StudentShare
Contact Us
Sign In / Sign Up for FREE
Search
Go to advanced search...
Free

The Scottish Road Network Authority: Knowledge Sharing - Assignment Example

Cite this document
Summary
This report “The Scottish Road Network Authority: Knowledge Sharing” examines a fictionalized case study on Scottish Road Network Authority (SRNA). The report lays out a knowledge-sharing problem in SRNA in the context of change management proposition. Two strategies are proposed by way of recommendation…
Download full paper File format: .doc, available for editing
GRAB THE BEST PAPER97.6% of users find it useful
The Scottish Road Network Authority: Knowledge Sharing
Read Text Preview

Extract of sample "The Scottish Road Network Authority: Knowledge Sharing"

The Scottish Road Network Authority: Knowledge Sharing Abstract This report examines a fictionalized case study on Scottish Road Network Authority (SRNA). The report lays out knowledge sharing problem in SRNA in a context of change management proposition. Two strategies are proposed by way of recommendation. The one suggests adoption of marketing concepts and strategies. The other propose further network analysis in order to identify ‘Opinion Leaders’. A conclusion follows. The Scottish Road Network Authority: Knowledge Sharing The Scottish Road Network Authority (SRNA) has a long-standing “conservative, male dominated, professional engineering focused and very hands on” corporate culture (Burton-Jones, n.d., p. 1). Indeed, one basic hurdle to SRNA’s senior management’s decision to shift a long-standing and all-public service strategy of construction and maintenance to one focused on procurement and contracting out is SRNA’s organisational culture. The proposed changes will inevitably lead to redundancies and an explosion in services outsourced. Expectedly, upper management’s suggestions are met with great resistance as is shown in provided case. The case for change is, in fact, hard to ‘sell’ among staff given SRNA’s senior management’s practices evidenced in poor knowledge management strategies. This report argues that, in order for SRNA to diffuse and manage change effectively among staff, network-based, knowledge-sharing strategies should be put in place. Since devolution, Scotland has barely shifted away from a ‘public sector mentality’ (Lyall, n.d.). Resistance to propositions by upper management comes, therefore, as no surprise. Placed in a wider context, outsourcing public services – road building services included – is, in fact, a continuation of a set of policies enacted across all U.K. (Lyall). Indeed, just as outsourcing services has generated much opposition since introduction back in 1980’s (Dodworth, M. & Constable, M., 2006), SRNA’s staff’s opposition to suggested changes is only symptomatic of such shift’s main arguments: employee THE SCOTTISH ROAD NETWORK AUTHORITY: KNOWLEDGE SHARING 4 retention and rights, Public Private Partnerships (PPPs) and service quality (Dodworth, M. & Constable, M.; Hemson, 1998). As a matter of fact, all three issues are not only a U.K. concern but are spread about as much countries as can be wherever and whenever a case is made for outsourcing (Hemson). Indeed, one can hardly find a similar issue in which almost same concerns are voiced. In SRNA’s case, Henry Irving’s, Director General’s (DG’s), practice of surrounding himself with a narrow circle of senior executives adds a particular emphasis on SRNA’s case for knowledge management in a wider context of an eminent change. More specifically, SRNA strongly speaks for a case of workplace power structure within which corporate culture as well as knowledge sharing strategies are defined, controlled and set by a minority cohort made up of a DG and a narrow circle of surrounding senior executives (e.g. Charles Hampden, Finance Director). Indeed, corporate culture has been increasingly emphasised as a definitive aspect of corporate style and performance (Schein, 2004; Willmott, 2003). According to McDermott and O’Dell (2001), corporate culture is the ‘shared values, beliefs, and practices of the people in the organisation’. Put differently, an organisation’s culture is an overarching framework within which all employees fall and are committed to (Willmott). That is, one way management holds sway over workplace power politics is to define how employees should adopt specific codes of conducts supposedly divorced THE SCOTTISH ROAD NETWORK AUTHORITY: KNOWLEDGE SHARING 5 from interpersonal, intradepartmental, and interdepartmental interactions. According to such a view, an organisation is said to enjoy a ‘strong’ corporate culture (Willmott). Conversely, research on change management has shown that a successful change management strategy should fit existing corporate culture as created and practiced by employees during day-to-day social as well as formal interactions (McDermott & O’Dell, 2001; Waddell & Sohal, 1998). A corporate culture as defined by upper management for control and subordination is, therefore, one bound to fail, let alone inducing resistance (in a negative sense) as in SRNA’s case. Clearly, bringing in an external ‘expert’ in order to, first, ‘drive’ change and, when getting negative responses as a result of an overwhelming sense amongst (senior) executives change is ‘prescribed’, stakeholders (staff – junior?) are made to think change is ‘self-steered’. This is particularly significant as a ‘forum’ is set up in order for staff to ‘buy in’ a case for change ‘rehearsed’ by DG and staged off site. Since by inviting senior level managers only, an effective knowledge sharing strategy – one in which all staff is included and are invited to participate – is simply missing. Instead, for example, of a knowledge sharing strategy in which ‘opinion leaders’ (Smith, 2005) (discussed later) and social networks initiate as well as lead proposed change, a minority cohort decides for all. Not surprisingly, given SRNA’s conservative spirit, even ‘loyal’ insiders (e.g. Finance Director) qualify change as a ‘beast’ – a clear- THE SCOTTISH ROAD