A knowledge-based view of people and technology: directions for a value co-creation-based learning organisation

Determinants Influenced by COVID-19 Vaccine: Employing the Health Action Process Approach and the Belief in Conspiracy Theories

Vaccination is considered a practical approach to improving individuals’ health behavior to fight against the COVID-19 pandemic. However, the currently manufactured COVID-19 vaccines can only work for a limited time. Thus, continuous vaccination intention is crucially essential. The current study explores critical factors influencing citizens’ continuous vaccination intentions for COVID-19 vaccines, based on the modified health action process approach (HAPA) model and belief in a conspiracy theory. A questionnaire survey was used to collect data from people living in Taiwan. Three hundred ninety responses were employed for the final investigation. The findings suggest that openness to experience, government communication, and pandemic knowledge significantly influence vaccination intention, but the COVID-19 threat is insignificant. Second, descriptive norms play a significant role in promoting vaccination intention. Third, a belief in conspiracy theories negatively influences vaccination intention. Fourth, vaccination behavior positively influences both perceived benefits and value co-creation. Fifth, perceived benefits positively impact value co-creation and continuous vaccination behavior. Finally, value co-creation has a significant influence on continuous vaccination behavior. The proposed model, the key contributor to the current study, confirms citizens’ continuous vaccination intentions in a three-stage procedure: motivation to volitional, volitional to behavior, and volitional to continuous vaccination intention.

The challenging meet between human and artificial knowledge. A systems-based view of its influences on firms-customers interaction

Purpose

This paper aims to recall the attention on a key challenge for customer relationship management related to the role of human agents in the management of the “switch point” for ensuring the effectiveness and efficiency in a customer-machine conversation.

Design/methodology/approach

This study contributes to the discussion about the firms’ approach to artificial intelligence (AI) in frontline interactions under the conceptual umbrella provided by knowledge management studies.

Findings

This paper provides a theoretical model for clarifying the role of human intelligence (HI) in AI-based frontline interactions by highlighting the relevance of the actors’ subjectivity in the dynamics and perceptions of customer-machine conversations.

Originality/value

An AI-HI complementarity matrix is proposed in spite of the still dominant replacement view.

A Virtual Net Locks Me In: How and When Information and Communication Technology Use Intensity Leads to Knowledge Hiding

The research explores a novel phenomenon in which information and communication technology (ICT), which is originally designed for knowledge transferring, may result in employees' knowledge hiding due to increasing use intensity. Specifically, drawing upon the appraisal theory of empathy, we develop a moderated mediation model of empathy linking ICT use intensity and knowledge hiding. The hypothesized model is tested by conducting a scenario-based experimental study (Study 1, N = 194) and a multi-wave field study (Study 2, N = 350). Results show that ICT use intensity is positively related to employees' knowledge hiding through the mediating role of their empathy. Moreover, competitive goal interdependence strengthens the negative relationship between ICT use intensity and employees' empathy, and the indirect positive effect between ICT use intensity and employees' knowledge hiding. Overall, the research answers the questions of how and when ICT use intensity may influence employees' knowledge hiding. Finally, the theoretical and practical implications of the research findings are discussed.

Supplementary Information

The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s10551-022-05245-4.

Industry 4.0 as a Challenge for the Skills and Competencies of the Labor Force: A Bibliometric Review and a Survey

The latest technological development called Industry 4.0, like the previous industrial revolutions, has also brought a new challenge for people as a labor force because new technologies require new skills and competencies. By 2030 the existing generation in the labor market will have a skill gap threatening human replacement by machines. Based on bibliometric analysis and systematic literature review the main aims of this study are, on the one hand, to reveal the most related articles concerning skills, competencies, and Industry 4.0, and on the other hand, to identify the newset of skills and competencies which are essential for the future labor force. Determining the model of new skills and competencies in connection with Industry 4.0 technologies is the main novelty of the study. A survey carried out among the workers of mostly multinational organisations in Hungary has also been used to explore the level of awareness about those skills and Industry 4.0 related technologies, and this can be considered the significance of the empirical research.

The influence of financial knowledge on the credit behaviour of small and micro enterprises: the knowledge-based view

Purpose

The rich financial knowledge of small and micro business owners helps to enhance the formal credit demand of small and micro enterprises and change the credit channel preference of small and micro enterprises. The purpose of this paper is to explore the relationship between financial knowledge and the credit practices of 290 small and micro enterprises in China’s Jiangsu and Shandong provinces based on their formal credit needs and preferred channels of credit.

