Common Information Spaces in Knowledge-Intensive Work

Author(s):  
Vidar Hepsø

In knowledge management literature, common information spaces (CIS) are believed to be instrumental in the development and sharing of knowledge. These information spaces provide the arena to facilitate knowledge creation, knowledge management, boost multidisciplinary collaboration and therefore increase the performance of the organization. In a global oil and gas industry an increasing part of the communication in day-to-day operations takes place in specially designed videoconferencing and collaboration rooms. This chapter addresses the role such information spaces play and some of the implications for practice when it comes to knowledge-intensive work: diversity, work relations and identity. What is regarded as “common” or ”shared” among heterogeneous groups of professionals working within such information spaces is challenged.

2020 ◽  
Vol 27 (10) ◽  
pp. 3261-3287 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hani Arbabi ◽  
Mohammad-Javad Salehi-Taleshi ◽  
Kian Ghods

PurposeKnowledge management (KM) is regarded as an essential factor in project-based organizations (PBOs), leading to organizational learning across projects. Over recent years, most PBOs have inserted project management offices (PMOs) into their hierarchical charts to manage their projects much more coherently. These offices can correspondingly provide KM facilities in PBOs. Thus, this study aimed to analyze the relationship between PMO functions and KM infrastructure, as KM enablers in organizations, in Iranian oil and gas upstream PBOs.Design/methodology/approachA two-phase quantitative survey strategy was exercised in this research. The first phase was to investigate the relationship between PMOs and KM infrastructure and to prioritize PMO functions and KM infrastructure based on their existing implementation/establishment status in Iranian oil and gas upstream PBOs. The research participants, identified through the website of the National Iran Oil Company (NIOC), were comprised of 46 oil and gas upstream PBOs which applied for exploration and production (E&P) certificate in Iran in 2016 and 2017. Accordingly, a total number of 46 questionnaires were submitted to the aforementioned companies with a return rate of 41 cases. The second phase was fulfilled questioning 19 Iranian oil and gas industry experts to determine the one-to-one effect of PMO functions on KM infrastructure and to verify the first-phase results.FindingsThe results indicated a strong relationship between PMO functions and KM infrastructure. This relationship was significant with regard to “practice management” and “technical support”, having the most considerable connections with KM infrastructure. According to the first-phase results, the main functions of PMOs in Iranian oil and gas industry were “practice management” and “technical support”. Considering KM infrastructure, “structure” showed the lowest mean value while “culture”, “human resources” and “processes and procedures” obtained the highest scores. The results also demonstrated that PMO functions could lead to more improvements in “processes and procedures”, as a sub-component of KM infrastructure, compared with other sub-components. Furthermore, the oil and gas industry experts believed that “organizational culture” in KM could be shaped by most of PMO functions.Originality/valueThis study fulfilled the need for exploring the relationship between PMO functions and KM since academic literature lacked a thorough investigation, to the best of authors' knowledge, pertaining to the effects of PMO functions on KM development in oil and gas PBOs.


2021 ◽  
pp. 45-50
Author(s):  
Antonina KASIAN

 In the oil and gas industry, the geophysics bears the most knowledge-intensive and high-tech activity. The results of geophysical studies underlie the search, exploration and development of oil and gas fields. It is impossible to effectively drill, operate and repair wells without it. Success in the development of technology and technology in geophysics depends on the level of academic and industrial science, the effectiveness of the education system, and the intellectual training of personnel. The paper provides a historical insight into the era of geophysical research from the beginning of the last century to the present day. The current state and prospects of further development of the geophysical industry as the basis of Ukraine’s energy independence are analyzed. The main reasons for the negative state of affairs in Ukrainian geophysics are as follows: loss of professionalism, lack of high-quality basic education, lack of funding and short-sighted decision-making.


2020 ◽  
Vol 78 (7) ◽  
pp. 861-868
Author(s):  
Casper Wassink ◽  
Marc Grenier ◽  
Oliver Roy ◽  
Neil Pearson

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