Title: Understanding the dimensions of knowledge sharing: designing an intranet to improve operational performance in a multinational corporation

Authors: Tony Holden

Addresses: Decision Support Group, Department of Engineering, University of Cambridge, Trumpington Street, Cambridge, CB2 1PZ, UK

Abstract: This paper describes how a large multinational company, BP, explored some important issues predating the delivery of a global companywide intranet for improving operational performance through improved sharing of best practice knowledge. Included are descriptions of the overall business motivations, the exploratory projects, a synthesis of the resulting conclusions and an explanation of the latterly implemented intranet itself. One key to success for this tool was the way cross-business-unit networks were deliberately directed in order to identify potential marriages between high performers in specific business-critical practices and units seeking a corresponding improvement. This paper will be of value to industrial readers, in that it provides an understanding of how electronic business technology was applied to leverage knowledge in a global and multi-cultural organisation following major changes. For academic readers, this paper provides empirical evidence and, to some degree, a longitudinal study of the success drivers for a knowledge-sharing project in a major organisation.

Keywords: knowledge management; networks; intranets; operations management; process industry.

DOI: 10.1504/IJEB.2003.002169

International Journal of Electronic Business, 2003 Vol.1 No.2, pp.118-139

Published online: 21 Jul 2003 *

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