Hazel Hall's invited paper, co-authored with Melanie Goody, presented at the European Business Information Conference, 2005, Seville, Spain, 1-3 March 2005. The full text of the presentation is available from http://drhazelhall.files.wordpress.com/2013/01/hall_ebic_05.pdf. This was later developed into a refereed journal article accessible from http://jis.sagepub.com/cgi/content/abstract/33/2/181. The material presented here draws on the findings of Hazel Hall's doctoral research, the full details of which are available from http://hazelhall.org/publications/phd-the-knowledge-trap-an-intranet-implementation-in-a-corporate-environment/
KM, culture and compromise: devising practical interventions to promote knowledge sharing in corporate environments
1. EBIC 2005
KM, culture & compromise
March 2-5
Seville, Spain
Hazel Hall & Melanie Goody
Devising practical interventions to
promote knowledge sharing in
corporate environments
Setting the context: how research
Setting the context: how research
informs practice
informs practice
Presentation by Dr Hazel Hall, Napier
Presentation by Dr Hazel Hall, Napier
University
University
2. EBIC 2005
KM, culture & compromise
March 2-5
Seville, Spain
Hazel Hall & Melanie Goody
Research literature identifies desired outcomes
Research literature identifies desired outcomes
of knowledge sharing
of knowledge sharing
Improved organisational learning
Improved organisational learning
New knowledge creation and innovation
New knowledge creation and innovation
Knowledge reuse
Knowledge reuse
3. EBIC 2005
KM, culture & compromise
March 2-5
Seville, Spain
Hazel Hall & Melanie Goody
E
Research literature identifies desired outcomes
R
Research literature identifies desired outcomes
of knowledge sharing
of knowledge sharing
U
L T
Improved organisational learning
Improved organisational learning
U
New knowledge creation and innovation
C
New knowledge creation and innovation
Knowledge reuse
Knowledge reuse
4. EBIC 2005
KM, culture & compromise
March 2-5
Seville, Spain
Hazel Hall & Melanie Goody
E
Research literature identifies desired outcomes
R
Research literature identifies desired outcomes
of knowledge sharing
of knowledge sharing
U
L T
Improved organisational learning
Improved organisational learning
U
New knowledge creation and innovation
C
New knowledge creation and innovation
Knowledge reuse
Knowledge reuse
Or “culture”…?
5. EBIC 2005
KM, culture & compromise
March 2-5
Seville, Spain
Hazel Hall & Melanie Goody
Huysman & De Wit (2002)
Huysman & De Wit (2002)
Large distributed organisation
Large distributed organisation
High expectations of national intranet as
High expectations of national intranet as
focus for knowledge sharing, linked into
focus for knowledge sharing, linked into
global intranet
global intranet
Decentralised management of intranet
Decentralised management of intranet
resources
resources
Distributed knowledge managers 1997-
Distributed knowledge managers 1997-
6. EBIC 2005
KM, culture & compromise
March 2-5
Seville, Spain
Hazel Hall & Melanie Goody
Huysman & De Wit (2002)
Huysman & De Wit (2002)
Large distributed organisation
Large distributed organisation
High expectations of national intranet as
High expectations of national intranet as
focus for knowledge sharing, linked into
focus for knowledge sharing, linked into
global intranet
global intranet
Decentralised management of intranet
Decentralised management of intranet
resources
resources
Distributed knowledge managers 1997-
Distributed knowledge managers 1997-
Low interest in knowledge sharing
Low interest in knowledge sharing
High interest in billable client work
High interest in billable client work
7. EBIC 2005
KM, culture & compromise
March 2-5
Seville, Spain
Hazel Hall & Melanie Goody
Orlikowksi (1996)
Orlikowksi (1996)
Large distributed organisation
Large distributed organisation
High expectations of Lotus Notes as focus
High expectations of Lotus Notes as focus
for knowledge sharing
for knowledge sharing
8. EBIC 2005
KM, culture & compromise
March 2-5
Seville, Spain
Hazel Hall & Melanie Goody
Orlikowksi (1996)
Orlikowksi (1996)
Large distributed organisation
Large distributed organisation
High expectations of Lotus Notes as focus
High expectations of Lotus Notes as focus
for knowledge sharing
for knowledge sharing
Low interest in knowledge sharing
Low interest in knowledge sharing
High interest in billable client work
High interest in billable client work
9. EBIC 2005
KM, culture & compromise
March 2-5
Seville, Spain
Hazel Hall & Melanie Goody
Your organisation (2005)?
