Ingi Runar Edvardsson

• Ph.D, Professor
• Professor (Full) at University of Iceland

This paper presents a systematic literature review of the challenges faced by managers during COVID-19, with a focus on teleworking. The study consists of an analysis of 53 articles published in the period 2020–2023 in journals indexed in the Elsevier’s Scopus and Clarivate Analytics’ Web of Science databases. The inclusion criteria were: (1) peer-...

This article presents findings on factors hindering academic employees from becoming involved in collaboration activities. Based on survey data, we map out perceived barriers to collaboration whereby five categories emerge: teaching obligations, partner (dis)interest, partners’ resources, academic freedom, and university resources. By means of mult...

Purpose - The purpose of this paper is to structure existing research on knowledge management (KM) in small-and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) to offer a comprehensive overview of research strands and topics in KM in SMEs to determine their evolution over time. Design/methodology/approach - The paper, which is considered a follow-up literature re...

In recent years, the coming of the entrepreneurial university has brought about a third role in academia, which involves greater visible exchange of academics with society and industry. In this paper, the authors investigate to what extent individual and organisational factors influence the propensity of academics to engage in different types of Th...

Purpose - The purpose of this paper is to structure existing research on knowledge management (KM) in small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) to offer a comprehensive overview of research strands and topics in KM in SMEs to determine their evolution over time. Design/methodology/approach - The paper, which is considered a follow-up literature re...

It is generally known that small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) are a significant driver of employment and economic growth for the majority of world economies. At the same time, SMEs are more fragile in times of crisis which in turn restricts their possibilities for action. In such an environment, it appears even more relevant for SMEs to con...

The objective of our research is to analyse the extent of third mission engagement in Iceland, the main collaboration partners of academics, and barriers to collaboration. Hereby, we develop and modify scales regarding third mission activities (TM) of academics, and regarding academics’ perceptions of barriers to collaboration. For the research, a...

The Special Issue, “Rethinking Sustainability in Human Resource Management”, contains five papers that focus directly or indirectly on the vast effect the COVID-19 pandemic has had on employment, employment relations and in this context human resource management (HRM) [...]

Markmið greinarinnar er að bera saman mat sérfræðinga hjá hinu opinbera og einkafyrirtækjum á starfshönnun (e. job design) og almenna starfsánægju (e. global job satisfaction) þeirra. Niðurstöður byggja á gögnum sem safnað var árið 2018 meðal hjúkrunarfræðinga, stjórnenda og verkfræðinga og bárust 342 svör og svarhlutfallið 32%. Starfshönnun var mæ...

The paper aims to present a systematic literature review in the field of human resource management in times of crisis since 2008. In that way gaps in the current body of knowledge can be established that justify future research guidelines. The study consists of an analysis of 56 articles published in journals indexed in the Web of Science database....

The outsourcing of human resources has increased in recent years. As in other fields of management research, limited knowledge is available on outsourcing in small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). The aim of this paper is to present a study on the outsourcing of human resources in Icelandic service SMEs in the period 2009–2018. Surveys were us...

This special issue aims at inviting to rethink Human Resource Management (HRM), with a particular interest in sustainable HRM. How have recent developments affected creativity, innovation, motivation, social isolation, stress and work-life balance? Will we see a more sustainable future via homeworking, online meetings, and less commuting? How will...

The purpose of this study is to increase our understanding of how SMEs retain critical knowledge. Against the background of the underdeveloped body of knowledge regarding knowledge retention, the authors selected an explorative (qualitative) research approach. More precisely, they conducted semi-structured interviews with organization members (i.e....

In recent years, universities have become driving forces of economic growth, and they have taken greater responsibility in economic, cultural, and social matters. Thereby, universities have placed a stronger emphasis on university-industry collaboration (UIC), which facilitates knowledge and technology transfer and frames teaching and research acti...

The aim of this article is to analyse the “Third Mission” (TM) of universities within Nordic countries and universitieś approach to implementing the mission into their strategy. The main activities that Nordic universities relate to the Third Mission are examined and policy implications drawn. Furthermore, gaps in literature are outlined that imply...

