Knowledge Exploration and Exploitation: The Impacts of Psychological Climate and Knowledge Management System Access.

Author List: Durcikova, Alexandra; Fadel, Kelly J.; Butler, Brian S.; Galletta, Dennis F.;

Information Systems Research, 2011, Volume 22, Issue 4, Page 855-866.

Firms need to balance efficiency gains obtained through exploiting existing knowledge assets with long-term competitive viability achieved through exploring new knowledge resources. Because the use of knowledge management systems (KMSs) continues to expand, understanding how these systems affect exploration and exploitation practices at the individual level is important to advance both knowledge management theory and practice. This study reports the results of a multi-industry survey investigating how psychological climate and KMS access influence solution reuse (exploitation) and solution innovation (exploration) in the context of technical support work. Our results show that KMS access does not directly determine solution innovation or solution reuse. Instead, KMS access strengthens the positive relationship between a climate for innovation and solution innovation and reverses the positive relationship between a climate for autonomy and solution innovation. The implications for knowledge management research and practice are discussed.

Keywords: exploitation; exploration; knowledge management systems; psychological climate; technical support

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List of Topics

#103	0.363	exploration climate technology empowerment explore features trying use employees intention examining work intentions exploring autonomy exploitation innovate feature understanding individual
#53	0.162	knowledge application management domain processes kms systems study different use domains role comprehension effective types draw scope furthermore level levels
#93	0.116	performance results study impact research influence effects data higher efficiency effect significantly findings impacts empirical significant suggest outcomes better positive
#61	0.084	reuse results anchoring potential strategy assets leading reusability incentives impact bias situations effect similarity existing extraction reusable improvement necessary enhancing
#127	0.070	systems information research theory implications practice discussed findings field paper practitioners role general important key grounded researchers domain new identified
#252	0.064	management practices technology information organizations organizational steering role fashion effective survey companies firms set planning focus committees executives managing committee