| Author: | Yiu, Mei kuen Maria |
| Title: | Managing knowledge in the information age : knowledge sharing in travel agencies |
| Degree: | DHTM |
| Year: | 2012 |
| Subject: | Knowledge management. Organizational learning. Organizational effectiveness. Travel agents. Tourism. Hong Kong Polytechnic University -- Dissertations |
| Department: | School of Hotel and Tourism Management |
| Pages: | xi, 215 p. : ill. ; 30 cm. |
| Language: | English |
| Abstract: | Knowledge is recognized as a strategic asset that provides organizations with a competitive edge. How to successfully manage knowledge is now being seen as dependent on the connections between individuals within the organization. A number of studies have demonstrated that knowledge sharing (KS) is crucial because it helps organizations promote the best practices, facilitate the knowledge creation and enhance organizational effectiveness. While a growing realization of KS is that it is critical to knowledge creation and organizational performance achievement, however, KS is still an emerging area of inquiry whose key variables, relationships, and implications are not yet clear and little is known about the influential factors of KS within organizations from a holistic view. The objectives of this study were to identify the influential factors of KS and the strategy implementation to foster KS. By placing KS research within a travel agency context, the research explored new paths for understanding the KS behaviors in the travel agency industry. This research draws upon theories of social psychology and motivation to examine the factors affecting KS behaviors in organizations. The objectives of this study were addressed through the use of a triangulation qualitative method which involved a mixture of in-depth interviews, focus groups and Delphi method. Results of the present study revealed four primary factors relating to KS: personal factor, social factor, organizational factor, and technological factor. Results also uncovered that the identified factors in this study are significant by themselves but do not exert the same amount of influence on KS in the organizational settings of the travel agencies under investigation. These factors are all interconnected, with each factor influencing the other in a nonlinear fashion. The results indicated that the personal, social and technological factors are embedded within the organizational factors, that is, the culture of the work environment. It is recommended that if long-term success has to be achieved, management should put more emphasis on KS strategies. This study extends and supplements past research by not only identifying the influential factors on KS behaviors but also establishing strategies that would foster KS. In addition, this study has put forward some, hopefully, valuable insights that would allow interested parties such as researchers, knowledge management and human resource practitioners, consultants, managers, to understand more about the implications of KS behaviors in organizations. These would then help the implementation of effective organizational KS programs and practices. |
| Rights: | All rights reserved |
| Access: | restricted access |
Files in This Item:
| File | Description | Size | Format | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| b25570985.pdf | For All Users (off-campus access for PolyU Staff & Students only) | 2.58 MB | Adobe PDF | View/Open |
Copyright Undertaking
As a bona fide Library user, I declare that:
- I will abide by the rules and legal ordinances governing copyright regarding the use of the Database.
- I will use the Database for the purpose of my research or private study only and not for circulation or further reproduction or any other purpose.
- I agree to indemnify and hold the University harmless from and against any loss, damage, cost, liability or expenses arising from copyright infringement or unauthorized usage.
By downloading any item(s) listed above, you acknowledge that you have read and understood the copyright undertaking as stated above, and agree to be bound by all of its terms.
Please use this identifier to cite or link to this item:
https://theses.lib.polyu.edu.hk/handle/200/6865