The Influence of Quality Management on the ...

IZABELA SZTANGRET The Client Knowledge Management on the IT Market

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Contemporary Management. Theoretical and Practical Aspects, edited by Hittmar, Lisiński, University of Żylina, WSB Dąbrowa Górnicza, 2015 ISBN 978-80-554-0982-5

THE CLIENT KNOWLEDGE MANAGEMENT ON THE IT MARKET IZABELA SZTANGRET Abstract: The idea of knowledge management, marketing knowledge management and knowledge communities occurred as a consequence of the process of transformation of traditional business relations into collaboration of industry, services and their partners, due to the fact that information has become a production resource, especially in net-product sectors (for example IT sector). The intellectual value (information, knowledge, innovation) is created by enterprises, their cocompetitors (co-operators, competitors) and customers to satisfy target markets. Global, innovative firms have been applying new tools to create relations based on knowledge-changing, because global customers are more exacting and they take decisions more knowingly. The article contains the example of the best practices in marketing knowledge management of IT-leaders (IBM, Intel, Microsoft, HP) in Poland and global market as well as customers’ opinions about it. Keywords: knowledge management, knowledge communities, knowledge transfer JEL Classification: M15

1. INTRODUCTION Resources and competences at the disposal of contemporary companies account for their competitive advantage, determining their attractiveness in global relations with other subjects. Hence, deliberate and engaged co-implementation of a long-term strategy of creating value for the client is a prerequisite for success, and knowledge creation and management is necessary to achieve this. This is enabled by inter-company relations (including network ones; [6]; [3]), which in total create additional value in comparison to the value of the sum of individual actions. Synergy is a factor generating mutual attractiveness among the cooperating subjects, and as such, it constitutes inter-organizational network, both subsectoral and inter-sectoral. This can be observed in IT product market, which is the subject of interest of the author. Hence, the relations with partners, specialists, research teams, scientific centres and the customers gain a new, network dimension, with the latter being the creator and consumer of a particular bundle of benefits (prosumer), as well as an active network participant. The customers, having specified their individual needs, become consultants in the process of value creation, provided that their competences are adequately stimulated. This may result in loyal behaviour, but at the same time it enhances the client’s bargaining power. The development of technological awareness of the target customer creates new reservoirs of innovativeness. A number of initiatives and actions undertaken by the investigated companies from the IT sector within the so called client knowledge communities make the way to acquire and stimulate this element of knowledge ecosystem and this constitutes an interesting subject for research and scientific enquiries. The main goals of the research were: 1/ to identify and describe the customer knowledge management tools applied by selected leaders of IT sector, 2/ to identify the knowledge about, and involvement of customers in created community of practice. It is supposed that, the firms in which knowledge is the key resource apply various ranges of activities in the sphere of knowledge formation. Despite the development of information society and computerization of society, the awareness and involvement in knowledge communities is marginal. 2. SCIENTIFIC AIM, METHODOLOGY/METHODS 2.1. Customer knowledge management– identification of research category Knowledge is a social product and it is disseminated in social processes. Within sociological concept, relationships between various types of knowledge are social relationships between individuals and groups that possess and develop this knowledge. As a result, creation of new knowledge represents creation of new social relationships or new ways of combining existing relationships and managing them [20]. According to this concept, creation of new knowledge is a consequence of dynamic interactions between participants in some relationships, and according to Nonaka and Takeuchi, they make three groups of players: knowledge practitioners, constructors of knowledge and knowledge leaders [13][14]. “Knowledge” seem to mean three things by the use of the word "knowledge [12]." First, it refer to a state of knowing, by which we also mean to be familiar with, to be aware of, to recognize facts, principles, techniques and so on. This common usage corresponds to what is often referred to as "know about." Second, the word "knowledge" refers to "the capacity for action," an understanding or grasp of facts, methods, principles and techniques sufficient to apply them in the course of making things

