Dianne P. Ford

Information systems research and Hofstede's culture's consequences: an uneasy and incomplete partnership

Information systems (IS) researchers have begun to investigate how national culture, as articulated by Hofstede, affects a wide variety of issues. A citation analysis of IS articles that cite Hofstedes research on national culture suggests that most research is focused on issues related to IS management and to IS, while issues related to IS development and operations and to IS usage remain relatively unexamined. Within the dominant categories, research is concentrated in the IS management and types of information systems subcategories. Furthermore, the dimensions of national culture outlined by Hofstede have not been frequently used to develop and to build theory. Research opportunities and approaches to develop a stronger cumulative tradition and theory for international IS issues are proposed.

Knowledge sharing in a multi-cultural setting: a case study

Organizational culture has been shown to influence the success of knowledge management practices. Hofstedes theory specifies that organizational culture is not independent of national culture. A case study of an international subsidiary was conducted to explore the extent to which knowledge sharing is dependent on national culture. Results indicate that language differences can create knowledge blocks, and cross-cultural differences can explain the direction of knowledge flows.

Trust and Knowledge Management: The Seeds of Success

Within the practitioner literature, trust has often been noted as a key component for the success of knowledge management practices; however, trust is a very complex construct that has many different facets and definitions. This chapter reviews the trust literature to create an understanding of the different types and bases of trust. These types and bases of trust are then applied to the knowledge management processes (knowledge generation, knowledge codification, knowledge transfer, and knowledge application) to create better understanding of the possible relationships between trust and the knowledge management processes, and which processes require which type of trust for knowledge management success. Implications for practitioners are then discussed.

Perceived value of knowledge: the potential informer's perception

Achieving value from knowledge has been illusive to the organization despite recent attempts to capitalize on it. An individuals willingness to share his or her knowledge is an essential factor in the organization benefiting from the knowledge it collectively possesses. Yet little is understood regarding what knowledge people are willing to share. This paper describes the development of a new construct, perceived value of knowledge (PVK). PVKs relationship with intentions to share knowledge is illustrated (both qualitatively and quantitatively). The qualitative study illustrates that it may influence the enablers and the barriers to knowledge sharing. The quantitative study found that PVK is positively related to intentions to share knowledge, while Uniqueness of Knowledge (a related but separate construct) is negatively related to intentions to share knowledge. Implications of perceived value of knowledge is discussed.

Are full and partial knowledge sharing the same

Purpose – This paper to examine full knowledge sharing (KS) and partial KS in order to test the proposition that they are separate behaviors with different characteristics, risks, and motivations for the informer and subsequently different predictors.Design/methodology/approach – Employed knowledge workers completed two questionnaires over a two‐week period regarding their attitudes, situational factors, individual differences, and KS behaviors with their close colleagues in their workplace.Findings – Results support the proposition that they are different albeit related behaviors. Full KS is enabled by intentions for full KS. Partial KS is enabled by the uniqueness of the knowledge, interpersonal distrust of close colleagues, and inhibited by perceived value of knowledge. Management support, interpersonal trust and distrust enable intentions for both full and partial KS, then propensity to share further enables full KS, and psychological ownership further enables intentions for partial KS.Research limita...

‘I’m busy (and competitive)!’ Antecedents of knowledge sharing under pressure

This study considers the dilemma faced by employees every time a colleague requests knowledge: should they share their knowledge? We use adaptive cost theory and self-efficacy theory to examine how individual characteristics (i.e., self-efficacy and trait competitiveness) and situational perceptions (i.e., ‘busyness’ and perceived competition) affect knowledge sharing behaviours. A study was conducted with 403 students who completed a problem-solving exercise and who were permitted (but not required) to respond to requests for knowledge from people who were doing the same activity. Our results suggest that people who perceive significant time pressure are less likely to share knowledge. Trait competitiveness predicted perceived competition. This and low task self-efficacy created a sense of time pressure, which in turn led to people feeling ‘too busy’ to share their knowledge when it was requested. Perceived competition was not directly related to knowledge sharing. Implications for research and practitioners are discussed.

What is Knowledge Sharing from the Informer's Perspective?

Knowledge sharing is a popular research topic; however, the construct has not been well defined theoretically or in terms of how to operationalize it, as there appears to be little consistency. This apparent lack of consistency is problematic for developing a cumulative understanding of the predictors and outcomes of this behavior. In this study, we examine how other researchers have operationalized knowledge sharing, and conduct a qualitative study to further understand this construct. A knowledge sharing and hoarding classification system is developed, and six knowledge sharing behavioral categories are identified. Finally, recommendations are made for future research in knowledge management.

A Multilevel Perspective of Tensions Between Knowledge Management and Social Media

In this article, we discuss the tensions that are perceived in organizations as the use of social media platforms such as Facebook and Twitter challenge past approaches to knowledge management initiatives in organizations. We address these perceived tensions using a three-level conceptual framework: the macro- (organizational) level, the meso- (group) level, and the micro- (individual) level. In our discussion, we posit that perceived tensions arise when managers seek to maintain their traditional roles at the macro- (organization) level, yet social media affordances enable these roles to be performed at the micro- (individual level) and mesolevels. Shifts in the extent of the meso-level connections beyond the immediate organizational boundaries enable a wider community of practice than before. As a consequence, traditional management roles may give way to more flexible roles, with greater individual responsibilities for control and more sense-making and knowledge access taking place at the mesolevel. Our contribution is three-fold. In our article, we examine four key organizational factors (roles, ownership, control, and value) using a three-level conceptual model; associate the perceived tensions that arise in organizations with implicit shifts in these variables that accompany the use of social media; and suggest that shifts in emphasis in roles and control at each level can be instrumental in resolving perceived tensions as knowledge management efforts encompass social media.

Virtual harassment: media characteristics' role in psychological health

Purpose – Using the stressor‐strain model and media richness theory, this study seeks to investigate the relationship between receiving a harassing message via computer‐mediated communication and psychological health.Design/methodology/approach – A sample of 492 individuals completed an online questionnaire. Three media characteristics are examined as potential moderators: media richness, anonymity of the harasser, and location where the victim received the harassing message.Findings – The results suggest that virtual harassment is associated with diminished psychological health (both directly and mediated by fear of future harassment), and each media characteristic plays a role in understanding the level of fear of future harassment. Anonymity and location moderate the mediators (fear) role in the stressor‐strain model.Research limitations/implications – This research addresses the need for explicit testing of the differentiating factors of various forms of workplace aggression as moderators. Specifical...

Perceived Value of Knowledge: Shall I Give You My Gem, My Coal?

Achieving value from knowledge has been illusive to the organization despite recent attempts to capitalize on it. An individuals willingness to share his or her knowledge is an essential factor in the organization benefiting from the knowledge it collectively possesses. Yet little is understood regarding what knowledge people are willing to share. This paper describes two studies in which a new construct, Perceived Value of Knowledge (PVK), is developed along with its dimensions, and its relationship with intentions to share knowledge is illustrated (both qualitatively and quantitatively). The qualitative study illustrates that it may influence the enablers and the barriers to knowledge sharing. The quantitative study found that the relationship between PVK and intentions to share varies with different targets (i.e., close colleagues, distant colleagues, and to others via broadcast media).