Learning Process and Using IT in the Naval Industry

Abstract

This paper analyses the nature of the impact of learning on the adoption of information technologies (IT) and vice versa in the naval sector. It is necessary for a shipyard to acquire new knowledge, distribute it, interpret it, and store it enabling the use of Information Technologies by internal and external agents. For this reason, a model must be found in order to examine the impact of IT on the codification of knowledge considering external agents (customers, suppliers and retired personnel) and internal agents (engineers, workers and managers) in the shipyard. The authors investigate the implementation of IT through a learning process in the naval industry through a case study. The authors collected data through interviews and presented a model depicting linkages between agents of a shipyard organization (customer, suppliers, engineers, workers, directors), knowledge‑related processes (codification, storage, reutilization) and benefits. Following discussion of the model, authors conclude that acquiring external knowledge is beneficial and facilitating interactions between agents increases the benefits for the shipyard organization. In the study it is possible to appreciate that acquiring and distributing knowledge from external agents is a previous step to the codification of this knowledge using Technological tools. Only considering this sequence, it is guaranteed a knowledge update by internal agents in the shipyard. During the last few years the naval industry has been modernized in defence matters and a lot of money has been spent in IT. That is why it is necessary to assess the use of IT and learning in this sector as well as to analyse the knowledge learning process and systematisation used in the naval industry during the different phases required for construction. Finally, the results have implications for managers of the shipyard when they make a choice as to the organizational capabilities to target in order to ensure the effective adoption of IT.