ORGANIZATIONAL TRUST AND THE CHOICE OF A DOMINANT KM APPROACH: TWO CRITICAL FACTORS OF THE KM SUCCESS EQUATION

摘要

Numerous studies have highlighted the importance of trust in KM initiatives. However, very few have been conducted to quantify its effect and its relationship with other KM factors. The purpose of this study is to start filling this gap. Data from 101 US organizations involved in KM were collected. For each organization the level of usage of different KM tools and practices was assessed and the main KM approach adopted by the organization (codification vs. personalization) was estimated. In addition, the level of organizational trust and the level of success of the KM initiative were assessed. Eight hypotheses were postulated to study the relationships between the above three factors. We present that trust and the personalization approach have a significant influence on KM initiative success.