Sharing Knowledge and Expertise: The CSCW View of Knowledge Management

  • Authors:
  • Mark S. Ackerman;Juri Dachtera;Volkmar Pipek;Volker Wulf

  • Affiliations:
  • University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Ann Arbor, USA;University of Siegen, Siegen, Germany;University of Siegen, Siegen, Germany;University of Siegen, Siegen, Germany

  • Venue:
  • Computer Supported Cooperative Work
  • Year:
  • 2013

Quantified Score

Hi-index 0.00

Visualization

Abstract

Knowledge Management (KM) is a diffuse and controversial term, which has been used by a large number of research disciplines. CSCW, over the last 20 years, has taken a critical stance towards most of these approaches, and instead, CSCW shifted the focus towards a practice-based perspective. This paper surveys CSCW researchers' viewpoints on what has become called `knowledge sharing' and `expertise sharing'. These are based in an understanding of the social contexts of knowledge work and practices, as well as in an emphasis on communication among knowledgeable humans. The paper provides a summary and overview of the two strands of knowledge and expertise sharing in CSCW, which, from an analytical standpoint, roughly represent `generations' of research: an `object-centric' and a `people-centric' view. We also survey the challenges and opportunities ahead.