crucial inferences that could be extremely useful for similar knowledge management.
effort in any industrial setting.
The aim of this paper is to comparatively analyse and evaluate the Knowledge.
Management (KM) efforts of such consultancy firms. We adopt an approach similar to.
the one used by Ascari, Rockand Dutta (1995) for the comparative analysis of.
reengineering and organisational change experiences.
By studying their efforts under a common framework we aim to better understand the.
enabling and disabling factors of knowledge management projects. In the paper we :.
* develop a consistent framework that considers in an integrated manner the.
context of the KM effort, the strategic goals that were set, the way the effort.
proceeded (in terms of business processes, supporting IT tools, cultural issues,.
etc);.
* apply the framework in order to analyse and characterise the KM efforts of global.
consulting companies, in an effort to identify the major results attained and detect.
lessons learnt for similar efforts;.
* draw conclusions by summarising the findings of the analysis and outlining the.
major similarities and differences of efforts in the companies, the problems they.
faced and the solutions given.
A Framework for the Comparative Analysis of KM Efforts.
Our objective in using a framework in this research was primarily to facilitate the.
structuring and analysis of a set of knowledge management initiatives, and to enable.
us to draw useful comparisons and reach consistent conclusions.
A number of knowledge management frameworks have been developed in the.
litarature. Among them the most notable include: the knowledge life-cycle, developed.
by APQC (1997), which describes the phases of organisational knowledge from its.
creation to its application; the one proposed by Lank (1997) that identifies three.
significant areas - culture, business processes and technology - which need to be.
influenced to make a knowledge management initiative succesful; and the knowledge.