ResuméThe purpose of this thesis is to enquire into the correlation between knowledge sharing and learning. This connection is examined through a qualitative study of how members of an interdisciplinary museal development team articulate and produce meaning about three themes: How organizational culture, employees’ various professional competencies and technology affect the correlation between knowledge sharing and learning in organizations.We employ a social constructionist and abductive approach, which means that we investigate the social world of the employees in the development team and aim to gain insight into their constructions of reality and ways of giving meaning to the social world. Thus, we continually develop our understandings and results in an on-going analytical process between our qualitative data and our theoretical concepts.First off we produce a literature review in which we discuss the existing literature concerning the concepts: The Learning Organisation, Organizational Learning and Knowledge Management. On the basis of the literature review we define two paradigms – an objectivistic and a constructionist paradigm – and define and position our own theoretical understanding. We then argue that the existing literature about knowledge sharing and learning is flawed in its lack of depth and methodological understandings. In the light of this understanding we argue that scientific and qualitative research is needed in identifying some of the characteristics about the relation between knowledge sharing and learning. The purpose of this thesis is therefore to discover and clarify the correlation between knowledge sharing and learning.In the analysis, we focus on our respondents’ articulated experiences and some times contradictory opinions concerning interdisciplinary cooperation and knowledge sharing in their organization. The analysis shows that there is a correlation between knowledge sharing and learning and that organizational culture, in the form of a mutual language and understandings, affect the opportunities for learning. Yet an organizational culture can also limit and restrict employees’ possibilities to learn.The analysis also shows that employees’ different professional competencies have an impact on an organization’s possibilities for learning through knowledge sharing. The employees qualify, challenge and develop each other’s ideas through an on-going knowledge sharing process, which creates learning. Our results also show that the possibilities for learning depend on employees sharing relevant and not irrelevant knowledge with each other.Finally our analysis shows that technology plays a decisive role for the correlation between knowledge sharing and learning. On one hand technology enables employees to share knowledge with their co-workers and their professional and personal network. On the other hand the use of technology can also inhibit opportunities for learning, if there isn´t any useful guidelines for employees.
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