Purpose This paper aims to present findings on outsourcing practices in small service firms in Iceland, where the prime focus is on knowledge-intensive service firms. Design/methodology/approach To gain information on the scope and reason for outsourcing, telephone and online surveys were used. In total, 802 firms participated in the surveys, whic...

This chapter consists of a review of 42 refereed articles on outsourcing in relation to knowledge management and learning. Among the knowledge and learning potentials of outsourcing in organisations are to focus on core competencies, organisational learning, shorten production cycles, improve quality, and enhance innovation. Outsourcing can also ha...

Purpose So far, there are very few empirical research studies available on the outsourcing pattern among small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). The purpose of this paper is to examine strategic outsourcing among Icelandic SME service firms, from 2009 to 2018. Design/methodology/approach The data presented in this paper cover responses from 80...

The aim of the article is to present the results of a research on job design and job satisfaction among nurses, engineers and managers in Iceland. The results are based on data collected among individuals in the above-mentioned expert jobs in 2018, and the total number of respondents is 342, with response rate of 32%. Job design was measured in fou...

Markmið greinarinnar er að greina áhrif hönnunarþátta og einkenna sérfræðistarfa á starfsánægju meðal hjúkrunarfræðinga, verkfræðinga og stjórnenda hér á landi og gera samanburð á því hvað einkennir störf þessara þriggja sérfræðistétta. Niðurstöður byggja á gögnum sem safnað var árið 2018 meðal einstaklinga í þremur ofangreindum sérfræðistörfum og...

Markmið greinarinnar er að bera saman umfang útvistunar á sviði mannauðsmála meðal fyrirtækja og stofnana í Danmörku, Finnlandi, Íslandi og Svíþjóð. Varpað er ljósi á umfang útvistunar á kjarnaverkefnum og umsýslu- og rekstrarverkefnum. Umfangið er borið saman milli landanna fjögurra og það greint á Norðurlöndum í heild eftir þremur meginatvinnugre...

This article presents a sustainable leader identity construction model that explores daily leader-follower interactions and leadership perceptions held by the followers. It is rooted in the relational perspective of the leadership development process and embraces a follower-centric approach to address the gaps in understanding of sustainable leader...

This article presents a sustainable leader identity construction model that explores daily leader-follower interactions and leadership perceptions held by the followers. It is rooted in the relational perspective of the leadership development process and embraces a follower-centric approach to address the gaps in understanding of sustainable leader...

The paper presents insights into the knowledge creation process in three Icelandic knowledge-intensive small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). Data were obtained through a case study methodology. The findings indicate that the three knowledge-intensive companies use complex, non-routine knowledge to deal with complex problems. Often, practical p...

The aim of this article is to present findings on knowledge management (KM) and knowledge creation, as well as open innovation in small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in Iceland. Two SME company case studies are presented in the form of a case study involving semistructured interviews with managers and selected employees and in-field observati...

The aim of this chapter is to present findings on knowledge creation and open innovation (OI) in small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in Iceland. The main focus is on how these SMEs deal with knowledge creation, knowledge sharing and storage, and how customers and other external stakeholders are involved in the innovation process. The research...

In environments that are characterized by skill shortage, knowledge retention should be a key activity. Our understanding of this knowledge practice, however, is underdeveloped. The purpose of this chapter is to contribute to the further development of this field. The authors are interested in studying how smaller firms approach the retention of cr...

Low levels of education have serious social, economic and cultural ramifications in rural areas. In many countries, regional universities have explicitly been built to educate the local population, create professional jobs and stimulate innovation. More recently, distance education has been developed to provide university education in rural regions...

Background: When financial cuts are made, staff redundancies and reorganisation in the healthcare system often follow. Little is known how such cutbacks affect work motivation of nurses in primary health care. Aim: Examine the effects of cutbacks on motivating factors among nurses in primary health care. Methods: A phenomenological approach in...

