Electronic collaboration has become a driver for productivity as organizations develop linkages
for the planning, sourcing and execution of goods and services. These organizations require
mechanisms to harness the diverse and personalized intellectual resources that are distributed
across the world. While electronic collaboration technologies have made it possible to harness
intellectual resources across space and time, knowledge management is locked in a
paradox of perception – the more valuable a knowledge resource is seen to be the less it is
shared. This paper develops framework for the activation of knowledge that relies on a view of
knowledge-as-identity. The analysis of a case study reveals “activation effects” that delineate
processes in which electronic collaboration technologies can be most effective. This has
implications for the creation of collaborative work environments that enhance activation in
organizations