Implementing knowledge management in school environment : a principal's leadership-driven approach

Purpose – This paper aims at identifying segments among knowledge management (KM) practitioners and analyzes whether performance varies across these segments. The field of KM aims at enhancing performance through knowledge practitioners. However, not all KM implementations have similar outcomes. Design/methodology/approach – A literature review is conducted through secondary sources. Based on the themes identified for research, qualitative research through a focus group discussion (FGD) and personal interviews is used to explore the themes. This is used to develop a conceptual KM framework. An instrument is developed which is tested for validity and reliability. The instrument is administered to respondents and 313 responses are obtained. Convenience sampling is used to select the respondents. Further, k-means cluster is used to identify segments among KM practitioners. A one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) test is conducted to determine if the average scores of KM constructs varied between the three clusters. Further, ANOVA test is also used to analyze whether organizational and financial performance scores vary between the three clusters. Post hoc test is used to determine the extent of variation between cluster pairs. Findings – The results show that the sample comprises three segments which were subsequently labeled as active, partly and passive KM practitioners. It was found that active KM practitioners scored highest on various KM constructs, passive KM practitioners scored the least and partly KM practitioners had scores in between the two. One-way ANOVA results showed that the average scores of KM constructs varied significantly between the three clusters. The results show that a significant difference is found in organizational as well as financial performance between any two cluster pairs. Research limitations/implications – The sample comprises 313 respondents, of which around 65 per cent are from services industry and 67 per cent from private sector. A higher representation from public sector and manufacturing industry would have made the comparison more meaningful. The findings are based on data collected from India, and therefore, the results may not be generalizable to all economies. Practical implications – The three clusters identified from the sample data may help organizations who have initiated the KM process to benchmark themselves with the obtained clusters and identify the trust areas important to their KM initiative. Originality/value – The study builds upon both qualitative methodology through FGD and personal interviews and quantitative methodology through questionnaire and surveys. This comprehensive coverage of KM constructs and identification of respondent clusters is insightful. It also provides researchers useful means to enhance performance through KM within clusters.

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to examine the efficacy of knowledge management (KM) based systems and best practices that could be used to address operational issues in the oil and gas sector.Design/methodology/approachGiven little was known empirically about the strategies and practices which contribute to improved performance, innovation and continuous improvement in the oil and gas sector qualitative method was used. Semi-structured interviews were used to derive senior managers’ constructs of project delivery efficiency and KM based systems. The interviews were analysed through the use of a qualitative analysis software package NUDIST NVivoTM. Participants were selected using purposive sampling. Validity and reliability were achieved by first assessing the plausibility in terms of already existing knowledge on some of the operational issues raised by participants.FindingsThese were synthesised into a framework capturing seven well-defined stages. All these steps emerged as being related; they are comprised of independent variables. These steps were found to comprise of knowledge management technology approaches, knowledge management people approaches, KM strategies and value enhancing practices.Research limitations/implicationsAlthough the findings are pertinent to oil and gas organisations, it will be important to conduct follow-up research validating the potential for using the results of this study to establish frameworks for knowledge and information management in different organisations and contexts. This will provide not only data about the validity of the framework in generic terms but will also generate additional data on the application of KM strategy.Practical implicationsAs shown in this study, successful KM based systems requires the aligning of business strategy, technology for KM, project management operations with an enterprise knowledge-sharing culture. Such sharing requires managing the behaviour of project personnel such that knowledge transfer becomes part of the organisation’s norm.Social implicationsThe implementation of KM based systems requires deliberate planning and action to create the conditions for success and put in place the strategy, leadership, goals, process, skills, systems, issue resolution, and structure to direct and exploit the dynamic nature of project work. The strategies proposed in this research cannot be expected to resolve all KM issues in the oil and gas sector. However, their use defines an approach that is superior to the traditional approaches typically adopted and consequently merits far wider application.Originality/valueThe proposed framework presents a better way of optimising the performance of project-based operations thus enabling oil and gas organisations to reform their poor performance on projects and empower them to better manage emerging cultural challenges in their future projects. Reflecting on their experiences, the participants confirmed that the proposed KM framework and its seven well-defined stages were central to the effectiveness of KM in oil and gas operations. Although the scope of this research was restricted to projects in Nigeria and the UK, the geographical focus of this research does not invalidate these results with respect to other countries. The fact is that the oil and gas sector globally shares some common fundamental characteristics.

