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    Knowledge-based dynamic capabilities for managing paradoxical tensions in circular business model innovation: an empirical exploration of an incumbent firm
    (Emerald Publishing Limited, 2024-12-16) Pascucci F; Pizzichini L; Sabatini A; Temperini V; Mueller J
    Purpose This paper aims to gain insights into the paradoxical tensions emerging from circular business model innovation (CBMI) and how to overcome them by developing a theoretical framework drawing on two theoretical streams: firstly, the paradox theory for shedding light on the often “invisible” contradictions generated by the implementation of circular economy (CE) principles in business model transformation; and secondly, the dynamic capability theory that can contribute to the investigation of how to manage these contradictions. Design/methodology/approach The study uses a longitudinal case study approach to gain an in-depth understanding of the transformation and challenges faced by an incumbent firm in adopting a circular business model. Qualitative research methods are used to explore the paradoxical tensions and dynamic capabilities involved in the process. Findings The study finds that incumbent firms face numerous challenges and paradoxical tensions in the CBMI process. These tensions arise from difficulties in implementing organizational changes, balancing competing priorities and managing conflicting goals. Dynamic capabilities are crucial in managing these tensions and facilitating the transition to a circular business model. Research limitations/implications This paper contributes to the theoretical development of paradox theory by applying it to the new field of CBMI which is currently slightly investigated and responds to the call for studies looking at more fine-grained types of sustainable business models. The study adds to previous literature that how the firm handles paradoxes and tensions influences the pace and results of the process. If the firm becomes discouraged during the early stages of identifying new opportunities, the pace slows down, and the firm becomes hesitant to collaborate more with partners. Furthermore, the ability to capitalize on these opportunities is affected by these tensions and contradictions. Originality/value This paper contributes to the literature by empirically investigating the process of CBMI in incumbent firms. It fills the gap in existing research by examining the existence of paradoxical tensions in a real-life setting and exploring the role of dynamic capabilities in managing these tensions. The findings provide practical insights for firms seeking a transition towards a CE and highlight that the ability to sense the external context should be developed as the new business model entails a central role of external actors.
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    The influence of personal knowledge management on individual health care decision-making : an action learning approach : a thesis presented in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy in Management at Massey University, Albany, Auckland, New Zealand
    (Massey University, 2020) Huang, Yi-Mei
    Background: Making effective health care decisions is important. Despite the large volumes of information available, individuals often face personal limitations evaluating this information and making optimal decisions. Personal knowledge management has been suggested as a method of addressing information barriers and improving decision-making. Personal knowledge management has, however, been mostly applied within an education context, in order to improve individuals’ learning performance. From the available literature in this area, very limited research or significant conceptual development has been undertaken on personal knowledge management and its influence on decision-making, particularly in the health care context. Aims and Significance: This study examines an effective personal knowledge management strategy for older adults (aged between 46 and 75) with limited computer/technological skills by answering the following questions: How do older adults access and evaluate information and knowledge for health care decision-making? How can personal knowledge management help older adults with limited computer/technological abilities manage their information and knowledge for health care decision-making? How effective is an action learning training program in supporting older adults with limited computer/technological abilities for health care decision-making? The aim of this study is to provide an understanding of the use of action learning and personal knowledge management pertaining to older adults’ health care decision-making. Examples of relevant health care concerns include, diabetes and obesity or other issues of this nature, but are exclusive of severe health issues, such as cancer. The findings will offer educators and researchers an understanding of ways to help these individuals to navigate the world of information regarding critical personal decision-making, with specific reference to health care. Method: To investigate this issue, a qualitative study was conducted using action learning with thematic and grounded theory coding techniques. New Zealand patient health care support groups and churches provided a source of older adults with health-related issues as volunteers. Participants were asked to practice personal knowledge management strategies, focusing on their personal health-related issues after each learning session. In the following session, the issues or experiences that the participants encountered whilst conducting their self-practice exercises, within their groups were discussed. Findings: This study found that the older adult participants in this study used Google, Facebook closed groups, YouTube, online videos, health care support groups, family and medical professionals as information sources before embarking upon this training program. To evaluate alternative treatment options, these participants rely predominantly on family, friends, medical professionals and their personal life experience for decisions. This study found that major factors that negatively impacted older adults’ effective information interpretation and decision-making include: barriers to accessing accurate and relevant health care information and knowledge, barriers to computer-based technology use, and humanistic barriers. The findings suggest that a four-stage personal knowledge management strategy could help older adults (with limited computer/technological skills) to overcome the barriers to effective information interpretation, and making informed health care decisions. Finally, this study suggests some practical training/learning techniques for older adults. For instance, major individual health-related issues of the older adults within the pre-training program need to be confirmed, followed by a warm welcome prior to the commencement of the training program. I learned that it is important to pre-diagnose participants’ abilities in learning and computer-based technology before designing the training program. This can help to develop an appropriate training program for a specific cohort. Conclusions: The findings of this study contribute to the development of an academic understanding of personal knowledge management conceptualisation in the consumer decision-making field, with the aim of improving older adults’ information and knowledge management processes. This study serves as a vantage point for further empirical research in personal knowledge management and older adult education and training.
