An e-mail embedded software prototype for knowledge management

Against the backdrop of today’s knowledge economy and a strong pervasion of e-mail in enterprises, the paper at hand presents an e-mail embedded software prototype for knowledge management. Although information systems literature esteems the research field of e-mail- related knowledge management as phenomenon, few contributions have been made in artifact- based and problem-oriented research. As existing software applications lack in specificity and currency, a tailored information technology artifact grounded on the unique characteristics of e- mail has been developed in a joint university-industry project following the design science research methodology. “Memoro” facilitates knowledge capture/creation and knowledge sharing/dissemination. Core functionality is the lightweight storage and extraction of e-mail- related information to and from a central repository. With the limitation of a customized prototype, first evaluation results indicate that integrating knowledge management into the daily e-mail routine enables knowledge-intensive businesses to deal with their knowledge in more effective and efficient ways. From a research perspective, “Memoro” might serve scholars as origin for further research. We contribute to the body of knowledge by providing (1) an early version of an innovative design artifact and (2) a concept-centric literature review

Knowledge development and creation in email

Newly created knowledge is increasingly viewed as a highly valuable source of competitive advantage for business. Email is explored in its recently recognized role as a place of organizational knowledge development and creation, employing discourse analysis of email conversations as the research approach. This paper describes a knowledge development lifecycle derived from the empirical study, and provides insight into the nature of knowledge development and creation in organizations. We found that in selected email conversations, employees naturally and intuitively build purpose driven new knowledge incrementally and iteratively, crystallizing knowledge under construction by submitting it repeatedly to a range of key stakeholders for comment, until a \u27consensus\u27 is reached regarding the outcome. Our findings identify the process of knowledge qualification in organizational knowledge creation, and suggest that organizational knowledge may be politically constructed. The research results have the potential to assist organizations in understanding and facilitating processes and conditions for knowledge creation and development. The study also highlights the potential for email as a key component in a company\u27s formal KM strategy.<br /

Collaborative knowledge creation in electronic mail

With organisational work increasingly performed by the collaboration of distributed groups, an improved understanding is needed of the co-creation of knowledge in emerging virtual structures. We explore the potential of the ubiquitous organisational tool, electronic mail (e-mail), for supporting collaborative knowledge creation in such settings. This research draws on a case study of knowledge creation occurring in e-mail conversations in a large Australian university and adopts a discourse analysis research approach. We describe a model of collaborative knowledge creation derived from the study and identify a preliminary set of key factors for organisational knowledge tools and their use by groups to support collaborative knowledge creation. The paper also provides insights into the role of e-mail in collaborative knowledge creation, not only in facilitating this process, but in shaping a participatory, multi-perspective, team-based approach to knowledge building. Organisational implications arising from this type of knowledge creation are also discussed in the paper.<br /

IT’S NOT ABOUT WHAT, IT’S ABOUT WHO YOU KNOW: SOCIAL MEDIA-USE IN ORGANISATIONS (8)

This paper investigates the impact of social media-use on communication processes within organisations. Findings from three qualitative comparative case studies are analysed through the lens of the resource based view of organisations. The analysis follows comparative logic focusing on similarities and differences in case-settings and outcomes. Each of the cases represents an organisation with workforces of similar size, composition and distribution but with qualitatively different approaches to social media-use and, as expected, different effects of social media on processes and capabilities. The findings suggest, that the value of social media in contrast to other IT technologies is derived from its use for relationship-building (who the users are connected to and how) rather than information storage and dissemination (what do the users know and where they find it)

It’s not about what, it’s about who you know: social media-use in organisations

This paper investigates the impact of social media-use on communication processes within organisations. Findings from three qualitative comparative case studies are analysed through the lens of the resource based view of organisations. The analysis follows comparative logic focusing on similarities and differences in case-settings and outcomes. Each of the cases represents an organisation with similar workforces of similar size, composition and distribution but with qualitatively different approaches to social media-use and, as expected, different effects of social media on processes and capabilities. The findings suggest, that the value of social media in contrast to other IT technologies is derived from its use for relationship-building (who actors are connected to and how) rather than information storage and dissemination (what do actors know and where they find it)

