DeLone & McLean IS Success Model in Evaluating Knowledge Transfer in a Virtual Learning Environment

DeLone & McLean’s success model has been actively used since its first introduction in 1992. In this article, the authors extend this model to describe the success of knowledge sharing in an information system that included a part of the knowledge base of a private educational institute. As the supply of private education is increased, it is vital to be aware if the offered educational services support the use of the knowledge base and if the service is perceived satisfactory by the customers. In this descriptive qualitative case study, the authors discuss how the DeLone & McLean’s information system success model can be used to assess educational services when apprenticeships form a salient part of teaching. This paper focuses on issues that interested the target organization. DOI: 10.4018/jissc.2010040103 International Journal of Information Systems and Social Change, 1(2), 36-48, April-June 2010 37 Copyright © 2010, IGI Global. Copying or distributing in print or electronic forms without written permission of IGI Global is prohibited. several researchers (e.g., DeLone & McLean, 2003; Holsapple & Lee-Post, 2006; Lin, 2007; Wang et al., 2007; Petter et al., 2008). In virtual learning environments the participants typically communicate with other participants (Piccoli et al., 2001). There are electronic services where the product is not a physical ware or digital information product – instead, the services concentrate on producing pure service (Tiwana & Ramesh, 2001). Therefore, it is reasonable to assess the interaction between the participants as an important element of the service. In this paper the focus is limited to describe how knowledge sharing was perceived in the virtual environment. In the vocational schooling where the accepted apprenticeship formed the central part of the degree, the role of tacit knowing was emphasized. In this paper knowledge is understood as hierarchical concepts of data, information and knowledge. Besides concepts, knowledge is seen as a state of mind, object, process, prerequisite of accessing information, and in our paper, especially skills. We also look at knowledge as classified into tacit and explicit knowledge and note its cultural, functional, embedded, individual, social and pragmatic nature (Alavi & Leidner, 2001; Blackler, 1995; Choo, 1998; Nonaka, 1994.) We acknowledged the ambiguous nature of knowledge and we aimed to find out how knowledge is introduced in the literature. As our empirical material was collected from a private educational organization, we also looked knowledge as a key property of the organization (Becerra-Fernandez & Sabherval, 2001; Nissen, 2002). Among other means, the property was accessed with the help of a virtual learning environment and that set requirements to the information system. However, as the information system was seen as a service, its value and usefulness was to be assessed. The research approach was qualitative and interpretive (Walsham, 1995, 2006) and we converged the research problem with the help of a case study (Stake, 2000; Yin, 2003). Before introducing the case, we take a look at prior literature focusing on knowledge management, knowledge transfer and virtual learning environment. We emphasize the role of interaction and service as the case represents a core product of a private organization.