The Organic and the Mechanistic Form of Managing Knowledge in Software Development

This paper presents a framework for knowledge management in software development. The dimensions of the framework are drawn from organization theory. Therefore, it allows for a systematic comparison of knowledge management activities in different companies. By applying established theories from various disciplines, two basic forms of knowledge management can be derived from this framework. The organic form is fitting when the primary intention of knowledge transfer is achieving innovation effects. The mechanistic form is suitable for companies mainly aiming at leveraging existing knowledge. The findings of a survey generally support the existence of the two forms of knowledge management in practice. However, both forms may coexist, when referred to distinct dimensions of knowledge like application domain, methodological, and technical knowledge.