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to show that knowledge management (KM) practitioners usually describe implementation in ideal and positive terms, such as making KM strategy happen, putting ideas into practice or turning embryonic KM strategies into reality. Research has been mainly confined to failures or mistakes in implementation.Design/methodology/approachThis conceptual paper seeks to coalesce some of the scholarly contributions about implementation success and failure, by providing an overview and critical analysis of configurational theory as an alternative approach in research and thinking about KM implementation issues.FindingsThis paper reviews the dominant approaches to KM implementation. It looks at the past academic and business practice literature on KM and calls for a radical change in the way of thinking and studying KM implementation, which incorporates configuration and contextual theories.Originality/valueThis paper provides an understanding of implementation from a holistic perspective, which allows divergent paradigms and perspectives to co‐exist, yet when able to recognise both strengths and limitations of each, it ultimately contributes to a more robust and coherent final analysis of KM implementation.

PurposeThe purpose of this article is to measure knowledge management (KM) implementation and determine KM strategy by assigning KM instruments into KM orientations.Design/methodology/approachInformation is collected from ten SMEs in Spain and ten in Austria taking part in a KM audit project.FindingsResults show that instruments can be used to diagnose KM strategy. Besides, some firm's characteristics as industry, national culture, size and age act as contingent factors. Personalisation strategy is predominant probably due to be more feasible in first KM stages.Research limitations/implicationsBesides the increase of cases, business strategy could be introduced to explore relationships with KM instruments and strategy.Practical implicationsThis study helps management to auto‐diagnosis its KM implementation and strategyOriginality/valueInstead of sophisticated measures, KM strategy is revealed considering knowledge instruments use.

This study aims at developing a knowledge management (KM) model that construction companies can apply for effective knowledge management implementations in their businesses. In developing the proposed model, a mixed methodology of analysing related literature and identifying the gaps in some existing models intended for the construction industry is applied. In addition, a questionnaire and interviews approaches are conducted to prepare, enhance, strengthen and validate the developed model. The major finding of this study is proposing a new KM model – named as BAN model – that fits potential conditions for construction contracting firms, especially enterprises that are small in size and nonadopting KM. The developed model comprises six main stages: (1) preliminary stage; (2) development of an organizational strategy stage; (3) start-up stage; (4) implementation stage; (5) monitoring and evaluation stage; and (6) derivation of short- and long-term KM values. The proposed model is capable of filling and solving the gaps in existing knowledge management models and defining major success factors in KM implementation. The benefits of the proposed model include the enhancement of the KM implementation process, facilitation of the decision-making process, attainment and maintenance of competitive advantages, improvement of innovation, and continuance of effective KM performance.

Knowledge management (KM) is currently an important driver to develop dynamic capabilities for businesses, on behalf of competitiveness. Nonetheless, some critical success factors are hampering KM implementation, such as a lack of a KM strategy, cultural aspects, leadership, and technology. In this paper, we focused on the KM implementation within Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) by exploring Participatory Design potential to KM implementation in SMEs, by focusing on information technology as a critical success factor and exploring some organizational culture characteristics that can help in this context. To achieve this goal, we conducted an ethnographic study in the real environment of a consulting firm which is starting its own KM project. Our results show that Participatory Design might be recommended to SMEs’ KM implementation, by taking advantage of already available, but underused technological tools.

