Hazel Hall's paper presented to the International workshop on understanding sociotechnical action, Edinburgh, 3-4 June 2004. The manuscript for the published version of this paper is available from http://drhazelhall.files.wordpress.com/2013/01/2004_hall_sociotech_edin.pdf. The material presented here draws on the findings of Hazel Hall's doctoral research, the full details of which are available from http://hazelhall.org/publications/phd-the-knowledge-trap-an-intranet-implementation-in-a-corporate-environment/

1. The intranet as actor:
the role of the intranet in knowledge sharing
Presented by
Hazel Hall
Senior Lecturer
School of Computing
Napier University, Edinburgh
h.hall@napier.ac.uk
http://www.bim.napier.ac.uk/~hazel/esis/hazel.html
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2. The intranet as actor:
the role of the intranet in knowledge sharing
Intranets in large, information-intensive organisations
– are useful
– are used
– are “successful”
… but often fail to deliver on exactly what is expected of them
2

3. The intranet as actor:
the role of the intranet in knowledge sharing
Recent work
– identifies that companies implement sub-optimal systems
– make suggestions on how to avoid this
e.g. Huysman & De Wit (2002)
3

4. The intranet as actor:
the role of the intranet in knowledge sharing
Previous work
– numerous difficulties of introducing new technologies into
large, distributed firms
– specific problems with changing established work practice
related to knowledge sharing
• staff pre-occupied with billable client work
• staff reluctant to share “currency” for future career success
Orlikowski (1996)
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5. The intranet as actor:
the role of the intranet in knowledge sharing
Early work
– operation and enhancement of computer implementations
are compromised by complexities of shifting social and
technical relationships
Kling & Scacchi (1982)
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6. The intranet as actor:
the role of the intranet in knowledge sharing
This work
– sociotechnical analysis of knowledge sharing practice in
large, distributed, case study organisation
– develops subject of ICTs and knowledge sharing
– clarifies the (multiple) role(s) of the intranet in knowledge
sharing
– highlights issues of status and power
– demonstrates importance of research approach in the
generation of findings
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7. The intranet as actor:
the role of the intranet in knowledge sharing
1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001
Intranet adoption Formalisation of KM Doubt
1 2 3
Phase 1
UK - demo national intranet created 1995, formal trial 1996, “live” 1996
Global - global intranet initiated 1997
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8. The intranet as actor:
the role of the intranet in knowledge sharing
1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001
Intranet adoption Formalisation of KM Doubt
1 2 3
Phase 2
UK - larger centralised KM function, corporate briefing, KM staff
appointed across business
Global - launch of global intranet
8

9. The intranet as actor:
the role of the intranet in knowledge sharing
1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001
Intranet adoption Formalisation of KM Doubt
1 2 3
Phase 3
Intranets - integration plans abandoned, global system becomes portal
KM - budget cuts, US KM function to close, career anxieties, knowledge
sharing concerns expressed at highest levels
9

10. The intranet as actor:
the role of the intranet in knowledge sharing
1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001
Intranet adoption Formalisation of KM Doubt
1 2 3
Plans - corporate documentation on policy
Practice - corporate documentation on implementation
10
Supplemented with interview data from KM directorate
staff

11. The intranet as actor:
the role of the intranet in knowledge sharing
1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001
Intranet adoption Formalisation of KM Doubt
1 2 3
Plans - as for 1995-2000 Additional source
Practice - as for 1995-2000 on practice -
interview data
Supplemented with interview data as before from KM staff
11

12. The intranet as actor:
the role of the intranet in knowledge sharing
1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001
Intranet adoption Formalisation of KM Doubt
1 2 3
Awareness Entry Fieldwork
12

13. The intranet as actor:
the role of the intranet in knowledge sharing
Data collected
Sources
100+ documents
Formal interviews with 3 members of
KM Directorate, plus ad hoc queries
20 in-depth interviews with KM staff
13

