Proceedings IFKAD 2019

PROCEEDINGS e-books

Proceedings IFKAD 2019

Knowledge Ecosystems and Growth

Matera, Italy 5-7 June 2019
ISBN: 978-88-96687-12-3
ISSN: 2280-787X

List of Included Articles:

Citizen Participation: a buzz word to evaluate the European Capital of Culture?

(987-997)

Paola Demartini, Michela Marchiori, Lucia Marchegiani, Lucia Biondi

Abstract

As citizen participation and participatory governance have become central concepts in the cultural policies at EU level, we are interested in understanding what this entails in practice. While, generally speaking, participation has been deeply scrutinized in political science and public administration literature, how citizens become participants in a process of co-creation of culture, who benefits from this participation and why is rarely discussed. By focusing on the European Capital of Culture initiative, which has become widely recognized as one of the most prominent EU cultural initiatives, we offer a thorough analysis of the participatory practices and of the challenges to participation that unfolds over the development of the ECoC projects. Adopting a Systematic Literature Review, we discuss the variety of participatory practices in real cases of ECoC, many of which, however, cannot be labelled as practices of “participatory governance”. We contribute to the stream of research on citizen participation, highlighting the selective practices that are hidden under the veil of inclusivity. These results are valuable both from a theoretical and a practical perspective.

The impact of performance measurement: new approaches and key implications for Culture Management

(998-1008)

Andrea Cara, Beatrice Elia, Francesca Jacobone

Abstract

Over recent years, in the International scenarios, very few routes have been entered to face the lack of the management dimension within Culture Sector. The contribution of economic disciplines to culture has mainly concerned political economy, rather than corporate disciplines, very often depriving the Cultural landscape of the needed profitable complementarities coming from the interaction between public and private entities. However, the very complexity of cultural heritage – for the territorial extension, to the landscape dimension, for the multiplicity of institutional levels called into question, for the intertwining of protection and valorization policies – should invoke the definition of interdisciplinary corporate operative solutions in order to respond to practical challenges and create value for all the stakeholders involved. In this framework, the paper aims to define a theoretical and practical performance and measurement model ready to make cultural assets productive, thus demonstrate the impact of managerial private and public tools through to Cultural networks. Without regard to any other production, authors will grade different combinations of managerial models and analysis with the view to ultimately define an innovative model in order to determine, under qualitative and quantitative terms, the consistent enhancement of artistic and cultural assets within a public-private company perspective. The work is articulated in four steps: first, a proper analysis of existing task and general environment strategic models is in-depth; then, the assessment of a selection among those as the ideal base for Cultural Sector is shown; moreover, the definition of a new model is analyzed and its economic-financial political feasibility analysis based on a ROI outcomes quantification and Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) is tackled. The approach undertaken appears to be totally innovative for the original definition of a new forge for the fulfillment of both companies and institutions needs and objectives, in order to fulfill the gap between theory and praxis managerial model applied to Culture. The potential of the research seems evident in consideration of the high feasibility in worldwide contextual realism and companies range, and consequent profitability of the application of the model, since the research represents a full strategic portfolio service package in order to follow the integrated Cultural investment cycle, transcending conventional indicators for the achievement of a medium and long‐term economic, social and political value creation. The attractiveness of the model is going to be crucial for the differentiation of business culture and decision makers in order to contribute to the re-launch of different territorial policies and to contribute to the development of the transparent competitive cultural performances of capital-intensive market. From this point of view, the incentives resulting from the model’s application will eventually draw all different stakeholders to differently combined competences and endowments in order to undertake more collaborative and profitable action plan as to acquire a proactive role in the political decision-making, anticipating economic and occupational circumstances and needs.

Digital maturity and growth of SMEs: a survey of firms in the Basque country (Spain)

(1009-1022)

