Managing Knowledge Networks

"The information context of the modern organization is rapidly evolving in the face of intense global competition. Information technologies, including databases, new telecommunications systems, and software for synthesizing information, make a vast array of information available to an ever expanding number of organizational members. Management's exclusive control over knowledge is steadily declining, in part because of the downsizing of organizations and the decline of the number of layers in an organizational hierarchy. These trends, as well as issues surrounding the Web 2.0 and social networking, mean that it is increasingly important that we understand how informal knowledge networks impact the generation, capturing, storing, dissemination, and application of knowledge. This innovative book provides a thorough analysis of knowledge networks, focusing on how relationships contribute to the creation of knowledge, its distribution within organizations, how it is diffused and transferred, and how people find it and share it collaboratively"--Provided by publisher. "The information context of the modern organization is rapidly evolving in the face of intense global competition. Information technologies, including databases, new telecommunications systems, and software for synthesizing information, make a vast array of information available to an ever expanding number of organizational members. Management's exclusive control over knowledge is steadily declining, in part because of the downsizing of organizations and the decline of the number of layers in an organizational hierarchy. These trends, as well as issues surrounding theWeb 2.0 and social networking, mean that it is increasingly important that we understand how informal knowledge networks impact the generation, capturing, storing, dissemination, and application of knowledge. This innovative book provides a thorough analysis of knowledge networks, focusing on how relationships contribute to the creation of knowledge, its distribution within organizations, how it is diffused and transferred, and how people find it and share it collaboratively. j . david johnson has been Dean of the College of Communications and Information Studies at the University of Kentucky since 1998. He has also held academic positions at the University ofWisconsin Milwaukee, Arizona State University, the State University of New York at Buffalo, and Michigan State University, and was a media research analyst for the US Information Agency. He has been recognized as among the one hundred most prolific publishers of refereed journal articles in the history of the communication discipline"--Provided by publisher. Half-title......Page 3 Title......Page 5 Copyright......Page 6 Contents......Page 9 Figures......Page 10 Tables......Page 11 Boxes......Page 12 Preface......Page 15 Acknowledgments......Page 17 1 Introduction and overview......Page 19 Knowledge......Page 22 Network analysis......Page 23 Plan of the book......Page 24 Further reading......Page 25 Fundamentals......Page 27 Information......Page 29 Defining knowledge......Page 32 Types of knowledge......Page 33 Tacit vs. explicit......Page 34 Ignorance......Page 38 Further reading......Page 42 3 Network analysis......Page 43 Links as relationships......Page 44 Multiplex networks......Page 53 Weak ties......Page 54 Network configurations......Page 55 Communigrams......Page 56 Social contagion......Page 60 Network roles......Page 62 Brokering structural holes......Page 65 Network indices......Page 66 Pathways......Page 67 Individual positioning......Page 68 Cliques and groups......Page 70 Further reading......Page 72 Contexts......Page 73 4 Context......Page 75 Context as equivalent to situation......Page 76 Match, contingency, and congruency......Page 77 Context as frameworks and governance structures......Page 78 Structure as governance......Page 79 Comparing formal, informal, market, and professional structures......Page 81 Formal......Page 82 Informal......Page 83 Markets......Page 84 Professional......Page 88 Negotiated order......Page 89 Contextualizing the world outside......Page 91 Further reading......Page 95 5 Designing knowledge networks......Page 97 Traditional views......Page 98 Downward communication......Page 100 Upward communication......Page 102 Horizontal communication......Page 103 Summary......Page 104 Centralization......Page 105 Formalization......Page 106 Design......Page 107 Deciding on what is central......Page 108 Dilemmas of design......Page 118 Further reading......Page 120 6 Technology......Page 121 Technology and structure......Page 122 The special role of IT......Page 123 Information carrier technologies......Page 127 Data storage......Page 133 Data bases......Page 134 Telecommunications......Page 135 Information