The e-ow audit: an evaluation of knowledge ow within and outside a high-tech rm

Nick Bontis is Assistant Professor Strategic Management, DeGroote School of Business, McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada ([email protected]). Michael Fearon is a Research Associate, DeGroote School of Business, McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada. Marissa Hishon is a Research Associates, DeGroote School of Business, McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada. Abstract Use of computer mediated communication, speciŽcally electronic mail (e-mail), has grown exponentially in recent years reaching as high as 75 percent penetration per household in some countries. The penetration rate is even higher for corporate environments. E-mail is the communication medium of choice for most businesses and can therefore be construed as a proxy for codiŽed knowledge ow in organizations. This paper advances the knowledge management body of literature by empirically examining several phenomena. SpeciŽcally, a comparison is made between interand intra-departmental knowledge ows in organizations. Furthermore, knowledge ows within functional departments as well as knowledge ows to and from the external environment are examined. Data were collected from 15,500 e-mails logged over Žve random days in a high-tech organization of 480 employees. These data were then mapped on to the organizational chart and compared with the perceptual responses of a survey administration. Quantitative results were then triangulated with qualitative data gathered during focus groups. The research results yielded two important Žndings: (1) individuals showed an interesting bias towards over-estimating their perceived knowledge ow throughout the organization; and (2) the e-ow audit is an insightful managerial tool which provides a snapshot for knowledge management evaluation.