Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

How Can Organizational Memory Theories Contribute to Organizational Memory Systems?

  • Published:
Information Systems Frontiers Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Organizational memory systems (OMS) support organizations to ensure organizational learning, flexibility and efficiency and the management of change. The paper describes the term organizational memory and reviews a set of theories contributing to this field. As organizational memory is considered interdisciplinary, theories are drawn from research fields as different as organization science, psychology, sociology and artificial intelligence. The consequence is that the design of information systems supporting organizational memory has to be seen in this very specific context which leads to different perspectives contrasting traditional software development. These different perspectives are integrated into our view on organizational memory systems. The paper is concluded by an outlook on the main research questions which we intend to address in our research.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Ackerman MS, Malone TW. Answer garden: A tool for growing organizational memory. In: Lochovsky FH, Allen RA, eds. Proceedings of the Conference on Office Information systems 25.-27.4.1990, Massachusetts 1990:31-39.

  • Ackerman MS. Answer Garden: ATool for Growing Organizational Memory. MIT Sloan School of Management. (PhD thesis), Boston, 1994.

  • Argyris C, Schön D. Organizational Learning. ATheory of Action Perspective. Reading/Massachusetts, 1978.

  • Bannon L, Kuuti K. Shifting perspectives on organizational memory: From storage to active remembering. In: Proceedings of HICSS'96, 29th Hawaii International Conference on System Sciences. Hawaii: IEEE, 1996.

    Google Scholar 

  • Buckingham-Shum S. Negotiating the construction and reconstruction of organisational memories. Journal of Universal Computer Science 1997;3(8).

  • Bohn RE. Measuring and managing technological knowledge. In: Sloan Management Review, 1994;35(4):61-73.

    Google Scholar 

  • Brown JS, Duguid P. Organizational learning and communities-ofpractice: Toward a unified view of working, learning, and innovation. In: Organization Science 1991;2(1):40-57.

    Google Scholar 

  • Bullinger H-J. Electronic business-Märkte, Technologien, Erfolgsstrategien für Anbieter und Nutzen. In: Proceedings of the Fraunhofer IAO-Forum, 23.11.1995. Stuttgart, 1995.

  • Bullinger H-J, Wörner K, Prieto I. Wissensmanagement heute. Daten, Fakten, Trends. Fraunhofer Institute für Arbeit und Organisation (IAO), Stuttgart, 1997.

    Google Scholar 

  • Clark NK, Stephenson GM. Group remembering. In: Paulus PB Ed. Psychology of Group Influence. 2nd. ed., Hillsdale, 1989.

  • Cyert RM, March IG. A Behavioral Theory of the Firm. Englewood Cliffs, 1963.

  • Dennis AR. Information exchange and use in group decision making: You can lead a group to information, but you can't make it think. In: MIS Quarterly. 1996;20(4):434-457.

    Google Scholar 

  • Douglas M. How institutions think. Syracuse, New York, 1986.

    Google Scholar 

  • Duncan RB, Weiss A. Organizational learning: Implications for organizational design. In: Staw B, ed. Research in Organizational Behaviour, Greenwich/Conn. 1979:75-123.

  • Gershman A, Gottsman E. Hypermedia for Corporate Knowledge Dissemination. In: Proceedings of the 26th Hawaii International Conference on System Sciences '92, Los Alamitos: IEEE Press, 1993.

    Google Scholar 

  • Goodhue DL, Thompson RL. Task-technology fit and individual performance. In: MIS Quarterly 1995;19(2):213-236.

    Google Scholar 

  • Güldenberg S, Eschenbach R. Organisatorisches Wissen und Lernen-erste Ergebnisse einer qualitativ-empirischen Erhebung. In: zfo. 1996;(1):4-9.

    Google Scholar 

  • Hanker J. Die strategische Bedeutung der Informatik für Organisationen: Industrieökonomische Grundlagen des strategischen Informationsmanagements. Stuttgart, 1990.

  • Hansen MT, Nohria N, Tierney T. What's your strategy for managing knowledge? In: Harvard Business Review 1999;77(2):106-116.

    Google Scholar 

  • Hartwick J, Sheppard BH, Davis JH. Group remembering: research and implications. In: Guzzo RA, ed. Improving Group Decision Making in Organizations. New York: Academic Press, 1982.

    Google Scholar 

  • Hedberg B. How organizations learn and unlearn. In: Nystrom PC, Starbuck WH, eds. Handbook of Organizational Design. New York/Oxford, 1981:3-27.

  • Huber GP. Organizational learning: The contributing processes and the literatures. Special Issue: Organizational learning: papers in honor of (and by) James G. March. In: Organization Science 1991;2(1):88-115.

