Indicating Knowledge Development: An Empirical Investigation from the Perspective of Knowledge Maturing

To remain competitive, organizations need to continuously develop their knowledge. While knowledge work is performed similarly in organizations across different sectors, the measurement and assessment of its results currently lacks standardized approaches. This paper sets out to identify indicators that are suitable for making knowledge development transparent to support monitoring of knowledge work. Therefore, a multi-phase mixed methods approach was chosen. In a series of three studies, an activity-focused perspective towards knowledge work was adopted, where knowledge is viewed as passing through a phased maturing process. An initial set of indicators was identified in an ethnographically-informed study and subsequently refined in an online survey. In the interview study, data was collected from 121 European organizations of different sizes, sectors and knowledge-intensity. Feedback from respondents provided evidence for the suitability of items for indicating knowledge maturing and revealed a structure of five factors that were labeled, interpreted and discussed

FROM ISOLATION TO COLLABORATION - HOW THE INCREASING DIFFUSION OF MOBILE DEVICES HAS CHANGED PRACTICES OF KNOWLEDGE SHARING IN NON-OFFICE SETTINGS

The increasing diffusion of mobile devices such as smartphones or tablets has not only revolutionized how people communicate with each other, but has also changed work practices and the way employ-ees share knowledge. Knowledge management studies have to date mainly focused on office settings but paid little attention to non-office workplace settings. However, the use of mobile devices also changes the way employees can be supported and support each other in non-office settings and thus create new application areas for knowledge management. In this research, we applied a three step qualitative inquiry with 36 experts in the construction sector to investigate how the increasing diffu-sion of mobile devices has affected existing work practices that are associated with knowledge sharing in non-office settings. We found that the use of mobile devices helped to transform isolated work prac-tices into collaborative work practices, thereby reducing the spatial, temporal, contextual, and social barriers to knowledge sharing. As such, an increase in connectivity can be seen as an indicator for potential development of increased collaboration across work sites. We conclude the paper with a dis-cussion of implications for organizations concerning the support of knowledge sharing in such settings and an outlook on future work

Collaborative ethnography for information systems research Studying knowledge work practices and designing supportive information systems

Understanding knowledge work and supporting it with information systems (ISs) are challenging tasks. Knowledge work has changed substantially recently and studies on how knowledge work is currently performed are scarce. Ethnography is the most suitable qualitative research method for studying knowledge work, yet too time-consuming, costly and unfocused for the fast changing IS domain. Moreover, results from qualitative studies need to be transformed into artefacts useful for IS requirements engineering and design. This paper proposes a procedure for collaborative ethnography to study knowledge work practices and inform IS requirements gathering and design illustrated with the case of a collaborative ethnographic study of seven organisations in four European countries performed in a large-scale international IS research and development project. The paper also critically discusses the procedure’s applicability and limitations

Collaborative ethnography for information systems research Studying knowledge work practices and designing supportive information systems

Understanding knowledge work and supporting it with information systems (ISs) are challenging tasks. Knowledge work has changed substantially recently and studies on how knowledge work is currently performed are scarce. Ethnography is the most suitable qualitative research method for studying knowledge work, yet too time-consuming, costly and unfocused for the fast changing IS domain. Moreover, results from qualitative studies need to be transformed into artefacts useful for IS requirements engineering and design. This paper proposes a procedure for collaborative ethnography to study knowledge work practices and inform IS requirements gathering and design illustrated with the case of a collaborative ethnographic study of seven organisations in four European countries performed in a large-scale international IS research and development project. The paper also critically discusses the procedure’s applicability and limitations

Evaluation at scale: An approach to evaluate technology for informal workplace learning across contexts

The implicit, spontaneous and hidden nature of informal learning in addition to the large and less predictable number of application scenarios challenge the evaluation of learning technology. A further challenge for evaluation is added if a user-centred design method had been employed that already had involved users in large numbers and has led to a high level of expectations regarding the potential of the tool to fulfil their needs. We propose an evaluation approach based on the ideas of active involvement of stakeholders, an iterative planning process, a continuous, open and collaborative interpretation of the data collected on the basis of representations shared across cases plus a pluralism of methods for evaluating learning technology and is particularly intended for large scale evaluations in workplace settings. We present a case, in which we applied the proposed evaluation approach in the context of a large scale research project on technology-enhanced-learning

