MIST.601 Management Information SystemsResearch Project Proposal.docx

MIST.601 Management Information Systems
Research Project Proposal
Name
Ryan Schwalbe
Title
Robot Lawyers – The Future of Artificial Intelligence in Law
Synopsis
(Briefly describe your research proposal with the following
criteria.)
Purpose
The purpose of this project is to discuss how artificial
intelligence (AI), also referred to as machine based learning, is
currently being used in the legal industry. Furthermore, the
project intends to discuss the benefits of this technology in
addition to the challenges clients and attorneys face both
working with and against it.
Problems & Issues
One of the various issues the industry is facing with AI
technology is the general adoption and implementation into
traditional document review models. Many clients and senior
attorneys are still hesitant to rely on computers for document
review calls without the validation by human lawyers. The
technology also requires a technical understanding of computer
science and statistical methodologies used in machine based
workflows, which many lawyers do not have experience in. AI
methods can also reduce the number of human attorneys
necessary to facilitate electronic document reviews. As the

technology continues to evolve this could potentially create a
drought for attorneys that would have otherwise been needed for
the review work.
Organizational Impacts
It’s already been proven that large scale document reviews
leveraging AI software can significantly reduce the legal spend
when compared to traditional search term and linear based
human review models. Courts are now more accepting of this
approach due mostly to the controversy surrounding e-discovery
related costs proportional to the financial damage merits of
many law suits. The technology has also been proven to
increase the accuracy and consistency of document reviews
which reduce the associated risks of missing key documents and
producing sensitive privilege materials inadvertently.
Suggestions
Companies, law firms and governing bodies alike need to
continue evaluating the needs and uses of this learning
technology for practical legal applications. Currently, there are
many private vendor companies with expertise in this area but
the lack of standardizations in the industry has created a
diverse range of AI software and practices which has in turn has
caused confusion through complexity. Industry standard
practices should be developed so that training can be
standardized, implemented and adopted across the legal
community more rapidly.
Future Implications & Directions

As the AI technology in legal review continues to develop the
need for human review and even second level validation will
continue to decrease. Courts will become more accepting of the
process and corporate clients will be less tolerant of expensive,
bloated document review costs. Attorneys will need to be armed
with both the legal and technical knowledge necessary in order
to stay relevant in next generation law firms.
Others
Litigious clients with regulatory compliance or perpetual legal
needs will also integrate this technology into there IS
infrastructure in order to monitor, mitigate and prepare for law
suits more efficiently. This will potentially reduce the amount
of outside counsel resources required to operate their businesses
annually.
Running head: Decisions based on knowledge management, and
the impact of organizational culture 1
and leadership
2
Decisions based on knowledge management, and the impact of
organizational culture and leadership

Decisions based on knowledge management,
and the impact of organizational culture and leadership
July 30 2011
Abstract
Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to conceptualize how
knowledge management can be implemented in to the decision-
making process, and also to investigate how organizational
culture and leadership enable effective knowledge management
practices.
Approach: A collection of journal articles and research data
was combined to support theory.
Findings: Knowledge management has a positive impact on
organizations. Effective knowledge management in the
decision-making process can lead to better decision-making,
through increased tacit knowledge and knowledge sharing. The
results also show that organizational culture plays a moderate
role in the success of knowledge management practices.
Effective leadership can be dependant on the organizational
culture of an organization. Furthermore, effective leadership
can lead to increased communication, knowledge creation and
sharing.
Key words: Knowledge management, Decision-making,
Strategy, Organizational Culture, Leadership
Table of Contents
Introduction 4
Knowledge management 4

Knowledge Management Defined 5
Why Knowledge Management 6
Competitive advantage 6
View of Knowledge 6
Knowledge Capture 7
Knowledge Management Systems 8
Strategy 9
Knowledge management Strategies 9
Choosing a Strategy 10
The Decision-making Process 11
Example: Decision Support Systems 13
Impact of Knowledge Management on the Decision-Making
Process 14
Organizational Impacts 14
Organizational Culture 15
Leadership 17
Personal Experience 19
Challenges 20
Opportunities 21
Conclusion 22
References 24
Appendix 26
Introduction
Knowledge management (KM) as a business model is rapidly
growing. Many businesses are adopting knowledge management
processes within their organizations. A basic KM model
involves merging together people, technology, and
organizational processes. While this is the most simplistic
form, those are the underlying elements of each model.
In order for businesses to be successful while implementing
knowledge management, there needs to be a clear vision and
strategic process in place. Most businesses have defined and