Knowledge-based development (KBD) is a widely practiced policy and is signified as an effective development approach particularly for the metropolitan city-region context. Even though, increasing recognition of this policy resulted in some initiatives in less favoured regions – such as regional university towns – its appropriateness for this contex...

Universities are considered as the central actors for developing knowledge needed to drive economic growth and development, thus it is important to study how well universities manage this role. In particular against the background of knowledge-based developments which have increased lately. Therefore, the aim of the paper is to review research on u...

The aim of the article is to examine whether there is a difference in the utilization of education among university educated employees in private companies on the one hand and public institutions on the other. The target population of the research was based on a random sample drawn from the National Population Register by the National Survey of the...

The aim of the article is to examine whether there is a difference in the utilization of education among university educated employees in private companies on the one hand and public institutions on the other. The target population of the research was based on a random sample drawn from the National Population Register by the National Survey of the...

The purpose of this study is to increase our understanding of how SMEs retain critical knowledge. Against the background of the underdeveloped body of knowledge regarding knowledge retention, the authors selected an explorative (qualitative) research approach. More precisely, they conducted semi-structured interviews with organization members (i.e....

This article contributes to cross-cultural management literature, by providing empirical data from two underresearched countries, to serve in the future as benchmark cultural shift research. Furthermore, it illustrates not only the insufficiency of mare statement of cultural dimension difference/similarities but also a need to contextualize them. R...

This paper aims to review research that determines the influence of outsourcing on knowledge management and learning, a process which will help identify new research opportunities and contribute to the further development of outsourcing theory. The study consists of a review of 34 refereed articles on outsourcing in relation to knowledge management...

Universities are considered as the central actors for developing knowledge needed to drive economic growth and development, thus it is important to study how well universities manage this role. In particular against the background of knowledge-based developments which have increased lately. Therefore, the aim of the paper is to review research on u...

Markmið þessarar greinar er að skoða hvort efnahagssveiflur hafi áhrif á skipulagsform (skipurit) íslenskra fyrirtækja. Bornar eru saman kannanir höfunda frá árinu 2007 og árið 2016 og greint hvort efnahagssveiflur hafi haft áhrif á skipulagsform viðkomandi fyritækja. Spurt var í síðari könnuninni hvort einhverjar skipulagsbreytingar hefðu orðið á...

The changing and challenging conditions of the 21st century have been significantly impacting our economy, society and built and natural environments. Today generation of knowledge, mostly in the form of science, technology, engineering, mathematics, and arts, is seen as a panacea for the adaptation to changes and management of challenges. Making s...

This paper seeks to analyse the application of outsourcing within Icelandic service companies in the wake of the banking collapse. Findings are based on comparing surveys conducted in early 2009 and in the summer of 2013. The main conclusion is that outsourcing did not increase, and similar tasks are outsourced in both surveys. Also, more firms gav...

Ongoing low participation of women in global leadership calls for more research in this field. In this article, we set out to include gendered expectations toward leader behavior as part of cross-cultural leadership theory. Building on an existing body of research, we focus on propositions about the effects of gendered expectations on the leader, f...

The issue of sustainability has been frequently discussed in recent years. Knowledge and its management represent aspects that fit nicely with one of the underlying conditions of sustainability, i.e. durability. Indeed, proper knowledge management can help firms in coping with present and future business challenges. The outsourcing of secondary bus...

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to analyse the application of outsourcing within Icelandic service companies in the wake of the banking collapse. Design/methodology/approach – Findings are based on comparing surveys conducted in early 2009 (381 answers) and in the summer of 2013 (212 answers). Findings – In general outsourcing did not increa...

The outsourcing of knowledge processes has become a popular business practice. This situation provides both new opportunities and threats for firms’ and their development. In this context, it would be interesting to discuss the link between knowledge process outsourcing (KPO) and sustainable organisations that pursue not only economic issues but al...

Purpose - The aim of this paper is to review research on outsourcing of knowledge processes in order to establish the current body of knowledge and, on this basis, to identify gaps in our understanding. This action will justify further research activities as well as clarify where no future research is currently needed. Design/methodology/approach...

