Should knowledge management in organizations be rebranded?

Maayan Nakash, Dan Bouhnik

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

4 Scopus citations

Abstract

Purpose: This study aims to examine the relevance of the term “knowledge management” (KM) in the organizational context, and deliberates whether there is a need for rebranding of this field. It also enriches the understanding regarding the appropriateness of the term “KM,” which was chosen to represent the discipline. Design/methodology/approach: This study adopted a qualitative research methodology, and a case study approach was followed by conducting 19 semi-structured in-depth interviews with international KM experts working in a global consulting firm. The data were analyzed using a thematic analysis method based on the grounded theory approach. Findings: The findings provide empirical evidence that attempts are being made to move away from the label “KM” in certain knowledge-intensive organizations. This study sheds light on the challenges associated with this term, which leads some to believe that the name of the discipline needs to change. Originality/value: The present pioneering research contributes to empirical knowledge through investigation of an unexplored scientific field. To the best of the authors’ knowledge, for the first time, its uniqueness can be established by the fact that the opinions of KM professionals are being heard regarding the “KM” label, as well as the need for a rebranding of this discipline in the organizational context. From a practical and strategic perspective, this study suggests that the research community and practitioners pay attention to attempts to shift away from the existing title identified in organizational practice.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)242-255
Number of pages14
JournalVINE Journal of Information and Knowledge Management Systems
Volume54
Issue number2
DOIs
StatePublished - 19 Jan 2024

Bibliographical note

Publisher Copyright:
© 2020, Emerald Publishing Limited.

Keywords

  • Business process management
  • Knowledge management
  • Knowledge-intensive organizations
  • Rebranding knowledge management
  • Strategic management

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