Knowledge management with focus on the innovation process in collaborative networking companies
Inganäs, Martin Hacklin, Fredrik Pluss, Adrian Marxt, Christian
Inganäs, Martin
Hacklin, Fredrik
Pluss, Adrian
Marxt, Christian
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Publication Type
Journal article
Editor
Supervisor
Publication Year
2006
Journal
International Journal of Networking and Virtual Organisations
Book
Publication Volume
3
Publication Issue
3
Publication Begin page
283
Publication End page
298
Publication NUmber of pages
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Abstract
Knowledge lies at the very heart of innovation. A company's ability to create, store and transfer knowledge about technologies, customer needs and the innovation process itself may well determine success in bringing new products or services to the market. Yet, little is known as to how companies treat these issues in practice. This paper presents the results of a research project assessing practices and challenges for innovation-oriented knowledge management within four global technology-based companies in Switzerland. Results are discussed from both company-internal and external network perspectives. For company-internal knowledge management, broad differences in terms of both practices and challenges were found between the companies mainly because of different ways of implementing the innovation process and very different company cultures. Common issues included poor implementation of post-project reviews as well as a need for better integrating market and customer knowledge into all stages of the innovation process. For the external perspective, a more homogenous picture emerged where companies network with different partners throughout the innovation process and where knowledge creation and transfer were substantially greater for long-term partnerships.
Research Projects
Organizational Units
Journal Issue
Keywords
Knowledge Management, Collaborative Innovation, Disruptive Innovation, Knowledge Creation, Knowledge Transfer, Collaborative Networks, Networking, Technology Based Companies, Switzerland, Organisational Culture, Innovation Process, Virtual Organisations