structured decision-making strategies; a knowledge management
process needs to evolve simultaneously along with those
organization-unique strategies to be successful. Two other
important elements that are essential for successful knowledge
management are leadership and organizational culture. These
two elements coincide in order to facilitate effective strategy
and enable an efficient work force.
The purpose of this research is to outline different knowledge
management strategies and explore which options are the most
successful in the integration of Knowledge Management
Systems (KMS) within the decision-making process. The
research goes on to define both leadership and organization
culture, and their role in knowledge management. This next
section defines knowledge and knowledge management. Then
decision-making strategies and knowledge management
strategies are explored. Finally, organizational culture and
leadership are discussed. Lastly, implications and conclusions
are presented. Knowledge Management
Picture this situation. You’re working with a strict deadline
and you need to quickly access specific information in order to
meet requirements. However, you’re unsure of where to find
the information. Who would you ask? Where would you look
first?
The situation described above is a recipe for disaster.
Knowledge management will help to avert those scenarios.
Effective knowledge management will help to ensure that your
organization is making the most of the skills, expertise and
relationships at its disposal (Anonymous, 2004).
Knowledge Management Defined. Knowledge management has
many definitions. Microsoft defines KM simply:
…managing information flow, getting the right information to
the right people so they can act it quickly (Gates, 1999).
Other definitions include more complex descriptions including,
leveraging information, content and expertise to produce
results, which include innovation and efficiency (Anonymous,
Knowledge Management: Much more than a technology

exercise, 2006). Most people don’t think of knowledge as
something that can be managed, rather something that is
intangible and that individuals’ hold personally. However,
businesses that have been able to capture, organize, refine, and
distribute knowledge through their organizations, possess
knowledge management skills. To demonstrate, Figure 1,
illustrates a generalized knowledge creation cycle.
Figure 1: Knowledge Creation Cycle
Why Knowledge Management. In the Knowledge Management
text, the book refers to today’s consumers as “prosumers.”
Prosumers are defined as educated customers, who demand
more, and provide feedback to manufacturers regarding design
and services from the customer perspective (Awad & Ghaziri).
Hence, businesses today need to be smarter, faster, and
extremely proactive to keep up with demands of the “prosumer.”
Organizations need to use their human resources (employees) to
learn, improve, anticipate, interact, remember, customize, and
most importantly share information. Creating and sustaining a
competitive advantage depends on all of these attributes.
Competitive Advantage. Knowledge management is essential
for gaining a competitive advantage. It has a positive impact on
business processes. Businesses with effective knowledge
management processes value the knowledge held by all
employees and enable them to help utilize and share knowledge
effectively (Anonymous, Knowledge Management: Much more
than a technology exercise, 2006). This leads to decentralized
decision making, which allows for instant reactions from
employees when dealing with customers, suppliers and partners.
Other competitive imperatives include managing and preserving

expertise turnover, and shortening of the learning curve.
Businesses no longer need to worry about experts retiring or
being on leave. Knowledge capture has enabled their knowledge
to be at the hands of all the employees. Knowledge
management facilitates easily accessible and outlined best
practices, and increases performance levels.
View of Knowledge. To understand the importance of
managing knowledge it seems relevant to discuss the essence of
knowledge itself.According to Pun and Nathai-Balkissoon,
“Knowledge is complex, multidimensional and imparted in
different ways to different people. Some theorists view it as an
“object” for capture and transfer, and other think it should be
managed as a process, as it is impacted by people and systems
within organizations”(Pun & Nathai-Balkissoon, 2011).
Another way to look at knowledge is relative to the words data
and information. The words knowledge, information and data
are generally used interchangeably. However, there is
distinction between the three (See Figure 2 in Appendix). Data
is specific observations and is easily captured. Alternative
definitions of data include unsorted bits of facts, measurements,
and statements about reality (Awad & Ghaziri). Information is
data with a purpose, generally used for analysis. Alternative
definitions of information include organized, systematized data,
a statement of fact about measurements, and data that make a
difference (Awad & Ghaziri). Knowledge is information with
value; it is reflective and contextual. Alternative definitions of
knowledge include the ability to turn information and data into
effective action, information whose validity as been establish
through tests of proof, and a whole set of insights, experiences,
and procedures (Awad & Ghaziri). While all three elements
have a complicated interrelationship between them, knowledge
has the leverage to gain a competitive advantage. According to
Green and Liu, knowledge arises in the heads of individuals,
which creates significant management problems (Green, Liu, &
Qi, 2009).
Knowledge Capture. The main limitation with knowledge

