KNOWLEDGE BLOGS IN FIRM INTERNAL USE

Miia Kosonen

M.Sc. (Econ.), Researcher

Lappeenranta University of Technology, School of Business

P.O.Box 20, 53851 Lappeenranta, Finland

Tel +358 5 621 7280

Fax +358 5 621 6699

miia.kosonen@lut.fi

Kaisa Henttonen

M.Sc. (Econ.), Researcher

Lappeenranta University of Technology, Technology Business Research Center (TBRC)

P.O.Box 20, 53851 Lappeenranta, Finland

Tel +358 40 701 4407

Fax +358 5 621 6699

kaisa.henttonen@lut.fi

Kirsimarja Blomqvist

Ph.D. (Econ.), Professor

Lappeenranta University of Technology, School of Business

P.O.Box 20, 53851 Lappeenranta, Finland

Tel +358 5 621 7286

Fax +358 5 621 6699

kirsimarja.blomqvist@lut.fi

KNOWLEDGE BLOGS IN FIRM INTERNAL USE

INTRODUCTION

Knowledge sharing in today’s distributed organizations is a challenge. Hierarchical

structures may not support the fast flow of information or the efficient co-creation of

knowledge from specialized and tacit individual knowledge bases (see Grant, 1996, Miles

et al., 2000, Adler, 2001). There is therefore a need to devise new patterns for leveraging

dispersed knowledge within organizations and across organizational borders. In the

following we explore internal company weblogs as a potential new channel for sharing

knowledge and expertise.

Knowledge is deeply embedded in social interaction. Recent advances in ICT have led to

the production of social software, the primary purpose of which is knowledge sharing

(Teigland & Wasko, 2005). One example of this is the emergence of weblogs (or blogs),

personal Web pages that incorporate regular posts in reverse chronological order about a

particular topic, current events or personal thoughts and expression (Herring et al., 2004,

Blanchard, 2004, Wagner & Bolloju, 2005). Our focus is on internal knowledge blogs. A

small proportion of blogs could be classified as knowledge blogs, implying the online

equivalent of professional journals in which authors share new knowledge in their

professional domains: they report on their research progress, share references and make

observations (Wagner & Bolloju, 2005). However, the application of blogs in knowledge

management is a new phenomenon, and firms have been slow to do so. Current research

fails to promote understanding of the applicability of blogs in networked teams and

organizations, and of their role in the social processes of knowledge sharing and creation.

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Thus we contribute to the emerging literature by exploring the critical factors involved in

applying internal company blogs. Most studies have addressed only the rational part of

mediated communication, i.e. the characteristics of communication technologies and their

capacity for managing and transferring information. Our aim in this paper is to include the

social perspective, and to provide a categorization that combines the rational-social and

individual-organizational dimensions. We then report on a mini-case study in order to

illustrate the identified factors. We argue that anyone wishing to exploit the potential of

knowledge sharing through internal blogs should understand their nature and

characteristics in order to be able to make the best possible media choices.

BACKGROUND

Knowledge blogs

Knowledge blogs are used in internal communication for knowledge-sharing purposes

(Zerfass, 2005): to promote a shared understanding of the perspectives of CEOs and

employees (Dearstyne, 2005), to coordinate projects and present ideas, and to bridge the

gaps between individuals with various views in order to identify new trends in innovation

communities (Wagner & Bolloju, 2005). Knowledge sharing, collaboration and best

practices are endemic in blogs (Ojala, 2004).

Knowledge blogs appear at the intersection of professional communication and personal

reflection. They serve as an ideal medium for experts sharing an interest in a specific

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topic: they enable storytelling, reflection, the capturing of information, and the sharing

thoughts or ideas, thus making individuals’ “hidden” processes more visible and

promoting both personal and collective learning (ibid., Röll, 2004, 2006). Thus, they can

offer business representatives a means for expanding the boundaries of knowledge

sharing and creation (Herring et al., 2004). Blogs as a social medium facilitate the sharing

of both objectified (codified) and collective knowledge (social/organizational practices

and experiences).

Approaches to computer-mediated communication

Theories of computer-mediated communication (CMC) have been categorized as rational

or social (see Kock, 2005, Webster & Trevino, 1995). The former rely on the hypothesis

of rationality and effectiveness, involving users who select the communication medium of

appropriate richness and level of social presence for each task. According to the early

theories regarding the effects of CMC, the “richer” the media are (i.e. the more they allow

nonverbal cues, provide immediate feedback, and convey personality traits), the better

suited they are to human-to-human interaction (Short et al., 1976, Daft & Lengel, 1986).

