Memory system in organizations: an empirical investigation of mechanisms for knowledge collection, storage and access

1. Memory system in organizations: an empirical investigation of mechanisms for knowledge collection, storage and access

2. 1. ABSTRACT I develop a framework for organizational memory in geographically distributed settings based on the concept of organizational memory systems. Multiple memory systems were identified, including social networks, various computer-based systems.

3. 2. INTRODUCTION An organization�s ability to collect, store and use knowledge it has generated through experience can have important consequent for its performance. The benefits access to experiential knowledge are particularly relevant

4. Dispersed experiential knowledge can reduce the organizational costs of repeatedly developing solutions. This disperse knowledge may enhance an organization�s ability to respond to environmental demands that require.

5. Main objective of this paper is to develop a framework for conceptualizing and empirically assessing the means by which multi-unit organizations currently store knowledge. The boundaries of this framework are: 1.focus is on understanding how organizations collect and store explicit knowledge. 2.how persons purposefully access organizational memory?

6. 3. ORGANIZATIONAL MEMOR SYSTEM Multiple types of knowledge-retention means have been identified in literature, routines and rules, individuals,�. Walsh and Ungson: -organizational memory as formed by storage bins or retention facilities� that are capable of shoring information; -organization�s memory conceptualized in terms of its content and processes for information acquisition or retrieval

7. Organizational memory systems (MS) are compost by main elements: -COMPUTER-BASED INFMATION TECHNOLOGIES AND ORGANIZATIONAL MOMERY: can serve as an indicator of where experience is located in the organization, it�s used to collect the solutions, maintains all records of exchange between the organization and its clients -SOCIAL NETWORKS AND ORGANIZATIONAL MEMORY: this process generate knowledge that largely remains in their heads and in the memory aids they create for themselves.

8. Social network can play an important role in accumulating and storing knowledge about the organization�s experience -DEFINITION AND CHARACTERISTICS OF ORGANIZATIONAL MEMORY SYSTEM: organizational MS can be characterized in terms of their content, structure and operating processes. The MS are an organizational property, not a property of specific individuals

9. Organizational MS are similar to repositeries or storage bins: 1. MS have the esplicit purpose of collecting, storing SB capture aspect about the organization�s experience 2. MS are concrete entities with which individuals interact, rather than conceptual categories. Can be meaningfully delineated and analyzed empirically.

10. 3. MS: framework recognizes the dispersed nature of experiential knowledge SB: framework acknowledges that knowledge is distributed among bins

11. 4. RESEARCH SETTING AND DATA COLLECTION PROCEDURE: -data about the characteristics of the organization�s MS were collected through observation, consultants and information system administrators -consultants and managers described projects they were working on and situation where the needed information

12. -the responses were used to identify the types of experiential knowledge -data, about individuals� social ties were collected by asking respondents to list people -evaluations about the effectiveness of MS were also collected during the interviews -respondents were asked to rate the effective of each MS and to explain the rationale behind their assessment

13. 5. FINDINGS Several MS including: a. social network b. knowledge centers c. various computer- based information system

14. a.: -play a key role as an organizational MS -are capable of storing a broad range of knowledge -consultants and managers reported b.: -formal groups of experts that collect and provide access to the firm�s experience in a specific domain -may be organized around functional areas or industry sectors -gather experiential knowledge

15. c.: 1.KNOWLWDGE INTRANET: -is a firm that contains information about a variety of topics relevant to business consulting; -is a organization MS and centralize system 2.ELETTRONIC BULLETIN BOARDS: -forum where individuals can post questions -share resources or solutions to problems -serve as MS in two ways: 1.provide a means for storing and accessing documents 2.serve as a broadcasting, allowing individuals to request help -discussing about specific topics, �..

16. 3.: PERCEIVED EFFECTIVENESS OF MS: respondents evaluated people in the office and in other as EFFECTIVE or VERY EFFECTIVE

17. CONTENT, STRUCTURE, PROCESSES C: mentioned factor that explain perceptions of effectiveness of computer-based system S: mentioned the importance of being able to easily locate the contents of the system P: mentioned there was value in the formal evaluation processes of same systems

18. 6. DISCUSSION Organizational memory in terms of MS was useful for identifying and characterizing the multiple systems by which the organization collects its dispersed experiential knowledge and by which its individuals access this knowledge

19. 7. CONCLUSIONS Main contributions of this study are developing and empirically assessing a framework. Exiting framework although useful for identifying general categories of knowledge retentions means. The framework facilitates analysis in several ways: 1. it provides us with conceptual categories; 2.once the systems have been delineated, it is possible to make meaningful comparisons

20. Next step: future research MS should be applying it to other organizational settings. Research=exploring news forms of information structure in data base and how these structure affect information storage and access Another avenue of theoretical and empirical development is attempting to understand why organizations differ in the configuration of their MS

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