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Long time lags between development and use of scientific innovations have resulted in much theorizing about the process of knowledge utilization. However. there is little empirical evidence for the validity of these theories. The present research is a retrospective investigation of the relationships between eight theoretical factors of knowledge utiliza tion (Davis, 1971) and whether or not treatment innovations had been implemented in mental health agencies following consultation. Significant relatioships are found for four factors. Agencies adopting the procedures report values and philosophies that are more similar to the values and philosophies embodied in the innovation; they report more accurate information and knowledge about the new procedures and how to implement them; they report a stronger need for change; and they report that they had anticipated more benefit prior to adopting the procedures than did nonusers.

Current competitive challenges induced by globalization and advances in information technology have forced companies to focus on managing customer relationships, and in particular customer satisfaction, in order to efficiently maximize revenues. This paper reports exploratory research based on a mail survey addressed to the largest 1,000 Greek organizations. The objectives of the research were: to investigate the extent of the usage of customer‐ and market‐related knowledge management (KM) instruments and customer relationship management (CRM) systems by Greek organizations and their relationship with demographic and organizational variables; to investigate whether enterprises systematically carry out customer satisfaction and complaining behavior research; and to examine the impact of the type of the information system used and managers' attitudes towards customer KM practices. In addition, a conceptual model of CRM development stages is proposed. The findings of the survey show that about half of the organizations of the sample do not adopt any CRM philosophy. The remaining organizations employ instruments to conduct customer satisfaction and other customer‐related research. However, according to the proposed model, they are positioned in the first, the preliminary CRM development stage. The findings also suggest that managers hold positive attitudes towards CRM and that there is no significant relationship between the type of the transactional information system used and the extent to which customer satisfaction research is performed by the organizations. The paper concludes by discussing the survey findings and proposing future research.

The published results of public opinion polls cease to be the subject of narrow professional discussion and become part of public discourse, which reflects the attitude of the non-sociological community to the trustworthiness of empirical sociological knowledge in the form of mass polls. The trustworthiness of empirical sociological knowledge in public space for the general public is determined by the level of confidence in the published data of mass surveys and is achieved by the methodological culture of the surveyor, which is embodied in compliance with all requirements for empirical research, including tools; the level of factual knowledge of respondents; effective participation of pollster-sociologists in the analytical interpretation of the obtained results, reasoned explanation of the answers of survey participants to socially significant questions. Publicity of the customer is also important for polls on electoral and sensitive socio-political issues. Accordingly, markers of the trustworthiness of empirical sociological knowledge in public discourse can be marked out based on two basic criteria: the transparency of the survey and the heuristic potential of the toolkit. Transparency implies maximum publicity of the algorithm for collecting empirical sociological information, including the calculation of the error of the results obtained, the publication of not only the performer but also the customer of the survey. Public information about the performer allows the public to judge his professional reputation, authority, political neutrality, (in) dependence on certain political or business entities. The heuristic potential of the toolkit provides an opportunity to thoroughly explain the results to the public, to clarify the level of factual knowledge of respondents on the subject of the survey. Under such conditions, the surveyor can adequately explain to the non-sociological community possible contradictory results, especially in the case of sensitive socio-political issues.

The paper aim is to investigate how Customer Knowledge Processes used in practice by Jordanian banks to achieve customer knowledge expansion. The empirical study is based on a sample of the data collected from 165 respondents, drawn randomly from six banks. The results show that the seven selected factors (Customer Knowledge Codification, Customer Knowledge Representation, Customer Knowledge Sharing, Customer Knowledge Application, Design of Customer Knowledge, Execution of Knowledge from Customer, and Verify of Knowledge from Customer) have a significant impact on Customer Knowledge Expansion. The findings did reveal the potential relationship between the customer knowledge processes and customer knowledge expansion. It also provides advice for the Information Technology (IT) Industry as to how an analytical knowledge process from customers should be taken into account in developing countries to attain proper customer knowledge expansion because of cultural, social and educational disparities.

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to examine customer knowledge sharing between a buyer of a logistics service and the logistics service provider (LSP). The authors attempt to fill the gap in current research by investigating inter‐firm customer knowledge sharing.Design/methodology/approachA survey study was conducted. Data were collected from buyers of logistic services. Confirmatory factor analysis and multiple regression were used to analyze data and test hypotheses.FindingsResults suggest that open and fluent communication mediates the relationship between customer knowledge sharing and satisfaction with a logistics service provider. In addition, the close relationship with the logistics service provider is needed to strengthen the relationship between customer knowledge sharing and satisfaction with the logistics service provider.Research limitations/implicationsThis study provided new empirical evidence concerning inter‐firm customer knowledge sharing. The authors suggest that logistic service providers should be incorporated into the customer knowledge management process to ensure open and fluent communication about customers.Practical implicationsThis study provides practical insights for companies that sell logistic services.Originality/valueCustomer knowledge sharing has been largely studied in an intra‐firm context, for instance information sharing between marketing and research and development departments. This research extends the concept of customer knowledge sharing to the inter‐firm context.

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to develop and empirically test a framework analyzing the relationship of collaborative knowledge management practices (CKMP) with supply chain integration and supply chain knowledge quality.Design/methodology/approachThe design of the study is based on a survey of 411 firms from eight manufacturing industries that are actively involved in inter‐firm knowledge management practices with supply chain partners. First a measurement instrument for CKMP was statistically validated with confirmatory factor analysis. Then the structural equation modeling (SEM) path analysis was used to assess the structural relationship of CKMP with supply chain knowledge quality and supply chain integration.FindingsThe study found that engagement in CKMP can lead to better integration between supply chain partners and increased organizational knowledge quality.Research limitations/implicationsThe study was conducted at the firm level for activities involving inter‐firm knowledge sharing. Some measurement inaccuracy might be generated with a single respondent from each organization answering questions about both supply chain management issues and knowledge management‐related issues.Practical implicationsBy identifying collaborative knowledge generation, storage, access, dissemination and application as the major components of CKMP, this study advises organizations on how to collaborate with partner firms on sharing supply chain knowledge. CKMP's positive relationship with knowledge quality and supply chain integration provides organizations with practice‐related motivation for engaging in collaborative knowledge management and alerts them to the possibility of other potential benefits from it.Originality/valueAs one of the first large‐scale empirical efforts to systematically investigate collaborative knowledge management processes in a supply chain management context, this paper can be used as basis for enhanced homological understanding of this domain, by exploring antecedents and consequences of collaborative knowledge management.