From a social perspective, alternative approaches concentrating on the applicability of

CMC have emerged, including the social-influence model devised by Fulk et al. (1990),

social information processing theory as developed by Walther (1996), and Lea and

Spears’ (1992) theory of social identity and de-individuation (SIDE). According to the

social-influence model, the technological features are not inherently decisive in the choice

of communication media, but they are influenced by social-group norms and membership

(Fulk et al., 1990, Markus, 1994). Walther (1996), in turn, suggests in his theory of social

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information processing that the “cues-filtered-out” conditions in CMC do not prevent

relational communication, although social relationships take a longer time to develop in

computer-mediated groups than in face-to-face groups. The SIDE theory concerns

processes of social identification and self-categorization, i.e. in-group and out-group

membership (Lea & Spears, 1992). Attention should be paid to these processes given that

similarity with group members is believed to strengthen the individual’s identity, which in

turn has a positive effect on their willingness to co-operate (Järvenpää & Leidner, 1999,

Kramer et al., 1996).

THE MAIN FOCUS OF THE ARTICLE

In the following we discuss the critical factors involved in applying internal knowledge

blogs. Some of the issues are naturally also related to other organizational communication

media, but here we assess them in the context of blog communication, its defining

characteristics and patterns of use in organizations.

The nature of blog communication

We strongly believe that there should be conscious media choice in both firm-internal and

firm-external knowledge sharing and creation (Robert et al., 2005). In order to exploit

their concrete benefits, organizations should be aware of the strengths of blogs: they offer

continuity, they concentrate on one or a few topics, and they promote efficient

information management, the forming of networks around specific issues, the

maintenance of shared narratives and the telling of stories (Wagner & Bolloju, 2005, Röll,

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2004, Cayzer, 2004). They also facilitate the building of personal identity/status and

simultaneously provide users with high connectivity, thus cultivating the development of

online networks. As a medium, they are time and space flexible as they do not tie the

receiver to a certain place or time. They also allow the receiver to process the message

until it is wholly understood, and to search for extra information to ease understanding or

to evaluate content and creditability. Blogs leave a record of the issues discussed, which

is an advantage in business situations, and typically offer easy access to additional

resources through hyperlinks, trackbacks (reverse hyperlinks) and other recommended

blogs (Cayzer, 2004, Herring et al., 2004).

High-presence media seem to set demands on us that cannot always be fulfilled as we are

not able to process so much information at once. Hence, Robert et al. (2005) came to the

conclusion that rich media with a high social presence may ease the exchange of simple

ideas, and hinder the exchange of more complex ideas (see Markus1, 1994). This would

imply that blogs could be well suited to more complex information exchange, to

generating ideas, developing insights, and maintaining shared narratives (Wagner &

Bolloju, 2005). On the other hand, they must attract the attention of the receiver: such

low-presence media can be easily ignored (see Robert et al., 2005).

Individual motivation and competence

To be able to contribute through mediated communication, individuals have to possess the

necessary skills and knowledge (Vartiainen et al., 2003). There is also the crucial question

of motivation, as contribution requires time and effort (Kimble & Li, 2005). Articulating

ideas through writing and storytelling seems to be one of the major motives for blogging

1 According to Markus, 1994, less rich media are often used by managers for handling complex tasks.

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(Nardi et al., 2004). It is also a means of self-regulated learning: reflecting on one’s own

learning and simultaneously accessing others’ reflections facilitate the development of a

collective understanding of a topic (Baggetun & Wasson, 2006). In general, the main

reason why people attach themselves to online social networks seems to be the motive to

gain access to valuable information and knowledge for their personal benefit (Wasko &

Faraj, 2000). It is probably employees’ intrinsic motivations that are decisive for active

participation in blogging. However, employee motivation can also be enhanced by

providing interesting content in the early stages of the implementation, and encouraging

the free exchange of ideas (Waterson, 2005, Nardi et al., 2004).

The role of technology

In general, blogs are free, lightweight and relatively easy to apply, as blogging software

offers a platform for Web publishing with no need for additional tools. They are also easy

to maintain. Much of the knowledge is in text form, possibly enhanced by multimedia

attachments (Herring et al., 2004, Kelleher & Miller, 2006). Syndication formats such as

Really Simple Syndication (RSS) and Atom allow individual and community aggregators

to collect, merge and sort blogging data from the ever-growing contents of the

blogosphere (Cayzer, 2004).

Organizational policies and support

Kock (2005) stresses the fact that social influence may affect media choice, referring to

the study conducted by Markus (1994) showing that employees used email at the request

of managers even if they perceived it as a “poor” communication medium. Support from

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managers and team leaders should be valued in the implementation of internal blogs.

According to Holtz (2005), it is also important for policies on employee blogging to be

clearly defined: the duality between personal reflections and professional status requires

explicit norms. For instance, general guidelines covering each author’s personal

responsibility should be provided – blogs convey individual thoughts and interactions, not

corporate communication. Blogging policies should be made explicit before the

implementation phase (Dearstyne, 2005) in order to prevent misuse of confidential or

proprietary information, for example.

