Contributions of Workflow for Knowledge Generation Process

Abstract Organizations are increasingly awakening to the need to manage organizational knowledge. On the other hand, the explosion of internet-facing systems and adoption of information technologies by organizations and governments encourages the development of a scenario where the knowledge of tool that solves a given problem is becoming important. The workflow tool is one of which provides computer support to manage business processes. This paper aims to examine how this tool can contribute to the process of knowledge generation. The theoretical framework of knowledge management is presented, the concepts surrounding the workflow tool and its features. The search strategy was used a multiple case study based on three organizations that use the workflow tool. For that, it was selected as a reference of research each automated process. Initially, it was created a matrix that relates the characteristics of workflow phases of knowledge creation. Then a questionnaire was designed based on relationships established in the array to verify that they occur in three organizations surveyed. The results indicate that the workflow tool contributes to the process of knowledge creation, since nine of the thirteen established relationships obtained degree of agreement above 80%. Even the four answers which were below 80%, the percentage of agreement obtained was between 53.3% and 66.7%. Other three had not been marked, but obtained percentages between 86.7% and 93.3%. In addition, participants described the benefits after the implementation of workflow tool for business processes in their organizations, such as centering, control and ease of sharing of tasks performed.