Log9 Learning from notes: Organizational Issues in Groupware Implementation

PART I

1. Metal models and structural properties significantly influence how groupware technology is implemented and used.
2. The findings suggest that where people's mental models do not understand or appreciate the collaborative nature of groupware, such technologies will be intepreted and used as if they were more familiar technologies, such as personal, stand-alone software.
3. Where the premises underlying the groupware technology are counter-cultural to an organization's structural properties, the technology will be unlikely to facilitate collective use and value.
4. Cognitive elements are the mental models or frames of references that individuals have about the world, their organization, work, technology, and so on.
5. How users change their technological frames in response to a new technology is influenced by (i) the kind and amount of information about the product communicated to them, and (ii) the nature and form of training they receive on the product.
6. If people have a poor or inappropriate understanding of the unique and different features of a new technology they may resist using it, or may not integrate it appropriately into their work practices.
7. Training users on new technology is central to their understanding of its capabilities and appreciating how it differs from other technologies with which they are familiar.
8. Structural properties of organizations encompass the reward systems, policies, work practices, and norms that shape and are shaped by the everyday action of organizational members.
9. The pyramidal structure and the hierarchical "up or out" career path promote and reinforce an individualistic culture among consultants, where those who have not yet attained principal status vie with each other to get the relatively few promotions handed out each year.

PART II

This paper explores the introduction of a groupware technology - Lotus Corporation's Notes - into one office of a large organization to understand the chages in work practices and social interaction facilitated by the technology.

The finding are that mental model and structural property are important elements which influence IT in one organization.

In mental model, regarding as cognitive elements, in Alpha was not performed well. They didn't communicatie about Note and train their workers. In structural elements, the Alpha didn't establish reward system, police and procedure of access. In addition, the firm culture and norms in Alpha were totally opposite to Note. Consequently, at the initial time when Note was launched was almost failure.

PART III

Topic: Organizational Issues

The communication of new IT is important. It's will influence the usage and notion of employees. In addition, the structure of a company is also an important issue. If the policy and culture do not fit the IT, the resualt of it won't be controled as the beginning as you thought.

PART IV

Although this paper didn't metion any knowledge management, but the purpose is the same as KM.

After I read this paper, I thought the culture in a organization need to change to fit the KM. But I remembered that couple weeks ago, we had an article about culture barriers. The conclusion was that there is no need to change culture to fit KM, but find the way to link with the core values. So, I reconsidered the paper we read this week, culture changing is not really easy, and may course some serious damage. Like the Alpha, it not suitalble to change their work style or to force them to share something. On the other hand, if they had found the core value and made the Note improve or fit it, Note could have been successful in another way.

KM8 Building a learning organization

PART I
1. In the absence of learing, campanies - and individuals - simply repeat old practices.
2. Their discussion of learning organizations have often been reverential and utopian, filled with near mystical terminology.
3. Three critical issue: 1st is the question of meaning; 2nd the question of management; 3rd the question of measurement.
4. Without accompanying changes in the way that work gets done, only the potential for improvement exitsts.
5. All these organizations have been effective at creating or acquiring new knowledge but notalby less successful in applying that knowledge to their own activities.
6. Learning organizations are skilled at five main activities: 1st: systematic problem solving, 2nd: experimenttation with new approaches, 3rd: learning from their own experience and past history, 4th learning form the experiences and best practicies of others, 5thtransferring knowlege quickly and efficiently throughout the organization.
7. If you cannot measure it, you cannot manage it.
8. Most successful examples are the products of carefully cultivated attitudes, commitments, and management processes that have accrued slowly and steadily over time.
9. The first step is to foster an environment that is conducive to learning. And to open up boundaries and stimulate the exchange of ideas.

PART II
There are numbers of companies doing continuous improvement programs, but few of them are succucefull. Because they didn't grasp a substance of whole things, that is "Learning".
This paper started from the 3M of learning organization, Meaning, Management and Measurement. And suggest that base on these 3M, skilling the activities of solving problem systematicly, experiment of new business approach, learning from the history, learning from others, and distributing knowledge effiently.
In the end, it said that most successful examples are the products of carefully cultivated attitudes, commitments, and management processes that have accrued slowly and steadily over time.

PART III

TOPIC: Organizational Learning

T do organizational learning, in order to be a Learning Organization. But how to let your employees learn in organization? Building a sharing environment is the first step, and then make your stuffs comfortable and free when they share their idea. Gradually, your organization will become a learning organizaion.
The most important factor of organizational learning is employees, all magangers can do are support, encourage, and supervise them.

PART IV
This paper used many examples for each part, it makes me understand clearly what learning organization is.
After I read it, I have a conclusion that stratagy is important. The stratagy include the environment, rewarding system, measurment, etc, anything can make your empolyees involve learning further. And these stratagies are made by top supervisors which are usually managers, so the manager level of an organization is important.
In terms of it, this paper was wroten through manager's vision to let them follow. But I still think the employees' vision is also essential to discuss. Maybe the Measurement mentioned in this paper is the way to care about employees. If it can describe measurements like the detail of questionnaire and interview's question more clearly, it will make these two side (manager and stuff) more balanced.