Your organisation (2005)?
Large distributed organisation?
Large distributed organisation?
High expectations of technology as focus for
High expectations of technology as focus for
knowledge sharing?
knowledge sharing?
Low interest in knowledge sharing?
Low interest in knowledge sharing?
High interest in billable client work?
High interest in billable client work?
10. EBIC 2005
KM, culture & compromise
March 2-5
Seville, Spain
Hazel Hall & Melanie Goody
“Culture”
“Culture”
The context in which it is hoped that
The context in which it is hoped that
knowledge sharing will be engendered is
knowledge sharing will be engendered is
stronger than the technology and staff
stronger than the technology and staff
provided for the support of knowledge
provided for the support of knowledge
sharing activity
sharing activity
11. EBIC 2005
KM, culture & compromise
March 2-5
Seville, Spain
Hazel Hall & Melanie Goody
Kling & Scacchi (1982)
Kling & Scacchi (1982)
Operation and enhancement of computer
Operation and enhancement of computer
implementations are compromised
implementations are compromised
shifting technical relationships
shifting technical relationships
fluid, complex social relationships
fluid, complex social relationships
12. EBIC 2005
KM, culture & compromise
March 2-5
Seville, Spain
Hazel Hall & Melanie Goody
Assumptions
Assumptions
Developers and users act in a rational
Developers and users act in a rational
manner
manner
Initiatives will be adequately resourced
Initiatives will be adequately resourced
Key players command social and political
Key players command social and political
power to motivate widespread adoption
power to motivate widespread adoption
13. EBIC 2005
KM, culture & compromise
March 2-5
Seville, Spain
Hazel Hall & Melanie Goody
Assumptions
Assumptions
Developers and users act in a rational
Developers and users act in a rational
manner
manner
They work according to specific, personal, short-
They work according to specific, personal, short-
term agendas
term agendas
Initiatives will be adequately resourced
Initiatives will be adequately resourced
Time and money is squeezed
Time and money is squeezed
Key players command social and political
Key players command social and political
power to motivate widespread adoption
power to motivate widespread adoption
Often they don’t
Often they don’t
14. EBIC 2005
KM, culture & compromise
March 2-5
Seville, Spain
Hazel Hall & Melanie Goody
Assumptions
Assumptions
Developers and users act in a rational
Developers and users act in a rational
manner
manner
R E
They work according to specific, personal, short-
They work according to specific, personal, short-
term agendas
U
T
term agendas
Initiatives will be adequately resourced
L
Initiatives will be adequately resourced
U
Time and money is squeezed
Time and money is squeezed
C
Key players command social and political
Key players command social and political
power to motivate widespread adoption
power to motivate widespread adoption
Often they don’t
Often they don’t
15. EBIC 2005
KM, culture & compromise
March 2-5
Seville, Spain
Hazel Hall & Melanie Goody
Alternative assumptions of a “system”
Alternative assumptions of a “system”
More than a set of neutral technical
More than a set of neutral technical
components
components
Form of social organisation
Form of social organisation
Subject to limitations of available resources
Subject to limitations of available resources
funding, political power, staffing
funding, political power, staffing
Competes for resources
Competes for resources
16. EBIC 2005
KM, culture & compromise
March 2-5
Seville, Spain
Hazel Hall & Melanie Goody
Ties to perspectives of organisational theorists
Ties to perspectives of organisational theorists
– Ciborra (2002)
– Ciborra (2002)
“Bricolage”
“Bricolage”
Consequential shifts in deployment
Consequential shifts in deployment
Organisations as “hosts” to “guest” systems
Organisations as “hosts” to “guest” systems
17. EBIC 2005
KM, culture & compromise
March 2-5
Seville, Spain
Hazel Hall & Melanie Goody
“Culture” refers to power relationships
“Culture” refers to power relationships
Identification in KM (Ekbia & Kling, 2003)
Identification in KM (Ekbia & Kling, 2003)
Means of investigation: Actor-network
Means of investigation: Actor-network
theory
theory
Human and non-human actors
Human and non-human actors
Relationships between actors, and potential
Relationships between actors, and potential
actors, within a network
actors, within a network
Acknowledgement of existence of competing
Acknowledgement of existence of competing
