This book follows on from Elayne Coakes'previous book in the CSCW series, The New SocioTech (published April 2000). Whereas that book gave a broad introduction to the re-emerging area of sociotechnical design, this one applies these principles specifically to the area of Knowledge Management (KM). KM has been a key tool in ensuring that people and technology work together to optimum effect within organisations for many years, but recent studies have called for a more systemic approach to the topic. This book examines that problem via sociotechnical principles which have recently re-emerged as one of the most widely used approaches to information systems and organisational design. Including contributions from academics and practitioners, this book looks at key aspects of the field such as:- Knowledge management strategy formulation- Knowledge requirements- Case studies from corporate learning environments and industryIt will be of interest to practitioners, researchers, and managers who are involved in any aspect of information systems/sociotechnical design or knowledge management. It will also useful for advanced students on information systems or related courses.

Sociotechnical principles are now widely used around the world in both information systems and organisational design. First established in the 1940s to examine the effect of mechanised, mass-production systems on workers in the coal mining industry, they are now an important tool for ensuring that people and technology work together to optimal effect within an organisation. One of their main aims is the development of organisations where small groups work independently, handling sets of varied tasks, and managing their own activities.
The main features of this book include: Practical experiences of applying sociotechnical approaches from around the world; Focus on future directions for the topic and modern applications of existing principles; Contributions from leading figures such as Enid Mumford; A Foreword by Frank Land.

This book presents and theorises research findings into why and how school principals play a critical role in engaging parents and their school communities to enhance student learning and wellbeing. It highlights the imperative of parent engagement as evidenced by clear, consistent findings from research over the last fifty years and government reforms, policies and frameworks internationally and nationally in Australia which have been driven by the weight of this evidence. It focuses on a research project conducted from 2016 to 2017, titled 'Principal leadership for parent-school-community engagement in disadvantaged schools'. This project investigated four principals identified as successful in parent engagement based on findings of state-wide survey research of principals and presidents of parents and citizens' associations in 2014 in Queensland, Australia. This book offers theoretical and empirical evidence based on literature for the qualities successful principals in parent engagement exhibit, and the strategies they take to achieve parent and community engagement. It shows how the concept of agency as achievement can be used by educators and public policy makers to enable school leaders and teachers to adopt qualities and strategies that will engage parents in their child's learning and wellbeing, so that improved outcomes for their child and schools can result.