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Today, knowledge extraction and sharing in the organizations have been positioned as one of the most significant managers’ priorities. However, despite huge investments in knowledge management (KM) area, the failure rates of these projects are high. One of the main reasons for these failures is the lack of a roadmap and a methodology for KM strategic planning which assist organizations to develop an integrated and aligned plan with business strategies which eventually reduces project’s failure rate. Yet, despite the extension of KM domain, little studies were conducted on strategic topics and especially KM strategic planning. Therefore, the purpose of this study is to offer an integrated methodology for KM strategic planning.

This study introduces a methodology for KM strategic planning by using the mixed methods. At the first stage, along with a comprehensive literature review, some semi-structured interviews with KM experts were conducted and the obtained data have been analyzed using the thematic analysis. After that, a survey is conducted to validate the extracted dimensions and activities of the proposed methodology via experts’ viewpoints.

The results of this study indicate that the main phases of the KM strategic planning methodology are as follows: strategic review, strategic orientation, implementation and evaluation. In the proposed methodology, main phases along with their related activities and their implementation order are presented as a roadmap for applying KM initiatives strategically.

In KM planning strategically, all phases of strategic management along with their related activities must be considered simultaneously. The proposed methodology can assist KM policy-makers to identify and guide KM initiatives as well as to perform appropriate actions for progress. This study tries to develop a coherent roadmap for knowledge initiatives by a strategic approach.

One of the major reasons for the failure of many KM projects is the absence of a strategic planning methodology. A review of the KM literature shows that there are few studies, which adequately integrate strategic KM planning process, yet most researchers view KM planning as the most difficult and complex part of KM implementation process. This study aims to introduce a novel methodology to KM strategic planning comprehensively. The main contribution of this study is to develop a new integrated methodology for strategic planning that considers the strategy formulation aspects along with strategy execution and control aspects, synchronously.

The purpose of this paper is to discuss and propose a taxonomy of approaches to the strategic planning of knowledge management (KM). The concept of KM strategy is relatively recent and has been developed based on the assumption that any KM programme requires the definition of long-term goals, resources and plans, i.e. a KM strategic planning. Empirical evidence shows that the conditions for the successful implementation of KM can change from a company to another and in relation to the external context, and this may call for different appropriate approaches to KM planning.

By drawing inspiration from the classic literature about strategic planning and combining it with the KM literature, a taxonomy of four possible approaches to KM strategic planning is developed. This taxonomy is based on the combination of two dimensions, namely: the nature (rational vs emergent) of the planning process, and the competitive factors (internal vs external) that drive the strategy formulation. Examples of companies, drawn from an analysis of recent case studies based on secondary data, are then provided, with the purpose to depict the features of each KM strategic planning approach, as well as asses the consistency and usefulness of the formulated taxonomy.

The analysis of available empirical data shows that the proposed taxonomy fits cases that can be found in real life. The two dimensions of KM strategic planning previously presented allow to highlight the differences in the behaviour of companies. This can provide important food for thought for strategic thinking applied to KM, and can also reinforce the link between KM and other areas of management.

The awareness that companies can follow different approaches to KM planning is important for executives that consider KM as a primary activity for their companies. In particular, in the case of an emergent KM strategy, managers should be able to recognize it, and, as far as possible, to align it with the company’s overall strategic goals.

To date, the literature has primarily focused on the definition of different types of KM strategies, while the process that can lead to the formulation of these strategies has been less studied. The paper aims to fill this gap by identifying, discussing and classifying different possible approaches to KM strategic planning that a company can adopt.

Knowledge management (KM) is the process of leveraging organizational knowledge to deliver long‐term advantage to a business and is based on a business strategy that involves engineering various knowledge‐centric business processes and developing organization structures to support these. These, in turn, require technology to capture, codify, store, disseminate and reuse the knowledge. Successful deployment of KM is not a simple process. This paper suggests that a major reason for the failure of many KM projects is the absence of a well‐defined strategic plan to guide implementation. This paper discusses the strategic planning needs of the KM deployment process, and develops a framework that could be used specifically by engineering firms to guide the KM implementation process.

