The usage and effectiveness of IT and non-IT tools on knowledge management practices maturity in construction non-profit volunteer organisations (CONVOs)

摘要

The management of both tacit and explicit knowledge is gaining popularity as a critical factor which leads to organisational development. Using information technology (IT) tools and non-IT techniques for knowledge management (KM) has been widely documented in the for-profit construction sector. Accordingly, this paper presents research conducted to investigate the current usage and effectiveness of KM tools in construction non-profit volunteer organisations (CONVOs), specifically Canadian Habitat for Humanity (HFH) affiliates. The aim is to determine KM tools' influence on knowledge management practices maturity (KMPs maturity). Respondents from an online survey indicate a level three (defined) maturity out of 5 maturity levels by 68% of HFH CONVOs. Microsoft Office tools are predominantly used but face-to-face meetings deemed most effective. Further, KMPs maturity is influenced by organisational capacity, competencies and operational outputs. The survey results are further used to identify a focus group for the adoption of action research principles to identify the most appropriate KM tools for application and to demonstrate its impact on future KMPs maturity. The research's ultimate goal is to develop a practical guide for the adoption of KM tools in Canadian HFH CONVOs.