Contemporary Shifts
Asynchronous Session
Cultivating Social Entrepreneurship for Greener Futures through Organizational Learning : Strategies for Gen Zers for Climate Response View Digital Media
Paper Presentation in a Themed Session Jeremy Schulz, Laura Robinson, Laura Robinson, Morgan Vodzak, Katia Moles, Laura Robinson
Our study is timely and offers solutions to the documented decline in entrepreneurial thinking among Gen Zers, a shift that will negatively impact a variety of organizations including those devoted to climate response (Peschl et al., 2021). To offer fresh strategies for organizational learning, we draw on a rich original data set comprised of over two hundred Gen Zers from whom we gathered multi-method survey, focus group, and in-depth interview data. Our respondents are recent alumni of an organizational program in which Gen Zers are placed around the world with social entrepreneurs creating sustainable opportunities that advance clean energy, potable water, and green energy. Analyzing experiential interventions, we find that an entrepreneurial mindset may be inculcated that 1) awakens Gen Zers’ self-confidence as change makers in organizations at the forefront of combating climate change, 2) gives Gen Zers communication skills to grow as organizational problem solvers as team members, and 3) strengthens future commitment to serving in a variety of organizations related to sustainability. Detailing the elements of successful experiential learning, we offer replicable recommendations to organizations ideally suited to the inculcation of the change-maker mindset among Gen Zers as dynamic organizational members and future leaders addressing a host of problems related to climate change.
Cultural Change in an Academic Department View Digital Media
Paper Presentation in a Themed Session Massood Towhidnejad
Over the past 50 years, there has been little change in the way that most academic departments conduct their day-to-day affairs. Research suggests that faculty and specifically scientists and engineers are highly individualistic, self-directed, with a strong desire to share their knowledge and the need for approval from their peers (Cain 2012, Soderhjelm et al., 2016, Shannon, 1980), and this culture is rewarded by the way the faculty performance is evaluated toward their promotion and tenure. However, for the past four years, we have adopted a strategy where we use an agile process to operate the department’s day-to-day operations. As a result, we have seen a significant improvement in faculty collaboration. In addition, we also recognized an improvement in the hierarchical relationship between faculty, thereby encouraging the junior faculty to incorporate their ideas in the department mission, vision and strategies. This paper shares some of our lessons learned over the past four years.
Sustainable Knowledge Creation Process in Higher Education Institutions View Digital Media
Paper Presentation in a Themed Session Molefi Motsoenyane
This research investigates knowledge management processes within Higher Education Institutions (HEIs). The study provides a nuanced understanding of these processes. The research objectives include examining the intricacies of knowledge management processes. Additionally, the research aims to identify challenges and opportunities in knowledge management processes within HEIs. The goal is to develop a way that outlines critical components contributing to the sustainability of knowledge management processes in HEIs. Through Systematic Literature Review, the study was limited to articles published between 2000 and 2023 to ensure relevance, with 20 of the 87 studies evaluated deemed significant for the research. The study examined the critical stages of creation, capturing, organization, storage, knowledge sharing, and application, offering a scientific perspective to enhance our understanding of sustainable KM processes in higher education. The research examined knowledge creation processes and discovered the intricate correlation among people, cultural management, and technology across the Knowledge Management (KM) processes. The study underscores the imperative alignment of individuals, culture, and technology for successful and sustainable KM implementation in diverse organizational contexts. This holistic perspective reveals the nuanced dynamics for effective knowledge handling and application.
AI-Driven Knowledge Transfer View Digital Media
Paper Presentation in a Themed Session Angelica Caviedes
Knowledge Transfer is fundamental to creating value in organizations due to its help to develop advantages and achieve strategic objectives. In the last decade Artificial Intelligence (AI) has demonstrated a key impact in society by enable task automation and enhancing decision-making processes across diverse economic industries. This paper explores the interplay between AI, knowledge transfer, and human learning theories within the context of corporate banking. Through a detailed case study, a model is proposed for leveraging AI to facilitate knowledge preservation and transfer in the on-boarding process. Subsequently, this approach is compared with a traditional on-boarding model, examining its effectiveness within the corporate banking sector. This rigorous analysis concludes that the AI model reduces operator learning time, minimizes costs due to the release of staff-hours and guarantees transactional continuity for the case study.