management is initially capturing the knowledge. There are two
types of knowledge, tacit and explicit. Explicit knowledge is
objective, data found in documents, and other digital means. It
is easily transferable. Tacit knowledge is subjective, found in
people’s heads, and consists of personal experiences, beliefs
and values (Awad & Ghaziri). Tacit knowledge is more
difficult to capture. When Knowledge Management Systems are
in place, one of their key functions is to identify the tacit
knowledge, document it, and merge is with the explicit
knowledge, in order to gain more knowledge leverage (Green,
Liu, & Qi, 2009).
Although it is more difficult, there are multiple techniques
to capture tacit knowledge. A few different techniques include
interviewing experts, observation techniques, brainstorming,
protocol analysis, and concept maps. Most of these techniques
involve the use knowledge developers to capture the knowledge
of an expert. Experts are individuals that are experienced and
well educated on a specific subject. They are regarded as being
credible, creative, confident, and generally possess good
communication skills (Awad & Ghaziri). Knowledge
developers then take the captured knowledge and document it
for others to use and learn. Examples of what to look for in an
expert include stream lined procedures and different problem
solving techniques. These techniques are all involved in the
knowledge management strategies that will be discussed in more
detail below.
Knowledge Management Systems. Going back to the initial
situation presented in the beginning of this section, to answer
the question, “Where would you look first?” The answer is a
Knowledge Management System (KMS). A knowledge
management system is a system that includes all the methods,
tools, and techniques that are used to manage knowledge
(Green, Liu, & Qi, 2009). It acts as the tool that makes all the
captured knowledge accessible to the organization. Knowledge
management systems can come in multiple forums, and either
highly structured or unstructured. They can be complex systems

that are integrated with Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP)
systems and Management Information Systems (MIS). Yet
knowledge management systems can also be as simple as a blog
or a document management program. The intent is information
flow; sharing information, open communication, and a common
hub for organizations. Strategy
In order to gain a better understanding of the importance
of knowledge management and decision making strategies, it’s
relevant to discuss the term strategy. According to Quinn,
author of “Formulating Strategy One Step at a Time”:
“A strategy is the pattern or plan that integrates an
organization’s major goal, policies, and action sequences into a
cohesive whole. A well-formulated strategy helps marshal and
allocate an organization’s resources into a unique and viable
posture based upon its relative internal competencies and
shortcomings, anticipated changes in the environment, and
contingent moves by intelligent opponents” (Quinn, 1981).
Strategy is important as it allows business to prioritize goals,
implement actions plans and achieve success. Strategic plans
have vision, which can advance businesses in their short-term
and long-term goals. It would be a larger risk not to strategize.
Embedded in strategy should be a clear vision, an effective use
of resources, and a supportive culture. This research discusses
how knowledge management has been elevated to a higher level
in business strategy. Knowledge Management Strategies
A knowledge management strategy is how businesses implement
and employ knowledge management. It describes their
motivations and practices. This portion of research intends to
demonstrate how knowledge management strategies, when
implemented in the decision-making process, can help
businesses make successful strategic decisions. Depending on
the type of business, firms may choose different strategies, and
they may also choose different knowledge management systems.
There are three different modes of knowledge management
strategies, the third being a combination of the first two. They
are listed below:

(1) Codification: This strategy (also called technological
strategy (Nicolas, 2004)) is supported by technology, systems,
and databases. The knowledge is independent of the person
who initially created it (Anonymous, Towards Effective
Knowledge Management, 2004). Its main focus is on explicit
knowledge.
(2) Personalization: This strategy is supported by human
interaction, which is facilitated by learning through shared
experiences (Nicolas, 2004). Its main focus is on tacit
knowledge, which is much more difficult to codify and capture.
(3) Socialization: This strategy is a combination of codification
and personalization. Nicolas states, socialization is represented
by knowledge communities, which he describes as, groups of
people inhabiting the same knowledge space and interacting
with each other through relationships. It is designed to
exchange and pool knowledge (Nicolas, 2004).
Choosing a Strategy. Choosing a knowledge management
strategy is largely determined by what a business provides. For
example, businesses that provide a specific product, one that is
regular, would most likely find the codification strategy
appropriate. Reason being, the product is straightforward, and
sales numbers and data may be the determining factors in their
decision-making process. While businesses that provide
services that are highly customizable, may find personalization
more appropriate, as it mainly reflects individual requirements.
However, in today’s highly competitive market even generic
goods are faced with the challenges of creating niche markets
and a competitive edge.
In a study done by Rolland Nicolas, Professor in
Management, demonstrates the evolution of Knowledge
Management Strategies in firms over a period of five years. He
took data from 92 companies, that his research team
interviewed, with the purpose of understanding how companies
develop knowledge management. Table 1, demonstrates the
trend of knowledge management strategies from 1998-2002.
Table 1: Evolution of KMS (Nicolas, 2004)