14. The intranet as actor:
the role of the intranet in knowledge sharing
Date Data Source
8 November 2001 Functionality – technical (Intranet editorial panel, 2001,
Slow loading of UK intranet pages: load time of 12 November 8)
seconds unacceptable.
8 November 2001 Functionality – technical
Discussion forums: Internal Communications
(Intranet editorial panel, 2001,
November 8) Sample extract of
reviewing documentation and issues of discussion
8 November 2001
forums.
Functionality – technical (Intranet editorial panel, 2001, coded notes from
Nimda virus: disruption caused by Nimda virus November 8)
8 November 2001
discussed.
Content – external
Factiva: Factiva available from 30 November 2001.
(Intranet editorial panel, 2001,
November 8)
company
8 November 2001 Content – external
Investext: desktop access to Investext launched 9
November 2001.
(Intranet editorial panel, 2001,
November 8) documentation
8 November 2001 Policy – games (Intranet editorial panel, 2001,
“It was agreed that protocols should not permit November 8)
games on websites”
8 November 2001 History – investment (Intranet editorial panel, 2001,
Budget cut impact on projects – examples: ICT work November 8)
on client directory and FTSE 350+ version 2 started
in 1999/2000 was at a standstill by March 2001 due
to budget cuts.
12 November 2001 Uptake – stats (UK Knowledge Management Group,
Record hits to UK intranet: 8282 on Monday 12 2001, December 21)
November.
22 November 2001 Content – internal (UK Knowledge Management Group,
Middle market site: launch to occur soon. 2001, November 22)
23 November 2001 Functionality – technical (UK Knowledge Management Group,
Verity: launch of tools to improve search capability on 2001, November 22)
UK intranet.
December 2001 Policy – e-discussions (UK Knowledge Management Group,
Protocols and best practice for e-discussions 2001, December-a)
published.
December 2001 History – national intranets (UK Knowledge Management Group,
National intranets established for Canada and Hong 2001, December-b)
Kong. 14
December 2001 Uptake – stats (UK Knowledge Management Group,
14% up on December 2000. 2002, January)

15. The intranet as actor:
the role of the intranet in knowledge sharing
Date Data Source
8 November 2001 Functionality – technical (Intranet editorial panel, 2001,
Slow loading of UK intranet pages: load time of 12 November 8)
seconds unacceptable.
8 November 2001 Date of “event”
Functionality – technical
Discussion forums: Internal Communications
(Intranet editorial panel, 2001,
November 8) Sample extract of
reviewing documentation and issues of discussion
8 November 2001
forums.
Functionality – technical (Intranet editorial panel, 2001, coded notes from
Nimda virus: disruption caused by Nimda virus November 8)
8 November 2001
discussed.
Content – external Code category
Factiva: Factiva available from 30 November 2001.
(Intranet editorial panel, 2001,
November 8)
company
8 November 2001 Content – external
Investext: desktop access to Investext launched 9
November 2001.
(Intranet editorial panel, 2001,
November 8) documentation
8 November 2001 Policy – games (Intranet editorial panel, 2001,
“It was agreed that protocols should not permit November 8)
games on websites”
8 November 2001 History – investment (Intranet editorial panel, 2001,
Budget cut impact on projects – examples: ICT work November 8)
on client directory and FTSE 350+ version 2 started
in 1999/2000 was at a standstill by March 2001 due
Data coded
to budget cuts.
12 November 2001 Uptake – stats (UK Knowledge Management Group,
Record hits to UK intranet: 8282 on Monday 12 2001, December 21)
November.
22 November 2001 Content – internal (UK Knowledge Management Group,
Middle market site: launch to occur soon. 2001, November 22)
23 November 2001 Functionality – technical (UK Knowledge Management Group,
Verity: launch of tools to improve search capability on
UK intranet.
2001, November 22)
Source of data
December 2001 Policy – e-discussions (UK Knowledge Management Group,
Protocols and best practice for e-discussions 2001, December-a)
published.
December 2001 History – national intranets (UK Knowledge Management Group,
National intranets established for Canada and Hong 2001, December-b)
Kong. 15
December 2001 Uptake – stats (UK Knowledge Management Group,
14% up on December 2000. 2002, January)

