Knowledge Sharing in IT Consultant and SME Interactions

Authors

  • Adrian Bradshaw James Cook University
  • Venkateswarlu Pulakanam University of Canterbury
  • Paul Cragg University of Canterbury

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.3127/ajis.v19i0.1026

Keywords:

Knowledge sharing mechanisms, Knowledge Assets, IT projects, IT Consultants, SME, Accounting Information Systems

Abstract

Many small and medium enterprises (SMEs) depend on consultants to overcome knowledge barriers, especially for IT projects. This paper aims to determine how IT consultants affect the IT knowledge of SMEs when IT consultants and SMEs interact. Data were collected using face-to-face interviews with both IT consultants and SME managers. The study is the first to identify what and how SMEs learn from consultants during an IT implementation project. Consultants help SMEs gain different types of knowledge, employing a broad range of knowledge sharing mechanisms. As consultants are an important part of the knowledge creation processes of SMEs, SMEs should strive to form long-term relationships with consultants and use these interactions to develop IT knowledge within the SME.

Author Biographies

Adrian Bradshaw, James Cook University

Lecturer Business and IT

Venkateswarlu Pulakanam, University of Canterbury

Senior Lecturer College of Business and Law

Paul Cragg, University of Canterbury

Professor College of Business and Law

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Published

2015-10-21

How to Cite

Bradshaw, A., Pulakanam, V., & Cragg, P. (2015). Knowledge Sharing in IT Consultant and SME Interactions. Australasian Journal of Information Systems, 19. https://doi.org/10.3127/ajis.v19i0.1026

Issue

Vol. 19 (2015)

Section

Research on Small and Medium Sized Enterprises

License

AJIS publishes open-access articles distributed under the terms of a Creative Commons Non-Commercial and Attribution License which permits non-commercial use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and AJIS are credited. All other rights including granting permissions beyond those in the above license remain the property of the author(s).