From ICT-Machine Determinism to a Socio-ICT Organic Design of Knowledge Sharing Systems

Abstract

The transfer of knowledge between individuals, groups, practices, communities or systems is regarded as Knowledge Sharing (KS) in organizations. Research suggests that understanding social interaction between different interest groups within an organization is a critical component of effective KS. The relevance of social interaction approach has been debated in areas such as systems design, organizational process redesign, process improvement and artificial intelligence. Organizational science literature also highlights that information and communications technology (ICT) network structures provide insight about the communication patterns of individuals working in an organization. Therefore, an understanding of the ICT networks at play needs to be viewed as an essential element of the design of KS systems in organizations. We posit Mechorganics in terms of ‘the synergistic combination of civil mechanical systems engineering, social network dynamics, ICT and the management of interconnected knowledge, information (and data) infrastructures in the designing and composing of adaptive (resilient and sustainable) organizations’. It is further suggested that organization structures have both a formal and informal structure that may be considered to be a coalition of individuals, with implications for methods of communication and collective decision-making and taking, In this paper, we provide a background to organization as a network of people.

Keywords: Techno Determinism, Socio Design, Knowledge Sharing, Strengths of Ties, Structural Holes, Mechorganics.

DOI: 10.54941/ahfe100330