Toward a Theory of Knowledge Reuse: Types of Knowledge Reuse Situations and Factors in Reuse Success.

Author List: Markus, M. Lynne;
Journal of Management Information Systems, 2001, Volume 18, Issue 1, Page 57-93.
This paper represents a step toward a theory of knowledge reusability, with emphasis on knowledge management systems and repositories, often called organizational memory systems. Synthesis of evidence from a wide variety of sources suggests four distinct types of knowledge reuse situations according to the knowledge reuser and the purpose of knowledge reuse. The types involve shared work producers, who produce knowledge they later reuse; shared work practitioners, who reuse each other's knowledge contributions; expertise-seeking novices; and secondary knowledge miners. Each type of knowledge reuser has different requirements for knowledge repositories. Owing to how repositories are created, reusers' requirements often remain unmet. Repositories often require considerable rework to be useful for new reusers, but knowledge producers rarely have the resources and incentives to do a good job of repurposing knowledge. Solutions include careful use of incentives and human and technical intermediaries.
Keywords: collaboration; communities of practice; experts; group work; intermediaries; knowledge management; knowledge repositories; knowledge reuse; novices; organization memory; teams
Algorithm:

List of Topics

#245 0.310 knowledge sharing contribution practice electronic expertise individuals repositories management technical repository knowledge-sharing shared contributors novelty features peripheral share benefit seekers
#61 0.199 reuse results anchoring potential strategy assets leading reusability incentives impact bias situations effect similarity existing extraction reusable improvement necessary enhancing
#154 0.089 memory support organizations information organizational requirements different complex require development provides resources organization paper transactive depth process outside difficult breadth
#0 0.071 information types different type sources analysis develop used behavior specific conditions consider improve using alternative understanding data available main target
#110 0.071 theory theories theoretical paper new understanding work practical explain empirical contribution phenomenon literature second implications different building based insights need
#27 0.057 secondary use primary data outcomes objective ways analysis range addresses development purpose budget past outcome wide direct generating occurs desired
#147 0.054 process problem method technique experts using formation identification implicit analysis common proactive input improvements identify traditional stages identifying explicit setting