User-Centred Knowledge Management: A Constructivist and Socialized View

Bettoni, Marco C.; Eggs, Cindy

Volume 5 · Number 3 · Pages 130–143

< Previous Paper · Next Paper >

User-Centred Knowledge Management: A Constructivist and Socialized View

Marco C. Bettoni & Cindy Eggs

Abstract

Context: The discipline of knowledge management (KM) begins to understand a) that it should move towards a user-centred, socialized KM and b) which business objectives provide motivation to do so. However, it lacks ideas on how to reach the objective that it suggests and justifies. We contend in this paper that this change requires a more viable understanding of knowledge combined with a suitable model of social interaction, otherwise it will fail. Problem: The problem to be solved is to find a way to blend a model of social interaction and a suitable understanding of knowledge so that together they can contribute to the objective of implementing a “user-centred KM.” In this paper we show a solution articulated in several conceptual and experimental components and phases. Method: We use a systemic and cybernetic approach: systemic analysis of the problem, conception of a cybernetic approach, design of a systemic solution, and its evaluation in an experiment. The main methods used are systems engineering, cybernetic modelling, and knowledge engineering. Results: We propose seven interrelated results: 1. A defect analysis of KM; 2. The concept of knowledge as the “Logic of Experience”; 3. A set of five KM design principles; 4. The principle of “Knowledge Identity”; 5. The model of “Knowledge Cooperation”; 6. The architecture of a user-centred KM system; and 7. Insights from a KM experiment. Implications: Our results are useful for any stakeholder in today’s knowledge economy when they need to understand, design, build, nurture and support an organization’s capacity to learn and innovate for the benefit not only of the company’s financial owners but also of the individuals who work in it. Future research should urgently address the issues of “knowledge identity” and the “knowledge contract” and KM practice should design its next steps for moving towards a user-centred KM in conformity with the principle of “knowledge identity.” The paper links explicitly to radical constructivism and argues in favour of a radical constructivist foundation for KM in which knowledge is seen as the “Logic of Experience.” It also shows how this KM foundation can be extended with a social perspective and by that allow the individual and the social to be conceived of as complementary elements in one single KM system.

Key words: logic of experience, knowledge identity, knowledge cooperation, design for meaning, community of research, user-centred knowledge management

Citation

Bettoni M. C. & Eggs C. (2010) User-centred knowledge management: A constructivist and socialized view. Constructivist Foundations 5(3): 130–143. http://constructivist.info/5/3/130

Export article citation data: Plain Text · BibTex · EndNote · Reference Manager (RIS)

References

Aristotle (1957) Aristotelis Metaphysica. Edited by W. Jaeger. Oxford University Press, Oxford. ▸︎ Google︎ Scholar

Bernhard W. & Bettoni M. (2007) Wissensnetzwerke – Offene Zusammenarbeit im virtuellen Raum. In: Bergamin P. & Pfander G. (eds.) Medien im Bildungswesen: Kompetenzen, Organisation, Mehrwert. h. e.p. Verlag, Bern: 99–121. ▸︎ Google︎ Scholar

Bettoni M. & Fuhrer G. (2001) The first tax return assessment expert system in Switzerland. Challenges and solutions. In: Miranda P., Sharp B., Pakstas A. & Filipe J. (eds.) Proceedings of the 3rd international conference on enterprise information systems (ICEIS 2001) ICEIS Press, Setùbal: 391–396. ▸︎ Google︎ Scholar

Bettoni M. & Schneider S. (2002) Experience management – Lessons learned from knowledge engineering. Lecture Notes in Informatics (LNI) Vol P-10, Gesellschaft für Informatik (GI), Bonn: 117–128. ▸︎ Google︎ Scholar

Bettoni M. (1985) A psychological basis for human information processing. Report #1. Institute for Methods and Structures, Zurich. Retrieved on 10 July 2010 from: http://www.weknow.ch/marco/A1985/Rep1/Index.htm ▸︎ Google︎ Scholar

Bettoni M. (1997) Constructivist foundations of modeling. A Kantian perspective. International Journal of Intelligent Systems 12(8): 577–595. ▸︎ Google︎ Scholar

Bettoni M. (2000) Eine Konstruktivistische Interpretation von Kants Kognitionstheorie. In: Rusch G. & Schmidt S. J. (eds.) Konstruktivismus in Psychiatrie und Psychologie. Delfin 1998/99. Suhrkamp, Frankfurt: 151–172. ▸︎ Google︎ Scholar

Bettoni M. (2005) Wissenskooperation – Die Zukunft des Wissensmanagements. In: Lernende Organisation – Zeitschrift für Systemisches Management und Organisation 25: 6–24. ▸︎ Google︎ Scholar

