Sage Journals: Discover world-class research

Abstract

Recent studies of knowledge management indicate that the growth of interest in this area is primarily focused on the larger organization. Not only do large firms feature in the majority of published case studies but also their employees are regular contributors to conference proceedings.This article addresses the comparatively under-researched issue of knowledge and its management in small businesses. Looking beyond formal Knowledge Management (KM) initiatives and structures, emphasis is placed upon the importance of informal knowledge processes.Two related propositions are made: first, knowledge is managed by organizations without use of the language and concepts of KM and accompanying formal KM structures, and that this behaviour might uncontroversially be called `informal' knowledge management, and secondly, small firms are more likely to adopt such informal processes to manage knowledge.These propositions are explored within the context of small firms and the research revealed that small firms do indeed manage knowledge informally as part of their normal activities, without the use of the terminology and concepts of KM. However, contrary to expectations, on occasion some also engage in formal KM.

Les PME adoptent-elles la gestion du savoir ? Ou se contentent-elles de gérer ce qu'elles connaissent ? Vicky Hutchinson Université de Salford, R.-U. Paul Quintas Université ouverte du Royaume-Uni Des études récemment entreprises sur la gestion du savoir laissent transparaître que l'intérêt toujours plus grand dans ce domaine porte avant tout sur les organisations de plus grande envergure. Non seulement les grosses entreprises figurent dans la plupart des études de cas publiées, mais de plus leurs employés collaborent régulièrement aux travaux des conférences. Cet article aborde la question — relativement peu étudiée - du savoir et de sa gestion dans les petites entreprises. Si l'on dépasse l'horizon des initiatives et structures de la gestion formelle du savoir, l'accent est porté sur l'importance des processus informels des connaissances. Sont présentées deux propositions apparentées : en premier lieu, les organisations gèrent le savoir sans recourir au langage ni aux concepts de la gestion du savoir et à ses structures formelles connexes, ce comportement pouvant être incontestablement appelé “gestion informelle du savoir” et, en second lieu, les petites entreprises ont davantage tendance à adopter ce type de processus informel pour gérer le savoir. Il est procédé à une étude de ces propositions au sein des petites entreprises, - étude qui révèle que ces entreprises gèrent en effet la connaissance d'une façon informelle dans le cadre de leurs activités normales, sans faire appel à la terminologie et aux concepts de la gestion du savoir. Ceci dit, contrairement à ce que l'on pourrait croire, certaines entreprises appliquent une gestion formelle du savoir.

¿Hacen gestiones del saber las PYME? ¿O es que sólo gestionan lo que saben? Vicky Hutchinson Universidad de Salford, RU Paul Quintas Universidad a distancia del Reino Unido Los estudios recientes de la gestión del saber indican que el interés creciente en este campo se centra en las organizaciones más grandes. Las grandes empresas no sólo figuran en la mayoría de los estudios de casos publicados sino que también sus empleados colaboran regularmente en las actas de las conferencias. Este artículo aborda el asunto donde ha habido relativamente poca investigación del saber y su gestión en las pequeñas empresas. Mirando más allá de las iniciativas y estructuras de la gestión formal del saber, se hace hincapié en la importancia de los procesos informales del saber. Se presentan dos propuestas relacionadas: en primer lugar, el saber es gestionado por las organizaciones sin recurrir al lenguaje ni a los conceptos de la gestión del saber y sus estructuras formales asociadas, y que este comportamiento puede llamarse indisputablemente `gestión informal del saber' y, en segundo lugar, las pequeñas empresas son más susceptibles de adoptar tales procesos informales para gestionar el saber. Estas propuestas se exploran en el contexto de las pequeñas empresas y la investigación demuestra que las pequeñas empresas gestionan el saber informalmente como parte de sus actividades normales, sin hacer uso de la terminología y conceptos de la gestión del saber. No obstante, contrariamente a lo que se esperaba, de vez en cuando algunas empresas también toman parte en la gestión formal del saber.

