A Performance Environment Perspective of Knowledge Management

Knowledge management is a topic that has gained increasing attention since the mid-1990s. A knowledge management strategy involves consciously helping people share and put knowledge into action. However, before an organization can undertake a knowledge management initiative, it needs to first understand what knowledge should be managed and to what performance ends. In this paper, we describe a framework that provides a holistic view of the performance environment surrounding organizational knowledge work. We illustrate the efficacy of this framework to knowledge management using two organizational case studies. Then, based on the framework and insights drawn from our case studies, we present a series of steps – a checklist for action – that may assist organizations and practitioners as they undertake knowledge management initiatives. We conclude our paper with a discussion of implications for practice and future research directions.