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successful. This corresponds to "know how." Third, the term "knowledge" refers to codified, captured and accumulated facts, methods, principles and techniques. From the marketing point of view, knowledge is defined as company knowledge about its customers and competitors [5]. Broadly speaking it is customer knowledge, consumer knowledge and market knowledge [22]. Information about market environment, and particularly about the customers, is a stimulant of company knowledge [5] and the mainspring of marketoriented strategies [19]. Huber, Morman and Miner similarly identify marketing knowledge with information about market that is acquired, transferred, interpreted and stored [7]. Jaworski, Khol, Slater and Narver define marketing knowledge as orientation towards market [8]. Srinivasta defines marketing knowledge as a phenomenon combining three various marketing processes: product development management, value chain management and management of relationships with customers [23]. According to Davenport's view, relationships with customers are formed through adjustment to their needs in the process of their effective satisfying, while managing the customers' knowledge at the same time [4]. Establishment of interactions between an individual and an organisation, as well as lateral relationships between functional units allow for transformation of information into knowledge [1][2] that is necessary to make decisions in the enterprise. Thus, in structural approach, marketing knowledge management1 consists in management of people and their competences. It is both the basis of knowledge about the customers and cooperants, and exchange of information between the enterprises and customers / cooperants, implemented to acquire, satisfy and sustain them. 2.2. Knowledge communities as a tool of marketing knowledge management Communities in action or communities of practice are groups of entities correlated with each other most often in an informal way, with common skills and interests in joint ventures. Groups may develop naturally or may be specially created in on-line form or in actual reality for the purpose of knowledge development. This phenomenon was described for the first time by Jean Lave and Etienne Wenger in 1991 [9], and the notion of "communities of practice" was defined by Wenger in 1998 [26]. It is a specific area of activity, a common venture undertaken by its participants, that is constantly re-negotiated on common grounds, and that constitutes the platform for information exchange. This is the notion that combines three terms: mutual involvement, common venture and common result. Through participation in a community, its members define standards of creation of relationships based on cooperation. These relationships unite community members in a social entity. Common ground is formed through interactions between members, and this, as a consequence, allows for creation of common resources [26]. In successive works, Wenger also indicates that communities of practice are groups of people participating in a community activity that experiences constant creation of their common identity through involvement and contribution to development of a specific practice for their community [25]. What is more, Wenger states that communities are characterized by three elements: a) knowledge domains that include a set of issues, b) communities of people that develop these domains, c) activities / practices that serve development of domains. Because of virtualization of the environment of entities functioning, the concept of knowledge community or community of practice, finds its place in concepts that are developed with respect to CoP [10]. They are NoP (Network of Practice), oCoP (Online Community of Practice) and VCoP (Virtual Community of Practice) concepts. Knowledge communities can also be viewed as a method by which organizational or process innovation is produced. KCs are often founded to introduce a change to a system, an organizational or societal one, by identifying, creating, representing and/or distributing data, information and/or knowledge in, and via, a community context under the pretext that more significant value will be created via a knowledge value chain. From an organizational perspective, knowledge communities serve maintaining strong ties and weak ties of the organization with many diverse public; they help feed quality back into the organization (via more timely feedback and narrative analysis of discussions), drive organization credibility (via richer exposure and building public trust by incorporating diverse opinion) and speed knowledge transfer and knowledge utilization (e.g., by providing a conversation space to bridge gaps between research and practice) [16]. 2.3. Knowledge management in network structures Knowledge communities are a form of implementing the knowledge management concept typical of network structures, whose participant, next to business partners, is also the customer. Knowledge created, exchanged and used in those structures, is the effect of their cooperation. The customer knowledge communities constitute an integral subsystem of the business network structures. Network structures in business are groups of more than two independent organizations related to one another with ties of the following features: decisions on resources are made not only integrally by the parties to the transaction but also collectively by collaborating parties, flow of resources between collaborating parties is not of tentative but rather repeatable nature, a mutual expectation of collaborating partners that cover a longer time perspective, information (knowledge) available to the collaborating parties is much greater than the one in the case of market coordination, the parties coordinate their activities through negotiations and agreements, not competition.

