Understanding Information and Knowledge Flows as Network Processes in an Oil Company

We focus on information and knowledge flows as social network processes in organizational contexts. Seeking and giving work-related information is distinguished from seeking and providing problem-solving help as knowledge flows. Hypotheses from the literature suggest that (perceived) accessibility, knowledge about the work-related skills of others, and knowledge about the functions that others perform in an organization all predict knowledge and information flow relations. We include also membership in geographically dispersed work units, as a feature of the formal organizational structure. As an additional predictive relation, non-work related socialization is used to capture the informal structure. While all potentially predictive relations are significant and positively related to information and knowledge flows, once membership in work units and socialization are included, the latter two relations are the dominant predictors. Perceived accessibility, at most, is a weak and inconsistent predictor of knowledge flows. Knowledge of work related skills and the functions that others perform in an organization also appear to have little relevance for seeking and providing knowledge. That work group membership and socialization are the most potent predictors of knowledge and information flow relations suggests that these components of the formal and informal organizational structures operate in complementary ways. However, we note that this organization may have a clear technical foundation that helps promote the effectiveness of both formal and informal organizational structures for promoting knowledge flows. This may be especially true for the studied managerial unit. In general, establishing the conditions under which the formal and informal organizational structures positively complement each other merits further attention. Some practical implications are outlined.