Mini Tracks – Calls for Papers & Workshops

Measuring Intangibles & Intellectual Capital

Knowledge Retention

Knowledge through collaboration

Dynamics of Temporary Coalitions

Knowledge Management in Higher Education

KM as a managerial tool in EU research programs

Human Capital for Outstanding Results

Linking KM and IC to economic growth of countries

Mini-Track on Measuring Intangibles and Intellectual Capital  

Chair: Bernard Marr
             The Advanced Performance Institute, UK  www.ap-institute.com

The struggle to measure and asses intangibles is the number one challenge the research community is facing today. Many argue that without measures we can know nothing and understand nothing. Without measures we can’t do any research, organisations can’t manage their intangibles and they can’t produce meaningful IC statements. However, when it comes to measurement we are facing a real dilemma: we can’t really measure our intangibles in the same way we can measure tangible aspects of performance. When it comes to intangibles we have to rely on proxy measures. This in turn has important implications of how we can use those measures.

Key questions arising from this include:

• Can we actually measure intangibles? And if so, how would be do this? Do we use quantitative methods, qualitative methods or a mix of both? Do we need to differentiate between terms such as measurement, assessment and evaluation?
• What are the implications of the limited measurability on research, management, compensation and reporting?
• Are tools such as Balanced Scorecards, Strategy Maps and IC Reports appropriate for today’s information needs?

Papers addressing these important issues are invited to submit to this track. For a further discussion of these topics see also: Marr, B. (2005) Perspectives on Intellectual Capital: Multidisciplinary Insights into Management, Measurement and Reporting, Elsevier, Boston and Marr, B. (2006) Strategic Performance Management: Leveraging and Measuring your Intangible Value Drivers, Butterworth-Heinemann, Oxford.

For details about how to submit papers to this mini track, please see the call for papers page.

Bernard Marr

Mini-Track on Knowledge Retention in a Knowledge based Economy  

Chair: Thurasamy Ramayah
             School of Management, Universiti Sains Malaysia, Penang, Malaysia  www.ramayah.com.

In the current knowledge economy, one of the major issues faced by a knowledge-based organization is the large knowledge gap among the hierarchy of experts. It was aptly put by Edenius and Borgerson (2003) as follows:

“We are said to live in a knowledge economy where value stems from professional workers and how they are organized and less from physical products (Drucker, 1973; Bell, 1974; Nelson & Winter, 1982). Identification, generation, transfer, storage and efficient integration of knowledge preoccupy today’s corporate managers (Stewart, 1997; Davenport & Prusak, 1998; Cross & Baird, 2000).”

High turnover rate in organizations where key individuals leave has posed a major threat in knowledge drain which in turn impairs the competitive advantage of the organization. In short, it is expensive to lose good employees (Gunnlaugsdottir, 2004). A survey by KPMG Peat Marwick (1998) conducted among European companies found that “almost half of the companies reported having suffered a significant setback from losing key staff with 43% experiencing impaired client or supplier relations and 13% facing a loss of income because of the departure of a single employee” (Alavi & Leidner 2001). Therefore, the ability to retain knowledge in an organization has become increasingly important.

Numerous studies have looked into knowledge management, but few have focused on knowledge retention per se. Knowledge retention deals with ways to capture knowledge “before it walks out the door” and avoid “reinventing the wheel.” It can also be referred to as all activities that preserve knowledge and allow it to remain in the system once introduced and this includes those activities that maintain the viability of knowledge within the system (Newman & Conrad, 2000).

Why is there a need to focus on knowledge retention you may ask? There has been a reduction in the amount of time employees are given to acquire new knowledge and there is greater mobility in the workforce leading to knowledge loss.  The aging population and a shrinking pool of young professionals have become a common problem in both developing and developed countries. Thus, there is a renewed interest in the way in which knowledge can be captured, shared and retained to improve performance and competitive advantage.

This mini track invites papers that explore this subject and topics may include:

• Knowledge retention needs in an organization
• Recent developments in knowledge retention
• Knowledge loss and the knowledge economy
• The impact of knowledge loss on the company and economy
• Methods of retaining existing knowledge
• The role of training to retain knowledge
• What kinds of knowledge are transferable?
• The role of human resource policies in knowledge retention
• Tools available to capture and retain knowledge
• Critical implementation issues in knowledge retention
• Best practice in knowledge retention

Alavi, M., & Leidner, D. E. (2001). Review: Knowledge management and knowledge management systems: Conceptual foundations and research issues. MIS Quarterly, 25(1), pp. 107-136.

