Discussion Locked
Social Network in Information Technology
0 helpful
2 replies
Closed to new repliesThis discussion is closed. It stays readable, but it takes no new replies.
blog root
2 replies
Social Network of Information Technology
. My purpose is to uncover the social knowledge network within Information Tech groups. Below are my thoughts.
Brown and Duguid started it all. In The Social Life of Information (2000) they stirred my thinking that information was not bits of cohesive data strung together to form meaning but something living that requires a social context to have purposeful existence. Knowledge has an implicit reliance on people (Brown and Duguid, p.121) and separated from the individual or group it ceases to live. I was caught up in the notion that knowledge is not typified by an image of Einstein sitting thoughtfully, pondering facts and theories to create knowledge but that knowledge is an exchange between persons and processes in the context of experience where it flows and ebbs, bounded by values, community expectation and bias, breaking upon the rocks of reality. Then Gladwell in ?Blink? (2004) and ?The Tipping Point? (2000) twisted and turned my thinking and introduced new themes. He wrote about art experts who could spot fake sculptures, without knowing why, while scientist guaranteed the artwork to be authentic. Here was tacit intuition, knowledge, of a community that was based on intuition and pieces of experience defying scientific facts and rigorous testing.
How do you describe the intuitive intelligence of a community that eludes measurement and definition? I read literature about Knowledge Management (KM), knowledge transfer and communities of practice (Cop) that left me feeling cold. Brown and Duguid didn?t emphasize theories, tools, methodologies or programs but provided observations that were haunting and familiar.
I could see back in the not so distant past, my organization, really just a group of people not so guided by mission and position descriptions but by the desire to learn, share and serve. We stayed late on Fridays for those funky situations when we could have gone home. We talked to each other about methods and solutions but also about how to analyze or ponder how processes really worked. We knew each other. We knew who could debug, who could code, who could analyze, who could lead and who could do very little. There was not criticism about each other?s deficiencies but a utilitarian marriage of knowledge and abilities. We were better together than any one of us were alone. KM just seemed to happen. We knew that technology wasn?t the answer and tried to speak out when management bought new tools or invested in new programs. We joked about more ?tools and training? with each new technological fad. The database software or tools weren?t important to us; we just applied experience and intuition. The organization was a social knowledge network of a community in proximity.
Our ?new? organization puts C programmers on Help Desk duties. Talent and creativity is viewed as subversive and blind obedience is most valued. Communication is a comedic exchange where words are used but meaning is lost and surrender to apathy is common. Broken and damaged processes are not related to the absence of community or loss of knowledge. Most of the knowledge experts are gone or badly wounded. I still can reach out to some of the old legacy experts when I?m stuck. There?s not many of them left.
So what does this have to do with a doctoral thesis? How does this contribute to a proposal or research questions? What is the methodology and how can it be measured? I have swirls of ideas and books full of bibliography notes but can?t seem to bring it to a researchable proposal that bares any resemblance to what I am thinking. The significance of a small technology group?s social knowledge network seems so small in a KM world driven to find ways to turn knowledge into competitive advantage and business capital. Perhaps this effort is like a community autopsy trying to find a cause of disease and reconstructing the patterns before demise.
SECTION 1: Background Information
1. Your Name: ________________________________;
(Optional but would help in follow-up interviews. Your name will be kept confidential).
2. Service Completion Date: _______/________ (Optional)
3. Gender: Male Female (Optional) 4. Grade and series: ___________________ (Optional)
5. Current Organizational Position:
Management Technical Lead Developer or Programmer
System or Database Administrator Call Center or Help Desk
Contractor (non-Federal Employee) Non-Technical Administrative
Other. Please specify _____________
SECTION 2: Social Network Attributes
In this section, consider the processes you perform to accomplish your work. Select the degree that bests represents your opinion about the statement.