Wissensmanagement in KMUs? Oder nur Management von bestehendem Wissen? Vicky Hutchinson Universität Salford, Großbritannien Paul Quintas Open University, Großbritannien Neuste Studien über das Wissensmanagement zeigen, dass das wachsende Interesse in diesem Bereich sich hauptsächlich auf größere Organisationen konzentriert. Es wird nicht nur regelmäßig über große Unternehmen in den veröffentlichten Fallstudien geschrieben, auch ihre Mitarbeiter wirken regelmäßig bei der Zusammenstellung von Tagungsberichten mit. Dieser Artikel befasst sich mit dem vergleichsweise unterrepräsentierten Thema Wissensmanagement in kleinen Unternehmen und konzentriert sich dabei nicht nur auf das formelle Wissensmanagement und seine Strukturen. Ein besonderer Schwerpunkt liegt auf der informellen Wissensverarbeitung. Zwei miteinander verbundene Behauptungen werden aufgestellt: Erstens, dass Wissensmanagement von den Unternehmen ohne die Verwendung der Sprache und der Konzepte des Wissensmanagements sowie der begleitenden formellen Wissensmanagement-Strukturen durchgeführt wird, und dass dieses Verhalten unumstritten `informelles' Wissensmanagement genannt werden kann, und Zweitens, dass kleine Unternehmen solche informellen Vorgänge wahrscheinlich eher annehmen um Wissen zu managen. Diese aufgestellten Behauptungen werden hinsichtlich der Praktiken kleiner Unternehmen untersucht und die Recherchen haben ergeben, dass kleine Unternehmen tatsächlich informelles Wissensmanagement als Teil ihrer normalen Aktivitäten vornehmen, ohne die Terminologie und Konzepte des Wissensmanagements zu verwenden. Entgegen aller Erwartungen jedoch wurde gezeigt, dass auch formelles Wissensmanagement von Zeit zu Zeit zum Einsatz kommt.

Keywords

formal KM informal knowledge management SMEs

Get full access to this article

View all access options for this article.

References

Alavi, M. and Leidner, D.E. (2001) `Review: Knowledge Management and Knowledge Management Systems: Conceptual Foundations and Research Issues', MIS Quarterly 25(1): 107—36.

Alvarez, S. and Busenitz,L. ( 2001) `The Entrepreneurship of Resource-based Theory', Journal of Management 27(6): 755—75.

Barney, J. (1999) `How a Firm's Capabilities Affect Boundary Decisions' , Sloan Management Review 40(3): 137—45.

Barney, J. , Wright, M. and Ketchen, D.J. (2001) `The Resource-based View of the Firm: Ten Years After 1991', Journal of Management 27(6): 625—41.

Brown, J.S. and Duguid, P. (1991) `Organizational Learning and Communities of Practice: Towards a Unified View of Working, Learning and Organization', Organization Science 2(1): 40—57.

Brown, J.S. and Duguid, P. (2000) The Social Life of Information. Boston, MA: Harvard Business School Press.

Brown, J.S. and Duguid, P. (2002) `Managing Knowledge', in Little, S., Quintas, P. and Ray, T. (eds) Managing Knowledge: An Essential Reader. SAGE: London

Chaston, I. and Mangles, T. (2000) `Business Networks: Assisting Knowledge Management and Competence Acquisition within UK Manufacturing Firms', Journal of Small Business and Enterprise Development 7(2): 160—70.

Cohen, W.M. and Levinthall, D.A. (1990) `Absorptive Capacity: A New Perspective on Learning and Innovation', Administrative Science Quarterly 35(1): 128—52.

10.

Curran, J. and Blackburn, R. (2001) Researching the Small Enterprise. London: Sage.

11.

Davenport, T.H. and Prusak, L. (1998) Working Knowledge: How Organizations Manage What They Know. Cambridge, MA: Harvard Business School Press.

12.

Dou, H. and Dou, J. M. (1999) `Innovation Management Technology: Experimental Approach for Small Businesses in a Deprived Environment', International Journal of Innovation Management 19(5): 401—12.

13.

Earl, L. (2003) `Are we Managing our Knowledge?: The Canadian Experience ', in Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (ed.) Measuring Knowledge Management in the Business Sector, pp. 55—87. Paris: OECD.

14.

Earl, L. and Gault, F. (2003) `Knowledge Management: Size Matters', in Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (ed.) Measuring Knowledge Management in the Business Sector, pp. 169—82. Paris: OECD.

15.

Egbu, C.O. , Hari, S. and Renukappa, S.H. (2005) `Knowledge Management for Sustainable Competitiveness in Small and Medium Surveying Practices', Structural Survey 23(1): 7—21.

16.

Eng, T.Y. (2004) `Implications of the Internet for Knowledge Creation and Dissemination in Clusters of Hi-tech Firms', European Management Journal 22(1): 87—98.

17.

Gray, C. and Mabey, C. (2005) `Management Development: Key Differences Between Small and Large Businesses in Europe', International Small Business Journal 23(5): 467—85.

18.

Holm, M.J. (2002) `Challenges for Danish Small and Medium-sized Manufacturing Enterprises: An Exploratory Study in Knowledge Management', Working Paper, Department of Management, Politics & Philosophy, Copenhagen Business School.

19.

Holm, M.J. and Poulfelt, F. (2003) `The Anatomy of Knowledge Management in Small and Medium-sized Enterprises', paper presented at LOK Research Conference, Middelfart, 1—2 December, URL: http://www.lok.cbs.dk/images/publ/FP%20og%20Michael.pdf

20.

Hutchinson, V.J. , Quintas, P. , Kurul, E. , Egbu, C. , Anumba, V.C. and Ruikar, K. (2003) `Knowledge Management for Sustainable Construction Competitiveness: A Systematic Analysis of Knowledge Practices in Other Sectors: Lessons for Construction', Report to the DTI, Knowledge Management for Sustainable Construction Competitiveness Project, September.