Email stress and its management in public sector organisations

Email stress: what are its causes? how is it measured? can it be solved? The literature review revealed that, despite the term being well used and recognised, discussions surrounding the root cause of email stress had reached little consensus and the concept was not well understood. By its very nature, email stress theory had fallen victim to the academic debate between psychological vs. physiological interpretations of stress which, as a result of either choice, limited more progressive research. Likewise an array of email management strategies had been identified however, whilst some generated quick successes, they appeared to suffer longevity issues and were not maintained a few months after implementation in the workplace. The purpose of this research was to determine whether email communication causes employees psychological and physiological stress and investigate the impact of email management strategies in the workplace. A pragmatic philosophy placed the research problem as central and valued the differences between paradigms to promote a mixed-method approach to research. The decision to pair both case studies and action research methods ensured a framework for presenting results and an actionable solution was achieved. In direct response to the research aims an original email stress measuring methodology was devised that combined various data collection tools to measure and investigate email stress. This research design was applied and evaluated ‘email free time’ and email filing at the '''''''''''' '''''''''''''''''''''''''. Results of the study showed an increased stress response to occur during email use, i.e. caused employees’ increased blood pressure, heart rate, cortisol and perceived stress, and a number of adverse effects such as managing staff via email, social detachment, blame and cover-yourback culture were identified. Findings revealed ‘email free time’ was not a desirable strategy to manage email stress and related stressors, whereas email filing was found more beneficial to workers well-being. Consolidation of the data gathered from the literature review and research findings were used to develop an initial conceptualisation of email stress in the form of two models, i.e. explanatory and action. A focus group was conducted to validate the proposed models and a further investigation at the '''''''''''''''''''' ''''''''''''' was carried out to critique the use of an email training intervention. The results showed some improvements to employees’ behaviour after the training, e.g. improved writing style, email checked on fewer occasions each day and fewer sufferers of email addiction. The initial models devised, alongside the latter findings, were synthesised to create a single integrative multidimensional model of email stress and management strategies. The model made an original contribution to knowledge in terms of theory, i.e. to conceptualise email stress, and practice, i.e. to offer practical solutions to the email worker

A framework for transferring software project management approaches into the Thai telecommunications industry

