International Management of Knowledge and Technology - Essay Example

International Management of Knowledge and Technology al Affiliation Introduction Knowledge is one of the key aspectsused in a firm’s success (Hislop, 2005). It can be adopted in various forms depending on the goals and objectives. Additionally, knowledge can be used to predict future operational and survival trends in local and global markets. Different levels of knowledge can range from technical to management among others can be used to reflect succession features. Knowledge in the business environment can be defined as the awareness of strategies of operation in business organizations (Von Zedtwitz, Gassmann and Boutellier, 2004). International management of knowledge has been adopted to guarantee performance in the technology sector due to the current global market trends. ‘The knowledge held by an organization is more than the sum of the knowledge held by individuals within it. The statement can be analyzed on the rate of knowledge ownership in an organization and its utilization capabilities based on employee factors. The knowledge held by a firm can be measured by the staffs experience and involvement in the core operations. Information can be measured in terms of speed, technological features and the use of knowledge workers to increase productivity and maximize production. An organization’s knowledge acumen depends on the level of education and success between the workers (Argyres and Silverman, 2004). The employees may be from different professional fields but must combine their output to ensure a firm has increased production. Moreover, the firm departmentalization and divisional of labor ensures that workers are distributed in different fields where they have knowledge and experience in perpetrating duties. A firm’s knowledge can be divided into two principles that include explicit and tacit knowledge samples (Howells, 2000). Explicit knowledge is the comprehension of data transmission systems but does not require direct experience of the employees (Nonaka and von Krogh, 2009). There are no blueprints for employee operation but instead rely on experience and apprenticeship skills to carry out most activities in the firm. Tacit knowledge, on the other hand, includes transmission of non-coded information among employees with long-term effects. It includes the adoption of information through artifacts that can be used informally. Tacit knowledge includes information that has been codes and stored in various media platforms. It is difficult to transmit to through writing or verbalizing. Most firms invest in tacit knowledge because of the long-term effects on the knowledge accumulation practices. It is preferred by firms with small capital base due to the use of non-coded information and cost effective measures. Division of labor involves the allotment of duties based on knowledge and experience levels. Most companies have used this strategy to assist in developing potential knowledge among some of the in competitive workers. Additionally, it also helps in the training and coaching processes that can be used to increase knowledge levels in a firm. Training in individual departments will ensure an in-depth analysis of the challenges of facing distribution of knowledge in the departments (Von Zedtwitz, Gassmann, and Boutellier 2004). Notably, division of labor explains that a firms totaled knowledge efforts are more compared to individual information systems. A firms reputation based on knowledge shows that there are external forces that contribute to the accumulation of information. The firms technological knowledge of a firm has a larger implication compared to the sum of individual experiences. For example, a firm may have complex technological aspects that require training from external sources. The summation of the technological might of a firm depends on a broader comprehension of the operation procedures. The firm has to adopt experience from workers to assist in the operation of the current technology. However, a measure of the impacts will show that an organization utilizes employee knowledge in order to accumulate the vast amounts of data that uphold a firms reputation. Co-evolution model of individual and collective knowledge The two building blocks contribute to the comprehension of a firm’s approach in its knowledge properties. Knowledge accumulation and building can be referred to as the interplay between social systems in firms and their cognitive systems. Most firms use acquired knowledge for the profit maximization and improving communication systems between the workers. However, there are various ways of storing the knowledge for future employee reference. Use of databases and artifacts is one of the common ways of ensuring a firm’s knowledge accumulation is passed on to future employee cultures. Interplays between the management and individuals are used in company knowledge building; hence leading to its long-term impacts in an organization. Workers may incorporate knowledge by undergoing training sessions and experiences that contribute to data accumulation in their departments of work. International organizations have a wide coverage of knowledge databases that can be used in the firm’s survival strategies. Internalization and externalization are processes used in improving