Combining Big Data and Artificial Intelligence for Managing Collective Knowledge in Unpredictable Environment—Insights from the Chinese Case in Facing COVID-19

Abstract

The increasing fluidity of social and business configurations made possible by the opportunities provided by the World Wide Web and the new technologies is questioning the validity of consolidated business models and managerial approaches. New rules are emerging and multiple changes are required to both individuals and organizations engaged in dynamic and unpredictable paths.In such a scenario, the paper aims at describing the potential role of big data and artificial intelligence in the path toward a collective approach to knowledge management. Thanks to the interpretative lens provided by systems thinking, a framework able to explain human-machine interaction is depicted and its contribution to the definition of a collective approach to knowledge management in unpredictable environment is traced.Reflections herein are briefly discussed with reference to the Chinese governmental approach for managing COVID-19 spread to emphasise the support that a technology-based collective approach to knowledge management can provide to decision-making processes in unpredictable environments.

Knowledge management in turbulent times: time-based scenario analysis of vaccinations against COVID-19

“…Organizations can be more resilient by embracing the new paradigmatic change taking place in the practice of managing collective knowledge creation and sharing in digital economies. In line with prior studies (Ashok et al, 2021;Iandolo et al, 2020;Papa et al, 2020;Dano ˜a et al, 2020), the application of smart technologies can leverage value-added knowledge resources within organizations. Big data and artificial intelligence improve j JOURNAL OF KNOWLEDGE MANAGEMENT j knowledge sharing between public and private actors, facilitating the decision-making processes through knowledge sharing and reuse (Caputo, 2017;Iandolo et al, 2020;Dano ˜a et al, 2020;Magdinceva-Sopova et al, 2020).…”

“…As the globe come back to “normality”, organizations must leverage KM to its best advantage. Specifically, public organizations should be more prone to shift towards collective intelligence by leveraging the central aspect of this interpretative and operative framework: the management of the common good through collective knowledge creation and sharing within public and private networks (Iandolo et al , 2020; Caputo, 2017).…”

An evaluation of critical knowledge areas for managing the COVID-19 pandemic

“…Thus, organisations should be receptive to the development of new partnerships and adaptive to environmental changes, especially those arising from technological evolution (Caputo et al, 2019). Moreover, Iandolo et al (2020) observed that, as a consequence of changing dynamics in social and business configurations, organisations which are interested in surviving over the time must develop frameworks which allow them, conceptually and operationally, to integrate smart technologies into KM processes in order to support decision-making and organisational value creation activities. For example, digital technology offers opportunities for creating experiences, processes and organisational forms that reshape organisations.…”

“…Moreover, Singh et al (2020) observed that innovation and strategic flexibility are two of the most important ways in which an organisation can achieve a competitive advantage over rivals in dynamic markets. Therefore, within the context of managing the COVID-19 pandemic, Iandolo et al (2020) noted that, in addition to focusing on traditional public health outbreak response tactics (e.g., isolation, quarantining, social distancing, and community containment), other approaches based on sophisticated computational methods must be adopted. Wang and Wu (2020) noted that, in order to make appropriate strategic decisions, it is necessary to acquire critical knowledge rapidly; therefore, it is crucial to develop a specific set of KM procedures to deal with the COVID-19 outbreak.…”

“…Kruesi et al (2020) noted that the management of biomedical knowledge is key to achieving satisfactory levels of health care. In this regard, Iandolo et al (2020) highlighted the importance of highlighting the role of data and knowledge sharing in times of outbreak and disaster in order to support global understanding and efficient decision-making processes (Allam and Jones 2020;Iandolo et al, 2020;Wang and Wu, 2020). Additionally, Lee et al (2021) noted that employees' active knowledge sharing is even more critical in a crisis as it helps to identify and solve problems quickly and effectively.…”