Practice-Based Perspectives on ICT-Enabled Knowledge Management

This chapter reviews the roles information and communication technologies (ICTs) can play in facilitating knowledge management processes when a practice-based perspective on knowledge is applied. The practice-based perspective regards ICTs as having a less direct, but equally important role in supporting and facilitating the social interactions that underpin inter-personal knowledge processes. The chapter discusses the three separate approaches to utilize ICTs to facilitate knowledge management activities utilizing this perspective in more depth. The first approach involves a network-based approach. Here, the role of ICTs is to provide a means for people to publicize their expertise and identify relevant experts, after which the social relations necessary to knowledge sharing can be developed. The second approach is to use ICTs as collaboration tools, such as through the use of social media. The final approach is the crowd-based approach, this logic is extended beyond the boundaries of the organization, to provide a mechanism via which organizations can use ICTs to access a diverse range of external expertise.