Exploring Strategies for DeployingKnowledge Management Tools andTechnologies

摘要

The overwhelming number of knowledge management (KM) tools onthe market today and the hype surrounding them makes it difficult for knowl-edge managers to know which tools will provide them with the best KM value.Despite this wide array of options, there is no technological silver bullet tosolve an organization's KM problems. Knowledge managers have to developmechanisms and strategies for how best to implement and use KM tools andtechnologies. Using an exploratory focus group comprised of knowledgemanagers from a number of different organizations, this study explores therelationship between KM and technology and identifies the strategies knowl-edge managers use to successfully recognize where and how technologyshould be implemented and used to facilitate knowledge management work.Our results support the existing KM literature by highlighting the importanceof delivering KM tools on a solid foundation of information technology (IT)and information management (IM) infrastructure. Further, KM tools work bestfor different tasks and work groups; therefore, understanding which tool ismost appropriate for the use context is critical. We also gain an understand-ing of the strategies that KM managers use for successful implementationand use of KM tools. These strategies embody the following principles: ex-perimentation, iteration, adaptation of grassroots technologies and buildingon what works. The findings from this study suggest that when knowledgemanagers use these strategies for deploying KM tools, delivering successand business value from KM is much more likely.