1

KM emerged as a scientific discipline in the earlier 1990s. Discussion of the KM idea has been taken up by academics, such as Ikujiro Nonaka (Hitotsubashi University), Hirotaka Takeuchi (Hitotsubashi University), Thomas H. Davenport (Babson College) and Baruch Lev (New York University) and for example, by Grażyna Gierszewska, Marcin Staniewski, Bogdan Wawrzyniak in Poland.


Networks create an additional value compared to the value equal to the sum of individual activities. Synergy is a factor generating mutual attractiveness of collaborating partners and thus it constitutes cross-organizational networks, both suband cross-sectoral ones. The network partners take part in building up the network success (collaborative strategies). The sources of this success lie in conscious and committed common implementation of a long-run strategy of building up values for which producing and managing the network of knowledge is essential [24]. The knowledge sharing and its spreading may mean a centrally managed process of the knowledge dissemination within a certain group of employees and/or the network partners, as well as transfer of knowledge between individuals and groups of individuals. The knowledge management, particularly in network structures, requires a system attitude since it covers the following: sets of knowledge, relation networks between partners, and ways of transferring knowledge, IT systems, IT networks, semantic systems and culture of organization. In a network structure the intellectual capital is the key competence of the enterprise – the network Promoter, or tacit knowledge is reserved for the integrator and strategic collaborators and prosumers. The integrator in this case is defined as possessing key competences and coordinating their transfer within the network [29]. In addition, continuous dissemination of knowledge takes place. Knowledge circulates on various levels of the network and in various directions [21]. As regards knowledge markets, certain transfers can be distinguished between: participants of an internal market and internal experts of an enterprise, units of an enterprise internal knowledge market and external experts, network entities, network knowledge market entities and external experts, potential network participants, institutions and organization from close environment, network entities and the client. Thus, the market becomes a forum for co-creating competences of exceptionally synergic value. 2.4.Data and Methodology The methods used in this research are an in-depth case study analysis and direct research. Case study consists in a comprehensive presentation of a real situation occurring in a particular company or in regard to one of the functions realized within the company (e. g. management, marketing), which is treated as an individual case. It involves seeking for all necessary data enabling its in-depth analysis, formulating possible choice options and making the best possible decision, accompanied by a proper justification [27]2. „Complex situations” i.e. groups of economic subjects (particularly leaders of network structures and clients) and their marketing behaviour are the unit of analysis/the subject of the case investigated [17]. The case reflects changes that are new and to some extent critical for the investigated subjects, particularly in Polish economy. In the initial stage of the research networking product promoters have been selected, through the review of experiences and the use of the criterion of their revenues from sales of products and services in the Polish market in rankings (table 1). Table 1 The biggest IT firms on Polish market in 2012 (by revenues from sales of products and services) 1 … 7 … 9 … 19

HP Polska

3041000000 PLZ/760250000 Euro

IBM Polska

1323700000 PLZ/330925000 Euro

Microsoft

1300000000 PLZ//325000000 Euro

Intel Technology Poland

590000000 PLZ/147500000 Euro

Source: [11] Furthermore, chosen firms were pointed as well known by respondents in field research. Four leaders/network promoters were subject to the research. Then their network partners and cooperants outside the network were determined and subnetworks of clients were selected, by observation of websites and direct interview. The investigated IT companies are representatives of a convergent sector (telecommunication, IT, media) and offer various products for business, public, home, entertainment or universal purposes. Their common feature is strong engagement in creating knowledge communities and cooperating in this field. This is an attempt to find best practices within marketing knowledge management in network knowledge communities, for the purpose of creating and exchanging computer products.

