Delivered at:: Department of Management

Course type:: Compulsory course

When:: 1 year, 4 module

Abstract

The course “Knowledge and Information Management” introduces basic concepts and ideas on knowledge acquisition, creation and externalization in modern organization. The main aim of the module is to enable students to acquire a critical understanding of knowledge as a driver of organization inimitable strategic capabilities; to learn how to measure knowledge resources; to develop analytical thinking when doing investments in knowledge resources; to apply econometrics for better understanding performance effect of company knowledge. This course addresses different aspect of knowledge management: knowledge taxonomies, SECI model and its applications, knowledge driven value creation, polarity management and learning organization. The course contains three group projects. The first project is based on a particular company, the second presents research case using the database of international companies, the third one is organized as a computer simulation of managerial decisions with regard to human resources.

Learning Objectives

Identify knowledge resources of a company and describe their specific features;
Recognize ambiguous nature of knowledge and specify polarity strategies
To measure knowledge resource;
To estimate performance effect of knowledge resources using different econometric techniques;
To justify research question in the field of Knowledge and Information Management;
To link management decisions considering staffing, wages, training with company outcome such as productivity, unit labor cost, turnover, morale, grievances.

Expected Learning Outcomes

Identify knowledge resources of a company and describe their specific features;
Recognize ambiguous nature of knowledge and specify polarity strategies
To estimate performance effect of knowledge resources using different econometric techniques;
To justify research question in the field of Knowledge and Information Management;
To link management decisions considering staffing, wages, training with company outcome such as productivity, unit labor cost, turnover, morale, grievances.
To measure knowledge resource;

Course Contents

What is knowledge and intellectual capital? Why is it important?
How to measure knowledge?
How to create new knowledge? Western and Eastern approach.
What is Knowledge Management Strategy? Polarity Management
What is Information Management?

Assessment Elements

Seminar quiz
The rationale behind the Seminar quiz is to encourage the students to read the assigned materials and resources before the seminar. This will also increase their participation level during the group tasks. Knowing that so much (quiz and case analysis) is at stake with assigned articles and case studies, we hope that the students will stretch themselves to do the reading. The quizzes will be a multiple-choice-questions(MCQ) type ranging between 5 to 10 maximum covering the main ideas and issues in the assigned reading.
Case studies and articles
The use of case studies in this KM module is intended to build the students critical thinking skills and increase their confidence and ability to communicate their thoughts effectively. Furthermore, it is expected that the cases would familiarize the students early enough with some of the key KM issues they might face in their KM final projects and the possible solutions to such challenges. More so, it will support their retention of the major concepts, themes and skills required to function in the capacity of a knowledge management consultant and/or an active member of a KM team.
Attendance
A common challenge for lecturer is managing punctuality among graduate students. We hope to address this by rewarding the desired behavior with a grading weight of 15%. We strive to achieve a minimum of 90% attendance rate. The grade for attendance would be calculated as follows Total number of student attendance divided by Number of expected class attendance × 10.
KM Business Games
Games can be a powerful tool to impact a wide range of audience while they catch time have fun. However, there use in the module will not form part of the grading and assessment. We understand that catching fun is not the primary aim of the module, but it can increase engagement when graduate students learn on light mood particularly after a long day at work. We will select some of the games listed below and use them sparingly. It should not take more than 10 minutes to administer each of them.
FINAL PROJECT
Final project is conducted in diverse groups of approximately 3-4 people. It is related to the analysis of the KM situation in a particular company and based both on public data and personal experience of students. Final project content has to address the “guiding” questions. The format of the group project is oral presentation with written comments to PowerPoint slides incorporating personal reflections on students on the analysis. Extensive written comments are obligatory. Time for the presentation is 10 minutes, 5 minutes for answering questions. All mini-group members must present their project. The aims of the project as a learning activity drive evaluation criteria. The aims of the project are: 1. to demonstrate what knowledge-related challenges different companies face and how they cope with these challenges. 2. for students to prove their analytic abilities and skills to investigate the situation in a particular company, applying the concepts suggested during the course (both in the class and in the assigned literature).

Interim Assessment

2022/2023 4th module
0.1 * Seminar quiz + 0.35 * FINAL PROJECT + 0.15 * Attendance + 0.35 * Case studies and articles + 0.05 * KM Business Games

Bibliography

Recommended Core Bibliography

Argote, L. (2012). Organizational Learning : Creating, Retaining and Transferring Knowledge. Heidelberg: Springer. Retrieved from http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&site=eds-live&db=edsebk&AN=528244

Recommended Additional Bibliography

Barney, J. (1991). Firm Resources and Sustained Competitive Advantage. Journal of Management, 17(1), 99. https://doi.org/10.1177/014920639101700108

Master’s Programme 'Management and Analytics for Business'

Contacts

Qtem

Knowledge and Information Management

Course Syllabus