Session Summary

Session Number:228
Session ID:S214
Session Title:Contexts and Antecedents in Managing Knowledge (Knowledge)
Short Title:Managing Knowledge (K)
Session Type:Division Joint Symposium
Hotel:Hyatt East
Floor:LL2
Room:GndBall E
Time:Monday, August 09, 1999 4:10 PM - 5:30 PM

Sponsors

BPS  (Ming-Jer Chen)BPS99@wharton.upenn.edu (215) 898-0018 
OMT  (Joseph Porac)j-porac@staff.uiuc.edu (217) 244-7969 

General People

Co-Chair Chesbrough, Henry W. Harvard Business School hchesbrough@hbs.edu (617) 495-5037 
Co-Chair Weiss, Leigh M. Harvard U. lweiss@hbs.edu (617)-495-7866 
Discussant Prusak, Larry  IBM lprusak@us.ibm.com 781-895-2320 
Presenter Schilling, Melissa A. Boston U. melissa1@bu.edu (617)-353-2657 

Submissions

Abstract

This proposed panel discussion presents three unpublished studies that examine the contexts and antecedents that condition the management of knowledge within the firm. The central concept is that the character of knowledge is not a simple exogenous artifact; rather, its character within a firm depends both on the context in which the firm operates, and upon the prior activities of that firm. An implication of this is that firms may differ in their ability to manage the "Same" knowledge. The studies examine contexts and antecedents in three different setting, utilizing different levels of analysis an methodologies. One study report on field work conducted with Japanese disk drive firms utilizing their reaction to a technology shift in their industry to examine their ability to manage the new knowledge required to commercialize that technology. A second study reports on a longitudinal study of a professional services firm whose primary task are the provision analysis and recommendations to its clients. Knowledge here is the critical ingredient to the firm 'Submitted operations, yet its approach to leveraging its knowledge depends on its prior experience and particular situation. A third study proposes a laboratory experiment to compare and contrast the importance of prior unrelated knowledge vs. greater specialized experience confined to related knowledge, as measure by the ability of teams to learn and improve in their problem solving abilities. The panelists will b joined by a though leader from the knowledge management practitioner community, to generalize from the specific studies to develop implications for scholars and mangers, based upon his own experience as a consultant in this area.