2

Application of this method seems well founded, considering the following: the research concerns contemporary, dynamic phenomena and the process of knowledge formation, pertaining to these phenomena; the research concerns investigating actual contexts of these phenomena, concerning significant ambiguity of boundaries between the very phenomena and their contexts; the object of the research is too complicated, to explain cause and effect relationships with the help of methods such as a poll or an experiment.

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Direct surveys were performed on a sample of 823 students from public and non-public universities in Poland, who were studying in mural and extramural programs in 2013 year. The selection of respondents is justified by a high percentage of computer and Internet users in this group of people3 (table 2).

Table 2 Basic information about performed research CHARACTERISTICS OF PERFORMED STUDY

SPECIFICATION

Sample selection

analysis of Internet pages direct interview purposeful selection

purposeful selection

Sample size

4

823

Criteria of selection of sample group

revenue from sales on Polish market

computer and internet users

Spatial range of research

Poland analysis was performed between 20002013

Poland/ Silesia

Research technique

Time range of research

field research

April-October 2013

3. FINDINGS AND DISCUSSIONS 3.1.The community of knowledge in IBM According to corporate strategy of knowledge management in IBM, the company applies a series of knowledge management tools in communities created mostly within scientific circles and business partners (fig.1).

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-

-

-

-

IBM University Relations resources for teachers, researchers, students, administrators; developing a new academic discipline: Services Science, Management and Engineering (SSME) IBM Mentor Place program implementation – supporting schoolchildren and students.

IBM innovation in education solutions for educators at all levels; open technologies, open source software

IBM Global Business Service – employs over 6000 consultants, assists customers in creating and implementing key strategic processes and technological initiatives. Departments offering advice and expertise in order to maximize values for final-users: - Strategy & Change (strategic management for the customer) - Human Capital Management (human resources management in the customer’s organization) - Financial Management Solutions (the customer’s finances management) - Customer Relationship Management (managing customer relations) - Supply Chain Management (managing the customer supply chain) - Application services

IBM Institute for Business Value – employs over 60 consultants and experts in strategic consulting and operational management, with IT knowledge; the mission is to help managers to create and realize business values with the use of the latest technology; organizes seminars for Customers.

IBM Innovation Center – offers technological assistance and training courses to developers and Business Partners.

Lifelong learning - on demand learning for all ages

Figure 1 Knowledge management initiatives in IBM 3

An average Polish young person spends about 18 hours a week on-line. It is nearly twice as much as the generation of his/her parents (about 10.7 hours) and three times more than the generation of his/her grandparents (6.1 hours). People with university education (17.1 hours on-line) and secondary education (12.8 hours on-line) are predominant here. [28]


Source: the author’s own study based on the company’s internal information 3.2. The client in the asymmetric social network (based on the Intel’s initiatives) Taking the customer knowledge management initiatives (fig. 2), Intel belongs to a network of partners cooperating for promoting information and communication technologies (ICT).

Intel Teach Program (K12) - aims at training teachers to use technological tools and resources in class; the program functions in 40 countries and involves ca 13 million teachers.

Intel Science Talent Search, Intel International Science and Engineering Fair, Intel Schools of Distinction - aims at provoking and developing students’ knowledge and enthusiasm for science, inspires schoolchildren to seek careers in science and technology.

Intel Higher Education Program – facilitates participation of higher education schools in high-tech sector’s grants and conferences.

Intel Learn Program, Intel Computer Clubhouse Network – aims at propagating techniques and skills to solve global problems in non-school among young people working with instructors.

