How to Foster Collaboration in your Organization

Building a Culture of Collaboration: This isn’t about intranets in particular, but it discusses different ways companies get employees to collaborate, some of which involve Web-based (read: “intranet-based”) tools.

Today’s collaborative tools fall into two broad groups: tools created for a web-based function, and collaborative platforms designed for various disciplines from supply chain management to HR processes to general knowledge sharing.

The first category, known as Web 2.0, includes blogs and wikis. Although developed for the web – the greatest collaboration platform ever designed – these tools have been adapted for secure use by businesses. IBM Relevant Products/Services, Microsoft Relevant Products/Services and other vendors also have infused many of these features into their software.

Later in the article, authors quote a study that reinforces the fact that knowledge sharing in an organization is much more about human factors than technology.

The most common obstacles were a lack of common business culture across locations (38 percent), the absence of a knowledge support infrastructure Relevant Products/Services with dedicated staff (37 percent) and a lack of rewards for knowledge sharing (32 percent).