A perspective of durability and profitability
an article by Sheng-Tun Li, Ming-Hong Tsai and Chinho Lin (National Cheng Kung University, Tainan, Taiwan) published in Journal of Information Science Volume 36 Number 1 (February 2010)
Abstract
Managing their knowledge assets is an imperative issue for most organisations in pursuit of competitive advantage in the knowledge-based economy. Previous researchers have proposed a number of valuable taxonomies for classifying an organisation’s knowledge assets. However, once knowledge assets are classified by such taxonomies as a particular type, they do not change type over time. Arguably, however, business contexts are swiftly changing, and knowledge assets may have to be constantly adapted to play new roles, and so a taxonomy capable of reflecting the changing relations between knowledge assets and environmental conditions is needed. This article proposes such a taxonomy which utilises durability and profitability as dimensions. This taxonomy allows knowledge assets to change type in the light of the new condition. Additionally, it has the characteristics of demonstrating the alignment of assets with organisational strategies, and of being widely applicable in the for-profit sector.
Hazel’s comment:
I have definitely marked this for reading in full – at some future point when the hard copy arrives in the British Library. This is one of the issues that has been bugging me with the limited taxonomy I created for The Accounting Bureau’s document management system.
Saturday, 30 January 2010
Small business research: ...
Time for a crisis-based view
an article by Brahim Herbane (De Montfort University)
Abstract
Small business and crisis management research are two established but largely uncoupled domains of study. Given the economic importance and vulnerability of a small businesses, closer attention is needed to understand how their owners think and act in relation to crisis management efforts in the event of business interruptions. This study highlights the relative absence of crisis management research in the small business literature and the absence of a small business focus in the crisis management literature, despite a rising tide of regulation and legislation that requires companies to have crisis/business continuity management arrangements in place. The study examines the understanding of, and resourcing and support for, crisis management using case studies from four UK small businesses. The resulting analysis illuminates four themes; understanding risks, three-dimensional crisis, learning from crisis, and stifled support systems. Furthermore, data suggest that owner-managers may frame risks in two ways — a ‘growth vulnerability paradox’ and the ‘risk elastic’ — while their understanding of crisis is conceptualised using a chronological approach to identify three key areas: crisis threat, crisis response, and crisis impact. The study concludes by asserting the need for a crisis-based view of small business research and proposes an agenda for future study.
an article by Brahim Herbane (De Montfort University)
Abstract
Small business and crisis management research are two established but largely uncoupled domains of study. Given the economic importance and vulnerability of a small businesses, closer attention is needed to understand how their owners think and act in relation to crisis management efforts in the event of business interruptions. This study highlights the relative absence of crisis management research in the small business literature and the absence of a small business focus in the crisis management literature, despite a rising tide of regulation and legislation that requires companies to have crisis/business continuity management arrangements in place. The study examines the understanding of, and resourcing and support for, crisis management using case studies from four UK small businesses. The resulting analysis illuminates four themes; understanding risks, three-dimensional crisis, learning from crisis, and stifled support systems. Furthermore, data suggest that owner-managers may frame risks in two ways — a ‘growth vulnerability paradox’ and the ‘risk elastic’ — while their understanding of crisis is conceptualised using a chronological approach to identify three key areas: crisis threat, crisis response, and crisis impact. The study concludes by asserting the need for a crisis-based view of small business research and proposes an agenda for future study.
Friday, 29 January 2010
I’m an introvert
Those who know me in real-life as opposed to this virtual world of reading will dispute that statement. I fully understand your scepticism – I’ve even tried disputing it myself at times but when it comes down to the bottom line I hate being pushed by extroverts into taking hasty action such as described by Tom Ilube in a blog post Worshipping workshops.
Let’ s all get together and sort this out.
Quickly now.
Ideas anyone?
That’s it – let’s get to work.
Meanwhile the introverts cringe because they wanted more time to think, more time to tease the problem out.
Whether you fall into the intro or extro group (or somewhere in-between) you will benefit from reading Tom’s wisdom and maybe appreciate that even those who appear extrovert (by which so many people mean “outwardly confident”) are actually not.
Watch out for Tom’s links – not all of them might be considered suitable for work (nothing untoward but a bit noisy).
Let’ s all get together and sort this out.
Quickly now.
Ideas anyone?
That’s it – let’s get to work.
Meanwhile the introverts cringe because they wanted more time to think, more time to tease the problem out.
Whether you fall into the intro or extro group (or somewhere in-between) you will benefit from reading Tom’s wisdom and maybe appreciate that even those who appear extrovert (by which so many people mean “outwardly confident”) are actually not.
Watch out for Tom’s links – not all of them might be considered suitable for work (nothing untoward but a bit noisy).
