Managing knowledge is centered on deciding what is to be shared, by/with whom, and how to share it. Ultimately, organizational value is produced when the shared knowledge is used and re-used. Consistent value is created when there is an atmosphere of mutual trust, when employees are motivated to share knowledge, and when there is a systematic process to find existing knowledge, create new knowledge, and communicate with others on a simple to use platform.
In order for organizations to achieve sustained growth in an efficient and effective manner, knowledge sharing practices are uniformly believed to be an integral ingredient. Creating a knowledge sharing culture is never trouble-free and usually requires a great deal of effort on the part of those who are charged with developing and leading the initiative. This research is an effort to catalogue many of the best practices from previous knowledge management (KM) program successes as well as the several barriers and risks to the endeavor. Ultimately, a successful program will depend upon four overarching things:
- Employees must be motivated, encouraged, and rewarded so that they willingly capture, disseminate, and generate useful knowledge.
- The organizational structure must be designed to facilitate transparent knowledge flows, processes, and resources so that a general culture of continuous learning and sharing exists.
- Organizational strategy, goals, and expectations must be clearly communicated and continuously supported by the leaders of the organization.
- Technology must be purposefully integrated into existing social knowledge networks providing a platform that employees are comfortable using.
