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Implementing knowledge management

The reasons for difficulties in moving to knowledge management (KM) are also highlighted 

by the 1999 IDC survey. The main problems, which are again still relevant, are:

● 

Lack of understanding of KM and its benefits (55%)

● 

Lack of employee time for KM (45%)

● 

Lack of skill in KM techniques (40%)

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Lack of encouragement in the current culture for sharing (35%)

● 

Lack of incentives/rewards to share (30%)

● 

Lack of funding for KM initiatives (24%)

● 

Lack of appropriate technology (18%)

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Lack of commitment from senior management (15%).

Note that lack of the appropriate technology is not a major issue, although selecting the right 

technology may be important. All the main barriers relate to organisational structure and 

culture. A key finding seems to be the need to explain the benefits of knowledge manage‑

ment, develop skills and encourage sharing. Marianne Hedin, Research Manager at IDC 

Research (IDC, 2000) says:

It is impossible to achieve full benefits from knowledge management unless individuals are 

willing and motivated to share their knowledge or unless organizations lose their structural 

rigidity to permit information and knowledge flow.

David Snowden (2002) puts it more simply when he says:

Knowledge can only be volunteered – it cannot be conscripted.

Hansen et al. (1999) suggest that incentives are required to encourage staff to share know‑

ledge such as making knowledge sharing a factor in the employees’ performance review.

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Chapter 10  Change management

For example, with ShareNet, a knowledge management system at Siemens, contributors 

could collect points called ShareNet shares, similar to  frequent‑  flier miles. Users earned 

shares for entering knowledge objects into the library (20 shares for a success story), answer‑

ing urgent requests (3 shares), reusing knowledge and rating one another’s contributions 

(single shares). In May 2000, the top 50 point collectors were invited to New York for a con‑

ference on ShareNet. Redemption of shares was possible against prizes such as textbooks, 

mobile phones, computers, PDAs and business trips. One share was roughly equivalent to 

one euro at the time. Different countries and business units were then compared on their 

success in generating shares.