Abstract:

The globalization of business, the shift from production-based to a knowledge-based economy, the growth of information communications technology, the strive to become learning organizations and the emergence of the needs for knowledge workers have made knowledge management practice a must today across all types and levels of firms. However, because the concept is so new, there exist different views among practitioners and even researchers on how a knowledge management program can be designed and implemented in organizations. This paper posits that knowledge management consists of critical enablers such as employee training, employee involvement, teamwork, employee empowerment, top management leadership and commitment, organizational constraints, information system infrastructure, performance measurement, egalitarian culture, benchmarking, and knowledge structure that are critical to the success of a knowledge-based organization. These critical factors will provide a greater understanding to the researchers and practitioners of the enablers of a successful knowledge management program.