This book takes a look at basic organizational learning and relates it to the implementation of a specific collaborative technology, Lotus Notes . It poses several practice prescriptions for those interested in installing or using Lotus Notes to leverage the intellectual capital already existing within an organization.
Process improvement can itself be considerably improved by the use of information technology. Distributed and a synchronous group support systems, such as e-mail, computer conferencing and the World Wide Web are likely to play a major role in this improvement. Process Improvement and Organizational Learning: The Role of Collaboration Technologies analyzes the relationship between collaborative technologies, process improvement and organizational learning. It is based on the author's experiences in numerous process-focused organizational development projects where process improvement groups were aided by the support of collaborative technologies.
Collaborative Information Technologies are broadly defined as technologies that enable collaboration among individuals engaged in a common task. Examples of such technologies are Web-based chat tools, Web-based asynchronous conferencing tools, e-mail, listservs, collaborative writing tools, group decision support systems, etc. Collaborative Information Technologies includes research on the design and implementation of such technologies, assessment of the impact of collaborative technologies on organizations, and theoretical considerations on links between collaborative technologies and organizational outcomes.
Microfoundations of dynamic capabilities have become a central concept for strategy and innovation research. Yet, despite recent developments in information technologies which facilitate data flow and information management in firms, little is known about how organizational learning and knowledge management nurture microfoundations of innovative capabilities. Our case research addresses this gap by examining how the use of collaborative technologies in a globally leading industrial corporation leverages intra-firm processes of learning and knowledge sharing, fostering innovative capabilities. We combine top-down theorizing and evidence-based exploration to systematically trace microfoundations that undergird a firm's innovative capabilities. Drawing on multiple data sources, we categorize these microfoundations as organizational and managerial structures, systems, processes, and procedures. Our findings show that innovative capabilities result from specific interactions and interdependencies between microfoundations residing in the four categories. The complex and dynamic interplay of corporate knowledge sharing and organizational learning processes nurtures microfoundational sources of innovative capabilities and enables the firm to sustain a competitive advantage in rapidly changing environments. Our findings have important implications for the role of organizational learning and knowledge management in the dynamic capabilities framework.
E-collaboration is a tool that breaks the boundaries of activities within and between organizations. E-collaboration technologies are making it easier than ever for people to work together no matter where they happen to be. Succeeding with collaboration at a level where it represents a competitive advantage requires a broad approach. Internal social networks can circumvent bureaucratic boundaries and facilitate information sharing activities among individuals across hierarchies and divisions or departments. This allows organizations to acquire resources or competencies from external sources that otherwise would be difficult or expensive to access. Accordingly, organizations focus more on their own areas of competence and gain a competitive advantage by acquiring richer content and better solutions in a creative and cost-effective way. Challenging times can provide new opportunities that need to be detected at the right time. There must be many other sources of competitive advantages which should support the main source of competitive value. Competitive advantage may be gained if the organization is able to find sources of competitive advantage in time of economic crises. Organizations have rapidly deployed technology solutions, such as collaboration tools and cloud computing, which enable their employees to work remotely and continue these organizational operations, especially during times of crisis. E-Collaboration Technologies and Strategies for Competitive Advantage Amid Challenging Times focuses on e-collaboration technologies, strategies, and solutions from a perspective of organizational competitive advantage, including e-collaboration technologies’ situation and solutions, innovation systems, competition and strategies, marketing, and growth capabilities. The book presents a full understanding on e-collaboration technologies, strategies, and solutions in organizations, and provides insight for how to develop e-collaboration technologies, strategies, and solutions more generally so as to simultaneously leverage potential benefit and guard against potential risk, promoting organizational competitive advantage amid challenging times. This book is ideally intended for policymakers, government officials, corporate heads of firms, managers, managing directors, practitioners, researchers, academicians, and students seeking information on the e-collaboration technologies being employed in businesses in times of crisis.
Although organizational decision-making can be very complex, the understanding of technology applications is significant in not only determining the usefulness of virtual groups in organizations, but also in the designing of electronic collaborative activities. Collaborative Communication Processes and Decision Making in Organizations focuses on the role of technology in organizational decision-making processes and activities, providing academics and management teams with current research in the field of virtual teams in organizations. This publication is an essential resource for instructors and students of organization and group communication, and institutions that have networks of offices and employees in multiple geographical locations.
What the Book Is About This book is about the problem of organizational learning, that is the analysis of organizations conceived as learning systems. In order to survive in a period of a rapid change, organizations must innovate and than to develop and exploit their abilities to learn. The most innovative organizations are those that can respond with great efficiency to internal and external changes. They respond to and generate technological change by acting as effective learning systems. They maximize the learning potential of ongoing and "normal" work activities. The organizational structure and the technology allow members to learn while the organizations itself learns from its members. So organizations reach high levels of innovation when structured to take advantage of the social, distributed, participative, situated processes of learning developed by its members in interaction with the technological environment. Organizations should consider learning as an explicit "productive" objective. They must create integrated learning mechanisms, that encompass technological tools, reward and incentive systems, human resource practices, belief systems, access to information, communication and mobility patterns, performance appraisal systems, organizational practices and structures. The design of efficient learning organizations requires cognitive, technological and social analyses. All the computer-based technologies (e. g. office automation, communication and group decision support) not only those devoted to and used in training activities, have to be considered as tools for organizational learning and innovation.
Knowledge Networking explains the strategic, organizational and human impact of technologies that support knowledge: the internet, groupware, collaborative technologies. It shows how they can transform organizational practices and help to improve both individual and team performances. Based on proven experience and includes customised toolkits, cases and action plans. From pooling expertise on a sales bid via computer referencing, to improving customer service using the flexible office, the author demonstrates how potential can become practice. Knowledge management is the big management idea currently influencing organizations, and Knowledge Networking explores the global impact of sharing knowledge and expertise. It is a highly practical text which includes customised toolkits, cases and action plans to enable individuals and teams to improve their performance.