centers......Page 136 Control, centralization, and technology......Page 137 Further Reading......Page 139 7 Spatial distributions of knowledge......Page 140 Fields......Page 142 Relationships......Page 143 Proximity......Page 144 Access......Page 145 Mobility......Page 149 Information terminals......Page 150 Further readings......Page 151 8 Bringing in the world outside......Page 153 Boundary spanning......Page 154 Consortia......Page 157 Communities of practice......Page 165 Brokering structural holes in consortia......Page 169 Shared interests and threats......Page 171 Homophily......Page 172 Summary......Page 173 Brokers......Page 174 Tactics for managing consortia......Page 175 Threats......Page 177 Common ground......Page 179 Government regulations......Page 180 Third-party interference......Page 181 Further reading......Page 182 Pragmatics......Page 185 9 Creativity and innovation......Page 187 Distinguishing creativity and innovation......Page 188 Creativity......Page 192 Knowledge transfer......Page 195 Development of attitudes......Page 196 Cultural factors......Page 199 Integration......Page 200 Absorptive capacity......Page 201 Brokerage......Page 202 Implementation......Page 204 Organizational change......Page 208 Further reading......Page 213 10 Productivity: efficiency and effectiveness......Page 214 Productivity......Page 218 How much?......Page 219 Structural equivalence......Page 220 Efficiency......Page 221 Small-group communication networks......Page 222 Cost/benefit analyses......Page 223 Resource-based view......Page 224 Configurational approaches......Page 226 Further reading......Page 227 Organizational demography......Page 228 Role ambiguity......Page 231 Commitment......Page 234 Ignorance......Page 236 Ignorance is bliss......Page 238 Social barriers to KN......Page 241 Status......Page 242 Group processes......Page 244 Further reading......Page 248 Individual strategies......Page 250 How do people know where to go?......Page 252 Opinion leaders......Page 253 Transactive memory......Page 258 Small-world strategies......Page 259 Feedback seeking......Page 260 Strategies for individual feedback seeking......Page 262 Information foraging......Page 264 Management’s role......Page 265 Managements KN......Page 268 Facilitating information seeking......Page 270 Educate organizational members on capabilities of information carriers......Page 272 Creating rich information fields......Page 273 Further reading......Page 275 13 Decision making......Page 276 Behavioral decision school and uncertainty......Page 279 Bandwidth, echo, and cohesive groups......Page 281 Exploration vs. exploitation......Page 282 Managing attention and satisficing......Page 286 Cognitive limits......Page 288 Cognitive maps......Page 291 Search limitations......Page 292 Access......Page 293 Further reading......Page 294 14 Summary and commentary......Page 295 Intellectual property......Page 296 Privacy issues......Page 297 Human subjects......Page 298 Policy issues......Page 299 Context and individual action......Page 302 Relationships......Page 306 Planned vs. emergent views......Page 307 Paradoxes......Page 308 Dilemmas......Page 309 A final word......Page 312 Further reading......Page 315 References......Page 316 Index......Page 371 Half-title 3 Title 5 Copyright 6 Contents 9 Figures 10 Tables 11 Boxes 12 Preface 15 Acknowledgments 17 1 Introduction and overview 19 Knowledge 22 Network analysis 23 Plan of the book 24 Further reading 25 Fundamentals 27 2 Forms of knowledge 29 What is knowledge? 29 Information 29 Defining knowledge 32 Types of knowledge 33 Tacit vs. explicit 34 Ignorance 38 Further reading 42 3 Network analysis 43 Links as relationships 44 Combining link properties 53 Multiplex networks 53 Weak ties 54 Network configurations 55 Communigrams 56 Individual patterns of relationships 60 Social contagion 60 Network roles 62 Brokering structural holes 65 Network indices 66 Pathways 67 Individual positioning 68 Groups and connectiveness 70 Connectiveness and density 70 Cliques and groups 70 Further reading 72 Contexts 73 4 Context 75 Context as equivalent to situation 76 Context as contingency 77 Match, contingency, and congruency 77 Context as frameworks and governance structures 78 Structure as governance 79 Comparing formal, informal, market, and professional structures 81 Formal 82 Informal 83 Markets 84 Professional 88 Negotiated order 89 Contextualizing the world outside 91 Further reading 95 5 Designing knowledge networks 97 Traditional views 98 Downward communication 100 Upward communication 102 Horizontal communication 103 Summary 104 Indices 105 Complexity 105 Hierarchical level 105 Centralization 105 Span of control 106 Formalization 106 Design 107 Deciding on what is central 108 Dilemmas of design 118 Further reading 120 6 Technology 121 Technology