21.

Ifan, H.K. , Dou, J.M. , Manullang, S. and Dou, H. (2003) `Developing Competitive Technical Intelligence in Indonesia', Technovation 24(12): 995—9.

22.

Jackson, C. (1998) `Process to Product: Creating Tools for Knowledge Management', paper presented at the 2nd International Conference on Technology Policy and Innovation, Assessment, Commercialisation and Application of Science and Technology and the Management of Knowledge , Lisbon, 3—5 August.

23.

Jones, O. and Craven, M. (2001) `Expanding Capabilities in a Mature Manufacturing Firm: Absorptive Capacity and the TCS', International Small Business Journal 19(4): 39—55.

24.

Julien, P.A. (1995) `New Technologies and Technological Information in Small Businesses', Journal of Business Venturing 10(6): 459—75.

25.

Laudon, K.C. and Laudon, P.L. (2001) Management Information Systems. Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice-Hall.

26.

Marshall, A. (1890/1975) Principles of Economics. London: Macmillan.

27.

McAdam, R. and Reid, R. (2001) `SME and Large Organisation Perceptions of Knowledge Management: Comparisons and Contrasts', Journal of Knowledge Management 5(3): 231—41.

28.

Nonaka, I. and Takeuchi, H. (1995) The Knowledge-Creating Company: How Japanese Companies Create the Dynamics of Innovation. Oxford: Oxford University Press.

29.

O'Dell, C. and Grayson, C.J. (1998) `If Only We Knew What We Know: Identification and Transfer on Internal Best Practice', California Management Review 40(3): 154—74.

30.

Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) (2001) OECD's Knowledge Management Projekt. Del-rapport om den Danske Pilotundersøgelse [OECD Knowledge Management Project — Report — Danish Pilot-Survey]. Aarhus: Center of Management.

31.

Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) (1993) Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises: Technology and Competitiveness. Paris: OECD.

32.

Polanyi, M. (1966) The Tacit Dimension. London : Routledge & Kegan Paul.

33.

Rangone, A. (1999) `A Resource-Based Approach to Strategy Analysis in Small-Medium Sized Enterprises', Small Business Economics 12(3): 233—48.

34.

Shaw, E. (2006) `Small Firm Networking: An Insight into Contents and Motivating Factors', International Small Business Journal 24(1): 5—29.

35.

Shin. M. , Holden. T. and Schmidt, R.A. (2001) `From Knowledge Theory to Management Practice: Towards an Integrated Approach', Information Processing and Management 37(2): 335—55.

36.

Skyrme, D. (2002) `Knowledge Management: Approaches and Policies', URL (consulted 6 September 2005): http://www.providersedge.com/docs/km_articles/KM_-_Approaches_and_Policies.pdf

37.

Smith,A. (1776/1887) An Inquiry into the Nature and Causes of the Wealth of Nations. London: George Bell & Sons.

38.

Teece, D.J. (1988) `Profiting from Technological Innovation: Implications for Integration, Collaboration, Licensing and Public Policy', Research Policy 15(6): 285—305.

39.

Thorpe, R. Holt , R., Clarke , J. and Gold, J. (2006) `Immaturity: The Constraining of Entrepreneurship', International Small Business Journal 24(3): 232—52.

40.

Trott, P. , Cordey-Hayes, M. and Seaton, R.A.F. (1995) `Inward Technology Transfer as an Interactive Process' , Technovation 15(1): 25—43.

41.

Tsui, E. (2002) Technologies for Personal and Peer to Peer (P2P) Knowledge Management, CSC Leading Edge Forum Technology Grant Report, URL (consulted 19 October 2004): http://www.csc.com/aboutus/lef/mds67_off/uploads/P2P_KM.pdf

42.

Vangen, S. , Holti, R. and Quintas, P. (2005) `Cross Boundary Management', in J. Batsleer (ed.) Unit 2, Part 2, Making a Difference (B830), pp. 5—36. Milton Keynes: Open University.

43.

Wensley, A. (2000) `Tools for Knowledge Management', paper presented at the BPRC Conference on Knowledge Management: Concepts and Controversies, University of Warwick, Coventry, 10—11 February.

44.

Wensley,A.K.P. and Verwijk-O'Sullivan, A. (2000) `Tools for Knowledge Management ', URL (consulted 6 September 2005): http://www.icasit.org/km/resources/toolsforkm.htm

45.

Woods, A. and Joyce, P. (2003) `Owner-Managers and the Practice of Strategic Management' , International Small Business Journal 21(2): 181—95.

46.

Zhang, M. , Macpherson, A. and Jones, O. (2006) `Conceptualizing the Learning Process in SMEs: Improving Innovation through External Orientation',International Small Business Journal 24 (3): 299—323.

Do SMEs do Knowledge Management?

Abstract

Keywords

Get full access to this article

References