Figure 2 Initiatives within the customer/collaborator knowledge management Source: the author’s own study based on the company internal information By systematic broadening of the knowledge forum, Intel takes part in defining standards of future cooperation of nongovernmental organizations and the government. Such activities are another possibility of informal management and creation of knowledge. The implementation tools in the scope of client strategy are in this case of social-cultural and technological nature, including elements of financial back-up (table 3). Table 3 The tools of client knowledge community according to target groups TARGET GROUP Teachers of elementary and high schools

University scientific workers and students

Students

Society

TOOLS - conferences, e. g. “Moving Young Minds” - programs „Nauczanie ku przyszłości”, „Odyseja innowacyjna” (Eng. teaching towards the future, innovation odyssey) - direct training in the scope of applying technology in class - website „Intel Edukacja” (Intel Education) – educational on-line program for educators - global educational strategy with the participation of companies and the government - scientists’ forum, e. g. the university representatives from EMEA region - sponsoring university research and grants in the following fields: application, telecommunication architecture, communication, microprocessor technologies and systems - programs in favour of implementing technological solutions, e. g. „Otwarty program nauczania” (Eng. Open educational program) - Intel’s lectures for students - doctoral studies in 12 European R&D institutes - competition for students aiming at increasing interest in post graduate and doctoral studies - Scientific rivalry – organization called Intel International Science and Engineering Fair (ISEF) rewards accomplishments of young scientists - activating students into initiatives such as e. g. international scientific and technological fairs - computer clubs of Intel - educational programs „projektowanie i odkrywanie” (Eng. designing and discovering) - expanding broadband access to Internet

Source: own case study 3.3. The cooperation within knowledge community, based on the example of formalized structure (Promoter Microsoft) The Microsoft Company creates knowledge communities (table 4) by participating in programs for the benefit of potential network users and global society. Such programs include: facilitation of dynamic development for companies, the

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development of information society, promoting innovative technologies as a factor increasing competitiveness, dissemination of innovative technologies as a factor increasing the accessibility of offices for citizens, promoting the possibility of financing investments in new technologies with the help of EU subsidies. Within the knowledge community, created in the Internet, Microsoft singles out the following: Microsoft online community – it is a place in the Internet for programmers and IT specialists, where one can find knowledge, problem solutions as well as meet new people in the IT field. Offline communities are mostly User Groups, gathering Microsoft technology enthusiasts. Microsoft Most Valuable Professionals (MVP) is an international Microsoft program for programmers and IT specialists.


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Table 4 The subjects of Microsoft’s knowledge community, aims and tools of effecting transfers PROGRAM European Counselling Initiative

CO-IMPLEMENTERS HP, Intel, BRE Bank

TARGET GROUP Small and medium enterprises Self-government units

TOOLS Direct relations with specialists (consulting company, bank representative), on-line relations

Subprograms of IDE

Cisco, HP, Intel, Microsoft

Local authorities

Direct and on – line relations

Entrepreneurship academy Partnerstwo dla Przyszłości ( Partnership for the Future) (Microsoft Unlimited Potential)

TP SA, HP, Intel, Siemens, Bank Millenium Governments, nongovernmental organizations, sector leaders, scientific community

Enterprises

Direct and on – line relations

Enterprises Educators and students

Microsoft Imagine Cup

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Students

Direct and on – line relations Software packages – Microsoft Student Innovation Suite, Centres for technology education (Community Based Technology and Learning Centre, Project Ikonk@, Centre of education and professional activation of the disabled Association „Gniazdo” (Eng. Nest) Direct relations

Academic Board at Microsoft’s

-

Universities and

Direct relations

ITeraz Europa

PURPOSE AND FORM Free seminars and conferences (e.g. Microsoft Entrepreneurship Forum) concerning obtaining European funds, using modern technologies to achieve competitive advantage, databases of current subsidies, preparing applications for subsidizing a particular project, procedures of obtaining financial funds for own contribution (success fee payments) Knowledge about the accessibility of EU funds for investments in modern technologies Knowledge about the accessibility of EU funds for investments in modern technologies Subprogram Education: courses and training (certificates in the field of Microsoft technology) Computer laboratories, E-reading rooms

Subprogram Education: technological competition increasing interest in technology and innovation outside school, internship program Development of cooperation in the field of teaching, research

