Abstract
Knowledge management (the process) and knowledge managers (the people) are recent organizational phenomena. The latter (the knowledge managers) are those key individuals charged with the task of making the former (knowledge management) successful. Due to the recent emergence of these organizational initiatives, a study of knowledge managers — who they are and what they do — was thought to be instructive and revealing as well as being sufficiently current to enable organizations to either adopt or adapt their knowledge management strategy. A survey to reveal the characteristics of knowledge managers as well as knowledge management initiatives was designed and distributed to practicing knowledge managers, primarily from US and Canadian organizations. This chapter, based on the analysis of 41 completed questionnaires, reveals the backgrounds, goals, ambitions, initiatives, and challenges as self-assessed by these individuals. By pulling this information together, a profile of a “typical” knowledge manager is presented. The question that remains to be asked is “Are these the most appropriate individuals to lead the KM charge”?
Access this chapter
Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout
Purchases are for personal use only
Preview
Unable to display preview. Download preview PDF.
References
Capshaw, S., “Spotlight on Knowledge Leadership: Where’s the CKO?” Inform, July, 1999, 20 - 21.
Cole-Gomolski, B., “Knowledge ‘Czars’ Fall From Grace,” ComputerWorld, 33, 1, January 4, 1999a, 1 - 13.
Cole-Gomolski, B., “Knowledge Managers Need Business Savy,” Computer-World, January 25, 1999b, 40.
Drucker, P.A., A Post-Capitalist Society, New York: HarperCollins, 1993.
Duffy, D., “Knowledge Champions: What Does It Take to Be a Successful CKO?” CIO, 12, 4, 1998, 66 - 71.
Earl, M. and I. Scott, “What on Earth Is a CKO?” London Business School Report, 1998.
Earl, M.J. and I.A. Scott, “What Is a Chief Knowledge Officer?” Sloan Management Review, Winter, 1999, 29 - 38.
Feeny, D.F., B. R. Edwards, and K.M. Simpson, “Understanding the CEO/CIO Relationship,” MIS Quarterly, December, 1992, 435 - 448.
Herschel, R.T. and H.R. Nemati, “Chief Knowledge Officer: Critical Success Factors for Knowledge Management,” Information Strategy: The Executive’s Journal, Summer, 2000, 37 - 45.
Hibbard, J., “Knowledge and Learning Officers Find Big Paydays,” Information-Week, June 15, 1998, 170.
House, R. J., R.S. Schuler, and E. Levanoni, “Role Conflict and Ambiguity Scales: Reality or Artifacts?”, Journal of Applied Psychology, 68, 2, 1983, 334–337.
Mowday, R.T., R.M. Steers, and L.W. Porter, “The Measurement of Organiza- tional Commitment,” Journal of Vocational Behavior, 14, 2, 1979, 224 - 247.
Rizzo, J., R. House, and S. Lirtzman, “Role Conflict and Ambiguity in Complex Organizations,” Administrative Sciences Quarterly, 15, 2, 1970, 150 - 163.
Ruggles, R., “The State of the Notion: Knowledge Management in Practice,” California Management Review, 40, 3, 1998, 80 - 89.
Shin, Y.K., “The Traits and Leadership Styles of CEOs in Korean Companies,” International Studies of Management and Organization, 28, 4, 1999, 40 - 48.
Stephens, C.S., W.N. Ledbetter, A. Mitra, and F.N. Ford, “Executive or Functional Manager? The Nature f the CIO’s Job,” MIS Quarterly, December, 1992, 449 - 467.
Stewart, T.A., “Is This Job Really Necessary,” FORTUNE, January 12, 1998, 154 - 155.
TFPL Ltd., “Skills for Knowledge Management,” TFPL Briefing Paper, July 1999, URL 003D http://www.tfpl.com
Warr, P., J. Cook, and T. Wall, “Scales for the Measurement of Some Work Attitudes and Aspects of Psychological Well-being,” Journal of Occupational Behavior, 52, 1979, 129 - 148.
Watt, P., “Knowing It All,” Intranet, August, 1997, 17 - 18.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Editor information
Editors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
Copyright information
© 2004 Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg
About this chapter
Cite this chapter
McKeen, J.D., Staples, D.S. (2004). Knowledge Managers: Who They Are and What They Do. In: Holsapple, C.W. (eds) Handbook on Knowledge Management 1. International Handbooks on Information Systems, vol 1. Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-540-24746-3_2
Download citation
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-540-24746-3_2
Publisher Name: Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg
Print ISBN: 978-3-540-20005-5
Online ISBN: 978-3-540-24746-3
eBook Packages: Springer Book Archive