Click here to download my master thesis: Smarter Knowledge Sharing, a quantitative research into the perceived usefulness of Lotus Live as knowledge sharing system by Dutch healthcare professionals. If you have questions, or remarks concerning my research, please contact me using the Contact page.

An organization’s ability to learn and share knowledge has emerged as a key factor influencing organizational performance (Argote, McEvily, & Reagans, 2003; Kane & Alavi, 2007). IBM can provide an integrated cloud solution, Lotus Live, to support online knowledge sharing and learning. The measurement of information systems usefulness is critical to understand the value and efficacy of information systems investments (Delone & McLean, 2003). Therefore, IBM wants to study the usefulness of an integrated cloud solution for knowledge sharing. IBM is especially interested in the added value of Lotus Live in a knowledge-intensive environment (e.g. healthcare, research institutes, and universities). Especially in these type of organizations lifelong learning and knowledge sharing are crucial aspects of everyday’s work.

This study elaborates on knowledge sharing in healthcare. In general, when talking about knowledge sharing in healthcare it concerns collaboration between healthcare professionals (Chau & Hu, 2002a), and access to learning resources (Geueke & Stausberg, 2003). Lifelong learning and knowledge sharing are important concepts in today’s healthcare, and a requirement for all healthcare professionals (Barnard, Nash, & O’Brien, 2005; Frankford, Patterson, & Konrad, 2000). However, knowledge sharing by face-to-face interaction on a regular basis can be costly and time consuming. Online communities of practice supported by internet technologies are among the few viable alternatives to live conversation and knowledge sharing (Hara & Hew, 2007). It is therefore, very interesting to look at the usefulness of an online knowledge management system for knowledge sharing in healthcare. The central research question dealt with in this thesis will be:

To what extent is an online knowledge management system for knowledge sharing perceived useful in supporting knowledge sharing in a healthcare context?

Various hypotheses are developed related to this research question. These hypotheses are tested by means of a quantitative research using a survey among 71 users of Lotus Live, whom are active in healthcare in The Netherlands. The survey aimed at investigating the relation between (1) the characteristics of knowledge in a knowledge intensive environments and the perceived usefulness, and (2) the relation between concerns about cloud solutions and the perceived usefulness.

This study identifies two important knowledge characteristics: tacitness of knowledge and complexity of knowledge. Prior research suggests that knowledge shared among healthcare professionals is mainly tacit (rather than explicit) and complex (rather than simple). Further, this study identifies two important system characteristics: system availability and system security. These characteristics are a consequence of the fact that IBM’s knowledge management system, Lotus Live, is based on cloud computing.

Based on this research, the conclusion can be drawn that an online knowledge management system is useful for healthcare professionals in supporting knowledge sharing. This study did not find evidence that the tacit and complex nature of knowledge being shared by healthcare professionals negatively influences the usefulness of such system. Also concerns regarding privacy and data security when using cloud solutions is no reason for healthcare professionals to be reluctant to use an online knowledge management system. Concerns about the availability and reliability is the only concern that has a negative effect on the adoption of an online knowledge management system by healthcare professionals.