An empirical analysis of knowledge management applications

TLDR

Knowledge management research often overemphasizes technology while neglecting people and quality planning, and systematic empirical studies linking cultural and technological aspects are scarce. This paper aims to deepen understanding of the inter‑relationship between people and technical aspects of knowledge management. The authors developed and pilot‑tested a survey questionnaire, then distributed it to over 1,000 organizations across three industrial sectors. Results show a strong link between knowledge management and organizational culture, including internal technical culture, and that macro‑environmental factors influence internal organizational elements.

Abstract

The aim of this paper is to improve the understanding and inter‐relationship of both the people and technical aspects of knowledge management. Studies in knowledge management indicate that there can be an over‐emphasis on technology to the exclusion of adequate people/quality planning, or, strong people/quality programmes from a knowledge perspective, hindered by inadequate enabling technologies. Understanding of these issues in practice and academia is currently hindered by a paucity of systematic empirical research, addressing the relationship between the cultural and technological aspects of knowledge management. A survey questionnaire was constructed and tested via a pilot phase. The questionnaire was then distributed to over 1,000 organizations, across three industrial sectors. The findings indicate that a strong relationship exists between KM and other organizational factors, namely organizational culture and internal technical culture. Further analysis of these elements revealed that factors internal to the organization are impinged upon by macro‐environmental elements.