| This dissertation studies knowledge process at certain Ukrainian companies of the Machine Building Industry. Specifically, it develops an organizational communication-based descriptive account of the knowledge process as it existed at the top 50 best performing machine building companies of the Alpha Capital index.; In modern organizations, knowledge management is becoming an increasingly important process. Some organizational and business researchers in the former USSR countries argue that in Ukraine, as in the rest of the former Soviet Union, effective practices of managing the knowledge process in organizations, especially large organizations are truly critical. While knowledge management is only one of the many concerns of Ukrainian corporate managers, it clearly demands a thorough understanding of what knowledge is managed and how it is managed today at some of the best performing Ukrainian companies. The goal of the study is to understand how the knowledge process is conducted and managed in these organizations—including knowledge identification, acquisition, dissemination and use.; Four research questions were answered in the study: (1) What are the philosophies and strategies that the top performing Ukrainian machine building companies employ for using knowledge as a resource? (2) How do the top performing Ukrainian machine building companies acquire knowledge? (3) How do the top performing Ukrainian machine building companies store knowledge? (4) How do the top performing Ukrainian machine building companies disseminate knowledge and manage knowledge flows?; A two-stage approach was used to develop the description. In stage one case studies were conducted at four Ukrainian ship building and ship repair companies. In stage two a mail survey (census of the population) of the executives of the top 50 best performing machine building companies of the Alpha Capital index was conducted. The data collected was then integrated with the case studies to answer the research questions. A description of knowledge acquisition, storage, distribution and flow was developed. In addition, three clusters of companies were identified that differed in their strategic approach to knowledge process (IT-centric, people-centric and mixed) as well as in the specifics of knowledge acquisition, storage, distribution and flow. |
