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Prior research indicates that the success of a virtual community relies on its ability to allow community members to share knowledge interactively. Wiki applications are web‐based hypertext applications that facilitate collaborative authoring, and have been widely adopted by virtual communities to facilitate knowledge sharing and accumulation. Nevertheless very few studies have empirically investigated the dynamics of how these applications contribute to the development and continuity of virtual communities by enhancing the knowledge sharing intentions of community members. This paper aims to address these issues.

A theoretical model was developed to explain and predict the knowledge sharing intentions of virtual community members. Survey data collected from 232 wiki community members were examined using structural equation modelling to verify the theoretical model.

The research results confirm the positive influence of the use of wiki applications on knowledge sharing intention through the mediating effects of member interactions, community participation, and community promotion. However it was found that community trust and community identification had no significant effect on knowledge sharing intention.

Very few studies have empirically investigated the relationships among the characteristics of wiki applications, virtual community outcomes (participation, promotion, trust, and identification), and the knowledge sharing intentions of virtual community members. The research findings can enrich our understanding of how wiki or other similar technologies affect the sharing of knowledge within virtual communities. This can, in turn, provide both virtual community administrators and managers of organisations with guidelines for creating successful knowledge sharing practices.

This literature review explores the academic material comprising applications, cases, courses, and classroom-based research in higher education where wiki tools appeared as an instructional technology. The authors define and describe the wiki concept, outlining a framework for wikis deployed as instructional technology tools. Additionally, analyses and syntheses of the findings are described from an interdisciplinary research literature search across many fields, along with a number of illustrative, exemplary cases demonstrating the application of this tool to teaching and learning. The authors also identify research evidence that outlines the benefits and strengths offered by new wiki technologies, while highlighting challenges, weaknesses, and issues encompassing their application in courses. The authors also outline numerous theories of learning that can be associated with wiki work; new forms of wiki-based learning; patterns of wiki technology use; characteristics of learners using wikis; and the changing role of teaching and teachers who instruct with wikis. Finally, we conclude with a summary of the findings and suggested future directions for studying wikis in higher education (HE). Although no broad, definitive prognosis yet exists that can point to a cause–effect relationship between the application of wikis and increases in learning, a significant body of evidence has emerged that suggests that wikis positively stimulate the learning environment and increase the collaborative capabilities of learners when applied to course work.

This paper is to address the research gaps about Research Support System (RSS) as mentioned by earlier articles, and to provide a possible solution to develop an RSS for supporting academics in conducting their research.

This study adopts a single-case study with the application of netnography. Data were collected from an ongoing-using Wiki and the data were analysed using the theoretical lens established from earlier articles.

The result confirmed the possibilities of using Wiki to establish a system for supporting research. The authors have established a 3-stage EDM (Establishment, Development, Management) process model for illustrating the steps.

This single-case study revealed the possibility for using Wiki as RSS for helping academics to conduct their research through providing support in preparing literature review, conducting project management and providing an archive for research methodologies. The paper also provided suggestion for practitioners on the implementation of the RSS.

This paper presents one of the earliest studies for developing a model to explain how to develop an RSS that gives a more concrete definition of RSS and outline a process of using Wiki as an RSS.

The purpose of this paper is to identify and examine the major issues and challenges that impact the implementation of wikis as KMS. Wikis have been referred to as next generation KMS, providing an alternative to traditional knowledge management systems by addressing many of their limitations. However, research shows that there are cases where wikis have failed to achieve this potential. Further research on the range of issues and challenges surrounding the implementation of wikis in the corporate environment is required in order to enable organizations manage them more effectively and reap maximum benefits.

This paper begins by providing a review of previously published empirical studies on wiki deployment in organizations. The disparate discussions are then synthesised by identifying the major issues and challenges in wiki implementation.

Six major issues and challenges are identified including lack of a clear purpose for the wiki, wiki usability, integrating wikis into established work practices, social issues, role of management and organizational culture that supports knowledge sharing and collaboration.

It is posited that in order for organizations to successfully implement wikis, it is necessary to first understand the issues and challenges surrounding wiki implementation. This paper contributes to practice by identifying the key issues and challenges in the implementation of wikis and suggesting strategies for using wikis to manage knowledge effectively. Building on this review, we critically analyse the findings and propose a model for the implementation of wikis which addresses these issues and identifies research areas that further need to be investigated.

The purpose of this paper is to follow the planning and development of MapaWiki, a Knowledge Management System for Mapa, an independent research company that specialises in competitor benchmarking. Starting with the standard requirements to capture, store and share information and knowledge, a system was sought that would allow growth and expansion whilst supporting the quick and easy recording and maintenance of interactions between employees.

Trying to identify the optimum KM solution, the social and technical systems within the organisation cooperated in the investigation of different approaches and in the system's design and development. From the case study perspective the Yin (1994) approach was adopted as a framing and guiding schema. This was further shaped through the action research aspect, involving problem‐solving and generating new knowledge and awareness. The solution selection methodology followed was based on the framework proposed by Despres and Chauvel (1999).

The application of MapaWiki as a KM system has been very successful. It has already become the central tool for collaboration within the company as well as the central knowledge repository where users add comments and suggestions to articles related to product development, meetings minutes, conference notes etc.