Knowledge Management Strategy
1998
2000
2002
Technological
92%
86%
53%
Personalization
6%
8%
12%
Socialization
12%
26%
55%
Table 1, clearly demonstrates the trend towards Socialization.
While there is no significant trend towards the personalization
strategy alone, the socialization strategy ties in the need for
human tacit knowledge sharing.
Many businesses have learned that a technological
approach alone will not build learning communities. The trend
towards socialization represents the importance of relationships
for knowledge creation and sharing. Knowledge management
systems can provide the means for individuals and groups to
interact frequently around work-related issues. Another benefit
of the socialization trend is its facilitation of building trust and
mutual commitment to the knowledge sharing process(Nicolas,
2004).
The Decision-Making Process. Businesses will either fail or be
successful based on the decisions they make. In order for
businesses to make decisions and take action, they need to
strategize. They make decisions based on the information and
knowledge they possess. Therefore, businesses need to use all
of their resources effectively, as they require constant and

relevant knowledge. This section describes the decision-making
process and where knowledge management fits in.
Two supporting articles that describe the decision-making
process as consisting of three phases. Nicolas describes the
phases as: intelligence, conception, and selection (Nicolas,
2004). Whereas, James Courtney, another Professor of
Management describes the phases as: intelligence, design, and
choice (Courtney, 2001). Both series of phases are similar to
each other. The phases are described below:
(1) Intelligence: The problem definition phase. According to
Nicolas, in this phase, “explicit knowledge helps to argue the
definition and to nurture the problem, but tacit knowledge is
essentially mobilized to understand the interactions between the
elements that define the complex situation.”
(2) Design or Conception: Described by both Courtney and
Nicolas, as the phase to develop alternative ways of solving a
problem or detailing multiple solutions to complex situations.
An analytical phase.
(3) Choice or Selection: This phase consists of evaluating the
alternatives and choosing one for implementation.
In all three phases, knowledge, information and data are all
used to come to a conclusive decision. However, I would like
to point out how knowledge effects stage two, the design and
conception stage. Knowledge capture techniques, which were
described above, when implemented into knowledge
management systems could be especially effective in stage two
of the decision-making process. Knowledge management
systems contain and enable the distribution of tacit knowledge,
past experiences, and successful procedures. Below is an
example of how tacit knowledge can be created and used
effectively in the decision-making process.
Example: Decision Support Systems. Courtney, in his journal
article, “Decision Making and Knowledge Management in
Inquiring Organizations: toward a new decision-making
paradigm for DSS,” outlines and defines a conventional
Decision Support System decision-making process (Shown in

Figure 3 of the Appendix (Courtney, 2001)). A Decision
Support System (DSS) is defined as a computer system that
deals with a problem at some stage, including examples such as
budgeting, grievances, forecasting, e-commerce, and
assignments. The conventional paradigm illustrated in Figure 3,
aligns with the three phases of the decision making process
described above. However, the new paradigm Courtney
discusses in the article incorporates more human intelligence,
such as incorporating different human perspectives.
In summary, Courtney suggests that during the design and
analytical phase of the decision-making process, a multiple
perspective approach should be taken. Again, moving away
from a strictly technological strategy (depending on databases
and systems), businesses should also focus on operational,
personal, ethical, and anesthetic perspectives. Courtney
believes different perspectives will help gain insight and
therefore, tacit knowledge will be created. Courtney suggests
the use of concept maps or cognitive maps. He states, “It has
been shown that having groups draw cognitive maps leads to
surfacing of differences in assumptions about variables and
relationships in a problem and more effective communication
during the decision-making process” (Courtney, 2001).
This article supports this research that the integration of
knowledge management strategies and decision-making
processes create knowledge that can be used as a competitive
edge. While all decision-making strategies are not generated by
computer systems, such as DSS, the concept of implementing
knowledge management systems into a decision-making
paradigm is relative to this research.
Impact of Knowledge Management on the Decision-Making
Process. In the example above, knowledge management had the
biggest impact on the design phase of the decision-making
process. However, knowledge management impacts each phase
of the decision-making process. Table 2, below is a summarized
demonstration of the Impacts of KMS on the decision-making
process.

