Knowledge Management and Leadership - Annotated Bibliography Example

Title: Knowledge Management and Leadership Student’s Name: Name of Course: Institutional Affiliation: Date Submitted: Knowledge Management and Leadership Introduction Knowledge management and leadership issues are of importance to today’s top managers. The ability to manage knowledge in organizations is often associated with improvement in performance (Nonaka 2009, p. 639). Many CEOs who aspire to be transformational leaders appreciate the need for knowledge management skills (Singh 2008 p. 13). This annotated assesses the relationship between knowledge management and top organizational leadership, with specific emphasis on cause-effect relationships, knowledge processing, the role of leadership, and various theoretical connections. The first article, by Crawford (2005), focuses on transformational leadership while the second one, by Martin & Marion (2005), focuses on higher education leadership roles in relation to knowledge processing. In the third paper, Anantatmula (2008) concentrates on the leadership role in maintaining the effectiveness of knowledge management. The fourth paper is by Lakshman (2007), who dwells on the grounded theory approach. Lastly, Lakshman (2009) examines top executive leaders and their knowledge management perspectives. Title and reference of article Crawford, C 2005, ‘Effects of transformational leadership and organizational position on knowledge management’ Journal Of Knowledge Management, Vol. 9 No. 6, pp. 6-16. Type of article Research article Aim/purpose of article The aim of the research report is to explore empirically the relationship that binds three concepts: transformational, knowledge management, and organizational position, together. sample, location, method of data collection and analysis [methodology] The subjects, all of them adults (n=1,046), were requested to participate in a survey battery that consisted of questions regarding their leadership capabilities, knowledge management behaviors, and organizational position. Findings A significant prediction of knowledge management behaviors was made by transformational leadership. This prediction accounted for 19.5% of the variance. Organizational position was identified as a significant knowledge management predictor, which, with transformational leadership, accounted for a 21.1% variance on knowledge management. Significance of article in relation to: other articles, your topic OR prior research This paper reveals the relationship that exists between various aspects of knowledge management and effective organizational management in terms of not only theoretical soundness but also empirical proof. This report is significant in terms of in that it can enable any leader or an aspiring leader in any organizational to succeed in Improving their abilities. Limitations of article, e.g. location, industry, focus The research does not focus clearly on the various aspects of transformational leadership, knowledge management and position, in a variety of contexts, in a specific way. The causative details that surround leadership as well as knowledge management have not been identified. Therefore, it is difficult for cause-and-effect relationships to be exposed. Strength/s of article The article is useful in highlighting the idiosyncrasies of the various management approaches adopted by different leaders and connection that exists with knowledge management issues. Weakness/es of article The question of objectivity of the views given by the subjects renders the article’s analysis weak. The questions asked were very direct, requiring some managers to become self-aware of their position in the management excellence hierarchy. Title and reference of article Martin, J, & Marion, R 2005, ‘Higher education leadership roles in knowledge processing’ The Learning Organization, Vol. 12, No. 2, pp. 140-151. Type of article Research article Aim/purpose of article The aim of the article is to examine the different critical roles that leadership plays in higher education as well as to define how these roles create an environment that embraces the various demands of every knowledge-based organization. sample, location, method of data collection and analysis [methodology] Interviews were carried out with the executive leadership of several institutions of higher learning in order to establish ontology of knowledge management. An investigation was also made on the methods by which knowledge gaps were resolved. An analysis was then carried out on how leadership behaviors, programs and policies enable or inhibit various knowledge-processing activities. Findings Leadership influence was identified as significant in six key areas: network manager, environment manager, crisis manager, policy manager, future leader preparation and knowledge gap manager. The authors also confirmed that every leader, by default, has tremendous control over the organization’s knowledge-processing environment and the role played by leadership always has a broader influence compared to the resolution of knowledge gaps. Significance of article in relation to: other articles, your topic OR prior research Through an understanding of leadership roles for purposes of knowledge management, organizations as well as their leaders can easily enhance an organization’s learning capacity. Limitations of article, e.g. location, industry, focus Emphasis was only on institutions of higher learning. For this reason, the contribution of the findings in the general organizational setting may be not be as persuasive as it could have been if the sample was selected from across the organizational environment. Strength/s of article The main strength of this article is that the research methodology used makes it easy for accurate findings to be achieved. Weakness/es of article The research findings are applicable to only top executives of higher learning institutions and not in any other type of organization. Title and reference of article Anantatmula, V 2008, ‘Leadership role in making effective use of KM’ The journal of information and knowledge management systems, Vol. 38, No. 4, pp. 445-460. Type of article Aim/purpose of article This paper addresses the challenges facing knowledge management professionals from a leadership perspective. These challenges relate to internal and external performance improvement, enhancement in employee skills, improvement of productivity, promotion of a collaborative culture, and the need for knowledge sharing. sample, location, method of data collection and analysis [methodology] The research explores for answers for two questions: one on how organizations manage their knowledge resources in order to gain as well as sustain competitive advantage, and the other on the role of Knowledge management (KM) leadership in ensuring that KM is utilized effectively. The role of leadership and its relationship with KM and organizational performance was understood through a literature review. Further, two researches that were done using interpretive structural modeling (ISM) were adopted for answering the two questions raised. Findings It was found out that selecting a competent leader is a critical first step towards the establishment of an effective KM initiative. The leader plays a critical role in terms of budgetary supports and building a KM-compliant technology infrastructure. Significance of article in relation to: other