Knowledge Management (KM) plays a fundamental role in technology-based organizations by enabling them to effectively manage and utilize their knowledge resources in dynamic and fast-evolving environments. While KM has been extensively explored across various industries, its application within technology-driven sectors requires further examination due to the unique challenges these organizations face, such as rapid technological advancements, knowledge silos, information overload, and high employee turnover. Knowledge is a key driver of innovation, decision-making, and competitive advantage, so a deeper understanding of how KM operates in these contexts is essential. This study conducts a rapid literature review to investigate the benefits, challenges, and evaluation metrics associated with Knowledge Management in technology-based organizations. The findings reveal that well-implemented KM strategies enhance innovation capacity, operational efficiency, and more effective decision-making processes. However, despite its advantages, Knowledge Management implementation is often hindered by cultural barriers, reluctance to share knowledge, and difficulties aligning KM initiatives with overarching strategic goals. Overcoming these obstacles requires targeted investments in digital infrastructure, leadership support, and promoting a strong knowledge-sharing culture. We also identify a set of potential metrics for assessing KM effectiveness, including operational efficiency indicators, employee and customer satisfaction levels, patent data, knowledge stock, and structural capital. While these metrics build upon insights from the literature, further research is necessary to validate their applicability and reliability as measures of KM success in rapidly changing technology environments. Despite these challenges, Knowledge Management presents transformative potential for organizations seeking to leverage knowledge as a strategic asset, driving continuous innovation, improving organizational performance, and sustaining a competitive edge in an increasingly knowledge-intensive economy. By providing a structured understanding of KM’s role, challenges, and possible success metrics, this study offers valuable insights for researchers and practitioners, guiding them in refining Knowledge Management strategies to enhance adaptability, collaboration, and long-term resilience in technology-driven industries.

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to distinguish and describe knowledge management (KM) technologies according to their support for strategy.Design/methodology/approachThis study employed an ontology development method to describe the relations between technology, KM and strategy, and to categorize available KM technologies according to those relations. Ontologies are formal specifications of concepts in a domain and their inter‐relationships, and can be used to facilitate common understanding and knowledge sharing. The study focused particularly on two sub‐domains of the KM field: KM strategies and KM technologies.Findings”KM strategy” has three meanings in the literature: approach to KM, knowledge strategy, and KM implementation strategy. Also, KM technologies support strategy via KM initiatives based on particular knowledge strategies and approaches to KM. The study distinguishes three types of KM technologies: component technologies, KM applications, and business applications. They all can be described in terms of ”creation” and ”transfer” knowledge strategies, and ”personalization” and ”codification” approaches to KM.Research limitations/implicationsThe resulting framework suggests that KM technologies can be analyzed better in the context of KM initiatives, instead of the usual approach associating them with knowledge processes. KM initiatives provide the background and contextual elements necessary to explain technology adoption and use.Practical implicationsThe framework indicates three alternative modes for organizational adoption of KM technologies: custom development of KM systems from available component technologies; purchase of KM‐specific applications; or purchase of business‐driven applications that embed KM functionality. It also lists adequate technologies and provides criteria for selection in any of the cases.Originality/valueAmong the many studies analyzing the role of technology in KM, an association with strategy has been missing. This paper contributes to filling this gap, integrating diverse contributions via a clearer definition of concepts and a visual representation of their relationships. This use of ontologies as a method, instead of an artifact, is also uncommon in the literature.

India has witnessed a surge in knowledge management (KM) practices over the past decade but these practices vary from business to business. Recording these practices is important as it provides multiple benefits to the business and inputs for the KM implementation process. Developing a scale to measure KM is relevant both for service and manufacturing sector. A literature review was done to conduct an in-depth analysis of the existing scales followed by instrument development and data collection from 320 employees from eight listed enterprises. Confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) has been used for validating the scale. The first outcome of the study is the standardised scale which can be used to record KM practices in both manufacturing and service sector. The second is the identification of important KM practices in business - knowledge acquisition, documentation, creation, transfer and knowledge application.

Knowledge management (KM) is the process of leveraging organizational knowledge to deliver long‐term advantage to a business and is based on a business strategy that involves engineering various knowledge‐centric business processes and developing organization structures to support these. These, in turn, require technology to capture, codify, store, disseminate and reuse the knowledge. Successful deployment of KM is not a simple process. This paper suggests that a major reason for the failure of many KM projects is the absence of a well‐defined strategic plan to guide implementation. This paper discusses the strategic planning needs of the KM deployment process, and develops a framework that could be used specifically by engineering firms to guide the KM implementation process.

