Towards evaluating knowledge management through the 7C Model

This paper discusses the evaluation of knowledge management systems through the 7C model for organizational knowledge creation. The model is based on the distinction of individual and organizational knowledge and explicit and tacit knowledge. The 7C model suggests that the seven Cs, i.e. Connection, Concurrency, Comprehension, Communication, Conceptualization, Collaboration, and Collective intelligence, play a central role in the knowledge creation process. The paper also argues that previous research has focused on the technology and organizational contexts, and many of the Web’s inherent key features have not been utilized to the extent they should. Better support for the largely neglected human-sensitive subprocesses of organizational knowledge creation, Comprehension and Communication, may be achieved through deeper utilization of the Web’s hypertext functionality. Moreover, organizations may improve both their core business activities and improvement capabilities as well as search for competitive advantage from business alliances.