Knowledge Sourcing from Repositories: The Role of System Characteristics and Autonomy

Organizations invest in the development of knowledge repositories (KR) to foster knowledge reuse and integration. Yet many KR initiatives fail to meet expectations, in part because knowledge workers underutilize the KR as a knowledge source. To date, little empirical research has considered how enabling characteristics of a KR influence individuals' propensity to use it as a knowledge source. This paper draws on extant knowledge management literature, including research on knowledge-based system design, to develop hypotheses relating key KR characteristics to KR knowledge sourcing behavior. These hypotheses are tested using survey data from 110 technical support agents from seven companies. Results reveal that support for online action (finding knowledge in the KR), support for offline action (applying retrieved knowledge to problem solving) and support for knowledge sharing are characteristics of a KR that predict its use as a knowledge source. Moreover, two of these relationships are moderated by the degree to which the knowledge worker retains autonomy in determining her work procedures. Implications for research and practice are discussed.