Heute gehört die Telekommunikation noch immer zu den sich am schnellsten entwickelnden und am härtesten umkämpften Märkten sowie zu einer der weltweit am schnellsten wachsenden Technologiegebiete. Diese Dissertation konzentriert sich auf die thailändische Telekommuniktionsindustrie als Studienobjekt. Bei der Betrachtung der gegenwärtigen Situation der Software Entwicklung in diesem Industriezweig, stützen wir uns auf Interviews mit Hauseigenen und externen Software Entwicklungsteams von zwei der größten Breitband Internet Service Anbietern (Internet Service Providers (ISPs)) in Bangkok, Thailand (ISP1 and ISP2), aus den Monaten März und April 2009. Die Ergebnisse zeigen, daß viele typische Probleme (z.b. das Fehlen einer guten Nutzereinbindung, das Fehlen von Teamarbeit, fehlende Ausbildung, fehlendes Engagement des Managements, fehlende Kompetenz des Projektmanagements, fehlender Wissensaustausch usw.) während des Lebenszyklus des Software Entwicklungsprozesses noch ansteigen. Diese Probleme führen zu deutlich unbefriedigenden Ergebnissen in der Qualität. Diese Situation der Software Entwicklung zeigt, daß es einen Bedarf an effizienten und effektiven Entwicklungsprozessen gibt, sowie Bedarf an unterstützenden Wissenstransfer. Das Ziel dieser Dissertation war es daher, nach praktikablen Lösungen zu suchen, um die Leistung der Software Entwicklung zu verbessern. Mit Schwerpunkt auf Projektmanagement und Software Entwicklungsprozesse sind geschickte Methoden (z.b. adaptive Software Entwicklung, extreme programming und Scrum) in vielen Geschäftsfeldern weit verbreitet, da sie einen effektiven Software Entwicklungsprozess bieten um diese typischen Probleme zu überwinden. Dennoch bieten sie nur begrenzte Unterstützung für das Projektmanagement (z.b. für Outsourcing und Sicherstellung hoher Qualität) welches das Rückgrat effizienter Software Entwicklung darstellt. Darüber hinaus beschäftigen sie sich damit „wie“ aber nicht „welche“ Software Entwicklungsprozesse implementiert werden sollten. Nur das „wie“ kann nicht garantieren, dass Software-Qualität geliefert wird. Zur Überwindung dieser Probleme schlägt diese Dissertation ein System zur Entwicklung und ständigen Verbesserung des Softwareprozesses vor. Dieses System besteht aus zwei Kernkomponenten. Einem Modell zur Ausreifung der Software Entwicklung um das „was“ zu klären, zur Verbesserung mit einem Software Process Assessment-Mechanismus und einem integrierten PMBOK-Scrum Model zur Klärung des „wie“, eine umfassenden Reihe von Projekt-Management und Software-Entwicklungsprozessen zu implementieren. Um die Anwendung dieses Systems zu unterstützen, wird ein Prototyp-Tool eingeführt. Es wurde als web-basierte Anwendung entwickelt unter Ausnutzung von Java und einer MySQL Datenbank. Es ist wichtig, zu überprüfen, ob das Systems und das Tool in realen Software Projekten praktikabel sind. Daher zeigt diese Dissertation die Implementierung und Ergebnisse im Verlauf von zwei Studien der thailändischen Telekommunikations Industrie (der CAT Telecom Public Company Limited und der TOT Public Company Limited) von November 2010 bis Februar 2011. Die Datenerhebung erfolgte durch Vor-Ort-Beobachtungen, Einzelinterviews und Fragebögen. Die Ergebnisse zeigen das generieren positiver Effekte durch (i) Steigerung der Software-Entwicklung in Bezug auf Effizienz (z. B. Erhöhung der Arbeitsproduktivität) und Effektivität (z. B. getane Arbeit, deren Überprüfung und Bewertung, Verringerung der Fehlerquote und Steigerung der Kundenzufriedenheit und Team-Zufriedenheit) und (ii) Förderung einer Kultur von Teamwork, Zusammenarbeit, regelmäßiger informeller Kommunikation und Wissensaustausch. Wenn man sich auf den Prozess des Wissensaustausch konzentriert, besteht ein Software Projekt aus wissensintensiven Aktivitäten deren Implementierung Stakeholder Kenntnisse und Erfahrung erfordert, sowie die Lernfähigkeit und die Fähigkeit Wissen anzuwenden um die Probleme zu lösen, die während der Software Entwicklung entstehen. Wissenstransfer selbst hat seine Komponenten und kann auf verschiedene Weisen betrachtet werden (z. B. Prozess basiert, auf die Vorgeschichte basierend und auf die Komponenten basierend). Zwar wurden viele Wissenstransfer Modelle und Studien im Bereich der Softwareentwicklung vorgeschlagen und stehen zur Verfügung um zu lernen; aber sie haben weder einen Schwerpunkt auf die gemeinsamen Komponenten des Wissenstransfer noch liefern sie eine eindeutige und umfassende Beschreibungen oder Darstellung der Beziehungen zwischen diesen Komponenten in einem Wissenstransfer Prozess. Diejenigen, die dazu Anleiten, wie ein Wissenstransfer zu realisieren ist, sind ebenfalls rar. Daher schlägt diese Dissertation ein System zum Wissenstransfer vor (Probleme, Faktoren, Wissen, Mechanismen, Anwendung von Wissen und Ergebnisse). Sie bietet Orientierungshilfen für die Planung von Wissenstransfer Aktivitäten, und den effektiven Wissenstransfer zwischen den Mitgliedern