Bell, D. (1974). The Coming of Post-Industrial Society: A Venture in Social Forecasting. London: Heinemann.

Cross, R., & Baird, L. (2000).. Sloan Management Review, 41(3), pp.69-78.

Davenport, T., & Prusak, L. (1998), Working Knowledge. Boston, MA: Harvard Business School Press,. Technology is not enough: improving performance by building organizational memory

Drucker, P. (1973). Management. NY: Harper & Row.

Edenius, M., & Borgerson, J. (2003). To manage knowledge by intranet. Journal of Knowledge Management, 7(5), pp. 124-136.

Gunnlaugsdottir, J. (2004). Using and preserving corporate knowledge during times of change. 12th Nordic Conference on Information and Documentation, Aalborg, Denmark, September 1 – 3, pp. 121-129.

KPMG Management Consulting (1998). Knowledge Management:  Research Report, 1998.

Nelson, R., & Winter, S. (1982). An Evolutionary Theory of Economic Change. Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press.

Newman, B. D., & Conrad, K. W. (2000). A framework for characterizing knowledge management methods, practices, and technologies, in Reimer, U. (Eds), Practical Aspects of Knowledge Management Proceedings of the Third International Conference, Basel, Switzerland, October 30-31, pp.16.1-11.

Stewart, T. (1997). Intellectual Capital: The New Wealth of Nations. New York, NY: Currency Doubleday.

For details about how to submit papers to this mini track, please see the call for papers page.

Thurasamy Ramayah

Mini-Track on How to acquire knowledge through collaboration? From individual to inter organisational learning process  

Co-Chairs: Adnan Maalaoui

                      Institut d’Administartion des Entreprise (IAE) - Toulon University- France
Malek Bourguiba

                      CEREFIGE Laboratory-Nancy University- France
Amine Chelly

                      Ecole des Dirigeants et Créateurs d’entreprise (EDC) Paris, France

Knowledge represents an important resource in firm’s management (Dewulf et al 2005, Spender, 1996, 2006a, 2006b) which improves competitive advantage. Nevertheless, knowledge acquisition requires complex and ambiguous processes especially in specific contexts such as collaboration. Our review of the strategic alliances literature begins with the Garette and Dussauge (1995) as well as Hamel (1991) writings about the knowledge transfer process in strategic alliances. Since then, many researchers have been interested in this topic. Several authors confirmed the competitive nature of knowledge transfer (Nonaka 1994; Hamel 1991; Prahalad, Hamel & Doz 1999; Lyles 1988; Pucik, 1988; Kogut 1989, Inckpen 1998, 2000, 2002; Simonin 1993,1999, Grant, 1996, 2004;). But, it seems that none have treated all of the problems encountered by a firm when processing knowledge transfer (at least in the same research). In this session, we hope to explain these problems and to highlight knowledge learning factors (Kale et al 2000; Lyer 2002; Hitt et al 2000; Oliver 2001; Osborn et al 1997; Liebeskind et al 1996; Muthusamy and White 2005; Anand and Khanna 2000; Eisenhardt and Martin 2000).

This session aims to clarify the link between:

§         Individual learning and inter-organizational learning

§         Knowledge evolution throughout this process

§         How it can allow companies to build a competitive advantage.

Papers are invited on the following topics:

§         Evaluation and transfer of knowledge in a collaborative context

§         Impact of routines, nature of collaboration, learning capacity, opportunism, numbers of players,

§         Acquisition of knowledge and performance in alliances

§         Knowledge transfer in organisational networks

§        

For details about how to submit papers to this mini track, please see the call for papers page.

Adnan Maalaoui


Malek Bourguiba

Mini-Track on The Dynamics of Temporary Coalitions and Collective Knowledge  

Co-Chairs: Michael Taylor

                      University of Birmingham, UK
Sandra Begley

                      University of Birmingham, UK

                      John Bryson

                      University of Birmingham, UK

The role of knowledge and the primary assumption of the theory of the growth of the firm is that growth is an evolutionary process based on the cumulative growth of ‘collective knowledge' (Penrose, 1995: Xiii). Successful enterprises are those who understand knowledge centred competitive advantage, based on collective knowledge.  They explore the best ways to manage uncertainties by using temporary coalitions of people and firms that provide the mix of knowledge, skills, experience and competencies, and create contexts, when and where they are required to generate growth, renewal capabilities and innovation (Taylor, 2006). The ability to be experimental, innovative and flexible appears to be a key factor, along with formal and informal networks for long term firm survival.

