A review of knowledge management strategies – issues, contexts and benefits for the construction industry

Mohd Zin, IN; Egbu, CO

Abstract

In the last few years, knowledge management has become one of the hot topics discussed by scholars and industry practitioners. There is also an increasing awareness that to survive and maintain sustained competitive advantage in an uncertain and global market place, organisations need to give due consideration strategies that lead to effective knowledge management initiatives and outcomes. Despite the increasing in adoption of knowledge management concepts and initiatives in other industrial sectors, the construction industry has, arguably, been slow to adopt effective knowledge management practices and strategies; hence many construction organisations are yet to fully exploit the potential benefits of knowledge management concepts and initiatives. The main objectives this paper are, inter alia, to identify the importance and benefits of formal and informal knowledge management approaches in construction organisations and to critically appraise some of the strategies of knowledge management being adopted by organisations from which lessons learned are discussed for the benefits of the construction industry. The paper concludes that there are many knowledge management strategies currently being adopted and used by organisations and each having its own strengths, weaknesses, benefits and potentials. It also concludes that there is no one knowledge management strategy that is likely to lead to successful outcomes in all organisations, but there are certain issues worthy of consideration in developing a knowledge management strategy that offers potential for success. The realisation of this success will, however, depend on a host of factors, including organisational capabilities. This latter conclusion leads to important recommendations for the attention or industry, organisations and the academic community. These are also documented in the paper.

Citation

Mohd Zin, I., & Egbu, C. (2010, May). A review of knowledge management strategies – issues, contexts and benefits for the construction industry. Presented at CIB World Congress 2010, The Lowry, Salford Quays, United Kingdom

• Presentation Conference Type: Other
• Conference Name: CIB World Congress 2010
• Conference Location: The Lowry, Salford Quays, United Kingdom
• Start Date: May 10, 2010
• End Date: May 13, 2010
• Publication Date: May 10, 2010
• Deposit Date: Jan 27, 2011
• Publicly Available Date: Apr 5, 2016
• Additional Information: Event Type : Conference