Knowledge Management Toolkit for SMEs

Abstract

The discipline of knowledge management is no longer emerging in large organizations, but also small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) are focusing on finding the right process that will allow them to make advantages of their intellectual capital. Using survey data from 219 small and medium-sized enterprises in Austria and Switzerland, this article illustrates the four key knowledge processes (1) knowledge identification, (2) knowledge acquisition, (3) knowledge distribution, and (4) knowledge preservation for SMEs and also reports the findings of the empirical study designed to allocate cost-efficient software products to each of the four knowledge processes. As a result a knowledge toolkit for SMEs that integrates knowledge processes, methods and software tool for decision support making is given. Finally, the social view of knowledge management to SMEs is discussed, showing that the use of information technology is currently far more important than the integration of a social-cognitive perspective.

Back to the future of Knowledge Management Systems off the beaten paths

“…Scientific literature highlights that Knowledge Management Systems (KMSs), defined by Alavi and Leidner (2001) as Information-Technology (IT)-based systems supporting the different phases of the Knowledge Management (KM) processes, have undergone massive changes (Antonelli et al , 2000; Corso et al , 2003a, b; Shin, 2004; Nevo and Chan, 2007; Fink and Ploder, 2009; He et al , 2009; Massa and Testa, 2011; Sutanto and Jiang, 2013; Centobelli et al , 2019a, b). Nowadays, technology dynamics and innovation in Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs) are driving development and introduction of new KMSs that are cheaper, more user-friendly and more effective than traditional ones (Matlay, 2005; Garrigos-Simon et al , 2012; Centobelli et al , 2019a, b).…”

“…computer-aided design, engineering, manufacturing, product data management) to support companies in capturing, translating and disseminating knowledge for improving efficiency and effectiveness of KM processes. Fink and Ploder (2009) frame KMSs as methods and cost-efficient software products supporting the knowledge integration among people, processes, technology and the organisational structure. Similarly to Alavi and Leidner (2001), they divide them in systems for knowledge identification, acquisition, distribution and preservation.…”

Measuring the use of knowledge management systems in supply firms

“…While exists a consistent body of literature dealing with KM in large customer companies, researchers have devoted little attention to small and medium suppliers (Varaee et al , 2015). Specifically, there is little empirical investigation on knowledge management systems (KMSs) used by small and medium supply firms to support KM process (Alavi and Leidner, 2001; Du Plessis, 2008; Fink and Ploder, 2009). The few contributions that focus on this issue do not offer a comprehensive overview on the different KMSs used by small and medium suppliers, and do not highlight their intensity of use (Centobelli et al , 2018).…”

How to deal with knowledge management misalignment: a taxonomy based on a 3D fuzzy methodology

“…1. knowledge management practices (KM-Practices), which may be defined as the set of methods and techniques to support the processes of knowledge management; and 2. knowledge management tools (KM-Tools), which may be defined as the specific ITbased systems supporting KM methods and techniques (Alavi and Leidner, 2001;Centobelli et al, 2017;Fink and Ploder, 2009).…”