16. The intranet as actor:
the role of the intranet in knowledge sharing
H: Who controls 422
the Intranet content, is it 423
controlled by you in XX … rather than 424
from the centre, from the KM group …? 425
#-CONTROL $-RELS KMG
Sample of interview
P: Well, in terms of what tools and what
facilities are made available to us,
427
428
-#-$
| | transcript coded up with the
that's obviously controlled by the 429 | |
central group. But in terms of the XX
content and the XX presence, that's
430
431
|-$
|
use of The Ethnograph
entirely controlled by me … simply 432 |
because it wouldn't be relevant to go 433 |
through a central group. 434 -#
H: Yeh, OK. You've told me about 436
#-INT BUY-IN
ownership. How … it sounds as if 437 -#
you've got really good buy-in from 438 |
your own set of people … 439 |
|
P: Absolutely. 441 -#
#-INT BUY-IN
H: What about the Intranet as a whole in 443 -#
the UK? What are your perceptions of 444 |
buy-in there? 445 |
|
$-KM SPONS
P: I think it varies. I mean, I'm very 447 -#-$
fortunate in that I report into the 448 | 16
KM partner, who's also one of the 449 |
senior partners … 450 -$
H: Which, who …? 452

17. The intranet as actor:
the role of the intranet in knowledge sharing
H: Who controls 422
the Intranet content, is it 423
controlled by you in XX … rather than 424
from the centre, from the KM group …? 425
#-CONTROL $-RELS KMG
Sample of interview
Speaker
P: Well, in terms of what tools and what 427 -#-$
transcript coded up with the
facilities are made available to us, 428 | |
that's obviously controlled by the 429 | |
central group. But in terms of the XX
content and the XX presence, that's
430
431
|-$
|
use of The Ethnograph
entirely controlled by me … simply 432 |
because it wouldn't be relevant to go 433 |
through a central group. 434 -#
H: Yeh, OK. You've told me about 436
#-INT BUY-IN Code
ownership. How … it sounds as if 437 -#
you've got really good buy-in from 438 |
your own set of people … 439 | Line numbers
|
P: Absolutely. 441 -#
#-INT BUY-IN
H: What about the Intranet as a whole in 443 -#
the UK? What are your perceptions of 444 |
buy-in there? 445 |
|
$-KM SPONS
P: I think it varies. I mean, I'm very 447 -#-$
fortunate in that I report into the
KM partner, who's also one of the
448
449
|
|
Data coded 17
senior partners … 450 -$
H: Which, who …? 452

18. The intranet as actor:
the role of the intranet in knowledge sharing
Data collected
Data analysed into findings
Web model (Kling & Scacchi, 1982)
Four conceptual elements
1. Lines of work and going concerns
2. Production lattice
3. Infrastructure
4. Macrostructure 18

19. The intranet as actor:
the role of the intranet in knowledge sharing
Lines of work
Going concerns
- Overview of KM staff
roles
- KM and intranet
responsibilities
- IM as KM
- Intranet as KM
- Multi-channel
knowledge sharing
- Systems subversion
- Status
19

20. The intranet as actor:
the role of the intranet in knowledge sharing
Production lattice, infrastructure &
macrostructure
- Overview of KM at firm
- KM and intranet staffing plans
- Intranet implementation plans
- Knowledge sharing plans
- Staff roles in practice
- Actual intranet development
- Actual knowledge sharing practice
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21. The intranet as actor:
the role of the intranet in knowledge sharing
Lines of work Production lattice, infrastructure &
Going concerns macrostructure
- Overview of KM staff - Overview of KM at firm
roles
- KM and intranet - KM and intranet staffing plans
responsibilities - Intranet implementation plans
- Knowledge sharing plans
- IM as KM
- Intranet as KM - Staff roles in practice
- Multi-channel - Actual intranet development
knowledge sharing - Actual knowledge sharing practice
- Systems subversion
- Status
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Interview data Documentation data

22. The intranet as actor:
the role of the intranet in knowledge sharing
Data collected
Data analysed into findings
Findings reframed
Actor-network theory
Three episodes
1. 1995/1996
2. 1998 22
3. 2001

