ITbased knowledge management to support organizational learning

• Published in: Information technology & people (West Linn, Or.) Or.), 2007-11, Vol.20 (4), p.376-399
• Main Authors: Gasson, Susan, Shelfer, Katherine M.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Communication technologies; Competitive strategy; Decision support systems; Immigration; Knowledge management; Risk assessment
• ISSN: 0959-3845
• DOI: 10.1108/09593840710839806

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to explore how to reconcile the contradiction between two paradigms employed in analyzing ITrelated change requirements knowledgeasthing versus knowledgeasprocess. Designmethodologyapproach These tensions are explored in the highrisk decisionmaking environment of an Immigration and Naturalization Service agency. The study combines competitive intelligence riskanalysis methods with an ethnographic analysis of knowledgeflows, to determine how the roles of human decisionmakers may be supported effectively by ICTbased knowledge support. Findings The findings demonstrate how highrisk decisionmaking may be analyzed as a integrated hybrid humanICT intelligence system. The study exposes detailed mechanisms by which knowledge of different forms is transferred, exposing failures in training, interpersonal communications, ICT system support, and reward structures. Four roles for ICT support are identified, to supplement human intelligence effectively. Research limitationsimplications This research is based on an investigation across knowledgeable experts in various geographical locations, functional contexts, and organizational roles in a single government agency. Future research could seek to explore whether our distinctions between knowledge types and ICTroles are transferable across different organizations. Practical implications Four stages of analysis for a hybrid intelligence framework are suggested riskcategory identification the application of riskcategories to decisioncases testing and adapting categorizations against global conditions and transfer of locallymeaningful categorizations of risk across communities of practice. Originalityvalue The contributions of this paper are to provide a taxonomy for the analysis of organizational knowledgeflows and to suggest a framework for the analysis of roles for human vs. ICT knowledge management in distributed, highrisk decisionmaking environments.