This mini-track welcomes original, high quality scholarly and professional submissions which contribute to the absence of theoretical and empirical work between the firm, renewal, territorial transformation (Taylor 2005; Fields 2006) and knowledge (intellectual and social capital), particularly the emergent properties that are a result of the disengagement and re-engagement of organisational linkages over time, the temporal changes in business activity and the adaptive and dynamic capabilities of the firm, as a critical factor in underpinning growth and renewal.  This track also encourages multi/inter-disciplinary approaches to the subject.

Submissions would typically explore:

• the sharing and exchanging of knowledge in formal and informal networks, coalitions and communities of practice that facilitate firm survival and innovation;
• firm survival, temporary coalitions and collective knowledge;
• the nature of the collective agency that strategic coalitions create, exercise and dissolve;
• social processes within, between and surrounding firms;
• the characteristics and determinants of relational patterns, causal relationships, path dependencies and the relations of power and control;
• the use of business ethnographies to explore how relationships and coalitions in firms, evolve and re-configure in and over time; and
• the development of micro-cluster strategies to enable innovation and knowledge transfer.

For details about how to submit papers to this mini track, please see the call for papers page.

Michael Taylor


Sandra Begley


John Bryson

Mini-Track on Knowledge Management in Higher Education  

Co-Chairs: Aswatha Kumar M

                      M.S.Ramaiah Institute of Technology, Bangalore, India
Satyadhyan R. Chickerur

                      M.S.Ramaiah Institute of Technology, Bangalore, India

Knowledge in this century flows seamlessly across Internet, computers, students, faculty, organizations as well as across

space and time. This mini track focuses on how KM and its allied entities can be used to improve quality of higher

education. Technical, economical, Behavioral, organizational effects, pros cons of the use of KM in the field of higher

education will be examined.

Potential topics that this session will address are:

§         Use of Knowledge management on Higher education.

§         Technical challenges and solutions in the development and implementation of systems that facilitate knowledge flows in Higher education.

§         Use of Open source tools in such endeavors.

§         Capturing knowledge abundantly available in universities using various tools like Content management systems, learning management systems etc.

§         Effectively using KM for better teaching learning process.

§         Organizational changes for using information technology for KM.

§         Effectively using blogs , wikis for knowledge reuse

For details about how to submit papers to this mini track, please see the call for papers page

Aswatha Kumar M


Satyadhyan R. Chickerur

Mini-Track on Knowledge Management as a managerial tool in EU research programs  

Chair: Milly Perry

             The Open University, Raanana, Israel

"Helping Europe to lead the knowledge revolution" (2/2007), are words of the European Commission's president, strongly suggesting that the European commission and council recognize Knowledge as a critical component in Europe's future.

Most of the commission's white and green papers regarding ERA and Framework Program as well as strategic papers ("Putting knowledge into practice" 9/2006 or "Lead market initiative for Europe" 10/2007) and many other research projects targeted to reinforce KM tools, culture and technologies for research and business Europe-wide, reinforce this attitude. However, the commission's communications about its own governance contain many eclectic ideas rather than a systematic management method. In view of all this, the inevitable question would be: why doesn't the commission walk the talk and use KM methods they recommend for Europe's organizations?

Knowledge management within the framework of the EU presents a real challenge. While in recent years the remarkable European endeavor in research and development has made use of the terminology of Knowledge management (Knowledge society, change process, organizational culture, information sharing, best practices as well as large-scale sharing technologies, accumulation and dissemination of information), in actual fact it has not yet made use of the Knowledge management tool as its quintessential management strategy.

Evidence from research, funded research managers alongside project managers from the EU and other stakeholders and policy makers are vital in order to explore this paradox of not using managerial strategies in the complex multi-task management of the EU except sporadically and in low profile.

Papers are invited which deal with issues such as:

• Clear evidence for targets, objectives and vision setting.

• Knowledge sharing processes and sharing-culture nurturing within research framework and between projects.
• Maintaining outside influence, change management and innovation culture and tools.
• Consolidation of transparent infrastructures.
• Setting up organizational learning structures and procedures.
• Formalizing communities of practice and expert networks regarding varied stockholders groups within Europe and worldwide.
• Materializing managerial tools for evaluation and measurement of policy actions and outcome.
• Facilitative technologies for enhancing such processes.

