Transactive memory systems and Web 2.0 in knowledge sharing: A conceptual model based on activity theory and critical realism

The aim of this paper is to advance understanding of interactive knowledge sharing (KS) processes through exploring the role of transactive memory systems (TMS) and Web 2.0. In the context of the information systems (IS) literature, there is little focus on their particular role in KS. To address this gap, this paper develops a conceptual model based on activity theory and critical realism outlining the role of TMS and Web 2.0 as mediating tools. This paper further reveals that their use as tools depends on deeper underlying structures/factors embedded within the community, namely, informal networks and trust among people. The new conceptual model and theoretical propositions are then illustrated by a qualitative study undertaken in Bulgarian organisations. This illustrative case provides support for the model, where TMS and Web 2.0 are found to facilitate knowledge sharing. It further demonstrates that informal networks and trust among people support the use and the positive effects of these tools. The contribution of this paper is in the new analytical approach and conceptual model developed which advances our understanding of interactive KS by explaining the linkages between the various factors involved

Theory borrowing in IT-rich contexts : lessons from IS strategy research

While indigenous theorizing in information systems has clear merits, theory borrowing will not, and should not, be eschewed given its appeal and usefulness. In this article, we aim at increasing our understanding of modifying of borrowed theories in IT-rich contexts. We present a framework in which we discuss how two recontextualization approaches of specification and distinction help with increasing the IT-richness of borrowed constructs and relationships. In doing so, we use several illustrative examples from information systems strategy. The framework can be used by researchers as a tool to explore the multitude of ways in which a theory from another discipline can yield the understanding of IT phenomena

A policy-level perspective to tackle rural digital inclusion

Purpose This paper explores how policy-level stakeholders tackle digital inclusion in the context of UK rural communities. Design/methodology/approach Semi-structured interviews were conducted with stakeholders that operate nationally in government departments, government funded organisations and third sector organisations that provided a policy-level perspective on digital inclusion initiative provision across England, Scotland and Wales. Activity theory (AT) was utilised as a theoretical framework, where a variety of factors–tools, rules, community, division of labour and contradictions–were found to have an influence on digital inclusion initiative provision. Findings Digital inclusion initiative provision in UK rural communities is organised through the multi-stakeholder involvement of national organisations, and collaboration with intermediary organisations to provide digital skills training and support. The process is fraught with difficulties and contradictions, limited knowledge sharing; reduced or poor-quality connectivity; lack of funding; lack of local resources; assumptions that organisations will indeed collaborate and assumptions that intermediary organisations have staff with the necessary skills and confidence to provide digital skills training and support within the rural context. Research limitations/implications This study highlights the benefit of using AT as a lens to develop a nuanced understanding of how policy-level stakeholders tackle digital inclusion. Practical implications This study can inform policy decisions on digital inclusion initiative provision suitable for rural communities. Originality/value The contribution of this paper provides new insights into the understanding of how policy-level stakeholders tackle digital inclusion and the provision of digital inclusion initiatives; it builds on the use of AT to help unpick the complexity of digital inclusion initiative provision as a phenomenon; it reveals contradictions in relation to trust, and the need for knowledge sharing mechanisms to span and align different interpretations of digital inclusion across the policy-level; and reveals an extension of AT demonstrated through the “granularity of the subject” which enables the multi-actor involvement of the stakeholders involved in digital inclusion at policy-level to emerge

Transforming individual ambidexterity to organisational ambidexterity: a configurational perspective on leadership factors as an aggregating process

Organisational ambidexterity (i.e. the ability to balance exploration and exploitation) is crucial to organisations’ survival and development. It can be achieved at multiple levels, but the connection between different levels, especially from the individual to the firm level, has received scant attention in the literature. Utilising micro-foundations theory, this paper aims to study how leadership factors (i.e. top team management [TMT] behavioural integration, a chief executive officer’s [CEO] characteristics and ambidextrous behaviours, and senior managers’ ambidextrous behaviours) complete a mechanism to transform individual ambidexterity (IA) to organisational ambidexterity (OA), filling the gap in the IA–OA process. Our study provides a configurational perspective on finding the sufficient combined effort among different leadership factors to complete the IA–OA process

