KNOWLEDGE CREATION IN A CROSS CULTURAL CONTEXT FOR SUSTAINABLE ORGANISATION CHANGE AND DEVELOPMENT by Janet Firth A thesis submitted to the University of Wolverhampton in partial fulfilment for the degree of DOCTOR of PHILOSOPHY University of Wolverhampton Business School March 2015 This work of any part thereof has not previously been presented in any form to the University or to any other body whether for the purposes of assessment, publication or for any other purpose (unless otherwise indicated). Save for any express acknowledgements, references and/ or bibliographies cited in this work. I can confirm that the intellectual content of the work is the result of my own efforts and of no other person. The right of Janet Firth to be identified as author of this work is asserted in accordance with ss.77 and 78 of the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988. At this date copyright is owned by the author Signature...................Jan Firth......................................... Date...........................24/08/15........................................ i For Nicole Amy Firth 1986-2013 ii Acknowledgements I wish to record my thanks to everyone who has contributed to this research in any way. In particular I would like to thank the Romanian Border Police for giving me this unique and privileged opportunity to carry out my research, and for the commitment of the fourteen managers who without them this research would not have been possible. In particular my thanks go to the Commissioner, Chief of the Romanian Border Police at the time, who gave me the authority to carry out my research in the organisation at a time of transition and growing responsibility in the EU. I would like to thank my supervisor Professor Roger Seifert for his ongoing support and encouragement. Also my line manager Dr Anthea Gregory, Dean of UWBS, for her empathy and understanding, and the numerous colleagues, too many to mention at the Business School who never lost faith in my ability to get this finished. A special thank you goes to my husband Roger for his ongoing support, guidance and constructive criticism at various times during the research period and write up. iii Abstract The central theme of this doctoral research is organisational knowledge creation in the cross cultural context of the post-socialist transition of former Eastern European (EE) countries towards a more liberal market structure and methods of working. This transition was particularly important for those countries seeking European Union (EU) accession such as Romania, and impacted on those organisations having a major role in accession such as the Romanian Border Police (RBP). The need for organisations to expand their knowledge of strategic decision making for change and development resulted in a plethora of EU-funded training interventions to fill the gap. The literature suggests that as a result of the dominance of Western ideology of the transitional process, cognitive dissonance and a general disconnect with the outcomes of EU-funded projects was a product of such interventions. This research explores how a more collaborative co-inquiry methodology with partners can bring about knowledge creation as a more sustainable and significant approach for organisational change. Specifically, it investigates the reflective capabilities of a group of Romanian Border Police (RBP) managers to reveal how they can create knowledge for organisational change and development in preparation for EU accession. Simultaneously a framework for facilitation was developed as a result of using the original research of Geppert and Clark (2002) and Breiter and Scardamalia (2000), as a foundation for the operationalisation of the research and in the attempt to move away from traditional models of knowledge transfer to further develop the changing dimensions of training interventions in the EE as suggested by Michaelova and Hollinshead (2007). It is offered as a purposeful method for the sustainable organisation, in preference to western style knowledge transfer projects. The findings result in a complex model of knowledge creation for the RBP and a better understanding of how Western trainers can work with EE organisations to achieve the desired outcomes for developing organisations. Moreover recommendations are made on how the EU can best utilise this research as a basis iv for funding future knowledge transfer projects, to guarantee that funding is having an impact on developing organisations at a time of austerity. v TABLE OF CONTENTS Title Page i Dedication ii Acknowledgement iii Abstract iv SECTION І INTRODUCTION CHAPTER 1-Introduction: the Research Context and the Romanian Border Police 1-27 1.1 Introduction 1 1.2 Background to EU Funded projects Relating to Romania and the RBP 