individual and corporate knowledge building. Knowledge transfers in an organization are considered as continuous processes due to the long-term goals and objectives accruing the firm. Social systems have been used in the development of knowledge in firms Individual learning and implications Social tagging systems have been used to upgrade individual data acquiring methods. The learning processes can be internal or external depending on the value of information being acquired. Assimilation of knowledge is a key principle in organizations to assist in the competition strategies. It includes the use of knowledge databases and institutions to increase the technological expertise. The learning procedures are different depending on the individual organizations due to various missions and visions. Organizational learning It includes the accumulation of large amounts of data at the organizational level. Most firms utilize organizational learning procedures to ensure that the firms metadata is available and can be accessed by future employees. It also explains the principle of organizational knowledge as used in the improvement of operational tactics. Additionally, controlled individual learning leads to building of organizational knowledge. The knowledge acquired at a certain level of data gathering may differ from organizational data that had been accumulated in the past through employee research. This factor means that the employees may have a certain level of knowledge at the stated time but when the data is summed up, it does not add up to previous accumulations. The employee culture differs in various organizations; hence changing employee output capacities. Implications in international management of knowledge Firms employ difference strategies in the accumulation of knowledge. However, the methods depend on various variables that later contribute to individual and organizational learning. Knowledge may come in technological and theoretical perspectives (Malik, Georghiou, and Grieve 2011. Enhancing organizational knowledge has become a managerial priority where firms have incorporated management units to assist in categorizing data. However, there are differences in the collective knowledge understanding based on the organizational and levels o knowledge. Most firms have invested in information sourcing through research for the benefit of the employees and production metrics. Current global trends reveal the need for a knowledge culture that is not affected by employee entry or exit. The strategy has led to companies having gathered more information than the summed knowledge from employees. The knowledge levels include the following: Negative implications Individual knowledge It depends on the human resource department while hiring of new employees. Professionalism leads to understanding of job operations through information acquired from varsities and other learning institutions. Additionally, talents and apprenticeship also contribute to individual knowledge. The change in knowledge transfers may have negative impacts on individual knowledge because the employees may feel left out in making decision. International, such implications may lead to labor inefficiency where firms have to hire or outsource employees from other locations. International management of knowledge includes the monitoring and control of technology and information used in business transactions (Cui, Loch, Grossmann and He, 2009). A firm may lose crucial knowledge due to presumed data collection procedures. Notably, a firm should use various motivational factors to assist in gathering more data. Employees contribute to most of the knowledge used in a firm’s operations. They embark on data gathering in areas such as technological enhancements that help in increasing production. Accumulating the data for long periods will increase the knowledge base. Management of the knowledge will assist the firm’s culture and by providing knowledge to new employees. However, the employees’ potential may reduce because they are seen as individual knowledge seekers whose contracts are terminated after exiting the firm. They are not recognized in future researches that may be used by new employees. Institutional knowledge Organizations invest in technological enhancements used in the firm’s competition strategies (Porter, 1985). The knowledge may be attained through researches on ways to maximize productivity. A firm’s potential level of knowledge should seek international standards and should not be affected by the human resource departments. External factors also affect the knowledge levels such as legal implications and economic meltdowns that affect capability levels (Malik, 2004). Large capital and asset bases help an organization in seeking new technological knowledge. Sources of knowledge and their implications Additionally, the firm has other external sources of information unlike employees who act as internal foundations. They include external technology sourcing institutions that provide data on the firms progress. Relying on these sources helps in the management of both internal and external data. Workers provide their expertise while institutions provide detailed technical and theoretical knowledge. Research firms also provide knowledge to organizations. Their data is based on observation of other firms and