Design/methodology/approach

To measure the degree of the credit constraints of small and micro enterprises, this study applied questionnaire surveys to obtain information on the credit demand and supply of 363 small and micro enterprises in the Jiangsu and Shandong provinces. Firstly, a probit model is used to study the influence of financial knowledge on the formal credit demand and credit acquisition possibility of small and micro enterprises, and tool variables and a biprobit model are used to deal with the possible errors of endogenesis and sample selection. Secondly, a tobit model is used to study the influence of financial knowledge on the credit access of small and micro enterprises in different channels, and tool variables and a Heckman two-stage model are used to deal with endogenesis and possible errors in sample selection. Finally, this study carried out a series of robustness tests to make the conclusions more reliable.

Findings

This study is based on the perspective of the knowledge-based view to explore the impact of financial knowledge on the credit behaviour of small and micro enterprises. This study found that financial knowledge can increase a small and micro enterprise’s formal credit needs and drive the small and micro enterprise to actively apply for loans. Furthermore, financial knowledge has a significant and positive influence on the acquisition of formal credit and approved lines of formal credit and a significant and negative influence on the acquisition of informal credit and approved lines of informal credit.

Research limitations/implications

The results indicated that increased financial knowledge can increase the likelihood of a small and micro enterprise to prefer formal credit and reduce the likelihood of it to prefer informal credit channels.

Originality/value

Financial knowledge is the ability to master basic economic knowledge and financial concepts as well as the ability to use knowledge to manage and allocate financial resources. The rich financial knowledge of small and micro business owners helps to enhance the formal credit demand of small and micro enterprises and change their credit channel preference. This paper offers a new perspective on the problems of credit constraint, low participation in formal credit markets and high participation in private credit markets among China’s small and micro enterprises and valuably supplements the research literature.

Theoretical B2B knowledge management framework focused on value co-creation

Purpose

Knowledge is companies’ crucial asset, especially when they are inserted in continuous collaboration and value co-creation. However, problems related to knowledge may occur without proper management, which can compromise the strategic objectives associated with a business collaboration network. Given the presented gap, this study aims to propose and test a business-to-business (B2B) knowledge management (KM) framework focused on value co-creation. Therefore, this study seeks to answer the following guiding questions: what are the main elements that a KM model should present in a context of value co-creation between companies? What are the limitations? What are the advantages and disadvantages? Is there any group that would benefit most from it?

Design/methodology/approach

This is an exploratory study grounded on mixed methods, having a qualitative approach (systematic literature review and content analysis) followed by a quantitative approach (exploratory and confirmatory factor analysis), which grounded the proposed framework.

Findings

The qualitative approach grounded on the systematic literature review resulting in 38 articles that were submitted to content analysis, which resulted in six record units: active communication between the organization, employees and other stakeholders; documents and organizational knowledge stored; knowledge map; collaborative network; searching tools and database, which provided the KM elements to develop and test the proposed framework by the quantitative approach. The results have shown that the framework may assist in managing knowledge in B2B value co-creation relationships.

Research limitations/implications

As an exploratory study, the chosen research approach used nonprobabilistic for convenience sampling. Therefore, the results may lack generalizability. Thus, researchers are encouraged to use probabilistic sampling techniques to ensure generability. Also, more and better items should be used to upgrade the initial questionnaire, improving it and, by doing so, have a better scale.

Practical implications

Assuming the proposed framework’s effectiveness, company managers can use it to drive knowledge within the network of interested parties to promote cooperative products and services. In addition, due to the theoretical framework’s broad vision, it can serve as a strategic aid to leverage innovation, productivity and competitive advantage. This study also provides an initial instrument that assists in understanding KM elements, which may assist in value co-creation.

Originality/value

It was learned that the elements, tools, concepts and KM preconized solutions can assist in value co-creation. Considering that value assists business performance, and value co-creation is one way to enhance it, furthermore, by knowledge sharing, the value co-creation may occur in the B2B ecosystem. Also, it is the first theoretical KM framework proposed to assist companies to understand better ways that could get advantages on structuring knowledge, meaning mapping it, sharing it through a system that can retain what is needed and release it to the ones that need and have the defined access to receive it.

An evaluation of critical knowledge areas for managing the COVID-19 pandemic

Purpose

The ability to manage the COVID-19 pandemic is contingent upon the ability to effectively manage its heterogeneous knowledge resources. Knowledge mapping represents a great opportunity to create value by bringing stakeholders together, facilitating comprehensive collaboration and facilitating broader in-depth knowledge sharing and transfer. However, identifying and analysing critical knowledge areas is one of the most important steps when creating a knowledge map. Therefore, the purpose of this paper is to appraise the critical knowledge areas for managing COVID-19, and thereby enhance decision-making in tackling the consequences of the pandemic.

Design/methodology/approach

The methodological approach for this study is a critical literature review, covering publications on knowledge management, knowledge mapping and COVID-19. EBSCOhost, PubMed, Scopus, Science Direct, TRID, Web of Science and Wiley Online Library were searched for full text, peer-reviewed articles written in English that investigated on critical knowledge areas for managing the spread of COVID-19. After full screening, 21 articles met the criteria for inclusion and were analysed and reported.