articles, your topic OR prior research Effective KM management was identified as a prerequisite for the implementation of KM initiatives in organizations. Limitations of article, e.g. location, industry, focus Little emphasis was put on the implementation component of the KM in this research. Strength/s of article This research is a source of useful information on the role of KM leadership in attaining organizational efficiency. Weakness/es of article The article is based on the inaccurate assumption that all organizations adopt similar knowledge management procedures. Title and reference of article Lakshman, C 2007, ‘Organizational knowledge leadership: a grounded theory approach’ Leadership & Organization Development Journal, Vol. 28 No. 1, pp. 51-75. Type of article Theoretical analysis study Aim/purpose of article This study attempts to derive a preliminary theory of the leaders’ role in management, based on the grounded theory. sample, location, method of data collection and analysis [methodology] This study is based on the grounded theory. This theory is used in studying the role of leadership in the task of knowledge management through a comparative analysis of interviews of 37 CEOs. Inductive and deductive methods were used to establish the key role that top executive leaders play in facilitating organizational management. Findings The research interview outcomes suggest that leaders tend to be acutely aware of the role that information and knowledge sharing networks play in maximizing organizational effectiveness. Moreover, leaders make use of knowledge management and information technology to maintain better focus on both internal and external customers. The research outcomes emphasize on both the dimensions of leader behavior and knowledge sharing. Most importantly, this study brings about a link between various knowledge management processes and customer-focuses elements of knowledge management with organizational effectiveness. There is also evidence that these knowledge management activities can impact positively on organizational performance. Significance of article in relation to: other articles, your topic OR prior research This study has significant contributions to both knowledge management and leadership literatures. Limitations of article, e.g. location, industry, focus The main limitation of this research is that although relationships and processes have been identified, the end result, which is a complete theory, has not been generated. The aim of arriving at a theory that is testable through various conventional means has not been wholly achieved. Strength/s of article This study is contributes in an immense way, to both knowledge management and leadership literatures. Weakness/es of article The main weakness is overreliance on the grounded theory approach. Title and reference of article Lakshman, C 2009, ‘Organizational knowledge leadership: An empirical examination of knowledge management by top executive leaders’ Leadership & Organization Development Journal, Vol. 30 No. 4, pp. 338-364. Type of article Hypothesis-testing study Aim/purpose of article This paper examines the role of top executives with regard to knowledge management. This study aims to explore the existing leadership literature using theoretical hypotheses as yardsticks for guiding the research process. sample, location, method of data collection and analysis [methodology] The structured content analysis method that was developed by Jauch et al (1980) is used in order to develop questionnaire instruments. CEO interviews published in the HBR (Harvard Business Review) are used in assessing the suitability of the questionnaires for the research. The structured, innovative method of data collection analysis involves distribution of published interviews with various top executives of organizations, who then read the interviews carefully before responding to the structured questions presented to them in order to assess the most relevant constructs in this study. This analysis facilitates the task of assessing inter-rater reliability as well as testing of theoretical relationships that are identified in the task of theory-building. Findings The major hypotheses, which relate cause-effect beliefs of the CEOS as well as their knowledge management practices in assessing various leadership perceptions and performance measures, were supported. Significance of article in relation to: other articles, your topic OR prior research This paper is a seminal investigation into knowledge leadership practices of top executives. To this day, such a kind of study has not existed in the knowledge management literature. Except in the form of qualitative analysis. Limitations of article, e.g. location, industry, focus The main limitation is lack of previous research approaches for comparison purposes Strength/s of article The paper highlights the crucial role of acquisition, use, and more generally, management in key leadership functions and behaviors. Weakness/es of article The impression management problem associated with interview analysis studied was a major source of weakness for this research. Conclusion There is ample research that focuses on knowledge management and leadership (Yukl & Lepsinger 2005, p. 368). However, only a few methodologies that assess the various perspectives of knowledge management by top executives have been analyzed. This annotated bibliography highlights some of the issues for which a rather large body of literature is available. All the papers reviewed highlight the various areas of the relationship between knowledge management and leadership that have been addressed, the findings generated, their methodological implications, and the existing gaps in research. Aspiring CEOs and sitting CEOS alike as well as knowledge management scholars will find the issues addressed in these articles relevant in their work. The main areas of benefit to these people include the role of transformational leadership, knowledge processing, and theoretical connections between knowledge management and top organizational leadership. References Anantatmula, V 2008, ‘Leadership role in making effective use of KM’ The journal of information and knowledge management systems, Vol. 38, No. 4, pp. 445-460. Crawford, C 2005, ‘Effects of transformational leadership and organizational position on knowledge management’ Journal Of Knowledge Management, Vol. 9 No. 6, pp. 6-16. Lakshman, C 2009, ‘Organizational knowledge leadership: An empirical examination of knowledge management by top executive leaders’ Leadership & Organization Development Journal, Vol. 30 No. 4, pp. 338-364. Lakshman, C 2007, ‘Organizational knowledge leadership: a grounded theory approach’ Leadership & Organization Development Journal, Vol. 28 No. 1, pp. 51-75. Martin, J & Marion, R, 2005, ‘Higher education leadership roles in knowledge processing’ The Learning Organization, Vol. 12, No. 2, pp. 140-151. Nonaka, I 2009, ‘Perspective---Tacit Knowledge and Knowledge Conversion: Controversy and Advancement in Organizational Knowledge Creation Theory’, Organization Science, Vol. 20, No. 3, pp. 635-652. Singh, S 2008, ‘Role of leadership in knowledge management: a study’, Journal of Knowledge Management, Vol. 12, No. 4, pp. 3-15. Yukl, G, & Lepsinger, R 2005, ‘Why integrating the leading and managing roles is essential for organizational effectiveness’ Organizational Dynamics, Vol. 34, No. 4, pp. 361-75. Read More