The Road to Organizational Success
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Journal of Economics, Business and Management, Vol. 1, No. 2, May 2013 The Culture of Sharing Knowledge: The Road to Organizational Success Mônica Figueiredo de Melo, Zenólia Maria de Almeida, Ana Carolina Silva, Ana Beatriz de Souza Gomes Brandão, and Michelline Freire Moraes stimulate the creation of a knowledge-oriented environment Abstract—This article discusses the culture of knowledge with appropriate systems to face problems, supporting sharing as a factor of business success of an engineering strategies and procedures in the company [5]. company. Based on the key concepts of culture and theories of Other researchers confirm the importance of IT for knowledge in organizations, it aimed to identify the predictors knowledge management, but emphasize that because of success of an engineering company and to analyze the culture of knowledge sharing and its impact on organizational growth. knowledge is a complex process, it is essential to involve After conducting semi-structured interviews with managers people in order to change culture [6]. and employees, qualitative analyses were performed and the Therefore, it is expected that, in the future, companies indicators of success were defined, which allowed for an build organizational structures based on processes, rules and assessment of the knowledge sharing culture and its relevance values directed to sharing knowledge and to creativity, with a for the organization’s success. The findings indicate that positive culture. Decentralization and flexibility stimulate knowledge sharing is part of the organization’s culture and represents an important factor for its success. Innovation, integration between company teams and help strengthening training, quality management and the values established from this kind of culture [7]. the foundation are key elements that fostered organizational The company focused in this study emphasizes knowledge growth. sharing as one of its strong features, a value that has been present since its foundation. In this context, the study aimed Index Terms—Knowledge, knowledge sharing, to identify the critical success factors of Maia Melo organizational culture. Engineering and the relevance of culture for the organization's growth. This paper is divided in five sections. The first one is the I. INTRODUCTION introduction, theme formulation, context and purpose of the Since ancient times we have discussed knowledge. It was, research. The second segment covers the theoretical basis for possibly, in the work of Plato, that one of the first definitions the theme and the problem being investigated; the third part of knowledge appears. Over the centuries, many presents the methodology used to implement the study; the philosophers have failed in their attempts to define the fourth section indicates the data analysis and, lastly, the fifth meaning of knowledge [1]. section presents the final remarks of the research. In the early 90's many organizations suffered from "learning disability" and it was only through systemic thinking that reason and intuition were reconciled. It was II. THEORETICAL found that organizational success would be linked to the For the company to be competitive it must maintain over ability to learn faster than competitors [2]. the years competitive advantages obtained through Then, knowledge management arises and brings together innovation that is based in knowledge. It is through three learning processes in organizations: acquisition and knowledge that we can minimize the uncertainties generated development of knowledge and dissemination of construed by innovation. Knowledge is socially constructed by the memories in a process of developing the skills necessary for individual through learning that seeks the solution of the organization [3]. problems arising in the workplace. An innovative action There was a significant increase in information available to depends on the efforts of its initiatives to be competitive [8]. support decisions in organizations after the development of Knowledge is related to beliefs, commitments, attitudes, communication technology and information technology. perspectives or any specific intent. Knowledge is about Organizations now have new characteristics: the rapid purpose and meaning. Information does not exist in relation increase in the number of knowledge workers when to action, nor to beliefs and attitudes. There is, however, a compared with production workers; those employees who are relation with meaning as well as in knowledge such [9]. in production depend more and more of knowledge workers Considering the constant changes in a competitive and knowledge becomes the key to a competitive effort [4]. environment and also in the internal environment of an Some researchers say that in order to manage the large organization, it is possible to observe what is necessary to flow of information it is not enough to make diverse have effective participation in order to make the company information technologies available, but it is necessary to more agile and better prepared to fulfill its competitive needs. The way to success is through learning that will lead to Manuscript received October 21, 2012; revised December 30, 2012. knowledge [10]. Mônica Figueiredo de Melo is with the Universidade do Alto Douro e Tras -os –Montes (e-mail: [email protected]). Yet their theories distinguish between two types of DOI: 10.7763/JOEBM.2013.V1.34 156 Journal of Economics, Business and Management, Vol. 1, No. 2, May 2013 knowledge: tacit and explicit. Explicit knowledge is one that III. RESEARCH METHODOLOGY can be verbalized or written, thus can be easily transmitted The information collected in the survey was analyzed among individuals. Tacit knowledge is difficult to be using a qualitative approach, by means of a case study with articulated in formal language, it is personal knowledge exploratory and descriptive focus. This case study helped to incorporated to the individual’s experience, involves understand more broadly and thoroughly the processes intangible factors such as personal beliefs, perspectives and related to sharing knowledge in the company researched. value systems. Tacit knowledge, subjective knowledge, is The organization studied is Maia Melo Engenharia Ltda. It experience - body, while explicit knowledge, objective is a consulting engineering company, founded on May 31, knowledge, is rationality – mind and both kinds of 1982, operating with studies and projects, management / knowledge complement each other. Tacit knowledge is supervision / building inspection and other technical services. highly personal and subjective, developed and internalized The company's effort has been directed towards the over time by the individual, especially through the development of projects and supervision of highways and experiences he or she went through. railway construction, which represents about 85% of its Researchers defend that knowledge that comes from a activities and has contributed with innovative solutions such practical work is largely tacit. In the words of tacit as the use of types of low cost pavement. The company is a knowledge they say: "is deeply rooted in the actions and pioneer in the field of Quality certificate and was the first experiences of an individual as well as their emotions, values organization to get certified by ISO 9001/1994, in the North or ideals. Opinion, insights and subjective hunches fall into and Northeast of Brazil on September 29, 2000 and the first this category of knowledge." [9]-[11]. national consulting engineering firm to get the certification of In this sense, tacit knowledge consists of cognitive and adequacy of its quality system to the NBR ISO 9001/2000 in technical elements. The cognitive elements related to mental 2001. models of individuals are the schemes, paradigms, For this research, four project managers and four perspectives, beliefs and perceptions that shape how employees were interviewed. Those were intentionally individuals perceive reality. The technical elements chosen because of the time they had been in the company, correspond to the skills, techniques and concrete know-how, considering the changes of CEOs. difficult to define and articulate. The criteria for choosing the sample was the following: The biggest challenge for organizations is to transform representativeness (interviewing all 4 project coordinators), tacit knowledge into explicit, and organize it in order to make availability (interviewing four employees who were present it available. Knowledge has no value in the organization if it at the institution and were available for interview during the is not accessible, it must be externalized and available to be stage of data collection) and accessibility (interviewing effectively used as in [12]. people residing within the city of Recife). They also say that information is all the competitive The managers interviewed are bachelors in civil advantage a company needs, experience, skills, values and engineering, one of them has a master's degree, and the other insights from its members. Companies should create three are still taking the master certificate. Two of the conditions for the knowledge accumulated by everyone in the employees are engineers, and two have technical training. organization to be effectively shared. The terms share, The instrument used for analysis was a qualitative transmit, exchange and transfer are frequently used in this interview guide with open questions in order to make it study preserving the idea that sharing