Bettoni M. (2007) The Yerkish language – From operational methodology to chimpanzee communication. In: Glanville R. & Riegler A. (eds.) The importance of being Ernst. edition echoraum, Vienna: 107–121. ▸︎ Google︎ Scholar

Bettoni M. (2008) The illusion of society. Constructivist Foundations 3(2): 68–69. http://www.univie.ac.at/constructivism/journal/3/2/068.bettoni http://www.univie.ac.at/constructivism/journal/3/2/068.bettoni

Bettoni M., Bernhard W., Borter F. & Dönnges, G. (2007) The yellow tool – Making yellow pages more social and visible. In: Martin B. & Remenyi D. (eds.) Proceedings of the 8th European conference on knowledge management (ECKM 2007) Academic Publishing, Reading MA: 118–124. ▸︎ Google︎ Scholar

Bettoni M., Clases C. & Wehner T. (2004) Communities of practice as a way to a more human-oriented knowledge management. In: Svetlik I. & Nadoh J. (eds.) Proceedings of the international conference on human resource management in a knowledge-based economy (HRM 2004) in Ljubljana, Slovenia, 2–4 June 2004. CD-Rom Publication. ▸︎ Google︎ Scholar

Bettoni M., Schiller G. & Bernhard W. (2008) Weak ties cooperation in the CoRe knowledge network. In Harorimana D. & Watkins D. (eds.) Proceedings of the 9th European conference on knowledge management. Academic Publishing, Reading: 59–66. ▸︎ Google︎ Scholar

Bühler C. & Allen M. (1972) Introduction to humanistic psychology. Wadsworth, Belmont. ▸︎ Google︎ Scholar

Ceccato S. (1964) A model of the mind. Methodos 16: 3–78. ▸︎ Google︎ Scholar

Ceccato S. (1964/1966) Un tecnico fra i filosofi. Vol. 1 & 2. Marsilio, Padova. ▸︎ Google︎ Scholar

Ceccato S. (1980) Le immagini della mente. Rivista IBM XVI(1): 24–28 ▸︎ Google︎ Scholar

Cobb P. (2000) Constructivism in social context. In: Steffe L. P. & Thompson P. W. (eds.) Radical constructivism in action: Building on the pioneering work of Ernst von Glasersfeld. Routledge-Falmer, London: 152–178. ▸︎ Google︎ Scholar

CPsquare (2006) Foundations of communities of practice workshop. Participant handbook. Workshop announcement for current edition. Retrieved on 16 March 2010 from http://cpsquare.org/edu/foundations/ ▸︎ Google︎ Scholar

Cross R., Parker A., Prusak L. & Borgatti S. P. (2003) Knowing what we know. Supporting knowledge creation and sharing in social networks. In: Cross R., Parker A. & Sasson L. (eds.) Networks in the knowledge economy. Oxford University Press, Oxford. ▸︎ Google︎ Scholar

de Bono E. (1992) I am right – you are wrong: From this to the new renaissance – From rock logic to water logic. Penguin, London. ▸︎ Google︎ Scholar

Foerster H. von (1984) On constructing a reality. In: Watzlawick P. (ed.) The invented reality. W. W. Norton, New York: 41–62. ▸︎ Google︎ Scholar

Foerster H. von (1995) Cybernetics and circularity. Retrieved on 16 March 2010 from http://www.cybsoc.org/heinz.htm. ▸︎ Google︎ Scholar

Freeman W. J. (2000) How brains make up their minds. Columbia University Press, New York. ▸︎ Google︎ Scholar

Fromm E. (2008) To have or to be? Continuum, New York. Originally published in German as: Fromm E. (1976) Haben oder Sein? Die seelischen Grundlagen einer neuen Gesellschaft. DVA, Stuttgart. ▸︎ Google︎ Scholar

Glasersfeld E. von (1995) Radical constructivism. A way of knowing and learning. Falmer Press, London. ▸︎ Google︎ Scholar

Hildreth P. M. & Kimble C. (2002) The duality of knowledge. Information Research 8(1): Retrieved on 12 December 2009 from http: //InformationR.net/ir/8–1/paper142.html ▸︎ Google︎ Scholar

Lave J. & Wenger E. (1991) Situated learning. Legitimate peripheral participation. Cambridge University Press, Cambridge. ▸︎ Google︎ Scholar

Lewis R. D. (2003) The cultural imperative: Global trends in the 21st century. Intercultural Press, Yarmouth ME. ▸︎ Google︎ Scholar

Libert B. (2008) Social media change corporate culture. Retrieved on 14 October 2008 from http://www.mzinga.com/en/Community/Blogs/Barry-Libert/ ▸︎ Google︎ Scholar

Maslow A. H. (1987) Motivation and personality. Third edition. Longman, New York. Originally published in 1954. ▸︎ Google︎ Scholar

