Advertisement

The Power of Web 2.0 Storytelling to Overcome Knowledge Sharing Barriers

  • Chiara MeretEmail author
  • Michela Iannotta
  • Mauro Gatti
Chapter
First Online:
Part of the Lecture Notes in Information Systems and Organisation book series (LNISO, volume 30)

Abstract

Through a narrative review of the literature, this paper seeks to explore the importance of Web 2.0 Storytelling for overcoming barriers to knowledge sharing. While storytelling has been traditionally addressed as a valuable lever for many knowledge sharing issues, recently Web 2.0 technologies are becoming essential in enabling employees to participate in knowledge creation and sharing. However, the link between Web 2.0 Storytelling and barriers to knowledge sharing behavior remains quite unexplored in the extant literature. By filling this gap, we pose the first pillars to explain this connection. Overall, our conceptual framework reveals that, since knowledge resides in people, the extensive use of ICT tools may be not sufficient to capture the organizational advantages of sharing, if the human dimension is neglected. The twofold nature of Web 2.0 storytelling emerges as a powerful tool to manage the most important barriers to knowledge sharing. Such evidence may have meaningful implications.

Keywords

Knowledge sharing Web 2.0 Storytelling Knowledge sharing barriers 
This is a preview of subscription content, log in to check access.

References

  1. 1.
    Sultan, N.: Knowledge management in the age of cloud computing and Web 2.0: experiencing the power of disruptive innovations. Int. J. Inf. Manage. 33, 160–165 (2013). (Elsevier Ltd.)Google Scholar
  2. 2.
    Riege, A.: Three-dozen knowledge-sharing barriers managers must consider. J. Knowl. Manage. 9(3), 18–35 (2005)Google Scholar
  3. 3.
    Sparrow, J.: Knowledge in Organizations: Access to Thinking at Work. Sage, London (1988)Google Scholar
  4. 4.
    Czarniawska, B.: Narrating the Organization: Dramas of Institutional Identity. The University of Chicago Press, Chicago and London (1997)Google Scholar
  5. 5.
    Musacchio Adorisio, A.L.: Raccontare la banca: la banca racconta, pp. 16–26. Storytelling e ricerca narrativa nelle organizzazioni. Sviluppo & Organizzazione, Maggio/Giugno/Luglio (2011)Google Scholar
  6. 6.
    Cesareo, L., Giordani, F., Iannotta, M.: Le learning histories come strumento di knowledge transfer: un comparative case study. In: Conference: XIV Workshop dei Docenti e Ricercatori di Organizzazione Aziendale (WOA) (2013)Google Scholar
  7. 7.
    Fontana, A.: Lo Storytelling per la comunicazione d’impresa. In: Barone, M., Fontana A. (eds.) Prospettive per la comunicazione interna e il benessere organizzativo. Appartenere, integrarsi e comunicare nell’organizzazione che cambia. Franco Angeli, Milano (2005)Google Scholar
  8. 8.
    Gill, R.: Using storytelling to maintain employee loyalty during change. Int. J. Bus. Soc. Sci. 2(15), 23–32 (2011)Google Scholar
  9. 9.
    Rossiter, M., Garcia, P.: Digital storytelling: a new player on the narrative field. New Dir. Adult Continuing Educ. 37–48 (2010).  https://doi.org/10.1002/ace.370Google Scholar
  10. 10.
    Reid, F.: Creating a knowledge sharing culture among diverse business units. Employ. Relat. Today 30(3), 43–49 (2003)Google Scholar
  11. 11.
    Allen, J.P.: How Web 2.0 communities solve the knowledge sharing problem. In: IEEE international Symposium on Technology and Society, Fredericton (2008)Google Scholar
  12. 12.
    Panahi, S., Watson, J., Patridge, H.: Towards tacit knowledge sharing over social web tools. J. Knowl. Manage. 17(3), 379–397 (2013)Google Scholar
  13. 13.
    Wang, S., Noe, R.A.: Knowledge sharing: a review and directions for future research. Hum. Resour. Manage. 20, 115–131 (2010)Google Scholar
  14. 14.
    Berggren, C., Bergek, A., Bengtsson, L., Hobday, M., Söderlund, J.: Knowledge Integration and Innovation: Critical Challenges Facing International Technology-Based-Firms. Oxford University Press, London (2011)Google Scholar
  15. 15.
    Levin, D.Z., Cross, R.: The strength of weak ties you can trust: the mediating role of trust in effective knowledge transfer. Manage. Sci. 50(11), 1477–1490 (2004)Google Scholar
