Study On Optimal Resource Allocation Modeling, Pattern Design, And Influencing Factors Of Knowledge-oriented Activities

In the era of knowledge-based economy, organizations are getting more and more focused on the creation, acquisition, accumulation, transfer, and adoption of knowledge. Under this situation, research of knowledge-oriented activities is becoming critical. Particularly, in the context of mobile and internet technologies being applied to organizational knowledge-oriented activities, which is result of rapid IT advancement, organizations need appropriate resource allocations for knowledge-oriented activities. Accordingly, suitable patterns should be chosen to match different knowledge-oriented activities. Furthermore, various influencing factors, and the mechanisms of their impacts on knowledge-oriented activities should be identified. Attempting to meet these needs in reality, this study has done the following work.A literature survey of knowledge-oriented activities has been conducted in the fields of resource allocation for knowledge-oriented activities, patterns of knowledge-oriented activities, and influencing factors of knowledge-oriented activities. The extant findings and latest development have been accessed and therefore a theoretical foundation has been formulated.Mathematical variables are used to describe the dynamic optimal resource allocation problem for multi-stage knowledge-oriented activities. Considering the persistence effect in knowledge-oriented activities such as knowledge creation and adoption, a dynamic optimal model for multi-stage resource allocation of knowledge-oriented activities is built by the means of mathematical modeling. Characterizing the present and delayed effect of resource allocation for knowledge-oriented activities, and their interacting effect, dynamic optimal policies for resource allocation are derived and analyzed in both general and special conditions. An illustrative case is presented to show the application of the dynamic optimal model for resource allocation of knowledge-oriented activities in knowledge management practice.For the knowledge creation activities in enterprises, graphical expressions are used to depict a new pattern of knowledge creation. This pattern is based on a collaborative alliance that is led by a core enterprise and participated in by multiple parties. Correspondingly, the alliance-based pattern of knowledge creation is designed with a three-layer, networked structure. Also, operating mechanisms of the alliance-based pattern of knowledge creation are presented. Moreover, using the case of the EI-Log development project in a company, the application of the alliance-based pattern of knowledge creation is illustrated.Case-reasoned method is used to describe experiential knowledge for knowledge sharing in organizations. With the description of experiential knowledge, the framework of experiential knowledge discovering and sharing system (EKDSS) is designed. In addition, the running mechanisms of a virtual experiential knowledge repository and a physical experiential knowledge center are articulated. Active knowledge mining and friendly knowledge delivery are proposed, and the specific ways that active knowledge mining and friendly knowledge delivery work are given. Furthermore, the application of the experiential knowledge discovery and sharing system (EKDSS) is presented.From the perspective of IT service providers, the influencing factors that impact knowledge-oriented activities are explored. A theoretical model for the influencing factors of knowledge-oriented activities is established. And questionnaire surveys are administrated in those companies. The collected data are analyzed by statistical analysis software tool, and the theoretical model is tested.As the result of the above research work, the following findings are reached.(1) To allocate resource for knowledge-oriented activities, the optimal policies are:from the present stage to all the future stages within the horizon, always allocate resource according to knowledge-oriented activities’ total marginal benefits; make full use of available resource and put more resource into the activity that has biggest benefit.(2) Increasing the extent and effectiveness of knowledge sharing among knowledge workers is found to be a key indicator in the alliance-based pattern of knowledge creation. In the alliance-based pattern of knowledge creation that is firm-centered, universities and research institutes involved, collaborative system, the extent and effectiveness of cross-boundary knowledge sharing have been improved.(3) In the study on the knowledge mining- and delivery-based pattern of knowledge sharing, it is found that experiential knowledge discovery and sharing system (EKDSS) is the key to knowledge mining-and delivery-based pattern of knowledge sharing, and applicable for discovering and sharing a variety of explicit and tacit knowledge. Through this system, the required knowledge verified by experts can be delivered to potential users at right time and right place. In this way, the knowledge mining-and delivery-based pattern of knowledge sharing is helpful to increase experiential knowledge discovery and sharing in organizations, and has potential to improve the quality of work processes and that of decision makings. Moreover, multinational organizations across national cultures and can benefit from the knowledge mining- and delivery-based pattern of knowledge sharing.(4) In the study on influencing factors of knowledge-oriented activities, it is found that knowledge sharing, knowledge-based coordination and expertise management play important mediating effects in the processes that the IT service supplier turns its internal capability into successful outcome of a globally distributed IT service project. The supplier team’s cultural understanding of client’s culture and collaboration with client’s team directly affect knowledge-oriented activities and the performance of globally distributed IT service projects. Also, they indirectly affect the performance of globally distributed IT service projects through knowledge processes such as knowledge sharing, knowledge-based coordination and expertise management. Therefore, supplier team’s cultural understanding of client’s culture and collaboration with client’s team are very crucial factors in globally distributed IT service projects.