Using Information Systems to Leverage Knowledge Management Processes: The Role of Work Context, Job Characteristics and Task-Technology Fit

In the modern business context, the capacity of generating knowledge and innovations has been seen as a critical factor for the achievement of sustained competitive advantage. Although, in the literature, such capacity is often attributed to organizations themselves, it is their employees that ultimately are responsible for creating and disseminating knowledge that will be the basis for innovation. Many companies have invested in Knowledge Management (KM) methodologies and the information systems (IS) that support the associated activities as a means to further continuous knowledge creation and innovation. With such trends as its background, this study focus on how an individual’s particular work context, job characteristics and knowledge-related job requirements affect the relationship between tasktechnology fit (TTF) and the use of information systems in knowledge management activities. Relevant constructs and their dimensions identified in the literature were integrated into a model. Its test suggests that providing appropriate IT tools that fit knowledge-related tasks alone does not guarantee their effective use to leverage the acquisition, transfer and reuse of knowledge. Instead, the relationship between TTF and actual use of IS for KM purposes seem to be indirectly affected by job and work context characteristics.