Effective Responses
The University of Auckland
Developing and Managing Knowledge in Biotechnology Firms: The Importance of Relational Knowledge
Paper Presentation in a Themed Session Calin Gurau
The success of biotechnology companies is determined by their capacity to develop, internalize and manage several types of knowledge that enhance their competitiveness. The complex interdependence between these various areas of knowledge is little researched in the extant literature, as most articles focus on market and scientific knowledge, neglecting the importance of relational knowledge. We posit that relational knowledge is paramount, as, on the one hand, it contributes to an effective collaboration between the scientific and business groups/cultures active within the organization, and, on the other hand, to the initiation and deployment of inter-organizational agreements and alliances. To investigate the development of relational knowledge in biotechnology organizations, and its inter-dependence with scientific and market knowledge, we collected and analyzed data about 30 biotechnology firms, 15 located in the UK and 15 in France, using multiple interviews with the top management team, and participant observation of internal personnel meetings and inter-organizational events. The results indicate interesting differences between the investigated firms: if for the UK companies the main source of relational knowledge is the Committee of Non-Executive Directors, in French organizations the main depository and transmitter of relational knowledge is the CEO – usually a highly-respected scientist and academic, who mobilizes his/her personal and professional network to obtain necessary information, resources and inter-firm collaboration. This difference is probably determined by organizational size, maturity and culture, because most French biotechnology firms that reach medium size also adopt the Non-Executive Directors’ Model, in order to further diversify and professionalize their relational capabilities.
Impacts of Social Capital on Community Organization Capacity: Quantitative Research in Taiwan View Digital Media
Paper Presentation in a Themed Session Yuan Shie Hwang
This study explores the impact of community social capital on community organization capacities, so as to put forward relevant suggestions that can help to exert the function of community organization and promote the change of community organization. This study is carried out by quantitative research. The social capital scale (13 items) is composed of three aspects: trust (5 items), network (5 items) and norms (3 items); the organizational capacity scale (24 items) consist of four aspects: organizational manpower cultivation (4 items), organizational connection force (8 items), organizational operation force (6 items) and organizational mobilization force (6 items). In this study, community residents were selected as the research objects, and 40 communities in eight counties and cities in Taiwan were randomly selected as the research sites. Data was collected through face-to-face questionnaire interviews. A total of 795 valid questionnaires were collected. The main findings include: (1) Social capital and community organizational capacity are highly and positively correlated; (2) The level of trust, network and norm can effectively predict organizational manpower cultivation; (3) The level of network and norm can effectively predict organizational connection force, operation force and mobilization force. The main recommendations of this study are as follows: (1) Make best use of the abundant community social capital to activate the energy of community organizations; (2) Strengthen the community network relationship to trigger the synergy of internal and external resources in the community; (3) Spread community norms function to enhance the willingness of community residents to participate and mobilize.
Systemic Failures in Nursing Home Care: Improving Organisational Culture and Resilience View Digital Media
Paper Presentation in a Themed Session Joachim Sturmberg
Nursing home care in Australia has reached a tipping point resulting from the interdependent accumulative effects of (1), an inability to recruit any staff, (2), the exhaustion of existing staff, (3), the lack of aged-care specific care skills, the non-existence of career prospects and the general perception of aged care being an undesirable workplace, and (4), the ever changing and constantly increasing regulatory requirements. Unsurprisingly resident and family member satisfaction with care is low resulting in increasing rates of complaints compounding the stresses on an already overburdened workforce. This study outlines how improvement in organizational culture requires systemic approaches both at the facility but more importantly at the regulatory level. Governance and accountability frameworks need to focus on what matters - care that maintains nursing home residents' dignity and comfort. It requires a shift from restrictive formalistic protocol driven to situationally adaptive care. Only then will the organization turn into a resilient learning organization that can achieve its purpose.
