Knowledge Network Analysis: A Technique to Analyze Knowledge Management Bottlenecks in Organizations

Abstract

Before companies can improve their knowledge management they should have a clear picture of the bottlenecks. The Knowledge Network Analysis technique presented in this paper provides companies with an aid to construct this picture in a structured way. It approaches knowledge management from a network perspective. In the first phase, the main actors, including their roles and expertise level, in a specific knowledge area are identified. Consequently, the knowledge transfer between the actors is analyzed using the concept of velocity and viscosity of the knowledge transfer. The result is push and a pull knowledge network graph that show the potential bottlenecks.

A framework to identify knowledge actor roles in enterprise social networks

“…Initiating; asking questions; commenting and replying; verbosity; information sharing; linking; popularity; volume Seeker Learner, retriever (Reinhardt et al, 2011); knowledge user (Helms and Buijsrogge, 2005) Problem-solving (ask); social praise (provide) Knowledge seeker (Beck et al, 2014); question asker (Fisher et al, 2006;Viegas and Smith, 2004) Initiating; asking questions; commenting and replying; thanking; linking; popularity Helper Helper, solver (Reinhardt et al, 2011); knowledge creator (Helms and Buijsrogge, 2005) Problem-solving (provide) Value-adding user (Berger et al, 2014); knowledge contributor (Beck et al, 2014); answer person (Fisher et al, 2006;Viegas and Smith, 2004); giver (Cetto et al, 2016) Commenting and replying; information sharing; linking; volume; verbosity; regularity; quality Expert Helper, solver (Reinhardt et al, 2011) Problem-solving (provide) (mixed/distributed) expert (Rowe et al, 2013); elitist (Chan et al, 2010) Commenting and replying; information sharing; linking; popularity; focus dispersion; verbosity; volume; reciprocity; quality Networker Networker (Reinhardt et al, 2011) Status updates (provide); problem-solving (provide); discussion and opinion (provide); informal talk (provide)…”

How to Value and Monitor the Relational Capital of Knowledge-Intensive Organizations

“…Measures in SNA can be distinguished as those that evaluate the entire network and the ones that only assess a specific node (Faust & Faust, 1994). SNA can be used in an organization to better understand the social capital (Borgatti & Foster, 2003); support partnerships and alliances (Cross & Parker, 2004); measure the degree of embedment of the actors as well as their importance in the network; support knowledge management policies; identify who really knows what happens in the company (Helms & Buijsrogge, 2005); integrate networks across core processes; promote innovation; integrate new members or organizational changes; support the development of informal communities of practice; improve leadership effectiveness; replicate high performance throughout an organization and understand and improve the disconnections between groups in the organization or between groups and the outside world (Cross & Parker, 2004).…”

Social Networks in Information Systems

“…Social network analysis can be used in an organization to better understand the social capital (connections within and between the network) (Borgatti and Foster 2003), support partnerships and alliances (Cross and Parker 2004), measure the degree of embeddedness of the actors as well as actors' importance in the network, support knowledge management policies, identify who really knows what in the company (Helms and Buijsrogge 2005), integrate networks across core processes, promote innovation, integrate new members or organizational changes, support the development of informal communities of practice, improve leadership effectiveness, replicate high performance throughout an organization, and understand and improve the disconnects between groups in the organization or between groups and the outside world (Cross and Parker 2004).…”