des Software Entwicklungsteams. Aus Zeitgründen konnte die Benutzerfreundlichkeit und Funktionalität des Wissenstransfer Systems leider nicht in der realen Praxis getestet werden. Allerdings zeigt diese Dissertation die Anwendung des Systems mit unserern vorherigen zwei Fallstudien als Basis. Die Demonstrationsbeschreibung ist in zwei Teile unterteilt. Der erste Teil beschreibt, wie der Autor Wissen auf das Teams der Fallstudie übertragt, daher ist der Fokus auf die eigentliche übertragenen Ergebnisse gerichtet. Der zweite Teil beschreibt, wie die Team-Mitglieder der Fallstudie Wissen innerhalb des Teams übertragen. Daher ist der Fokus darauf gerichtet, wie das System an die reale Software-Entwicklung der Praxis angepasst werden kann. Wenn gleich dieses System noch nicht versprechen kann zur Effektivität des Wissenstransfers in der Software Entwicklung beizutragen, so zeigen die Ergebnisse der Demonstration ein hohes Maß an Kompatibilität mit Scrum-oriented software development. Dies impliziert, dass es eine hohe Wahrscheinlichkeit gibt, dass das System in realen Software Projekten also praktikabel erweist. Da ein effizienter und effektiver Software-Entwicklungsprozesse und ein Wissenstransfer-Prozess für qualitative Software Entwicklung nötigt sind, enthält diese Dissertation das software process maintenance framework und knowledge transfer framwork in einem übergeordneten System, ein System zur Übertragung von Software Projektmanagement in die thailändische Telekommunikationsindustrie. Aufgrund unserer zeitlichen Beschränkungen wie oben erwähnt, zeigt diese Dissertation, wie man das übergeordnete System in Software Projekten anwendet, wieder mit unseren vorherigen zwei Fallstudien als Basis. Die Ergebnisse der Demonstration zeigen eine große Wahrscheinlichkeit, dass das System in realen Software Projekten anwendbar ist. In diesem Stadium verspricht das übergeordnete System eine teilweise Verbesserung der Software-Entwicklungsleistung, als Ergebnis des software process maintenance framework. Wir hoffen in Zukunft mehr Fallstudien durchführen zu können, um mehr Sicherheit beim Nutzen und der Funktionalität des übergeordneten Systems und seiner Komponenten zu gewinnen. Am Ende dieser Dissertation sind theoretische Beiträge, Implikationen für die zukünftige Forschung, Implikationen für die Praxis, die Begrenzungen dieser Studie und Empfehlungen für die künftige Arbeit beschrieben. Weitere Praxistests des hier entwickelten Systems werden von der Autorin nach der Rückkehr nach Thailand durchgeführt, bevor die Arbeit schließlich an Partnern aus der Industrie übergeben wird.This dissertation focuses on the Thai telecommunications industry, which still is one of the fastest-evolving and most competitive markets and also one of the fastest-growing technology areas, as a case study. Looking at the current situation of software development in this industry, we use the findings of interviews with in-house and outsourcing software development teams working for two of the largest broadband Internet Service Providers (ISPs) in Bangkok, Thailand (named ISP1 and ISP2) during March and April 2009. The findings reveal that many of the typical problems (e.g., a lack of good user participation, a lack of teamwork, a lack of training support, a lack of management commitment, a lack of project management competence, a lack of knowledge transfer, and so forth) are still arising throughout the software development lifecycle. These problems result in a significant level of unsatisfactory quality results. This software development situation emphasizes that there is a need for more efficient and effective software development processes and a supporting knowledge transfer process. This dissertation consequently aims at providing a methodologically sound approach that leads to a practically feasible solution resulting in improved software development performance. Focusing on project management and software development processes, agile methods (e.g., Adaptive Software Development, eXtreme Programming, and Scrum) are widely used in many business environments, as they provide an effective software development process to tackle many of the typical problems. Nevertheless, they offer limited support for project management (e.g., for outsourcing and high quality assurance) which is the backbone for cost-efficient software development. Furthermore, they generally deal with “how”, but not much with “what” software development processes should be implemented. Concentrating on only “how” cannot guarantee that software quality will be delivered. Therefore, this dissertation proposes a software process maintenance framework which in this context means a framework for software process development and improvement to overcome these shortcomings. The framework consists of two core components: a software development maturity model providing the “what” to improve with a software process assessment mechanism and an integrated PMBOK-Scrum