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Innovation centres (entrepreneur incubators)

governments, educational institutions, enterprises, banks

Partnerstwo na rzecz dostępu do technologii (Partnership for Technology Access) Network of knowledge telecenters (TKN)

Government, technological companies, banks, , nongovernmental organizations Academy for Educational Development, telecentre.org

colleges Small and medium enterprises Labour markets

Direct relations, Internet portal Centres for technology education

Developing economies

Direct relations

Governments, enterprises, community leaders

Book publication, webpage

and university computerization Subprogram on supporting local innovativeness and development opportunities: access to programs and services of Microsoft for the purpose of raising qualifications of employees, creating workplaces, strengthening innovativeness and competitiveness Program on increasing access to personal computers and technology application Stimulating technology application for social-economic development

Source: own case study


Through making modern technologies available to clients, partnership with the government, entrepreneurs and social organizations, the company, uses financial, technological and social tools by creating network of knowledge transfer. It attempts to contribute to social and economic development of countries, which is perceived as a form of implementing ethical business, also in Poland. 3.4. The client ecosystem of knowledge based on the example of HP Within the client strategy of knowledge management HP acts for the benefit of creating global, educated society, which also includes Poland. The Centre of Digital Community, appointed for this purpose, trains teachers, students, social workers and the unemployed, particularly in poor regions. HP notices long-term market opportunities in developed and developing regions, which currently do not have access to advanced technologies, by transferring knowledge of the field. Such centres come into being in cooperation with a network of partners: schools, colleges, universities, and local authorities, social and non-profit organizations. These centres operate in France, Ghana, Hungary, Ireland, Jordan, Northern Ireland, Russia, Portugal, Ukraine, Scotland, Senegal and Republic of South Africa. Initially the HP initiative opposed IT exclusion of certain social groups, however currently it focuses on the exchange of knowledge with the client, which will cause intensive use of IT for accelerating entrepreneurial development and stimulating economic growth. 3.5. Awareness and involvement of computer users in knowledge communities The survey consisted of a questionnaire including 7 substantial questions and 1 question referring to respondents’ particular (years of computer use). The questionnaire was filled by the respondents (tab. 5). Table 5 Computer usage in years YEARS OF COMPUTER USAGE more than 5 years about 4 years 2-3 years less than 1 year

NO 419 198 206 0

More than 50% of respondents used computer for over five years. In respondents’ opinion the aforementioned leaders of sale in Polish market are the well known firms (table 6): Table 6 Well known firms according to respondents’ opinion

FIRM Incom Dell Computer Poland Acer Komputronik Cisco Systems Poland Oracle NTT System Intel Technology Poland Comarch

NO 69 413 517 612 487 491 606 823 702

FIRM HP Polska ABC Data Action AB Flextronics International Poland Tech Data Polska IBM Polska Asseco Poland Microsoft

NO 823 57 137 85 37 91 820 301 823

Some of students added: Veracomp, Lenovo, Wincor Nixdorf, Xerox Polska. The question: What do you associate the term “community of practice with”? was most often responded in the following way: a group of people who share a common concern and goal a group of people who like the same things and buy similar products a group of people who is engage in a process of collective learning a group of people that contact the company directly a process of learning in groups some program of knowledge diffusion some institutions and organizations like: universities, scientific group, even the library. Most students really had a lot of difficulties with defining the term. Most of them answered the question, but the answers were frequently far from being related to the definition of "knowledge communities". As regards the next question, most students said that they were not aware of being a part of any community of practice (76%). Some of them (nearly 50%) added that they were possibly the participants in the university community (students’ community). Only 12% said that maybe they were but they could not give any name. 15 per cent of respondents said that they were a part of the community of practice in the field of software (7%), fashion (5%), and education (3%). The answers to the question concerning knowledge about selected ventures of studied entities are presented in table 7.

