Introduction
Owing to considerable advance observed over the years in the intellectual sphere, few in-depth considerations available explain what is known and how intellectual growth and knowledge are tackled in different scientific fields. However, the introduction of computer and informational technologies remains incessant and, therefore, different firms, groups, and communities are beating their brains out to adjust the existed insights and experience to the company organization.
Company managers create various policies and strategies to simplify the knowledge acquisition, promote the company, and provide a competitive advantage. At this point, the introduction of knowledge management have become in the limelight among the companies who specialize in producing IT systems. They always encounter problems with providing their employees with corresponding knowledge of the technological innovation that has been recently introduced to the international market (Nonaka, 2005).
Main body
The management strategies for talking the technological innovations and handle the knowledge-intensive worker are introduced in Business to Business’s article called NZTE price helps Beca’s business grow (2010). The article reports on how the knowledge management strategies are presented in the award winning engineering consultancy. The agency have worked the ways for adapting innovation within and managing staff and for establishing favorable relations with new international clients.
In particular, the Beca’s company has launched the program called the Beca Innovation Awards for encouraging the working staff to use more innovative approaches for effective working that, in its turn, would augment the value of the firm. The program has also gained the external recognition and has attracted a great number of international clients. More importantly, the managers of the company insists on the idea that the key solution for the improvement of knowledge management lies in viewing how “how its business was performing globally” (NZTE prize helps Beca’s business grow, 2010). It means that reorganization and advancement of knowledge acquisition strategies will greatly contribute to the international growth of the company.
Viewing the article through the prism of global and integration issues, it is worth saying that knowledge study is an inherent component of an effective cooperation and human resources advancement within a company. Beca’s policies and innovative strategies can be proved by numerous scientific and theoretical studies. In particular, Inkpen and Dinur (Agust, 1998) believe that “the creation of the new organizational knowledge is becoming a managerial priority” (p. 454). It means that knowledge creates the underpinning for an organizational advancement and renewal. In correlation with engineering consultancy’s policy, the article also approves its aspiration of leveling up to the international market, as it investigated how the article investigates the exploitation of “alliance-based knowledge” (Inkpen and Dinur, 1998, p. 454).
It goes without saying that that international issues should be carried out through the implementation of intervention strategies, which concern the use of knowledge as an integrating tool. In particular, the newspaper article under consideration reveals the integration of individual knowledge into collective one (Okhuysen, and Eisenhardt, 2002). It means that the engineering consultancy sees the penetration to the international arena as the key solution for an effective knowledge management. It is possible to suggest, thus, that the company tends to create the so-called international communities on knowledge organization and proper operations within the company network (Paavola, Lipponen, and Hakkairainen, 2004).
The above case also reveals the idea that companies always face challenges when adopting innovative strategies. For instance, before adjusting to new technological discovering it is first necessary to analyze the literature and latest scientific periodical. This is particularly required for the formation of their research and development capability. In that regard, Argote, McEvily, and Reagans (2003) put forward the idea that knowledge management is a twofold phenomenon revealing its properties and outcomes (Argote, McEvily, and Reagans, 2003, p. 572). Hence, the first issue considers relations between knowledge units leading to gaining insights and experiences whereas the second one involves knowledge creation, retention, and transfer (Argote, McEvily, and Reagans, 2003, p. 572).
In order to establish relationships and joint ventures, Beca strives to keep in close touch with multinational organizations that can supply the consultancy with industrial knowledge and skills. This is one of the most effective ways to gain an international practice. In this way, the innovation introduction presupposes the analysis of knowledge as a means for ameliorating the development of innovative solutions (Majchrak, Lynne, and Neece, 2004). Further, the increase of research and development capacity requires the implementation of alternative methods of managing knowledge-intensive services (Aslesen and Isaksen, 2007). In particular, the employee should not be ignorant of the external strategies. More importantly, the employees should not use similar tools for knowledge adaptation but combine them with existed ones.
Another goal of Beca’s engineering consultancy is to provide necessary training for the human resources department in order to handle knowledge through a well-structured organization in the departments. This is required to eliminate the technological constraints for employees in case they want to keep pace with the incoming innovations and to enhance the performance within companies (Hafeez and Abdelmeguid, 2003). Therefore, in case Beca’s agency wants to reach an international success, it should be in the constant pursuit of performance increase (Massey, Montoya-Weiss, and O’Driscoll, 2002).
In case Beca’s engineering consultancy plans to achieve the end-stated goals and penetrate to the international market, it should take into the deepest consideration the work of information technology professionals (Pawlowski and Robey, 2004). At this point, the organization must indulge in providing the organizational units with an effective knowledge transfer as far as theories of situated learning with regard to the communities of practice. Therefore, Beca’s organization has made a wise step by focusing on the internal development of knowledge transfer since inner solid and reliable structure provides a wide access to external partnership.
