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1 – 10 of over 4000The purpose of this paper is to present extensions of Semantic MediaWiki for the purpose of technology forecast and technology monitoring. The user friendliness and applicability…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to present extensions of Semantic MediaWiki for the purpose of technology forecast and technology monitoring. The user friendliness and applicability of the components is evaluated by task-based user studies.
Design/methodology/approach
Based on the requirements given by potential end users (technology experts), visualization possibilities were designed and implemented. Potential users used the new features of technology forecast and monitoring within a semantic wiki and were controlled regarding the effectiveness.
Findings
Although semantic wikis are ideal tools for knowledge management in industry settings, especially due to their user-friendly way of storing and retrieving knowledge, they have rarely been used for technology forecast and monitoring purposes so far. The authors show that the additional requirements for such purposes can be met and provide established technology analysis possibilities within Semantic MediaWiki. In that way, a new application area of Semantic MediaWiki is introduced.
Originality/value
Tools and techniques for Semantic MediaWiki are presented, opening the application area of Semantic MediaWiki for technology and innovation management. The research provides evidence that the open-source implemented visualization and storage techniques can be applied in real-world settings, where so far mainly costly dedicated software has had to be used.
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Michael J.D. Sutton and Afsaneh Hazeri
This literature review explores the academic material comprising applications, cases, courses, and classroom-based research in higher education where wiki tools appeared as an…
Abstract
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.
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Ettore Bolisani and Enrico Scarso
This paper intends to present and discuss the findings of a case study analysis of the adoption and use of a wiki system by a small enterprise that is intended as a tool for…
Abstract
Purpose
This paper intends to present and discuss the findings of a case study analysis of the adoption and use of a wiki system by a small enterprise that is intended as a tool for managing the knowledge needed to successfully perform its business activities. The study aims at contributing to the still insufficient research on the factors influencing the use of new Web 2.0 technologies in small organisations to support internal knowledge management.
Design/methodology/approach
The study combines a qualitative and quantitative approach. The main unit of analysis is the wiki system of a small company, particularly its implementation and usage by the company’s employees. Relevant information about the wiki was collected through six interviews to different company members, and by means of an online survey submitted to almost all employees. Interviews involved the CEO of the company, the system developers and two typical users. The survey was made through a questionnaire of 19 questions online administered by means of a popular free-access online poll website (freeonlinesurveys.com).
Findings
Through the reconstruction of the history of the system, the study allowed to understand how the wiki has been introduced and is effectively used inside the case company. The findings of the study highlight that the wiki technology, being light and user-friendly, can be particularly suited for small companies. At the same time, they reveal that the successful implementation of such a system is not a spontaneous and automatic result, but requires a resolute support by top management, a good motivation of participating employees and a clear definition of purposes and ways of use.
Practical implications
The findings of the study contribute both to the academic research, by making available to scholars further empirical evidence about the use of Web 2.0 technologies in small organisations, and to the practice, by providing some guidelines to managers of small companies who are attempting to adopt and use wikis to effectively manage their knowledge assets.
Originality/value
The paper contributes to the limited research about the adoption and use of wikis as knowledge management system, both in general and in the particular case of a SME. Furthermore, by investigating the behaviours and opinions of individual knowledge workers, it takes into account a perspective that the literature has so far neglected.
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Vatcharaporn Esichaikul, Win Myint Aung, Clemens Bechter and Mariam Rehman
The purpose of this paper is to define standard guidelines for the development of a wiki collaboration space for e-Learning, in order to provide collaborative activities among…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to define standard guidelines for the development of a wiki collaboration space for e-Learning, in order to provide collaborative activities among students, and between instructors and students.
Design/methodology/approach
The general requirements and extended features of wiki collaboration space were determined by conducting a requirement study and discussion with major stakeholders, i.e. students and tutors. Then, the wiki collaboration space was developed based on an open source wiki system. Finally, a wiki collaboration space was evaluated in terms of usability and collaboration effectiveness.
Findings
A comparison was performed between the wiki collaboration space and the original wiki in students’ works in an online course. The results showed that the effectiveness of collaboration and usefulness of wiki collaboration space were higher than original wiki in collaborative assignment.
Practical implications
As for practical implications, e-Learning developers/managers can use the outcome of this study as a guideline to integrate wiki and/or other social software to supplement e-Learning systems for better collaboration.
Originality/value
There is a need to define standard guidelines that provide the necessary features for wiki in e-Learning. In this study, extended features of wiki as collaborative learning tool were identified and evaluated to meet the needs of students in e-Learning environment.