model providing the “how” to implement with a comprehensive set of project management and software development processes. To support the application of the framework, a prototype tool is then introduced. It was created as a Web-based application, using the Java programming language and a MySQL database. It is important to perform a feasibility check on whether the framework and the tool are practical in real-life software projects. Hence, this dissertation demonstrates their implementation and results through two case studies in the Thai telecommunications industry (i.e., CAT Telecom Public Company Limited and TOT Public Company Limited) from November 2010 to February 2011. The data collection was carried out through on-site observations, individual interviews, and questionnaires. The findings indicate the generation of positive effects by (i) increasing software development performance in terms of efficiency (e.g., increasing work completeness and work productivity) and effectiveness (e.g., reducing defects and increasing customer and team satisfaction); and (ii) cultivating teamwork, collaboration, informal and frequent communications, and a knowledge sharing culture. Focusing on a knowledge transfer process, a software project consists of knowledge-intensive activities and its implementation requires stakeholders’ expertise and experience, transferability, and the absorptive capacity to learn and apply knowledge to solve problems occurring during software development. The knowledge transfer itself has its components and can be viewed in different ways (e.g., process base, antecedent base, and component base). Although many knowledge transfer models and studies in software development have been proposed, and are available to learn from; they neither put an emphasis on a knowledge transfer’s common components, nor do they clearly provide comprehensive descriptions or relationships between those components in a knowledge transfer process. The ones offering guidance on how to drive knowledge transfer into action are also scarce. Consequently, this dissertation proposes a knowledge transfer framework. It aims at covering common components (i.e., problems, antecedents, knowledge, mechanisms, knowledge application, and outcomes); providing guidance for planning knowledge transfer activities; and contributing to an effective knowledge transfer amongst software development team members. Unfortunately, owing to time limitations of this study, the usability and practicality of the knowledge transfer framework could not be tested in real-life practice. However, this dissertation demonstrates the application of the framework, using our two prior case studies as a base. The demonstration descriptions are categorized into two parts. The first part describes how the author transferred knowledge to the case study teams; therefore, its focus is on the actual transfer results. The second part describes how the case study team members can transfer knowledge within their teams; hence, its focus is on how the framework can be applied in real-life software development practice. Although the framework cannot yet promise to contribute to knowledge transfer effectiveness in software development, the results of the demonstration show a high degree of compatibility with Scrum-oriented software development. Moreover, the framework was designed and constructed based on the positive results of the case studies in Chapter 5. This implies that there is a great likelihood that the framework is practical in real-life software projects. As efficient and effective software development processes and a knowledge transfer process are required for quality software development, this dissertation incorporates the software process maintenance framework and the knowledge transfer framework into an umbrella framework. This is a framework for transferring novel software project management concepts into the Thai telecommunications industry. Owing to our time limitations as aforementioned, this dissertation demonstrates how to apply the umbrella framework in software projects; using our prior two case studies as a base again. The results of the demonstration show a great probability that the framework is practical in real-life software projects. At this stage, the umbrella framework partly promises an improvement of software development performance, as a result of the software process maintenance framework. In the future, we hope to carry out more case studies in order to raise more confidence in the usability and practicality of the umbrella framework. At the end of this dissertation, theoretical contributions, implications for future research design, implications for practice, limitations of this study, and recommendations for future work are described. Additional practical tests of the developed frameworks will be carried out by the author after returning to Thailand, before finally handing them over to industry partners