  16. 16.
    Nonaka, I.A.: Dynamic theory of organizational knowledge creation. Organ. Sci. 5(1), 14–37 (1994)Google Scholar
  17. 17.
    Hislop, D.: Knowledge Management in Organizations. A Critical Introduction, vol. 2. Oxford University Press, Oxford (2009)Google Scholar
  18. 18.
    Davenport, T., Prusak, L.: Working Knowledge: How Organizations Manage What They Know. Harvard Business School Press, Bostan (1998)Google Scholar
  19. 19.
    Bartol, K., Srivastava, A.: Encouraging knowledge sharing: the role of organizational reward systems. J. Leadersh. Organ. Stud. 19(1), 64–76 (2002)Google Scholar
  20. 20.
    Connelly, C.E., Kelloway, E.K.: Predictors of employees’ perceptions of knowledge sharing culture. Leadersh. Organ. Dev. J. 24(5), 294–301 (2003)Google Scholar
  21. 21.
    Lin, H.F., Lee, G.G.: Perceptions of senior managers toward knowledge-sharing behaviour. Manage. Decis. 42(1), 108–125 (2004)Google Scholar
  22. 22.
    Ardchvili, A., Page, V., Wentling, T.: Motivation and barriers to participation in virtual knowledge-sharing communities of practice. J. Knowl. Manage. 7(1), 6477 (2003)Google Scholar
  23. 23.
    Kaplan, J.M.: The cloud’s answer to the knowledge management challenge. E-Commerce Times, http://www.ecommercetimes.com/story/The-Clouds-Answer-to-the-KnowledgeManagement-Challenge-70363.html?wlc=1278951103 (2010)
  24. 24.
    Collison, C.: Avoiding the typical barriers to effective KM. Seven syndromes to look out for in your organization. Knowl. Manage. Rev. 9(4), 16–19 (2006)Google Scholar
  25. 25.
    Mehrabian, A.: Silent Messages: Implicit Communication of Emotions and Attitudes. Wadsworth, Belmont, CA (1981)Google Scholar
  26. 26.
    Singh, B.N., Chandra, A., Al-Haddad, K.: Digital implementation of an advanced static VAR compensator for voltage profile improvement, power factor correction and balancing of unbalanced reactive loads. Electr. Power Energy Res. 54(2), 101–111 (2000)Google Scholar
  27. 27.
    Kalid, K.S., Mahmood, A.K.: The development of a storytelling framework to support knowledge management process. J. Theor. Appl. Inf. Technol. 90(1), 12–22 (2016)Google Scholar
  28. 28.
    Fontana, A.: Storytelling management. Narratologia, organizzazioni e economie del simbolico. Sviluppo & Organizzazione, 220 (2007)Google Scholar
  29. 29.
    Damasio, A.R.: L’errore di Cartesio. Emozione, ragione e cervello umano, Adelphi (1995)Google Scholar
  30. 30.
    Becker, W.J., Menges, J.I.: Biological implicit measures in HRM and OB: a question of how not if. Hum. Res. Manage. Rev. 23(3), 219–228 (2013).  https://doi.org/10.1016/j.hrmr.2012.12.003Google Scholar
  31. 31.
    Boyatzis, R.E.: When pulling to the negative emotional attractor is too much or not enough to inspire and sustain outstanding leadership. In: Burke, R.J., Cooper, C.L. (eds.) The Fulfilling Workplace: The Organization’s Role in Achieving Individual and Organizational Health, pp. 139–150. Routledge, London and New York (2013)Google Scholar
  32. 32.
    Klitmøller, A., Lauring, J.: When global virtual teams share knowledge: media richness, cultural difference and language commonality. J. World Bus. 48, 398–406 (2013)Google Scholar
  33. 33.
    Hayward, P.: A comparison of face-to-face and virtual software development teams. Team Perform. Manage. 8, 39–48 (2002)Google Scholar
  34. 34.
    Alexander, B., Levine, A.: Web 20 storytelling: emergence of a new genre. EDUCAUSE Rev. 43(6), 40–56 (2008)Google Scholar
  35. 35.
    Cao, Y., Klamma, R., Martini, A.: Collaborative storytelling in the Web2.0. In: Klamma, R., Sharda, N., Fernández-Manjón, B., Kosch, H., Spaniol, M. (eds.) Proceedings of the First International Workshop on Story-Telling and Educational Games (STEG’08) at ECTEL 0, CEUR-WS.org. (2008)Google Scholar
  36. 36.
    Robin, B.R.: Digital storytelling: a powerful technology tool for the 21st century classroom. Theory Pract. 47(3), 220–228 (2008)Google Scholar
  37. 37.
