Knowledge management practices in multimedia super corridor status companies in Malaysia

Knowledge management practices in multimedia super corridor status companies in Malaysia

Knowledge is recognised as being an important asset in organisations these days. Despite this, many organisations are not doing enough to effectively manage this important asset for its competitive advantage. In response to this, knowledge management which is defined as a process that effectively creates, captures, shares and uses organisation-wide knowledge to improve the organisation's performance was conceived and has since gained widespread acceptance the world over. Despite its widespread acceptance, little is known about the current levels of knowledge management practice within the Malaysian context, in particular amongst the Multimedia Super Corridor status companies in Malaysia. In view of this, the research problem formulated for this study is: 'How and why do Multimedia Super Corridor status companies in Malaysia practise knowledge management?' Based on this research problem, three research questions that look specifically at the knowledge management enablers, knowledge management processes and knowledge management outcomes were identified based on the literature review. The literature review provides an overview of knowledge and the different types of knowledge. It then chronicles the developments of knowledge management and canvasses extant literature on knowledge management within the Malaysian context. It found that there are various enablers of knowledge management that may impact on the level of knowledge management practice in Malaysia. These enablers can be broadly categorised as culture, structure, people and information technology infrastructure. To further comprehend the knowledge creation process, this study utilised Nonaka and Takeuchi's (1995) socialisation, externalisation, combination and internalisation (SECI) model for knowledge creation. In addition to this, organisational efficiency, competitive advantage, maximisation of organisational potential, and better management of knowledge assets were identified as key knowledge management outcomes in organisations. These knowledge management enablers, processes and outcomes were used to develop a preliminary theoretical framework upon which this research was based upon. This exploratory research employs the use of qualitative multiple case studies operating within a critical realism research paradigm. This research uses a total of four cases with three interviews each giving a total of twelve interviews. The literature review and two in-depth convergent interviews were the basis upon which the interview protocol was formulated. This interview protocol was then administered to a pilot case involving three interviews. This process was repeated in the main data collection stage on three different cases with three interviews per case. The main findings of this research are the ten different enablers of knowledge management that either take on the roles of inhibitor or facilitator. The facilitators of knowledge management are collaboration, mutual trust, learning, leadership, incentives and rewards, IT infrastructure and T-shaped skills. The inhibitors of knowledge management are centralisation and kiasu-ism. Another variable - formalisation has both positive and negative effects on knowledge management as it acts as an inhibitor to the socialisation knowledge creation process but acts as a facilitator to the other three knowledge processes. This research also found that all four knowledge processes - socialisation, externalisation, combination and internalisation are being used by all cases to create knowledge with preference given to socialisation and combination. In addition, knowledge management is found to positively affect the organisations’ competitive advantage, organisational efficiency, maximising organisational potential and effective management of knowledge assets. Further research utilising a quantitative approach to test the theory developed from this study apart from analysing the new variable kiasu-ism and the concept of ba were suggested to better comprehend the practise of knowledge management in Malaysia.