The not-so-open wikis: Structures of collaboration at work

Abstract

The current chapter discusses issues related to the use of the wiki technology at the workplace for social knowledge collaboration and sharing. This kind of technology is principally flexible and free in the sense of allowing people to create, edit, and shape content collaboratively. However, this chapter argues that the application and use of a wiki within an organizational setting might be influenced by social and structural properties that govern collaboration and sharing. It is based on empirical data obtained through 11 semi-structured interviews with employees working for a large multinational organization. The theory of structuration was used as a theoretical framework to guide the empirical inquiry. Eventually, the chapter concludes with discussing a number of structures associated with evolving norms, interpretations, and resources that govern and shape the use of a wiki as a tool for social and open collaboration. © Springer-Verlag London 2012.