Does knowledge management work in NGOs? - a longitudinal study

Abstract

The study reported here tracked over an extended period the fortunes of knowledge management programmes introduced into three medium-sized international development charities. The programmes were quite different, each carefully tailored to their contexts, and each a ‘cut-back’ version of knowledge management. In these forms they withstood significant changes in their staffing, structural location and rationales. They came to be valued by staff even if tangible evidence of their benefits was in short supply. For those in non-commercial organizational contexts contemplating the use of knowledge management, the implication is to take it seriously, but use it selectively.