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TopKnowledge Management
Knowledge Management is a broad discipline comprising numerous sub-areas and topics; as such, it is useful to first define, and then to examine, some of the major areas that comprise a KM system.
A useful definition of knowledge management is as a process, using a multi-disciplinary approach, for the capture, development, sharing, and effective use of organizational knowledge for achieving organizational objectives (Davenport, 1994; Dalkir & Liebowitz, 2013).
In practice, this means capturing the knowledge and information found in an organization, storing it in retrievable form for use and update, ultimately to benefit the organization. It could include, for example, capturing and retaining specific knowledge about a company’s operations and functions, plans that must be shared, commented, and updated by one or more groups within the organization, trade secrets and company proprietary development, or expertise relating to a specific area within the firm (Dalkir & Liebowitz, 2013). Although there exists a wide range of views on the exact elements encompassing the theory and practice of KM (Bray, 2007, Langston & Robbins, 2006), there is broad agreement that the central elements of KM must include an organization's culture and people, processes and structure, and technology, as listed in Table 1.
Table 1. Central elements of a knowledge management system
| Component | Purpose |
| People | Focuses on the interaction of people and culture viewed as an ecological whole. |
| Organizational | Focuses on the design of processes and structures to maximize knowledge processes. |
| Technological | Focuses on those areas of technology that enhance knowledge creation, retention, updating, and sharing. |
Adapted from Alavi and Leidner (1999).