the challenges faced in the gathering of data. Cost implications Organizations venture into technology and knowledge gathering activities with the aim of surviving in the global markets. However, without proper cost-benefit analysis firms may lose profits while investing in data. International markets require increased costs to keep up with the increasing competition. Employee knowledge does not reflect high costs since the hiring processes makes sure only professionals are employed. However, external sources those are required for the firm to accumulate more knowledge than the employees need more resources. Additionally, management of the external data also requires more time and expertise hence increasing the costs needed for an organization to operate. Multinational corporations have more branches hence require more knowledge; hence increasing the need for data sources and costs (Dunning, 1994). Finally, organizing security measures to protect the data from rival firms also calls for increased consumption of resources. Positive implications Generation and acquisition of knowledge Knowledge management in global firms includes utilizing of individual data to form Meta knowledge foundations. The firms take advantage of the internal data sources such as employees to enhance technology and other communication systems. Acquisition can be done from outsourcing knowledge firms that sell their expertise to change the operation styles for the corporations. Generation, on the other hand, is carried out through use of research to come up with advanced technological knowledge (Meyer and Marion, 2013). Sharing knowledge It is perpetrated through training and coaching sessions offered to enhance the knowledge capacities in the workers. Firms can also share knowledge through corporate meeting where organizations from different fields share knowledge on market trends and strategies (Gassmann and von Zedtwitz, 1999). Data is also shared through social activities such as employee relationships. Departmentation assists in the sharing of information between units in the organization. Utilization and wider husbandry of knowledge International management entails the use of knowledge to provide unique qualities. Technology and theoretical information have great implications in current markets due adoption of information technology (I.T) and Information Communication Technology (I.C.T). The communication systems can be used to link various branches globally with speed and accuracy. Advanced technology has facilitated conference and video calls for corporate structures. Incorporation knowledge workers Knowledge workers have been implicated in the search for knowledge in multinational corporations. They are workers with the aim of providing information to the firm’s management (Perkman and Walsh, 2007). Most knowledge workers provide technological advice and training to another staff in different departments. Organizations have invested in knowledge workers to enhance production levels and ensure efficiency. Additionally, the workers attain their acumen from learning and training institutions that provide specific skills. For example, knowledge workers in the technology department specialize in information and communication sectors; hence accumulating their experience levels. Conclusion Knowledge collection has played a significant role in the success of global corporations. The management levels have been used to rate the success of the technology and information in organizations. Despite the negative impacts of knowledge accumulation in a firm, appropriate approach styles will overcome the setbacks and focus on the benefits of knowledge. Innovation and inventions strategies in global multi-divisional firms depend on the knowledge sources and management (Lichtenthaler and Ernst, 2009). Reference List Argyres, N.S. and Silverman, B. (2004) R&D, organization structure, and the development of corporate technological knowledge, Strategic Management Journal 25, pp. 929-958. Cui, Z., Loch, C.H., Grossmann, B. and He, R. (2009), Outsourcing Innovation, Research-Technology Management, Nov-Dec 2009, pp. 54-63. Dunning, J. H. (1994) Multinational enterprises and the globalization of innovatory capacity Research Policy 23, 67-88. 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Malik, K., Georghiou, L. and Grieve, B. (2011), Developing new technology platforms for new business models: Syngentas partnership with the University of Manchester, Research-Technology Management, Vol. 54 (1), pp. 24-31. Meyer, M.H. and Marion, T.J. (2013) Preserving the integrity of knowledge and information in R&D, Business Horizons, Vol. 56 (1), pp. 51-61. Nonaka, I. and von Krogh, G. (2009) Tacit knowledge and knowledge conversion: Controversy and advancement in organizational knowledge creation theory, Organization Science, Vol. 20 (4), pp. 635-652. Perkman, M. and Walsh, K. (2007), University-industry relationships and open innovation: Towards a research agenda, International Journal of Management Reviews, Vol. 9 (4), pp. 259-280. Porter, ME (1985) Competitive Advantage, The Free Press: New York (Chapter 5: Technology and Competitive Advantage). Von Zedtwitz, M., Gassmann, O. and Boutellier, R. (2004) Organizing global R&D: challenges and dilemmas, Journal of International Management, Vol. 10 (1), pp. 21-49. Read More