Digital Transformation and Knowledge Management in the Public Sector

Procedures for transferring organizational knowledge during generational change: A systematic review

The loss of organizational knowledge has emerged as a prevalent issue for 21st-century organizations. This systematic review aims to scrutinize knowledge transfer procedures applied to individuals in managerial and intermediate positions during generational change or knowledge management initiatives. Following the PRISMA statement [1], this review progressed through four stages, applying inclusion and exclusion criteria, and ultimately identifying 28 articles for the final analysis. Descriptive indicators and content-related metrics were employed in the study. Key findings include: (1) predominant investment in knowledge retention studies and procedure design is observed among large companies, primarily in the secondary sector; (2) digitalization emerges as a critical aspect of effective organizational knowledge transfer procedures and protocols; (3) intra-organizational communication styles are predominantly employed for knowledge transfer; (4) organizations prefer a collective approach to transferring both tacit and explicit knowledge. In summary, this research offers fresh insights into a pivotal area of business management, showcasing originality in its exploration of knowledge transfer within the realms of generational change and knowledge management.

A systematic review on the roles of knowledge management in public sectors: Synthesis and way forwards

The main objective of this study is to examine and synthesise the role of knowledge management in the public sector. The study applied the systematic review technique of Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis (PRISMA) to evaluate the role of knowledge management in the public sector using 33 selected web of science core collection journal articles. The study acknowledged that different theories have been applied by the scholars using different research methodologies. The articles published in the stated year show progressive increment, and the authors used different research methods to undertake a study on KM in the public sector. In this review, three research themes in KM research have been identified. Knowledge management for organisational improvement, KM for citizens' satisfaction, and KM for collaborative innovation management are the main research themes identified in this systematic review.

Development of a maturity model for additive manufacturing: A conceptual model proposal

Additive manufacturing (AM) is an emerging area with the potential to modify present business models in the near future. In contrast with conventional manufacturing (CM), AM allows the development of a product from a smaller amount of raw material, while allowing an improvement in properties in terms of weight and functionality. Its production flexibility and creativity in terms of materials have enabled not only the industry to use this technology, but also has been used in healthcare (e.g., in the production of human tissue) and by the final consumer. Despite the invaluable opportunities that this technology could provide, the uncertainties concerning its future developments and impacts on business models remain. New business models in AM will convey the need to: specialize the workforce in the design of new parts produced locally or remotely; regulation in the use and sharing of intellectual property rights by partner companies or between users; regulate the possibility of reverse engineering of highly customized products; etc. The present research proposes a conceptual maturity model to support the phases of evolution of AM in the industry, in supply chains, and in terms of open business models.

Drivers and Outcomes of Digital Transformation: The Case of Public Sector Services

Governments are altering how they operate to enhance the provision of public services, be more successful and efficient in their plans, and accomplish goals such as greater transparency, interoperability, and citizen pleasure. There are, however, limited studies about how public sector managers are currently identifying digital transformation in their own day-to-day practices, how they are implementing digital transformation projects, and what their expected results are, aside from the reports provided by consulting firms. The aim of this article is to present a case study in order to gain an understanding of the current expectations that public managers have regarding the implementation of digital transformation projects, as well as the outcomes that they anticipate these projects will produce. A qualitative analysis was conducted based on experts who were involved in digital transformation projects with a thorough understanding of government decisions and in-depth knowledge of execution procedures. Based on the results derived from interviews, this paper aims to support managers in examining the barriers of digital transformation in the public sector in order to improve this process.