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    Repoliticising development : the diaspora knowledge network (DKN) ChileGlobal and its contribution to development in Chile : a thesis submitted in fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy in Development Studies at Massey University, Manawatu, New Zealand
    (Massey University, 2017) Malecki, Axel
    Throughout the last fifteen years, developing countries have increasingly devised diaspora strategies to tap into their overseas migrant populations for the purpose of achieving national development objectives. Endorsed by multilateral donor organisations, the private sector, NGOs and supported by bilateral donor agencies, diaspora strategies tend to represent diasporic communities as development actors whose entrepreneurial expertise, business knowledge and access to resources can be usefully captured via social and monetary remittances. However, critical scholarship cautions against simplistic assumptions that underpin the often elite-based attempts of governments to leverage their diasporic collectives via selective policies. Moreover, the so-called ‘rise of the diaspora’ as a development actor, has also generated concerns suggesting that the state-integration of diasporic groups for development rationalities signifies a process of de-politicisation and control. Building on multi-sited research, this thesis engages with the practices, shifting coalitions and their outcomes of the Chilean diaspora knowledge network ChileGlobal. The ChileGlobal knowledge network initially emanated from the World Bank’s Diaspora for Development programme in 2005 with the particular goal to foster innovation and economic development in Chile and, as such, was positioned as a distinct economic actor. Through the use of post-structurally informed concepts, and attending to the multiple sites of interaction within ChileGlobal, this thesis maps out how attempts to expand the scale and scope of ChileGlobal reconfigured and mobilised this knowledge network in unintended and far-reaching ways generating diasporic spaces of contestation and ambivalence. By tracing the different sites and trajectory of ChileGlobal, as well as its politics of expansion that resulted in subsequent change of the constituency of ChileGlobal network, this thesis demonstrates how the partial transformation of this diaspora network from an economic to a political actor signifies a narrative that runs counter to broad claims about the depoliticising effects of contemporary development projects. Instead, the diaspora community assembled around ChileGlobal is indicative of the malleability and ambiguity of diaspora networks as development actors as well as their potential to challenge existing public policy orthodoxy and dominant discourses of economic and calculative practices in contemporary Chile. Moreover, this thesis also highlights how simplistic outward focused diaspora strategies often fail to take into account how local, mundane, place based norms and cultures often shape and mediate the transfer of diasporic contributions.
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    Enhancing the information literacy conversation by engaging the voice of New Zealand small businesses : a thesis presented in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Business Studies in Communication Management at Massey University, Distance Learning - Manawatu, New Zealand
    (Massey University, 2017) Ninces, Mke
    This research contributes to a small but expanding body of research about information literacy in the workplace. Through the development of a conceptual framework and through a survey of New Zealand small businesses (NZSBs), the goal of this research was to explore the links among the concepts of information literacy, information culture, knowledge management and organisational learning. The survey of NZSBs also identifies NZSBs’ current information practices, the value of information-related skills to NZSBs and how familiar NZSBs are with the terms of information literacy, information culture, knowledge management and organisational learning. This research is significant, being the first of its kind when it comes to attempting to add the voice of NZSBs to information literacy. Amongst other things, the research findings raise questions about source acknowledgement in the workplace, and reinforces the idea of social interaction being a vital aspect of information literacy in the workplace.
