We are living in the Knowledge era, a new age which is presumably to have a different perspective or point of view and which will involve a new route for doing businesses. Smart and speedy is vital to the success of organizations in increasingly changing set of the knowledge age. The expansion and practice of KM (knowledge management) is dramatically and continuously growing in firms.
For reason of development in knowledge management, the speed for acquiring a competitive advantage by means of knowledge grows at faster rate as compared to the past. KM has also been demonstrated for its prospective contribution in creating SCA (sustained competitive advantages) for firms. The accusation that knowledge management might be able to generate SCA (sustained competitive advantage) for organizations is provoking; working in this field is relatively underdeveloped, both theoretically and empirically. The recent studies on competitive advantage and knowledge management have stressed description, rather than empirical research knowledge management could achieve to such an advantage.
A possible or potential infrastructure for expanding the conceptual analysis of knowledge management’s impacts on firm's CA (competitive advantage) is the RBV (resource-based view) of the organization which relates the CA of firms with capabilities and resources that are difficult to imitate and firm-specific. The RBV is recently the commanding theoretical view in strategic management published literature, and it concerns with expensive attributes of an organization which are viewed as the basic pillars of SA (competitive advantage).
In RBV (resource-based view), knowledge is viewed as a strategic benefit or asset with the outcome potential to be a source of SCA (sustainable competitive advantage) for a company. The RBV of the organization extends and builds upon the resource-based theory of the organization. It originally developed by Penrose (1959) and enlarged by others (Alavi and Leidner 2001). It encircles the aspects and features to knowledge combination or integration and the four initial method by which knowledge is arranged.
Table of Contents
1- Introduction
2- Problem statement
3- Purpose statement
4- Research Questions
5- Literature review
Knowledge Management (KM)
OKMS (Organizational knowledge management systems)
RBV view of the firm (Resource-based view)
KM (Knowledge Management) in practice
The RBV (resource-based) model of Knowledge Management for competitive advantage
6- Discussion and Analysis
7- Conclusion and Recommendations
8- Reference List
Research Objectives and Themes
The primary objective of this research is to investigate the relationship between Knowledge Management (KM) capabilities and Sustained Competitive Advantage (SCA) within organizations. By applying the Resource-Based View (RBV) of the firm, the study aims to identify how organizational knowledge assets function as strategic resources to generate long-term competitive value in an increasingly complex global economy.
- Theoretical examination of Knowledge Management and the Resource-Based View (RBV).
- Evaluation of Knowledge Management Systems (KMS) as organizational capabilities.
- Analysis of the causal link between knowledge assets and sustained competitive advantage.
- Development of a conceptual research model for empirical study.
- Exploration of organizational learning culture and technology infrastructure in KM.
Excerpt from the Book
1- Introduction
We are living in the Knowledge era, a new age which is presumably to have a different perspective or point of view and which will involve a new route for doing businesses. (Van Buren, 1999). Smart and speedy is vital to the success of organizations in increasingly changing set of the knowledge age. The expansion and practice of KM (knowledge management) is dramatically and continuously growing in firms.
For reason of development in knowledge management, the speed for acquiring a competitive advantage by means of knowledge grows at faster rate as compared to the past. KM has also been demonstrated for its prospective contribution in creating SCA (sustained competitive advantages) for firms (Grant, 1996). The accusation that knowledge management might be able to generate SCA (sustained competitive advantage) for organizations is provoking; working in this field is relatively underdeveloped, both theoretically and empirically. The recent studies on competitive advantage and knowledge management have stressed description, rather than empirical research knowledge management could achieve to such an advantage.
A possible or potential infrastructure for expanding the conceptual analysis of knowledge management’s impacts on firm's CA (competitive advantage) is the RBV (resource-based view) of the organization which relates the CA of firms with capabilities and resources that are difficult to imitate and firm-specific. The RBV is recently the commanding theoretical view in strategic management published literature, and it concerns with expensive attributes of an organization which are viewed as the basic pillars of SA (competitive advantage).
Summary of Chapters
1- Introduction: Provides an overview of the knowledge era and the strategic importance of Knowledge Management for achieving sustained competitive advantage.
2- Problem statement: Discusses the challenges of the modern economy and the gap in current literature regarding the empirical link between KM and competitive advantage.
3- Purpose statement: Defines the research goal to clarify how KM capabilities act as a source of competitive advantage through the RBV framework.
4- Research Questions: Outlines the primary inquiries regarding whether KMS create competitive advantage and the nature of that relationship.
5- Literature review: Reviews core concepts including KM, Organizational knowledge management systems, and the Resource-based view of the firm.
6- Discussion and Analysis: Proposes an empirical model based on various research environments to hypothesize the impact of KM infrastructure and quality on competitive advantage.
7- Conclusion and Recommendations: Summarizes findings and suggests that future research should focus on rigorous study of the causal relationships between KM capabilities and firm performance.
8- Reference List: Compiles the academic literature and sources utilized throughout the study.
Keywords
Knowledge Management, Resource-Based View, Sustainable Competitive Advantage, Organizational Learning, Intellectual Capital, Knowledge Management Systems, Strategic Management, Tacit Knowledge, Explicit Knowledge, Corporate Culture, Innovation, Knowledge Infrastructure, Business Strategy.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the primary focus of this research paper?
The paper focuses on the role of Knowledge Management (KM) as a strategic resource and its potential to create Sustained Competitive Advantage (SCA) for organizations within the context of the Resource-Based View (RBV).
What are the central themes covered in the study?
The central themes include the categorization of knowledge (tacit vs. explicit), the infrastructure of organizational Knowledge Management Systems (OKMS), and the theoretical application of the Resource-Based View of the firm.
What is the core research question addressed by the author?
The research primarily asks whether Knowledge Management Systems contribute to competitive advantage and seeks to understand the specific nature and behavior of the relationship between KM and sustained competitive advantage.
Which theoretical and scientific methodology is utilized?
The study utilizes the Resource-Based View (RBV) of the organization as its primary theoretical framework to analyze how firm-specific, difficult-to-imitate resources influence long-term business performance.
What topics are explored in the main body of the work?
The main body explores the definition and types of knowledge, the structure of technology within KM systems, the role of organizational learning culture, and the development of specific hypotheses regarding KM infrastructure and knowledge quality.
How can the work be characterized by its keywords?
The work is characterized by terms such as Knowledge Management, Resource-Based View, Sustainable Competitive Advantage, Intellectual Capital, and Organizational Learning, reflecting its focus on strategic business management.
How does the author define tacit and explicit knowledge?
Tacit knowledge is described as conceptual models and beliefs embedded within individual workers, while explicit knowledge is defined as data that can be organized, codified, and easily transferred through the organization.
What is the significance of the "RBV" model in this context?
The RBV model is significant because it shifts the focus of competitive advantage from physical assets to intangible, firm-specific resources like knowledge, which are seen as fundamental pillars for long-term success.
What is the role of technology in the proposed KM systems?
Technology serves as an infrastructure—including extranets, intranets, and software tools—that facilitates the acquisition, storage, transmission, and application of knowledge across the entire organization.
What are the implications for practitioners mentioned in the study?
Practitioners are encouraged to look "deeply and broadly" at their organizational KM capabilities and use the proposed model to improve their strategic resource planning and identification of competitive gaps.
- Quote paper
- Muhammad Adeel (Author), 2016, Resource-Based View of Knowledge Management for Competitive Advantage in an organization, Munich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.hausarbeiten.de/document/354209
