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Managing knowledge in international consulting firms
journal contribution
posted on 2023-06-08, 14:44 authored by Tina C Ambos, Bodo B SchlegelmilchPurpose – At the pinnacle of the knowledge management hype, international consulting firms were widely viewed as the undisputed champions of the discipline. They were the ones that pioneered the development of innovative knowledge management systems, they were at the forefront of creating knowledge management cultures and they recognized the productive potential of knowledge workers. While knowledge continues to be prominent on the strategic agenda of leading consulting firms, several knowledge management challenges remain unsolved. To shed light on this matter the paper aims to investigate how knowledge management is really embedded in their organizations and with which critical issues these firms still struggle . Design/methodology/approach – The paper presents a qualitative empirical study based on 37 in-depth interviews with representatives from international consulting firms in different locations around the world. Findings – It is found that the promise of knowledge management can only be realized if people are open to changing business processes and adopt new ways of thinking. Practical implictions – The study sheds fresh light on the knowledge management practices that have emerged in the consulting industry, and provides insights into the interplay of people and systems, the structuring of knowledge management, the divide between knowledge generalists and specialists, and the knowledge management strategy. Originality/value – The paper presents a general approach to embedding knowledge management along the dimensions of people, systems and business processes and develops an integrative framework that links knowledge management strategies to a typical consulting project cycle. In addition, it sheds light on individual perceptions on the benefits from knowledge management.
History
Publication status
- Published
Journal
Journal of Knowledge ManagementISSN
1367-3270Publisher
EmeraldExternal DOI
Issue
6Volume
13Page range
491-508Department affiliated with
- Business and Management Publications
Full text available
- No
Peer reviewed?
- Yes
Legacy Posted Date
2013-04-19Usage metrics
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