Title: Transforming a semiconductor company into a learning organisation: a bottom-up approach of knowledge management implementation

Authors: Ying-Jung Yvonne Yeh, Lung-Hung Chou

Addresses: Department of Business Administration, National Taiwan University of Science and Technology, 43, Keelung Rd. Sec. 4, Taipei 106, Taiwan. ' Advanced Business Consulting, Inc. 158, Chien-Jung Rd., Kaohsiung 804, Taiwan

Abstract: With the advocacy of scholars and practitioners, Knowledge Management (KM), an integration of information technology, learning theories and organisational change management, has become one of the most important organisational innovations for sustaining competitive advantage. Advanced Semiconductor Engineering (ASE), one of the world|s largest semiconductor packaging and testing companies, started to implement KM from the Yield Report Centre run by the firm|s Engineering department in 2000. A bottom-up process of implementation has made KM gradually be recognised as beneficial, integrated into ongoing routines, and promoted to employees organisation-wide since then. By adopting Rogers| viewpoints, KM in ASE has reached the stage where the individual reinforces his or her decision to adopt the new forms of behaviour. This study aims to introduce a bottom-up approach to KM implementation and to examine the degree of learning at different levels of the organisation by means of the five-learning cycles proposed by Sanchez.

Keywords: knowledge management; KM implementation; organisational learning; case study; semiconductor industry; Taiwan; semiconductor packaging; semiconductor testing; technological innovation; technology management.

DOI: 10.1504/IJTM.2007.013447

International Journal of Technology Management, 2007 Vol.39 No.1/2, pp.219 - 234

Published online: 29 Apr 2007 *

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