A Knowledge Management implementation as a management innovation: the impact of an agent of change

Transcript of "A Knowledge Management implementation as a management innovation: the impact of an agent of change"

1. 1. Paper presented at Information: interactions and impact (i3) 2015, 23-26 June 2015, Aberdeen By Louise Rasmussen and Professor Hazel Hall, Edinburgh Napier University l.rasmussen@napier.ac.uk h.hall@napier.ac.uk, @hazelh A Knowledge Management implementation as a management innovation: the impact of an agent of change
2. 2. Key themes: Knowledge Management and management innovation • KM and innovation – KM more usually discussed in term of a facilitator of innovation – Here attention is focused on KM as a type of innovation in its own right • ‘Management innovation’ – Term derives from innovation literature – Refers to a new practice that • is generated, or adopted (and often modified), from elsewhere • is intended to further organisational goals • has an impact on managerial work – Here KM is conceived as a management innovation
3. 3. What does detailed study of a KM implementation tell us about the process of adoption of a management innovation? What does detailed study of a KM implementation tell us about the process of adoption of a management innovation?
4. 4. What does detailed study of a KM implementation tell us about the process of adoption of a management innovation… What does detailed study of a KM implementation tell us about the process of adoption of a management innovation… … in a large, distributed, public sector organisation that uses task forces for the delivery and management of its services? … in a large, distributed, public sector organisation that uses task forces for the delivery and management of its services?
5. 5. Research completed to answer this question Research stages Materials and output 1. Literature review • KM and innovation literature • 5 key models  consolidated model of adoption of management innovation 2. Longitudinal study of a KM implementation within a large, distributed, public sector organisation staffed by task forces • Participant observation field notes • 8732 documents and online files • 4567 email threads 3. Data analysis • Detailed chronology of KM adoption 1995– 2008 4. Presentation of findings • Adaptation/extension of consolidated model of adoption of management innovation • Commentary on power of discourse
6. 6. Research completed to answer this question Research stages Materials and output 1. Literature review • KM and innovation literature • 5 key models  consolidated model of adoption of management innovation 2. Longitudinal study of a KM implementation within a large, distributed, public sector organisation staffed by task forces • Participant observation field notes • 8732 documents and online files • 4567 email threads 3. Data analysis • Detailed chronology of KM adoption 1995– 2008 4. Presentation of findings • Adaptation/extension of consolidated model of adoption of management innovation • Commentary on power of discourse
7. 7. Research completed to answer this question Research stages Materials and output 1. Literature review • KM and innovation literature • 5 key models  consolidated model of adoption of management innovation 2. Longitudinal study of a KM implementation within a large, distributed, public sector organisation staffed by task forces • Participant observation field notes • 8732 documents and online files • 4567 email threads 3. Data analysis • Detailed chronology of KM adoption 1995– 2008 4. Presentation of findings • Adaptation/extension of consolidated model of adoption of management innovation • Commentary on power of discourse
8. 8. Research completed to answer this question Research stages Materials and output 1. Literature review • KM and innovation literature • 5 key models  consolidated model of adoption of management innovation 2. Longitudinal study of a KM implementation within a large, distributed, public sector organisation staffed by task forces • Participant observation field notes • 8732 documents and online files • 4567 email threads 3. Data analysis • Detailed chronology of KM adoption 1995– 2008 4. Presentation of findings • Adaptation/extension of consolidated model of adoption of management innovation • Commentary on power of discourse
9. 9. What does the literature tell us about the process of adoption of a management innovation? What does the literature tell us about the process of adoption of a management innovation?
10. 10. Don’t panic! This can be explained (and reformulated as a consolidated model) Don’t panic! This can be explained (and reformulated as a consolidated model)
11. 11. 5 models describe adoption of management innovation 5 models describe adoption of management innovation
12. 12. Although the vocabulary in the models varies, there is commonality in the coverage of stages of adoption in each model Although the vocabulary in the models varies, there is commonality in the coverage of stages of adoption in each model
13. 13. There are three phases in the adoption of a management innovation: (1) initiation; (2) implementation; (3) outcomes There are three phases in the adoption of a management innovation: (1) initiation; (2) implementation; (3) outcomes
14. 14. Decision points occur between phases Decision points occur between phases
15. 15. Each of the three phases comprises a number of episodes Each of the three phases comprises a number of episodes
16. 16. Decision points occur between episodes Decision points occur between episodes
17. 17. Phase Episode 1. Initiation (a) Agenda setting (b) Knowledge/research (c) Matching (d) Persuasion Between-phase decision point: adopt or reject 2. Implementation (a) Modification (b) Operationalisation (c) Clarification/confirmation 3. Outcomes (a) Routinisation Between-episode decision point: continue adoption or reject it (b) Discontinuation A consolidated model drawn from the literature