    Snelson, C., Sheffield, A.: Digital storytelling in a Web 2.0 world. In: Proceedings of the Technology, Colleges & Community Worldwide Online Conference, pp. 159–167 (2009)Google Scholar
  38. 38.
    Macaskill, W., Owen, D.: Web 2.0 to go. In: Proceedings of LIANZA Conference (2006)Google Scholar
  39. 39.
    Zammit, P.J., Gao, J., Evans, R.: A framework to capture and share knowledge using storytelling and video sharing in global product development. In: IFIP International Federation for Information Processing. Springer International Publishing, pp. 259–268 (2016)Google Scholar
  40. 40.
    Panahi, S., Watson, J. Patridge, H.: Social media and tacit knowledge sharing: developing a conceptual model. In: World Academy of Science, Engineering and Technology (WASET), pp. 1095–1102 (2012)Google Scholar
  41. 41.
    White, G., Classen, S.: Using storytelling to elicit tacit knowledge from SMEs. J. Knowl. Manage. 16(6), 950–962 (2012)Google Scholar
  42. 42.
    Avery, A.: Just do it! Web 2.0 and the breaking of the tacit dimension for knowledge acquisition. In: SAIS 2016 Proceedings of the Southern Association for Information Systems Conference, Paper 1, http://aisel.aisnet.org/sais2016/1 (2016)
  43. 43.
    Shirky, C.: Here Comes Everybody: The Power of Organizing Without Organizations. Penguin Books, England (2008)Google Scholar
  44. 44.
    Lelic, S.: Creating a knowledge-sharing culture. Knowl. Manage. 4(5), 6–9 (2001)Google Scholar
  45. 45.
    Dorsey, D.W., Campbell, G.E., Foster, L.L., Miles, D.E.: Assessing knowledge structures: relations with experience and posttraining performance. Hum. Perform. 12(1), 3157 (1999)Google Scholar
  46. 46.
  47. 47.
    O’reilly, T.: What is web 2.0: design patterns and business models for the next generation of software. Commun. Strat. 65, 17–37 (2005)Google Scholar
  48. 48.
    Auvinen, T., Aaltio, I., Blomqvist, K.: Constructing leadership by storytelling—the meaning of trust and narratives. Leadersh. Organ. Dev. J. 34(6), 496514 (2013)Google Scholar
  49. 49.
    Fisher, W.R.: Human Communication as a Narration: Toward a Philosophy of Reason, Value, and Action. University of South Carolina Press, Columbia, SC (1987)Google Scholar
  50. 50.
    Lionel, P.R., Alan, R.D., Yu-Ting, C.H.: Individual swift trust and knowledge-based trust in face-to-face and virtual team members. J. Manage. Inf. Syst. 26(2), 241–279 (2009)Google Scholar
  51. 51.
    Meyerson, D., Weick, K.E., Kramer, R.M.: Swift trust and temporary groups. In: Kramer, R.M., Tyler, T.R. (eds.) Trust in Organizations: Frontiers of Theory and Research, pp. 166–195. Sage Publication, London (1996)Google Scholar
  52. 52.
    Brewer, M.B.: Ethnocentrism and its role in interpersonal trust. In: Brewer, M.B., Collins, B.E. (eds.) Scientific Inquiry and the Social Sciences, pp. 214–231. Jossey-Bass, San Francisco (1981)Google Scholar
  53. 53.
    Kramer, R.M.: Trust and distrust in organizations: emerging perspectives, enduring questions. Annu. Rev. Psychol. 50(1), 569–598 (1999)Google Scholar
  54. 54.
    McLure Wasko, M., Faraj, S.: It is what one does: why people participate and help others in electronic communities of practice. J. Strateg. Inf. Syst. 9(1–3), 155–173 (2000)Google Scholar
  55. 55.
    Hendriks, P.: Why share knowledge? The influence of ICT on the motivation for knowledge sharing. Knowl. Process Manage. 6(2), 91–100 (1999)Google Scholar
  56. 56.
    O’Dell, C., Hubert, C.: The new edge in knowledge: how knowledge management is changing the way we do business. Knowl. Manage. Res. Pract. 10, 99–101 (2011)Google Scholar
  57. 57.
    Eraut, M.: Non-formal learning and tacit knowledge in professional work. Br. J. Educ. Psychol. 70, 113–136 (2000)Google Scholar
  58. 58.
    Mason, R., Rennie, F.: Using Web 2.0 for learning in the community. Internet High. Educ. 10, 196–203 (2007)Google Scholar
  59. 59.
    Spender, J.C.: Making knowledge the basis of a dynamic theory of the firm. Strateg. Manage. J. 17, 45–62 (1996)Google Scholar

Copyright information

© Springer Nature Switzerland AG 2019

Authors and Affiliations

  1. 1.Department of ManagementSapienza University of RomeRomeItaly

Personalised recommendations

Cite chapter

Buy options