Managing knowledge work in Asia Pacific contexts: case studies of Hong Kong SMEs

Abstract

This study explores how knowledge creation and sharing practices are fostered in a sample of small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in Hong Kong. Our analysis indicates that three types of managerial interventions – initiating intervention, reinforcing intervention and aligning intervention – are particularly useful to promote knowledge management activities among employees. Such findings provide insights into researchers and managers on the important role of managerial interventions in knowledge management (KM) as well as the idiosyncrasies of KM in SMEs in Chinese societies.

Keywords:

• Case study
• Hong Kong
• knowledge management
• managerial intervention
• motivation
• small- and medium-sized enterprises

Acknowledgements

We would like to thank Matthew Warr for his comments to an earlier draft of this paper, our research assistant Mr. Rocky Mak for his assistance, the guest editors of this Special Issue for their support as well as two anonymous reviewers for their constructive comments and encouragement.