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Table 7 Knowledge about selected ventures implemented in communities of knowledge INTEL’S PROJECTS

NO

MICROSOFT’S PROJECTS European Counselling Initiative ITeraz Europa

NO

„Nauczanie ku przyszłości” (Teaching towards the Future), „Odyseja innowacyjna” (Innovative Odyssey),

71

Intel Education project

-

Partnerstwo dla Przyszłości (Partnership for the Future)

29

Intel International Science and Engineering Fair (ISEF) Intel computer clubs

19

Microsoft Imagine Cup

11

127

-

Educational programme “Design and discovery”

39

Academic Board at Microsoft’s Network of knowledge telecenters (TKN)

other

-

39

-

33

IBM’S PROJECTS

NO

The Academic Initiative IBM Polska Internet w Szkołach – Projekt Prezydenta RP” [Internet in Schools – Project of the President of the Republic of Poland] KIDSMART programme

-

workshops and seminars - IBM Innovation Centre

11

141

111

HP’S PROJECTS

NO

The Centre of Digital Community HP Labs

-

HP Global Business Centre, Wrocław Excellence through Enthusiasm!

144

23

-

-

-

-

Only 21% students knew an example of projects of the firms. 111 respondents presented knowledge about another venture: Apple Support Community. Answering the question concerning usefulness of community of practice, the respondents mentioned: new experience – 411 people knowledge about new products – 46 people possibility to practice new technology – 112 people relations and partnership with new friends – 421 people job in technologically advanced firm – 98 people More than 50% respondents could point some advantages of community of practice, but a lot of respondents did not provide any answer. The question if the respondents looked for methods of involvement in the company on the basis of exchange of knowledge, experiences and participation through application, was positively answered by 38% of the respondents; however, they did not provide accurate information about the company the relationships referred to. Websites, blogs, chats and social media were mentioned among the tools applied to establish the relationships based on information flow.

4. CONCLUSION Knowledge management involving obtaining, analysing and using knowledge contributes to the increase of competitiveness and value of the company. Knowledge sharing consists in its propagation within the organization and beyond. The company market value comprises intangible assets, such as relations with a competent partner as well as conscious settlement of transactions and customer recommendations. Knowledge created by the customer and the partner together with their involvement in the forum for future events is the marketing contribution in the company value. Such knowledge makes the structural capital be regarded the company intellectual property and is perceived, apart from the company general marketing skills, abilities and competences, as the marketing intellectual capital. In many organizations, for example such as IT leaders, communities of practice have become an integral part of the organization structure. Communities of practice are now viewed by many organizations as a means to capture tacit knowledge, or the know-how that is not so easily articulated. It is the way of more rapid responding to customer needs and inquiries. The case study analyses presented in this paper prove that companies from the IT sector actively seek for this kind of involvement of partners and clients, which in result


should lead to co-creation and exchange of knowledge. But, despite noticeable computerization of society, expressed by the aforementioned number of hours spent online per week, particularly among people with secondary and university education which, in this study, in turn, is expressed by the multiplicity of tools used by the studied companies, the awareness and involvement in community knowledge, was marginal as it was expected. The social group that, as it seems, is most active with respect to using computer tools and techniques, does not know the concept of "knowledge communities" that is intensely created by the IT entities. The results of research are not a consequence of the lack of knowledge of the projects selected to study the entities because in general, the respondents are not able to name any programs of any company aiming at knowledge exchange with broadly perceived environment or just the target market. Studies have shown that despite increasing value of the parameters characterizing Polish Information Society and the involvement of business entities in the process of creating, capturing and expanding knowledge in a new way and according to new principles, the so-called knowledge communities have still been in their early stages of development in Polish market. Determining the causes of this situation through the prism of international comparisons is going to be the goal of further studies of the author.

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Izabela SZTANGRET, Ph. d University of Economics, Management Department Bogucicka street no 14 40-226 Katowice Poland WSB in Dąbrowa Górnicza Cieplaka street 41-300 Dabrowa Górnicza Poland [email protected]