Using IT to Support Knowledge Management - A Survey- Based Study of a Large, Global Consulting Company

The paper reports the results of a quantitative, survey-based study which investigates the use of an IT supported knowledge management system (KMS) which is embedded in knowledge management framework in a large, global IT consulting company. The main findings are that the majority of the IT users are not familiar with the KMS framework. Still, the KMS is used by 3/4 of all respondents, but mainly to search for general information, but much less to participate in competence networks to develop shared knowledge assets. The KMS is not used as the primary repository and communication media for knowledge assets. The limited use is explained by the practitioners as being caused by lack of time and their perception of the KMS as a slow and poorly structured technical infrastructure. These and other findings are discussed with regard to the current understanding of knowledge management as presented by the literature in the field.