Klaus North, Nekane Aramburu, Oswaldo Lorenzo, Agustín Zubillaga Rego

Abstract

Sustainable competitiveness and growth of SMEs are increasingly determined by their capability to make use of digital technologies which are generating opportunities for developing new growth routes based on digitization. This paper reports the findings of a study how SMEs in the Basque region of Spain assess their digital maturity. The main purpose of this research is to gain insights into the development of digital capabilities of SMEs that support their digital based growth. The DIGROW-Framework of digital maturity (North et al. 2018) was used to assess the digitization capabilities of SMEs in the Basque region in northern Spain. In cooperation with the regional business associations, a self-assessment questionnaire was sent to members and resulted in a return of 550 questionnaires by November 2018. The study provides rich information on the digitization approaches of SMEs in the Basque region. It sheds light on the learning paths of digital transformation of SMEs. In particular, its originality and value resides in the application of a maturity framework based on dynamic capability theory to a wide range of SMEs. The model is easily applicable also to SMEs of other countries or regions. Study results allow regional business associations as well as local and regional government to develop strategies and support measures to foster digital growth of SMEs. The survey also demonstrated that the applied maturity model provides guidance to SMEs to raise awareness of owners, managers and employees towards required capabilities as well as opportunities/threats, to create a shared understanding on what “digitally enabled growth” means for the firm, to anchor pilot initiatives in an overall “picture” of digitalization and to define learning objectives.

The benefits of software-supported collaboration for small and medium sized enterprises

(1023-1038)

Thomas Hardwig, Stefan Klötzer, Margarete Boos

Abstract

Collaborative applications – also known as collaborative software – are increasingly being used by companies. The applications are meant to support intensive, effortless cooperation among team members, management and clients at any place and at any time. The uniqueness is their combination with social media and Web 2.0 functionalities (McAfee, 2009). The aim of this contribution is to identify the actual, in-field benefits of software-supported collaboration for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) thus far reported in the literature. We review and summarise the findings of former research on the use of collaborative software. The term collaborative software is used to describe Web-based applications (platforms) to support communication and collaboration in enterprises. For our research of the literature we used the ProQuest and EBSCO databases, which included highly ranked journals in the field of SMEs. Only peer reviewed empirical research papers dealing with the use of collaborative software were included in the review. Our research questions were: 1. Which studies have focused on the use of collaborative software in SMEs? 2. What benefits of software-supported collaboration in SMEs have been found? 3. What were the other main findings of the studies? On the basis of the collected results we will discuss the intended vs. actual benefits software-supported collaboration have for SMEs. To the best of our knowledge, there is no other review of the benefits of collaborative software potentially relevant for SMEs, making this review is an important addition to other contributions in the field. The results provide valuable (albeit less comprehensive than we hoped) information to managers and practitioners in SMEs, helping them to decide their IT strategy and the importance of collaborative software therein. Knowledge about the benefits of software-supported collaboration as well as impacts on employee- and organisational-work design is useful for the effective implementation and use of collaborative software.

Knowledge management practices related to organizational resilience capabilities

(1039-1052)

Bruna Devens Fraga, Gregorio Varvakis, Mariângela Poleza

Abstract

Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) are highly vulnerable in times of crisis and are affected by various financial and human risks (Vargo & Servilha, 2011). One strategy for adapting and responding proactively is to develop the potential for organizational resilience. This can be understood by four capacities: to anticipate, to respond, to monitor and to learn (Hollnagel, 2010). These can be developed through the strategic management of the knowledge resource using the practices of Knowledge Management (KM). In turn, these, can be grouped according to the knowledge creation spiral of Nonaka, Takeuchi and Umemoto (1996), in actions aimed at externalization, socialization, combination and internalization. The literature addresses some KM practices related to resilience in a segmented way, such as the work of Chalfant and Comfort (2015) and Patil and Kant (2016). In this way, this study identified knowledge management practices to improve/boost resilience capabilities in the organizational environment. The application of phase 4 of the framework developed by Fraga, Varvakis and Sell (2018) was used as a base in a small business in the information technology industry to identify practices related to resilience capabilities. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews, and knowledge management practices related to each resilience capacity were indicated. The application of the framework allowed the connection of knowledge management practices identified through the processes of socialization, externalization, combination and internalization, making possible the understanding of the critical aspects of the resilience potential, reducing the risks of loss of knowledge and avoiding the reinvention of know-how of employees in SMEs. It is worth noting that the use of knowledge spiral lenses to look at each resilience capacity facilitated the grouping of KM practices. It is suggested that KM techniques and tools be identified and instituted according to organizational strategies. Thus, in this study, the Nonaka and Takeuchi (1997) spiral presented an adherence to resilience capacities and their characteristics found in SMEs. This contribution is relevant, since many studies mention the importance of KM for resilience, and this research allowed the proposal of specific practices to improve the potential for resilience in this particular context.

