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Actional Intelligence, a Key Element for Actioning Knowledge. A Field Study Analysis

World Scientific
Journal of Information & Knowledge Management
Authors:
Jose Albors at Polytechnic University of Valencia
Jose Albors
Jose Carlos Ramos at Universitat Oberta de Catalunya
Jose Carlos Ramos
Peiró-Signes A. at Polytechnic University of Valencia
Peiró-Signes A.
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Abstract

This paper develops a framework based on a new construct, actional intelligence, and highlights the key elements involved: individual and organisational value alignment and open learning attitudes. It analyses the relationships between them and the individual performance in the organisation. The model is tested using Smart partial least squares (PLS) with a sample of 175 employees in a large organisation belonging to the cosmetics sector. This research also analyses whether these constructs contribute to the organisational performance of individuals. This paper contributes to developing the seminal ideas of actionable knowledge proposed by Argyris and other academics. It concludes with practical implications that justify the use of knowledge management (KM) by managers in organisations. On the other hand, it provides a better understanding of the KM process and its systematisation. It covers the research gap related to actioning of knowledge of previous methods and signifies a more practical and understandable approach to KM and a closer perspective to business.
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Actional Intelligence, a Key Element for
Actioning Knowledge. A Field Study Analysis
Jose Albors-Garrigos
Departmento de Organizaci
on de Empresas
Universidad Politecnica de Valencia
Valencia 46022, Spain
jalbors@omp.upv.es
Jose Carlos Ramos-Carrasco
Avanzalis Knowledge Barcelona, Barcelona 08007, Spain
Angel Peiro-Signes
Departmento de Organizaci
on de Empresas
Universidad Politecnica de Valencia
Valencia 46022, Spain
Published 25 January 2016
Abstract. This paper develops a framework based on a new construct, actional intelligence, and
highlights the key elements involved: individual and organisational value alignment and open learning
attitudes. It analyses the relationships between them and the individual performance in the organisation.
The model is tested using Smart partial least squares (PLS) with a sample of 175 employees in a large
organisation belonging to the cosmetics sector. This research also analyses whether these constructs
contribute to the organisational performance of individuals. This paper contributes to developing the
seminal ideas of actionable knowledge proposed by Argyris and other academics. It concludes with
practical implications that justify the use of knowledge management (KM) by managers in organisations.
On the other hand, it provides a better understanding of the KM process and its systematisation. It covers
the research gap related to actioning of knowledge of previous methods and signi¯es a more practical and
understandable approach to KM and a closer perspective to business.
Keywords: Actionable knowledge; performance; organisational values; actional intelligence.
1. Introduction: Objectives
The main management application of knowledge has increasingly been as a valuable
asset to achieve competitive advantage (Davenport and Prusak,1998). There are a
diversity of systems, projects and initiatives related to knowledge management
(KM) processes. The various streams of KM literature outline the social and global
aspects of KM and the need of a holistic approach. Finally, and from the ¯rm
management point of view, it is relevant to consider the dynamic nature of KM from
the approach of competences (Kalkan,2008).
Journal of Information & Knowledge Management
Vol. 15, No. 1 (2016) 1650006 (20 pages)
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cWorld Scienti¯c Publishing Co.
DOI: 10.1142/S0219649216500064
March 3, 2016 11:11:18am WSPC/188-JIKM 1650006 ISSN: 0219-6492
FA1
1650006-1
... We are proposing, as shown in Exhibit 3, a model derived from the Actional Intelligence construct. The core of the model lies in the Actional Intelligence process (Albors-Garrigos et al., 2010, 2016. This process model is composed of a number of consecutive steps that follow an iterative cycle: recognize relevant and needed knowledge, search that information efficiently, access adequate sources and manage networking activity, share the findings, action (apply) the knowledge, assess its satisfactory effect on the firm, and, finally, analyze the organizational behavior required to manage knowledge. ...
... We proposed a knowledge process grounded on a paradigm, Actional Intelligence (Albors-Garrigos et al., 2010, 2016, composed of successive steps that, throughout an iterative cycle, contributes to building the organizational competencies and, hence, augments individual and collective performance. The primary basis of this paradigm is Argyris's (1995Argyris's ( , 1996 theories of actionable knowledge, as well as knowledge maturity constructs (Lotti Oliva, 2014;Ramos, 2009). ...
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... In the dynamically changing conditions, organisational improvement should take into account the development of employee interaction, not only between themselves, but also with the organisation. Building common values, strengthened by openness of attitudes towards mutual learning, will ensure better understanding and use of knowledge management (Albors-Garrigos J., Ramos-Carrasco J.C., Peiro-Signes A., 2016). ...
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