INNOVATIVE KNOWLEDGE MANAGEMENT FOR IT ORGANIZATIONS

Innovative Knowledge Management for IT Organizations

Abstract

This study, using both quantitative and qualitative methods, investigates current practice of Knowledge Management (KM) in Software Engineering (SE) processes in two Australian companies on the basis that they both claimed to apply KM practices in their software development work. It also describes the KM activities and KM process used in SE practice, and examines the enablers of KM process for SE in terms of leadership, technology, culture, process and measurement.

One of the main findings showed that software developers believe in the usefulness of knowledge sharing; however, their ability to utilize some of the KM systems was limited. The most commonly used systems included personal networks, informal networks, and groupware and third-party knowledge. There is a need to formalise knowledge sharing of practices, while also supporting informal and ad-hoc knowledge sharing. While KM was considered to be important, the tools, techniques and methodologies currently employed for software development were inadequate to address effective management of knowledge in these organisations. In both organisations, a uniform model of the KM process did not exist. Among the four KM enablers, leadership was considered to be the most significant as top-down KM strategies were seemingly being pursued by management. Technology was also considered to be an obvious mechanism for KM, despite some of their current KM systems either being unsuitable or inaccessible. In addition, the crucial role that personal networks played in accessing tacit and implicit knowledge was seen as a key reason to foster a culture that encourages participants to share their knowledge with others.

Table of contents

Abstract2

1. Introduction6

2. Related work10

2.1. Knowledge and Knowledge Management10

2.2. Knowledge Management in software engineering organisations14

2.2.1. The role of KM in software development process14

2.2.2. Application of KM in software engineering organisations17

2.3. The proposed KM framework20

3. Research design24

3.1. Research method26

3.1.1. Semi-structured interviews26

3.1.2. Questionnaire27

3.2. Selection of case studies and data collection28

3.3. Description of the companies and the projects30

4. Data analysis and results32

4.1. Current practices for KM in SE33

4.1.1. Company A34

4.1.2. Company B35

4.2. KM process activities37

4.2.1. Company A39

4.2.2. Company B40

4.3. Descriptive KM process models41

4.3.1. Company A46

4.3.2. Company B47

4.4. KM enablers48

4.4.2. Company B51

5. Discussion of results51

5.1. Current practices for KM in SE51

5.1.1. Types of knowledge52

5.1.2. Motivation for sharing knowledge53

5.1.3. Knowledge sources54

5.1.4. KM systems55

5.2. KM process activities57

5.2.1. Knowledge Creation57

5.2.2. Knowledge Acquisition58

5.2.3. Knowledge Identification59

5.2.4. Knowledge Adaptation60

5.2.5. Knowledge Organisation62

5.2.6. Knowledge Distribution64

5.2.7. Knowledge Application65

5.3. KM process models67

5.4. KM enablers69

5.4.1. Leadership69

5.4.2. Technology71

5.4.3. Culture73

5.4.4. Measurement75

6. Validity threats77

6.1. Internal validity78

6.2. External validity78

6.3. Construct validity80

6.4. Conclusion validity81

7. Conclusion and future work82

References86

Innovative Knowledge Management for IT organizations

Introduction

In the information age, many IT organisations compete for shrinking profit margins in increasingly global markets. As a result, the prospect of redesigning and integrating business processes in order to enhance operational efficiencies has become a necessity, and H.C. Lucas Jr., Information Technology and the Productivity Paradox: Assessing the Value of the Investment in IT, Oxford University Press, New York, USA (1999).. It is now expected that organisations be flexible enough to challenge their accepted business practices, while at the same time build upon ...