Knowledge Management Practices in technology-based SMEs

(1053-1064)

Graciele Tonial, Lucas Paganini Souza, Nina Rosa Cruz Gerges, Lidia Neuman Potrich, Paulo Maurício Selig

Abstract

The objective of this article is to identify knowledge management practices in technology-based SMEs in the South of Brazil. This is an empirical, qualitative, and descriptive study. Data were collected in interviews with directors of technology-based SMEs in the South of Brazil, following a semi-structured interview script, adapted from Kianto and Andreeva (2014) and validated by Dávila (2016). Data were analyzed using thematic and content analysis with triangulation of evidence: bibliographic review; content from primary data sources, and data obtained from secondary sources. This paper contributes to advancing research into knowledge management practices, which are recognized as important organizational strategies, capable of driving better performance and strengthening organizations’ competitiveness. Notwithstanding, this paper’s stand-out contribution is made by its empirical results. The evidence collected in technology-based SMEs in the South of Brazil demonstrates that knowledge is recognized as a strategic resource. However, these SMEs do not have management strategies for implementation of knowledge management programs, although their practices related to organizational structure and organizational culture are better explained. This finding is attributed to the fact that the organizations analyzed are located in a technological incubator, which encourages knowledge assimilation and sharing between employees and firms, and its application to promotion of an innovation culture. The practical results of this paper provide a basis for executives and managers interested in the subject to decide which knowledge management practices they should adopt to achieve the best strategic and operational results in Brazilian technology-based SMEs. The main findings also highlight the most important knowledge management practices that can explain the capacity that the firms studied have to share their existing knowledge among their employees, seeking to promote an innovation culture.

Innovativeness of family SMEs: Knowledge transfer during the succession process

(1065-1076)

Marina Letonja, Mojca Duh

Abstract

Despite increasing scholarly interest in the topic of innovation in the family firms, our understanding is still incomplete and inconsistent and the question of innovativeness of successors and family SMEs remains relatively unexplored (Botero et al. 2015). Our empirical research explores the relationship between the knowledge transfer in family SMEs and innovativeness of successors and of family SMEs during the succession process. Conducting a quantitative empirical research, our research results indicate that “early inclusion into family SME” and “learning by doing” are the most valued forms of the transfer of founder’s tacit and experiential knowledge and skills to the successor and are the most important for their and the family SMEs’ innovativeness. Regarding the external knowledge transfer, our research revealed that working experiences in other firms and external training are of high importance and positively correlated with innovativeness of successors and of family SMEs.

Social Media use in Communities of Practice: insights from an Engineering Service Company

(1077-1089)

Kathrin Kirchner, Rasmus Jørgensen, Lotte Christina Breengaard, Ettore Bolisani, Enrico Scarso

Abstract

The use of Communities of Practice (CoPs) to support knowledge sharing and collaboration within organisations has been increasing over the years. Today, many different companies from various sectors are deliberately resorting to CoPs to better managing cognitive assets and improving business performance. In particular, the availability of the new web-based technologies, like for example Enterprise Social Media platforms, are promoting the widespread utilisation of virtual CoPs, i.e. CoPs that make use of ICTs to enable distant and asynchronous communications among members. Even though the “marriage” of Social Media with CoPs seems to be perfect, studies that investigate the use of the new social applications in the context of CoPs are still scarce. To contribute to fill this gap, the present paper analyses the factors that influence the frequency of CoP access by means of a Social Media platform. Specifically, the paper illustrates and discusses the results of a survey which involved 262 employees of an international engineering project-based service company that eight years ago established several global CoPs in order to improve internal knowledge exchange and collaboration processes. At present, inside the company there are 20 active communities, involving about 1,400 project execution employees, whose functioning is supported by a Social Media platform dubbed Connect. The survey, that included 22 questions, was administered online between September and October 2018. The findings of the survey have allowed to identify some factors that result to be strictly correlated with the frequency of use of the Social Media platform to interact with the others community members. Among others these are: position in the company, role inside the community, individual motivation, kind of use, perceived technical and organizational obstacles. The paper contributes to advance the research about the adoption of Social Media technologies as knowledge management tools by identifying some factors that influence their use inside a CoP. It also provides useful suggestions to managers who intend to promote the development of Social Media enabled virtual Communities of Practices. The main limitation of the study is that it bases on the experience of only one company working in a specific industry with specific knowledge needs and capabilities. In spite of this, the findings provide interesting insights that can be a basis for future investigations as well as suggestions to managers willing to create and sustain virtual CoPs.

