Knowledge Management

pebblesjm

Hi!

I'm currently trying to formulate a research question for my masters dissertation and I was wondering if anyone could shed some light on the ideas I've come up with so far............

I'd like to do organisational research and will probably use a mix of qantitative and qualitative. The topic I'm thinking of researching is Knowledge Management and Learning, to accertain if companies who think of themselves as 'learning organisations' actually participate in KM. I presume, maybe incorrectly, that the implementation of KM and Learning is the remit of a Learning and Development department...............

I suppose I'm just curious to get feedback on how to refine this question and what sort of organisation would be suitable to approach.

.................or am I deluded ;-)

Thanks!

antoinolachtnai

It's an interesting question.

Not every company is going to be have a 'learning and development' department, at least not a very high powered one.

What do you mean by 'knowledge management'? Different stuff for different folks. For example, the japanese do this a different way from the Europeans. Have a look at Nonaka and Takeuchi, the Knowlege Creating Company if you can find it.

"The social life of information" (Brown) is ok too. "the myth of the paperless office" (sellen and harper) is worth a look for sure.

It might be interesting to compare two or three Irish companies to three US-based companies with ops in Ireland.

a.

pebblesjm

Hi thanks for replying!

I've to take a marketing spin on the dissertation so I was going to approach it from an internal marketing point of view and how that facilitates knowledge simulation (through inter departmental teams etc. ) and knowledge circulation, that is that employees would understand that it a cyclical process and mutually bebeficial, without the loss of autonomy.

I'll definately have a look at those authors you recommended and will check out the feasibility of doing a omparitive study.

Thanks again :-)