Destroying collaboration and knowledge sharing in the workplace: a reverse brainstorming approach

Abstract

Organizations in the 21st century find themselves in the culture of collaboration. Collaboration and knowledge sharing are fundamental aspects of problem solving, decision making and innovation, and are therefore vital for success. Some organizational cultures foster collaboration while others actively or inadvertently destroy shared decision-making activities. Reverse brainstorming is a method where participants identify different ways to cause a problem. These negative ideas are then used to stimulate ideas for solving the problem. This paper reports on a reverse brainstorming session during which knowledge management practitioners, consultants and academics generated ideas on how collaboration and knowledge sharing is destroyed in organizations, followed by positive ideas to promote effective, collaborative workplaces.

Keywords:

• knowledge management
• collaboration
• knowledge sharing
• collaborative workplace
• reverse brainstorming
• negative brainstorming

Acknowledgements

The author wishes to acknowledge the contributions of the knowledge management practitioners and academics who attended the KM & Collaboration Australia Conference held in Luna Park, Sydney on 21–22 July 2010, where they participated in the reverse brainstorming session about destroying collaboration in and across the organization. The author also wishes to acknowledge Michelle Lambert and Cory Banks, the initiators and facilitators of the reverse brainstorming session.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Nina Evans

About the author

Nina Evans is the Associate Head (Teaching and Learning) in the School of Computer and Information Science at UniSA, where she is responsible for the quality of teaching and learning. She lectures in the areas of Knowledge Management, IT Leadership, Business Information Systems and E-business. She holds tertiary qualifications in Chemical Engineering, Education and Computer Science, a Masters in Information Technology, an MBA and a Ph.D. in Organizational Behaviour. Dr. Evans has been involved in diverse research projects in the fields of Knowledge Management, Organizational Behaviour, ICT Education, the application of technology for business enhancement, Women in ICT and Corporate Social Responsibility. She has published in international journals and delivered presentations at numerous international conferences.