and structure 122 The special role of IT 123 Information carrier technologies 127 Knowledge infrastructure 133 Data storage 133 Data bases 134 Data transport 135 Telecommunications 135 Data transformation 136 Information centers 136 Control, centralization, and technology 137 Further Reading 139 7 Spatial distributions of knowledge 140 Fields 142 Relationships 143 Social density 144 Proximity 144 Access 145 Mobility 149 Information terminals 150 Further readings 151 8 Bringing in the world outside 153 Boundary spanning 154 Consortia 157 Communities of practice 165 Brokering structural holes in consortia 169 Shared interests and threats 171 Homophily 172 Trust 173 Differentiation and integration 173 Summary 173 Brokers 174 Tactics for managing consortia 175 One-party 177 Inertia 177 Threats 177 Resistance 179 Relational 179 Common ground 179 Shared interests 180 Vision 180 Contextual 180 Use of formal authority and coercion 180 Government regulations 180 Third-party interference 181 Further reading 182 Pragmatics 185 9 Creativity and innovation 187 Distinguishing creativity and innovation 188 Creativity 192 Knowledge transfer 195 Development of attitudes 196 Other factors affecting transfer 199 Barriers 199 Cultural factors 199 Integration 200 Absorptive capacity 201 Facilitators 202 Trust 202 Brokerage 202 Threshold and critical mass 204 Implementation 204 Organizational change 208 Further reading 213 10 Productivity: efficiency and effectiveness 214 Productivity 218 How much? 219 Minimalist perspective 220 Structural equivalence 220 Tacit understandings 221 Efficiency 221 Optimal match between structure and performance 222 Small-group communication networks 222 Cost/benefit analyses 223 Effectiveness 224 Resource-based view 224 Configurational approaches 226 Further reading 227 11 The human side 228 Organizational demography 228 Role ambiguity 231 Motivations 234 Commitment 234 Free-riders and public goods 236 Ignorance 236 Ignorance is bliss 238 Social barriers to KN 241 Status 242 Group processes 244 Further reading 248 12 Finding knowledge 250 Individual strategies 250 How do people know where to go? 252 Opinion leaders 253 Accessibility 258 Transactive memory 258 Small-world strategies 259 Feedback seeking 260 Strategies for individual feedback seeking 262 Information foraging 264 Summary 265 Management’s role 265 Managements KN 268 Facilitating information seeking 270 Educate organizational members on capabilities of information carriers 272 Creating rich information fields 273 Further reading 275 13 Decision making 276 Behavioral decision school and uncertainty 279 Bandwidth, echo, and cohesive groups 281 Exploration vs. exploitation 282 Managing attention and satisficing 286 Cognitive limits 288 Cognitive maps 291 Search limitations 292 Access 293 Further reading 294 14 Summary and commentary 295 Ethical issues 296 Intellectual property 296 Privacy issues 297 Human subjects 298 Policy issues 299 Future directions for KN research 302 Context and individual action 302 Relationships 306 The boundaryless organization 307 Planned vs. emergent views 307 Managing KN 308 Paradoxes 308 Dilemmas 309 A final word 312 Further reading 315 References 316 Index 371 9780521514545

The information context of the modern organization is rapidly evolving in the face of intense global competition. Information technologies, including databases, new telecommunications systems, and software for synthesizing information, make a vast array of information available to an ever expanding number of organizational members. Management's exclusive control over knowledge is steadily declining, in part because of the downsizing of organizations and the decline of the number of layers in an organizational hierarchy. These trends, as well as issues surrounding the Web 2.0 and social networking, mean that it is increasingly important that we understand how informal knowledge networks impact the generation, capturing, storing, dissemination, and application of knowledge. This innovative book provides a thorough analysis of knowledge networks, focusing on how relationships contribute to the creation of knowledge, its distribution within organizations, how it is diffused and transferred, and how people find it and share it collaboratively.

Machine generated contents note: List of figures; List of tables; List of sidebars; Preface; 1. Introduction and overview; Part I. Fundamentals: 2. Forms of knowledge; 3. Network analysis; Part II. Contexts: 4. Context; 5. Managing knowledge networks; 6. Technology; 7. The spatial distribution of knowledge; 8. Bringing in the world outside; Part III. Pragmatics: 9. Creativity and innovation; 10. Productivity: efficiency and effectiveness; 11. The human side; 12. Finding knowledge; 13. Decision making; 14. Summary and commentary; Bibliography; Index.