Conceptualizing Emerging Technology in Local Contexts: An Ethnographic Study of RFID in an Emirate’s Farming Industry

Situated in an emirate’s farming industry, this ethnographic study develops a framework to help bridge the existing knowledge gap about what and how local contexts interact with emerging technology, RFID in particular. Findings suggest that numerous local factors pertaining to the researched emirate’s unique environmental, project, cultural, and societal/political contexts shape and/or are reshaped by RFID implementation. For example, geographic landscape demands systems modification and device adaptation; religious custom increases project difficulty, and the systems, in turn, requires changes in certain religious practice; the notion of social sustainability establishes objectives for RFID project, while the latter helps reshape social welfare systems. As these local factors have rarely been empirically examined, my framework can help contribute to future RFID implementation in different local contexts. More specifically, insights gained urge stakeholders involved to carefully manage unique factors of the emirate or similar contexts for intended RFID projects. The findings also suggest that stakeholders should be aware of RFID’s reshaping effects on the local context particularly because those effects might be unexpected

An Exploration of Baby Boomer Mass Retirement Effects on Information Systems Organizations

The potential knowledge loss from Baby Boomer generation employee retirements can negatively affect information systems organizations. The purpose of this hermeneutic phenomenology study was to explore the lived experiences of the leaders and managers of information systems organizations as they tried to maintain operational continuity after Baby Boomer worker retirements. The impact of this issue was the operational continuity after the Baby Boomer worker retirement. The social impact of this issue was the knowledge loss events that might result in business loss or even bankruptcy. McElroy\u27s knowledge life cycle model was the conceptual framework for this study that included knowledge production and knowledge integration processes within a feedback loop. The lived experiences of 20 knowledgeable participants who had experienced institutional knowledge loss from retired Baby Boomer generation employees were captured through purposeful sampling. Data were collected through individual interviews using either face-to-face or a web conferencing tool such as Skype and analyzed through a modified Van Kaam. Five themes were identified: business climate, delivery practices, work processes, camaraderie, and management response. Significant attributes that added to the body of knowledge were workplace navigation, alternate focus, and outsourcing management. The results of the study may enable organizations to be better able to understand and manage the Baby Boomer knowledge loss effects and subsequently create systems to help maintain their competitive edge and avoid knowledge loss that might result in business loss or even bankruptcy

The Lived Experiences of Middle Management Leadership Development Succession Planning in Public Sector Organizations

Senior directors in the public sector often lack viable succession plans for middle managers. Four conceptual elements from Burns’ transformational leadership theory provided a framework to investigate the practices directors in the public sector use to prepare middle managers for leadership positions. Succession planning is essential to retain highly skilled employees and maintain a sustainable competitive advantage in today’s competitive environment. The conceptual elements directly relate to succession planning and its components of career development and preparing future leaders. The purpose of this qualitative phenomenological study was to explore the succession planning practices public sector directors use to prepare middle managers for director positions. Data collection was from semistructured interviews with 17 department directors in the public sector in South Central Texas with a minimum of 3 years of working experience and skills specific to implementing succession planning programs. Thematic coding resulted in three themes and six key findings concerning directors’ practices to prepare middle managers for leadership positions. The key findings were (a) motivating, inspiring, and empowering managers, (b) building a strong relationship with the manager, (c) developing skill set, (d) delegating authority, (e) training opportunities, and (f) retention and recruitment strategies. The findings of this study could enable social change through the processes public sector directors use to promote middle managers and prepare them to fill key leadership positions. Public sector directors could also enhance a middle managers job performance and productivity, increasing the number of successful leaders in the public sector who can positively affect social change city communities

Proceedings der 11. Internationalen Tagung Wirtschaftsinformatik (WI2013) - Band 1

