Dear Colleagues

Please find attached Call for Chapter Proposals for your consideration. 

Note the deadlines for stage one: 1 April 2008.
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Appology For Cross Posting

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CALL FOR CHAPTER PROPOSALS
Proposal Submission Deadline: April 15th 2008
Full Chapter submission deadline: August 31st 2008
	Cultural Implications of Knowledge Sharing, Management and 
Transfer: 
Identifying Competitive Advantage
 A book edited by Deogratias Harorimana, Southampton Solent University

Introduction
Several studies including Nonaka (1994) and Nonaka and Takeuchi (1995) have 
presented knowledge creation models, widely described as a SECI model, that 
describes knowledge creation as a continuous dialogue between tacit and 
codified knowledge. Some researchers have described Nonaka’s model as 
inconsistent and lacking sufficient evidence to support some of its claims. 
Critics of the model argue that tacit knowledge is conservative but 
simultaneously a source of innovation. Others, however, do think that tacit 
knowledge is largely influential; and the success of its application is 
dependent upon the culture and identity of the recipients as well as 
the “reservoir” (Argote and Linda (2000)) willingness to engage in a 
process that is likely to require altering existing norms and behaviors at 
the site of origin .To date, however, studies have not investigated the 
relationship between the cultural and identity aspects and their may 
exercise influence on  knowledge transfer process or vice versa. 

There is no doubt among scholars that knowledge is critical to gaining a 
competitive advantage. Strategists have described networking and being able 
to access knowledge as the surest path to gaining to a competitive 
advantage. Moreover, the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and 
Development (OECD) in re-thinking corporation in 2014 have called senior 
Managers and CEO to rethink about their strategies concerning the 
development and protection of their intangible assets in much more 
volatile, competitive and global markets. Contributors towards the book 
may, develop theories and cases and propose models demonstrating how and 
what the corporate can do about identity and cultural differences that are 
key factors that are inhibiting and increasing costs to knowledge sharing 
and knowledge transfer. They will identify problems and show how 
corporations maximise on the benefits of sharing tacit knowledge which is 
seen as essential for new product development and innovation

Overall Objective of the Book

“Cultural Implications of Knowledge Sharing, Management and Transfer: 
Identifying Competitive Advantage” will gather contributions of scholars 
from different but related disciplines. The central aim of this manuscript 
is to illustrate, compare, and discuss models, perspectives, and approaches 
that can be helpful to understanding state-of-the-art current research on 
this topic.  Contributions will be from different viewpoints and will 
depict the possible trajectories of future development. The purpose of this 
manuscript is to provide a “common interface” to scholars and 
practitioners, allowing for the communication between different disciplines 
and areas, with the hope that this “cross-fertilisation” can help to 
overcome the limitations of the single viewpoint. The assumption here is 
that a systematic comparison and discussion of different but converging 
models and approaches is essential in creating the foundations of a common 
language and agreed conceptual framework allowing the exchange of findings 
and ideas. Clearly, any multidisciplinary project is risky, since it 
involves different disciplines and academic approaches that can be too 
distant (and, sometimes, idiosyncratic). However, the nature of the problem 
makes the effort valuable and necessary. This book will help in 
understanding a broad picture of the state-of-the-art of the current 
research on the topic seen from different viewpoints, and depict the 
possible trajectories of the future developments. It will also enable the 
building of a common set of concepts, terms, references, and approaches in 
disciplinary areas that are sometimes too distant.

Target Audience
The principal audience will consist of scholars and researchers in the 
aforementioned fields. The book is designed to provide “food for thought” 
for the future research; however, practitioners might find the foundations 
for new ideas in a dynamic environment such as the managing culture 
complexities in their businesses and learn how to minimise the costs and 
risks. Graduate and post-graduate students would also find this book to be 
a useful reference resource. 



Recommended topics include, but are not limited to, the following:
1.	Culture and Knowledge transfer
2.	Technology and culture
3.	Linking tacit knowledge to innovation
4.	Knowledge and innovations: Enhancing tacit knowledge
5.	Knowledge Codification: Externalizing and Sharing Tacit Knowledge 
6.	Knowledge Development Tools 
7.	Knowledge Visualization 
8.	Tacit Knowledge, culture and virtual organizations
9.	Identity and knowledge transfer 
10.	Linking organizational strategy to Knowledge and competitive 
advantage
11.	 Extracting and disconnecting knowledge from the knower
12.	Knowledge transfer: accommodating culture and identity
13.	Measuring and auditing tacit Knowledge (as intellectual capital)
14.	Trust, community of knowledge, distance and relational context.

Submission Procedure
Researchers and practitioners are invited to submit on or before April 15, 
2008, a 2-3 page chapter proposal clearly explaining the mission and 
concerns of his or her proposed chapter. Authors of accepted proposals will 
be notified by 15th May, 2008 about the status of their proposals and sent 
chapter guidelines.Contributors are asked to submit papers on specific 
topics. Each paper should be aimed to “explain concepts, theories, 
approaches, and perspectives” underpinning the current research, rather 
than “illustrate the last empirical findings”.  Empirical chapters will be 
accepted if they are based on a concise, focused and strong theoretical 
framework and all this within a clearly set out context. This can enable 
the understanding by readers specialising in other disciplines. Each paper 
will undergo a double-blind peer review. Two reviewers, specialising in the 
same area of the author, will assess the quality of the paper in that 
specific field. The other reviewer, specialising in a completely different 
field, will assess the “readability”, and will provide suggestions to 
simplify the language, clarify concepts, make bridges towards other 
disciplines, etc. Full chapters are expected to be submitted by August 31, 
2008. Authors will be informed of the final acceptance/ rejection by 
October 15th 2008. The book is scheduled to be published by IGI Global 
(formerly Idea Group Inc.), www.igi-global.com, publisher of the IGI 
Publishing (formerly Idea Group Publishing), Information Science 
Publishing, IRM Press, CyberTech Publishing, Information Science Reference 
(formerly Idea Group Reference), and Medical Information Science Reference 
imprints.

Inquiries and submissions can be forwarded electronically (Word document) 
or by mail to:

Deogratias Harorimana
Southampton Solent University (www.solent.ac.uk )
Southampton Business School
Centre for Enterprise, Research and Innovation
East Park Terrace
Southampton
Tel: 00442380 319606; Fax:  00442380 332627; Mobile: 00447799323159
Email: [log in to unmask]