Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in
Book cover

The Palgrave Handbook of Knowledge Management pp 131–149Cite as

Palgrave Macmillan

Knowledge Management and Organisational Culture

  • 2518 Accesses

Abstract

This chapter considers how knowledge management (KM) and associated management systems impact on, and are impacted by, organisational culture. It considers the raison d’etre of knowledge management systems (KMS) and the components of organisational culture. We suggest that at the heart of KM is a culture of knowledge-sharing and so explore the cultural antecedents to this and the relationship between technology and culture. Based on a case study following an organisation’s implementation of a KMS, we examine in detail how it was used for performance management by gathering intelligence about the workforce through observation and managing targets and deadlines. In this context, we explore KM and the enactment of power. We conclude that although a KMS may be thought by managers potentially to leverage information to improve performance through efficiency, it can alternatively be seen as a way to monitor and control the workforce through data-driven sanctions and rewards that are more concerned with a one-straightjacket-fits-all approach to efficiency rather than effectiveness and the concomitant impact that this has on organisational culture. We propose a checklist of ten considerations regarding organisational culture that management needs to be cognisant of when it seeks to implement and leverage a KMS.

Keywords

  • Knowledge management
  • Organisational culture
  • Knowledge-sharing
  • Performance management
  • Power and control

This is a preview of subscription content, access via your institution.

Chapter
USD   29.95
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
eBook
USD   129.00
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as EPUB and PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
Softcover Book
USD   169.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Compact, lightweight edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info
Hardcover Book
USD   249.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Durable hardcover edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info

Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout

Purchases are for personal use only

Learn about institutional subscriptions

References

  • Alavi, M., & Leidn, D. E. (2001). Review: Knowledge management and knowledge management systems: Conceptual foundations and research issues. MIS Quarterly, 25, 107–136.

    CrossRef  Google Scholar 

  • Allameh, M., Zamani, M., & Davoodi, S. M. R. (2011). The relationship between organizational culture and knowledge management. Procedia Computer Science, 3, 1224–1236.

    CrossRef  Google Scholar 

  • Al-Mashari, M., Al-Mudimigh, A., & Zairi, M. (2003). Enterprise resource planning: A taxonomy of critical factors. European Journal of Operational Research, 146, 352–364.

    CrossRef  Google Scholar 

  • Bain, P., & Taylor, P. (2000). Entrapped by the ‘electronic panopticon’? Worker resistance in the call centre. New Technology, Work and Employment, 15, 2–18.

    CrossRef  Google Scholar 

  • Bijker, W. E. (1987). The social construction of bakelite: Toward a theory of invention. In W. E. Bijker, T. P. Hughes, & T. Pinch (Eds.). The Social Construction of Technological Systems: New Directions in the Sociology and History of Technology, London: The MIT Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Bloomfield, B. P., & Hayes, N. (2009). Power and organizational transformation through technology: Hybrids of electronic government. Organization Studies, 30, 461–487.

    CrossRef  Google Scholar 

  • Chang, C. L.-H., & Lin, T.-C. (2015). The role of organizational culture in the knowledge management process. Journal of Knowledge Management, 19, 433–455.

    CrossRef  Google Scholar 

  • Collison, C., & Parcell, G. (2001). Learning to fly: Practical lessons from one of the world’s leading knowledge companies. Chichester: Capstone.

    Google Scholar 

  • Davenport, T. H. (2000). Mission critical: Realizing the promise of enterprise systems. Boston: Harvard Business School Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Davenport, T. H., Delong, D. W., & Beers, M. C. (1998). Successful knowledge management projects. Sloan Management Review, 39, 243–257.

    Google Scholar 

  • Dechow, N., & Mouritsen, J. (2005). Enterprise resource planning systems, management control and the quest for integration. Accounting, Organizations and Society, 30, 691–733.

    CrossRef  Google Scholar 

  • Delong, D. W., & Fahey, L. (2000). Diagnosing cultural barriers to knowledge management. Academy of Management Executive, 14, 113–127.

    Google Scholar 

  • Elmes, M. B., Strong, D. M., & Volkoff, O. (2005). Panoptic empowerment and reflective conformity in enterprise systems-enabled organizations. Information and Organization, 15, 1–37.

    CrossRef  Google Scholar 

  • Fishbein, M., & Ajzen, I. (1975). Beliefs, attitudes, intention and behavior: An introduction to theory and research. Phillipines: Addison-Wesley.

    Google Scholar 

  • Foucault, M. (1977). Discipline and punish: The birth of the prison. London: Penguin Books Ltd.

    Google Scholar 

  • Fullwood, R., Rowley, J., & Delbridge, R. (2013). Knowledge sharing amongst academics in UK universities. Journal of Knowledge Management, 17, 123–136.

