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      Structured articulation of knowledge: The influence of question response structure on recipient attitude

      Bircham-Connolly, Heather Jayne
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      Bircham-Connolly, H. J. (2007). Structured articulation of knowledge: The influence of question response structure on recipient attitude (Thesis, Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)). The University of Waikato, Hamilton, New Zealand. Retrieved from https://hdl.handle.net/10289/2539
      Permanent Research Commons link: https://hdl.handle.net/10289/2539
      Abstract
      Business today is faced with discontinuity and unpredictable change, which makes

      many of the structured processes of yesteryear redundant or obsolete. Process-based

      transactions are being replaced with technology and increasingly organisations are

      recognising the importance of proactively managing their knowledge transactions, to

      remain competitive. While research on knowledge sharing is gaining the attention of

      researchers, almost invariably their focus has been on the factors influencing

      knowledge transfer at the macro-level in large multi-national organisations. Few

      have attempted to unravel the complexities of individual-to-individual micro-level

      knowledge sharing and those that have, for the most part have directed their

      investigations towards exploring factors that enhance or impede the source individual

      sharing their knowledge, rather than the recipient's receiving of knowledge. While

      questioning is implicit in knowledge sharing there are assumptions that underpin the

      structure of a question and these assumptions affect both the source and the

      recipient.

      This study investigates how the structure of a question posed to a source individual

      when eliciting knowledge, influences the attitude of a recipient individual towards the

      knowledge they receive from the question response. Drawing upon theoretical

      assumptions that underpin question structure, three hypotheses are posed to

      compare binary, open-ended and directed question responses. To test the

      hypotheses a progression of three independent studies were performed using

      laboratory and field experiments. The first study conducted in a laboratory, used a

      contrived scenario case as the knowledge context and the second study replicated

      this experiment in the field. The last study conducted in a single organisation, used

      real organisational knowledge as the knowledge context.

      Recipients of shared knowledge were found to be more favourably disposed towards

      question responses that were structured in a complex manner; open-ended and

      directed question responses were more favoured than binary question responses.

      ii

      There was no difference in recipient attitude between open-ended and directed

      question responses and recipient attitude towards the shared knowledge was found

      to be positively related to their intention to use the knowledge in the future.

      These findings are of significance as they illustrate the importance of structuring

      questions in a manner that is consistent with recipients of the shared knowledge

      being more favourably disposed towards the knowledge they have received. In an

      environment of ambiguity, complexity and uncertainty where decisions are nonprogrammed,

      strategic and imperative to the competitiveness of the organisation, no

      longer is the binary 'Yes' or 'No' compliance or audit style question, with its implicit

      assumptions, sufficient to elicit knowledge. It is important to recognise that often we

      do not know what we need to know until it is shared by someone. Further, when

      shared knowledge is cognitively processed with our current knowledge base, the new

      knowledge is likely to facilitate more informed decision-making. The more

      favourably disposed the recipient is towards the knowledge the more likely it is that

      they will use it in the future; knowledge is transferred.
      Date
      2007
      Type
      Thesis
      Degree Name
      Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)
      Publisher
      The University of Waikato
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