TY - CHAP

T1 - Computer-mediated knowledge systems in consultancy firms: do they work?

AU - Reihlen, Markus

AU - Ringberg, Torsten

N1 - Funding Information: The authors greatly appreciate the support of Jan-Florian Schlapfner for his assistance in empirical fieldwork and his comments during manuscript preparation. We would also like to thank editors Royston Greenwood and Roy Suddaby as well as Natalia Nikolova and Annette Rohde for their helpful comments. Furthermore, we are grateful for the collaboration with H&P. The financial support by the German Ministry of Education and Research (research grant 01HW0168) is also acknowledged.

PY - 2006/6/26

Y1 - 2006/6/26

N2 - Computer-mediated knowledge transfer has been at the forefront of consultancy research. The underlying idea is that individual knowledge can be externalized into disembodied symbols and codes, which can then be disseminated and accessed electronically within and across organizations. Although the process of externalization and transfer of knowledge has been investigated from various theoretical perspectives (positivism, social constructionism, pluralism), little research has addressed the role of cognition in computer-mediated knowledge transfer. Based on a case study within an international technical consulting firm, we argue that the success or failure of computer-mediated knowledge transfer is influenced to a large degree by embodied mental frames, social networks, and individuals' creative and explanatory use of artifacts in real-world situations.

AB - Computer-mediated knowledge transfer has been at the forefront of consultancy research. The underlying idea is that individual knowledge can be externalized into disembodied symbols and codes, which can then be disseminated and accessed electronically within and across organizations. Although the process of externalization and transfer of knowledge has been investigated from various theoretical perspectives (positivism, social constructionism, pluralism), little research has addressed the role of cognition in computer-mediated knowledge transfer. Based on a case study within an international technical consulting firm, we argue that the success or failure of computer-mediated knowledge transfer is influenced to a large degree by embodied mental frames, social networks, and individuals' creative and explanatory use of artifacts in real-world situations.

KW - Management studies

UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=33645881937&partnerID=8YFLogxK

U2 - 10.1016/S0733-558X(06)24012-6

DO - 10.1016/S0733-558X(06)24012-6

M3 - Chapter

SN - 0762313021

SN - 978-0-76231-302-0

T3 - Research in the Sociology of Organizations

SP - 307

EP - 336

BT - Professional service firms

A2 - Greenwood, Royston

A2 - Suddaby, Roy

PB - Elsevier B.V.

CY - Amsterdam

ER -