The critical mass of users

The defining feature of communication technologies is that they require a certain

proportion of users, or a critical mass, and when this has been achieved their use should

spread rapidly: having a critical mass allows the users to reach the largest number of

people with the least effort (Markus, 1987). Blog communication provides users with

high connectivity, as it is easy to form social networks of people who share similar

interests. From the rational perspective, efficient communication still requires a number

of bloggers who regularly post their thoughts and comment on others’ posts. On the other

hand, growth in volume becomes a critical issue, as blogging networks require a balance

between enough connections and the amount of information: one individual can

reasonably manage only a certain number of community ties.

Organizational culture

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In order for knowledge sharing to succeed and be useful, organizations must value

open-minded and non-hierarchical idea exchange (Wagner & Bolloju, 2005), and share a

common ground with membership, identity and communication procedures, as the

organizational culture is the binding factor for collaboration (Kimble & Li, 2005, Huq,

2005).

Kelleher & Miller (2006) considered the potential advantages of organizational blogs over

websites in three experimental groups; they found that blogs were perceived to have a

more conversational tone, which appeared as an appropriate relational maintenance

strategy for virtual contexts. They also seemed to enhance identity building and

information richness through storytelling, which transfers personal and even tacit

knowledge (ibid., Röll, 2004). Both personal and collective identities may be built up

through blogging networks. Shared identity is critical for coordination as it lowers the

costs of communication, and establishes explicit and tacit rules of coordination and

influence. According to Kogut and Zander (1996), a shared identity leads to social

knowledge that supports coordination, communication and learning: it implies a moral

order, rules of exclusion, and norms of procedural justice. Some behavioral studies show

the critical role of group membership in attributing the “insiders” and “outsiders”, and

also suggest that attribution could ease potential dissonance between opportunism and

loyalty (ibid., Kramer et al., 1996).

Trust

A lack of trust may prevent knowledge sharing (Kimble & Li, 2005). In general, trust is a

multi-level concept. First, it takes self-confidence to be willing to express oneself openly

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and to reveal one’s identity through blogging. Trust in the information and in the

competence of the author(s) is also required. Knowledge has to come from a trusted

source if it is to have a desirable effect on the receiver: processes of word-of-mouth are

inherent in blogging (see Torio, 2005). Sufficient trust in the enabling technology is also

needed, regardless of whether it is open-source software or a standardized company

offering. Finally, the employee needs to be confident enough to express her/himself

through blogs despite the possible threats and sanctions, such as being punished for

making local information transparent organization-wide (Dearstyne, 2005).

Figure 1 summarizes the ideas presented above in terms of the social-rational and

individual-organizational dimensions in applying blogs. We propose that the rationally

constructed factors provide the enabling structure for communication, while the actual

outcomes are determined by both the social and rational factors.

Understanding the nature of blog communicationRational: features, time, place, level of presence Social: building identities, relationships

SocialRational

Technologyease of uselow costsinformation management

Organizational policies and supportdecision-makingmanagement support

Individual competence and motivation access to up-to-date information, reputation,

sharing and learning, enjoyment

Critical mass of users

Organizational culturemembershipcommon groundshared identity

Organizational

Individual

Trust

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Figure 1. The rational-social vs. individual-organizational dimensions and critical factors

in the application of internal knowledge blogs

A mini-case of applying blogs in a multinational firm

The following is a real-life story of blogs in practice in a large ICT company. The

mini-case demonstrates some success factors of knowledge blogs. We conducted a

one-and-a-half-hour telephone interview with four representatives of the company in

order to discuss why and how an internal blog platform had been implemented. The

interview was tape-recorded and transcribed. Earlier, one of the interviewees had

introduced his own wiki for research purposes. The use of wikis then expanded further,

and in January 2005 an internal blog platform was taken into use. Initially, the

organization did not support the development work: the evolution of wikis and blogs

unfolded “bottom-up”. However, later the key developer was rewarded for his efforts.

The use of blogs was minimal at first, but it expanded due to easy implementation and

use, word-of-mouth inside the company, and motivated people, who also blogged in their

spare time. Thus the critical mass of users was eventually reached. “People realized the

value of blogs …It serves as a means of internal marketing, i.e. ‘I know about this, so you

can ask me’. This, in turn, reduces internal overlap.” Bloggers are able to trust each

other’s ability, as blogs efficiently convey expertise. The existence of both intrinsic and

extrinsic motivations (personal status, enjoyment, access to valuable knowledge for

personal benefit, getting to know who knows what) was also implied: for the individuals

concerned, blogging was a means of capturing knowledge, gaining status and forming

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relationships within the network. On the organizational level, blogs potentially increase

efficiency.