    CrossRef  Google Scholar 

  • Gold, A. H., Malhotra, A., & Segars, A. H. (2001). Knowledge management: An organizational capabilities perspective. Journal of Management Information Systems, 18, 185–214.

    CrossRef  Google Scholar 

  • Holsapple, C. W., & Joshi, K. D. (2000). An investigation of factors that influence the management of knowledge in organizations. The Journal of Strategic Information Systems, 9, 235–261.

    CrossRef  Google Scholar 

  • Holste, J. S., & Fields, D. (2010). Trust and tacit knowledge sharing and use. Journal of Knowledge Management, 14, 128–140.

    CrossRef  Google Scholar 

  • Holt, D. T., Bartczak, S. E., Clark, S. W., & Trent, M. R. (2004). The development of an instrument to measure readiness for knowledge management. 37th Hawaii International Conference on System Sciences, Hawaii, IEEE Computer Society.

    Google Scholar 

  • Hsu, I. C., & Sabherwal, R. (2012). Relationship between intellectual capital and knowledge management: An empirical investigation. Decision Sciences, 43, 489–524.

    CrossRef  Google Scholar 

  • Ismail, A., & Alawi, A. (2007). Organizational culture and knowledge sharing: Critical success factors. Journal of Knowledge Management, 11, 22–42.

    CrossRef  Google Scholar 

  • Janz, B. D., & Prasarnphanich, P. (2003). Understanding the antecedents of effective knowledge management: The importance of a knowledge-centered culture. Decision Sciences, 34, 351–384.

    CrossRef  Google Scholar 

  • Junnakar, B., & Brown, C. V. (1997). Reassessing the enabling role of IT in knowledge management. Journal of Knowledge Management, 1, 142–148.

    CrossRef  Google Scholar 

  • Kayas, O. G., Mclean, R., Hines, T., & Wright, G. (2008). The panoptic gaze: Analysing the interaction between enterprise resource planning technology and organisational culture. International Journal of Information Management, 28, 446–452.

    CrossRef  Google Scholar 

  • Kim, M. C. (2004). Surveillance technology, privacy and social control: With reference to the case of the electronic national identification card in South Korea. International Sociology, 19, 193–213.

    CrossRef  Google Scholar 

  • Kim, Y.-G., Yu, S.-H., & Lee, J.-H. (2003). Knowledge strategy planning: Methodology and case. Expert Systems with Applications, 24, 295–307.

    CrossRef  Google Scholar 

  • Kim, Y. M., Newby-Bennett, D., & Song, H. J. (2012). Knowledge sharing and institutionalism in the healthcare industry. Journal of Knowledge Management, 16, 480–494.

    CrossRef  Google Scholar 

  • Li, B., Zhang, J., & Zhang, X. 2013. Knowledge management and organizational culture: An exploratory study. Creative and Knowledge Society, 3, 1338–4465.

    Google Scholar 

  • Mabert, V. A., Soni, A., & Venkataramanan, M. A. (2003). Enterprise resource planning: Managing the implementation process. European Journal of Operational Research, 146, 302–314.

    CrossRef  Google Scholar 

  • Mackay, H., & Gillespie, G. (1992). Extending the social shaping of technology approach: Ideology and appropriation. Social Studies of Science, 22, 685–716.

    CrossRef  Google Scholar 

  • Marx, G. T. (1985). I’ll be watching you: Reflections on new surveillance. Dissent, 32, 26–34.

    Google Scholar 

  • Massaro, M. (2015). Public sector knowledge management: A structured literature review. Journal of Knowledge Management, 19, 530–558.

    CrossRef  Google Scholar 

  • Massey, A. P., Montoya-Weiss, M. M., & O’Driscoll, T. M. (2002). Knowledge Management in pursuit of performance insights from Nortel. MIS Quarterly, 26, 269–289.

    CrossRef  Google Scholar 

  • Massingham, P. R., & Massingham, R. K. (2014). Does knowledge management produce practical outcomes? Journal of Knowledge Management, 18, 221–254.

    CrossRef  Google Scholar 

  • Ngai, E. W. T., Law, C. C. H., & Wat, F. K. T. (2008). Examining the critical success factors in the adoption of enterprise resource planning. Computers in Industry, 59, 548–564.

    CrossRef  Google Scholar 

  • Nordin, M., Pauleen, D. J., & Gorman, G. E. (2009). Investigating KM antecedents: KM in the criminal justice system. Journal of Knowledge Management, 13, 4–20.

    CrossRef  Google Scholar 

  • Orlikowski, W. J. (1993). Learning from notes: Organizational issues from groupware implementation. Information Society, 9, 237–250.

    CrossRef  Google Scholar 

  • Park, H. (2004). Critical attributes of organizational culture that promote knowledge management technology implementation success. Journal of Knowledge Management, 8, 106–117.

