Information technology and knowledge sharing for better health care: an emerging economy context

Abstract

Purpose The present study aims to explore “what” type of knowledge is shared, “how” it is shared and what information and communication tools are used to share knowledge among health-care professionals in the context of emerging “digital laggard” country in the South-Eastern European region (i.e. Bosnia and Herzegovina [B&H]). Design/methodology/approach This study applies the qualitative research methodology and thematic analysis for collecting, analysing and interpreting data. Primary data is collected using semi-structured interviews (n = 9). Key informants are employees of the main primary health-care institution in the capital of B&H. Findings The results indicate that knowledge sharing among primary health-care practitioners is the interplay of formal and informal exchange of knowledge, facilitated by both traditional communication media (face-to-face interaction) and ICT-based tools. In regards to ICT tools, our findings suggest that instant messing applications (predominantly Viber) are viewed as common media for sharing tacit knowledge within a community of practice. Research limitations/implications This study is limited to one emerging digital laggard country; thus, future research regarding ICT-based knowledge sharing in other emerging digital laggard countries is welcomed. Originality/value In the context of “digital laggard”, societies, informal, spontaneous and dynamic system of social interactions can be a successful substitute for ICT-based formalised and structured system of knowledge sharing.

Guest editorial

“…The Turulja et al (2021) paper is similar to the above study, as it focuses on the KS, regarded as the key pillar of KM (Shujahat et al, 2019). The authors examine the sharing of knowledge among employees of a primary health-care facility in Bosnia and Herzegovina.…”

“…Among those at an individual level, the Fletcher-Brown et al (2021) paper focuses on the frontline health workers in an Indian context. The Turulja et al (2021) paper focuses on health-care providers at the primary health care centers in Bosnia and Herzegovina. The Maheshwari et al (2021) paper conduct their analysis with physicians in India.…”

“…Additionally, as ICT is an umbrella term for different types of technologies with each one having distinctive features and affordances, the issue includes papers that discuss different types of technologies – m-Health, Web 2.0, messaging and text mining. The papers also include a range of different methodologies applied, from qualitative (Fletcher-Brown et al , 2021; Tripathi et al , 2021: Turulja et al , 2021) to quantitative (Maheshwari et al , 2021; Arefin et al , 2021) to mixed methods (Epaminonda et al , 2021). The issue also includes a review paper on biomedical text mining (Cheerkoot-Jalim and Khedo, 2021).…”

“…Depiction of diverse aspects of KM in the health-care domain types of technologiesm-Health, Web 2.0, messaging and text mining. The papers also include a range of different methodologies applied, from qualitative(Fletcher-Brown et al, 2021;Tripathi et al, 2021: Turulja et al, 2021 to quantitative…”

Editorial

“…Sharing information requires adequate infrastructures such as e-government infrastructures and research e-infrastructures. Knowledge management strategies and tools will be key elements in the growing digital economy Edvinsson, 2014, 2020;Turulja et al, 2021). Companies and countries, with the support of digital technologies, need to use intellectual capital metrics to measure its knowledge-based resources: human capital, relational capital and structural capital (Lytras and Ord oñez De Pablos, 2008;Ord oñez De Pablos, 2004, 2005Papa et al, 2021).…”