An Investigation into Methods for Capturing Corporate Knowledge

Sharing knowledge between people working in an organisation is a complex and difficult task. This research project investigates the processes of capturing corporate knowledge in an Australian local government context. The different types and sources of corporate knowledge used by participants and their views on knowledge capture processes are explored. Participants provide insight into their motivations in undertaking knowledge capture, the extent knowledge is shared in the organisation and barriers to sharing knowledge that they had encountered. Some of the results are supported by current knowledge management literature, such as a preference for interpersonal communication in the sharing of knowledge. Other results are more unexpected, including strongly expressed altruistic support for the good of the employing organisation as their motivation in supporting knowledge management activities and an understanding of the need for knowledge codification. The results of this research should be especially useful to Information Management professionals with an interest in the management of corporate knowledge in both local government and other sectors.