Purpose
Knowledge Management (KM) is by now a recognized term, increasingly
accepted in the corporate community. This research contributes a better
understanding of its implementation by providing a list a factors, which though
each seems self-evident, their combination, and the experience acquired in
applying them would support practitioners applying KM, and constitute a
stepping stone for researchers for deepening the knowledge about it.
Research context
Israel Aircraft Industries (IAI), where this research has been conducted, is a
large aerospace and defence company that has gone through a change
process inclusive of KM implementation.
Research approach
A qualitative research strategy with a constructivist paradigm using action
research (the author also being the director of knowledge of the company), was
used. A case study methodology has been utilized over five divisions
representing the average KM performance in the company. Sources of
information have included questionnaires, interviews, data from the various
management tools employed by the programme, and author's observations.
Success factors for KM implementation
The factors relevant to the General Manager of an organization and to the
Knowledge Manager were found to be:
 The profile of the knowledge manager.
 The perception of relevance of KM to the business.
 A structured framework for the organization to follow.
 The acceptance of long term values.
 Management support.
 The openness of the General Manager to external knowledge.
 The knowledge manager's initiative.
 Originality is found in:
 Application of a comprehensive KM framework, its procedures and
measures.
 A multi-level measurement of KM goals as a link to the organization's
business goals.
 Application of the Hoshin Kanri method for the management of KM.
 Application of a staged assessment of maturity for a KM
implementation.
 The factors mentioned above, their peculiar combination and further
understanding of the GM and the knowledge manager roles