to investigate the factors affecting the user acceptance of organisational wikis as a means of knowledge creation and diffusion.

Design/methodology/approach

Building on the existing research on KM and information technology adoption, this study identified the following factors: the relevance of top management support for and complexity of enterprise wikis as well as technical support and knowledge-sharing self-efficacy. A cross-sectional survey was employed to examine the influence of these factors on employees’ acceptance of corporate wikis. Overall, 102 employees participated in the online survey, and the data collected were analysed using the partial least squares method.

Findings

The research model developed demonstrates that top management support, technical support and knowledge-sharing self-efficacy have a positive significant effect on employees’ willingness to use wikis for knowledge-creation purposes within organisations.

Originality/value

The findings of this study contribute to the existing literature on the implementation of wikis as a KM technology by developing a theoretical model explaining employees’ acceptance of this technology. Organisations could use this model to guide and facilitate wiki initiatives.

Linking procedural memory with organizational learning through knowledge corridors

Purpose

This paper argues that the combination of factors that facilitate focal and peripheral vision represent two distinct types of knowledge corridors. While focal vision may help detect signals that relate to the current objectives of the firm, peripheral vision is directed to non-central issues that may provide signals that relate to emerging trends in the external environment. Ambidexterity vision refers to the tension between these two different business visions within the same organization. This paper aims to examine the significance of procedural memory to an organization’s ambidexterity vision, along with investigating the impact procedural memory has on organizational learning.

Design/methodology/approach

The research conducted in this study addresses the following two questions: Does the enhancement of procedural memory result in the development of superior ambidexterity vision? Does the simultaneous development of both focal and peripheral vision enhance organizational learning? These research questions are studied by conducting an empirical investigation involving data provided by 203 banking employees. These data are analysed using a structural equation modelling approach.

Findings

Analysis of the data provides support for the existence of a relationship between ambidexterity vision and organizational learning.

Practical implications

The findings suggest that the re-direction of managers’ perceptions to supporting and enhancing an ambidexterity vision is likely to result in an improvement in their ability to identify emerging trends, new and emerging customers and potential shifts in customer needs and tastes.

Originality/value

This work suggests that the re-direction of managers’ perceptions to supporting and enhancing an ambidexterity vision is likely to result in an improvement in their ability to identify emerging trends, new and emerging customers and potential shifts in customer needs and tastes.