Proceedings of the 12th European Conference on Knowledge ...

Tiit Elenurm
companies <strong>the</strong>y work for. Respondents were asked to provide supporting arguments for <strong>the</strong>ir
evaluation <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> importance <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> knowledge management prerequisites. Table 1 presents a list <strong>of</strong>
short formulations <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> knowledge management prerequisites that has been used. Students were
also encouraged to add <strong>the</strong>ir own prerequisites to <strong>the</strong> original checklist or to propose amendments to
prerequisite specifications. During recent years additional prerequisite proposals <strong>of</strong> participants are
most <strong>of</strong>ten linked to using social s<strong>of</strong>tware tools to be involved in broader pr<strong>of</strong>essional networks.
Readiness to co-operate in <strong>the</strong> value chain has been suggested as a prerequisite for interorganisational
knowledge management. At <strong>the</strong> same time, inside <strong>the</strong> organisation <strong>the</strong> need for regular
personal contacts has been pointed out.
4. Changing perceptions <strong>of</strong> knowledge management prerequisites and <strong>the</strong>ir
implications for creating knowledge management development visions
In 2006-2010, <strong>the</strong> highest placed prerequisite in <strong>the</strong> sample on average was: employees have
recognised fields where <strong>the</strong>ir expert knowledge can support o<strong>the</strong>rs. It was followed by: virtual
information processing and knowledge sharing tools are used actively (Table 1). The difference found
was that this prerequisite ranked higher in larger companies and lower in smaller enterprises. In
2001–2003 <strong>the</strong> same prerequisite had received much lower ratings both in SMEs and large
enterprises.
Free circulation <strong>of</strong> information has received high rankings not only during <strong>the</strong> years 2001-2003, but
also during 2007-2010. However, during <strong>the</strong> economic boom in 2006, free circulation <strong>of</strong> information,
<strong>the</strong> ability to combine different sources <strong>of</strong> information and <strong>the</strong> promotion <strong>of</strong> information sharing
between colleagues by using bonus schemes received relatively low rankings. Trust between
employees was, on average, <strong>the</strong> third placed prerequisite in 2006-2009. However, it had topped <strong>the</strong>
scale in 2002 and 2003 before Estonia joined <strong>the</strong> <strong>European</strong> Unions, having climbed from fifth place in
2001. In 2010, after <strong>the</strong> Estonian GDP had decreased 13.9% and <strong>the</strong> average salary had dropped
5.0% in 2009 (Statistics Estonia 2011), this prerequisite was again ranked higher than all o<strong>the</strong>r
prerequisites. In some written comments by participants, trust is interpreted as <strong>the</strong> main prerequisite
that enables one to learn from past mistakes. Internal competition inside an organisation, especially in
<strong>the</strong> sales units, is seen as a factor that inhibits trust.
The prerequisite, such as <strong>the</strong> active use <strong>of</strong> virtual information processing and knowledge sharing
tools, has had volatile rankings. Group discussions have demonstrated divergent views about this
prerequisite. Some participants link <strong>the</strong> active use <strong>of</strong> virtual tools mainly to <strong>the</strong> human factor and see
changing attitudes and <strong>the</strong> readiness <strong>of</strong> personnel as a high priority, while o<strong>the</strong>rs believe that active
use is mainly enhanced by developing information technology s<strong>of</strong>tware and hardware. The active use
<strong>of</strong> such tools as a separate ranking item has received both high and low ratings, depending on
different perceptions <strong>of</strong> participants concerning <strong>the</strong> role <strong>of</strong> infrastructure for knowledge management
and motivation <strong>of</strong> employees to use <strong>the</strong> infrastructure. Master’s students from subsidiaries <strong>of</strong>
international corporations link <strong>the</strong> active use <strong>of</strong> virtual knowledge sharing tools to a strong corporate
culture and <strong>the</strong> promotion <strong>of</strong> younger employees to managerial positions.
Considering virtual databases/knowledge bases and colleagues more valuable information sources
than paper documents has received lower ratings during <strong>the</strong> recent three years. Written comments
have pointed out that <strong>the</strong> digitalization <strong>of</strong> documents is now a normal practice in many organisations
and for this reason it has lost its high ranking. In Estonia, <strong>the</strong> digital exchange <strong>of</strong> documents is
supported by <strong>the</strong> state authorized ID-card available to all Estonian residents, which can be used to
digitally sign all documents.
Virtual project workrooms and <strong>the</strong> provision <strong>of</strong> information about <strong>the</strong> competencies <strong>of</strong> all members or
organisations in electronic format have received low ranking during <strong>the</strong> whole observed period from
2001 to 2010. It can be explained by <strong>the</strong> domination <strong>of</strong> small and medium-sized enterprise
representatives among course participants as stated by students in <strong>the</strong>ir written comments. At <strong>the</strong>
same time, <strong>the</strong> principle that employees have recognized fields where <strong>the</strong>ir expert knowledge can
support o<strong>the</strong>rs has gained higher popularity. However, it is evident that <strong>the</strong> application <strong>of</strong> this principle
is not seen as a function <strong>of</strong> a knowledge base <strong>of</strong> personal competencies, but ra<strong>the</strong>r an issue <strong>of</strong>
leadership, division <strong>of</strong> labour and performance assessment. The need to have more regular feedback
from <strong>the</strong> boss was stressed by several participants in <strong>the</strong>ir written arguments.
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