Influence of corporate culture on the use of knowledge management techniques and technologies

Abstract

Knowledge and innovation are increasingly regarded as the most strategic resources of organizations (Itzkin 2000). As a result, the creative use of existing knowledge and the acquisition, assimilation and development of new knowledge have become significant to any organization's competitive advantage. Davenport and Cronin (2000) contend that the interplay of tacit and explicit knowledge can be regarded as the key to knowledge management (KM). Since it is rather difficult to capture tacit knowledge, organizations are increasingly implementing KM techniques and technologies to reveal and share this type of knowledge. However, various obstacles exist regarding the implementation of KM techniques and technologies in organizations. Ndlela and Du Toit (2000) maintain that it is important to consider the type of culture residing within an organization, since the cultural habits of members of an organization affect the way in which it manages knowledge. As a result of this observation, one could enquire whether an organization's culture could persuade or discourage individuals to make use of KM techniques and technologies to create, codify and share knowledge. Consequently the aim of this research was to answer the following question: What is the influence of corporate culture on the use of KM techniques and technologies in organizations? top