The missing element of knowledge management: social computing

The paper aims to highlight the value that social computing can bring to Knowledge Management mainly its knowledge sharing process. The research is based on a systematics study of literature. Literature was examinedto provide an understanding what social computing can offer to knowledge sharing. Knowledge management (KM) was in full swing up to mid-90s. But due to globalisation and the increasing use of the Internet it has a period where practitioners and research community were less interested in KM. Traditional KM approaches could not solve efficiently the challenges of the 21st century organisations. KM practitioners and researchers were slow in recognising and providing new methodologies based on new developments in technologies. The lack of new methodologies impeded the value and importance of KM in organisations. Social computing is an emerging filed and its principles are in align with the theories of KM. The research has attempted to provide a link between KM and social computing. The research has pointed out where in KM the tools of social computing can be utilised.