What is the meaning of sharing: Informing, being informed or information overload? From software development companies to pharmaceutical manufacturers, businesses, governments, and non-profit entities alike are beginning to adopt tools meant to improve communication, information sharing, and productivity. In some cases, this takes the form of an enterprise social media platform (ESMP) with chat rooms, discussion boards, and file repositories. But while this can be beneficial, adding a focused attempt at sharing to work culture can create its own share of problems, argues Norwegian University of Science and Technology's Halvdan Haugsbakken, particularly due to varying definitions and expectations of what information "sharing" actually is. Using a case study of regional government in Norway, Haugsbakken found "when the end-users attempted to translate sharing into a manageable practice—as the basis for participation in a knowledge formation process—they interpreted sharing as a complicated work practice, with the larger consequence of producing disengaged users." This result "suggests a continued need for the application of theoretical lenses that emphasize interpretation and practice in the implementation of new digital technologies in organizations." |