Abstract
This article reports the results of a study of knowledge creation systems in Japanese and American firms in Japan and the United States. The research was performed inside automotive and information appliance firms with primarily managerial employees from functional areas outside production. Through field interviews, a model was constructed of factors that drive successful knowledge creation, and a subsequent survey compared the use of these factors and their perceived utility among Japan-based and US-based respondents in these two knowledge-intensive industries. Our results show there is broad agreement regarding which practices help create knowledge, but they also suggest that Japan-based firms excel at implementing a distinctive, integrated system of organisational practices that promote organisational learning and stimulate knowledge creation.
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Notes
A problem-solving methodology utilised in Japan that examines situations through three stages of investigation: (a) What is the actual scene? (b) What is our actual understanding? (c) What is reality?
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Acknowledgements
This research was awarded a grant for scientific research by Japan Society for the Promotion of Science during 2004–2008 (Rep. Prof. Ueki). We appreciate the assistance of all the relevant corporate people who have kindly co-operated in this study, and comments from scholars such as Prof. T. Saito, Prof. K. Miyashita and Prof. F. Tuggle. The authors are also grateful to the referees for their constructive comments.
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Appendix
Appendix
Enablers of knowledge creation
Environment and strategy
Pursue organisational changes Ensure shared management philosophy and vision Share knowledge Enhance brand value Attach importance to customer satisfaction Participate in strategic alliances
Information sharing
Implement Balanced Scorecard Practice strong top-management leadership Pursue systematisation of operating processes Develop two-way information sharing inside the organisation Develop two-way information sharing between organisations Attach importance to three actual principlesFootnote 1 Use communication tools (eg, knowledge portal) Share best practices Tolerate failures and then share experience Practice Frequently Asked Questions Commend sharing information and creating knowledge Organisational unit supporting knowledge creation
Corporate culture, learning and structure
Do cross-functional projects Make organisation flat Promote delegation of authority Attach importance to employee-challenging initiatives Use Total Quality Management (TQM)
Personnel training
Provide cross-functional and cross-organisational training Encourage long length of service Support system for career development Implement HRM based on competency model Use job rotation
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Ueki, H., Ueki, M., Linowes, R. et al. A comparative study of enablers of knowledge creation in Japan and US-based firms. Asian Bus Manage 10, 113–132 (2011). https://doi.org/10.1057/abm.2010.33
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1057/abm.2010.33