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Link to original content: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10799-006-0276-8
Inter-organizational networks for knowledge sharing and trading | Information Technology and Management Skip to main content
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Inter-organizational networks for knowledge sharing and trading

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Abstract

Although companies are increasingly developing complex networks of connections with their partners and customers and shifting their focus towards expanding the knowledge management concept externally, research addressing the management of knowledge across organizational borders is rather sparse. Our aim in the present paper is to develop a typology of cross-organizational networks of information and knowledge flows. In order to arrive at such a typology we examine two issues. The first concerns the locus of control on the processes that enable knowledge flow. The second refers to the tradability of the streams of knowledge that flow among organizational entities. We examine four types of knowledge networks: “knowledge communities”, “knowledge chains”, “knowledge supplies” and “knowledge markets”. For each type of knowledge network, we examine its distinct characteristics, study related examples, consider the associated research challenges and analyze an indicative case.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. National Technical University of Athens, 9, Iroon Politechniou street, 15780, Zografou, Greece

    Gregoris Mentzas

  2. University of Piraeus, Greece

    Dimitris Apostolou

  3. National Technical University of Athens, Greece

    Kostas Kafentzis & Panos Georgolios

Authors
  1. Gregoris Mentzas
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  2. Dimitris Apostolou
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  3. Kostas Kafentzis
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  4. Panos Georgolios
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Gregoris Mentzas.

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Mentzas, G., Apostolou, D., Kafentzis, K. et al. Inter-organizational networks for knowledge sharing and trading. Inf Technol Manage 7, 259–276 (2006). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10799-006-0276-8

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