Internet Support for Knowledge Management Systems

Organizations are building and maintaining systems for managing organizational knowledge and memory. Users of these systems may not be at the same location; in many cases they are distributed across large geographical distances and multiple offices. Key to this task is developing an infrastructure that facilitates distributed access and utilization of the retained knowledge and memory. Connectivity and easy to use interfaces are main concerns. Jennex (2000) found that using the Internet as a common communications platform (either as an Intranet or an Extranet) and Web browsers as an interface is a viable, low cost solution. Newell, et al. (1999) found that Intranets not only supported distributed knowledge processes but also enhanced users’ abilities to capture and control knowledge. Stenmark (2002) proposes that using a multiple perspective of the Internet— information, awareness, and communication—allows developers to build successful Internet-based knowledge management systems, KMS. This article discusses how the Internet can be effectively used as an infrastructure for knowledge management/organizational memory systems, KMS/OMS.