18. 18. Phase Episode 1. Initiation (a) Agenda setting (b) Knowledge/research (c) Matching (d) Persuasion Between-phase decision point: adopt or reject 2. Implementation (a) Modification (b) Operationalisation (c) Clarification/confirmation 3. Outcomes (a) Routinisation Between-episode decision point: continue adoption or reject it (b) Discontinuation A consolidated model drawn from the literature Opportunity to make contributions on: •How management innovations are adopted (as opposed to generated) •The role of decision making in the process of adoption of management innovations •The role of task forces in the implementation of a management innovation •The development of a model of that adoption of management innovation that takes into account a range of factors including decision making •The role of organisational discourse in supporting organisational change agendas Opportunity to make contributions on: •How management innovations are adopted (as opposed to generated) •The role of decision making in the process of adoption of management innovations •The role of task forces in the implementation of a management innovation •The development of a model of that adoption of management innovation that takes into account a range of factors including decision making •The role of organisational discourse in supporting organisational change agendas
19. 19. The empirical work Research stages Materials and output 2. Longitudinal study of a KM implementation within a large, distributed, public sector organisation staffed by task forces • Participant observation field notes • 8732 documents and online files • 4567 email threads 3. Data analysis • Detailed chronology of KM adoption 1995– 2008 This work led to the identification of phases and episodes of the KM implementation Particular attention was paid to: •Context (internal and external) •Decision making (formal and informal) •Task force operations: e.g. strategy, structure, recruitment, roles •Discourse of the host organisation This work led to the identification of phases and episodes of the KM implementation Particular attention was paid to: •Context (internal and external) •Decision making (formal and informal) •Task force operations: e.g. strategy, structure, recruitment, roles •Discourse of the host organisation
20. 20. Initiation episode Activities (a) Agenda setting • Defining organisational problem to be adressed • Setting the agenda for change Between-episode decision point: considering alternatives; (a) and (b) are recursive (b) Knowledge/research • Gaining awareness of organisational needs/problems • Gaining awareness of management innovations (through serendipity or planned research) (c) Matching/selection • Selecting a management innovation that matches/is compatible with agenda for change • Planning organisational structures for delivery • Anticipating enablers and barriers (d) Persuasion/validation • Persuading staff to adopt management innovation • Seeking validation from internal and external sources The extended model: Phase 1
21. 21. Implementation episode Activities (a) Modification • Modifying organisational structures to accommodate management innovation or vice versa (b) Operationalisation • Rolling out the management innovation for the first time – as trial experiment or in full • Ad hoc implementation occurs as a result of inadequate matching/selection in Phase 1 (c) Clarification/confirmation • Clarifying, theorising and making sense of management innovation in situ • Seeking validation for continued adoption The extended model: Phase 2
22. 22. Outcomes episode Activities (a) Routinisation • Continuing the adoption so that the management innovation becomes routine and standard practice (b) Discontinuation • Ceasing adoption due to disenchantment or dissatisfaction with performance • Replacing the management innovation The extended model: Phase 3 This research only identified decision making relevant to elements of these two episodes (routinisation and discontinuation) of the management innovation, i.e. not the management innovation as a whole This finding supports the suggestion that routinisation may take 10 years or more (Milton, 2014) This research only identified decision making relevant to elements of these two episodes (routinisation and discontinuation) of the management innovation, i.e. not the management innovation as a whole This finding supports the suggestion that routinisation may take 10 years or more (Milton, 2014)
23. 23. Agenda setting Knowledge/ research Matching/selection Persuasion/ validation Modification Operationalisation Clarification/ confirmation Routinisation Discontinuance 1. INITIATION 2. IMPLEMENTATION 3. OUTCOMES KEY Decisions between alternatives within an episode Decisions to adopt or reject between phases Decisions to adopt/reject between episodes Phases occur in a linear sequence, but may overlap Episodes occur in a non-linear sequence and may run in parallel Phases occur in a linear sequence, but may overlap Episodes occur in a non-linear sequence and may run in parallel Extended model summary
24. 24. The wider context: evident in analysis of discourse and observation of behaviours • Ambition for ‘One Network’ – Co-operation and collaboration – Centralisation – Consistency – Resource sharing • Reality of distributed fiefdoms – Independent working – Decentralisation – Inconsistency – Resource hoarding
25. 25. Issues evident in matching/selection episode (Phase 1) KM: Ambition for ‘One Network’ –‘One Network’ strategy –Tools, e.g. • intranet • communities of practice –Diagnostic processes, e.g. • business analysis • social capital analysis • social network analysis Staffing: local delivery and fiefdom discourse –Distributed Knowledge Analyst (KA) roles –KAs situated within a ‘Network delivery’ structure –KA job description referred to ‘local delivery’ with ‘One Network’ parameters –Different recruitment timescales, contracts, grades, salary scales, job titles, team names, competencies, tasks, measures of performance…
26. 26. Contributions of the study • Detailed case study of a KM implementation in the public sector • Greater understanding of the process of adoption of management innovation, particularly with reference to: – decision making – the role of task forces • Further evidence on the importance of context to any KM implementation, in this case with specific reference to organisational discourse
27. 27. References Birkinshaw, J., Hamel, G., & Mol, M.J. (2008). Management innovation. Advanced Institute of Management Research Working Paper Series (021-July-2005). Birkinshaw, J.M., & Mol, M.J. (2006). How management innovation happens. MIT Sloan Management Review, 47(4), 81–88. Milton, N. (2014). Global KM Survey: How long does it really take for KM to bed in? Retrieved June 19 2015 from http://www.nickmilton.com/2014/08/how- long-does-km-really-take-to-bed-in.html Rogers, E. M. (2003). Diffusion of Innovations, (5th ed.). London: Simon & Schuster.
28. 28. Paper presented at Information: interactions and impact (i3) 2015, 23-26 June 2015, Aberdeen By Louise Rasmussen and Professor Hazel Hall, Edinburgh Napier University l.rasmussen@napier.ac.uk h.hall@napier.ac.uk, @hazelh A Knowledge Management implementation as a management innovation: the impact of an agent of change