Knowledge Management (KM) governance is the implementation of authority through a framework to ensure the delivery of anticipated or predicted benefits of KM strategy development and implementation in an authorized and regulated manner. KM governance also relies on measurement and evaluation of the effectiveness and efficiency of all aspects of KM, particularly the outcomes of strategy implementation to ensure that strategic benefits are realized. This paper examines the results of a global survey of people involved in the development and implementation of KM strategies. Responses came from 34 countries across every continent. Using descriptive and inferential statistics, this paper finds clear evidence of the measurability of KM outcomes through KM governance. These research findings strengthen the proposition that KM governance supports the capacity of KM governance to realize and reveal the value from, or the return on investment (ROI) of KM strategy development and implementation; the selection of KM tools and techniques is less of a consideration in this regard.

Rethinking Strategy and Implementation of Knowledge Management from Innovation Perspective: A Lesson Learned from a Multinational Subsidiary in Indonesia

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to identify the barriers of knowledge management (KM) implementation in Alborz Province industrial Parks Corporation and prioritize them using fuzzy analytical network process (FANP). Design/methodology/approach Through an in-depth review of the literature on KM and researcher findings from observations and interviews with experts, the main barriers of KM implementation, namely, organizational culture, organizational structure, human resource, technology and miscellaneous factors along with their related factors in the surveyed organization were identified. Then, based on the information gathered, an expert questionnaire was developed. Finally, the priority of each main barrier and their sub-factors were determined using FANP. Findings The results show that human resource and organizational culture factors with the weights of 0.66 and 0.22, respectively, have the highest ranking and therefore are the most important barriers. The technology factor with the weight of 0.00002 is the least important barrier in implementing KM in the surveyed corporation. Research limitations/implications One of the limitations of this study is the generalizability of the findings, which may be limited by the single case study method used. Originality/value There are fewer studies about KM barriers specifically with a focus on prioritizing them in organizations, especially in the context of Iran as a developing country. This study develops a comprehensive and solid mathematical technique to prioritize the identified barriers of KM implementation in the context of Iran.

Knowledge Management (KM) systems were implemented widely in corporate organizations for past three decades, but there is little research on KM in schools. The key objectives of this study are to identify the major components of School Knowledge Management and analyze the impact of KM in secondary education on academic performance, based on the perception of school teachers. The survey-based study is conducted in government schools of an Indian State. Exploratory Factor Analysis and Binary Logistic Regression methods are used to identify the KM factors and their impact on academic performance. This study identified the processes and enablers of school KM and its impact on academic performance. Academic performance, being mentioned as the primary outcome of School KM has not been empirically tested from a School KM perspective earlier. Knowledge creation, technology infrastructure and teacher’s competency are identified as KM variables that can significantly influence the Academic Performance and therefore the schools can initiate policies and methods to improve these vital factors.

PurposeIn order to make knowledge management (KM) successful, the most important aspect is to nurture an appropriate organizational culture. Furthermore, many studies indicate that hierarchical cultures can significantly hinder the success of KM activities. The purpose of this paper, therefore, based on the antecedents of hierarchical culture, is to utilize four activities of knowledge conversion to explore the impact of hierarchical culture on the effectiveness of KM processes.Design/methodology/approachIn order to understand the influences of hierarchical culture on knowledge conversion and KM processes, both qualitative and quantitative techniques were used to analyze the data. A case study of two large companies included interviews with several senior managers. A survey questionnaire was also administered to senior managers in 31 Taiwanese companies that had hierarchical cultures.FindingsThrough interpretative case studies and questionnaire analyses, the research finds that a hierarchical culture influences KM practices and can act as a mediator for knowledge conversion and KM processes. For instance, developing a hierarchical culture will be suitable for combination and externalization. Moreover, it would be beneficial to the implementation of KM. In contrast, it would not be helpful for socialization and internalization. In addition, it would not be beneficial to KM strategy and planning.Research limitations/implicationsThe results need to be validated with a robust survey.Practical implicationsThe conceptual framework provides a convenient way to illustrate the effects of hierarchical culture on knowledge conversion and KM processes. Enterprises can make corrections and adjustments accordingly to enhance the effectiveness and efficiency of implementing KM through the appropriate organizational culture.Originality/valueThe paper proposes a conceptual framework to illustrate the influences of hierarchical culture on knowledge conversion and KM processes in Taiwanese organizations.