Soft-systems approaches to knowledge-cum-values management as innovation drivers

Abstract

Purpose – Respecting the growing importance of interdependence of knowledge, values and social responsibility, the purpose of this paper is to introduce the concept of knowledge-cum-values management and to show how some soft systems approaches can support interdependence of knowledge and human values resulting in socially responsible innovative behavior, hence in success. Design/methodology/approach – The selected soft systems approaches are used to double-check the usefulness of the requisitely holistic approach to knowledge-cum-values management and innovation. The applied methodology for qualitative analysis is the Dialectical Systems Theory. Findings – One-sidedness, unlike the requisite holism, causes oversights and hence disables innovations as a new users’ benefit. Requisitely holistic knowledge-cum-values management prevents one-sidedness and therefore many oversights; hence it is a valuable driver of innovation. It is supported by social responsibility (exposing the systemic behavior by suggesting interdependence and holistic approach to one’s responsibility for one’s influences on society). By including values and by enabling consideration of interdependence of human values and knowledge, some soft systems approaches support innovative behavior with social responsibility. Research limitations/implications – Research is limited to theoretical findings resulting from authors’ previous empirical studies. The novel concept “knowledge-cum-values” erases the human dangerous one-sidedness resulting from the irrational rationalistic division of the two. Social responsibility supports informal use of some soft systems theories and diminishes this danger. Practical implications – The practical application of the selected soft systems approaches and social responsibility offers great possibilities for managers to improve the holism of their innovation processes, driven by knowledge-cum-values management. Fewer oversights are possible and lead to fewer mistakes and more success in the invention-innovation-diffusion processes. No human is rational or emotional only, either as a creator or as a consumer, but this fact is disregarded in the management literature. Social implications – Social responsibility shall be considered as an important novel soft-system approach and part of organizational innovative behavior aimed to replace the one-sided approaches prevailing so far and causing crises: the overseen attributes do not cease, but they still impact life and are out of control. Originality/value – The contribution introduces the new, still insufficiently researched concept of knowledge-cum-values management; it highlights new ways of attaining the requisitely holistic knowledge-cum-values management that enhances enterprise’s innovation capacity by requisite holism, supported by social responsibility.

Corporate Governance and Corporate Social Responsibility Synergies: A Systemic Approach

“…Various holistic tools can also support socially responsible behavior (e.g., Mulej et al, 2013;2015;Lebe & Mulej, 2014;Zlatanović & Mulej, 2015). Because the growing complexity of social issues causes interconnectedness of stakeholders, in such a highly interdependent environment, companies face problem situations, i.e., complex, interactive, dynamic, and ambiguous systems of problems.…”

“…ISO 26000 -Guideliness for Social Responsibility (ISO, 2010) replaces the concept of corporate social responsibility (CSR) with the concept of social responsibility. This change indicates a shift from corporate social responsibility to the responsibility of all organizations -profit and nonprofit, small, medium, and large -toward stakeholders and the environment (Zlatanović & Mulej, 2015).…”

The effective role of work environment and its influence on managerial innovation

“…In an organization, the nature of the culture that is found within the internal environment, in addition to the level of understanding towards the external environment are among the main supports and motivators of managerial innovation, as mentioned by Zlatanović and Mulej (2015). Other drivers that may influence the degree of innovation within the managerial system in organizations may also be involved (Dufays, 2018;Soto-Acosta & Martinez-Conesa, 2018;Lerro et al, 2014;Smith & Tushman, 2005;Buenechea-Elberdin et al, 2018;Su & Baird, 2017;Caniëls, 2008) including the following, -Strategies and structures followed in an organization, -Internal procedures and practices, -Managerial support, this involves the support of higher management, -The use of ICT (information and communications technologies), -Talents and skills within the staff of the organization, this involves managers, leaders and employees, -A good work environment that enables the human force to act in accordance with the organizational mission and vision.…”

Manifesto of the Communist Party from the viewpoint of social responsibility

“…VCEN matter, but are less considered than knowledge, which VCEN influence. Therefore we expose knowledge-cum-values management (Šarotar Žižek et al, 2014;Zlatanović, Mulej, 2015); this approach is closer to RH.…”