Knowledge Sharing During Technology Implementation: Enabling Elements And Problems

Organizational change due to the implementation of new technologies or newer versions of technologies in organizations is a process with many challenges. During this change process, users need to make sense of the new technology, adapt their work practices to use the technology and/or change their patterns or routines of work to make full use of the technology. This paper focuses on knowledge sharing during change associated with the implementation of new or newer versions of technologies in four case study organisations. We use a qualitative research method and our findings identify the 1) key interrelated elements that enable effective knowledge sharing (people from specific teams, IT-artefacts and change-related activities) and 2) specific problems that hinder effective knowledge sharing during change associated with technology implementation. Our findings are of specific relevance to managers that need to plan, control and coordinate change processes and manage teams that are subject to change associated with technology implementation

The Role of Social Networks and Artefacts in Technology Appropriation

This paper examines the role of social networks and artefacts in technology appropriation in an educational environment. We use a qualitative research method to illustrate that social networks and accompanying artefacts form an integral part of the process of appropriation. Our findings suggest three ways in which people appropriate technology for successful longer-term use: 1) adapting work practices to fit the technology, 2) adapting both technology and work practices and 3) integrating technologies and redesigning work practices in work environments. Findings also suggest that, for effective use of technologies, social networks alone may not be enough in encouraging technology use. A combination of social networks and manual and automated artefacts is necessary in supporting and enabling productive technology use. Further, it’s important that managers, IT professionals and trainers realize that lead users play important roles in creating new social- artefact networks and enable new and effective ways of using technology

The Role of Social Networks in Technology Appropriation over time

A number of factors and elements influence the introduction and long-term use of Information Systems (IS) in organisations. Studies in long-term technology use indicate that influences that support users’ decision to adopt technology are not sufficient to encourage long-term use. Based on two case studies in an educational setting, we suggest that social networks play a key role in facilitating technology appropriation and encouraging continued long-term use of technology. Findings indicate that supportive social networks are instrumental to share knowledge, enhance learning, build trust, encourage users to resolve complex problems and subsequently pursue and sustain technology use over long periods of time

Assessing Nurses’ Knowledge Sharing Problems Associated with Shift Handover in Hospital Settings

In hospital settings, the quality and effectiveness of shift handover are critical for continuous and high quality patient care. This paper explores nurses’ knowledge sharing problems during shift handover in 6 Australian hospitals. A single focus group was conducted to collect empirical evidence of knowledge sharing problems during shift handover, across the hospitals. Findings indicate a broader set of problems that hinder effective knowledge sharing and suggest that handover standards, codification guidelines, the format of templates, and training in conducting handover need to be improved. Additionally, knowledge codification by health professionals other than nurses needs to be encouraged to improve shift handover. Finally, more guidance and training in using various IT hospital systems are necessary to give entry-level and graduate nurses adequate skills to ensure more effective shift handover. This study emphasizes the importance of people, technology, systems, standards and routine activities to capture and share important shift knowledge

Exploring Information Sharing Problems in Nursing Handover: An Activity Theory Perspective

The sharing of patient handover information between individuals and teams of nurses in clinical settings is a complex process that requires consolidation and integration of information from different sources and types of artefacts. The aim of this study is to identify the most critical information-sharing problems nurses experience during handover. Handover information-sharing problems are explored using Activity theory (Engestrom, 1987) as a lens to better understand the nature of these problems. A qualitative research approach was conducted to collect data from four units in a large Saudi Arabian hospital. Findings indicate that Activity Theory is a comprehensive theory to analyse a full spectrum of socio-technical handover problems. Findings further indicate that handover information sharing problems relate mostly to: 1) incompatible handover artefacts, 2) inadequate guidelines and training to conduct handover processes, 3) insufficient and fragmented documented information to share during handover and 4) nurses’ personal style

Understanding appropriation of a social media technology to manage chronic illness: The Facebook case

With the rapid increase of social media appropriation globally, there has been a surge in the number of chronically ill adults who leverage social media tools as part of their illness management practice. While numerous studies discuss the potential benefits of appropriation there seem to be limited studies that have explored appropriation of social media by investigating how and why these technologies have been appropriated by these patients. This paper applies an interpretive case study with mixed methods to examine appropriation of Facebook by these cohorts. Our results highlight the patterns of social media appropriation: lurking as passive learning; liking and reacting to show support and; borderless appropriation of multiple social media tools. Among a range of influences, crafting a positive illness identity, communal filtering of misinformation were found to be positive influences and barriers like emotional overload were found to influence appropriation for chronically ill adults on social media

The use of social media by adults with chronic illness: analysing the support mechanisms of four social media platforms

Social media technologies are increasingly utilized by patients, leading to development of online social groups where patients share experiences and offer support to their peers on these platforms. Yet, there is limited research investigating actual use of social media platforms by patients with chronic illness. In order to gain an understanding of this growing trend, this study conducts a technology feature analysis of the technology features of four of the most used social media tools to date: Facebook, Instagram, Reddit and YouTube in order to determine how the features and mechanisms available on these tools present the key functionalities of these social media tools. We discover that the Uses and Gratifications Framework can augment the Honey Comb framework to examine the features of social media technologies

IMPROVING KNOWLEDGE SHARING BEHAVIOUR WITHIN ORGANIZATIONS: TOWARDS A MODEL

Knowledge management is the process of capturing, storing, sharing and using organizational knowledge with the aim of improving organizational performance. A necessary precursor for successful knowledge management initiatives is knowledge exchange between employees. This exchange is voluntary and highly dependent on an individual’s willingness to share his/her knowledge. It thus becomes important to identify the factors motivating employees to share their knowledge. This research in progress draws on Locke and Latham’s Goal Setting Theory (1990) to propose a model explaining knowledge sharing behavior

Impact Assessment of Knowledge Sharing Bottlenecks: The Knowledge Sharing Environment Model (KSEM)

Knowledge sharing is a critical phase of the Knowledge Management life-cycle since it is an important precursor to the actual usage of knowledge. Knowledge initiatives to improve knowledge sharing requires an analysis of current knowledge sharing processes to identify bottlenecks that hinder knowledge sharing processes. Current knowledge auditing techniques for assessing knowledge sharing problems in organizations are insufficient in addressing the specific knowledge context of particular business functions. We propose a new technique the Knowledge Sharing Environment Model (KSEM), to model the knowledge sharing environment of specific business functions that helps in identifying the impact of bottlenecks in such environments