IT to Support Knowledge Sharing in Communities, towards a Social Capital Analysis

• Published in: Journal of information technology Vol. 21; no. 1; pp. 40 - 51
• Main Authors: Huysman, Marleen, Wulf, Volker
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: London, England SAGE Publications 01.02.2006; Taylor & Francis; Sage Publications Ltd
• Subjects: Cognitive ability; Communication; Communities of practice; Content analysis; Design; Exact sciences and technology; Explicit knowledge; Information and communication sciences; Information and document structure and analysis; Information processing and retrieval; Information science. Documentation; Information technology; Knowledge management; Knowledge sharing; Organizational behavior; Sciences and techniques of general use; Scientific and technological watch. Knowledge management; Social capital; Studies; Systems design; social capital; socio-technical design; knowledge management; requirement analysis; communities; Organizational culture; Authorized capital; Community participation; Social network; Knowledge management; Virtual community; Information technology; Cognitive theory; Knowledge sharing; Information exchange
• ISSN: 0268-3962; 1466-4437
• DOI: 10.1057/palgrave.jit.2000053

Ignoring the informal, non-canonical nature of knowledge sharing, including people's motivation, ability and opportunity to share knowledge, is one of the key causes of resistance to use knowledge-sharing tools. In order to improve knowledge sharing supported by information technology (IT), tools need to be embedded in the social networks of which it is part. This has implications for our knowledge on the design requirements of such socially embedded IT. The paper reviews tools that are designed for the purpose to foster social capital. We will then discuss what is needed for an IS design theory related to knowledge communities and how such a theory could incorporate social capital theory.