Table 2: Impact of KMS on decision-making process (Nicolas,
2004)
Technological
Socialization
Personalization
Strategy
Structure the organizational knowledge base
Develop a collective intelligence
Create emergent strategies
Accumulate knowledge in order to legitimate the strategic
choice and support the action
Develop innovation
Develop share cognition
Gain of time
Create generative divergences
Construct a collective intuition
Impact
The Selection Phase
The Phase of Conception
The Intelligent Phase
Face with Uncertainty
Influence the bounded rationality
Build a sense of trust and mutual obligation
Influence the emotional part of the decision making
processOrganizational Impacts
Knowledge Management can have a significant impact on an
organization. KM impacts an organizations people, processes,
products, and overall performance. It can facilitate and enhance
employee learning and flexibility, improve effectiveness,
efficiency, and innovation, and introduce value added and
knowledge based products (Awad & Ghaziri).
However, the implementation of knowledge management does
not come without difficulty. First, the purpose of the

knowledge management system has to be defined. Then the
tools have to be established and put into place. Third, the
content has to be added and organized, allowing procedures to
be set. Finally, the next issue is getting the users to play an
active role. The users, or employees of an organization, need to
participate in the knowledge sharing process. It takes the
participation of an entire organization to bring a knowledge
management system to its full potential. Huge drivers of
participation and knowledge sharing are organizational culture
and leadership.
Two pre-conditions for the effective and successful knowledge
management are organizational culture and leadership. These
elements can have significant positive impacts on an
organization. However, they can also hinder and place a huge
barrier on knowledge leverage. If the culture of an organization
is unstable it may hinder the performance of the employees and
the knowledge management system, while weighing on the
success of the organization. Bad culture and leadership can
destroy good workmanship, create frustration, decrease trust
and security, and inhibit growth.
The next two sections define organizational culture and
leadership. Each section has an example from an article of how
organizational culture or leadership can impact an organization.
Organizational Culture. Organizational culture is a key element
in managing organizational change and renewal. In the article,
“Knowledge Management Practices,” the authors, Saeed,
Tayaab, M, Ahmad, and Chaudhry state, “many believe that an
organizational culture that is supportive and or adaptive can
enable the successful implementation of knowledge management
technologies as well as practices”(Saeed, Tayyab, M, Ahmad, &
Chaudhry, 2010). Organizational Culture consists of behaviors,
actions, and values that people in an organization are expected
to share and follow (Saeed, Tayyab, M, Ahmad, & Chaudhry,
2010). The article also lists four main attributes of
organizational culture, which include trust, learning,
collaboration and formalization, in regard to knowledge

creation. The four main attributes are defined below:
(1) Formalization: Formalization refers to rules, procedure,
regulations, and policy. It can have both a positive and
negative effect relative on knowledge creation and
dissemination. It can positively effect knowledge creation
through rules and directives to help problem solve, and through
structured processes. However, the article states it has also
been proven to inhibit innovation and creativity.
(2) Trust: The article defines trust as, “an expectation that
arises within a community of regular, honest and cooperative
behaviors, based on commonly shared norms, on the part of the
other members of that community.” Trust is essential to
organizational culture, as it facilitates an atmosphere of
security. Security enables individuals to feel free of risk,
encouraging innovation and knowledge sharing.
(3) Learning: Learning broadens the entire knowledge base.
The article defines learning as, “the degree of opportunity,
variety, satisfaction and encouragement for development in an
organization.” Learning can be linked positively to knowledge
creation, acquisition, and open communication.
(4) Collaboration: The article defines collaboration as, “the
degree of active support and help in the organization.”
Collaboration is knowledge sharing. It is working with others
to achieve a mutual goal.
In the research performed by Saeed, Tayyab, M, Ahmad, and
Chaudhry, their hypothesis was; Formalization, Trust, Learning
and Collaboration would have a positive predicting impact on
Knowledge Creation. Their method required sampling 1,500
managers in different organizations and sections, with
questionnaires. The results mainly proved their hypothesis to be
true. Collaborative, learning, and trusting cultures increased
knowledge exchange, and facilitated increased open
participation. Their research also states that formalization is
needed to a degree, in order to enhance the effectiveness of
organizational communication, but organizations should allow
some flexibility to enable creativity.

Leadership. Leaders play multiple roles in an organization;
therefore they have a huge impact on the knowledge
management practices and culture of their organization. Hai
Nguyen and Sherif Mohamed, in their journal article,
“Leadership Behaviors, Organizational Culture and Knowledge
Management Practices,” define leaders as individuals that create
the conditions that allow (or otherwise) participants to exercise
and cultivate their knowledge manipulation skills, to contribute
their own individual knowledge resources to the organization’s
pool of knowledge, and to have easy access to relevant
knowledge (Nguyen & Mohamed, 2011). Leaders are the
individuals of the organization that need to facilitate the four
attributes of organizational culture we discussed above,
formalization, trust, learning and collaboration. Leaders need
to empower their employees, help build trust, and facilitate
learning through experimentation, questions, and experiences.
In the article, Nguyen and Mohamed described two different
components to leadership approaches, transactional and
transformational. Transactional leadership is defined as a
process that builds upon exchange. Leaders offer rewards or
punishments based on performance of expected behaviors.
“Transactional leaders also provide organizational members
with formal systems and training programs that disseminate
existing learning to guide future actions and decisions” (Nguyen
& Mohamed, 2011). On the contrary, transformational
leadership is defined as, “the leaders ability to inspire trust,
loyalty, and admiration in followers, who then subordinate their
individual interest to the interests of the group” (Nguyen &
Mohamed, 2011). It differs from transactional leadership as if
focuses more intangible qualities, like visions, ideas, and
relationships.
I found this example to be similar to the article “Knowledge
Management Practices” in regard to the need for balance of
formality. Nguyen and Mohamed discuss the balance of
transactional and transformational leadership styles relative to
organizational culture and their effect on knowledge

