A Performance Evaluation Framework for a Public University Knowledge Management System

Abstract

Measuring information technology (IT) implementation success has long been a challenge for information systems researchers and practitioners. The IT evaluation problem is exacerbated when assessing the specific performance of a knowledge management system (KMS), in part because the dependent variable must measure the construct of IT driven incremental enhancements to organizational knowledge and productivity. Historically, researchers have used many quantitative and qualitative variables to evaluate the performance of IT implementations, ranging from return on investment to quality of user decision-making. Academic institutions, such as universities, often have knowledge creation as a final goal, adding to the complexity of the KMS performance measurement challenge. This paper describes a planned, multi-phased, KMS implementation at a typical state university, and presents the theoretically-based, yet practitioner-oriented measures that will be applied to evaluate the ongoing success of the KMS, as it is deployed.