Findings

The study revealed seven critical knowledge areas for managing the COVID-19 pandemic. These are cleaning and disinfection; training, education and communication; reporting guidance and updates; testing; infection control measures, personal protective equipment; and potential COVID-19 transmission in health and other care settings. The study developed a concept knowledge map illustrating areas of critical knowledge which decision-makers need to be aware of.

Practical implications

Providing decision-makers with access to key knowledge during the COVID-19 pandemic seems to be crucial for effective decision-making. This study has provided insights for the professionals and decision-makers identifying the critical knowledge areas for managing the COVID-19 pandemic.

Social implications

The study advances the literature on knowledge management and builds a theoretical link with the management of public health emergencies. Additionally, the findings support the theoretical position that knowledge maps facilitate decision-making and help users to identify critical knowledge areas easily and effectively.

Originality/value

This study fills gaps in the existing literature by providing an explicit representation of know-how for managing the COVID-19 pandemic. This paper uses an objective and qualitative approach by reviewing related publications, reports and guidelines in the analysis. The concept map illustrates the critical knowledge areas for managing the COVID-19 pandemic.

Clients and Service providers Relationship in IT Outsourcing Project Success

The role of organizational attitude for an effective knowledge sharing (KS) in IT outsourcing (ITO) relationships has not been adequately addressed. In this paper, we investigate the relationship between KS and ITO success as well as the potential moderating effect of organizational attitude on the relationship between KS and partnership quality in ITO. By leveraging structural equation modeling (SEM) on survey data from 153 ITO projects, results show that organizational attitudes significantly influence knowledge sharing and partnership quality, which in turn, results in successful ITO project. Moreover, the relationship between knowledge sharing and partnership quality is more pronounced when the partner firms have positive attitudes to KS. We further showed that partnership quality mediates the relationship between knowledge sharing and the success of an ITO project. Finally, the results of this study indicate that positive organizational attitude improves knowledge sharing between the client and service providers (i.e vendors), and creates stronger outsourcing partnerships.

Digital Resources Integration and Performance Evaluation Under the Knowledge Management Model in Academic Libraries

Leveraging a knowledge management model (KMM), organizing digital resources, and measuring performance beyond digital libraries continue to be hot topics for many organizations. Given its growing importance, the aim of this study was to design a robust integrated research model based on social cognitive theory and KMM to organize resources and improve the productivity of academic librarians to make services effective. Using a quantitative method based on key data collected by librarians at Pakistani universities, the researchers reviewed previously published literature and sought expert opinions to develop a research tool. The authors distributed 350 printed questionnaires to professionals from 190 universities, of which 339 were returned. These were analyzed to test the hypotheses and assess the accuracy of the measurement and structural models. After undergoing rigorous statistical analysis, the seven constructs using Social Cognitive Theory and the Knowledge Management Model have proven to be suitable for digital asset integration, employee productivity measurement, and high-quality academic services. In addition, the model based on social cognitive theory supports the application of KMM to promote knowledge culture, resource organization, and successful integration and innovation of academic services by enhancing the technical and professional skills of staff in academic institutions.

Disentangling the link between ICT and Industry 4.0: impacts on knowledge-related performance

Purpose

Industry 4.0 technologies are promising to increase manufacturing companies' performance through the new knowledge that such digital technologies allow to create and manage within the firm boundaries and through customer interactions. Despite the great attention on the Industry 4.0 adoption paths, little is known about the relationships with previous waves of digital technologies, namely, information and communication technologies (ICTs), and how different groups of both types of technologies link to knowledge and its related performances.

Design/methodology/approach

The study employed a quantitative research design using a survey method. Submitting the questionnaire to entrepreneurs, chief operation officers or managers in charge of the operational and technological processes of Italian manufacturing firms, 206 respondents stated that their firm has adopted at least one of the seven Industry 4.0 technologies investigated.

Findings

The findings of the study highlight the positive relationship between ICT and Industry 4.0 technologies in terms of both intensity and groups of technologies (Web-based, Management and Manufacturing ICT; Operation, Customization and Data-processing 4.0), and how technologies affect knowledge-related performances in terms of products and processes, job-learning, product-related services and customer involvement.

Originality/value

This study is one of the first attempts to link groups of ICT to groups of Industry 4.0 technologies and to explore the effects in terms of knowledge-related performances as a measure of technology use. The study shows strong path dependency among ICT, Industry 4.0 and knowledge performance, enriching the literature on technological innovation and knowledge management.

Rethinking companies’ culture through knowledge management lens during Industry 5.0 transition

Purpose

Through the human resources (HR) and knowledge management (KM) perspective as human-centric processes, the aim of this study is to explore how companies’ engagement in diversity (DIV), inclusion (INC) and people empowerment (PEMP) policies influences companies’ organizational performance, to support organizations in the shift to the Industry 5.0 framework.

