Case Study of Knowledge Management Implementation in a Medium-Sized Construction Sector Firm

Abstract

The transient nature of project teams and the competitive environment in which construction organizations operate require an effective mechanism to manage and reuse the knowledge created in the projects without straining its resources. A methodology for “live” capture and reuse of project knowledge was developed for the purpose and encapsulated into a software tool. A study was conducted of a medium-sized UK-based construction sector firm to investigate the use the software tool as the central strand of its knowledge management (KM) framework. The tool was subsequently designed to integrate with a staff profile system and an e-forum. The new system was intended to bridge the communication gap between the company’s geographically dispersed offices by connecting the people together and, hence, facilitating the timely sharing of both tacit and explicit knowledge. Top management’s commitment was found vital in the successful implementation of knowledge management and the nurturing of the desired supportive knowledge-sharing culture. To get the most through the implementation of knowledge management, the various knowledge management practices and relevant information systems of a construction organization need to be strategically integrated to improve the location, capture, and sharing of critical knowledge.