RATING SCALE
7 ? Strongly Agree
6 ? Agree
5 ? Slightly Agree
4 ? Neither Agree nor Disagree
3 ? Slightly Disagree
2 ? Disagree
1 ? Strongly Disagree
Strongly Strongly
Disagree Agree
1) I consider myself to be in a knowledge
intensive career. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7
2) My work success depends upon access
to timely information. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7
3) The time I spend seeking knowledge
is extensive. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7
4) I sometimes have problems getting good
information to resolve work issues. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7
5) I work along others who do the same
kind of work. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7
6) I have sufficient access to the information
I require to do my work. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7
7) The individuals of my local organization share
information to perform work tasks. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7
8) I am aware of the amount of knowledge
and experiences possessed by my colleagues. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7
9) I work with individuals that are
good sources for information. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7
10) My major source of information and advise is
individuals that is located at the same site. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7
11) I trust the information and advise of
my colleagues. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7
12) I usually consult with coworkers that are also
also considered friends. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7
13) I have offsite contacts that provide me with
important advice or information that applies
to my work. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7
14) Most of my work information come for those
those are not onsite . 1 2 3 4 5 6 7
15) My coworkers share information without any
organization or formal structure. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7
16) Within my organization the individuals
often work in groups on tasks. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7
17) The groups formed to share work information are
informal or not established by the organization. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7
18) I feel that I belong to a group of individuals
that share information or advice. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7
19) The information sharing group to which I belong
has changed persons in the last several years. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7
20) I feel comfortable approaching my coworkers
for information and work assistance. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7
21) I feel indebted to those I get information or
work advice from. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7
22) I hesitate to seek some others for information
assistance because I feel it will cost me. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7
23) Part of my career growth is due to my work
relationships. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7
24) Most of my work information come for those
those are not onsite . 1 2 3 4 5 6 7
25) I consider myself to be a person who provides
others with work information or advise 1 2 3 4 5 6 7
SECTION 3: Social Contacts
1. Consider the tasks you did on a daily basis over the past year. Sometimes work tasks require information assistance, support or confirmation from a coworker. Please list the names of the person(s) (up to 3) who you regularly seek out for substantial and trustworthy information that most importantly contributes to the completion of your work. Also specify whether they are a local (onsite) or remote (offsite) contact. Finally, specify with an (X) the ONE media (in person, phone, and email) you most often use to communicate with the person. Please leave this item blank if you do not have contact with co-workers or if co-workers do not contribute information support to your work processes.
Last Name:_____________________ First Name:_____________________ Organization______
Is this person local or remote______
Person 1: Face-to-face Phone E-mails Other (Please specify________________)
Last Name:_____________________ First Name:_____________________ Local or remote______
Is this person local or remote______
Person 2: Face-to-face Phone E-mails Other (Please specify________________)
Last Name:_____________________ First Name:_____________________ Local or remote______
Is this person local or remote______
Person 3: Face-to-face Phone E-mails Other (Please specify________________)
2. Considering the names above, what is the ONE strongest factor that explains why you seek out the specific individual.
Person1: Accessible Relationship Reliable Expert Chain of Command Other______
Person2: Accessible Relationship Reliable Expert Chain of Command Other______
Person3: Accessible Relationship Reliable Expert Chain of Command Other______
3. Considering the names above, how often do you seek out the person in a typical week?
Several times ?.
Person 1: Daily Weekly Monthly Other______
Person 2: Daily Weekly Monthly Other______
Person 3: Daily Weekly Monthly Other______
4. Considering the names above, how often do you socialize outside of work with the person?
Person 1: Daily Weekly Monthly Never______
Person 2: Daily Weekly Monthly Never______
Person 3: Daily Weekly Monthly Never______
5. If you have not contacted any colleagues for advise, work information, or support what would be the strongest factor? Check all that are applicable.
I am not in physical proximity I don?t have time
I don?t have confidence in others information I don?t know my colleagues that well.
I don?t want to owe anyone Other reason(s) (Please specify________________________)
SECTION 4: Information Tasks
Work tasks often require an individual to seek out additional information, perform research or obtain advice or conformation. Considering your normal work tasks, how much time (percent of a week) do you spend doing the following information gathering tasks?
Task Percentage of time in a month
1) Searching for information related to your tasks. ___________
2) Referencing or searching written documents . ___________
3) Searching the internet for task related
information. ___________
4) Sending or reading email for information
related to a task. ___________
5) Contacting a software or product vendor for
task related information. ___________
6) Working with others on your tasks. ___________
7) Working with others on their tasks. ___________
8) Working with others on team tasks. ___________
9) Providing co-workers with task related
information. ___________
This discussion is closed to new replies.
Trending After Hours posts
Sort by Trending
0 helpful
10 replies
0 helpful
2 replies
0 helpful
3 replies
Discussion
Hello everyone
0 helpful
3 replies
Discussion Locked
Designing Websites for Clear Mobile Viewing
0 helpful
1 reply