Maturana H. R. & Poerksen B. (2004) From being to doing. The origins of the biology of cognition. Carl-Auer Verlag, Heidelberg. ▸︎ Google︎ Scholar

Maturana H. R. (1980) Biology of cognition. In: Maturana H. R. & Varela F. J., Autopoiesis and cognition. Reidel, Dordrecht. ▸︎ Google︎ Scholar

Maturana H. R. (1988) Biologie der Realität. Suhrkamp, Frankfurt am Main. ▸︎ Google︎ Scholar

Maturana H. R. (1988) Reality: The search for objectivity or the quest for a compelling argument. The Irish Journal of Psychology 9: 25–82. ▸︎ Google︎ Scholar

Maturana H. R. (1992) Explanation and reality. Plenary talk at the congress “Die Wirklichkeit des Konstruktivismus” in Heidelberg, Germany, on 18 October 1992. ▸︎ Google︎ Scholar

Mentzas G., Apostolou D., Abecker A. & Young R. (2003) Knowledge asset management – Beyond the process-centred and product-centred approaches. Springer, London. ▸︎ Google︎ Scholar

Nonaka I. & Takeuchi H. (1995) The knowledge-creating company. How Japanese companies create the dynamics of innovation. Oxford University Press, Oxford. ▸︎ Google︎ Scholar

Osterloh M. & Frey B. (2000) Managing Motivation: Wie Sie die neue Motivationsforschung für Ihr Unternehmen nutzen können. Gabler, Wiesbaden 2000. English translation Osterloh M. & Frey B. (2002) Successful Management by Motivation. Balancing Intrinsic and Extrinsic Incentives. Springer, Berlin. ▸︎ Google︎ Scholar

Parini P. (1996) I percorsi dello sguardo. Dallo stereotipo alla creatività. Edizioni Artemisia, Ancona. Reprinted in 2001. ▸︎ Google︎ Scholar

Piaget J. (1967) Biologie et connaissance. Gallimard, Paris. ▸︎ Google︎ Scholar

Polanyi M. (1983) The tacit dimension. Peter Smith, Gloucester MA. Originally published in 1966. ▸︎ Google︎ Scholar

Probst G. J. B., Raub S. & Romhardt K. (1997) Wissen managen. Wie Unternehmen ihre wertvollste Ressource optimal nutzen. Verlag NZZ, Zurich. English translation: Probst G. J. B., Raub S. & Romhardt K. (1999) Managing knowledge: Building blocks for success. John Wiley & Sons, Chichester UK. ▸︎ Google︎ Scholar

Rousseau J. J. (2002) The social contract and the first and second discourses. Edited by S. Dunn. Yale University Press, New Haven. ▸︎ Google︎ Scholar

Rozwell G. (2009) Socialization of knowledge management drives greater reuse. Gartner Research, Report ID Number: G00167449. ▸︎ Google︎ Scholar

Schneider U. (2001) Die 7 Todsünden im Wissensmanagement. Kardinaltugenden für die Wissensökonomie. Verlag Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung, Frankfurt am Main. ▸︎ Google︎ Scholar

Schreyögg G. & Geiger D. (2007) The significance of distinctiveness: A proposal for rethinking organizational knowledge. Organization 14 (1): 77–100. ▸︎ Google︎ Scholar

Snowden D. (2002) Complex acts of knowing: Paradox and descriptive self-awareness. Journal of Knowledge Management 6(2): 100–111. ▸︎ Google︎ Scholar

Sowa J. F. (1983) Conceptual structures : Information processing in mind and machine. Addison-Wesley, Reading MA. ▸︎ Google︎ Scholar

Wehner T., Clases C., Endres E. & Raeithel A. (1998) Zwischenbetriebliche Kooperation. Zusammenarbeit als Ereignis und Prozess. In: Spiess E. (ed.) Formen der Kooperation. Verlag für Angewandte Psychologie, Göttingen: 95–124. ▸︎ Google︎ Scholar

Wenger E. (1998) Communities of practice. Learning, meaning and identity. Cambridge University Press, Cambridge. ▸︎ Google︎ Scholar

Wenger E. (2006) Communities of practice: A brief introduction. Retrieved on 16 March 2010 from http: //www.ewenger.com/theory/ ▸︎ Google︎ Scholar

Wenger E., McDermott R. & Snyder W. (2002) Cultivating communities of practice: A guide to managing knowledge. Harvard Business School Press, Boston MA. ▸︎ Google︎ Scholar

Wheatley M. J. (2004) Finding our way. Leadership for an uncertain time. Berrett-Koehler, San Francisco. ▸︎ Google︎ Scholar

Comments: 0

To stay informed about comments to this publication and post comments yourself, please log in first.

LATEST ISSUES

FOLLOW US

Abstract

Citation

Similar articles

References

Comments: 0