7 1.3 Framework: Developing a Model of Knowledge Creation Across 11 Cultures 1.4 The Romanian Border Police 14 1.5 The RBP as a Knowledge Building Community 17 1.6 Research Design 20 1.7 The Researcher 21 1.8 Research Questions 22 1.9 Thesis Structure 22 SECTION ІІ LITERATURE REVIEW CHAPTER 2 – Knowledge and Knowledge Creation in a Cross-Cultural Context 28-69 2.1 Introduction 28 2.2 Insulation Between Society and the Field of Knowledge Production 31 2.3 Economic Change – the growing importance of knowledge in 33 organisations 2.4 Conceptualisations of Knowledge 37 2.5 Knowledge and Knowledge management 39 2.6 Knowledge Building Community Model 42 2.7 Alternatives to knowledge transfer 55 2.8 Knowledge in Communities of Practice 60 2.9 Conclusion 67 CHAPTER 3 – Romania; Borders and Transition to the EU 70-106 3.1 Introduction 70 3.2 Romania as a Late Developing State 71 3.3 Romania and its Borders 72 3.4 Creating a modern social and economic state 75 3.5 Nationalism and Ethnic Groups 83 3.6 End of Ceausescu, Accession and EU Funding Mechanisms 87 3.7 The Romanian Border Police Organisation 94 3.8 Schengen 102 3.9 Conclusion 105 CHAPTER 4 – Cultural Considerations 107-146 4.1 Introduction 107 4.2 The Problem of Culture in the Discussion of National Organisations 109 4.3 Factors shaping research into organisation culture 112 4.4 Romanian Culture 115 4.5 Post Communism – Romanian Culture Redefined? 120 vi 4.6 Defining organisation culture 123 4.7 Romanian Organisations and Management Styles 134 4.8 The Organisation Culture of the RBP 136 4.9 Conclusion, Knowledge Building and Culture 142 SECTION ІІІ METHOD CHAPTER 5 – Methodology and Research Methods 147-187 5.1 Introduction 147 5.2 Research Paradigm and Methodology 149 5.3 The Start of the Research Process: Developing a knowledge Building 155 Community 5.4 Research Methods for Data Collection 161 5.5 Data Analysis using NVivo 172 5.6 Ethics and Gender 174 5.7 Phase Two 177 5.8 Ensuring the Trustworthiness of the Findings 185 5.9 Conclusion 186 SECTION lV RESULTS CHAPTER 6 – Phase One : Data Analysis and Findings 188-227 6.1 Introduction 188 6.2 Findings from the Knowledge Building Framework and Process 189 6.3 Findings from the Questionnaire Insights on the Process of Critical 194 Reflection 6.4 Critical Reflection in the workplace 197 6.5 Levels of Reflection (Journals) 200 6.6 Findings from the Journal Analysis and Interview 203 6.7 Conclusion and Knowledge Building Principles 224 CHAPTER 7 – Phase Two: A Model of Validation and Practical Implementation 228-255 7.1 Introduction 228 7.2 Phase Two 228 7.3 Assessment Stage 230 7.4 Elaboration 247 7.5 Embedding and Evaluating 249 7.6 Theoretical Knowledge Building Principles of Phase Two 252 SECTION V DISCUSSION CHAPTER 8 – Conclusion and Discussion 256-274 8.1 Introduction 256 8.2 Summary of Thesis by Chapters 259 8.3 Synthesis of main findings 264 8.4 Originality of approach, implications and wider significance 269 8.5 Limitations of the study 271 8.6 Further Research beyond this Study 273 vii List of Tables ix List of Figures x Abbreviations xii References 275 Appendices 312 viii List of Tables CHAPTER 1 – The Research Context and the Romanian Border Police Table 1.1 Changing Dimensions of Western Management Training in the EE 6 Table 1.2 Research Timeline 27 CHAPTER 2 – Knowledge and Knowledge Creation in a Cross-Cultural Context Table 2.1 Principles of Knowledge Building 44 CHAPTER 3 – Romania; Borders and Transition to the EU Table 3.1 The Impact of Changing Borders on Population 75 Table 3.2 Romania’s Per Capita GDP 76 Table 3.3 The Ethnic Composition of Romania in 2007 86 Table 3.4 EU Funding Mechanism and its Beneficiaries 90 CHAPTER 5 – Methodology and Research Methods Table 5.1 Programme of Meeting 155 Table 5.2 Phase Two Activities 179 Table 5.3 Training School Visits 181 CHAPTER 7 – Phase Two: A Model of Validation and Practical Implementation Table 7.1 Learning and Teaching Methods 241 Table 7.2 RBP Recommendations for Design of Training Curriculum for 244 Training Schools Table 7.3 RBP Skills Development Programme 2008 248 Table 7.4 Strategy Enabling Programme 252 ix List of Figures CHAPTER 1 – The Research Context and the Romanian Border Police Figure 1.1 An Emergent Model of Knowledge Creation 13 Figure 1.2 Romania’s Geographical Position in Europe 15 CHAPTER 2 – Knowledge, and Knowledge and Creation in a Cross-Cultural Context Figure 2.1 Twelve Principles of a Knowledge Building Community 45 Figure 2.2 Knowledge Building Principles 49 Figure 2.3 Componential Model of Creativity 53 Figure 2.4 Expansive Learning Cycle 54 Figure 2.5 Model of Knowledge Creating Organisations 57 CHAPTER 3 – Romania, Borders, Transition and the EU Figure 3.1 Romania in 1812 72 Figure 3.2 Map Illustration of NATO states in central