Page 459 -

442 Chapter 13

KM Research

Some examples of research being conducted in the area of KM include Thomas,
Kellogg, and Erickson (2001) who are exploring the role of social and cognitive factors
in knowledge codifi cation. The simple picture of knowledge management as getting
the right information to the right people at the right time is wrong. Knowledge man-
agement is not just a matter of managing information. It is deeply social in nature
and must be approached by taking human and social factors into account. As the fi eld
of knowledge management develops, and more widespread and varied experience with
different approaches to KM is gained, it will become clearer how all the pieces fi t
together to create a rich picture of social and intellectual capital within organizations.
Certainly, looking toward the future of work, as it becomes more centered in virtual
relationships and spaces both within and across organizations, creating and maintain-
ing knowledge and its social context will only become more vital.
One of the most important aspects of a knowledge management system is that it
becomes what Thomas, Kellogg, and Erickson (2001) termed a “ knowledge commu-
nity ” : a place within which people discover, use, and manipulate knowledge, and can
encounter and interact with others who are doing likewise. They discuss two approaches
for supporting knowledge communities, namely social computing and knowledge
socialization. A fundamental characteristic of a knowledge community is that it
includes conversation and other forms of narrative, for example, stories and/or
unguarded discussion among people who know one another, who share professional
interests, and who understand the contexts within which their remarks are being
made. The authors outline a variety of specifi c techniques that can contribute to a
realistic and effective approach to knowledge management, including supporting new
forms of group interaction (e.g., Bohm Dialogue, stories), methods for enhancing
creativity (e.g., the use of metaphor), and support for expressive communication.
When such techniques are incorporated into knowledge communities, they result in
organizational opportunities to build social capital, including trust and cooperation
among colleagues.
The notion of a knowledge management environment as a trusted place is an
interesting and challenging one for system designers and for organizations. How
technically, socially, and organizationally can we balance the need for a safe and
trusting place within which so much knowledge creation and social capital building
takes place with the organizational imperative to share information more broadly? A
greater understanding of how to design socially translucent systems that permit social
mechanisms to come into play will help developers of technological systems to negoti-