Knowledge Management-Volume 4 Knowledge and Innovation Knowledge Management Series

Chapter 1 constitutes an attempt to develop a conceptual model for analysing organisations as social systems from a systemic point of view. What we are trying to develop is aspects of a general theory for organisational innovation. The level for our analysis is systems of relations and processes. The question asked is: In what way can systemic thinking be used as a means to understand, explain and predict stability and innovation in organisations regarded as social systems? It is social autopoiesis theory, a subclass of systemic thinking we use as the theoretical foundation in this chapter. Our contribution is expressed through an analytical model, conceptual models, and propositions. The objective of chapter 2 is to contribute to a perspective of economic performance, i.e. the interaction between vision, knowledge-creation, -integration and-use in order to create organizational innovation. This chapter develops aspects of an innovation theory based on information- and knowledge- management. By knowledge management we here mean too create new (task-related) knowledge, disseminate it throughout the organization and incorporate it in products, services and systems. Central to the theory is the analysis of knowledge creation, integration and use. The theory is systematized in the conclusion with assumptions, a system of propositions and implication for organizational innovation. Chapter 3 examines the development of new knowledge, as we know with a high degree of certainty that when new knowledge emerges, innovation will be created and economic growth stimulated. The question we will examine is what is needed to develop high-tech value creation. The purpose of the chapter is to answer the following question: How can the West compete in the global knowledge economy? Our contribution is threefold. The first element is related to the development of new expertise; the second element to the development of global clusters of expertise; and the third element to understanding the emerging global market.