The two volumes represent the proceedings of the 11th International Conference on Wirtschaftsinformatik WI2013 (Business Information Systems). They include 118 papers from ten research tracks, a general track and the Student Consortium. The selection of all submissions was subject to a double blind procedure with three reviews for each paper and an overall acceptance rate of 25 percent. The WI2013 was organized at the University of Leipzig between February 27th and March 1st, 2013 and followed the main themes Innovation, Integration and Individualization.:Track 1: Individualization and Consumerization Track 2: Integrated Systems in Manufacturing Industries Track 3: Integrated Systems in Service Industries Track 4: Innovations and Business Models Track 5: Information and Knowledge ManagementDie zweibändigen Tagungsbände zur 11. Internationalen Tagung Wirtschaftsinformatik (WI2013) enthalten 118 Forschungsbeiträge aus zehn thematischen Tracks der Wirtschaftsinformatik, einem General Track sowie einem Student Consortium. Die Selektion der Artikel erfolgte nach einem Double-Blind-Verfahren mit jeweils drei Gutachten und führte zu einer Annahmequote von 25%. Die WI2013 hat vom 27.02. - 01.03.2013 unter den Leitthemen Innovation, Integration und Individualisierung an der Universität Leipzig stattgefunden.:Track 1: Individualization and Consumerization Track 2: Integrated Systems in Manufacturing Industries Track 3: Integrated Systems in Service Industries Track 4: Innovations and Business Models Track 5: Information and Knowledge Managemen

A Study of Adoption and Acceptance of e-Umrah System in Saudi Arabia: Overcoming Infrastructure Barriers and Limitations

Knowledge and understanding of effective e-government to business services remains limited. At the same time there is little empirical knowledge or theoretical understanding of how infrastructure works in the government to business domain. Therefore the aim of this study is to investigate infrastructure in e-government and to specifically understand the impact of infrastructure on the relationship between government and business services. The e-Umrah government information system in Saudi Arabia was selected as the context for the investigation and involved identifying the factors that play a role in shaping the existing infrastructure, understanding the barriers which impede the development of government to business infrastructure; and exploring the challenges within the infrastructure that hinder businesses in their use of e-government services. The system was developed to connect all government and business sectors which involve in the Umrah activities in Saudi Arabia for the purpose of facilitating Umrah services for the international visitors who come from all over the globe anytime during the year to the holy cities of Makkah and Madinah to perform Umrah rituals. A mixed method approach was utilised to investigate and understand e-Umrah system. A qualitative case study and an interpretive approach were used to understand the infrastructure of the e-Umrah system. Semi-structured interviews, informed by Star and Ruhleder's (1996) eight dimensions for investigating infrastructure, were conducted with 43 Umrah companies. The data collected was then analysed based on Miles and Huberman (1994) three steps which consisted of data reduction, data display, and data reporting to establish and follow a systematic and thematic technique of data analysis. The data reduction step was based on Newman’s (2006) three coding steps to prepare the information for interpretation and comparison. Prior to the main qualitative study, a preliminary quantitative study was conducted to gain information about the e-Umrah system, how it operates, and to understand the levels of adoption, usefulness and ease of use of the e-Umrah system. The findings of the study demonstrate that the e-Umrah system’s infrastructure is affected by variables within each of the eight dimensions of Star and Ruhleder (1996): built on an installed base; embeddedness; embodiment of standards; transparency; become visible upon breakdown; links with conventions of practice; learned as part of membership and reach or scope. Additionally, these dimensions not only affect the infrastructure of the e-Umrah system but also have a relationship with each other. The main problem found in the e-Umrah system’s infrastructure include a lack of integration of some entities and services thereby preventing electronic transactions from taking place and hindering effective access to the use of electronic services available. The infrastructure framework proposed by Star and Ruhleder (1996) is based on the view that the eight dimensions have a direct and relatively fixed impact on infrastructure. This study contributed to enhancement of Star and Ruhleder’s (1996) framework through the discovery that not only did the eight dimensions have an impact on infrastructure, but that each of the dimensions also had an interrelationship with each of the other dimensions. In addition, the study revealed on an adaptive framework was found to provide an in depth and intensive understanding when investigating infrastructure; thus contributing to a holistic understanding both of the framework, and of its subsequent impact on infrastructure. Instead of focusing on one particular dimension of infrastructure, this study has adopted a more holistic approach to investigating effective e-government to business services. This holistic approach also argues that e-government should be examined from different perspectives including technological, social, political, managerial/organisational, and business aspects. Combining all these aspects in a holistic approach to the definition and scope of e-government enables the development of a broader and contextual understanding of e-government. Rather than focusing on just one aspect of e-government and therefore narrowing it down, because effective e-government concerns not only the utilisation of information technology, but also a combination of technology with all the other dimensions of infrastructure that have been identified and investigated in the study