Mundane knowledge management and microlevel organizational learning: An ethological approach

Knowledge management is discussed in the context of “articulation” work, that is routine interactions in groups of local practice. In such situations, knowledge is largely acquired and maintained by learning from the appropriate behavior of others by means of “organizational ethology.” This phenomenon is described as “mundane knowledge management.” The concepts of mundane knowledge management and organizational ethnology are explored in a case study of a project to promote virtual enterprise formation. Evaluation of the project prototype, a platform for online cooperative work, suggests that unless design provides adequate social and technical cues for the work to hand, the mundane knowledge that sustains cooperative work may be compromised by ethological breakdown.