Knowledge Management: Learning from Diverse Styles

摘要

This paper questions the popular claim that knowledge management (KM) is becoming the most universal management concept in history. It does this by exploring a cross-cultural context that brings to light the unique features and associated problematic of differing KM styles: the American, the Japanese, the European and the Chinese. It presents evidence that, despite growing connections, uniqueness and heterogeneity among KM styles worldwide are likely to continue due to differences in histories, cultures and institutional forces. Consequently, rather than from a universal concept or an isolationist strategy, the paper concludes, KM will benefit from globally informed indigenous practices.