In addition, the improvement of the work of IT professionals grants an opportunity for using knowledge as contingency variable. Hence, according to contingency theory the knowledge management “depends on a number of contingency factors such as the complexity of the environment, the strategic positioning of the firm or the technology it is using” (Birkinshaw, Nobel, and Ridderstrale, 2002, p. 275). This means that the main way to succeed lies in gaining the practical experience that generates new insight for further development and in adjusting to the technological challenges. It is also worth saying that technological invasion is also considered to be as a contingency variable.
The success of the international strategy chosen by the engineering consultancy also consists in facing the social and economical problems of its country since the more employees know what problems their country encounter, the more chance for the company to define the goal for global integration.
The particular case revealed in the article in question proves that implementation of knowledge management as a business strategy provide numerous opportunities and benefits for the company. First of all, it is obvious that knowledge management directly affects the improvement of IT management, as people manage to keep pace with the latest technological innovations. In its turn, the technological awareness heavily contributes to the image of the company and the level of its competence.
Second, a high-technological awareness and competitive level fosters a company’s penetration to the global technological market. In our case, Beca’s intention to establish business relations with the companies of China, Indonesia and Papua New Guinea can also positively influence the standards of living in New Zealand. Finally, while negotiating and developing IT partnerships with other countries, the company has a brilliant opportunity to gain valuable experience and world recognition, which is a great deposit to the technological competency as well (Basseiller, and Benbasat, 2004).
As a piece of advice, the company who is eager to successfully apply the obtain knowledge should create the unique paradigms of its application. This means that knowledge should be also represented as cultural and intellectual asset and ethical artifact (Harganin and Fanelli, 2002). Hence, each manager should be aware of the dual nature of knowledge, which means that there is the knowledge of possibility and the knowledge of action.
Conclusion
In conclusion, it should be stressed that Beca’s knowledge management solutions are based on several points. To begin with, they believe that effective knowledge management can be carried out through the penetration to the world market and cooperation with international clients. Second, the engineering consultancies also involve organizational learning through the development and research of internal capabilities.
References
Argote, L., McEvily, B., and Reagans, R. (2003). Managing Knowledge: an Integrative Framework and Review of Emerging Themes. Management Science. 49(4), pp. 571-582.
Aslesen, H. W., and Isaksen, (2007). New Perspectives on Knowledge Intensive Services and Innovation. Georgrafiska Annaler. Series B. Human Geography. 89(1), 45-58.
Basseiller, G., and Benbasat, I. (2004). Business Competence of Information Technology Professionals: Conceptual Development and Influence on IT Business Partnerships. Management Information Systems Research Center, 28(4), pp. 673-694.
Birkinshaw, J., Nobel, R., and Ridderstrale, J. (2002) Knowledge as a Contigency Variable: Do the Characteristics of Knowledge Predict Organization Structure? Organizational Science. 13(3), 274-289
Hafeez, K., and Abdelmeguid, H. (2003). Dynamics of Human Resource and Knowledge Management. Journal of the Operational Research Society, 54(2), pp. 153-164.
Harganin, A., and Fanelli, A. (2002). Action and Possibility: Reconciling Dual Perspectives of Knowledge in Organizations. Organizational Science. 13(3), 290-302.
Inkpen A. C., and Dinur A. (1998). Knowledge management Processes and International Joint Ventures. Organizational science, 44(9), pp. 454-468.
Majchrak, A., Lynne, P., and Neece C., and Neece, O. E. (2004). Knowledge Reuse for Information. Management Science. 50(2), pp. 174-188.
Massey, A. P., Montoya-Weiss, M. M., and O’Driscoll, T. M., (2002). Knowledge Management in the Pursuit of Performance: Insights from Nortel Networks. MIS Quarterly, 26(3), pp. 269-289.
Nonaka, I. (2005). Knowledge management: critical perspectives on business and management. US: Taylor & Francis.
NZTE prize helps Beca’s business grow (2010). Business to Business. Web.
Okhuysen, G. A., and Eisenhardt, K. M. (2002). Integrating Knowledge in Groups: How Formal Interventions Enable Flexibility. Organization Science. 13(4), pp. 370-386.
Paavola, S., Lipponen, L., and Haikkarainen, K. (2004). Models of Innovative Knowledge Communities and Three Metaphors of Learning. Review of Educational Research, 74(4), pp. 557-576.
Pawlowski, S. D., and Robey, D. (2004). Bringing User Organization: Knowledge Brokering and the Work of Information Technology Profession. Management Information Systems Research Center, 28(4).645-672.