The intranet as actor: the role of the intranet in knowledge sharing

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The intranet as actor: the role of the intranet in knowledge sharing

Presented byHazel HallSenior LecturerSchool of ComputingNapier University, Edinburgh

[email protected]://www.bim.napier.ac.uk/~hazel/esis/hazel.html

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Intranets in large, information-intensive organisations

– are useful– are used– are “successful”

… but often fail to deliver on exactly what is expected of them

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Recent work

– identifies that companies implement sub-optimal systems– make suggestions on how to avoid this

e.g. Huysman & De Wit (2002)

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Previous work

– numerous difficulties of introducing new technologies into large, distributed firms

– specific problems with changing established work practice related to knowledge sharing

• staff pre-occupied with billable client work• staff reluctant to share “currency” for future career success

Orlikowski (1996)

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Early work

– operation and enhancement of computer implementations are compromised by complexities of shifting social and technical relationships

Kling & Scacchi (1982)

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This work

– sociotechnical analysis of knowledge sharing practice in large, distributed, case study organisation

– develops subject of ICTs and knowledge sharing– clarifies the (multiple) role(s) of the intranet in knowledge

sharing – highlights issues of status and power– demonstrates importance of research approach in the

generation of findings

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1995 2000 20011999199819971996

Intranet adoption Formalisation of KM Doubt

1 2 3

Phase 1UK - demo national intranet created 1995, formal trial 1996, “live” 1996Global - global intranet initiated 1997

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1995 2000 20011999199819971996


1 2 3

Phase 2UK - larger centralised KM function, corporate briefing, KM staff appointed across businessGlobal - launch of global intranet

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2001

Doubt

3

200019991998

Formalisation of KM

2

1995 19971996

Intranet adoption

1

Phase 3Intranets - integration plans abandoned, global system becomes portalKM - budget cuts, US KM function to close, career anxieties, knowledge sharing concerns expressed at highest levels

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1995 2000 20011999199819971996


1 2 3

Plans - corporate documentation on policyPractice - corporate documentation on implementation

Supplemented with interview data from KM directorate staff

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1995 2000 20011999199819971996


1 2 3

Additional source on practice -interview data from KM staff

Plans - as for 1995-2000Practice - as for 1995-2000

Supplemented with interview data as before

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2001

Doubt

3

200019991998

Formalisation of KM

2

1995 19971996

Intranet adoption

1

Awareness Entry Fieldwork

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Data collected

Sources

100+ documents

Formal interviews with 3 members of KM Directorate, plus ad hoc queries

20 in-depth interviews with KM staff

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Date Data Source8 November 2001 Functionality – technical

Slow loading of UK intranet pages: load time of 12seconds unacceptable.

(Intranet editorial panel, 2001,November 8)

8 November 2001 Functionality – technicalDiscussion forums: Internal Communicationsreviewing documentation and issues of discussionforums.


8 November 2001 Functionality – technicalNimda virus: disruption caused by Nimda virusdiscussed.


8 November 2001 Content – externalFactiva: Factiva available from 30 November 2001.


8 November 2001 Content – externalInvestext: desktop access to Investext launched 9November 2001.


8 November 2001 Policy – games“It was agreed that protocols should not permitgames on websites”


8 November 2001 History – investmentBudget cut impact on projects – examples: ICT workon client directory and FTSE 350+ version 2 startedin 1999/2000 was at a standstill by March 2001 dueto budget cuts.


12 November 2001 Uptake – statsRecord hits to UK intranet: 8282 on Monday 12November.

(UK Knowledge Management Group,2001, December 21)

22 November 2001 Content – internalMiddle market site: launch to occur soon.

(UK Knowledge Management Group,2001, November 22)

23 November 2001 Functionality – technicalVerity: launch of tools to improve search capability onUK intranet.


December 2001 Policy – e-discussionsProtocols and best practice for e-discussionspublished.

