In this paper, we investigate the advantages of email for knowledge management (KM) by undertaking a feature analysis of the email tool Eudora, and a discourse analysis of messages and conversations in an email archive. We believe the advantages of email for KM have contributed to the appropriation of email for everyday knowledge work. We provide a table of the characteristics of KM in email, an analysis of knowledge development and creation in email, and an understanding of the considerable advantages of email for knowledge work. Our results may prove useful to companies in suggesting objectives, features and managerial interventions for other KM tools and endeavours. The research findings also provide support for the recognition of email in formal organisational KM strategy.
['Sharman Lichtenstein', 'Paula M. C. Swatman']
Email and Knowledge Management