Knowledge intensive business processes: A process-technology fit perspective

Abstract

We take a business process centric view of an organization and study knowledge intensive business processes (KIBPs). Using a case study research methodology, we studied a diverse set of business processes in multiple organizations to understand their basic ingredients. We find that, although materially dissimilar, KIBPs share a common framework at an abstract level, in that, the tasks that comprise them, the information/knowledge that they need, and the decision situations that are encountered within them have similar characteristics. We draw upon the task-technology fit (TTF) theory and expand it to consider the process-technology fit in the context of KIBPs. In doing so, we prescribe guidelines for organizations for planning for IT support in the form of knowledge management systems for decision making scenarios that are commonly encountered in KIBPs. © 2010 Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg.