Overcoming challenges to effective application of IT research results: A framework for encapsulating the context and findings of research studies

Research studies frequently yield conflicting results. Resolving these conflicts is a grand challenge to effective application of research results. This paper presents a new framework for encapsulating the context and findings of research studies into a dimensional knowledge base which makes it easy to identify the conflicting results, and to explore the differences in context that might explain the conflicting findings. The framework is illustrated using the knowledge sharing domain. The Information Systems literature identifies over 100 variables associated with knowledge sharing, and the findings across different studies have frequently been contradictory. This paper shows how to capture the relevant contextual information, store the information in a dimensional document mart, and use the information to detect and reconcile seemingly inconsistent findings.