The aim of this paper is to outline the progress of the University of Akureyri and its effect on regional development in Northern Iceland during the period of 1987-2012. A case study methodology was used, drawing upon historical material, official sources, and interviews. The main findings are that the university has greatly stimulated knowledge-ba...

This paper reports on empirical work recently conducted on outsourcing among knowledge-based and other service firms in Iceland. The results show that knowledge-based firms outsource on a larger scale and more human resource functions than other service firms. However, they do not have a more strategic vision towards outsourcing, nor do they outsou...

Studies on knowledge creation are limited in general, and there is a particular shortage of research on the topic in small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). Given the importance of SMEs for the economy and the vital role of knowledge creation in innovation, this situation is unsatisfactory. Accordingly, the purpose of our study is to increase ou...

The purpose of our paper is to review extant research to identify what we know about the benefits of knowledge management for small and medium-sized enterprises. The following research questions were formulated according to this aim: 1) What kind of studies have been conducted that focus on benefits of KM within SMEs? 2) What were the main findings...

The purpose of this paper is to review research on knowledge management's benefits within small and medium-sized firms. The paper attempts to answer the following research questions: 1) Which studies have been conducted that focus on the benefits of KM within SMEs? 2) What were the main findings of the studies? 3) In what manner does KM improve inn...

The purpose of this paper is to analyse the effect of knowledge management on value creation in Icelandic firms. The aim is to examine the ways KM contributes to value creation, and measure the ways in which KM affects customer capital, innovation, and human capital. Given the limited number of firms in the survey with KM programmes, the findings s...

The aim of this paper is to review research available on gender and nationality as determinants of leadershipstyle, with special focus on top leaders/managers. The paper is based on a systematic literature review. Thesystematic literature search resulted in 27 papers, that were grouped in five categories: 1) Leaders’characteristics, behavior and st...

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Markmið greinarinnar er að öðlast yfirsýn yfir þekkingarstjórnun í stjórnsýslu íslenskra sveitarfélaga, með sérstakri áherslu á þekkingarmiðlun. Rafræn könnun var lögð fyrir starfsmenn stjórnsýslu sveitarfélaga sem hafa fleiri en 1500 íbúa, að Reykjavík, Mosfellsbæ og Hafnarfirði undanskildum. Alls svöruðu 385 einstaklingar og svarhlutfall því 63,3...

Tilgangur greinarinnar er tvíþættur: Í fyrsta lagi að greina áhrif niðurskurðar í kjölfar efnahagshrunsins á helstu starfshvata hjúkrunarfræðinga í heilsugæslu og í öðru lagi að greina áhrif niðurskurðarins á þekkingarmiðlun innan sama hóps. Rannsóknaraðferðin var eigindleg, byggð á Vancouver-skólanum í fyrirbærafræði. Tekin voru hálfstöðluð viðtöl...

Purpose – The aim of this paper is to review research on knowledge management in small and medium-sized enterprises to identify gaps in the current body of knowledge, which justify future research directions. Design/methodology/approach – The study consists of a systematic review of 36-refereed empirical articles on knowledge management and small...

The aim of the paper is to analyse the effect of outsourcing on the intellectual capital of firms in the current turbulent environment. In particular, the paper will analyse the difference between cost-driven and strategic-driven outsourcing and their impact on human and organisational/relational capital. In addition, the paper will stress the diff...

This paper reports on empirical work recently conducted on outsourcing among knowledge-based and other service firms in Iceland. The results show that knowledge-based firms outsource on a larger scale and more human resource functions than other service firms. However, they do not have a more strategic vision towards outsourcing, nor do they outsou...

The aim of this paper is to analyse knowledge management (KM) among the administrative units of Icelandic municipalities, with að special emphasis on knowledge sharing. An online survey was sent to nearly all the personnel of all the Icelandic municipalities’ administration. In total 385 individuals responded to the survey, a response rate of 63.3%...

The aim of the paper is twofold: Firstly, to examine the effects of cutbacks related to the the economic collapse on the motivating factors among nurses in primary health care and, secondly, to examine the effects of the cutbacks on the knowledge sharing within the same group. A qualitative method, the Vancouver-school of doing phenomenology, was u...