This case study has highlighted the underlying power of the wiki concept and has shown how it can be extended substantially from its original use, typically a notice board or brainstorming tool. Our example demonstrates an interactive collaborative environment that allows for the capture, storage, and sharing of information, knowledge and knowledge sharing practice, that has improved efficiency and the adoption of good practices.

The purpose of this paper is to investigate the process and interaction among group members using wikis to produce collaborative writing (CW) projects, and to compare their collaborative behavior among students at different levels of education.

The study investigated the participation and collaboration of Hong Kong primary school, secondary school, and university students in the process of developing their wiki-based CW projects. Both qualitative and quantitative data were obtained from analyzing the revision histories and the content of wiki pages.

Results indicated that the level of education significantly affected student CW actions, and their interaction and coordination behavior to co-construct the work. Also, the frequency of collaborative activities varied noticeably among the primary, secondary, and university students.

The study enriches our understanding of the complex and dynamic process of CW using wikis. It has practical implications on why and how the pedagogy and technology should be implemented differentially for the students at three different levels of education to facilitate collaborative knowledge construction.

Research to date is still lacking an in-depth knowledge about the processes and activities involved when students write collaboratively on wikis. Also, no study has yet compared the collaborative behavior among students at different levels of education. The results of this study contribute to the development of new and appropriate modes of group-based collaborative learning at all levels of the education system for the twenty-first century.

The purpose of this paper is to analyse the benefits and challenges of using a wiki as an intranet/content management system in a company.

Combined with elements of action research, a longitudinal case study of implementing a wiki in a department of a Slovenian company was conducted. Interviews, surveys and a log analysis were used for the data collection. The Delone and McLean information systems success model was the underlying theoretical approach to explore the information, systems and service quality.

While a wiki may bring important benefits and change to a company's information/knowledge management, the main challenges remain the same as with earlier technological solutions. Additional problems arise due to cultural issues, the lack of control over quality and the fact that service quality largely depends on the users.

A single case study within one company was conducted.

The findings are important for any manager or developer intending to implement a wiki as an intranet solution as they identify and classify potential challenges.

As one of the first longitudinal case studies of implementing a wiki, several new challenges of Web 2.0 applications and of creating online environments for knowledge sharing are identified, while well‐studied problems concerning other projects seeking to develop information systems also apply. A novel extension to the Delone and McLean model is proposed.

Scholars and practitioners alike view knowledge as a crucial organisational asset. Over the past decade, several knowledge management (KM) technologies have emerged, such as wikis. A wiki is a web-based hypertext application that supports a collaborative and conversational approach to KM. While wikis are generally simple to use, their adoption for managing organisational knowledge sometimes meets resistance from employees. The purpose of this paper is to investigate the factors affecting the user acceptance of organisational wikis as a means of knowledge creation and diffusion.

Building on the existing research on KM and information technology adoption, this study identified the following factors: the relevance of top management support for and complexity of enterprise wikis as well as technical support and knowledge-sharing self-efficacy. A cross-sectional survey was employed to examine the influence of these factors on employees’ acceptance of corporate wikis. Overall, 102 employees participated in the online survey, and the data collected were analysed using the partial least squares method.

The research model developed demonstrates that top management support, technical support and knowledge-sharing self-efficacy have a positive significant effect on employees’ willingness to use wikis for knowledge-creation purposes within organisations.

The findings of this study contribute to the existing literature on the implementation of wikis as a KM technology by developing a theoretical model explaining employees’ acceptance of this technology. Organisations could use this model to guide and facilitate wiki initiatives.

Purpose — The purpose of this study is to describe the development of contents, visibility and use of two Library 2.0 services, Häme-Wiki and the Virtual Path map service, launched by Hämeenlinna City Library and based on crowdsourcing, service convergence and the application on Web 2.0 technology.

Design/methodology/approach — The development of the contents of the services were analysed by observing the increase in articles and other items published in them. The interest in these sites and their use were studied by the number of their contributors, users and downloads and by link analysis concerning inbound links. To gather users’ experiences, a Web survey was directed to the registered users by e-mail. A questionnaire for all users was linked to the front page of both services. Qualitative theme interviews were conducted with the staff of Hämeenlinna City Library to elicit their experiences concerning the use of the services and their impact on the work community.

Findings — The reception of the services was evidenced by the daily increasing number of published articles and maps, also indicating crowdsourcing. Their use was clearly described by the increasing download figures and inbound links. Both services offered users information not available elsewhere.

The study is limited by the low number of responses in the Web surveys.

Practical implications — Practical implications originate from the concrete examples of content sharing, crowdsourcing and service convergence which have not been much studied in library context.

Originality/value — The practical implications of the work also contribute to the value of the paper for developers of Web 2.0 services and service convergence.

Wikis have emerged as an important Web 2.0 technology for facilitating collaboration in organizations. Although researchers have begun to analyze their use in organizations and develop metrics to study their usage, there has been limited statistical analysis of use data. In addition, much of the empirical analysis of wikis is based on Wikipedia. This paper mitigates those limitations in the literature by examining data generated from a large consulting organization, Accenture, to statistically analyze the relationships between different use variables.