This paper aims to describe how knowledge management (KM) in planning can support the sustainability of innovation in a hybrid, joint-use facility. The case study research studies ImaginOn, a 15 year-old children’s library and theater for young people in Charlotte, NC.

This research used KM model analysis of qualitative data about tacit-explicit knowledge, intellectual capital (IC) and cognitive modes of collaboration. Both historic documents and primary data (from field study observations, interviews and a questionnaire) were analyzed for informal KM practices. Semi-structured and unstructured interview questions about innovation were used.

This study found evidence of tacit knowledge sharing, the growth of IC and the operationalization of collaboration to promote innovation. Although traditional KM terms were not used by staff, an integrated model framework demonstrates how KM practices promote innovation in planning joint-use facilities.

Although a study of a diverse cultural collaboration rather than two libraries, the KM practices that supported innovation and collaboration in this hybrid, joint-use facility might be applied to libraries. Future KM model research on joint-use organizations could investigate merged businesses, government programs and non-profits.

The library and theater institutions in ImaginOn impact the lives of children and parents in meaningful ways that support community understanding, art, diversity and social interaction.

Research on joint-use libraries began in the 1960s. This case study provides unique model analysis of KM practices in a hybrid, joint-use facility (a library and theater). The innovative success and sustainability of ImaginOn illustrates the application of KM for strategic planning and aligning IC and business assets.

The purpose of the present study is to establish the emerging trend of studies on knowledge management (KM) strategy from 2007 to 2021 and identify the most studied constructs, methodologies used and gaps, thereby suggesting future directions.

Guided by items on the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) framework, the study analyzed 46 articles published within the 15 years under review.

An upward trend in KM strategy studies published from 2007 to 2021 emerged, indicating researchers' growing interest in the topic. Further, the studies reaffirmed the essence of having a KM strategy alongside other functional strategies for an organization's outstanding performance. Key KM strategy antecedents were identified: resource availability, communication, business environment, stakeholder participation, organizational culture and incentives. The need to align the KM strategy and other functional strategies with the overall business strategy was also established as critical. Finally, gaps in study methodologies and extant literature were identified, leading to suggestions for future directions.

The study provides valuable insights regarding the emerging trend of studies on KM strategy over the 15 years, identification of methodologies used in the studies and the most studied constructs. To this effect, the study's uniqueness lies in the identified gaps and recommendations made for future research directions as it strives to bridge the identified gaps.

The current study probes the multi-dimensional link between total quality management (TQM) and knowledge management (KM) and investigates how different TQM's dimensions impacts KM processes and how this nexus impacts organizational performance (operational and financial performance) by considering KM as an intermediating variable between TQM and organizational performance.

Six TQM practices are taken from “Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award”, namely leadership, customer focus, strategic planning, human resource management, process management and information and analysis; KM processes include knowledge creation, acquisition, sharing and application and organizational performance comprises operational and financial performance. The researcher put together data from different sized services and manufacturing firms, from small, to medium and large firms located in the United Kingdom (UK).

The results suggested that a positive correlation existed between TQM, KM and organizational performance. KM is also shown to have quite a strong and positive influence on firm operational and financial performance and partially mediates the relationship between TQM and corporate performance. Dimensional analysis indicates that leadership, strategic planning, customer focus and HRM have a significant positive impact on all KM process, while mixed results have been found for process management and information and analysis. The contextual analysis indicates that except for knowledge creation, TQM plays an equally significant role for the majority of manufacturing establishments and services firms.

The present research makes a significant contribution to the scarce literature on the relationship between TQM and KM (mainly at dimensional level), particularly in the context of the UK, and provides a detailed understanding of the relations between different TQM and KM dimensions, and how their relationship impacts on the operational and financial performance of different sizes of manufacturing and services firms.

