Technology in the workplace

Technology in the Workplace

Practitioners and academics often assume that investments in technology will lead to productivity improvements . While the literature provides many examples of performance improvements resulting from adoption of different technologies , there is little evidence demonstrating specific generalizable factors that contribute to these improvements Furthermore , investment in technology does not guarantee effective implementation . The importance of knowledge sharing and the ability to tap into an organization 's vast reservoir of creative intellect have been acknowledged as possibly the greatest strategic competency an organization can achieve (Davenport 1999 Pan

et al . 1999 . By enabling associates to share their ideas , expertise and wisdom , problems can be more easily solved , processes improved , and productivity increased . As business environments become more turbulent and technologies become increasingly dynamic , the pace of change and competitive pressures spiral more steeply upward . As this paces continues , organizations require technologies , capabilities and a culture that enables them to keep up with these changes (Senge 1997

Furthermore , in an era that is becoming predominantly digital , the ability to share knowledge is becoming easier , cheaper and more widely accepted . Many organizations recognize that collaborative technologies supported by distributed electronic networks , can reduce barriers to communication and facilitate knowledge sharing within the organization (Ciborra et al , 1996 . Collaborative technologies can enable people in distributed environments to work together seamlessly irrespective of location , time or functional area . By sharing a common goal in a networked environment , virtual teams can create synergistic relationships and quality output via collaborative knowledge sharing . In addition , the communication patterns that develop in electronic collaborative environments are equally applicable to people sharing knowledge in the same building or even the same room as those who are divided by continents (Barker et al , 1998

While causal relationships between knowledge sharing and specific quantifiable performance improvements to achieve competitive advantages have been scarce , researchers have qualitatively documented some organizational performance improvements . For example , the adoption of one particular collaborative technology (Lotus Notes ) to facilitate knowledge sharing increased productivity and efficiency in a software company by "creating a knowledge repository which prevented duplication of research efforts (Orlikowski , 1996 . The research literature acknowledges this relationship while seeking to validate it with additional empirical studies . While most research in knowledge management and collaborative technologies has focused on large organizations , few studies have examined its impact on small businesses In addition , few studies have explored the specific success factors that contribute to the adoption and diffusion of technologies that facilitate knowledge sharing and resulting performance improvements

In addition , researchers in the field of performance measurement and collaborative technologies have found tentative relationships between performance improvement and knowledge sharing using different collaborative technologies in different contexts . However , organizations often introduce new technologies using a forced adoption approach without fully understanding the specific factors required for their continued and effective use . This represents a prerequisite requirement if the technology is to be used to fulfill the goals for which it was intended

The importance of culture in the adoption and implementation was exemplified by the...