Knowledge Identification and Acquisition in SMEs: Strategically Emergent or Just Ad Hoc?

Literature Review

Knowledge management has been defined by a large number of scholars in a variety of ways but typically refers to organizations acquiring, using and capturing knowledge that maximizes organizational returns (Easterby-Smith & Lyles, 2011; Hislop, 2013). Often, knowledge management is defined in terms of the processes, systems or strategies, and there has been a proliferation of frameworks relating to these processes. In a review of 160 knowledge management frameworks, Heisig (2009) identified six groups of knowledge management activities (sometimes referred to as processes) including: use, identify, create, acquire, share, and store knowledge. Focusing on knowledge management in SMEs, Fink and Ploder (2009) presented four key knowledge management processes; identification, acquisition, distribution and preservation. These processes together are concerned with developing knowledge resources for the organization.