For details about how to submit papers to this mini track, please see the call for papers page

Milly Perry

Mini track on Human Capital for Outstanding Results   
Chair: Maria do Rosario Cabrita, Universidade Nova de Lisboa, Portugal

A firm’s success is always the result of both well formulated and well implemented strategies (Grant, 1998). Strategy formulation and execution is always a human task. It is in the hands of the top management team (TMT) and the firm’s most important technicians and managers – its key professional people (KPP) (Viedma, 2003). Thus, selective Human Resources are the key drivers of firm success, but in the knowledge economy the constant need of innovation and strategy renewal extends the importance of selective HR to the whole HR of the firm. This is particularly true in the so called knowledge intensive companies.

At the same time, in the knowledge economy context, the relationship between individual employees and their employing organisation is undergoing fundamental changes. Increasingly, the employee is less a malleable resource for the company and more a mobile investor of his or her Human Capital. The term Human Capital refers to the employees’ resources that are productive and create value for themselves and the organization of which they are part.

Individual Human Capital is made up of three components (Gratton, 2003): Intellectual Capital, Social Capital and Emotional Capital. Intellectual capital refers to fundamental individual attributes such as cognitive complexity and the capacity to learn, together with the tacit and explicit knowledge, skills and expertise an individual builds over time. The second component, social capital, refers to the network of relationships that provide access to the resources members of the network possess or have access to. The third element refers to the self-confidence based on self-esteem, courage and resilience that individuals need in order to convert their knowledge and relationships into effective action.

In summary, Human Capital is the key issue to manage in order to obtain outstanding results.

This Mini-Track will be an opportunity to hear results of the latest research in the field of Human Capital seeking, to debate methodological issues and to discuss emerging and further areas of research.

The Human Capital Mini-Track is seeking submission on:

• Human capital management and its measurement
• Human capital and sustainable business models
• Turning human capital into a business differentiator

• Designing HRM systems to maximize the potential of a firm’s intellectual capital

• Defining and measuring the links between human capital and organizational capital

• Knowledge management and competence management

• Determinants of competence in public sector

• Public sector attractiveness for experienced managers

• Human capital assignment and benchmarking

• Frameworks for conceptualising personal human capital

• Talent management

• Lessons learned (successes and failures)

For mini track submission details, please see the call for papers page

Maria do Rosario Cabrita

Mini track on Linking KM and IC to the economic growth of countries and regions and people’s welfare  
Chair: José M. Viedma, Technical University of Catalonia, Spain

The  strength of an economy is dependent on the degree to which knowledge is created, used and shared. Countries and regions are better off when they promote shared knowledge from which many firms and other organizations can benefit and when they exploit capabilities which their competitors cannot easily match or imitate.

The knowledge economy is essentially about a bundle of intangibles embedded in a hierarchy of networks.The vision and the ability of countries and regions to manage their intellectual capital and master the long-term competencies building process is key to determine the competitiveness of firms and the socio-economic position of individuals.

The target of the EU to become the most competitive and dynamic knowledge-based economy in the world in the context of an enlarged Europe poses a major challenge for EU countries and regions to enhance knowledge creation and transfer, and thus transnational collaboration and synergies exploitation between distinct national/regional core activities.

The enduring competitive advantages in a global economy are often heavily local, arising from concentrations of highly specialised skills and knowledge, institutions, rivals, related businesses, sophisticated customers and abundant financial and venture capital to nurture creativity and economic growth. Regional (innovation) competence is ascribed to a system of higher-order capabilities that are region specific and distinct from the capabilities of individual firms.

Hence, to conceptualise these distinctive competencies and capabilities from a macro perspective and to better understand how a region builds and exploits them to leverage economic growth or how the institutional environment affects the flows of knowledge and innovation are but a few of the research and empirical questions in need of further investigation. Despite the efforts that have been made in the last decade to understand knowledge-driven processes and the knowledge elements underlying a country or region competitive (i.e. innovative) capacity, there is still a long way ahead in developing the appropriate frameworks and measures that allow us to effectively tackle and manage IC and KM for wealth creation and society welfare.

This mini track is an invitation to advance in the understanding of wealth creation processes from a macro perspective, bridge other fields (mainly social psychology, anthropology and geographic and institutional economics) and start filling this “intellectual” void.

José M Viedma

A selection of the best papers will have an opportunity to submit their work for publication in the prestigious Electronic Journal of Knowledge Management  (ISSN:1479-4411)