Impact Analysis of Intranets and Portals on Organizational Capital: Exploratory Research on Brazilian Organizations

Abstract

This chapter analyzes the impacts of intranet quality on organizational capital practices. The chapter describes a research model empirically tested in 98 large Brazilian organizations. The variables proposed by the TAM (technology acceptance model) (Venkatesh & Davis, 2000) and the TTF (task technology fit) (Goodhue & Thompson, 1995) were converted into portal’s context, emphasizing the importance of leveraging classical information science and information system studies to understand better the portal phenomenon. Furthermore, the knowing organization model (Choo, 1998) was applied in order to offer a theoretical support for the intellectual capital-based variables. The results give evidence that the portal quality has more influence on knowledge creation than on sense-making and decision-making. The chapter reinforces the usage of the Knowing Organization model as a framework to understand intellectual capital and knowledge management initiatives.