Behavioral Patterns of Supply and Demand Sides of Health Services for the Elderly in Sustainable Digital Transformation: A Mixed Methods Study

The aging transformation of digital health services faces issues of how to distinguish influencing factors, redesign services, and effectively promote measures and policies. In this study, in-depth interviews were conducted, and grounded theory applied to open coding, main axis coding, and selective coding to form concepts and categories. Trajectory equifinality modeling clarified the evolution logic of digital transformation. Based on the theory of service ecology, a digital health service aging model was constructed from the “macro–medium–micro” stages and includes governance, service, and technology transformation paths. The macro stage relies on organizational elements to promote the institutionalization of management and guide the transformation of governance for value realization, including the construction of three categories: mechanism, indemnification, and decision-making. The meso stage relies on service elements to promote service design and realize service transformation that is suitable for aging design, including the construction of three categories: organization, resources, and processes. The micro stage relies on technical elements to practice experiencing humanization, including the construction of three categories: target, methods, and evaluation. These results deepen the understanding of the main behaviors and roles of macro-organizational, meso-service, and micro-technical elements in digital transformation practice and have positive significance for health administrative agencies to implement action strategies.

Leveraging knowledge discovery and knowledge visualization to define the “inner areas”: an application to an Italian province

Purpose

Starting from a critical analysis of the main criteria currently used to identify marginal areas, this paper aims to propose a new classification model of such territories by leveraging knowledge discovery approaches and knowledge visualization techniques, which represent a fundamental pillar in the knowledge-based urban development process.

Design/methodology/approach

The methodology adopted in this study relies on the design science research, which includes five steps: problem identification, objective definition, solution design and development, demonstration and evaluation.

Findings

Results demonstrate how to exploit knowledge discovery and visualization to obtain multiple mappings of inner areas, in the aim to identify good practices and optimize resources to set up more effective territorial development strategies and plans. The proposed approach overcomes the traditional way adopted to map inner areas that uses a single indicator (i.e. the distance between a municipality and the nearest pole where it is possible to access to education, health and transportation services) and leverages seven groups of indicators that represent the distinguishing features of territories (territorial capital, social costs, citizenship, geo-demography, economy, innovation and sustainable development).

Research limitations/implications

The proposed model could be enriched by new variables, whose value can be collected by official sources and stakeholders engaged to provide both structured and unstructured data. Also, another enhancement could be the development of a cross-algorithms comparison that may reveal useful to suggest which algorithm can better suit the needs of policy makers or practitioners.

Practical implications

This study sets the ground for proposing a decision support tool that policy makers can use to classify in a new way the inner areas, thus overcoming the current approach and leveraging the distinguishing features of territories.

Originality/value

This study shows how the availability of distributed knowledge sources, the modern knowledge management techniques and the emerging digital technologies can provide new opportunities for the governance of a city or territory, thus revitalizing the domain of knowledge-based urban development.

Challenges of knowledge management in the public sector: evidence from the King Abdullah Award for Excellence in Jordan

Purpose

The aim of this paper is to undertake an exploration of the challenges related to knowledge management (KM) within public sector organisations in Jordan.

Design/methodology/approach

There was the adoption of a qualitative method to achieve the objective of the study, with content analysis undertaken on ten assessment reports, so the results of the content analysis could be validated. A total of 20 semi-structured interviews were conducted within the sample organisations. The sample was made up of ten public sector organisations that had participated at least twice within the King Abdullah Excellence Award with acknowledgement within their reports of failure to achieve results that were satisfactory for KM.

Findings

KM challenges identified reflect various aspects of different factors, such as organisational structure, culture, KM processes and the evaluation of KM. In practical terms, the main KM-related challenges for the Jordanian public sector are considered to be a lack of a culture of teamwork to support sharing and exchange of knowledge, lack of required documentation for the building of organisational memory needed for processes of KM, lack of training for KM, lack of clear vision and strategy for KM and lack of proper methodologies for the management of internal knowledge and weaknesses in the integration of information and data.

Originality/value

The study puts forward a conceptual model that can be used in assessing the challenges that managers face when they seek to implement KM in organisations within the public sector. The challenges of KM within the public sector have been studied widely, in general; however there is an importance to gaining better understanding of how to overcome those challenges. Compared with most of the existent studies, this particular research has offered detailed, specific insights into challenges for KM within the public sector, along with provision of a conceptual model that other researchers could use in the future.

