Knowledge Management Systems:
Emerging Views and Practices
from the Field
Maryam Alavi and Dorothy Leidner
Proceedings of the 32nd Hawaii International Conference
on System Sciences - 1999
Research Objective
Analysis of current practices and
outcomes of KMS and the nature of KMS
 Finding the suggest in KMS
 Type of accurate knowledge and garnering
support for contributing to the KMS

Introduction

Information technologies designed to
assist managerial and professional
workers
◦
◦
◦
◦
Management Information System (MIS)
Decision Support System (DSS)
Executive Information System (EIS)
Knowledge Management System (KMS)
Introduction
Knowledge is a broad and abstract notion
that has defined epistemological debates
in western philosophy since the classical
Greek era
 Knowledge is a justified personal belief
that increases an individual’s capacity to
take effective action

Methodology


Vanguard organizations from 12 countries
A non-random sample of 109 participants in
an executive development program
◦ Chief Information Officers (CIOs)
◦ Information Systems (IS) Managers
◦ General and Functional Area Executives

Questionnaire
◦ The questionnaire contained 13 questions
consisting of short answers and multiple choice.
The respondents estimated about 30 minutes to
complete.

Interview
Result

Represented a range of countries, organizational
positions, and industries
◦ United States 32 respondents
◦ Australia
4 respondents
◦ Canada
2 respondents
◦ England
1 respondents
◦ Germany
1 respondents
◦ Israel
2 respondents
◦ Luxembourg
2 respondents
◦ Netherlands
2 respondents
◦ Saudi Arabia
1 respondents
◦ South Africa
1 respondents
◦ Spain
1 respondents
◦ Switzerland
1 respondents
Table: Perspectives on the meaning of
knowledge management
Table: Needed Knowledge
Management Capabilities
Table: Key concerns related
to knowledge management
Figure: Estimated average budgets of KMS
in organizations with KMS
Figure: Initiators of KMS with
or developing KMS
Table: Percent of KMS
with various technologies/tools
Table: Importance of Knowledge domain
(maximum of 7)
Table: Perceived benefits of existing knowledge
management systems
Discussion
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KMS is not just for consulting and
professional services firms
Knowledge management systems are multifaceted
Try to develop metrics to assess benefits of
KMS
Integrated and integrative technology
architecture is a key driver for KMS
Knowledge in the context of KMS is
perceived to constitute a new form of
information not previously addressed in
other systems such as MIS, DSS, and EIS.
Conclusion

Problem
◦ Respondents were not drawn from a random sample
of organizations or industries
◦ The number of respondents was relatively small, their
views do represent a range of industries,
organizational levels, and nationalities


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The success of KMS may be more related to
organizational culture than to organizational
structure
User must be involved in the consistent
maintenance and operation of KMS
The decision making process for determining
what knowledge to include in KMS
Evaluating Papers
1. What related work is being undertaken?
- The design and chose the appropriate organization’s KMS
system.
2. What is the motivation for the work?
- Knowledge is the organizational asset that enables
sustainable competitive advantage in hypercompetitive
environments and KMS just beginning to appear in organization.
3. What techniques are in use?
- Interview, questionnaire, reference gathering and conclusion.
4. What are the findings of the papers?
- The concept and perspectives of knowledge management,
needed knowledge management capabilities and benefits of
KMS.
5. How does it help me?
- Understand KMS system, KMS design and KMS
development. Also help to understand and choses the correct
amount and type of accurate knowledge to contribute my KMS
6. Why am I studying this aspect of the problem?
- This article clarify to the KMS analysis, outcome of KMS,
and nature of KMS.