Managing projects and related knowledge at strategic level – a case study of a Hungarian IT company

(1090-1099)

Lajos Szabo

Abstract

The paper aims to fill in the gap of investigating the role of strategic project portfolio management and to introduce a case study that focuses on a new strategic project portfolio management model and its application at a Hungarian IT service provider company. The model integrates strategic management, project management and knowledge management in order to set up the strategic project portfolio and to support the successful planning and realization of strategic projects. There are several approaches to create an organizational strategy (Hunger and Wheelen, 2011). However, they all share a common feature that the foundation of a successful strategy is the analysis of internal conditions and external environment. The way, how the mission and vision statements, as well as the strategic goals are formulated, the strategy for business units are defined, and the operational plans are derived, varies from organizations to organizations. Even more different is, how strategic projects are identified. The main challenge is to create a project portfolio that is aligned with the organizational strategy and provides the balance between exploration and exploitation (Kaiser et al., 2015, Kerzner, 2017, Kopmann et al., 2017, Pemsel and Wiewiora, 2013, Pinto, 2019). The theoretical part of the paper introduces a new model of developing an organizational strategy and the strategic project portfolio. It is based on the traditional approach of strategic planning, and it is combined with the project planning processes. Scorecard systems provide the interface of these planning systems. Projects are directly linked to strategic goals and the project portfolio is managed at the strategic level. The practical part demonstrates how this model can be applied in an organization. A Hungarian IT service provider company was selected where the model had been introduced and project management office (PMO) had been created in order to conduct the strategic project portfolio. The new model introduction, the strategic project proposal selection process as well as the project-related knowledge management practice is investigated.

Limits and alternatives to traditional strategy formation: a review

(1100-1106)

István Csendes, Ákos Bocskor

Abstract

The main assumption of our conference paper is that in the contemporary, ever-changing, precarious economic environment that can be described by the concept of digital transformation, it is particularly worthwhile to reintroduce the evergreen question whether traditional strategic planning and long-term strategic goal-setting, and strategic implementation based on them, are still valid concepts. We investigate this question by a brief literature review that intends to underpin the problems related to the classical models of strategic planning as well as its alternatives. Our main conclusion is that, based on the latest research results, strategy formation (and planning within it) are not outdated concepts. This is the case since 1. the implementation of a pre-defined strategy can be interpreted as a rational organizational act; 2. the failure rate of the implementation of pre-defined strategies does not disprove the validity of this traditional approach. In the discussion part of our paper we also briefly touch upon the situations in which traditional planning, to our view, can be effective, as well as on potential areas for future research related to digital transformation.

The relationship between the project management competences and the project success – The case of a Central European oil company

(1123-1133)

Viktória Horváth

Abstract

Based on the biggest project management professional association, the Project Management Institute’s report (2013), the oil and gas sector considered to be one out of the seven project intensive industries besides manufacturing, business services, finance and insurance, information services, construction and utilities. Out of the three segments of the oil industry (upstream, midstream and downstream), the upstream possess the biggest complexity level regarding the size and the novelty level of the projects. The purpose of this academic research paper is to assess the project management competencies of the different participants being involved into the project-related processes (project managers, their line managers and the staff of the project management office (PMO) in the upstream segment and to analyse the relationship between these competences and the different criteria of the project success. Bearing in mind this aim, the paper focuses on the following research questions: How does the project management competence contribute to the different criteria of the project success, i.e. (a) the project triangle, (b) client satisfaction, and (c) the stakeholder satisfaction? How could the organisational context influence the project management competencies’ contribution to the project success? Görög’s (2013) hierarchical project success criteria model and the main project management competency models (e.g. Crawford, 2005) provide the theoretical background of this paper. The 4th edition of the Individual Competence Baseline for Project, Programme & Portfolio Management issued by International Project Management Association (2015) also served as a basis to assess the project management competencies of the interviewees. Previous academic papers were not focusing on the link between the different criteria of the project success and project management competencies. In this research organisational barriers were also highlighted, which contributed to the realization of the project management competencies. They have strong impact on the actual workplace performance, thus they could block the competencies contribution to the successful completion of the projects. Understanding the relationship between the project management competencies and the different project success criteria could contribute to the further development of the professional workplace performance of the project managers.

