Secure Knowledge Management: Influencing the Development of Human Knowledge Sharing Networks

Human knowledge-sharing networks generate Intellectual Property and Trade Secrets that provide private enterprise with competitive advantages. Although considerable research has focused on increasing the knowledge-sharing outcomes of such networks, there has been comparatively less emphasis on examining the possibility of competitive erosion through knowledge leakage. This paper considers how to mitigate knowledge leakage by influencing the development of human knowledge sharing networks. The authors review the literatures of human knowledge sharing networks as well as information security management in organizations. Based on the literature reviews we identify 12 key factors that influence network development and a security paradigm and associated mechanisms that mitigate knowledge leakage. The authors then identify a range of knowledge protection strategies by applying the security paradigm to the human network development factors. The paper concludes with a discussion on controllability, the extent to which organizations can use each factor to mitigate knowledge leakage