Highlights

1. Total quality management (TQM) enhances firms' knowledge management (KM) capabilities

2. KM partially mediates the relationship between TQM and firms' performance

3. Leadership, customer focus and process management indicated insignificant impact on knowledge creation

4. TQM and KM are equally important for all sizes manufacturing and services firms

Total quality management (TQM) enhances firms' knowledge management (KM) capabilities

KM partially mediates the relationship between TQM and firms' performance

Leadership, customer focus and process management indicated insignificant impact on knowledge creation

TQM and KM are equally important for all sizes manufacturing and services firms

KM governance plays a vital role in KM strategy planning and its implementation. Despite the importance of KM governance, empirical research in this area so far has been limited. This research seeks to show how a federated and self‐governance framework enabled effective KM strategy planning and implementation in a captive offshoring unit in India.

The approach takes the form of an in‐depth study of KM strategy planning and implementation process in a captive offshore unit of a leading financial services company, using the case research method.

The research shows that a KM program, driven by a federated governance for strategizing and a self‐governance for implementation, results in successful adoption, practice and sustenance of organization‐wide KM. In addition, self‐governance has also helped the organization to achieve an efficient single‐person‐driven KM function to manage the entire KM program. KM function should be reporting to a governance committee (chosen from across the business units of the organization) rather than a single leadership position.

The findings are based on a study of a single organization and therefore it may have limitations in its applicability in other settings. However, it brings out the importance of federated and self‐governance in effective and efficient KM strategy planning and implementation. A KM council, comprising the CEO, BU heads, and the CKO to spearhead the entire strategy planning helps in successful KM strategy implementation. It suggests that the commitment of senior management and functional managers can be achieved by suitably linking their contribution to KM with their goals and KRAs.

To make the KM program successful, organization‐wide KM governance has to precede strategy. The research shows how the Balanced Score Card may be used to align KM initiatives with the business strategy. Ownership among the senior managers and heads of business units can be achieved by making their contribution to KM part of their KRAs. The KM head (CKO) should be reporting to the governance committee rather than a single leadership position.

The research paper provides both theoretical and practical insights into how federated and self‐governance as an approach for KM governance enables effective and efficient KM strategy planning and implementation.

Etihad Rail Company is planning to implement a mega infrastructure project in the United Arab Emirates (UAE). They have included freight rail system as part of the 2030 Abu Dhabi economic vision and the UAE national Charter 2021. The plan is to link the UAE’s main cities via the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) border. This ambitious project presents a formidable task for the Etihad Rail Company and the region as there is no previous railway history of this kind. The project requires coordination of rail standards from East of Ghwefatet and the Northern Emirates cities and will ultimately be combined with the Western Saudi Arabia borders. The transportation system in the region will be improved greatly with the introduction of a cargo and passenger railway system in addition to the current road system and other means of transportation. The Etihad railway network is the first infrastructure project in the UAE and it will bring economic, strategic, social and environmental changes to the country. This case aims to present an overview of the strategic management dimensions of the Etihad Rail and the processes involved. This case will analyze whether Etihad’s top management team should make a decision to focus only on freight rail or to include passenger transportation as well. Many questions will be addressed in this paper such as the following: What steps should Etihad take in order to start passenger rail? Will economical, strategic and environmental aspects affect it? And if so, how? The case will focus on the analysis of the different aspects of Etihad Rail by using strategic management tools as guidance for implementation and determining its success factors.

Knowledge management (KM) has emerged as a strategy to improve organizational competitiveness. Our purpose is to identify the relationship between KM and the firm's competitive advantage.

We review the existing literature on KM and strategy formulation. We utilize the resource‐based view approach as a lens for fitting KM with strategic planning. The concept of strategy and KM integration is introduced.

We relate KM strategies to business strategy through a thorough review of the literature.

Future research should investigate the circumstances under which KM can create a sustainable competitive advantage within the framework of the RBV. Another area involves the investigation of the degree of integration between the competitive strategy and KM strategy.

A very useful source of information for practitioners to refine their thinking about KM and the firm strategic resources. It offers the practitioner a framework for understanding strategy concepts while illustrating how we can derive business results from KM.

This paper offers practical help for corporate executives and practitioners embarking in a KM initiative or program.