An examination of the application scenarios of enterprise wikis.
1. An examination of the application
scenarios of enterprise wikis.
Dipl.-Wirt.-Ing. Dada Lin, TU Dresden, T-Systems Multimedia Solutions GmbH
Dipl.-Ing. f. Tech. Inform. Stefan Ehrlich, T-Systems Multimedia Solutions GmbH
KMAP Shanghai, October 2013
2. ABOUT ME
Dada Lin
T-Systems Multimedia Solutions GmbH
TU Dresden
dada.lin@t-systems.com
diploma thesis on Knowledge Management using social software tools
PhD student (Technical University Dresden, Lehrstuhl für
Wirtschaftsinformatik insb. Informationsmanagement (Prof. Dr. Eric Schoop))
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3. Agenda
1. Enterprise Wikis & Knowledge Management
2. Research Questions
3. Data Acquisition
4. Finding 1: Typology of wiki application scenarios
5. Finding 2: Theoretical model of user motivation in
enterprise wikis
6. Conclusion and next steps
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4. Wikis
What is a Wiki?
• simple content management system
• facilitate collaborative text editing
– user generated content
• structured as hypertext
• comment- & discussion function
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5. Enterprise Wikis
ENTERPRISE WIKI – CORPORATE WIKI – INTRANET WIKI
Why are Enterprise Wikis relevant for KM research?
• 88 % of companys are using Enterprise Wikis1
• preferred method of internal communications by 20132
• support different aspects of knowledge work
1. Back, A., Friedel, D. & Weigand, A. (2011). Enterprise 2.0 – Nutzung & Handlungsbedarf
im innerbetrieblichen, B2B und B2C Kontext. T-Systems Schweiz AG.
2. Gartner Inc.
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7. Research Questions
1. How are Enterprise Wikis used?
2. How is user motivation associated with the way in
which wikis are used?
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8. Methodology:
Grounded Theory Approach
• Grounded Theory by Glaser/Strauss (1967)
• qualitative social research method
• for development of theories from collected data
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9. Data Acquisition 1/2
1. qualitative content analysis of the wiki spaces (12 / 2011)
– 170 wiki spaces were analysed manually
– 27 usage scenarios could be identified
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10. Data Acquisition 2/2
1. semi-structured interviews with employees
– iterative selection of 10 interviewees on the basis of previous
space analysis
– Focus on: usage scenarios, user motivation, perceived problems
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16. Finding 2: Egoistical Motivation for use
Excerpt from 6th interview:
[…]
#00:06:15-4# Interviewee: There are also a few other aspects, for which I don’t take
credit, thus the subject of transparency is surely another point, you can see that you’re
doing something and you can see what you’re doing. Other people can benefit from it
too, but that’s not the main motivation for doing anything. I also know that the
motivation of "others can benefit from it" is one which is frequently desired but very
rarely applies. The way I see it. I use the tool MAINLY because it helps me. And that
fact that other people can benefit from this is an amazing side effect and one which I
wouldn’t deny. But my MAIN REASON for doing it is NOT because others can benefit
from it, but /
[…]
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18. Conclusion and next steps
Findings:
4 main application modes: Enterprise Wikis are
versatile tools for knowledge workers
user motivation is mainly egoistic
to facilitate user motivation, enterprise wikis have to
create a perceived benefit for the knowledge worker
Next steps:
further exploration of usage motivation on basis of
existing concepts of work psychology
comparative case studys of other companys with
enterprise wikis
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