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Knowledge Management: Style, Structure, and the Latent Potential of Documented Knowledge

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Date Issued:
2013
Abstract/Description:
Despite the volume, growth, and accessibility of documented knowledge (-) the insights and experiences stored on paper and in electronic form - management research has yet to demonstrate the same usefulness for documented knowledge as for knowledge residing in human sources. This dissertation explores two areas of potential for documented knowledge, suggesting the efficacy of a piece of documented knowledge is contingent not only on content, but upon the style and structure associated with that content. Style, how cognitively 'concrete' and affectively 'memorable' documented knowledge is perceived to be, is hypothesized to affect how much attention it draws and, in turn, to impact its transfer to users. Structure, reflecting the level of parsimony and modularity in documented knowledge, is hypothesized to impact attention to and manipulation of knowledge such that it affects knowledge transfer and creation. Hypotheses were tested in two laboratory studies using scientific research as an exemplar of documented knowledge. Results indicated that style was associated with documented knowledge, but was not related to its transfer. Likewise, structuring documented knowledge for greater parsimony and modularity did not improve knowledge transfer or knowledge creation. Shortcomings of the empirical tests are evaluated and possibilities for future improvements are discussed.
Title: Knowledge Management: Style, Structure, and the Latent Potential of Documented Knowledge.
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Name(s): Mcmahon, Sean, Author
Ford, Cameron, Committee Chair
Schminke, Marshall, Committee CoChair
Ciuchta, Michael, Committee Member
Sivo, Stephen, Committee Member
, Committee Member
University of Central Florida, Degree Grantor
Type of Resource: text
Date Issued: 2013
Publisher: University of Central Florida
Language(s): English
Abstract/Description: Despite the volume, growth, and accessibility of documented knowledge (-) the insights and experiences stored on paper and in electronic form - management research has yet to demonstrate the same usefulness for documented knowledge as for knowledge residing in human sources. This dissertation explores two areas of potential for documented knowledge, suggesting the efficacy of a piece of documented knowledge is contingent not only on content, but upon the style and structure associated with that content. Style, how cognitively 'concrete' and affectively 'memorable' documented knowledge is perceived to be, is hypothesized to affect how much attention it draws and, in turn, to impact its transfer to users. Structure, reflecting the level of parsimony and modularity in documented knowledge, is hypothesized to impact attention to and manipulation of knowledge such that it affects knowledge transfer and creation. Hypotheses were tested in two laboratory studies using scientific research as an exemplar of documented knowledge. Results indicated that style was associated with documented knowledge, but was not related to its transfer. Likewise, structuring documented knowledge for greater parsimony and modularity did not improve knowledge transfer or knowledge creation. Shortcomings of the empirical tests are evaluated and possibilities for future improvements are discussed.
Identifier: CFE0004717 (IID), ucf:49812 (fedora)
Note(s): 2013-05-01
Ph.D.
Business Administration, Dean's Office CBA
Doctoral
This record was generated from author submitted information.
Subject(s): knowledge management -- documented knowledge -- codified knowledge -- knowledge transfer -- knowledge creation
Persistent Link to This Record: http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0004717
Restrictions on Access: campus 2016-05-15
Host Institution: UCF

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