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The purpose of this article is to research the open access and encyclopedia structured methodology of building digital libraries. In Azerbaijan Libraries, one of the most…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this article is to research the open access and encyclopedia structured methodology of building digital libraries. In Azerbaijan Libraries, one of the most challenged topics is organizing digital resources (books, audio-video materials, etc.). Wiki technologies introduce easy, collaborative and open tools opportunities which make it possible to implement in digital library buildings.
Design/methodology/approach
This paper looks at current practices, and the ways of organizing information resources to make them more systematized, open and accessible. These activities are valuable for rural libraries which are smaller and less well funded than main and central libraries in cities.
Findings
The main finding of this article is how to organize digital resource management in the libraries using Wiki ideology.
Originality/value
Wiki technologies determine the ways of building digital library network models which are structurally different from already known models, as well as new directions in forming information society and solving the problems encountered.
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Sarah Kiniti and Craig Standing
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…
Abstract
Purpose
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.
Design/methodology/approach
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.
Findings
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.
Originality/value
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.
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The purpose of this paper is to provide organizations which are keen to implement wikis with insight into its usefulness and possible role in the knowledge sharing and management…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to provide organizations which are keen to implement wikis with insight into its usefulness and possible role in the knowledge sharing and management process through lessons learnt from implementation of wikis by organizations ranging from SMEs with less than ten users to those with a vast network of 193 million members. These organizations are from the non‐technology as well as technology‐based sectors.
Design/methodology/approach
The paper takes the form of a general review. It provides a background into the advent of wikis and briefly discusses related work on use of Wikis in corporate, public and educational context. This is followed by review of three case studies carried out on implementation of wikis and an analysis of the review.
Findings
The review proposes a framework for the wiki adoption process which may be used as a guide for in future adoption by organizations. It also found that some benefits which move these organizations towards the usage of wikis include its ease of use, ability to track and edit, its influence on the building of a trusting culture and as a central repository of information. One significant and tangible benefit from the use of wikis is its ability to save time and therefore, money. Issues to be addressed include security, control as well as technical issues such as data migration.
Research limitations/implications
The paper presents examples based on case studies conducted by other authors and a framework based on the observation of the key push factors and commonalities among the cases. Further empirical testing is needed to demonstrate the framework introduced in this paper.
Originality/value
The paper suggests that wikis may be the key to a viable and usable knowledge management tool due to its ease of use and collaborative nature, which ultimately leads to time and cost savings. A preliminary framework to represent the implementation flow of a wiki is also presented and may serve as a guide for organizations considering the use of wikis as a knowledge management tool.
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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…
Abstract
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.
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This chapter clarifies the role of the tutor in enabling collaborative learning through assessment using technology as part of a blended learning framework. This is achieved…
Abstract
This chapter clarifies the role of the tutor in enabling collaborative learning through assessment using technology as part of a blended learning framework. This is achieved through a practical example of using Wikipedia and the Collaborative Learning through Assessment and Technology (CLAT) pedagogical model.
Helen Hasan and Charmaine C. Pfaff
Wiki technologies, which are popular in social settings, are beginning to contribute to more flexible and participatory approaches to the exploitation of knowledge in corporate…
Abstract
Purpose
Wiki technologies, which are popular in social settings, are beginning to contribute to more flexible and participatory approaches to the exploitation of knowledge in corporate settings. Through the lens of activity theory, this paper aims to investigate contentious challenges to organizational activities that may be associated with the introduction of corporate wikis, in particular the potential democratization of knowledge work.
Design/methodology/approach
From a study of several cases of corporate wiki adoption, this paper presents and interprets two representative cases sampled to provide more generalized results. Qualitative data were collected through semi‐structured interviews and observation. The analysis followed a systematic process of data reduction, display, and rich interpretation using the concepts of activity theory.
Findings
This research provides new understandings of the undervalued activities of knowledge workers, their challenges as wiki users and resulting implications for organizational transformation and improved organizational performance.
Research limitations/implications
There is potential bias and limited scope as the choice of cases was determined through organizations known to the researchers and involved some action research. However, the authors justify this approach for a dynamic, emergent topic worthy of immediate investigation and direct applicability of findings to corporate practice.
Social implications
This paper addresses the implications of new Web 2.0 technologies for the democratization of knowledge management in the workplace.
Originality/value
The novelty of this work lies in using activity theory to explore reasons why some organizations are more successful than others in implementing wikis. This work contributes to research on how social and technological interventions may lead to improved exploitation of knowledge as a corporate resource.
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