This paper presents findings on organizational
agility as an aim of implementing Knowledge
Management (KM). These findings are contextualized
by examining the leadership roles and the tasks that
achieve this goal. In particular we examine structures
in KM: of the authority; of the development; and of
the implementation of KM strategy that support
agility. Using data from a global survey we find
definition of leadership in types. We disclose common
patterns of KM leadership and its delegation. The
data demonstrates that clear transparent lines of
delegated authority exist, and that these delegations
enable the operationalization of KM strategy in a
planned manner, that can also be clearly
implemented to realize anticipated benefits.
1. Introduction
Defining the organization in terms of what it is
capable of reorients the vision of that organization
from the confines of ‘what is’ and to ‘what can be’
and enables staff to realign or to review activities and
strategies according to available information
resources and to infrastructural resources [1]. This
concern is paramount in understanding the impact of
Information Systems on the organization where the
“top five management concerns were: (1) business
productivity and cost reduction; (2) IT and business
alignment; (3) business agility and speed to market;
(4) business process re-engineering; and (5) IT
reliability and efficiency.” [2]. A business goal of
Information Systems practice is to create agility in
responding to changing business requirements [3].
Organizational agility is the capacity to adapt
successfully to unanticipated change. Such changes
can occur in technology, production methods,
economic situation and in responding to new or
created opportunities [4]. The concept of KM being
intrinsically linked to agility was raised by Dove [5]
who proposed that the agile enterprise is enabled by
the capacity to respond supported through the
effective management of knowledge resources.
Peterson, Parker, and Ribbers [6] acknowledge that
alignment with business requirements is essential to a
value proposition or strategic approach in KM.. Such
an approach supports and maintains organizational
agility by leveraging knowledge assets in the
organization to support innovation, process
improvement and the replication of best practice
within the organization. Malhotra [7] reviewed the
integration of knowledge management into business
processes for agility and the capacity to adapt: that is
the management and control of knowledge to
effectively manage the continuum of resources
required planning for retention and sorting of
required resources using technologies to ensure this.
However, Malhotra’s [7] focus on KM and
technology omits essential aspects of KM alignment
with organizational strategy, specifically we draw
attention to the issue of leaders and leadership for
KM.
A recent survey of KM literature to develop a
conceptual framework of existing research found that
the focus has been on the form of knowledge,
location of KM implementation, departmental
location of and the responsibility for the exercise of
KM authority. In addition KM processes,
management style, whether KM has an internal or
external focus, quality considerations of KM
activities, the type of organization and the size of
organization are also considered important [8].
However, that paper noted that it does not consider –
nor does it define - strategic KM issues.
2013 46th Hawaii International Conference on System Sciences
1530-1605/12 $26.00 © 2012 IEEE
DOI 10.1109/HICSS.2013.444
3693
2013 46th Hawaii International Conference on System Sciences
1530-1605/12 $26.00 © 2012 IEEE
DOI 10.1109/HICSS.2013.444
3695