actor-networks
actor-networks
18. EBIC 2005
KM, culture & compromise
March 2-5
Seville, Spain
Hazel Hall & Melanie Goody
Potential actors in a KM actor-network
Knowledge Intranet “Ordinary” staff
sharing as a usage (not KM
Specialist KM staff statistics specialists)
concept
members in Senior sponsors of KM as a
centralised unit KM (not KM
Shared External concept
collaboration Mission specialists) systems
space statements KM strategy vendors
Senior staff with KM
Specialist KM staff
responsibilities (not Repositories
members in
KM specialists) Intranet
distributed across
External consultants
business units
19. EBIC 2005
KM, culture & compromise
March 2-5
Seville, Spain
Hazel Hall & Melanie Goody
Policy documentation
Policy documentation
Partner for KM
Partner for KM
Specialist KM staff
Specialist KM staff
members in Director of KM KM as a
KM as a
members in Director of KM
centralised unit concept
concept
centralised unit
Intranet
Intranet Intranet
Intranet
manager
manager
Specialist KM staff
Specialist KM staff
in business units
in business units
“Ordinary” staff
“Ordinary” staff
A KM actor-network
20. EBIC 2005
KM, culture & compromise
March 2-5
Seville, Spain
Hazel Hall & Melanie Goody
Misunderstandings of KM
Misunderstandings of KM
Scenario 1: excessive promotion of a technical
Scenario 1: excessive promotion of a technical
artefact
artefact
KM = system
KM = system
System = KM
System = KM
May be reinforced by excessive promotion of other
May be reinforced by excessive promotion of other
actors, e.g. intranet usage statistics
actors, e.g. intranet usage statistics
21. EBIC 2005
KM, culture & compromise
March 2-5
Seville, Spain
Hazel Hall & Melanie Goody
Misunderstandings of KM
Misunderstandings of KM
Scenario 2: policy documentation
Scenario 2: policy documentation
If too weak ignored staff do not learn what KM
If too weak ignored staff do not learn what KM
comprises
comprises
If too strong raised expectations confusion
If too strong raised expectations confusion
when expectations are not realised
when expectations are not realised
22. EBIC 2005
KM, culture & compromise
March 2-5
Seville, Spain
Hazel Hall & Melanie Goody
Misunderstandings of KM
Misunderstandings of KM
Scenario 3: designated KM staff
Scenario 3: designated KM staff
If perceived as low-level administrators KM
If perceived as low-level administrators KM
perceived as non-critical support activity
perceived as non-critical support activity
If “visible” activities appear to be IM KM seen as
If “visible” activities appear to be IM KM seen as
passing management fad, attempt to glamorise IM
passing management fad, attempt to glamorise IM
Competing actor-networks may recruit isolated KM
Competing actor-networks may recruit isolated KM
staff in business units, or they may set up competing
staff in business units, or they may set up competing
networks themselves
networks themselves
23. EBIC 2005
KM, culture & compromise
March 2-5
Seville, Spain
Hazel Hall & Melanie Goody
Misunderstandings of KM
Misunderstandings of KM
Scenario 4: balance in KM expertise
Scenario 4: balance in KM expertise
If key KM staff share common background undue
If key KM staff share common background undue
focus on particular approach to KM
focus on particular approach to KM
Example: LIS codification
Example: LIS codification
24. EBIC 2005
KM, culture & compromise
March 2-5
Seville, Spain
Hazel Hall & Melanie Goody
Limitations of KM actor-networks
Limitations of KM actor-networks
Imperfect environments
Imperfect environments
In most organisations the core (revenue-earning)
In most organisations the core (revenue-earning)
business is focused on activities not obviously
business is focused on activities not obviously
related to KM
related to KM
Status of professionals closely aligned to core
Status of professionals closely aligned to core
business is higher than that of KM professionals
business is higher than that of KM professionals
Other actor-networks are fierce competitors
Other actor-networks are fierce competitors
25. EBIC 2005
KM, culture & compromise
March 2-5
Seville, Spain
Hazel Hall & Melanie Goody
Devising practical interventions to
promote knowledge sharing in
corporate environments
Compromise, subversion and multi-
Compromise, subversion and multi-
channel sharing systems: devising
channel sharing systems: devising
effective strategies for promoting
effective strategies for promoting
knowledge sharing in “imperfect”
knowledge sharing in “imperfect”
environments”
environments”
Discussion to be led by Melanie Goody,
Discussion to be led by Melanie Goody,
KPMG
KPMG