(UK Knowledge Management Group,2001, December-a)

December 2001 History – national intranetsNational intranets established for Canada and HongKong.

(UK Knowledge Management Group,2001, December-b)

December 2001 Uptake – stats14% up on December 2000.

(UK Knowledge Management Group,2002, January)

Sample extract of coded notes from company documentation

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Date Data Source8 November 2001 Functionality – technical

Slow loading of UK intranet pages: load time of 12seconds unacceptable.


8 November 2001 Functionality – technicalDiscussion forums: Internal Communicationsreviewing documentation and issues of discussionforums.


8 November 2001 Functionality – technicalNimda virus: disruption caused by Nimda virusdiscussed.


8 November 2001 Content – externalFactiva: Factiva available from 30 November 2001.


8 November 2001 Content – externalInvestext: desktop access to Investext launched 9November 2001.


8 November 2001 Policy – games“It was agreed that protocols should not permitgames on websites”


8 November 2001 History – investmentBudget cut impact on projects – examples: ICT workon client directory and FTSE 350+ version 2 startedin 1999/2000 was at a standstill by March 2001 dueto budget cuts.


12 November 2001 Uptake – statsRecord hits to UK intranet: 8282 on Monday 12November.

(UK Knowledge Management Group,2001, December 21)

22 November 2001 Content – internalMiddle market site: launch to occur soon.


23 November 2001 Functionality – technicalVerity: launch of tools to improve search capability onUK intranet.


December 2001 Policy – e-discussionsProtocols and best practice for e-discussionspublished.

(UK Knowledge Management Group,2001, December-a)

December 2001 History – national intranetsNational intranets established for Canada and HongKong.

(UK Knowledge Management Group,2001, December-b)

December 2001 Uptake – stats14% up on December 2000.

(UK Knowledge Management Group,2002, January)

Date of “event”

Code category

Data coded

Source of data

Sample extract of coded notes from company documentation

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H: Who controls 422 the Intranet content, is it 423 controlled by you in XX … rather than 424 from the centre, from the KM group …? 425

#-CONTROL $-RELS KMGP: Well, in terms of what tools and what 427 -#-$ facilities are made available to us, 428 | | that's obviously controlled by the 429 | | central group. But in terms of the XX 430 |-$ content and the XX presence, that's 431 | entirely controlled by me … simply 432 | because it wouldn't be relevant to go 433 | through a central group. 434 -#

H: Yeh, OK. You've told me about 436#-INT BUY-IN ownership. How … it sounds as if 437 -# you've got really good buy-in from 438 | your own set of people … 439 | |P: Absolutely. 441 -#

#-INT BUY-INH: What about the Intranet as a whole in 443 -# the UK? What are your perceptions of 444 | buy-in there? 445 | |$-KM SPONSP: I think it varies. I mean, I'm very 447 -#-$ fortunate in that I report into the 448 | KM partner, who's also one of the 449 | senior partners … 450 -$

H: Which, who …? 452

Sample of interview transcript coded up with the use of The Ethnograph

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H: Who controls 422 the Intranet content, is it 423 controlled by you in XX … rather than 424 from the centre, from the KM group …? 425

#-CONTROL $-RELS KMGP: Well, in terms of what tools and what 427 -#-$ facilities are made available to us, 428 | | that's obviously controlled by the 429 | | central group. But in terms of the XX 430 |-$ content and the XX presence, that's 431 | entirely controlled by me … simply 432 | because it wouldn't be relevant to go 433 | through a central group. 434 -#

H: Yeh, OK. You've told me about 436#-INT BUY-IN ownership. How … it sounds as if 437 -# you've got really good buy-in from 438 | your own set of people … 439 | |P: Absolutely. 441 -#

#-INT BUY-INH: What about the Intranet as a whole in 443 -# the UK? What are your perceptions of 444 | buy-in there? 445 | |$-KM SPONSP: I think it varies. I mean, I'm very 447 -#-$ fortunate in that I report into the 448 | KM partner, who's also one of the 449 | senior partners … 450 -$

