Deck 11: Factors Influencing Knowledge Management

Question 1

The universalistic view of KM implies that a single best approach for managing knowledge exists.

Answer 1

True

Question 2

A single path to successful performance of KM systems is advocated in the contingency view.

Answer 2

False

Question 3

Understanding the specific circumstances within the organization is crucial in identifying the appropriate KM solution for the given circumstances.

Answer 3

True

Question 4

Multiple contingency factors affect the choice of KM processes.

Question 5

Task characteristics impact KM processes at the organizational level.

Question 6

High task uncertainty implies that knowledge is more likely to remain tacit.

Question 7

Socialization helps synthesize prior knowledge to create new knowledge and is therefore appropriate for Interdependent tasks.

Question 8

Direction or routines cannot be used to apply tacit or explicit knowledge.

Question 9

All the KM processes can be used for both declarative and procedural knowledge. .

Question 10

Contingency view suggests that there is a single best approach of managing knowledge.

Question 11

Procedural knowledge can facilitate all types of knowledge process.

Question 12

Tacit knowledge is captured for the organization in the internalization process.

Question 13

The knowledge discovery process of socialization is used to integrate multiple explicit knowledge sources.

Question 14

Knowledge application through direction is the most suitable process for smaller organizations.

Question 15

Knowledge sharing through socialization is the most suitable process for large organizations.

Question 16

The KM infrastructure indirectly affects the KM processes.

Question 17

Knowledge discovery should be the focus of a firm with a low-cost strategy.

Question 18

Knowledge application and discovery are most suitable for firms facing high levels of environment uncertainty.

Question 19

A small-sized firm with a differentiation business strategy facing high environmental uncertainty should use socialization for knowledge discovery

Question 20

The suitability of various KM processes is affected by the organization's strategy.

Question 21

Contingency factors do not affect which of the following?

A)KM systems.
B)KM technologies.
C)KM mechanisms.
D)KM processes.
E)KM infrastructure.

Question 22

What must be considered in order to find the optimal KM solution?

A)The circumstances both within and surrounding the organization.
B)The available technology infrastructure and corresponding business culture.
C)The strategic goals of the organization.
D)The learning and adaptability of the organization's employees.
E)The availability of KM systems and of KM processes.

Question 23

Which of the following is not a category of contingency factors affecting KM processes?

A)Environmental characteristics.
B)Knowledge characteristics.
C)Organizational characteristics.
D)Personnel characteristics.
E)Task characteristics.

Question 24

What two factors affect the suitability of KM processes through the need and ability to manage knowledge?

A)KM mechanisms and KM technologies.
B)KM systems and knowledge application.
C)KM infrastructure and contingency factors.
D)KM technologies and knowledge sharing process.
E)KM mechanisms and knowledge capture.

Question 25

I In what two ways do contingency factors and KM infrastructure impact the suitability of KM processes?

A)Improving the mechanisms and technologies of knowledge sharing.
B)Changing the need and the ability to manage knowledge in a particular way.
C)Identifying knowledge gaps and building new organizational knowledge.
D)Aligning the KM strategy with the organization's business strategy.
E)Defining task uncertainties and developing organizational routines.

Question 26

Which of the following is not an effect of high task uncertainty on KM processes?

A)Increase in task interdependence.
B)Reduction in ability to use routines.
C)Externalization is more costly.
D)Internalization is more costly.
E)Knowledge is more likely to remain tacit.

Question 27

What KM subprocess should be used for tasks with high uncertainty and low interdependence?

A)Socialization.
B)Routines.
C)Direction.
D)Exchange.
E)Combination.

Question 28

Which of the following is not a KM process suitable for tasks with very low interdependence?

A)Externalization.
B)Direction.
C)Internalization.
D)Exchange.
E)Routines.

Question 29

Which knowledge process is not utilized for declarative knowledge?

A)Discovery.
B)Capture.
C)Socialization.
D)Sharing.
E)Application.

Question 30

Which knowledge process may be used for management of procedural knowledge?