Design/methodology/approach

Combining the HR management and the KM-driven organizational culture, a conceptual model is proposed for explaining companies’ higher organizational performance. Proposed hypotheses are tested with reference to a set of listed international companies traced by Refinitiv on a five-year time horizon (2016–2020) through 24,196 firm-year observations.

Findings

This research shows that companies engaged in DIV policies, INC practices and PEMP through education have higher profitability and are more valued by capital markets’ investors.

Originality/value

This paper draws attention to the need to overcome the reductionist view of HR and rethink KM architecture to cope with the growing challenge of HR integration according to the Industry 5.0 paradigm.

Knowledge management in turbulent times: time-based scenario analysis of vaccinations against COVID-19

Purpose

This paper aims to estimate the delay or timely effects of the national vaccination strategy for COVID-19 on Italian gross domestic product (GDP). By adopting a knowledge management lens, the study highlights the importance of “time” for Italian recovery. Indeed, recovering an adequate growth rate is crucial for the future of employment, well-being and management of Italian public debt.

Design/methodology/approach

This study applies an epidemiological model of a universal access vaccination programme against COVID-19. The economic model is based on the time-shift of available quarterly projections deriving from the expected delay or acceleration of the national vaccination plan against COVID-19.

Findings

The basic concept underlying the scenario analysis is that the sustainability of the expected recovery of the Italian economy due to the COVID-19 shock, and consequently the growth of the GDP, is time-dependent on the rollout of the national vaccination plan.

Research limitations/implications

A delay in the vaccination campaign could have a twofold negative impact on the growth of the Italian gross product: it reduces the quarterly growth over the previous year in the short term and it delays the quarterly upwards trend over the next two years. Policymakers and practitioners are called to promptly face new dynamic scenarios due to public and economic policies to fight the COVID-19 crisis.

Originality/value

To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this is the first attempt of research that focuses attention on the synchrony between the economic time necessary for recovery and the real-time necessary to achieve vaccination coverage for the restart of production activities.

How does knowledge affect IPO pricing? A new approach grounded in the knowledge-based view

Purpose

This study aims to empirically validate that a knowledge-based view (KBV) is an important framework to understand price discovery processes in initial public offerings (IPOs) by emphasizing the unique feature of knowledge creation jointly invoked by underwriters and institutional investors during the book building phase.

Design/methodology/approach

The authors decompose underwriters’ incremental knowledge acquisition into objective knowledge – acquired from premarket bids – and subjective knowledge – which is orthogonal to the objective knowledge. The authors implement a multiplicative heteroscedasticity model to analyze how each knowledge component relates to the level and volatility (as a proxy of pricing uncertainty) of post-issue returns. The authors take the 2007 regulatory change as a quasi-natural experiment in which institutional investors were incentivized to provide true information.

Findings

For Korean IPOs, the authors find that the objective (subjective) knowledge component reduces (increases) both pricing uncertainty and underpricing. The authors also observe that the efficacy of the IPO knowledge creation critically depends on the quality of the information provided by institutional investors, as anticipated by the KBV literature.

Originality/value

Using fine-grained knowledge measures, the authors provide original, compelling evidence that objective (subjective) knowledge formulated from the IPO knowledge-creation processes de facto alleviates (worsens) underwriters’ pricing difficulties. This reinforces the importance of knowledge-based mechanisms in managerial decision-making processes.

Effects of knowledge management on the management of health and social care: a systematic literature review

Purpose

The purpose of this study is twofold. First, it suggests that knowledge management (KM), as an academic discipline and managerial practice, provides valuable perspectives and tools to help health and social care management cope with both existing and future challenges. Second, it reviews the existing evidence on the effects of KM on the management of health and social care. Based on the results of the review, an evaluation framework for the effects of KM is proposed.

Design/methodology/approach

The literature review was conducted using the guidance of the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses statement to search the Web of Science and SCOPUS databases. The search terms included “knowledge management”, “healthcare” and “effect.” Academic articles published between 2010 and 2020 were included.

Findings

The study identifies six main categories among the effects of KM on the management of health and social care as follows: enhanced understanding of customer needs, improved organizational performance, better targeted decision-making, improved quality of service, behavioral or cultural change and improved risk management.

Originality/value

This study contributes by summarizing the literature on the effects of KM on the management of health and social care and proposing avenues for future research in this area.

Skills and competencies for digital transformation – a critical analysis in the context of robotic process automation

Purpose

Digital transformation of organizations has major implications for required skills and competencies of the workforce, both as a prerequisite for implementation, and, as a consequence of the transformation. The purpose of this study is to analyze required skills and competencies for digital transformation using the context of robotic process automation (RPA) as an example.

