The impact of focus, function, and features of shared knowledge on re-use in emergency management social media

Abstract

Purpose The purpose of this study is to investigate how organizations use social media such as blogs to share and re-used knowledge during contingencies, disasters, and emergencies. The factors related to the knowledge itself – rather than the media – which lead to more and less re-use (particularly in the fast-paced and uncertain context of emergencies) are not well known. Design/methodology/approach Integrating theories of social media, knowledge management and mass communication, the author develops a model of the characteristics of knowledge (focus, function and features), characteristics of knowledge sharers and the user’s needs, which influence the extent to which knowledge is re-used. Findings A study of 645 blog posts revealed why some knowledge is re-used in emergencies more than other types of knowledge. Surprisingly, non-event-related knowledge is re-used more often than event-related knowledge, perhaps because users are less certain about how they would re-use non-event knowledge and, thus, are paradoxically more interested in what it might offer. Results also indicate several other factors which impact re-use. Practical implications Traditional mechanisms used to evaluate knowledge for reuse such as rank and organizational status are less important than the focus and function of the knowledge itself; they offer practitioners strategies for more efficient knowledge sharing during emergencies and identify opportunities for more effective employment of emergency management social media. Originality/value One of the first studies to dig deeper into factors of knowledge shared and re-used during emergencies, this research integrates several theoretical streams to explain why some knowledge is more valuable for re-use. It increases the understanding of knowledge sharing during disasters and offers strategies for development of knowledge systems for future emergencies.

Building intellectual structure of knowledge sharing

“…Emergence of social media tools in recent times has given new opportunities to researchers to examine these aspects of KS. The early adoption of these tools for KS (Grant, 2016), specifically sharing of tacit knowledge (Panahi et al, 2013), and their use for exploiting knowledge during emergencies, contingencies and disasters (Yates, 2016) have been examined. Five emerging themes in social media research in context of KS were identified as "socialising, practising, networking, storytelling and encountering" (Panahi et al, 2013, p. 379).…”

Exploring the Dynamics of Justification in the Wake of a Rumor Outbreak on Social Media

“…In particular, it describes the five different types of justification at play and further enriches the understanding of collective sensemaking during a rumor. Extending previous research on the use of social media for KM purposes during crises (Yates, 2016), the current work suggests a more granular treatment of the notion of justification on social media to inform KM practices. For example, attention ought to be paid to descriptive argumentation during the early stage of the crisis, and evidentialism during the later stage.…”

“…This paper embraces the social constructivism view of knowledge, which is particularly apt in situations of ambiguity such as rumor outbreaks (Yates, 2016). The social construction of knowledge inevitably entails justification which not only shapes how individuals make sense of a given situation but also allows them to rationalize their decision-making (de Kwaadsteniet et al, 2007;Oh et al, 2013).…”

Ranking web as indicator of knowledge diffusion: an application for SMEs

“…This result is supported in several studies that recognize BGs as useful tools, not only for the exchange of knowledge within firms (Baxter and Connolly, 2014) but also between different organizations. In this sense, Yates (2016) notes that BGs have allowed organizations to be lightly connected, allowing them to find the knowledge needed to implement them quickly in their decisionmaking. Therefore, this application has the potential to improve firms' competitiveness.…”