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    Knowledge management in web communication technologies : a thesis presented in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Information Science in Information Systems at Massey University, Palmerston North, New Zealand
    (Massey University, 2005) Yang, Jingyu
    In the tertiary educational area, the web communication technologies have been used for a long time for communication among students and teachers. The discussion forum system is one important type of web communication tools. This thesis suggests an advanced category of web-based discussion forum system to enhance the ability of knowledge management in the tertiary educational area. In this project, a prototype web-based discussion forum system is developed that not only contains the benefits of the traditional web communication tools, but also overcomes various shortcomings of current discussion systems by using various technologies such as keyword search methodology, concept-based search methodology, interactive query expansion technology, and concept map methodology. This project provides a solution which students can effectively and efficiently capture, retrieve, and share useful knowledge and relevant information in a web-based discussion forum.
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    Knowledge management initiatives in the New Zealand state sector : a thesis presented in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Masters of Business Information at Massey University, Wellington, New Zealand
    (Massey University, 2005) Hamlin, Lorraine
    This research study attempts to determine whether New Zealand State sector organisations do benefit or can benefit from using knowledge management. After considering various approaches taken to developing and implementing knowledge management initiatives, the use of knowledge management in a range of New Zealand State sector organisations is investigated. The practices discovered in each organisation are compared. The positive and negative outcomes experienced from undertaking knowledge management initiatives are discussed. These experiences suggest what similar organisations need to be aware of if contemplating using knowledge management. The research was a comparative study of several New Zealand State sector organisations that have either implemented or are planning to implement knowledge management initiatives. The research approach was qualitative, and the methodology involved in-depth interviews. These interviews allowed for cross-analysis and comparison across eight different State sector organisations to gain an insight into what has occurred around knowledge management initiatives in each one. All organisations have gone about developing and implementing knowledge management initiatives In different ways, but all have begun knowledge management work from the common starting point of developing a knowledge management strategy to guide an overall programme of work. The results of the research indicate that New Zealand State sector organisations have used knowledge management as a change tool, to effect culture changes and staff behaviour changes, and to counteract loss of organisational knowledge. The key benefits obtained by the organisations that have undertaken knowledge management initiatives have been improving knowledge sharing cultures and environments, and achieving cultural and behavioural changes desired. The critical cornerstones for knowledge management success have been good leadership and buy-in of the knowledge management initiative at chief executive and senior management level.
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    Designing learning object repositories : a thesis presented in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Information Science in Information Sciences at Massey University
    (Massey University, 2006) Gan, Yang Yang
    Learning object repositories are expanding rapidly into the role of independent educational systems that not only are a supplement to a traditional way of learning, but also allow users to search, exchange and re-use learning objects. The intention of this innovative technology is to have such repositories to collect a database of learning objects catalogued by the learning content management system. However, for users to perform an efficient search, these learning objects would need to use metadata standards or specifications to describe their properties. For learning objects stored within the repositories, metadata standards are often used to descibe them so users of the respositories are able to find the accurate resources they required, hence metadata standards are important elements of any learning object repository. In this paper, a courseware example is used to demonstrate how to define a set of characteristics that we want to describe for our courseware, and attempt to map the data schema in the database with the available metadata standards. The outcome is to identify a set of metadata elements that would fully describe our learning objects stored within the learning object repository, and these metadata elements will also assist instructors to create adaptable courseware that can be reused by different instructors. Metadata standard is known as a critical element for the management of learning objects, not only will it increase the accuracy of the search results, it will also provide more relevant and descriptive information about the learning objects to the searchers.
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    Sharing the power : knowledge management, empowerment, employee self service and the NZDF : a thesis presented in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Information Systems at Massey University
    (Massey University, 2003) Williams, Richard
    This thesis investigated employee views of the Defence Kiosk System (DKS) through a questionnaire, and compared the results with two empowerment methodologies. These methodologies were Spreitzer and Quinn's Five Disciplines For Empowerment, and Horibe's Employee Decision Making methodology. The DKS is the Employee Self Service (ESS) system of the New Zealand Defence Force (NZDF). The DKS is a web-based system that employees can use to access their personal records, thereby empowering employees to access their own personnel information and removing the need for them to ask human resources related questions of their administration unit. This provides the NZDF with administrative savings and accurate up to date information that can be used for Knowledge Management (KM). The research begins with a literature review. The literature review established links between Empowerment, KM and ESS. It found that for ESS systems to provide benefits employees must be willing to use them. A questionnaire was developed and sent to a sample of 1000 NZDF employees who had access to the DKS. The response was 350 completed and returned questionnaires, which exceeded the 180 responses required to enable the results to be generalised for the entire NZDF population. Analysis of the questionnaire responses showed that employees believe that the DKS, as an ESS system, meets their personnel information needs and that they were willing to use the DKS. When the results of the survey were compared with the empowerment methodologies the research supported Spreitzer and Quinn's five disciplines model, particularly the fourth and fifth disciplines. The results raised questions about the suitability of using Horibe's employee decision making methodology in the field of personnel management, especially with the advent of employee self sefvice systems.