A)Application.
B)Capture.
C)Discovery.
D)Sharing.
E)All of the above.

Question 31

What two knowledge processes are used for discovery, capture, and sharing of tacit knowledge?

A)Exchange and combination.
B)Socialization and Externalization.
C)Internalization and combination.
D)Direction and exchange.
E)Internalization and socialization.

Question 32

Firm size does not impact the suitability for which knowledge process?

A)Application.
B)Capture.
C)Discovery.
D)Sharing.
E)All of the above.

Question 33

What is the most suitable method for performing the knowledge sharing process in a large firm?

A)Exchange.
B)Socialization.
C)Combination.
D)Direction.
E)Externalization.

Question 34

What KM process should be used for a small-sized firm to perform knowledge discovery?

A)Combination.
B)Internalization.
C)Socialization.
D)Either socialization or combination.
E)Either combination or exchange.

Question 35

What is similar about the suitable KM processes for both low-cost and differentiation strategy organizations?

A)Both need to have knowledge discovery.
B)Both need to have knowledge application.
C)Both need to have knowledge capture and knowledge sharing processes.
D)Both need to have knowledge discovery and subsequent application.
E)The two strategies are diametrically opposed and as such no similarity exists.

Question 36

What is the difference in suitability of knowledge process focus based on an organization's strategy (low-cost versus differentiation)?

A)Low-cost should focus on sharing while differentiation should focus on capture.
B)Low-cost should focus on application while differentiation should focus on sharing.
C)Low-cost should focus on capture while differentiation should focus on discovery.
D)Low-cost should focus on application while differentiation should focus on discovery.
E)Low-cost should focus on discovery while differentiation should focus on application.

Question 37

What are the most suitable knowledge processes for firms facing high levels of environmental uncertainty?

A)Application and discovery.
B)Capture and sharing.
C)Application and sharing.
D)Capture and discovery.
E)Application, capture, discovery, and sharing.

Question 38

What is the first step in determining the appropriate KM solutions for organizations?

A)Prioritize needed KM processes.
B)Identify existing KM processes.
C)Assess contingency factors.
D)Identify needed KM processes.
E)Assess KM infrastructure.

Question 39

When identifying existing KM processes, which of the following is a useful step to take?

A)Inventory all software programs running on all computers.
B)Catalogue all organizational paper documents.
C)Assess contingency factors.
D)Determine if sufficient knowledge sharing is taking place.
E)Survey employees to determine the actual use of existing KM systems.

Question 40

Which KM process is the most suitable for a very large multinational organization with declarative knowledge and facing very low environmental uncertainty?

A)Direction.
B)Exchange.
C)Socialization for knowledge discovery.
D)Socialization for knowledge sharing.
E)Routines.

Question 41

List and define the four categories of contingency factors affecting KM processes?

Question 42

How does high or increasing task uncertainty impact KM processes?

Question 43

Define the relationship between task uncertainty and task interdependence with respect to KM process implementation.

Question 44

What are the knowledge characteristics that differentiate which knowledge process should be implemented to maximize the impact of the corresponding knowledge?

Question 45

Explain how tacit knowledge is utilized in the various knowledge processes.

Question 46

Describe how firm size impacts the suitability of the various knowledge processes.

Question 47

What are the implications for knowledge process suitability based on business strategy (using the low-cost versus differentiation types of strategies)?

Question 48

Discuss how environmental uncertainty affects the suitability of knowledge processes.

Question 49

List the seven steps from the methodology described in the text to identify appropriate KM solutions.

Question 50

Determine the appropriate KM solution processes based on contingency factors for the following business description. G-Company is a very large manufacturer of rubber hoses and connectors using low cost as a competitive factor. Each type of hose or connector is manufactured independent of the other types and with minimal task uncertainty. Due to the manufacturing nature of the business, most knowledge is procedural. Environmental uncertainty exists, but can be easily reduced by paying attention to new industrial designs that may require new types of hoses or connectors.