Public Works Heritage 3D Model Digitisation, Optimisation and Dissemination with Free and Open-Source Software and Platforms and Low-Cost Tools

This paper describes an innovative, accessible, and sustainable method for enhancing cultural heritage. Documenting and disseminating the public works heritage have now come of age, digitally speaking, with the adoption of new technologies both to further research on and heighten the esteem attributed to the public works heritage. Nonetheless, academic discourse rarely describes procedures for the 3D digitisation of heritage works comprehensible to non-expert readers with limited resources. Taking that premise as a starting point, with special attention to the determinants of the public works heritage, this article aims to define the general, open-source methodology covering 3D model data capture, information processing and optimisation. The article also discusses model dissemination strategies using free platforms and low-cost tools. The general discussion is illustrated with the case study of Ariza Bridge in Spain. This Renaissance-style structure dates from the second half of the sixteenth century. Despite its listing as a cultural heritage asset, the monument was flooded by the Giribaile reservoir waters in 1998 and is now only wholly visible during droughts. The application, developed with open-source software and implemented with free platforms and low-cost tools, features geo-referencing and is designed to be accessible to non-expert users. The methodology proposed is intended as a suitable instrument for the sustainable study, valorisation and dissemination of the built heritage.

The Business Model of Sustainable Competitive Advantage through Strategic Leadership Capabilities and Knowledge Management Processes to Overcome COVID-19 Pandemic

In recent decades, particularly during the outbreak of COVID-19, businesses organizations have focused on knowledge management processes in order to attain a sustainable competitive advantage by creating human and social capital as strategic leadership capabilities. This paper aims to develop an integrated conceptual and theoretical framework that connects strategic leadership capabilities, knowledge management processes, and sustainable competitive advantage for the public and private organizations within the service industry. The model approach has been used to build a theoretical framework that predicts the relationships between the variables. To support the link between them, a systematic literature review of traditional and contemporary theoretical and empirical research studies is conducted. Through the combination of the related literature, propositions are established. This conceptual research is primarily comprised of a model and assertions concerning strategic leadership capabilities, knowledge management processes, and sustainable competitive advantage. The outcomes of this study reflect that strategic leadership capabilities can accomplish sustainable competitive advantage. They also have the greatest potential to impact sustainable competitive advantage via engaging the knowledge management processes. Particularly, there are significant implications of this study. Regarding the theoretical implication, it contributes to the resource-based view, knowledge-based view, and knowledge creation theory in supporting strategic leadership capabilities, knowledge management processes, and sustainable competitive advantage. To the practical implication, the study linked the concepts of research variables for public and private enterprises within the service industry. It can also enable strategic leaders and businesses owners to participate in real-time opportunities and determine threats for achieving a sustainable competitive advantage in light of the COVID-19 pandemic. This is a preliminary study of the sustainable competitive advantage literature that includes the concept of strategic leadership as a knowledge management processes enabler for achieving a sustainable competitive advantage. Until now, there has not been any work like it in the literature, save in the qualitative style.

“I cannot feel your print”. How military strategic knowledge managers respond to digitalization

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to explore how military strategic knowledge managers consider and respond to digitalization of operational processes in their revision of military knowledge management technologies. The research question is: which strategic considerations and professional concerns impact decisions about how far digitalization should be incorporated into Army planning doctrine?

Design/methodology/approach

The paper presents material from a qualitative research study which observed the process of revising Danish Army Field Manual III. The empirical data include 12 in-depth interviews as well as documents related to the revision process. Data were analysed using a thematic approach.

Findings

The paper identifies and discusses strategic dilemmas arising from incorporating digitalization into planning doctrine. Two major areas of concern are addressed. The first involves considerations about the extent of digitalization, including concerns about risk and issues of timing regarding choices of specific digital solutions. The second involves potential limits of digitalization in relation to military notions of the role and identity of the commander. The article suggests that digitalization may impact on professional roles and identities and that strategic knowledge management developers need to be cognizant of this.