H: Which, who …? 452

Sample of interview transcript coded up with the use of The Ethnograph

Speaker

CodeLine numbers

Data coded

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Data collected

Data analysed into findings

Web model (Kling & Scacchi, 1982)

Four conceptual elements

1. Lines of work and going concerns2. Production lattice3. Infrastructure4. Macrostructure

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Lines of workGoing concerns

- Overview of KM staff roles

- KM and intranet responsibilities

- IM as KM- Intranet as KM- Multi-channel

knowledge sharing- Systems subversion- Status

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Production lattice, infrastructure & macrostructure

- Overview of KM at firm

- KM and intranet staffing plans- Intranet implementation plans - Knowledge sharing plans

- Staff roles in practice- Actual intranet development- Actual knowledge sharing practice

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Lines of workGoing concerns

- Overview of KM staff roles

- KM and intranet responsibilities

- IM as KM- Intranet as KM- Multi-channel

knowledge sharing- Systems subversion- Status

Production lattice, infrastructure & macrostructure

- Overview of KM at firm

- KM and intranet staffing plans- Intranet implementation plans - Knowledge sharing plans

- Staff roles in practice- Actual intranet development- Actual knowledge sharing practice

Interview data Documentation data

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Data collected


Findings reframed

Actor-network theory

Three episodes

1. 1995/19962. 19983. 2001

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1995/1996Policy documentation

KM as a concept IM specialistPartner

Prototype intranet

Technology enthusiast

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Policy documentation

Web specialist

1998

Partner

KM as a conceptIM/KM specialistKM staff (centre)

Intranet

Technology enthusiast

KM staff (business)

Non-KM staff (business)

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Intranet

KM as a conceptIM/KM specialist

Web specialist

2001Policy documentation

Partner

KM staff (centre)

KM staff (business)

Non-KM staff (business)

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Data collected


Findings reframed

Research output

7 roles

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7 roles of the intranet

1. Furnish individuals with special projects2. Demonstrate status3. Connect people for the purposes of knowledge sharing4. Focus corporate attention on knowledge sharing 5. Inhibit knowledge sharing6. Provide career direction7. Measure engagement with KM initiatives

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7 roles of the intranet - some intended by firm

1. Furnish individuals with special projects2. Demonstrate status3. Connect people for the purposes of knowledge sharing4. Focus corporate attention on knowledge sharing5. Inhibit knowledge sharing6. Provide career direction7. Measure engagement with KM initiatives

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7 roles of the intranet - some tie to previous research


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7 roles of the intranet - some novel


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7 roles of the intranet


Power

PR - firm as innovator

Individual’s progress

Generate support for further work

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Accounting for multiple roles

Shared perceptions of appropriate technology use within specificenvironments differ.

For example - intranet deployed to demonstrate status of organisation, role determined internally for benefit of externalconstituency.

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Accounting for failure of system to deliver as anticipated

Actor power of those charged with the implementation– assigned by others– assigned to themselves

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Accounting for emergence of these findings

Consideration of wider environment in which system was situated - focus not on system per se

Academic sociotechnical study – not consultancy project looking for “solutions”– disregarded managerial “taboos”, e.g. nagging for content,

“culture” as umbrella excuse

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References

Huysman, M. & De Wit, D. (2002). Knowledge sharing in practice. London: Kluwer.

Kling, R. & Scacchi, W. (1982). The web of computing: computer technology as social organization. Advances in Computers, 21, 1-90.

Orlikowski, W. J. (1996). Learning from notes: organizational issues in groupware implementation. In R. Kling (Ed.), Computerization and controversy: value conflicts and social choices (2nd ed.).San Diego, CA: Academic Press.

Education

The intranet as actor: the role of the intranet in knowledge sharing