In our study, we found that supervisors’ and co-workers’ support for participating in web 2.0-based KM activities can increase tacit knowledge sharing. In web 2.0 based KM, in many cases inpiduals’ knowledge sharing, especially tacit knowledge sharing, happens due to the voluntary contribution of the employees. Hence, it encourages inpiduals when their co-workers and supervisors notice the contribution they have made through knowledge sharing on web 2.0 based KM. For example, an interviewee from organization C stated regarding his feeling towards incentive for sharing knowledge,

It always feels good to be recognized and appreciated for your work. This is no different. And this (i.e. recognition) is something you look forward to.

Our results show that supervisors’ and co-workers’ support can play a positive role in tacit knowledge sharing by inpiduals. Our finding informs the management that the supervisors can increase tacit knowledge sharing in web 2.0 based KM through recognition and appreciation of the inpiduals who enthusiastically share knowledge. Hence, the supervisors have to take an active role in identifying and appreciating the inpiduals who actively participate and share knowledge in web 2.0 based KM to enhance the sharing further.

3.1.3. Use of Web 2.0 for KM and Perceived Learning

We found support for the proposition that the use of web 2.0 technology for inpidual level KM in an organization can positively affect the perceived learning of inpiduals in that organization. All the interviewees responded that the use of a web 2.0 KM has helped them in their learning.

Interviewees mentioned two major reasons for their positive response. First, interviewees thought that the use of web 2.0 for KM provided access to knowledge that was not previously available from internal sources before. For example, there are experts in their organization in different subject matters. However, in big organizations it was not always possible to identify these experts and seek help from them. web 2.0 technology, such as wikis and blogs, has provided a platform where a knowledgeable person can share h8.3

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Future research is/her knowledge help others to solve problems. In some cases, these experts maintain their own blogs on their area of expertise. On these blogs, they provide materials that help others learn new things about the area. They also provide solutions to specific problem(s) other employees are facing through Q&As on blogs. In addition, these experts often provide their email address on their blogs so that an inpidual in their organization could directly contact them about a problem pertinent to their area of expertise.

Second, web 2.0 provides learning convenience. All interviewees were very enthusiastic about the ease of learning in a web 2.0-based KM environment. web 2.0 can reduce the typical training workshops that employees attend on a fixed date and time through podcasting and other multimedia approaches. Our interviewees mentioned that due to this web 2.0 based approach the number of formal training sessions reduced significantly in their organizations. Interviewees preferred this approach to training over the conventional face-to-face training workshops. For example, an interviewee from organization C described,

I have missed many training sessions because I was out of town or had to reschedule other things to attend the meetings. Now all those hassles are gone. I can just watch the podcasts, download the power point slides, and all other related materials. Job done! Because of that the number of formal face-to-face training sessions in our organization has gone down significantly.