    CrossRef  Google Scholar 

  • Pinch, T. J., & Bijker, W. E. (1987). The social construction of facts and artifacts: Or how the sociology of science and the sociology of technology might benefit each other. In W. E. Bijker, T. P. Hughes, & T. Pinch (Eds.), The Social Construction of Technological Systems: New Directions in the Sociology and History of Technology, London: The MIT Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Rai, R. K. (2011). Knowledge management and organizational culture: A theoretical integrative framework. Journal of Knowledge Management, 15, 779–801.

    CrossRef  Google Scholar 

  • Ringel-Bickelmaier, C., & Ringel, M. (2010). Knowledge management in international organisations. Journal of Knowledge Management, 14, 524–539.

    CrossRef  Google Scholar 

  • Rose, E., & Wright, G. (2005). Satisfaction and dimensions of control among call centre customer service representatives. International Journal of Human Resource Management, 16, 136–160.

    CrossRef  Google Scholar 

  • Sewell, G., & Wilkinson, B. (1993). Human resource management in ‘surveillance’ companies. In J. Clark (Ed.), Human Resource Management and Technical Change, London: Sage.

    Google Scholar 

  • Sia, S. K., Tang, M., Soh, C., & Boh, W. F. (2002). Enterprise resource planning (ERP) systems as a technology of power: Empowerment or panoptic control. Database for Advances in Information Systems, 33, 23–37.

    CrossRef  Google Scholar 

  • Singh, K., Ang, S. H., & Leong, S. M. (2003). Increasing replication for knowledge accumulation in strategy research. Journal of Management, 29, 533–549.

    CrossRef  Google Scholar 

  • Suppiah, V. (2011). Organisational culture’s influence on tacit knowledge-sharing behaviour. Journal of Knowledge Management, 15, 462–477.

    CrossRef  Google Scholar 

  • Taticchi, P., Tonelli, F., & Cagnazzo, L. (2010). Performance measurement and management: A literature review and a research agenda. Measuring Business Excellence, 14, 4–18.

    CrossRef  Google Scholar 

  • Taylor, W. (2003, August 1–6). The influence of individual users differences on usage and perceived usefulness of knowledge management systems. Annual Conference of the Academy of Management, Organizational Communication and Information Systems Division, Seattle, WA.

    Google Scholar 

  • Taylor, W. A., & Wright, G. H. (2004). Organizational readiness for successful knowledge sharing: Challenges for public sector managers. Information Resources Management Journal, 17, 22–37.

    CrossRef  Google Scholar 

  • Taylor, W. A., & Wright, G. H. (2006). The contribution of measurement and information infrastructure to TQM success. Omega, 34, 372–384.

    CrossRef  Google Scholar 

  • Titi Amayah, A. (2013). Determinants of knowledge sharing in a public sector organization. Journal of Knowledge Management, 17, 454–471.

    CrossRef  Google Scholar 

  • Walczak, S., & Zwart, D. (2003, May 18–21). Organizational knowledge management: Enabling a knowledge culture. In M. Khosrow-Pour (Ed.), Information Resources Management Association International Conference, Philadelphia. (pp. 670–673).

    Google Scholar 

  • Williams, R., & Edge, D. (1996). The social shaping of technology. Research Policy, 25, 865–899.

    CrossRef  Google Scholar 

  • Wright, G. (2007). Knowledge sharing. Melbourne: Monash Business Review.

    Google Scholar 

  • Wright, G., & Taylor, W. (2003). Strategic knowledge sharing for improved public service delivery: Managing an innovative culture for effective partnerships. In E. Coakes (Ed.), Knowledge management: Current issues and challenges. Hershey: IRM Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Zuboff, S. (1988). In the age of the smart machine: The future of work and power. New York: Basic Books.

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Manchester Metropolitan University Business School, Manchester, UK

    Oliver G Kayas & Gillian Wright

Authors
  1. Oliver G Kayas
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Gillian Wright
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Suleman Dawood School of Business, Lahore University of Management Sciences, Lahore, Pakistan

    Jawad Syed

  2. School of Management and Enterprise, Faculty of Business, Education, Law and the Arts, University of Southern Queensland, Toowoomba, Queensland, Australia

    Prof. Peter A. Murray

  3. School of Business and Economics, Loughborough University, Loughborough, Leicestershire, United Kingdom

    Donald Hislop

  4. Muscat University, St Helens, Merseyside, United Kingdom

    Prof. Yusra Mouzughi

Rights and permissions

Reprints and Permissions

Copyright information

© 2018 The Author(s)

About this chapter

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this chapter

Kayas, O.G., Wright, G. (2018). Knowledge Management and Organisational Culture. In: Syed, J., Murray, P., Hislop, D., Mouzughi, Y. (eds) The Palgrave Handbook of Knowledge Management. Palgrave Macmillan, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-71434-9_6

Download citation

search

Navigation