Social Distance and Knowledge Transformation: The Effects of Social Network Distance on Organizational Learning
Organizations are increasingly adopting technologies to promote knowledge sharing across boundaries of specialized groups. Yet, prior research beginning with March (1991) suggests that such knowledge-sharing technologies actually inhibit organizational learning by reducing solution diversity. This l...
| Main Authors: | , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Society for Sociological Science
2016-12-01
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| Series: | Sociological Science |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://www.sociologicalscience.com/articles-v3-48-1103/ |
| _version_ | 1819213252574314496 |
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| author | Brandy Aven Evelyn Ying Zhang |
| author_facet | Brandy Aven Evelyn Ying Zhang |
| author_sort | Brandy Aven |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Organizations are increasingly adopting technologies to promote knowledge sharing across boundaries of specialized groups. Yet, prior research beginning with March (1991) suggests that such knowledge-sharing technologies actually inhibit organizational learning by reducing solution diversity. This line of reasoning stems from the prior literature’s assumption that the knowledge shared will be transferred from one member to another perfectly and without distortion. We challenge this assumption and argue, instead, that knowledge is often altered or transformed when it is shared between members and that the degree of this transformation increases as the social distance between the knowledge sender and receiver increases. Because the implementation of knowledge-sharing technologies encourages learning between members across greater social distances, it increases knowledge transformation. Thus, knowledge-sharing technologies present a new opportunity to diversify solutions and lead to innovation. |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-23T06:55:55Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-fb826eec8793478b9e4ce922b1af8ec1 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2330-6696 2330-6696 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-23T06:55:55Z |
| publishDate | 2016-12-01 |
| publisher | Society for Sociological Science |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Sociological Science |
| spelling | doaj.art-fb826eec8793478b9e4ce922b1af8ec12022-12-21T17:56:19ZengSociety for Sociological ScienceSociological Science2330-66962330-66962016-12-013481103113110.15195/v3.a483834Social Distance and Knowledge Transformation: The Effects of Social Network Distance on Organizational LearningBrandy Aven0Evelyn Ying Zhang1 Carnegie Mellon University Carnegie Mellon University Organizations are increasingly adopting technologies to promote knowledge sharing across boundaries of specialized groups. Yet, prior research beginning with March (1991) suggests that such knowledge-sharing technologies actually inhibit organizational learning by reducing solution diversity. This line of reasoning stems from the prior literature’s assumption that the knowledge shared will be transferred from one member to another perfectly and without distortion. We challenge this assumption and argue, instead, that knowledge is often altered or transformed when it is shared between members and that the degree of this transformation increases as the social distance between the knowledge sender and receiver increases. Because the implementation of knowledge-sharing technologies encourages learning between members across greater social distances, it increases knowledge transformation. Thus, knowledge-sharing technologies present a new opportunity to diversify solutions and lead to innovation.https://www.sociologicalscience.com/articles-v3-48-1103/Knowledge TransferKnowledge TransformationOrganizational LearningSocial Distance |
| spellingShingle | Brandy Aven Evelyn Ying Zhang Social Distance and Knowledge Transformation: The Effects of Social Network Distance on Organizational Learning Sociological Science Knowledge Transfer Knowledge Transformation Organizational Learning Social Distance |
| title | Social Distance and Knowledge Transformation: The Effects of Social Network Distance on Organizational Learning |
| title_full | Social Distance and Knowledge Transformation: The Effects of Social Network Distance on Organizational Learning |
| title_fullStr | Social Distance and Knowledge Transformation: The Effects of Social Network Distance on Organizational Learning |
| title_full_unstemmed | Social Distance and Knowledge Transformation: The Effects of Social Network Distance on Organizational Learning |
| title_short | Social Distance and Knowledge Transformation: The Effects of Social Network Distance on Organizational Learning |
| title_sort | social distance and knowledge transformation the effects of social network distance on organizational learning |
| topic | Knowledge Transfer Knowledge Transformation Organizational Learning Social Distance |
| url | https://www.sociologicalscience.com/articles-v3-48-1103/ |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT brandyaven socialdistanceandknowledgetransformationtheeffectsofsocialnetworkdistanceonorganizationallearning AT evelynyingzhang socialdistanceandknowledgetransformationtheeffectsofsocialnetworkdistanceonorganizationallearning |