The interviewees explicitly described the differences between various communication

channels and awareness of the pros and cons of blogging. Due to their highly personal

nature, blogs carry an informal and conversational tone. They offer a more “human voice”

than other low-presence media. On the other hand, they represent “a shot in the dark,

where the echo may or may not resound…”. In this respect, e-mail was also strongly

contrasted to blogging: “E-mail is a channel of power, control and information-hiding.

This conflicts with the blogging culture, which is the equivalent of open-source ideology.

You want to share what you know.”

Thus the various cultures in organizations may conflict with each other and form barriers

to the use of knowledge blogs. “Very often people come and ask ‘Can I write this? Who

can publish it?’ The Net is still seen as it was with us, a highly official system. People do

not yet understand that blogging is about bringing the informal coffee-room discussions

into another kind of social space.” Again, the coin has two sides: sometimes bloggers

unwittingly broadcast confidential “coffee-room wisdom” and make it available

organization-wide. It is difficult to define company blog policies, and they seem to form

through trial and error.

The case could be summarized as follows. The process of internal knowledge blogs was

initiated by a small core group, the members of which were aware of the opportunities

and challenges of blogging, and were very familiar with technology-mediated social

interaction. A critical mass of users was reached due to processes of word-out-mouth and

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related trust, employee motivation and the easy implementation of personal blogs. On the

other hand, the blogging culture is in its early stages and there is still uncertainty about its

role as a medium, and about personal authority in terms of making contributions. It is also

difficult to identify highly confidential issues from “knowledge to be shared”.

DISCUSSION

Theoretically, our paper contributes to the increasing understanding of how technology

changes the way in which people interact socially and exchange knowledge with each

other in a firm-internal context. We also categorized the critical factors involved in

applying knowledge blogs for internal purposes. On a practical level, we presented a

mini-case to illustrate the implementation process and the related critical factors.

The role of storytelling and expressing knowledge for its further construction and

refinement could be essential in the transfer of organizational knowledge (Brown, 2001,

Lave & Wenger, 1991, Brown & Duguid, 1991). Blogs seem to be a potential medium to

be applied in firm-internal knowledge sharing and creation in networked and virtual

organizations. They are conversational, inexpensive and easy to use, they allow

empowerment and the free expression of thought, and they convey expertise and

contribute to building personal and collective identities. However, identity building may

also lead to exclusive types of social networks if insufficient attention is paid to

developing a trust-inclusive organizational culture, offering employee education on how

to use blogs, and developing related organizational policies.

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FUTURE TRENDS

In the emerging field of the knowledge-management applications of blogs, the success

factors discussed above should be empirically validated and refined further. More

research is also needed in order to enhance understanding of blogs as socio-technological

innovations. Rice (1987) argues that, while computer-mediated communication systems

process information about innovations, they are also an innovation that organizations

must process, a phenomenon that has recently been illustrated in the development of blog

communication. However, it is apparent from our emerging understanding of the

co-evolution of innovations that organizations must also consider complementary and

administrative innovations, such as organizational structures and processes that support

the implementation of new communication technologies.

CONCLUSIONS

We identified several critical factors for applying internal knowledge blogs:

understanding the nature of blog communication, individual competence and motivation,

the role of technology, organizational policies and support, a critical mass of users, the

organizational culture, and trust.

Knowledge blogs may make organizational knowledge-sharing and related social

networks more transparent through their ability to build identities, mediate both personal

and collective knowledge, and serve as an institutional memory. They enhance

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storytelling-type of knowledge-sharing, and thus contribute to the transferring of tacit

knowledge in networked and virtual organizations. They also have the potential to link

the informal and the formal organization, which is a major challenge for organizational

innovativeness (see Dougherty & Hardy, 1996). The formal organization may enhance the

application of blogs by promoting open communication and a culture of sharing, while

also providing technological and managerial support.

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KEY TERMS

A blog (or weblog) is a personal web page including regular posts in reverse

chronological order about a particular topic. (Herring et al., 2004, Blanchard, 2004,

Wagner & Bolloju, 2005)

Knowledge blog is a weblog for experts sharing an interest on a specific topic and for

documenting knowledge in their professional domains. (Wagner & Bolloju, 2005)

Organizational blog is a weblog that is endorsed by an organization and maintained by

its official or semi-official representative whose affiliations to the organization are public.

(Kelleher & Miller, 2006)

Media choice refers to the examination and selection of communication channels i.e. in

terms of media richness and the level of social presence. (Robert et al., 2005)

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Social presence is the degree and type of mediated interpersonal contact and intimacy.

(Short et al., 1976)

Information richness refers to the ability of the media to transfer cues and provide

immediate feedback. (Daft & Lengel, 1986)

Knowledge management refers to a range of practices organizations use to identify,

distribute and leverage knowledge to gain competitive advantage.

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