Originality/value

The paper contributes to the literature in two ways. First, the paper draws attention to the notions of risk and timing in relation to strategic decisions on how far knowledge management technologies should make use of possibilities brought about by digitalization. Second, the paper provides insight into how digitalization may profoundly alter professional roles and identities.

On the Identification of the Key Factors for a Successful Use of Twitter as a Medium from a Social Marketing Perspective

Public administrations are organizations whose mission is to serve the interests of society by providing efficient and sustainable services. Much of the information received from public administrations uses social media due to their versatility and capacity to reach a large number of citizens. Among them, Twitter is the most widely used, especially to disseminate messages with a high social content. This type of messages falls within the discipline of social marketing. However, when public administrations use Twitter for social marketing communication, it is not known which factors are the most decisive to achieve the social objective for which they are issued. This article provides an answer to this question, using the Analytic Network Process Multicriteria method to determine which factors matter and how they are interrelated when issuing social marketing messages through Twitter. The result of this research reveals that from the 22 factors analyzed, the most influential from a social marketing point of view are the average age of population, the existence of a strategic communication plan, the number of tweets and the average number of tweets per day, the number of followers, retweets and mentions, as well as the efficiency of the account.

Formation of Professional Competences and Soft Skills of Public Administration Employees for Sustainable Professional Development

(1) Background: The current situation is bringing about changes manifested in the digitalisation of management processes, the aspects of knowledge management, and the transmission of global risks. Demands in the area of soft skills are increasing. Therefore, this study aims to identify the requirements for competences necessary for the effective performance of job positions in public administration in the Czech Republic, including the mapping of interest in further training. (2) Methods: The data were collected in 2020 via questionnaires from 245 employees in relevant positions. The data were analysed using the correlation analysis method for establishing relationships between variables applying the Pearson correlation coefficient. Gender differences and differences between rank-and-file and executive employees were subjected to the Mann–Whitney U-test. (3) Results: The more competence is required by the employer, the more frequently it is used by employees and the more favourably the workers assess themselves in this competence. At the same time, they have a greater need and are willing to train this particular competence. A significant trend has been identified in the case of executives. Soft skills are used most frequently and the employees would like to further train them. The least interest is shown in project management training. As to professional competences, digital systems are the most frequently used and required. (4) Conclusions: The research suggests trends in the development of modern technologies, digitalisation, and information systems that will contribute to effective work in public administration. Soft skill development in rank-and-file and executive employees will also be needed.

Human Capital in Digital Economy: An Empirical Analysis of Central and Eastern European Countries from the European Union

The hypercompetitive global economy of the 21st century is a hub of innovation, technology, talent, skills, speed, efficiency, productivity, and satisfaction. Within this context, the organizations are looking intensely for people with skills and talents that can differentiate themselves in all that noise. The human capital became slowly but surely a mean of efficiency and growth, especially through the premises of digitization, and a key issue of sustainability. The current research is meant to identify and highlight any correlations that might appear between the population’s welfare of 11 Central and Eastern European Countries (CEECs) which are members of the European Union (EU), and the components of the digitization trend, including the new human cloud industry, ICT, and the connectivity to the Internet of Things. In order to achieve the needed insights, the multiple regression analysis was employed, and the latter tested the panel models with fixed effects, both from a temporal and country perspective. The results showcased a positive connection between the dependent and independent variables, confirming that the digitization of the economy and the developed human capital will ultimately lead to the increase of population’s welfare. Moreover, the findings are consistent with specific insights for each of the 11 CEECs, showing that digitization and the influence of human capital is differentiated across the latter in terms of their overall effect and amplitude. The research is limited by the timeframe and countries included in the study, and it can be furthered by determining the impact of digitization on the economies of the EU28 countries grouped by level of development, and by using other significant indicators for analysis.