Tools for Knowledge Sharing Phases among Knowledge Society: A Case Study on Indonesia Institute of Sciences (LIPI)

Abstract

The purpose of this article is to gain a better understanding of how some tools are critical for the successful application of knowledge sharing. Knowledge sharing with some tools covers a wide range of functionalities and supports different sets of activities such as, intranet, blogger, wiki, and yahoo groups. Therefore, to achieve knowledge sharing, this work limits the field of investigation to that knowledge sharing tools such as intranet, devoted to the formalization and sharing of best practices and experiences within the organization. Usability issues are also considered when choosing the tools for knowledge sharing in order to build systems which people with limited technological skills could readily use. The paper discusses two key forms of knowledge sharing usability, interface usability and the human-computer-interaction which has helped tools that support knowledge sharing principles improve interface usability. The study covers the following phases with KS tools: (a) The tools which is quite obvious in terms of knowledge sharing from an organizational perspective such as intranet (Model I); (b) The communicative tools of knowledge sharing which is used as a means of organizing learning processes which are collaborative, cooperative and which exchange knowledge processes, such as Yahoo groups or mailing-list (Model III); (c) Knowledge sharing on certain topics, which will have major consequences on librarian’s work and the structure of information transfer institutions (Model IV and V) and is exemplified by combined functions of the intranet and internet. The outcome of this empirical study indicates that the effective development and management of KS is dependent on the interactions between internal and external factors.