Title: Knowledge management systems: a comparative study of knowledge work systems and office automation systems in small- and medium-sized firms in Aragon

Authors: M. Rosario Ferriz Marcen, Juan Ramon-Solans Prat, Luis Navarro Elola

Addresses: Escuela de Estudios Sociales, Universidad de Zaragoza, Departamento de Economia y Direccion de Empresas (Business Department), Violante de Hungria 23, 50009 Zaragoza, Spain. ' Escuela de Estudios Sociales, Universidad de Zaragoza, Departamento de Economia y Direccion de Empresas (Business Department), Violante de Hungria 23, 50009 Zaragoza, Spain. ' Escuela de Estudios Sociales, Universidad de Zaragoza, Departamento de Economia y Direccion de Empresas (Business Department), Violante de Hungria 23, 50009 Zaragoza, Spain

Abstract: This work aims to define Knowledge Work Systems and to differentiate them from Information Systems. The differences between knowledge and information workers will also be clearly established. It starts with a methodological introduction, which provides the theoretical framework for the empirical study. The sample basis for that empirical study was the database provided by the Registro de Establecimientos Industriales (REI – Register of Industrial Establishments) of the MINER on newly created PYMES (small- and medium-sized businesses) in Aragon from 1992 to 1998. It was intended that the surveyed companies were all of certain significance. Firstly, we offer a description of the surveyed companies| profiles, which will lead to a better understanding of the results and the conclusions drawn from the analysis. Secondly, there is an analysis of the types of information and knowledge systems used by the surveyed companies, those systems| architecture and their coordination with the business strategy. Thirdly, a sectorial study is carried out in order to make a comparative analysis possible. Lastly, the conclusions drawn from the empirical analysis are laid out.

Keywords: information systems; knowledge work systems; strategies; office automation; SMEs; Spain; Spanish businesses; Laudon|s model; knowledge management; business strategy.

DOI: 10.1504/IJITM.2005.006766

International Journal of Information Technology and Management, 2005 Vol.4 No.2, pp.178 - 196

Published online: 05 Apr 2005 *

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