THE ROLE OF KNOWLEDGE IN THE OPERATION OF MODERN COMPANIES

Sodobno poslovno okolje je povzročilo nastanek družbe znanja ter posledično preobrazbo in razvoj podjetij, katerih temeljni vir in dejavnik uspešnega delovanja je postalo relevantno znanje posameznika, skupine in celotnega podjetja. Podjetja so na ta način postavljena pred izziv, kako uspešno prepoznati, razviti in obvladati relevantno znanje. V ta namen se pravilom poslužujejo koncepta učečega se podjetja in procesa upravljanja z znanjem. V okviru magistrske naloge smo preučili vlogo znanja v delovanju sodobnih podjetij. Posebno pozornost smo usmerili na proučevanje vpliva procesa razvijanja znanja na delovanje podjetja. Naloga vsebuje teoretične osnove, ki so povzete po izkušnjah in spoznanjih domačih in tujih avtorjev ter praktične osnove, pridobljene na podlagi primarnega pridobivanja podatkov med slovenskimi podjetji. Teoretični del smo razdelili na šest poglavij. V prvem poglavju smo se osredotočili na pojasnjevanje osnovnih značilnosti družbe znanja ter navedli temeljne razlike med industrijsko družbo in novo nastalo družbo. Pojasnili smo značilnosti delovanja podjetja v sodobnem okolju, pri tem smo izpostavili značilnosti sodobne organizacijske strukture in kulture ter procesne zasnove podjetja. V drugem poglavju smo se osredotočili na učeče se podjetje, opredelili smo temeljne značilnosti, navedli različne pristope pri uresničevanju koncepta učečega se podjetja ter posebno pozornost posvetili pojasnjevanju razvoja učečega se podjetja v slovenskem poslovnem okolju. V tretjem poglavju smo podali temeljna spoznanja s področja znanja, kot so: opredelitve, razvrščanje in temeljne koristi, ki nastajajo v podjetju na temelju znanja. V naslednjem poglavju smo se osredotočili na problematiko intelektualnega kapitala z vidika strukture in meritvenega postopka. Najobsežnejše poglavje obsega področje upravljanja z znanjem, kjer smo opredelili osnovne značilnosti upravljanja z znanjem, navedli razloge za uvedbo upravljanja z znanjem v podjetje, oblikovali in pojasnili celovit proces upravljanja z znanjem ter navedli temeljne značilnosti upravljanja z znanjem v slovenskih podjetjih. V zadnjem poglavju smo pojasnili vpliv znanja na ustvarjanje trajne konkurenčne prednosti, ki posledično vpliva na izboljšano delovanje podjetja. V empiričnem delu naloge smo na podlagi primarne raziskave, proučili vlogo znanja v slovenskih podjetjih. Na ta način smo pridobili podatke o razširjenosti koncepta učečega se podjetja ter vlogi in pomenu intelektualnega kapitala med slovenskimi podjetji. Opravljena raziskava nam je posredovala tudi odgovore na vprašanje ali organizacijska kultura in struktura vplivata na razvijanje znanja ter na temeljno raziskovalno vprašanje ali učinkovit proces razvijanja znanja vpliva na izboljšano delovanje podjetja.The contemporary business environment has led to the birth of a knowledge-based society and, consequently, to the transformation and development of companies that rely upon the relevant knowledge of an individual, a team or the entire company as the main source and factor of successful operation. This means that companies now face the challenge of successfully identifying, developing and managing relevant knowledge. For this purpose, they normally utilise the learning company concept and knowledge management process. Within the framework of this master’s thesis, we studied the role of knowledge within the operation of contemporary companies. Special attention was paid to studying the effect of the knowledge management process on the operation of the company. The thesis contains theoretical bases, which were summarised from the experience and findings of Slovenian and foreign authors, and practical bases, which were gained from primary data acquisition in Slovenian companies. The theoretical portion is divided into six chapters. Chapter One focuses on explaining the basic characteristics of a knowledge-based society and detailing the main differences between an industrial society and the newly-born society. We explain the characteristics of a company operating in the contemporary environment and point out the characteristics of the contemporary organisational structure and culture as well as the process design of a company. In Chapter Two, we focus on a learning company, define its main characteristics, list various approaches to implementing the concept of a learning company and pay special attention to explaining the development of a learning company in the Slovenian business environment. Chapter Three contains the main findings from the fields of knowledge, definition and classification and the main advantages that arise from knowledge within a company. Chapter Four focuses on the issue of intellectual capital from the perspective of the structure and measuring process. The most extensive chapter (Chapter Five) addresses the field of knowledge management: in this chapter, we define the basic characteristics of knowledge management, set out reasons for implementing knowledge management in a company, design and explain a comprehensive model for knowledge management and list the main characteristics of knowledge management in Slovenian companies. Chapter Six explains the effect of knowledge on creating a sustainable competitive advantage and, consequently, its effect on the company’s improved operation. In the empirical portion of this thesis, we studied the role of knowledge in Slovenian companies based on our primary research. In this way, we acquired data regarding the prevalence of the learning company concept and on the role and importance of intellectual capital in Slovenian companies. The research we carried out also provided answers to the question of whether organisational culture and structure influence the development of knowledge and the main research question of whether an effective process of developing knowledge improves the operation of a company