Walker, D H T and Wilson, A J (2004) The knowledge advantage (K-Adv) concept. In: Khosrowshahi, F (ed.) Proceedings of 20th Annual ARCOM Conference, 1-3 September 2004, Edinburgh, UK.
Abstract
Research reported up here explores innovation diffusion and knowledge management literature providing a model of how organisations can enhance competitive advantage through a knowledge advantage (K-Adv). This conceptual model is explained in sufficient detail to indicate how an organisation may use it to benchmark its K-Adv maturity level. This model was based upon extensive review of the knowledge management literature and draws upon results from a parallel study on innovation diffusion. The model was tested using unstructured interviews with key personnel from a building construction contracting firm (annual turnover of AUD$1 billion) and three Australian government departments responsible for building and infrastructure projects. The innovation diffusion study also included data from a global engineering consultancy. Both studies were competed in mid 2004. The concept model was accepted as being highly valuable for benchmarking by our collaborating industry partners, but they showed reluctance to commit commercialisation funding to develop a strategy for establishing how a benchmarking group might be established to undertake KM consulting work using this model and tools developed. The prevailing view was that currently, the Australian construction industry is poorly prepared for the required cultural change necessary for organisations to realise a competitive advantage based upon its knowledge management approach.
| Item Type: | Conference Paper (Paper) |
|---|---|
| Uncontrolled Keywords: | innovation diffusion; knowledge management; learning organisations |
| Index terms: | consultancy, benchmarking, knowledge management, infrastructure project, construction industry, cultural change, funding, strategy, building construction, maturity level, personnel, interview, turnover, innovation diffusion, competitive advantage |
| Subjects: | organization, data collection methods, economic analysis, business management, performance measurement, management, evaluation, professional development, sociology, building construction, market analysis, industry analysis, infrastructure and transport systems |
| Topics: | Construction Technology, Business Strategy, Research Practice, Information Management, Engineering Principles, Organizational Design, Quality Management, Human Resources |
| Descriptive scope: | 4 PCTE |
N.B. Descriptive scope is a count of how many of the five facets of empirical research are indicated by the words used in title, abstract and keywords. It is not intended as a judgement on the research; merely a count of the kind of word we would expect to indicate Phenomenon, Concepts, Theoretical framing, Empirical techniques, Analytical techniques. If all five are present, then a code of “5 PCTEA” will indicate this. If you feel the coding for this record is questionable, we welcome discussion around the terms we matched or the way we categorized them. The facet you would expect may not be coded, or a facet may be coded inappropriately. This can also bear on a larger question, of which facets should be treated as defining in construction management research. Please get in touch, and we will look at it. More details here