Organizational knowledge is defined as all the knowledge resources within an
organization. When group knowledge from several subunits or groups is combined and used to create new knowledge, the resulting tacit and explicit knowledge is organizational knowledge (Hatch, 2010). Organizational knowledge can be viewed from the dimensions of: individual, shared and objectified. Balanced Scorecard (BSC) and European Foundation for Quality Management (EFQM) are among the popular models being used by many organizations to assess their activities and performance in maintaining their competitive advantage in the environment.

In the first paper, “A Framework for Organizational Knowledge Assessment by Combining BSC and EFQM: A Case of Beasat Industry Complex, Iran”, the authors, Peyman Akhavan, Hossein Shirazi, Abbas Sabzaligol and Amir Pezeshkan, have developed a framework with the combination of BSC and EFQM models to assess organizational knowledge. They implemented the framework in an industrial complex in Iran and validated its applications with positive results of improving the ability of an organization to evaluate its knowledge. After reviewing above twenty different management frames of Intellectual Capital (IC), it was found that little attention has been paid to the measurement of knowledge. Along with the already existing EFQM model in the industrial complex, the authors combined the BSC model to bring out the combined framework. The framework was implemented by the organizations and managers by integrating the organizational goals and expectations with the different levels to the process of knowledge development in the organization. The framework helped to break down the organizational grand strategies to objective goals and direct those goals to each level of BSC. EFQM helped to assess the achievement of goals with operational factors.

Higher Educational Institutions (HEIs) have good environment conducive to Knowledge Management (KM) with useful resources like infrastructure, qualified and experienced faculty, mature students and a good interface with other internal and external experts for creating knowledge exchange. In the second paper, “Factors Influencing Knowledge Management in Indian B-Schools: An Empirical Evidence”, the authors, Renu Vashisth and Anil Mehta, have focused on KM factors in universities and other HEIs around Delhi-National Capital Region (NCR). They identified the key drivers in the KM architecture and analyzed the KM practices in three dimensions: Knowledge Gathering (KG), Knowledge Creation (KC) and Knowledge Diffusion (KD), each dimension being divided into three aspects, such as individual, organizational and technological. A survey was conducted to collect the data. Statistical factor analysis was performed on the data. The results suggested that organizations should strive hard to identify the factors that support and promote KM culture and plan strategies, policies and actions for better knowledge acquisition, development and dissemination across departments and individuals so as to promote innovativeness, autonomy and better teamwork.

The third paper, “Model Development for Key Enablers in the Implementation of Knowledge Management”, by Ritika Saini, examined the critical factors to be developed in the implementation of KM in organizations. Data was collected from SMEs of three sectors: software (S), pharmaceutical (P) and textiles (T) in India to test the impact of three identified key enablers—top management involvement (TP), organizational culture (CF) and infrastructure (IF) on KM practices. The technique of Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) was used and a path model was developed for this purpose with the help of AMOS software. The overall goodness-of-fit of the model was tested. It is reported that involvement of top management as a role model by sharing and using knowledge themselves with the help of sponsored programs, lunch-and-learn sessions, etc., contribute significantly to KM in organizations. All the selected items of organizational culture were found crucial for a firm’s ability to manage its knowledge effectively. The supportive infrastructure encouraged creativity, skill development and sharing of experiences with colleagues.

Internationalization leads to increased involvement of enterprises in the international markets. In response to the first empirical confirmation about the presence of low number of Italian companies with subsidiaries in India, the last paper, “The Internationalization and Localization Choices of Italian Firms in India”, by Massimo Cortili, Alessia Pisoni and Alberto Onetti, investigates the localization drivers of a sample of small and medium Italian enterprises which carried out investments in India. The geographical distribution of the sample showed a prevalence in New Delhi area, followed by Mumbai and Bangalore, and hence it was reported that the main driver for localization choices seems to be the general economic importance of the city. With reference to the absence of Italian companies in the Special Economic Zones (SEZs) instituted by the Indian government, the reason cited was logistic problem, with a long drive from main cities to the location of SEZ. In view of these findings, it was concluded that staying in and around the big cities was the preferred choice of Italian companies in India. Adoption of typical multi-domestic approach by customizing products and services to the local needs and demands helps in the progressive involvement of the subsidiary in the local market. It was finally suggested that FDIs could also represent a way to access local knowledge to be combined at a global scale, thus contributing to the overall performance of the MNC.

-- Nasina Jigeesh
Consulting Editor