Knowledge Sharing in Criminal Investigations: An Empirical Study of Norwegian Police as Value Shop

Abstract

Police investigation units represent a knowledge‐intensive and time‐critical environment. The amount of information that detectives come into contact with in the course of their work is astounding. This and the vast knowledge that police officers need, suggest that police officers are knowledge workers. Knowledge sharing is a key process in knowledge activities, including the capture, transfer, and creation of knowledge. Both tacit and explicit knowledge are of critical importance to solve criminal cases. In this paper, police investigation units are defined as value shops, where primary detective activities occur. Knowledge sharing is found to have a significant influence on all primary activities of the police investigation value shop.

Keywords:

• Knowledge Management
• Crime Scene Assessment
• Senior Investigation Officer
• Problem Solving
• Survey
• Experience
• Culture
• Investigation Evaluation

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Geoff Dean

Geoff Dean is senior lecturer on the justice studies staff in the faculty of law at Queensland University of Technology in Brisbane, Australia. His research is concerned with the experience of investigation for detectives.

Cathrine Filstad

Cathrine Filstad is associate professor of organizational management at the Norwegian School of Management. Her research is concerned with organizational learning and socialization.

Petter Gottschalk

Petter Gottschalk is professor of knowledge management at the Norwegian School of Management. His most recent book Knowledge Management Systems in Law Enforcement is published by Idea Group Publishing, Hershey, PA.