Knowledge-Based Participation to Identify Demands of a Future City Administration: Dresden Case Study

(1134-1147)

Michael Kelber, Anja Jannack, Jörg Rainer Noennig

Abstract

Due to accelerated structural changes in the city administration of Dresden, a new administrative center is planned for several thousands of employees. In the framework of a scientific collaboration, inter alia we researched and evaluated demands of future city administrations by way of a participative workshop-series in order to inquire the employee´s and organisation´s implicit knowledge as an information basis for decision making in the subsequent architectural design works. In a series of workshops with representatives of the departments that will potentially move into the planned new building, explicit and implicit knowledge of the knowledge bearers was collected in various formats. The structure and content of the workshops was developed according to the Backcasting Method, which anticipates long-term objectives (framework specifications of the city administration and the project manager) and therefrom derives measures for achieving them. By analyzing the existing structures in the departments, discussing with the employees and validating their statements and needs made through the evaluation of references and the co-creative development of concept models, a catalogue of spatial needs was created. By use of this preliminary planning-process we were able to set a scientific foundation for subsequent design-and-development processes for architects, civil engineers, and interior designers of the envisioned public construction project. The bottom-up-approach will ensure a sustainable design for organisational and spatial issues for the municipality by purposefully using the implicit knowledge of the prospective users. The collected data give intelligence about future office development and about specific interlinkages of the departments in regards to communication, working methods, operations and future consolidations. The catalogue of spatial needs will be part of the architectural tender process for the “New Administration Centre” of Dresden 2019, which will be carried outin the format of a “Competitive Dialogue” between architectural offices and the city administration Dresden.

The use of ITC in the Automotive area to have a more competitive service

(1148-1158)

Araceli Duran-Hernandez, Judith Mireya Cornejo-Macias

Abstract

At the present technologies have been advancing with huge steps of witch we have seen them not only in educative areas, also in the business and those are tools easy to use and they are cheaper for companies. This has been reflected in different areas of the industry, in this research the Automotive Industry was taken. We analysed the traditional model with the new model of the ICT application. We use for this research a non-probabilistic sampling of conventional type, it’s mixed, quantitative as qualitative, this is a consequence of technological changes as in consumer habits, for a variety of products and services with a lower cost and response time. With this new model and the use of ICT we will have a positive result of competitiveness in the Automotive Industry area. In the actuality technologies have grown faster, we have seen it not only in the educative area, also in the business field and those are tool easy to use and those aren’t expensive for business. This has been seen on different business areas; on this research we took the Automotive Industry. It’s important to take note about the CRM to get information about guest and we could be more competitive. It’s necessary to understand the guest since the first contact, or the result of a purchase or when try to do a purchase, and more important things like to handle with complaints, and post-purchase service. (Basa, 2011) The economy is a current environment characterized by components like the increased of competitiveness, technological innovation and the global nature of markets (Castells, 1977) We analysed different models like DEMING PRIZE, model IBEROAMERICANO of the excellence in the management (FUNDIBQ). We used documental research, it’s supported by a field research with a questionnaire, interviews, polls and observation, it’s qualitative and quantitative, this is because the technological changes just as costumer habits. With this new model and the use of ITC we will get results and could be more competitiveness on the Automotive field.

Dynamics of value in technology inspired value co-creation: Case in homecare value network

(1159-1171)

Vesa Tiitola, Tuomas Korhonen, Teemu Laine, Jouni Lyly-Yrjänäinen

Abstract

This paper addresses the value co-creation in homecare value networks. The paper aims to answer the following research questions: What are the fundamental elements of value from different parties’ perspective? What types of practices support value co-creation among the network? What kind of outcomes can the value co-creation (inspired by the new technology) have on the network? The paper takes advantage of a longitudinal interventionist case (2016-2019) investigating the technology implementation process in a homecare organization. The data is supported by seven other similar implementation projects concerning the same technology. Uniquely, the article provides empirical evidence on the antecedents, roles and outcomes of the value co-creation in the homecare value networks. An in-depth access to the value network enabled capturing value elements that emerged due to the value co-creation in the customer selection, customer recruitment and service implementation phases. The article also provides examples of different types of value co-creation dynamics. The article develops understanding of value co-creation dynamics in home care, helping homecare managers map and measure the outcome of value creation practices. The article also gives insights for managers wanting to co-create value in complex value networks.