management practices. The article goes on to state that both
forms of leadership, transactional and transformational, have
positive effects on organizations. However, transformational
leadership has a more positive effect on the encouragement and
emphasis of teamwork and collaboration.
Their research required mailing surveys and questionnaires to
1,000 middle managers to assess how frequently knowledge
management processes and tools are used within their respective
organizations, and describe the indentifying leadership
behaviors. To analyze the data they used the multiple
regression analysis.
The results of the study suggested their initial beliefs; that both
transformational and transactional leadership approaches are
positively related to knowledge management practices. The
results further revealed that transformational leadership has a
greater influence on all the dimensions of knowledge
management practices. Nguyen and Mohamed stated, “These
studies generally suggest that charismatic leadership and
contingent reward behaviors contribute to the creation of
organizational knowledge and a managerial mindset that
promote the flow of knowledge through organization.”
The results also suggest that knowledge management may be
hindered by organizational culture that is highly formalized and
heavily dependent on standard operating procedures, rules and
regulations (Nguyen & Mohamed, 2011). Which is similar to the
research performed by Saeed, Tayyab, M, Ahmad, and
Chaudhry. However, transformational leadership effectiveness
is also dependent on overall organizational structure formal
arrangement of works and the degree of power sharing (Nguyen
& Mohamed, 2011). Therefore, Nguyen and Mohamed came to
the conclusion that the effectiveness of leadership behaviors
was contingent upon the type of organizational culture.
Personal Experience
This section outlines my own personal experience with the
implementation of a knowledge management system, relative to
the organizational culture and leadership within my

organization.
The Air Force mission includes Information Superiority. A few
years ago, the Air Force implemented Microsoft SharePoint as a
document management tool and central hub for different
organizations throughout the all the bases. Hanscom Air Force
Base in particular is an Electronic Systems Center, under the
Air Force Material Command. Their specific mission is to
“Deliver technology, acquisition, test, sustainment,
expeditionary capabilities to the war fighter.” Due to their
mission SharePoint was viewed as a great tool to share
knowledge and gain accessibility to different organizations
throughout the Air Force.
SharePoint is a Microsoft software knowledge management
system, which helps people work and collaborate together.
Organizations and users can set up Web sites, for both public
and private use. The sites allow users to share information with
others, manage documents, create versions of documents, and
publish reports. There are multiple benefits to SharePoint,
which include cuts to training and maintenance costs, custom
built applications, knowledge sharing and expertise,
collaboration with team members on document versioning,
blogging, discussion boards, and permission capabilities.
I met with the Enterprise Information Management (EIM) Chief
on Hanscom AFB to discuss issues of organizational culture and
leadership during the SharePoint implementation. Mr. Murphy,
EIM Chief, is considered an expert within the Information
Management field. He gave me some great examples of specific
challenges and opportunities at Hanscom.
Challenges. Currently, all employees at Hanscom AFB have
access to SharePoint. However, according to Mr. Murphy, it is
underutilized. Air Force management or the decision-makers
that initially chose SharePoint did so because it came on
contract with a negotiation to procure Windows 7. The
underutilization of SharePoint could be due to the fact that the
system was never defined specifically for users at Hanscom.
Users did not initially know the purpose of SharePoint and

management never defined it. The first issue Mr. Murphy and I
discussed was the lack of commitment by senior leadership. He
stated the initial implementation needed to be a top-down
approach in order for the end users to realize the importance of
the technology. Leadership at Hanscom needed to facilitate
learning and training on SharePoint.
The second issue discussed was organizational culture. The
lack of commitment by senior leadership could be a direct result
of the structure of organizational culture throughout areas at
Hanscom. This is similar to the leadership article by Nguyen
and Mohamed, discussed in the last section. According to Mr.
Murphy, through the past few decades, the Air Force has seen
multiple software systems come and go. He believes the lack of
commitment by the end users could also be due to a feeling of
resentment and lack of consistency. Generational differences
could also play a role. People generally do no want to move
from old to new once they are familiar and comfortable with a
technology. Switching could create feelings of fear and
uncertainty. The lack of commitment by the end user could also
be due to the fact that they do not see the advantages of the new
system, which could ultimately be tied back to leadership not
taking a larger role in encouraging and supporting use of the
system.
Another element to organizational culture could be the degree
of power. Some users view knowledge sharing as a loss of
power. They view it as a possible risk or loss of job security.
Mr. Murphy stated that, culturally this is not always easy to
overcome. However, leadership could play a strong role in
encouraging and facilitating knowledge sharing to overcome
those situations. As discussed in the leadership article by
Nguyen and Mohamed, transformational leadership could lead
to knowledge sharing.
Opportunities. If the utilization of SharePoint increases there
are many opportunities for success in knowledge management,
such as knowledge capture. Mr. Murphy stated that SharePoint
could be a great tool for Hanscom to document lessons learned,

