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Abstract: This research explores how people in Australian export trading use the related knowledge in their usual business practices, and how they access further export trading knowledge for use. The research adopts a qualitative case study research method and qualitative content analysis. The data collection techniques involved interviews and documentation. A theoretical framework that underpins this research is formed through activity theory, domain analysis theory and organisational knowledge creation theory. Export trading is a complex field that involves multiple key players or stakeholders. Semi-structured interviews were carried out after careful selection of interviewees, consisting of twenty senior officials from Australian Border Force, Department of Primary Industries - Fisheries, Australian Quarantine and Inspection Services, exporters (also known as exporting firms), freight forwarding organisations, a shipping company, an export logistics and training services organisation, and a professional export association. These organisations or government authorities are regarded as important key players and important stakeholders in export trading for the purpose of this research. The analysis results indicate that each of the different organisations needs different specific knowledge in relation to their immediate businesses. The interviewees stated that they needed to use knowledge about the important export trading stakeholders with whom their business is in regular contact. In export trading, they also need to gain ongoing new knowledge on how local and foreign requirements or regulations impact on their business, whenever they export goods to their customers overseas. It was found that while all organisations had their different organisational technological systems for their business operations, the senior officials still needed information and knowledge through other different means, such as human contacts, information seminar events, professional publications, trade newsletters, website resources, and other technological systems. Many of them regarded the direct contacts with appropriate relevant people to be most useful due to the trustworthiness and reliability of information from the key people or professionals who could share their useful tacit knowledge. It is discovered that using synthesised credible information regularly will lead to export trading knowledge renewal and new knowledge creation in organisational staff that will improve future business outcomes.
Keywords: export trading knowledge, knowledge renewal, knowledge creation, qualitative case study, qualitative content analysis
1.Introduction
This paper examines how people involved in Australian export trading make use of current...