| This research project explored social construction and action as they relate to the organizational phenomenon of knowledge management. Specifically, the study examined how 12 members of 1 organization interpreted the organization's knowledge management system and how their interpretations influenced their use of and contribution to it. The study drew from 2 primary bodies of literature-social construction (Berger & Luckmann, 1967; Blunter, 1969; Gergen, 1985, 1991, 1994) and knowledge management (Davenport & Prusak, 1998; Nonaka & Takeuchi, 1995; Wenger, 1998). Comparisons and contrasts were made among constructivists, constructionists and cognitivists perspectives. The knowledge management literature was found to be lacking in attention to epistemological frameworks.; The case was situated in a large, international management consulting firm. Intensive interviews (Lofland & Lofland, 1984) were conducted with 3 sets of participants-senior decision makers, system designers, and practitioners within 1 organizational service line. A guiding set of questions was developed, with room left for emic issues to emerge (Miles & Huberman 1994; Stake, 1995). Interviews were transcribed and analyzed using an interpretive approach. NUD*IST software facilitated data management. Findings revealed 2 parallel knowledge management strategies being used in the organization. System designers relied on codifying, achieving global access to representative documents, while practitioners relied on personalizing, seeking context-rich information through personal networks. A data → information → knowledge continuum was described with knowledge strongly related to contextualization and future action. Practitioners' personal networks were characterized by transactional trust (Reina & Reina, 1999). A primary finding was that the study, itself an instance of knowledge sharing and generation, mirrored the processes of social construction being studied. Implications include: social construction is a useful epistemological framework with which to explore knowledge management issues; understanding subcultural constructions of knowledge is critical for developing effective knowledge management systems; personal networks and the development of transactional trust are important requisites for knowledge generation/sharing and by implication knowledge management; and organizations need to be concerned with the potential conflict between the increasing demand for speed and the need for reflexivity required for knowledge generation and knowledge work. |