share ideas, discuss issues, and increased communication flow.
Mr. Murphy used military culture, as a specific example on why
knowledge capture is important. He used the example of
permanent change of station (PCS) and deployment. The
military are continually permanently changing one’s stations
every couple years or deploying. Those vacant positions are
also continually filled with new, promoted, or other “PCSed”
employees, both military and civilian. However, because of the
nature of their military position and urgent needs of the Air
Force, transition periods are rare. Since there is rarely a
transition period, knowledge capture is essential to the Air
Force. Employees could use SharePoint to leave lessons
learned. This would mean less playing catch up and more
learning from experience in a new position. SharePoint allows
users to keep records, document experiences, and leave lessons
learned. It is a centralized location with readily available
resources.
Overall, my experience at Hanscom AFB has assisted my
understanding of knowledge management practices,
organizational culture and leadership, as it is relevant to my
research. This in itself has been a learning experience for me.
Now, if I take my newfound knowledge of knowledge
management and the benefits of SharePoint in particular, and I
share it with my peers, I will be demonstrating knowledge
sharing. I could do this by engaging as an active user on
SharePoint and posting my experience for others to see and
learn. Conclusion
There are several implications from this research on
knowledge management. In the section on knowledge
management and the decision-making process, we learned that
knowledge management has evolved over the years.
Organizations are making the move from solely technological
strategies to more socialization strategy. The need for human
resources to be the drivers of technology is being sought at a
higher level. This research also demonstrated that knowledge
management has a substantial role in the decision-making

process. However, we also learned that each strategy is
impacted differently by knowledge management practices.
Overall, incorporating knowledge management into decision-
making strategies leads to decisions being made more
efficiently and effectively.
The implications we can take from the sections on
organizational culture and leadership are that each element is
contingent upon each other. The results of the research
demonstrated, “The creation of a successful knowledge
management system, depends on how well leaders can balance
transaction and transformational behaviors, authoritarian and
participative systems, and task and relationship orientations”
(Nguyen & Mohamed, 2011). Effective leaders need to take
into account the culture of the entire organization, and establish
forms of thinking and levels of motivations and behaviors that
are relative and important for that specific organization.
Overall, organizational culture and effective leadership are pre-
conditions for the successful implementation of knowledge
management practices.
REFERENCES
Anonymous. (2006). Knowledge Management: Much more than
a technology exercise. Strategic Direction , 22 (1), 16-18.
Anonymous. (2004). Towards Effective Knowledge
Management. Strategic Direction , 20 (11), 14-16.
Awad, E. M., & Ghaziri, H. M. Knowledge Management. Upper
Saddle River: Pearson Education.
Courtney, J. F. (2001). Decision Making and Knowledge
Management in Inquiring Organizations: Toward a New
Decision-Making Paradigm for DSS. Decision Support System ,
31, 17-38.

Gates, B. (1999). Business @ The Speed of Thought. Kirtland,
WA: Grand Central Publishing.
Green, G., Liu, L., & Qi, B. (2009). Knowledge-Based
Management Information Systems for Effective Business
Performance of SMEs. Journal of International Technology and
Information Management , 18 (2), 201-222.
Nguyen, H. N., & Mohamed, S. (2011). Leadership Behaviors,
Organizational Culture and Knowledge Management practices.
Journal of Management Development , 30 (2), 206-221.
Nicolas, R. (2004). Knowledge Management Impacts on
Decision Making Process. Journal of Knowledge Management ,
8 (1), 20-31.
Pearlson, K. E., & Saunders, C. S. (2010). Managing and Using
Information Systems (Fourth Edition ed.). Danvers: John Wiley
& Sons, Inc.
Pun, K. F., & Nathai-Balkissoon, M. (2011). Integrating
Knowledge Management into Organizational Learning. The
Learning Organization , 18 (3), 203-223.
Quinn, J. B. (1981). Formulating Strategy One Step At A Time.
Journal of Business Strategy , 1, 42-62.
Saeed, T., Tayyab, B., M, A.-U.-H., Ahmad, M. H., &
Chaudhry, A. U. (2010). Knowledge Management Practices:
Role of Organizational Culture. American Society of Business
and Behavioral Sciences , 17 (1), 1027-1036.
APPENDIX

