a knowledge management implementation as a management innovation: the impact of an agent of change
TRANSCRIPT
Paper presented at Information: interactions and impact (i3) 2015, 23-26 June 2015, Aberdeen
By Louise Rasmussen and Professor Hazel Hall, Edinburgh Napier University
[email protected], @hazelh
A Knowledge Management implementation as a management innovation: the impact of an agent of change
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
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?
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?
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
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
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
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
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?
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)
5 models describe adoption of management
innovation
5 models describe adoption of management
innovation
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
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
Decision points occur between phases
Decision points occur between phases
Each of the three phases comprises a number of
episodes
Each of the three phases comprises a number of
episodes
Decision points occur between episodes
Decision points occur between episodes
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
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
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
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
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
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)
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
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
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…
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
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.
Paper presented at Information: interactions and impact (i3) 2015, 23-26 June 2015, Aberdeen
By Louise Rasmussen and Professor Hazel Hall, Edinburgh Napier University
[email protected], @hazelh
A Knowledge Management implementation as a management innovation: the impact of an agent of change