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to analyse the effect of knowledge management (KM) on value creation in Icelandic service firms. The aim is to examine how KM contributes to value creation, and measure the ways in which KM affects intangible assets, such as customer capital, innovation, and human capital. Design/methodology/approach The author...

This paper reports on empirical work recently conducted on outsourcing among 381 service SMEs in Iceland. The study found that the majority of the firms outsourced some service activities, primarily in the local area, and that they did not have a strategic vision for outsourcing. The motives for outsourcing were more related to strategic aspects, s...

Markmið greinarinnar er að kynna niðurstöður könnunar um stefnumótun í íslenskum fyrirtækjum og stofnunum sem framkvæmd var seinni hluta ársins 2007. Könnunin, sem var netkönnun, náði til rekstrareininga með fleiri en fimm starfsmenn. Svör bárust frá 222 æðstu stjórnendum fyrirtækja og stofnana (46% svörun). Könnunin hefur þá sérstöðu að ná til lít...

This paper reports on empirical work recently conducted on outsourcing among knowledge-based and other service firms in Iceland. The results show that knowledge-based firms outsource on a larger scale and more human resource functions than other service firms. However, they do not have a more strategic vision towards outsourcing, nor do they outsou...

This paper focuses on risk perception amongst fishermen in four countries: the Faroe Islands, Greece, Iceland and the uk. The main question addressed is whether fishermen in the four countries perceive risk in a similar or diverse manner. In particular, risks associated with policy, management and control, fish stock health, economic factors and cl...

The objective of this article is to present the results of a survey conducted in 2007 on strategic management in Icelandic organizations. The survey was sent by e-mail to organizations with five or more employees. Answers from 222 top managers of companies and institutions (46% response rate) were received. The distinctiveness of the survey is that...

Markmið greinarinnar er að skoða ákvarðanatöku stjórnenda hjá opinberum stofnunum og svara þeirri spurningu hvort munur sé á ákvarðanatöku þeirra saman borið við stjórnendur einkafyrirtækja. Viðtöl voru tekin við stjórnendur hjá þremur einkafyrirtækjum og þremur opinberum stofnunum. Niðurstöður leiða í ljós að stjórnendur opinberra stofnana og eink...

The aim of the paper is to examine the process of decision-making among public administrators and answer the question of whether this differs from the way decisions is arrived at in the private sector. Interviews were conducted at three private companies and three public institutions. The results indicate that the administrators of public bodies an...

This article presents the results of a research project on individual attitudes with regard to the choice of academic fields of study and selection of a university. The research comprises graduates from the University of Akureyri, and investigates whether differences in choice occur on the basis of gender, age groups and local versus distance mode...

This paper presents findings from a survey on knowledge management (KM) in small and medium-sized firms (SMEs) in Iceland conducted in 2007 and was a follow-up of a similar survey from 2004. The paper analyses whether the extent, strategy and effects of KM in SMEs in Iceland has changed in the period. The main conclusion is that KM is not losing gr...

Markmið þessarar greinar er að rannsaka útvistun í íslenskum þjónustufyrirtækjum og hvort þau útvisti verkþáttum á milli landshluta. Greinin byggir á viðtölum við tíu sérfræðinga og fulltrúa í þjónustufyrirtækjum sem valdir voru með hentugleikaúrtaki. Helstu niðurstöður eru þær að engin stefna hefur verið mótuð innan fyrirtækjanna varðandi útvistun...

Í þessari grein er varpað ljósi á íslenska stjórnendur, stjórnunaraðferðir þeirra og sérkenni. Greinin kannar einnig hvort breytingar hafi orðið á stjórnunaraðferðum á árunum 2004-2007. Rannsóknin byggir á rafrænni spurningalistakönnun þar sem stjórnendur í íslenskum fyrirtækjum af ólíkri stærð voru spurðir um stjórnun og svörun var 46%. Litlar bre...

