Meta-knowledge - a success factor for computer-supported organizational learning in companies

Knowledge management systems are introduced into companies as ICT-platforms for distributing and evolving knowledge. They are also related to the support of learning. In this context, learning takes place by actively dealing with the technical system and its content. From this perspective, the support of knowledge exchange and the establishing of knowledge structures get more relevant and become a learning issue itself. This specific kind of knowledge covers more than technical or professional competencies and the knowledge about using the functionalities of the technical system. We define this as meta-knowledge which is highly relevant for the success of computer supported knowledge management and organizational learning in a company. In this paper, different kinds of meta-knowledge are introduced. The availability of these kinds of meta-knowledge has positive influence on the usage of knowledge management systems. The differentiation between different kinds of meta-knowledge is a result of a qualitative study which was conducted in the year 2001 in five German companies. Based on these results, relations between the kinds of meta-knowledge and the characteristics of knowledge management systems are derived. Only if this experience with meta-knowledge guides the design and introduction of know ledge-management-systems, a technological innovation can successfully take place.