KM&EL

Call for Papers

Special Issue on " Applied Knowledge Management in an Institutional Context” to be published in Knowledge Management & E-Learning: An International Journal (KM&EL)

Guest Editors

Dr. Murali Raman and Dr. Saravanan Muthaiyah Faculty of Management, Multimedia University, Malaysia

Introduction

Davenport and Prusak (1998) define knowledge as an evolving mix of framed experience, values, contextual information, and expert insight that provides a framework for evaluating and incorporating new experiences and information. Knowledge often becomes embedded in documents or repositories, as well as in organizational routines, processes, practices, and norms. Knowledge is also about meaning, in the sense that it is context-specific (Huber, Davenport, and King 1998). Jennex (2006) extends the concepts of context to also include associated culture that provides frameworks for understanding and using knowledge. A simpler definition of knowledge is that it is the how and why of something. Gaining knowledge is gaining insight into how and why things happen. To be useful, this knowledge must be framed in context and culture, providing the information and data needed to explain how the knowledge was generated, what it means, and how it should be used.

Knowledge Management (KM henceforth) ideas and principles have been around for more than two decades, yet researchers worldwide continue working on this topic. In this special edition of the KM&EL international journal, we would like to invite researchers working on KM issues to submit papers, under the broad theme of Applied KM. Specifically, the editor is keen in accepting papers pertaining to KM that are presented in an applied format, namely, papers that go beyond examining factors that impact KM adoption or its implications therein, in an organizational context.

The focus of this issue rather is on how KM initiatives have been implemented in an institutional context, to serve a particular objective/purpose. Given this backdrop, the papers that would be ideal for this special edition would include papers that describe methods/techniques in implementing KM for specific reasons, the analyses of the success rate of such implementations, or the issues and challenges faced in the process of applying KM in such instances. Both qualitative and quantitative work is welcomed in this regard. This special issue of the KM&EL international journal aims to stimulate the investigation on the applications of knowledge management principles, ideas, systems and such, within an institutional context.

Potential contributions may include:

1. Papers that focus on the methods involved in KM implementation in an institutional context
2. Conceptual and theoretical papers that focus on how KM initiatives and processes can be applied to aid organizational excellence
3. Papers derived from cases on KM implementation in an organizational context reporting both successful and/or unsuccessful applications.
4. Innovative research methods (e.g. action research, systems design, design science research) in light of KM implementation in an institutional setting.

Topics of interest include, but are not limited to:

• KM in support of disaster management and/or crisis response

• KM in support of organizational learning

• Case studies on issues and challenges in implementing KM systems in an institutional context

• Ontology and KM in an applied context

• KM and eGovernment applications

• Semantic Webs and KM

• KM in support of eGovernment initiatives

• Other related topics given

Important Dates

Submission due: 15 November, 2008 Notification of acceptance: 15 January, 2009 Publication schedule: April 2009 (Vol.1, No.2)

Submission Instructions

Papers must not have been published, accepted for publication, or presently be under consideration for publication elsewhere. A standard double-blind review process will be used for selecting papers to be published in this special issue. Authors should follow the instructions outlined in the KM&EL Website (see URL: http://www.serialspublications.com/journals1.asp?jid=184&dtype=1&jtype=1) Electronic submission by email to Guest Editors is required.

For questions and manuscript submissions, please contact the Guest Editors: Dr. Murali Raman (murali.raman@mmu.edu.my) Dr. Saravanan Muthaiyah (saravanan.muthaiyah@mmu.edu.my)

For more information about the KM&EL, please visit the web site: http://www.serialspublications.com/journals1.asp?jid=184&jtype=1