HWZ Schriftenreihe für Betriebs- und Bildungsökonomie. Herausgegeben von HWZ Hochschule für Wirtschaft Zürich. Band 9

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1 HWZ Schriftenreihe für Betriebs- und Bildungsökonomie Herausgegeben von HWZ Hochschule für Wirtschaft Zürich Band 9

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3 Isabelle Kern The Suitability of Topic Maps Tools for Knowledge Creation with Stakeholders Haupt Verlag Bern Stuttgart Wien

4 Isabelle Kern first studied English, German and History, and later Business IT. In between she spent a number of years in the multi-media field as author of programs for computer-based training. Currently she is a senior research assistant at the Centre for Strategic Management: Stakeholder View at HWZ (University of Applied Sciences for Business Administration Zurich). Dissertation, genehmigt vom Lehrbereich Informatik der Wirtschaftswissenschaftlichen Fakultät, Universität Zürich 1. Auflage: 2009 Bibliografische Information der Deutschen Nationalbibliothek Die Deutsche Nationalbibliothek verzeichnet diese Publikation in der Deutschen National bibliografie; detaillierte bibliografische Daten sind im Internet über abrufbar. ISBN Alle Rechte vorbehalten. Copyright 2009 by Haupt Berne Jede Art der Vervielfältigung ohne Genehmigung des Verlages ist unzulässig. Umschlaggestaltung: René Tschirren nach Konzept von Typisch GmbH, Atelier für Mediengestaltung, Bern Redaktion und Satz: Autorin Printed in Switzerland

5 For Toby

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7 Acknowledgements In the process of writing this dissertation I was supported, advised and encouraged by numerous people to whom I am indebted and to whom I would like to express my gratitude. First of all, I would like to thank my supervisor Professor Dr. Sybille Sachs who has always supported me in my academic as well as in my professional career. She was the one who convinced me to write a dissertation. Working and discussing ideas with her has been both stimulating and challenging. She has always approached new ideas with an open and curious yet also critical mind and has always supported the interdisciplinary focus of this dissertation. My thanks also go to my other supervisors, Professor Dr. Helmut Schauer and Professor Dr. Abraham Bernstein. I am also grateful to Professor Dr. Edwin Rühli. His "10 points programme for writing a dissertation" which he shared with the doctoral students in our research group proved most useful in the process of writing in order to see if the dissertation was still on track. Moreover, Professor Rühli is always willing to share his enormous experience and knowledge from which our whole research group - including myself - has benefitted and still does. This dissertation would not have been possible without the commitment of the two firms that agreed in participating in the case studies. I would like to thank the managers for their valuable and sparse time, for their interest in the project and the access they provided to their firm's data. Even though topic maps were new to most of them, they approached the case studies and the tools open-minded and contributed their interesting insights. While writing the dissertation, I was embedded in a research group at the University of Applied Sciences for Business Administration Zurich (HWZ). I would like to thank the following members for exchanging ideas: Professor Dr. Ruth Schmitt, Irène Perrin, Dr. Mark Veser, Dr. Marc Maurer, Veronika Mittnacht, Dominic Käslin, Georges Ulrich, Claude Meier, Marc Moser and Andrea Gäumann.

8 VIII Acknowledgements In spring 2006, our research team had the opportunity to attend a doctoral seminar at the Darden School of Business at the University of Virginia. My dissertation benefited from the critical yet supportive comments by Professor R. Edward Freeman and Professor Patricia Werhane for which I would like to thank them. Over the last years, HWZ has provided an environment that was conducive for our research group. For this and for the financial support in publishing this dissertation, I would like to thank Professor Dr. Jacques Bischoff, principal of HWZ, and Professor Dr. Urs Dürsteler. My thanks also go to my family on whose support I could always count and for which I am very grateful. And last but not least, my unreserved thanks go to Toby for his patience and his unwavering support. I would also like to thank him for drawing the illustrations that are included in this book in a very professional manner.

9 Content 1. INTRODUCTION Theoretical Background The Stakeholder View Knowledge Management Information Technology Research Question Research Approach THE STAKEHOLDER VIEW Who Are Stakeholders? Integration of Different Frameworks Classification of Stakeholders The Resource-Based View Organisational Wealth and Competitive Advantage Tangible and Intangible Assets Relational Assets Example VHS und JVC From Resource-Based to Knowledge-Based View KNOWLEDGE MANAGEMENT Foundations of Knowledge Definition of Knowledge and Knowledge Management Knowledge Management and Organisational Learning The SECI Model for Knowledge Creation Tacit Versus Explicit Knowledge The Knowledge Spiral Ba : Places for Knowledge Creation Advantages of the SECI Model Critical Voices TOPIC MAPS STANDARD AND TOOLS A Tool for the SECI Model Visualisation Semiotics Standardisation The Topic Maps Standard... 74

10 X 4.3 Specific Topic Maps Tools TM4L TwoMore Concept Maps CMapTools (Graphical) Issue Based Information Systems Compendium Conclusion METHODOLOGY Epistemology and Ontology Epistemology Ontology Predominant Research Paradigms Criticism Research Strategy Author s Position Research Process Case Study Grounded Theory Case Selection and Units of Analysis Data Collection and Interpretation CASE STUDY RESULTS Insurance Company Information on Company and Case Study Knowledge Management in the Corporation Visualisation of Tacit Knowledge Advantages and Disadvantages Topic Maps Standard Summary Pharmaceutical Company Information on Company and Case Study Knowledge Management in the Corporation Visualisation of Tacit Knowledge Advantages and Disadvantages Topic Maps Standard Summary Meta-Level Perspectives

11 XI Experience with Knowledge Management Tools Visualisation of Tacit Knowledge Advantages and Disadvantages Topic Maps Standard Summary CONCLUSION Visualisation of Tacit Knowledge Advantages and Disadvantages of the Tools Advantages Disadvantages Topic Maps Standard Summary Limitations Further Research APPENDIX Interview Partners Questions on the Topic Maps Tools Frequencies of Codes Insurance Company Pharmaceutical Company Meta-Level Perspectives BIBLIOGRAPHY