NETWORK AUTHORITY: KNOWLEDGE SHARING 6 cut demonstration of resistance to change in an organisation in which power structure is well-established and institutionalised. The case for change in SRNA is exasperated even more by the fact that, lacking a change management strategy unique to SRNA, employee retention and rights, Public Private Partnerships (PPPs) and service quality issues associated with similar outsourcing moves in a range of industries in U.K. and world over (Hemson) are more likely to undermine any efforts to ‘persuade’ staff into negotiable – and fair – redeployment offers. Moreover, upper management could back away from proposed changes under pressures from interest and union groups. Moreover, James (external management expert) and Helen (Senior HR Consultant at SRNA) both seem to overlook an important fact of corporate life: actual (as opposed to set) corporate culture is well entrenched and practiced such that all efforts to introduce change with utter disregard to existing internal power structure and relations are doomed (Willmott). The closing ‘What a turnaround...We really do seem to be getting somewhere at last’ as well as James’ and Helen’s staged forum (Burton-Jones, p.3) are indicative of a recurrent mistake in change management. That is, by informing employees of ‘success’ stories and profiling change from an employer’s perspective, resistance is one most assured response. For an effective knowledge sharing strategy based on existing corporate culture, SRNA has a wide range of options. For one, SRNA can adopt marketing strategies and concepts such as to ensure stakeholders i.e. senior and junior staff alike not only THE SCOTTISH ROAD NETWORK AUTHORITY: KNOWLEDGE SHARING 7 experience change management as conveniently and as less anxiously as possible but also spread knowledge in, of and about change naturally vis-à-vis according to set boundaries and in compliance with managerial corporate culture. This can be achieved via senior management which should consider internal power structures, act on situations (actual and / or potential) of conflict, and follow up on strategy implementation making sure specific networks are adequately targeted (Škerlavaj & Dimovski, 2007). Another strategy for knowledge sharing is to identify opinion leaders. According to Smith, Some individuals in networks, and/or groups and communities, achieve particularly elevated prestige or influence with their peers. They form “core groups” and their names come up time and again in their peers’ hearts and minds and stories, not so much because they have authority but rather because they have attained legitimacy...Individuals demonstrating such characteristics have accumulated considerable SC [Social Capital] and are termed here “Opinion Leaders”. (p. 566) Clearly, given SRNA’s long-standing tradition and history of long-serving staff, SRNA’s upper management can identify a host of Opinion Leaders who not only could influence others but could drive change management as well. In conclusion, one basic problem of change management for SRNA is knowledge sharing. This is particularly demonstrable in case of DG’s inner confidence circle in which resistance to change is institutionalised given organisation’s long-standing tradition of public ownership as opposed to public stewardship. The problem is further THE SCOTTISH ROAD NETWORK AUTHORITY: KNOWLEDGE SHARING 8 deepened given a range of highly controversial associated issues (e.g. employee retention, PPP, and service quality). Two strategies are proposed by way of solutions in light of SRNA’s existing power structure. The first strategy adopts marketing concepts and techniques in which attention is focused on stakeholder segmentation. The second strategy is one based on network analysis in which specific groups (“Opinion Leaders”) are identified as harbingers for change. THE SCOTTISH ROAD NETWORK AUTHORITY: KNOWLEDGE SHARING 9 References Dodworth, M. & Constable, M. (2006). Global outsourcing strategies: An international reference on effective outsourcing relationships (Barrar P. & Gervais R. Ed.). Hampshire, England: Gower Publishing Limited Hemson, D. (1998). Privatisation, public-private partnerships and outsourcing: The challenge to local governance. Transformation, 37, 1-28. Lyall, C. (n.d.). Concurrent power: The role of policy networks in the multi-level governance of science and innovation in Scotland. Retrieved from http://www.genomicsnetwork.ac.uk/media/ConcurrentPower.pdf Richard McDermott , R & O'Dell, C. (2001). Overcoming cultural barriers to sharing knowledge. Journal of Knowledge Management, 5(1), 76-85. Schein, H. E. (2004). Organisational culture and leadership. California: Jossey –Bass. Škerlavaj, M. & Dimovski, V. (2007). Towards network perspective of intra-organizational learning: Bridging the gap between acquisition and participation perspective. Interdisciplinary Journal of Information, Knowledge, and Management, 2, 43-58 Smith, C. A. P. (2005). Knowledge sharing and strategic capital: The importance and identification of opinion leaders. The Learning Organisation: An International Journal, 12(6), 563-571 THE SCOTTISH ROAD NETWORK AUTHORITY: KNOWLEDGE SHARING 10 Waddell, D., & Sohal, S. A. (1998). Resistance: a constructive tool for change Management. Management Decision, 36 (8), 543–548 Willmott, H. (2003). Renewing strength: Corporate culture revisited. M@n@gement, 6(3), 73-87. Read More
Cite this document
  • APA
  • MLA
  • CHICAGO
(The Scottish Road Network Authority: Knowledge Sharing Assignment - 1, n.d.)
The Scottish Road Network Authority: Knowledge Sharing Assignment - 1. Retrieved from https://studentshare.org/sociology/1558213-research-report
(The Scottish Road Network Authority: Knowledge Sharing Assignment - 1)
The Scottish Road Network Authority: Knowledge Sharing Assignment - 1. https://studentshare.org/sociology/1558213-research-report.
“The Scottish Road Network Authority: Knowledge Sharing Assignment - 1”, n.d. https://studentshare.org/sociology/1558213-research-report.
  • Cited: 0 times

