Knowledge Management for Strategic Marketing

Abstract

In this paper we develop a conceptual framework for “Strategic Knowledge Management”—i.e., a form of knowledge management aimed at supporting strategy formulation. Three major areas of strategic knowledge and their basic interrelations are particularly relevant to strategy formulation: first, the “worlds of the customers”; second, the competences and resources a company can draw upon; third, trends and issues in the general business environment. In each of these areas knowledge is often incomplete, ambiguous and not clearly defined. Therefore, we will also tackle the important issue of ignorance. In this context we will discuss approaches how to detect knowledge gaps and subsequently fill them properly.