Design/methodology/approach

This study is based on an explorative, thematic coding analysis of 119 job advertisements related to RPA. The data was collected from major online job platforms, qualitatively coded and subsequently analyzed quantitatively.

Findings

The research highlights the general importance of specific skills and competencies for digital transformation and shows a gap between available skills and required skills. Moreover, it is concluded that reskilling the existing workforce might be difficult. Many emerging positions can be found in the consulting sector, which raises questions about the permanent vs temporary nature of the requirements, as well as the difficulty of acquiring the required knowledge.

Originality/value

This paper contributes to knowledge by providing new empirical findings and a novel perspective to the ongoing discussion of digital skills, employment effects and reskilling demands of the existing workforce owing to recent technological developments and automation in the overall context of digital transformation.

Understanding knowledge hiding under technological turbulence caused by artificial intelligence and robotics

Purpose

Artificial intelligence (AI) will be performing 52% of the tasks in companies by 2025. The increasing adoption of AI is generating technological turbulence in the business environment. Previous studies have also shown that employees are aware of the high risk of losing their jobs when being replaced by AI. The risk of employees engaging in opportunistic behaviors, such as knowledge hiding, is thus fairly high. Therefore, the aim of this paper is to analyze the mediating effect of employee’s AI awareness on the relationship between technological turbulence generated by AI and the three types of knowledge hiding: evasive hiding, playing dumb and rationalized hiding.

Design/methodology/approach

Structural equations by the partial least squares method were used to test the proposed research model.

Findings

The most interesting finding is that employee’s AI and robotics awareness fulfills almost all mediating functions in the relationship between technological turbulence generated by AI and the three types of knowledge hiding.

Originality/value

The results show that knowledge hiding in the digital age is first and foremost a strategy by employees to sabotage and induce failure in process automation, to reduce the risk of being replaced in the workplace by AI. This study indicates that employees are willing to hide knowledge in all possible ways when perception that AI is a threat to their job increases. In other words, technological turbulence generated by AI and employee’s AI awareness are the two great new triggers of knowledge hiding in the digital age.

The impact of knowledge flows on asset specificity from the perspective of open innovation

Purpose

This study aims to examine how different modes of knowledge flows affect the changes of asset specificity and how ownership control moderates the relationship between knowledge flows and asset specificity in the open innovation paradigm.

Design/methodology/approach

This paper selects information technology outsourcing as the research base. It uses the feasible weighted least squares modeling method for its analysis and has collected the data from 2,369 research and development contracts of multinational vendor firms in China.

Findings

The coupled and outbound knowledge flows have a direct and positive effect on asset specificity. Moreover, the results show that weak corporate control has significant moderating effects on the relationship between both coupled and outbound knowledge flows and asset specificity; the strong control positively moderates the relationship between outbound knowledge flows and asset specificity.

Practical implications

In open innovation, firms build a higher degree of asset specificity to maximize the efficiency of knowledge flows, which then helps them to enhance innovation capacity and market performance.

Originality/value

Preceding studies have tended to examine the influences of asset specificity as an independent variable in a closed innovation paradigm. Asset specificity is hence often left as the antecedent “black box.” This paper, however, opens the “black box” of asset specificity, which is set as a dependent variable, by investigating the influences of knowledge flows on the asset specificity in the context of open innovation. It also reinterprets the role of asset specificity by adopting the lens of open innovation theory.

Organizational culture, organizational citizenship behavior, knowledge sharing and innovation: a study of indigenous people production organizations

Purpose

Therefore, this study aims to explore the relationships among OC, KS, OCB and OI “Organization” is often seen as a company and few studies pay much attention to tribes and other related organizations and communities of Indigenous peoples. However, Indigenous peoples production organizations (IPPOs) would be certainly influenced by factors from the internal/external, including organizational culture (OC), organizational citizenship behavior (OCB), knowledge sharing (KS) and organizational innovation (OI). Therefore, this study aims to explore the relationships among OC, KS, OCB and OI.

Design/methodology/approach

Based on valid 139 Indigenous workers in IPPOs, this study used structural equation modeling to validate the relationships among OC, OCB, KS and OI.

Findings

The empirical findings indicate that OC would significantly influence OCB and OI, whereas KS would not have significant impact on OI. In addition, OC would not influence KS as usual, whereas OCB would do. Finally, OCB would impact KS.

Practical implications

As OCB acts as a complete mediator in OC–KS relationship, it means that these IPPOs already have OCB to motivate their staffs to do KS, but not enough to achieve more excellent performance on innovation.

Originality/value

Compared to past studies, this study aims to investigate the theory of organizational behavior and whether it is suitable between general businesses and IPPOs.