Figure 2: The relationship between data, information, and
knowledge (Pearlson & Saunders, 2010)
Data
Information
Knowledge
Simple observations of states of the world
· Easily captured
· Easily structured
· Easily transferred
· Compact, quantifiable
Data endowed with relevance and purpose
· Requires unit of analysis
· Needs consensus on meaning
· Human mediation necessary
· Often garbled in transmission
Valuable information from the human mind; includes reflection,
synthesis, context
· Hard to capture electronically
· Hard to structure
· Often tacit
· Hard to transfer
· Highly personal to the source
More human contribution
Greater value
Figure 3: The conventional DSS decision-making process
(Courtney, 2001)

Instructions of Preparing MIS Research Report:
Students are required to demonstrate research skill by
conducting an individual graduate-level
research project. The purpose of the project is to equip students
with independent academic
research capability. Each student is expected to carry out an in-
depth investigation on the current
MIS issues such as innovations, strategies, regulations, policies,
best practices, and impacts of
management information systems on the organization. The final
project paper will be a formal
report within the range of 20 to 40 double-spaced pages
(excluding appendix) in the APA style.
Specific Note on Proposal from the Professor - IMPORTANT
2. Conduct a thorough literature review on your research
topic and its current issues mentioned in your proposal and
other areas such as user acceptance, user training, culture shift,
security, regulations, and PAPA (i.e., privacy, accuracy,
property, and accessibility) mentioned in the textbook.
Website with info on PAPA:
http://andreasinica.blogspot.com/2008/04/article-review-
richard-o.html
3. For technical and implementation issues, you can refer to
Figures 6.3, 6.4 and 6.7 (pp. 174, 175 & 181, respectively).
Address some principles of implementing robot lawyers
in organization. In addition to SWOT analysis, you may also
extend your research to other managerial considerations such as
adaptability, standardization, scalability, ROI, green concept,
etc. (pp. 185-191 and 356-371).
**I will scan these pages and send them to you tomorrow
morning.**

4. Tabulate and summarize possible impacts of robot lawyers
on user satisfaction, employee productivity, and business
performance.
**I will do #4.**
5. Draw implications and conclusions from your research results
such as observations, cases of best practice, failures, and
lessons learned.
1. Prepare a cover page with the title of your research project,
your name, and report date.
2. Provide an abstract to summarize your research purpose,
research method and results.
Following by 4 to 6 keywords.
3. List headings and subheadings in a table of contents with
associated page numbers.
4. Keep direct quotes to a minimum level or avoid them.
Turnitin may treat them as a potential
plagiarism. Turnitin score MUST be 15% or lower.
5. Refer and cite at least ten (10) scholarly journal articles
and/or books.
You can use corporate white papers and trade magazine reports
in addition to
those ten required scholarly articles. Give appropriate citations
in your report following APA
style. Cited articles shall be listed in alphabetical order of
author’s last name in the
“References” section. Un-cited articles shall not be listed or
submitted.

6. Provide implications, lessons learned if any, and possible
future research directions.
7. Draw conclusion from your research results and summarize
contributions to the literature.
8. Check your margins (1 inch all sides), spacing (Spacing-
Before: 0 pt, After: 0 pt; Line
Spacing: Double), spelling and typographical errors (grammar,
punctuation, titles of figure
NY Times – Supporting
http://www.nytimes.com/2011/03/05/science/05legal.html?_r=0
Hacked – Supporting
https://hacked.com/legal-consulting-firm-believes-artificial-
intelligence-replace-lawyers-2030/
Dataconomy – Suporting
http://dataconomy.com/lawyers-at-risk-of-losing-their-jobs-to-
ai-by-2030-reveals-recent-study/
BOL
https://bol.bna.com/as-data-streams-grow-lawyers-look-for-
new-ways-to-find-facts/
http://www.corpcounsel.com/id=1202726879749/Is-the-Debate-
on-Predictive-Coding-Ending
BOL – Counter Argument
https://bol.bna.com/lawyers-with-real-intelligence-will-defeat-
artificial-intelligence/
Pitfalls of Predictive Coding
http://www.shapirosher.com/uploads/cke_documents/EsworthyS
idebarWinter2013.pdf

MIST.601 Management Information SystemsResearch Project Proposal.docx

MIST.601 Management Information SystemsResearch Project Proposal.docx

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