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    Absorptive capacity and knowledge transfer : an exploratory model for university-led research institutes (RIs) and small and medium enterprises (SMEs) : a 152.800 thesis presented in partial fulfilment of the requirements of the degree of Masters of Business Studies in Management at Massey University
    (Massey University, 2008) Paul, Smita
    'Absorptive capacity' is a construct used to define an organisation's ability to exploit knowledge that is available internally and externally. The construct is very popular within management research and has been used to describe the absorptive capacity of a range of strategic Multinational Corporation partners through to whole regions of countries. SMEs account for over 95% of businesses throughout the world. They provide innovation, productivity and economic growth, but because of their size and resources cannot afford to carry out costly Research and Development (R&D). They therefore need to be able to harness the intellectual property from universities through University-led Research institutes. This thesis uses the construct of absorptive capacity to propose a theoretical model to analyse the knowledge transfer from a University-led Research Institute (RI) to an SME, when the SME is commercialising a product or process the RI has developed. The application of absorptive capacity in this context would allow SME researchers and managers to develop understanding of how this knowledge transfer is affected by internal and external factors. The importance of continued government funding to ensure the collaboration between SMEs and RIs is highlighted. This research design is highly exploratory resulting in a range of future research suggestions for future hypothesis generation. Most important of these are suggestions for determining, defining and developing the organisational determinants of absorptive capacity. This will allow a prescriptive analysis of how knowledge transfer occurs between the SME and RI and how managers can foster organisational absorptive capacity for successful knowledge transfer. Additionally, the temporal aspect of the SME and RI relationship could be explored, such as the impact of the initial experience on the ease and length of future knowledge transfer relationships. Also, researchers could study the change in the SME's knowledge requirements from the RI as the SME's organisational structure grows.
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    Employees' perceptions of human resource management practices and knowledge sharing behaviour : a dissertation presented in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy in human resource manangement (HRM) at Massey University, Palmerston North, New Zealand
    (Massey University, 2015) Iqbal, Salman
    The information age heralds the idea that the most important source of competitive advantage is knowledge. Therefore, organisations need to understand the value of knowledge; especially the knowledge that resides in the human brain (tacit knowledge) as an intangible asset along with other traditional tangible assets. The capability of an organisation is linked to the knowledge of its employees. Therefore, improving organisational and employees' capability are important goals for organisations. However, little progress has been made with many researchers primarily focusing on human capital development rather than on relationship capital using human resource management (HRM) practices in workplaces. Most of the knowledge management (KM) literature has discussed the antecedents of employees' knowledge-sharing. Future research is required to explore how these employees' knowledge sharing activities provide benefits to organisations and employees in terms of improved capability. To address this research gap in the literature, this thesis examines: first, the causative relationships between specific HRM practices and employees' knowledge sharing and second, the outcomes of knowledge sharing in terms of individual capability in workplaces. Based on previous research, a conceptual model is developed for the study and hypotheses are formulated. A total of 600 questionnaires were distributed to the employees of 19 organisations. Of these, 390 were useable questionnaires; thus resulting in 65% valid response rate. A final model is designed and this thesis used Confirmatory Factor Analysis to examine the causative relationships among the latent constructs of the final model. This thesis finds that collaborative HRM practices have a direct positive effect on employees' knowledge sharing behaviour. Surprisingly, this thesis finds that employees' knowledge sharing behaviour is independent of monetary rewards. The results of this suggest that collaborative practices and trust can help employees' knowledge sharing behaviour to improve the capability of individuals in their organisations. These empirical results are entirely based on employees' perceptions rather than from a top management perspective. So it makes a valuable contribution, given the lack of empirical studies focusing on the South East Asian region. The findings of this thesis are beneficial for researchers, practitioners, and those interested in organisational structure in the knowledge context.