Enhancing training effectiveness for organizations through blockchain-enabled training effectiveness measurement (BETEM)

Purpose

Due to technology advancement or transparency in system, there is a constant inflow and outflow of technology in the business for transparency and efficiency. To seize a competitive advantage, companies have emerged new technological solutions to respond to the change in the organization environment. There is a surge in the requirement of learning opportunities and effective training programs in the organization. The current study has been an effort to understand the potential of blockchain technology that can create better training evaluation.

Design/methodology/approach

The electronic-Delphi (e-Delphi) method has been conducted by recording the final consensus and to find a balance for implementation of blockchain technology and measuring training effectiveness. The current research is one of its new types where blockchain-enabled training effectiveness measurement (BETEM) model has been formulated using a qualitative approach.

Findings

The study has considered human resource (HR) professionals as the experts and based on their responses, the formulation of theoretical network model has been structured using e-Delphi–BETEM (e-DLH–BETEM) approach. By critically examining the experts’ responses and comments, the study formulated the four major themes and 11 subthemes for the smooth functioning of the BETEM for an organization.

Research limitations/implications

The research aims to aid innovations in BETEMs model for training evaluation. The model will contribute incrementally toward the complete transformation of the training development programs of employees. The goal of BETEMs is to ensure that organizations, specifically HR personals can prepare themselves to have competitive advantage by using blockchain technology.

Originality/value

The application of blockchain technology in measuring the training effectiveness is an addition to existing literature as majority of existing studies have studied the use of technology for measuring training effectiveness.

Absorptive capacity and disaster immunity: the mediating role of information quality and change management capability

Purpose

Service organization supply chains provide a context that amplifies the complexity of interorganizational interdependencies and the need to build unique capabilities and innovative solutions, especially when confronted with man-made or natural disasters. Using the lens of complex adaptive systems (CAS), this study aims to investigate the role of absorptive capacity (AC), change management capability and information quality in improving a firm’s ability to cope with disasters – disaster immunity (DI). The study uniquely parses absorptive capacity into a three-variable, second-order construct (absorptive human resource management, absorptive complementary knowledge and absorptive infrastructure).

Design/methodology/approach

Using data collected from 264 US service firms in a supply chain context, this paper evaluates the research model using the structural equation modeling approach.

Findings

The second-order, three-dimensional framework for AC has far superior psychometric properties as compared to the previous unidimensional conceptualizations. Results show that AC influences a firm’s DI through change management capability and information quality – two DI enhancing resources.

Originality/value

The paper builds on previous conceptual discussions of absorptive capacity as a multidimensional construct by operationalizing AC as a latent variable with three dimensions (above). Moreover, this paper shows that AC, change management capability, information quality and DI are interrelated parts of a CAS.

Achieving structured knowledge management with a novel online group decision support system

Knowledge management (KM) is a complicated process that involves socialization, externalization, combination, and internalization and requires close collaboration among the people involved. Although Nonaka proposed the SECI (Socialization, Externalization, Combination, Internalization) model and the concept of Ba, which provides a process-oriented view of knowledge creation and transfer, practicing it is rather ad hoc. COVID-19 has provided a chance for practitioners to find a new method for KM. In this study, we adapted a group problem-solving system called TeamSpirit and structured it as a Ba for the SECI model. We then compared TeamSpirit with two other implementations of Ba, email and face-to-face communication, to evaluate their effects on knowledge externalization, knowledge combination, and knowledge internalization. Then, we evaluated whether these knowledge-conversion processes could improve knowledge acquisition and intention to share knowledge. A 3 × 2 mixed factorial design experiment was conducted. The results show that (a) TeamSpirit was better than the others, and face-to-face was better than email for each of the three knowledge conversion processes (externalization, combination, and internalization) and (b) the better the team’s knowledge conversion process lead, the stronger its knowledge acquisition and knowledge-sharing intention.

Knowledge sharing motives and value co-creation behavior of the consumers in physiotherapy services: a cross-cultural study

Purpose

This study aims to investigate the role of consumers’ (patients) motives in knowledge sharing and value co-creation with the service provider in the context of physiotherapy services.

Design/methodology/approach

The authors used partial least squares structural equation modeling for the analysis of the physiotherapy services users’ data from Germany and Pakistan.

Findings

The results show that in both consumer groups, individualizing, empowering and development motives are common influences on the willingness to share knowledge leading to value co-creation. However, the relating, ethical and concerted motives show varying influences in the data set.

Research limitations/implications

A key research implication relates to specifying the link between consumer knowledge sharing and value creation and the role of cultural factors in this context. It is one of the first studies to undertake a comparative analysis in this specific context by highlighting the changing role of consumers from collective and individualistic societies, in influencing service provision through participation in the service exchange.

Practical implications

For the managerial audience, this paper highlights the importance of being sensitive to cultural elements as they tend to influence personal knowledge sharing by the consumer, especially in the well-being sector, which ultimately influences the value co-creation.

