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Knowledge mobilisation in communities through socio-technical systems

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Knowledge Management Research & Practice

Abstract

Enterprises in both the public and private sector undertake knowledge management (KM) initiatives through which they hope to engender a new, more adaptive and flexible culture of learning and innovation in their organisations. Creative activities involving social learning and innovation are, however, more common in less formal entities such as communities of practice at work and community service organisations in civil society. This paper presents the results and implications of collaborative research into the understanding, development and evaluation of socio-technical systems (STS) designed to mobilise collective knowledge in diverse community settings. The research concerns information and communication technologies (ICT)-mediated activities of communities in the broader civil society and also those in formal organisations. The paper describes and critically evaluates a set of three STS that have the potential to support the collective knowledge of innovative groups, teams and networks, which can all be considered forms of community. The findings could be of strategic value to business, government and community service organisations initiating KM programmes aimed at using collective learning to support innovation.

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Notes

  1. Now called Eviva. See: www.eviva.com.au

  2. Zing Technologies Pty Ltd.

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Acknowledgements

This work was supported by Discovery Grant, DP0211336, from the Australian Research Council.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. School of Economics, University of Wollongong, Australia

    Helen Hasan & Kathryn Crawford

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  1. Helen Hasan
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  2. Kathryn Crawford
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Correspondence to Helen Hasan.

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Hasan, H., Crawford, K. Knowledge mobilisation in communities through socio-technical systems. Knowl Manage Res Pract 5, 237–247 (2007). https://doi.org/10.1057/palgrave.kmrp.8500144

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