A Framework for Developing and Aligning a Knowledge Management Strategy

Businesses today, including non-profits, recognise the need for knowledge management (KM). KM may require new strategies and goals before it can be implemented, or it can be aligned with current business strategies for quicker implementation. The framework presented here is for managers in companies and organisations to use to align their KM strategies with business strategies to improve performance involving financial growth, cost reduction and customer satisfaction. A study of three strategic types of organisations (defender, prospector, analyser) and interviews at a large corporation and a non-profit organisation suggests that the conceptual framework presented in this paper can be verified. More empirical evidence of alignment is planned, as organisations become more sophisticated users of KM. The authors have been working for over three years on the taxonomy and conceptual framework for KM/BS Alignment (also known as KMSABS) and present a procedure for implementation in this paper. The KM/BS Alignment model involves concepts, actors, actions and processes. An important aspect of the methodology is for businesses and organisations to identify their strategic character to support appropriate interactions associated with knowledge. As shown in this paper, product and knowledge managers can affect goal alignment and interaction in an organisation if they implement change based on the suggested framework.