Synthesizing Design and Informing Science Rationales for Driving a Decentralized Generative Knowledge Management Agenda

2019

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Purpose In addressing the future trajectory of knowledge management systems, this paper uses the psycho-social notion of generativity which recently stimulated contributions in technology and innovation for a holistic systemic knowledge management (KM) review. The purpose of this study is to identify current shortcomings and fixations together with their ramifying affordances, all enveloped within a novel KM concept and prototype-system-under-development. Design/methodology/approach It follows up on prior publications using design science research (DSR) methodologies in compliance with theory effectiveness, a principle expecting system designs to be purposeful in terms of utility and communication. The KM perspective taken prioritizes a decentralizing agenda benefiting knowledge workers while also aiming to foster a fruitful co-evolution with traditional organizational KM approaches. Findings The notions of generative fit and capacities in their technical, informational and social interpretations prove able to accommodate diverse KM models and to cumulatively synthesize a wide range of related concepts and perspectives. In the process, Nonaka’s renowned socialize, externalize, combine, internalize and Ba model is repurposed and extended to suggest a corresponding complementing seize, imbed, collate, encompass, effectuate workflow embedded in distinct digital ecosystems fully aligned to the diversity of the generative attributes introduced. Research limitations/implications Although the prototype development is still in progress, the study conforms to the DSR practice to report on early visions of technology impact on users, organizations and society and also refers to and reflects on aspects of feasibility, suitability, acceptability and the system’s prospect as a general-purpose technology or disruptive innovation. Originality/value The paper transdisciplinarily integrates the well-established psychological notions of generativity into its newer digital and systemic KM dimensions. The resulting new insights transparently inform the concept and prototype design, present a holistic framework for individuals and organizations and suggest avenues for new KM applications and KM research directions inspired by the adopted and adapted novel generativity contexts.

Section: Generativity Concepts Able To Facilitate the Decentralizatiomentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: 8mentioning

confidence: 99%

Designing decentralized knowledge management systems to effectuate individual and collective generative capacities

2019

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“…The aim of this article is to demonstrate how the individual diverse GCME-states of an expanding user community may be accommodated by the PKMS-DPE. As a wide range of affordances is currently not catered for by conventional KMS (Schmitt, 2017a), the benefits for knowledge workers are to be further advanced and made transparent (Schmitt & Gill, 2019) and add detail to an envisaged decentralized KM revolution. Levy's (2011) "decentralizing notion" foresees creative conversations 121 among empowered autonomous individuals and self-organized groups that allow for iterative emerging distributed processes of collective intelligence which, in turn, continuously feedback to their grass-roots community members.…”

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Levy's (2011) "decentralizing notion" foresees creative conversations 121 among empowered autonomous individuals and self-organized groups that allow for iterative emerging distributed processes of collective intelligence which, in turn, continuously feedback to their grass-roots community members. (Schmitt & Gill, 2019).…”

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…This approach expanded towards generalizable fitness principles for guiding individual path discovery for differing clients in dynamic informing settings (Gill & Mullarkey, 2017). It was then applied to Personal KM (Schmitt & Gill, 2019) and broadened by adding contextual and methodological aspects (Schmitt & Gill, 2020). This article further develops the latter by consolidating the complexities of the client and target states previously addressed.…”

Section: Advancing Prior Work Towards Informing Scenariosmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Gifts, Contexts, Means, and Ends Differing: Informing Task Scenarios to Serve Knowledge Workers’ Needs in Dynamic Complex Settings

Gill

2020

InformingSciJ

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Aim/Purpose: As traditional Knowledge Management (KM) struggles to support the personal needs of knowledge workers in a new era of accelerating information abundance, we examine the shortcomings and put forward alternative scenarios and architectures for developing a novel Personal KM System (PKMS). Background: While prior publications focused on the complementing features compared to conventional dynamic KM models, our emphasis shifts to instantiating a flourishing PKMS community supported by a Digital Platform Ecosystem. Methodology: Design science research focusing on conceptual analysis and prototyping. Contribution: The PKMS concept advances the understanding of how digital platform communities may serve members with highly diverse skills and ambitions better to gainfully utilize the platform’s resources and generative potential in their personal and local settings. Findings: We demonstrate how the needs to tackle attention-consuming rising entropy and to benefit from generative innovation potentials can be addressed. Future Research: As this article has iteratively co-evolved with the preparing of a PKMS implementation, business, and roll-out plan, the prototype’s testing, completion, and subsequent migration to a viable system is of primary concern.

Scalability of generative knowledge management systems: designing for individuals’ and institutions’ mutual benefit

2020

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Purpose In further conceptualizing a novel generative knowledge management system (KM/KMS), this paper aims to focus on identifying and mitigating the risks related to its envisaged scaling from a prototype to an application with a rapidly growing user base. Design/methodology/approach It follows up on prior publications using design science research (DSR) methodologies in compliance with theory effectiveness, a principle expecting system designs to be purposeful in terms of utility and communication. The KMS perspective taken prioritizes a decentralizing agenda benefiting knowledge workers while also aiming to foster a fruitful co-evolution with conventional organizational KM approaches. Findings The utilization and further extension of the CKDT and a “scalable innovation” heuristic are assisting the detecting of potential scaling risks related to the logics and logistics, generative interoperability, technological capacitating, knowledge dynamics and value chain which further validates the viability of the proposed KM concept and system. Research limitations/implications Although the prototype development is still in progress, the paper conforms to the DSR practice to report on early visions of technology impact on users, organizations and society but also reflects on expectations of viability, desirability and commitment, as well as the system’s prospect as a general-purpose-technology or disruptive innovation. Originality/value In addition to the novel KM-related perspectives, the paper’s practical emphasis on the scaling of more complex systems is rarely dealt with in the literature due to the respective projects’ often large-scale collaborative nature, broad methodological scope and diverse stakeholders’ interests. In this case, the task is eased as prior DSR outputs can be referred to.