    Google Scholar 

  • ILOI (International Institute für Lernende Organisation und Innovation, ed.). Knowledge Management. Ein empirisch gestützter Leitfaden zum Management des Produktionsfaktors Wissen. Munich, 1997.

    Google Scholar 

  • Jacobsen A. Unternehmensintelligenz und Führung ``intelligenter'' Unternehmen. In: Technologie & Management, 1996;45(4):64-170.

    Google Scholar 

  • Kantrow AM. Intelligent enterprise and public markets (An interview with professor James Brian Quinn). In: The McKinsey Quarterly 1994;(2):83-95.

    Google Scholar 

  • Kantrow AM. The Constraints of Corporate Tradition. New York, 1987.

  • Kirsch W. Entscheidungsprozesse. Vol. 1-3, Wiesbaden 1970 and 1971.

  • Kock N. Process Improvement & Organizational Learning. The Role of Collaboration Technologies. Hershey/London, 1999.

  • Lehner F. Organisational Memory. Konzepte und Systeme für das organisatorische Lernen und das Wissensmanagement. Munich, Vienna, 2000.

  • Lehner F, Maier R, Klosa O. Organisational Memory Systems- Application of Advanced Database and Network Technologies in Organisations. Research Paper No. 19, Department of Business Informatics III, University of Regensburg, February, 1998.

  • Lehner F, Hildebrand K, Maier R. Wirtschaftsinformatik. Theoretische Grundlagen. Munich, 1995.

    Google Scholar 

  • Lenk Th. Telearbeit. Möglichkeiten und Grenzen einer telekommunikativen Dezentralisierung von betrieblichen Arbeitsplätzen. Berlin 1989.

  • Madey G, Muzumdar M. Organizational knowledge management: A case study of a leading practice in the professional services industry. In: Proceedings of the SIM Academic Workshop 1997, 12.-13.12.1997. Atlanta, 1997.

  • Maier R, Kunz St. Ein Modell zur organisatorischen Informationsverarbeitung. Research Paper No. 20, Department of Business Informatics III, University of Regensburg, February 1998.

  • Maier R, Lehner F. Perspectives on Knowledge Management Systems-Theoretical Framework and Design of an Empirical Study.

  • Mandviwalla M, Clark S. Collaborative Writing as a Process of Formalizing Group Memory. In: Proceedings of the 28th Hawaii International Conference on System Sciences '95. Los Alamitos: IEEE Press, 1995.

    Google Scholar 

  • March JG, Simon HA. Organizations. New York, 1958.

  • Matsuda T. ``Organizational Intelligence'' als Prozeβ und als Produkt-Ein neuer Orientierungspunkt der japanischen Managementlehre. In: Technologie & Management. 1993;42(1):12-17.

    Google Scholar 

  • Morrison J. Team memory: Information management for business teams. In: Nunamaker J, Sprague R, eds. Proceedings of the 26th Hawaii International Conference on System Sciences '93, Los Alamitos: IEEE Press, 1993:122-131.

    Google Scholar 

  • Morschheuser St. Integriertes Dokumenten-und Workflow-Management. Wiesbaden, 1997.

  • Müller-Stewens G, Pautzke G. Führungskräfteentwicklung und organisatorisches Lernen. In: Sattelberger T, ed. Die lernende Organisation. 3. ed., Wiesbaden, 1996:183-205.

  • Nelkowski Ch. Corporate repository: Information als Wettbewerbsvorteil. In: Industrie Management 1996;12(6):36-38.

    Google Scholar 

  • Nelson KM, Cooprider JG. The contribution of shared knowledge to IS group performance. In: MIS Quarterly 1996;20(4):409-433.

    Google Scholar 

  • North K. Wissensorientierte Unternehmensführung. 2nd ed., Wiesbaden, 1999.

  • Oberschulte H. Organisatorische Intelligenz-Ein Vorschlag zur Konzeptdifferenzierung. In: Schreyögg G, Conrad P, eds. Managementforschung, Vol. 6: Wissensmanagement. Berlin, New York, 1996:41-81.

    Google Scholar 

  • Ortner E. Ein Referenzmodell fü r den Einsatz von Dictionary-/ Repository-Systemen in Unternehmen. In: Wirtschaftsinformatik. 1991:(5):420ff.

  • Pautzke G. Die Evolution der organisatorischen Wissensbasis. Bausteine zu einer Theorie des organisatorischen Lernens. Munich, 1989.

    Google Scholar 

  • Peters T. Jenseits der Hierarchien. Düsseldorf, 1993.

