knowledge exchange in electronic networks of practice eoin whelan phd candidate cisc

Knowledge Exchange in Electronic Networks of Practice

Eoin Whelan

PhD Candidate

CISC

www.nuigalway.ie/cisc

2www.nuigalway.ie/cisc

Overview

• Explain Electronic Networks of Practice (ENoPs)

• Why are ENoPs worth studying?

• The literature; knowledge management, inter-organisational systems, social network theory

• Preliminary research question & methodology


What are Electronic Networks of Practice?

• When individuals have a common practice, knowledge readily flows across that practice, enabling individuals to create social networks to support knowledge exchange (Brown & Duguid 2000)

• Two practice related networks; Communities of Practice & Networks of Practice


What are Electronic Networks of Practice?

• ENoPs are a special case of NoP where the sharing of practice related knowledge occurs primarily through computer-based communication technologies (Wasko & Faraj 2005)

• Pharmaceutical Engineer Forum


Why ENoPs Worth Studying?

• External knowledge trading through electronic networks is beneficial for the firm (Teigland & Wasko 2003)

• Brown & Duguid (2000) conclude that the key to competitive advantage is a firms ability to coordinate autonomous CoPs internally and leverage the knowledge that flows into these communities from network connections


CoP

CoP CoP

CoP

CoP

CompetitiveAdvantage

CoP

CoP CoP

CoP

CoP

CompetitiveAdvantage

Organisation 1 Organisation 2

ENoP


Literature

Knowledge Management

Inter-Organisational SystemsSocial Network Theory

Research Question


Knowledge Management

• What is knowledge management?

• Much debate exists as to the different views of knowledge

• Some commentators are of the opinion that tacit knowledge can be captured (Huang 1997), some feel it is merely ‘difficult’ to articulate (Teece 1998), others feel it cannot be codified without being invalidated (Buckingham Shum 1997) whereas others feel it simply cannot be captured or codified at all (Leonard and Sensiper 1998)


Knowledge as a Duality?

• Yang – Active

– Hot

– Life

– Summer

– Male

– Day

– Odd

– Sun

– Fire

• Yin – Passive

– Cold

– Death

– Winter

– Female

– Night

– Even

– Moon

– Water

Knowledge consists simultaneously of both “Hard” and “Soft” Knowledge (Kimble and Hildreth, 2004)


Social Network Theory

• Social network theory posits that the attributes of individuals are less important than their relationships and ties with other actors within the network

• Particular structural features of networks create or constrain possibilities for action by individuals and networks


Social Network Theory


Social Network Structural Properties

• Core-periphery structure– ‘Communication nets' with centrailsed structures (e.g. wheel)

improved the diffusion of information in simple tasks while decentralised structures (e.g. circle) delayed the diffusion of information (Bavelas 1950)

– Groups with decentralised communication nets took less time to finish complex tasks than groups with centralized structure (Shaw 1964)

– High core-periphery structure is negatively related to formal team performance for complex, non routine work (Cummings & Cross 2003)


Strong vs. Weak Core-Periphery Structure


Preliminary Research Question

• What is the relationship between ENoP structural properties and successful knowledge exchange in complex, non-routine work?


Proposed Methodology

• Multiple ENoPs

• Variable 1 – ENoP structural properties– Measure using social network analysis

• Variable 2 – Successful knowledge exchangePhase 1 – measure the volume of knowledge exchanged using

content analysis

Phase 2 – measure the quality of knowledge exchanged. Two measurement mechanisms– Responses rated by expert– Survey of users


Questions/Suggestions?

knowledge exchange in electronic networks of practice eoin whelan phd candidate cisc

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