Sensemaking, rhetoric and the socially competent entrepreneur
an article by Robin Holt and Allan Macpherson (University of Liverpool) published in International Small Business Journal Volume 28 Numer 1 (February 2010)
Abstract
A significant barrier to creating and sustaining firms are the difficulties experienced in continually legitimating their institutional structures. This is especially the case for small firms; entrepreneurs struggle to create and sustain often novel ideas and nascent firm structures set within, or against, well-established market environments. To better understand connections between organization formation and legitimacy of small firms we use accounts from three entrepreneurs. We break down their accounts using Aristotle’s concept of rhetoric. By attending to what Aristotle identified as the three areas of concern for rhetorical method (logos, ethos and pathos) to analyse the entrepreneurs’ sensemaking, we show their awareness of the negotiated, situated and social nature of their enterprises. Our findings expand on existing concepts such as Lounsbury and Glynn’s (2001) “cultural entrepreneurship”, by demonstrating how collaborative sensemaking might be practised and how social competence and an awareness of others’ needs, wishes, ambitions and objectives are central to the foundation and potential success of small firms.
Abstract
A significant barrier to creating and sustaining firms are the difficulties experienced in continually legitimating their institutional structures. This is especially the case for small firms; entrepreneurs struggle to create and sustain often novel ideas and nascent firm structures set within, or against, well-established market environments. To better understand connections between organization formation and legitimacy of small firms we use accounts from three entrepreneurs. We break down their accounts using Aristotle’s concept of rhetoric. By attending to what Aristotle identified as the three areas of concern for rhetorical method (logos, ethos and pathos) to analyse the entrepreneurs’ sensemaking, we show their awareness of the negotiated, situated and social nature of their enterprises. Our findings expand on existing concepts such as Lounsbury and Glynn’s (2001) “cultural entrepreneurship”, by demonstrating how collaborative sensemaking might be practised and how social competence and an awareness of others’ needs, wishes, ambitions and objectives are central to the foundation and potential success of small firms.
Saturday, 23 January 2010
Music in the workplace
Listening to the radio at someone else's place of work I happened to ask whether the someone had a licence to play music.
“No, I don’t need one.”
“Oh yes you do,” says I.
What could have turned into a childish argument was ended by my finding lots of information about what constitutes a public performance. I rather liked this Music in the workplace briefing from Hammonds. Don’t be put off by the 2008 date – the law hasn’t changed.
“No, I don’t need one.”
“Oh yes you do,” says I.
What could have turned into a childish argument was ended by my finding lots of information about what constitutes a public performance. I rather liked this Music in the workplace briefing from Hammonds. Don’t be put off by the 2008 date – the law hasn’t changed.
Checking the time-line
Just moved from Twitter to blog – checking that the link is OK and happened to see my archive figures for 2009. You can really see the “down” times when life seemed like too much of a hassle to bother with.
Maybe I shouldn't be saying something like that in a business environment but as I’ve got older I’ve come to realise that the brick walls we as a society, and I as an individual, erect around mental health are not a good idea. There is, however, a very fine line between honesty and wallowing and I’m not entirely sure which side I’m on today!
Of course, now I’ve said that I will definitely start feeling better.
Maybe I shouldn't be saying something like that in a business environment but as I’ve got older I’ve come to realise that the brick walls we as a society, and I as an individual, erect around mental health are not a good idea. There is, however, a very fine line between honesty and wallowing and I’m not entirely sure which side I’m on today!
Of course, now I’ve said that I will definitely start feeling better.
Wednesday, 13 January 2010
How do virtual teams work efficiently: ...
a social relationship view
an article by Ying Chieh Liu (Choayang University of Technology, Taiwan) and Janice M Burn (Edith Cowan University, Western Australia) published in International Journal of e-Collaboration Volume 5 Number 4 (October-December 2009)
Abstract
Virtual teams are groups of members collaborating in the execution of a specific task from disperse locations. Increasing use of virtual teams has highlighted the need for organisations to focus on ways to improve their performance. The key issues of concern include both technical and social dimensions, and this research study addresses the latter. Hence, this study derives a social relationship model from a comprehensive literature review and conducts an experiment to validate this through SEM (structural equation modelling). The results reveal:
an article by Ying Chieh Liu (Choayang University of Technology, Taiwan) and Janice M Burn (Edith Cowan University, Western Australia) published in International Journal of e-Collaboration Volume 5 Number 4 (October-December 2009)
Abstract
Virtual teams are groups of members collaborating in the execution of a specific task from disperse locations. Increasing use of virtual teams has highlighted the need for organisations to focus on ways to improve their performance. The key issues of concern include both technical and social dimensions, and this research study addresses the latter. Hence, this study derives a social relationship model from a comprehensive literature review and conducts an experiment to validate this through SEM (structural equation modelling). The results reveal:
- communication has a direct positive impact on relationship building, but indirect positive effects on performance and satisfaction;
- relationship building impacts directly with strong and positive impacts on cohesion and trust, but indirectly with strong impacts on performance and satisfaction;
- cohesion has a direct, strong, and positive impact on performance, but a strong indirect impact on satisfaction;
- trust has a positive direct impact on performance, but an indirect positive impact on satisfaction; and
- performance has a strong and positive impact on satisfaction.
In addition, this study confirms that relationship building is a vital mediator int he social relationship model. Managerial implications and future research directions are identified.
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