Structured Knowledge Management - using Teamspirit to Facilitate Organizational Learning

Knowledge management is a complicated process that requires close collaboration among the people involved. Such collaboration is often easier said than done. Nonaka and Takeuchi’s SECI model provides a process-oriented view of knowledge creation. In this paper, we propose the use of a Web-based group problem-solving system called TeamSpirit to support knowledge externalization, knowledge combination, and knowledge internalization – three of the four major backbones of the SECI model. Once knowledge has been created, it is critical that there is an intention for knowledge sharing and a capacity for knowledge adoption to facilitate organizational learning. In an empirical study, we found that subjects using TeamSpirit achieved high degrees of knowledge externalization, combination, internalization, as well as a knowledge-sharing intention and knowledge adoption. Possible explanations of the findings are discussed.