23. The intranet as actor:
the role of the intranet in knowledge sharing
1995/1996
Policy documentation
Partner KM as a concept IM specialist
Prototype intranet
Technology enthusiast
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24. The intranet as actor:
the role of the intranet in knowledge sharing
Policy documentation 1998
Partner
KM staff (centre) IM/KM specialist KM as a concept
Web specialist Intranet
Technology
enthusiast
KM staff (business)
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Non-KM staff (business)

25. The intranet as actor:
the role of the intranet in knowledge sharing
Policy documentation 2001
Partner
KM staff (centre) IM/KM specialist KM as a concept
Web specialist Intranet
KM staff (business)
25
Non-KM staff (business)

26. The intranet as actor:
the role of the intranet in knowledge sharing
Data collected
Data analysed into findings
Findings reframed
Research output
7 roles
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27. The intranet as actor:
the role of the intranet in knowledge sharing
7 roles of the intranet
1. Furnish individuals with special projects
2. Demonstrate status
3. Connect people for the purposes of knowledge sharing
4. Focus corporate attention on knowledge sharing
5. Inhibit knowledge sharing
6. Provide career direction
7. Measure engagement with KM initiatives
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28. The intranet as actor:
the role of the intranet in knowledge sharing
7 roles of the intranet - some intended by firm
1. Furnish individuals with special projects
2. Demonstrate status
3. Connect people for the purposes of knowledge sharing
4. Focus corporate attention on knowledge sharing
5. Inhibit knowledge sharing
6. Provide career direction
7. Measure engagement with KM initiatives
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29. The intranet as actor:
the role of the intranet in knowledge sharing
7 roles of the intranet - some tie to previous research
1. Furnish individuals with special projects
2. Demonstrate status
3. Connect people for the purposes of knowledge sharing
4. Focus corporate attention on knowledge sharing
5. Inhibit knowledge sharing
6. Provide career direction
7. Measure engagement with KM initiatives
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30. The intranet as actor:
the role of the intranet in knowledge sharing
7 roles of the intranet - some novel
1. Furnish individuals with special projects
2. Demonstrate status
3. Connect people for the purposes of knowledge sharing
4. Focus corporate attention on knowledge sharing
5. Inhibit knowledge sharing
6. Provide career direction
7. Measure engagement with KM initiatives
30

31. The intranet as actor:
the role of the intranet in knowledge sharing
7 roles of the intranet Power
1. Furnish individuals with special projects
2. Demonstrate status PR - firm as innovator
3. Connect people for the purposes of knowledge sharing
4. Focus corporate attention on knowledge sharing
5. Inhibit knowledge sharing
6. Provide career direction Individual’s progress
7. Measure engagement with KM initiatives
Generate support 31
for further work

32. The intranet as actor:
the role of the intranet in knowledge sharing
Accounting for multiple roles
Shared perceptions of appropriate technology use within specific
environments differ.
For example - intranet deployed to demonstrate status of
organisation, role determined internally for benefit of external
constituency.
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33. The intranet as actor:
the role of the intranet in knowledge sharing
Accounting for failure of system to deliver as
anticipated
Actor power of those charged with the implementation
– assigned by others
– assigned to themselves
33

34. The intranet as actor:
the role of the intranet in knowledge sharing
Accounting for emergence of these findings
Consideration of wider environment in which system was situated
- focus not on system per se
Academic sociotechnical study
– not consultancy project looking for “solutions”
– disregarded managerial “taboos”, e.g. nagging for content,
“culture” as umbrella excuse
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35. The intranet as actor:
the role of the intranet in knowledge sharing
References
Huysman, M. & De Wit, D. (2002). Knowledge sharing in practice.
London: Kluwer.
Kling, R. & Scacchi, W. (1982). The web of computing: computer
technology as social organization. Advances in Computers, 21, 1-90.
Orlikowski, W. J. (1996). Learning from notes: organizational issues in
groupware implementation. In R. Kling (Ed.), Computerization and
controversy: value conflicts and social choices (2nd ed.).San Diego,
CA: Academic Press.
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