Does knowledge retrieval improves work efficiency? An investigation under multiple systems use

Abstract

Organizations encourage active knowledge retrieval from knowledge management systems; however, this does not always lead to higher work efficiency. Anchoring on uses and gratifications theory and psychology of sunk cost, this study investigates knowledge workers’ knowledge retrieval behavior and its subsequent impact on their work efficiency under three knowledge management systems, which differ in the creators of the systems and their related contents. Survey and interview data were collected from an IT call-center company. The results show knowledge workers who actively retrieved knowledge from the organization-created system that contains self-created content exhibited higher work efficiency. The results also show they obtained gratifications from actively retrieving knowledge from a self-made system; however, due to the workers’ biased perceptions toward that system, knowledge retrieval from a self-made system did not induce higher work efficiency. The findings provide organizations suggestions for designing knowledge management systems and their related contents.