Originality/value

To the best of the authors’ knowledge, the current paper is one of the first studies focusing on the knowledge sharing motives of consumers in the specific context of physiotherapy services leading to value co-creation. Moreover, specific focus on individual consumer’s motives and their role in comparative, cross-cultural settings, adds further value to the contribution of this study.

Similarities and differences in managing the Covid-19 crisis and climate change risk

Purpose

This paper investigates both similarities and differences between two global threats represented by climate change (CC) and Covid-19 (CV). This will help understand the reasons behind the recognition of the CV as a pandemic that requires global efforts, whereas efforts to tackle climate change still lack such urgency. This paper aims to answer to the following questions: What are the elements that make CV restrictions acceptable by both the public and policymakers? and What are the elements that make CC restrictions not acceptable?

Design/methodology/approach

This paper analyses the situation reports released by the World Health Organisation between the 11th of March (declaration of pandemic) and the 22nd of April, and their associated documents such as the Strategic Preparedness and Response Plan (WHO), the Risk Communication and Community Engagement Action Plan (WHO) and its updated version (WHO) and the Handbook for public health capacity-building (WHO). The analysis ends one week after President Trump’s announcement to suspend US funding to WHO (Fedor and Manson, 2020) and his support to public demonstrations against restrictions.

Findings

The application of the second stage of the “Crisis and Emergency Risk Communication” model identifies five lessons that can be learned from this comparison. These relate to the necessity to simultaneously warn (about the severity of a threat) and reassure (by suggesting specific courses of action) the public; the need for multilevel collaboration that integrates collective and individual actions; the capacity to present cohesive messages to the public; the risk of politicisation and commodification of the issue that might undermine global efforts to tackle the threat; and the capacity to trigger individual responses through the promotion of self-efficacy.

Originality/value

This paper identifies both similarities and differences between CC and CV managements to understand why the two threats are perceived and tackled in different ways. The analysis of official documents released by both the World Health Organisation and the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate CV outbreak as a crisis, whereas climate change is still anchored to the status of a future-oriented risk.

Supply chain learning and organizational performance: evidence from Chinese manufacturing firms

Purpose

Despite the significance, no study examines the relationship between supply chain (SC) learning components and focal firm performance. This study aims to investigate different types of SC learning (supplier, customer and internal learning) and their influence on the focal firm’s operational and financial performance.

Design/methodology/approach

Grounded in knowledge-based view and absorptive capacity theory, this study applies structural equation modeling to test the conceptual model based on data collected from 213 manufacturing firms in China.

Findings

The findings indicate that supplier and customer learning improve internal learning. Customer and internal learning have direct influence on operational performance, whereas internal learning mediates the relationship between supplier learning and operational performance. Moreover, all three dimensions of SC learning do not affect financial performance directly but operational performance plays the mediating role in their relationship.

Research limitations/implications

This study only investigates SC learning outcomes without exploring its antecedents. In addition, SC learning and their impacts on firm performance are tested empirically with cross-sectional data collected only from manufacturing firms in China.

Practical implications

The findings furnish managers to seek for competitive advantages through different types of SC learning.

Originality/value

This study offers new insights concerning the performance implications of SC learning. It divides SC learning into dimensions and shows the distinctive impacts of these dimensions on focal firm’s performance using an empirical method.

Exploration of factors affecting the use of Web 2.0 for knowledge sharing among healthcare professionals: an Indian perspective

Purpose

This study aims to explore knowledge sharing (KS) attitudes and intention of healthcare professionals in India through the use of information and communication technology platforms such as Web 2.0. The research specifically focuses on individual motivators such as the face, reputation and reciprocity, which, to an extent, are influenced by indigenous culture.

Design/methodology/approach

The study uses a cross-sectional survey design to collect data. A sample of 207 was obtained from professionals working in healthcare in India. The data were analyzed using the partial least square-structural equation modeling.

Findings

The results confirmed that attitude toward KS leads to the intention to share knowledge. Attitude toward KS using Web 2.0 was found to be positively related to self-efficacy and reciprocity. Furthermore, face and reputation were found to moderate the relationship between attitude and intention to share knowledge while the moderating effect of rewards was found to be insignificant.

Research limitations/implications

This study was limited to healthcare professionals in India. Knowledge workers in other industries can be considered for further studies.

Practical implications

This study provides useful insights into KS practices using Web 2.0 among knowledge workers. Particularly it emphasizes the individual motivators, which can be manipulated by Web 2.0 designers to nurture a positive attitude toward KS and to encourage user’s participation.

Originality/value

The study investigates, using an integrated theoretical framework, how certain factors act as a motivator or a barrier for sharing knowledge using Web 2.0. in the specific cultural context of healthcare professionals in India.