CHECK THESE SAMPLES OF The Scottish Road Network Authority: Knowledge Sharing

Knowledge Sharing Networks and Strategic Alliances

From this paper "knowledge sharing Networks and Strategic Alliances" it becomes clear that forming strategic alliances are vital for an organization's success.... nbsp; Strategic Alliances can be defined as voluntary agreements between firms for exchanging, sharing, and co-development of products.... A strategic network may also be formed for the purpose of information sharing and using the knowledge learned from one part of the world by one firm and then applying this learned knowledge to another part of the world through a different company....
9 Pages (2250 words) Case Study

The Scottish Road Network Authority

A conclusion follows. the scottish road network authority (SRNA) has a long-standing "conservative, male dominated, professional engineering focused and very hands on" corporate culture (Burton-Jones, n.... the scottish road network authority: KNOWLEDGE SHARING 4retention and rights, Public Private Partnerships (PPPs) and service quality (Dodworth, M.... That is, one way management holds sway over workplace power politics is to define how employees should adopt specific codes of conducts supposedly divorced the scottish road network authority: KNOWLEDGE SHARING 5from interpersonal, intradepartmental, and interdepartmental interactions....
5 Pages (1250 words) Research Paper

Scottish Education

For instance, the formula could give schools actual salary costs, rather than average salary costs calculated across the authority as a whole.... In the paper “scottish Education” the author analyzes the impact of legislative developments on a comparative basis in education policy of Scotland.... hellip; The author states that scottish education authorities have more flexibility than their English or Welsh counterparts in applying their own funding formulae and devising schemes of delegation to schools....
11 Pages (2750 words) Essay

Managing a High-Performance Knowledge Sharing Network

The author of this essay under the title "Managing a High-Performance knowledge sharing Network" focuses on the idea of knowledge management.... It is mentioned here that since the beginning of time, man has been obsessed with the pursuit of knowledge.... However, it seems that searching for knowledge is a human calling.... nbsp; It has been said that “knowledge is Power”.... knowledge, is defined by the dictionary as: “(1) the fact or condition of knowing something with familiarity gained through experience or association (2) acquaintance with or understanding of a science, art, or technique (3) the fact or condition of being aware of something or, (4) the range of ones information or understanding the fact or condition of having information or of being learned”....
15 Pages (3750 words) Essay

Compulsory Purchase and Compensation

This was put in force by the scottish Parliament instead of a CPO (DETR, 2000).... If someone is seeking for an agricultural or any business property, then the authority is required to pay special attention to the issues that are related to business and farming.... Everytime however it was getting rejected citing the reason of cost and the fewer amounts of central records....
18 Pages (4500 words) Literature review

Quality Management in SMEs

This research proposal "Quality Management in SMEs" outlines the impact of quality management standards adopted by SMEs in various industries and their outputs defining the basic components of Total quality management, such as customer satisfaction, leadership, commitment to quality, etc.... hellip; Teamwork is one of the most important factors of any quality management processes....
9 Pages (2250 words) Research Proposal

High Performance Work Systems

PWS is defined as “a specific combination of HR practices, work structures, and processes that maximizes employee knowledge, skill, commitment and flexibility” (Bohlander & Snell, 2004, p.... The researcher of this paper states that in the global financial system, all the companies operate in an intensely competitive environment....
8 Pages (2000 words) Research Paper

A Network Solution for Sports Authority Field

This may include sharing pictures, videos of live matches captured, and text communications.... The paper 'A Network Solution for Sports authority Field' focuses on Sports authority Field at Mile High which is a modern sporting establishment based in Denver Colorado.... Sports authority Field is the home of the Denver Broncos American Football team and Denver Outlaws Lacrosse.... The first section describes a LAN infrastructure that will allow stadium users to connect Sports authority Fieldely to the internet using their devices such as smartphones and tablets....
18 Pages (4500 words) Term Paper
sponsored ads
We use cookies to create the best experience for you. Keep on browsing if you are OK with that, or find out how to manage cookies.
Contact Us