Journal Article

Organizational Knowledge Management: A Contingency Perspective

Becerra-Fernandez, Irma, Sabherwal, Rajiv

2001

Overview

Prior research examines several knowledge management processes, considering each as universally appropriate. Instead, we propose that the context influences the suitability of a knowledge management process. We develop a contingency framework, including two attributes of the organizational subunit's tasks: process or content orientation, and focused or broad domain, and links knowledge management processes to them: internalization for focused, process-oriented tasks; externalization for focused, content-oriented tasks; combination for broad, content-oriented tasks; and socialization for broad, process-oriented tasks. The empirical research was done at the Kennedy Space Center (KSC), based on several interviews and survey data from 159 individuals across 8 subunits. The results supported the contingency framework. All the knowledge management processes except externalization had a positive impact in the expected cell. At the overall level, combination and externalization, but not internalization and socialization, affect knowledge satisfaction. Some implications for practice and research are identified.

• Publisher: Routledge,M. E. Sharpe,Taylor & Francis Ltd
• Subject: CONTINGENCY THEORY KNOWLEDGE MANAGEMENT STRUCTURAL EQUATION MODELING TASK CHARACTERISTICS / Corporate strategies / Engineers / Explicit knowledge / Externalization / Factor analysis / Internalization / Knowledge / Knowledge management / Learning / Management / Management science / Organizational change / Organizational research / Process management / Questionnaires / Research methodology / Satisfaction / Socialization / Studies / Suitability / Tacit knowledge / Tasks