Harvesting reflective knowledge exchange for inbound open innovation in complex collaborative networks: an empirical verification in Europe

Purpose

This study aims to investigate the effects of open innovation (OI) and big data analytics (BDA) on reflective knowledge exchange (RKE) within the context of complex collaborative networks. Specifically, it considers the relationships between sourcing knowledge from an external environment, transferring knowledge to an external environment and adopting solutions that are useful to appropriate returns from innovation.

Design/methodology/approach

This study analyzes the connection between the number of patent applications and the amount of OI, as well as the association between the number of patent applications and the use of BDA. Data from firms in the 27 European Union countries were retrieved from the Eurostat database for the period 2014–2019 and were investigated using an ordinary least squares regression analysis.

Findings

Because of its twofold lens based on both knowledge management and OI, this study sheds light on OI collaboration modes and highlights the crucial role they could play in innovation. In particular, the results suggest that OI collaboration modes have a strong effect on innovation performance, stimulating the search for RKE.

Originality/value

This study furthers a deeper understanding of RKE, which is shown to be an important mechanism that incentivizes firms to increase their efforts in the innovation process. Further, RKE supports firms in taking full advantage of the innovative knowledge they generate within their inter-organizational network.

Successful replication of knowledge in the growth of service organizations: evidence from Spanish hotel chains

Purpose

This paper aims to identify the main factors affecting the success of the knowledge replication process in service firms when new units/outlets are created or acquired.

Design/methodology/approach

The quantitative approach of the study is based on a survey to the first general managers of new hotels integrated in Spanish hotel chains that implement a strategy of knowledge replication.

Findings

Transfer experience in the region; compatibility between the underlying cultural context of the knowledge and the recipients’ culture; recipients’ absorptive capacity; source’s and recipients’ motivation; and lack of adaptation in the transfer routines are key factors that influence several aspects of knowledge replication success in service firms.

Research limitations/implications

From an academic point of view, this work identifies the determinants of success in replication processes. Moreover, two dimensions in knowledge replication success have been identified: a functional dimension and an economic one. Industry and survey limitations must be considered.

Practical implications

Organizations that face a growth process where they want to replicate their corporate knowledge should consider several aspects that seem to be determinants of success in those projects.

Originality/value

Despite the prevalence of replication-based growth strategies in the service sector, there is a lack of research analyses about this phenomenon in the academic literature. The empirical-based research on knowledge transfer and service firms’ growth is scarce and fragmented. This work provides an integrated view of factors affecting knowledge replication success in new organizational units from an empirical quantitative approach.

Investigating the Role of Customer Co-Creation Behavior on Social Media Platforms in Rendering Innovative Services

The emergence of social media platforms as the main representatives of Web 3.0 applications significantly impacts the co-creation activities among enterprises, customers, and other stakeholders, and has enabled firms to benefit from creativity and ideas of their users and customers for developing and rendering innovative services. This study aims to investigate how the co-creation activities of users on social media platforms have an effect on the enterprises’ innovative services. For this purpose, the authors surveyed customers of innovative services who used social media platforms to meet their needs from the enterprises that innovatively offer such services. An online questionnaire was designed and distributed among the sample of customers, and 505 completed questionnaires were analyzed following the PLS-SEM approach. The findings revealed that customer citizenship behavior and customer participation behavior on social media platforms positively affect the rendering of innovative services. Findings also highlighted that an increase in social co-creation activities, as moderator, positively affects customer citizenship behavior on service innovativeness, and negatively affects customer participation behavior on service innovativeness. The findings of this research could be useful for entrepreneurs and managers of the enterprises that offer innovative services to efficiently use social media tools to benefit from the customers’ co-creation activities and to perform more competitively and sustainably in a hostile business environment.

A Conceptual Framework for Value Co-Creation in Service Enterprises (Case of Tourism Agencies)

Traditional companies used to design products, evaluate marketing messages, and control product distribution channels with a low level of customer contribution. Nonetheless, with the advancements in communication and information technologies, the interaction between customers and company is much higher compared to the past, and it is no longer solely controlled by the companies; thus, users can now impact companies by simultaneously playing two roles as value creators and as consumers. The present study develops a conceptual framework for value co-creation in small- and medium-sized tourism agencies. The sample consisted of 23 purposefully selected employees and managers of small- and medium-sized tourism agencies. Data were extracted from semi-structured interviews and analyzed with open and axial coding. For validity, an eight-person panel of experts was asked to review the framework and to apply corrective comments. The reliability was tested using a re-test method, which confirmed the reliability of the coding with a re-test reliability of 79%. Based on the findings, the proposed framework contains eight components including value inception, value conception, value risk, resource planning, platform, actors, co-creation process, co-created value, and learning process, whose components were identified and encoded.