  • Peters T. The Tom Peters Seminar. London, 1994.

  • Prahalad CK, Hamel G. Nur Kernkompetenzen sichern das Ñ berleben. In: Harvard Manager 1991;13(2):66-78.

    Google Scholar 

  • Poveschi R. Information Technology for Knowledge Management. Berlin et al. 1998.

  • Pulic A. Der Informationskoeffizient als Wertschöpfungsmaβ wissensintensiver Unternehmen. In: Schneider U, ed. Wissensmanagement. Frankfurt, 1996:147-180.

  • Rao VS, Goldmann-Segall R. Capturing stories in organizational memory. In: Proceedings of the 28th Hawaii International Conference on System Sciences '95. Los Alamitos: IEEE Press, 1995:333-341.

    Google Scholar 

  • Roithmayr F. Know-how-Datenbank. In: Mertens P et al. (eds.): Lexikon der Wirtschaftsinformatik. 3rd. ed., Berlin, 1997:227-228.

  • Sandoe KL, Holfman, L., Mandviwella M. Meeting in time: Recording the Workgroup Conversation. In: Proceedings of the 12th International Conference on Information systems. New York, 1991:261-272.

  • Scheer A-W. ARIS-Vom Geschäftsprozeβ zum Anwendungssystem. 3. ed., Berlin et al. 1998.

  • Schneider U (Ed.). Wissensmanagement. Die Aktivierung des intellektuellen Kapitals. Frankfurt 1996.

  • Schneider U. Management in der wissensbasierten Unternehmung. Das Wissensnetz zwischen Unternehmen knüpfen. In: Schneider U, ed. Wissensmanagement. Frankfurt, 1996:13-48.

  • Schüppel J. Wissensmanagement: organisatorisches Lernen im Spannungsfeld vonWissens-und Lernbarrieren.Wiesbaden, 1996.

  • Spek Rvd, deHoog R. Towards a methodology for knowledge management. Technical Note Knowledge Management Network, 23. November 1994, URL: http://ceres.cibit.nl/web/kmn/ pospapers.nsf

  • Stein E, Zwass V. Actualizing organizational memory with information systems. In: Information Systems Research 1995;6(2):85-117.

    Google Scholar 

  • Stein E. Organizational memory: Review of concepts and recommendations for management. In: International Journal of Information Management. 1995;15(2):17-32.

    Google Scholar 

  • Wahren H-K. Das lernende Unternehmen. Theorie und Praxis des organisationalen Lernens. Berlin, New York, 1996.

  • Walsh JP: Ungson GR. Organisational memory. In: Academy of Management Review 1991;16(1):57-91.

    Google Scholar 

  • Wargitsch C. Ein Organizational-Memory-basierter Ansatz für ein lernendes Workflow-Management-System. Research Paper No. FR-1997-004, Bayerisches Forschungszentrum fü r Wissensbasierte Systeme, Erlangen, Munich, Passau, May 1997.

  • Watson RT. Data Management. An Organizational Perspective. New York, 1996.

  • Watson RT. Data Management. Databases and Organizations. 2 ed., New York, 1998.

  • Weber M. Wirtschaft und Gesellschaft. Tübingen, 1976.

  • Wegner D M. Transactive memory: A contemporary analysis of the group mind. In: Mullen B, Goethals GR, eds. Theories of Group Behaviour. New York, 1986:185-208.

  • Weick KE, Gilfillan DP. Fate of arbitrary traditions in a laboratory microculture. In: Journal of Personality and Social Psychology 1971;17:179-191.

    Google Scholar 

  • Weick KE, Roberts KH. Collective mind in organizational headful interrelating on flight decks. In: Administrative Science Quarterly 1993;38(3):357-381.

    Google Scholar 

  • Wild J. Zur Problematik der Nutzenbewertung von Informationen. In: ZfB. 1971;41:315-334.

    Google Scholar 

  • Zucker B, Schmitz C. Knowledge flow management:Wissen nutzen statt verspielen. In: Gablers Magazin. 1994;8(11-12):62-65.

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. University of Regensburg, Universitaetsstrasse 31, D-93053, Regensburg, Germany

    Franz Lehner (Chair for Business Informatics III)

  2. University of Regensburg, Universitaetsstrasse 31, D-93053, Regensburg, Germany

    Ronald K. Maier (Chair for Business Informatics III)

Authors
  1. Franz Lehner
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Ronald K. Maier
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Lehner, F., Maier, R.K. How Can Organizational Memory Theories Contribute to Organizational Memory Systems?. Information Systems Frontiers 2, 277–298 (2000). https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1026516627735

Download citation

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1026516627735

Search

Navigation