A heuristic approach to flood evacuation planning

Flood evacuation planning models are an important tool used in preparation for flooding events. Authorities use the plans generated by flood evacuation models to evacuate the population as quickly as possible. Contemporary models consider the whole solution space and use a stochastic search to explore and produce solutions. The one issue with stochastic approaches is that they cannot guarantee the optimality of the solution and it is important that the plans be of a high quality. We present a heuristically driven flood evacuation planning model; the proposed heuristic is deterministic, which allows the model to avoid this problem. The determinism of the model means that the optimality of solutions found can be readily verified

Investigating the determinants of inter-organizational information sharing within criminal justice: a context-mechanism-outcome approach

Focusing on inter-organizational information sharing in criminal justice, it is found that, while poor project management leads to unsuccessful inter-organizational information sharing, a recipe for success is more demanding as it requires both compatible technologies and good project management implemented either by means of a top-down approach of strategic alignment or an emergent approach of bottom-up alignment. Though unplanned, the latter approach may lead to mistakes that are more correctable than the large mistakes stemming from top-down, deliberate planning. The study is an analysis of context-mechanism-outcome configurations of inter-organizational information sharing activities within criminal justice systems and demonstrates the causal asymmetry between positive and negative cases. Theoretical, methodological, and practical implications are discussed by highlighting the causal role of different types of governance structure in a crisp-set configurational fashion

Crossing power and knowledge boundaries in learning and knowledge sharing

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to investigate the crossing of knowledge and power boundaries within a bureaucratic organization using Enterprise Social Media (ESM). Carlile’s (2004) boundary crossing framework is used to guide this research. Design/methodology/approach- This is a qualitative study based on semi-structured interviews and observations in a large Norwegian public sector organization. Findings- We find that crossing knowledge and power boundaries using ESM is problematic at both a syntactic, semantic and pragmatic level. ESM is used predominantly for sharing, storing and retrieving explicit knowledge, which is a display of crossing the information processing boundary. While the use of ESM allows for potential power shifts among different levels, shared meaning, taking the perspective of other and new knowledge-in-practices are not achieved. Therefore examples of crossing the semantic and pragmatic knowledge boundaries are rarely found. Research limitations/implications- The framework could be applied to a variety of contexts to further explore the role of ESM in learning and knowledge sharing and its ability to cross power and knowledge boundaries. Practical implications- Organizations will benefit from understanding issues related to the use of ESM to enhance knowledge sharing, learning and the development of new practices, as well as potential power, knowledge and trust issues that may arise in connection with the use of ESM. Originality/value – This paper addresses a gap in the literature around discussions of power, trust, boundary crossing and the use of enterprise social media for knowledge sharing and learnin

The impact of competitive strategies on responsive market orientation, proactive market orientation, learning orientation and organizational performance

Drawing on the strategy implementation approach and the resource-based view of the firm, this study examines the relationships among competitive strategies (differentiation and cost leadership), responsive market orientation (RMO), proactive market orientation (PMO), learning orientation (LO) and organizational performance. The study used questionnaire survey of senior managers of 264 manufacturing and service companies in Jordan. The study employed partial least squares to test the hypotheses. Moderate but significant relationships are evident in the links between cost leadership and LO, and RMO and organizational performance. Strong and significant relationships are exhibited in the links between differentiation and RMO; differentiation and PMO; differentiation and LO and between LO and organizational performance. The results show that differentiation strategy is more important than cost leadership strategy and that LO is the most important factor for better organizational performance

Developing activity theory in information studies (DATIS)

Over the last two decades the use of Activity Theory has grown within the field of information studies. However, while there is a budding community, the use and development of Activity Theory in information studies remains underdeveloped and fragmented. This community building workshop provides an opportunity to: (1) introduce information scholars to the basic conceptual premises of Activity Theory focusing on the use, development and contribution of Activity Theory; (2) provide a forum to extend the development of Activity Theory; and (3) It will also provide a networking opportunity for scholars already utilizing activity theory and an opportunity to discuss the contributions iSchool scholars can make to the wider Activity Theory community. The aim of the afternoon session is to both stimulate discourse and advance the use of the theory. A 500-word position paper is due 4th of March