Knowledge Management Software

Abstract

Due to the vagueness of the concept of knowledge, the software market for knowledge management (KM) seems to be quite confusing. Technology vendors are developing different implementations of the KM concepts in their software products. Because of the variety and quantity of KM tools available on the market, a typology may be a valuable aid to organizations that are searching and evaluating KM software suitable to their needs. The objective of this article is to present a typology that links software features to knowledge processes described in the SECI (socialization, externalization, combination, internalization) model developed by Nonaka and Takeuchi (1995). KM solutions such as intranet systems, content-management systems (CMSs), groupware, work flow, artificial intelligence- (AI) based systems, business intelligence (BI), knowledge-map systems, innovation support, competitive intelligence (CI) tools, and knowledge portals are discussed in terms of their potential contributions to the processes of socialization, externalization, internalization, and combination.