Investigating the interplay between performance standards, organizational variables and contextual factors: the case of public service providers in Italian water and electricity sectors

(1107-1122)

Guido Capaldo, Nicola Costantino, Gabriella Ferruzzi, Roberta Pellegrino

Abstract

The topic of public service improvement has received great attention all over the world in recent decades, in both private and public sectors. While there is a huge literature investigating components which are critical in formulating an organization strategy for achieving service quality improvement, in both public and private organizations, namely organizational variables affecting service quality (such as resources, organizational structure, performance management system), and contextual (internal and external) factors conditioning the achievement of higher performance, there are no studies analysing how the public sectors organizations reacts to the regulation imposing performance standards and how contextual factors may affect such organization response to new performance standards. In particular, many questions posed about regulation are concerned with the extent to which it assists with or damages attempts to maintain and raise the standards of public service performance. The aim of this paper is to contribute to the stream of public service performance (PSP) improvement by addressing the following research questions: How the organizations of public sector providers react to higher performance standards fixed by the regulators? How contextual factors affect such organization response? With this objective, after reviewing the literature dealing with the organizational variables that are believed to be linked to quality service and performance, the areas of service quality as well as the link contextual (internal and external) factors and performance, a reference framework is developed, which is used as a guide model for the empirical analysis which was carried out on 15 public service providers in Italian water and electricity sectors. The results of the empirical investigation indicate organizational variables mainly affected by higher performance standards imposed by the regulation are resources and performance management systems. They also reveal the existence of clusters of firms. This will provide an interesting practical implication, by making the regulator aware that the achievement of high performances in the public service in order to be compliant with the new standards entails a change in the organizations of service providers, not so much in terms of organizational structure as in terms of the required resources and the design of the PMS. On the other hand, the study gives a number of examples about how a sample of firms has responded to the introduction of the new standards and how such response is affected by contextual factors.

Investigating creativity and knowledge flows through patent citations networks

(1172-1184)

Carlo Giglio

Abstract

This study aims at analyzing patented innovations for blockchain applications as well as to mine cross-country creativity and knowledge flows underlying the corresponding technological trajectories. In particular, this paper aims at answering the following research questions by analyzing patent citation networks: (a) how cross-country creative/learning flows can be methodologically investigated with new algorithmic approaches; (b) whether countries of current patent owners have benefited from creative and/or knowledge flows related to patent acquisitions from abroad; (c) whether there are any country clusters with relevant country-country patenting interactions; (d) whether those clusters include or differ from the most relevant countries on the technology development of blockchain patented applications. 50,046,982 granted patents were considered initially, thus, refining the dataset based on the following constraints: (a) granting date within 2008-2018 – after Nakamoto’s (2008) paper on blockchain; (b) at least one cited patent in order to ensure the analysis of patent acquisition effects without any methodological bias; (c) title/abstract including “blockchain” or related keywords; (d) further qualitative refinement by reading the main information on patents to ensure that they pertain to blockchain applications. Records with incomplete data have been eliminated after a qualitative check – including the comparison between International Patent Classification (IPC) and the Cooperative Patent Classification (CPC) codes and labels. Despite the strong multi-faceted interest – e.g. economic, business, security, societal – towards blockchain and its applications, specific studies on their technological trajectories, creative cross-country effect and knowledge transfer dynamics are still unexplored (also under the methodological perspective). Hence, this gives room studies on patent citation networks to be improved and contextualized. Findings provides an in-depth understanding of cross-country creativity and knowledge flows and the corresponding effects in terms of learning from the patent vendee’s side. Findings prove to what extent the acquisition of patents from inventors’ in other countries may help generating subsequent citations and affecting the technological evolution of those industries. Study relevance and implications can be summarized as follows: (a) policy-makers are provided with supporting data and guidelines to set ad hoc measures for blockchain applications in those industries deemed relevant to national interest – e.g. by nurturing the acquisition or birth of industry-strategic innovations; (b) managers of patenting firms are interested in monitoring, acquiring or anticipating possible advancements – i.e. in terms of creative concepts as well as generated knowledge and technology -, identifying in advance potential technological innovations and recognizing evolutionary pathways in the technological scenario.

