Nelly Todorova

An Investigation of the Impact of Intrinsic Motivation on Organizational Knowledge Sharing

Despite heavy investments in knowledge management systems, people are often reluctant to share their knowledge, with knowledge hoarding being one of the largest obstacles to effective knowledge management in organizations. This paper proposes a model that examines the role of intrinsic motivation in knowledge sharing. Bringing together insights from motivational research, Self-Determination Theory and the Theory of Reasoned Action, the study investigates the links between intrinsic motivators and knowledge sharing. Survey data collected from knowledge workers are analyzed using partial least squares. The results show self-efficacy, meaningfulness and impact are important motivators of attitude towards knowledge sharing, which in turn impacts intention to share knowledge. The findings provide insights into employee motivations to share knowledge, and strategies for enhancing knowledge sharing in organizations.

University Learning in Times of Crisis: The Role of IT

When the physical world of the University of Canterbury in Christchurch collapsed in a 6.3 magnitude earthquake at 12.51 pm on 22 February 2011, IT in general and the online learning platform, in particular, gave us a second life from day one. Did it work? Yes. Was this a walk in the park? No; but we salvaged the semester and kept the students. This is a Postcard about the challenges of going virtual following a natural disaster.

Using Online Learning Systems to Improve Student Performance: Leveraging Prior Knowledge

A key responsibility of educators is to enable meaningful learning and to help students acquire the knowledge and skills they need to make decisions and solve real-life problems. The knowledge that students bring to class i.e. prior knowledge has been identified as a major factor enabling meaningful learning. Leveraging this knowledge depends on instructors being able to assess it and adjust their teaching accordingly. This paper proposes a learning model aimed at enriching, assessing and activating prior knowledge. To provide a preliminary evaluation on the feasibility of the model, it was implemented using an online learning system and assessed using survey and interview data gathered from students and faculty. The results showed positive changes in student study behavior, motivation, classroom experience and learning outcomes. Opportunities for improvement of the learning model were also identified.

The Selection of a New Student Administration System at University of Southland

This decision case describes the process of requirements definition and selection of a new student administration MIS to replace the existing legacy system. It provides a detailed account of the initiation of the project and how decisions have evolved. The case focuses on the interests and roles of internal stakeholders and the effect of unexpected external events. Finally, the case describes the evaluation process to select a vendor which best suits the needs of the university. The vendor proposals have been evaluated and a decision is imminent after 4 years of delay, indecision, and disagreement among the parties involved. The culmination of years of work now rests on the selection of the proposal which best suits the needs of the University of Southland.