Editorial: Practical applications of KM systems for organizational learning

Modern-day organizations are subject to continuous change. To remain relevant and competitive, it is imperative that organizations cultivate and foster learning capabilities. This special issue focus on examining practical applications of knowledge management systems in support of organizational learning efforts.


Introduction
Modern-day organizations are subject to continuous change (Nonaka, 1994;Patton, 1990).To remain relevant and competitive, it is imperative that organizations cultivate and foster learning capabilities (Polanyi, 1962;Nonaka, 1994).It has been widely accepted that learning is a subcomponent of knowledge management activities in an organizational context (Raman, Ryan, & Olfman, 2005;Yang, 2010).Numerous studies have been done to examine the relationship between knowledge management (KM) and organizational learning (OL) (for example Ge, Lubin, & Zhang, 2010;Loh, Lichtnow, Kampff, & de Oliveira, 2010).Yet, limited research has been published to demonstrate how practical design and implementation of a KM system (or an instantiation of it) can impact or influence learning capabilities within organizations.KM in general is defined as a systematic way of creating, storing, sharing and disseminating knowledge to aid various forms of decision making within organizations.A KM system meanwhile is often related to the application of Information Technology to support KM efforts in an organizational context.OL is a sub-domain of organizational theory that examines issues pertaining to the importance of learning and keeping abreast with changes within the organizational landscape.There is a significant role and scope for well designed and implemented KM systems to support learning efforts.
Given the above, the objective of this special issue is to foster more discussion and sharing of ideas pertaining to practical issues surrounding the implementation of KM systems to support organizational learning.Three papers were selected based on the review process.
Rosdi, Chew, and Omar present a paper that examines the intricacies between Intellectual capital and individual learning.Using the Resource Based View as their anchor theory, the authors examine the relationships between a HRM System for Organizational Knowledge Flow, Individual Learning Types, and Intellectual Capital.Rosdi, Chew, and Omar aptly assert that the role of HR systems and HR management in general cannot be undermined in light of maximizing the value potential of an individual's ability to learn and contribute towards the knowledge growth within the organization.
Mtega, Benard, and Dettu discuss the prospects of using Web 2.0 technologies for teaching and learning objectives within the context of higher learning institutions.The study is based on the Quadratic Usage Framework (QUF), tested in a University setting.The authors conclude that there is indeed a potential for using these technologies to support teaching and learning effortsyet they seem more popular for non-academic related activities.In this regard, the authors suggest that issues such as institutional support, role of designers and training play a vital role to ensure that Web 2.0 technologies can truly support teaching and learning efforts.
In the final paper, Raman, Woods, and Lim use an action research approach to examine if the implementation of a KM system is useful to foster learning among new academic staff within a university setting.Specifically, the authors present a paper that discusses the role of KM systems in improving induction programs within an academic setting.Raman, Woods, and Lim state that n balance most lecturers understand the importance of the induction programme and the lecturers have positive attitudes towards the implementation of KMS to support the induction programme.