Handbook of Research on Knowledge Management

Knowledge Management as a popular management movement is about 25 years old and unsurprisingly it has inspired many theories, practices and methods. So much so, that it is sometimes difficult to define what it stands for. The Handbook of Research on Knowledge Management is an interesting and innovative volume that has appealing features to add to the discussion. It is consistently interesting, has a very wide diversity of contributing scholars and practitioners and has several useful and informative chapters on actual knowledge practices and situations. It also offers historical reflections as well as its own contingency theory of how to best go about working with knowledge. All in all this Handbook is a fine and original contribution to the literature.' - Laurence Prusak, founder and Executive Director of the Institute for Knowledge ManagementThis innovative Handbook widens our understanding of knowledge management, a field that has risen to prominence in recent decades. It collects contemporary insights from more than 30 contributors into the rich tapestry of knowledge management practices across a broad landscape of cultures and socio-political contexts. The contributors offer authoritative analyses to inform practical applications of knowledge management, along with provoking reinterpretations of its developmental potential to guide future innovation and research in this field. The starting point for discussion centers around establishing a common definition for knowledge management, a concept that has remained nebulous since its inception. Expert contributions examine the relevance of this common definition within various contexts, such as Buddhist organizations, law firms, the army and indigenous organizations. The contributors explore how knowledge management could be effectively applied in these very diverse contexts. Some contributors analyze the universality of Ikujiro Nonaka s concept of knowledge management. Other contributors suggest alternative definitions of knowledge management. While previous literature has primarily focused on how knowledge management is practiced currently, this Handbook sets out alternative visions and conceptualizations of knowledge management in diverse settings and is, thus, focused on how knowledge management ideally should be practiced in various contexts. This Handbook of Research on Knowledge Management will appeal as a point of reference for academics and students of business and management, business administration, sociology and organizational behavior. Practitioners, managers and business-owners alike will also find this an invaluable resource. Contributors: C. Abrahamson Loefstroem, A. Ahmad, E. Antonacopoulou, D.A. Blackman, O. Chang, D. Coldwell, D.J. Delgado-Hernandez, J.S. Edwards, C. Filstad, A. Fried, T. Garavan, M. Glisby, P. Gottschalk, S. Harris, N. Holden, J. Hong, S.-W. Hsu, C. Mak, R. McDermott, D. McDowall, A. Mitra, K. Moon, E. Murphy, P.S. Myers, G. Neumann, P. Ngulube, F. O'Brien, A. OErtenblad, X. Ruan, A. Rynne, S.D Sarre, R. Snell, C. Stilwell, S. Talbot, E. Tandi Lwoga, E. Tome, J. Van Beveren