This paper first presents the development of distance education in Icelandic universities. Its second aim is to present a detailed analysis of the distance education practice at the University of Akureyri (UNAK), Iceland. Finally, the paper aims at analysing academic achievement, as well as attitudes towards courses, among campus and distance stude...

Purpose – This paper sets out, first, to integrate HR strategies into knowledge management (KM) systems; second, to examine the type of HR strategies to be pursued and third, it looks at the probable behaviour effects of such a strategy in the creation, distribution and use of knowledge. Design/methodology/approach – The paper discusses recent li...

This paper analyses the present use of Really Simple Syndication (RSS) feeds by presenting a preliminary survey among global firms and investigating RSS as a potential new e-marketing opportunity for firms. The findings show that RSS feeds are highly underutilised in direct marketing among global companies. A survey of major corporate websites reve...

Markmið þessarar greinar er í fyrsta lagi að kanna hvaða skipulagsform (skipurit) eru við lýði í íslenskum fyrirtækjum. Í öðru lagi er markmiðið að kanna áhrif stærðar fyrirtækja og rekstrarumhverfis á skipulag þeirra. Greinin byggir á niðurstöðum netkönnunar sem framkvæmd var af Rannsóknar- og þróunarmiðstöð Háskólans á Akureyri. Svör bárust frá 2...

The demographic changes to come will pose significant challenges for our society – at all levels and in most aspects of our lives (from infrastructure and housing issues to labour supply and pension schemes). Notwithstanding this however much that passes for research into the effects of demographic change is often highly partial and generally short...

This paper presents findings from a survey on knowledge management (KM) in small- and medium-sized firms (SMEs) in Iceland. It analyses the extent, strategy and effects of KM. The results indicate that more managers in SMEs need to consider the strengths and weaknesses of KM, and implement a formal KM strategy. Only 24|[percnt]| of Icelandic firms...

Í þessari grein er kynnt rannsókn á skipulagi og stjórnunaraðferðum í íslenskum fyrirtækjum. Markmið hennar er í fyrsta lagi að skoða hvaða skipulagsform (skipurit) eru við lýði í íslenskum fyrirtækjum. Í öðru lagi er markmiðið að kanna hvaða stjórnunaraðferðir eru algengastar í íslenskum fyrirtækjum og í þriðja lagi er markmiðið að athuga hvort þa...

Regional imbalances caused by and effecting demographic change are unevenly spread between the Nordic countries. A common threat is that of labour shortage, which is already experienced in certain sectors in particular regions and forecasted on a broader scale in the future. The also common characteristic of an ageing labour force has important sid...

This paper is an analysis of structural change and the differing performances of local labour markets (LLMs) in a national and international context. Performance is defined in terms of the annual rate of activation of the labour force. Gross-stream statistics for one metropolitan region in Nordic countries are compared to the corresponding national...

This chapter has a dual purpose. First, it deals with the foundation of the University of Akureyri and its importance for regional development in northern Iceland. Second, it deals with higher education in Iceland, throwing light on some of the country’s idiosyncrasies. The chapter begins by introducing the general situation in Iceland, thereby out...

This study focuses on the effect of university education on developments relating to people's choice of residence in Iceland. In order to gain answers to the research questions, secondary data were obtained from official sources, trade unions, the data bank of the Social Science Institute, University of Iceland, and by interviewing 20 nursing and b...

Drawing on empirical material from comparative research on jobbing printing in Iceland and Sweden, the author argues that the typesetting process has been subjected to deskilling, and he stresses that the development has been far more complex than often is realised. He concludes that gender, firm size, and production run and variety, must be consid...

This paper investigates whether fisheries management systems influence risk perceptions amongst fishermen in three European countries. The main findings of this paper are that risks related to policy, management and control are most frequently cited by fishermen in the case study countries. These risks are followed by economic, trade and market iss...

Introduction The purpose of this paper is to present a study on career development among graduates in nursing, teaching, and business administration from the University of Akureyri (UNAK), Iceland. The focus will be on the early career, i.e. the first years of employment after graduation. The paper will, moreover, analyze the following topics: 1) s...