ABSTRACT
Once issues of mindset and the physical arrangement of the newsroom have been dealt with, technology comes into its own. One of the key ways to apply knowledge management is through teamwork and collaboration – getting people to work together and share ideas. Many brains truly work better than one. But the bigger an organization, the less likely people are able to share ideas. Intranets are powerful tools for linking teams. Often these people work in different parts of the same building within a large organization. Sometimes they work in different parts of the world. Used properly and maintained efficiently, intranets let members of a news organization do better research and ‘know what they know’. The latter refers to a key concept of knowledge management that involves getting access to the knowledge inside people’s heads. Once more it must be repeated that managers must take the lead and demonstrate their commitment to change through their willingness to embrace technology and, equally importantly, through ensuring that intranets are kept up to date. Topics covered in this chapter include:
what is an intranet?
intranets and collaboration
intranets: catalysts for change
a single source of information
intranets for research
cheaper to distribute electronic documents
intranets save time through convenience
95intranets boost morale
anticipating potential problems.
