Calls for papers

 

International Journal of Strategic Change Management

 

Special Issue on: “Knowledge Governance”

Guest Editors:
Prof. Nicolai J. Foss, Copenhagen Business School, Denmark
Prof. Joseph T. Mahoney, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, USA
Prof. Patricia Ordóñez de Pablos, University of Oviedo, Spain

““Knowledge” has been a major research focus for more than a decade in a number of fields in management studies. A knowledge-based approach that cuts across traditionally separate disciplines has emerged based on the view that the management of knowledge is increasingly becoming a critical issue for competitive dynamics, international strategy, the accumulation and deployment of resources, the boundaries of firms, and many other issues.

The strategic management field has developed a number of approaches emphasising knowledge (e.g., the knowledge-based view of the firm, the dynamic capabilities approach, etc.); the international business field is developing a view of the multinational corporation as a knowledge-based entity; network ideas emphasising connections between knowledge nodes – often based on sociology ideas on network ties – are becoming increasingly influential, and knowledge management has become not only a huge body of research literature, but also a widespread organisational practice.

A common, though by no means uncontroversial, assertion in these research literatures is that knowledge processes can be governed. The concept of “governing knowledge processes” means choosing governance structures (e.g. markets, hybrids, hierarchies) and coordination mechanisms (e.g., contracts, directives, reward schemes, incentives, trust, management styles, organisational culture, etc.), for the purpose of influencing processes of transferring, sharing and creating knowledge.

The relation between governance issues and knowledge processes is an under-researched area, both theoretically and empirically, in comparison with writings concerning the characteristics of knowledge, knowledge taxonomies, how knowledge may be disseminated within and between organisations and the philosophical foundations of knowledge. To date, however, there has been little consideration of research heuristics linking governance and knowledge.

Subject Coverage
The purpose of this special issue of IJSCM is to advance our understanding of “knowledge governance”. We invite manuscripts on the philosophical and methodological foundations of knowledge governance, theorising pertaining to knowledge governance, and empirical work. Manuscripts may deal with, but are not limited to, issues such as:

• What is the proper unit of analysis for knowledge governance? Knowledge transactions? Problems? Capabilities?
• What are the limits to governing knowledge? Are there forms of knowledge (e.g., tacit knowledge) that cannot meaningfully be “governed”?
• How do characteristics of knowledge map into efficient choice of governance structures and coordination mechanisms? What are the causal links?
• What are the disciplines and insights we need to further our understanding of knowledge governance? How far can organisational economics take us?
• And where do we need insights from organisational sociology and psychology?

Notes for Prospective Authors

Submitted papers should not have been previously published nor be currently under consideration for publication elsewhere

All papers are refereed through a peer review process. A guide for authors, sample copies and other relevant information for submitting papers are available on the Author Guidelines page

Important Dates

Please send your manuscripts no later than: 1 May 2007