Education – Challenges in the Digital Era

(1185-1190)

Eleonora Gabriela Contu

Abstract

In the Digital Era, education is a complex component of human existence that must meet the challenges of contemporary society. The paper is based on a qualitative research, conducted on a sample of 100 persons (students in the first year of study at the Faculty of Administration and Business, University of Bucharest). The key questions raised at this point are: Starting from the importance of digital in the field of education what is the profile of the student of the future? How about the teacher of the future? The research approach used emphasis on the importance of technology in academic life. In contemporary context technology should be seen as a future instrument in learning. Nowadays virtual reality creates new immediate learning experience. This methodology highlighted the importance of knowing which teaching style should be used in an efficient instructive-teaching process. The main objectives of the study are: presenting the main education styles in virtual environment, highlighting the challenges and opportunities of education in digital era, analysing marketing research results that distinguished an innovative student profile and a successful teacher profile in the context of digitization. The outcomes of the application underline the importance of education in digital era. The topic of the paper is popular and has potential for further research as in contemporary context students’ needs and demands are changing according to New Information and Communication Technology. This fact leads to major changes in academic life. The educational context becomes more and more complex, facing challenges of contemporary realities which must not be neglected.

Roadmap for Creative Problem Solving Techniques

(1191-1206)

Han Meer, Katrina Heijne

Abstract

Creativity is one of the vital skills for the 21th century as stated by the European Union. In our earlier work (Buijs et al, 2009) we gave a syntheses of the literature and practice on creativity resulting in an overall model for creative problem solving in groups. This model was called iCPS and consists of four interlinked sub processes Content Finding, Information Finding, Acceptance Finding and Project Management (Buijs & van der Meer,2013). Building on this work the present paper focuses on techniques that can be applied within the framework of iCPS. Based on an extensive literature study combined with the experiences of over three decades training creative facilitation of groups at the Delft University of Technology all techniques found in literature were clustered to 40 specific techniques supporting the different stages of iCPS and 8 so called session duties. 5 methods significant different than iCPS were identified. For using the 40 techniques a technique selector is proposed. The paper ends with some directions and suggestions for further research to make the shift in research on techniques for creative problem solving in groups from a merely guru driven topic to an evidence based approach.

The traveling ideas as the contextual infection of art

(1207-1219)

Birgit Jevnaker, Johan Olaisen

Abstract

This paper discusses arts as practice for business and society studies. Given that arts are necessary to develop business and society; how can valuable arts practices be learned? This conceptual paper is investigating how collective knowing develops in business contexts using art by unconventional painters such as Edvard Munch as examples of this process. The necessity of art is giving us a societal meaning of the process of knowing or a scripted story for enterprise action based upon the knowledge of art. The reflection and dialogue based on art might contribute to creativity and innovation in the business process. The paper develops a theoretical framework and theory for how this works.

Making knowledge management creative, engaged and relevant: A comparative philosophy of science study of IFKAD papers in 2016, 2017 and 2018

(1220-1232)

Johan Olaisen, Øivind Revang

Abstract

The purpose this paper is analysing and comparing all the papers in the proceedings of IFKAD in 2016 (Dresden), 2017, (St. Petersburg) and in 2018 (Delft). The study is classifying the papers according to methodology, analysis, discussion and conclusion regarding their contribution placing them into the four paradigmatic boxes. The approach is to use a philosophy of science framework and compare this to the content of the research papers. We will use the findings in four representations of knowledge, two typologies of concepts, four paradigmatic classifications and in the concluding framework for knowledge management research. All three conferences have a heavy emphasis upon knowledge-itis and instrumental-itis and much less emphasis upon problem-itis. The papers are mostly centred around existing knowledge and accepted methodology and less related to new problems. The IFKAD studies both in 2016 and 2017 have rather low complexity presented in an empirical and materialistic paradigmatic framework through definitive concepts representing a form of atomistic research. The complexity to more problem based studies are increasing slowly in 2018. The 2018 conference represented a more inductive research based upon sensitizing concepts and action paradigms. The progress is however slow. What would IFKAD have been with a higher degree of complexity in action and subjective paradigmatic frameworks through sensitizing concepts representing a form of holistic research? Probably a more creative, engaged and relevant conference. Objectivity is in demand, but subjectivity is needed.to come up with proposals for working greener and smarter. To move ahead for better quality in the research it is necessary to break free from the empirical paradigm and the materialistic paradigm and move into the clarified subjectivity and action paradigm. Paradigmatic ecumenism will tend to a fiercer, but an idea-generating debate. This pluralistic approach will give more engaged practical research representing more sustainable societies and businesses.