Applying failure mode and effects analysis for successful knowledge management

Knowledge management (KM) is essential to enhancing the competitive edge of organisations. However, not all enterprises apply KM successfully; in KM research, a focus on critical success factors (CSFs) can result in a limited field since failure can still occur. It is only through looking at critical failure factors (CFFs) that a complete prevention can be achieved. In short, focusing on CFFs may be more valuable than looking at CSFs. This paper focuses on applying a failure mode and effects analysis (FMEA) to prevent KM failure. It tracks a typical FMEA approach using interviews with respected experts. This method was tested and practiced for reducing risks by 11 companies in Taiwan. The results have shown that the average risk priority number in projects dropped dramatically from 299.3 to 20.6 – an improvement rate of 93.1%. All experts in the study agree that the use of FMEA enhances KM implementation. In addition, 14 common failure modes have been noted for further prevention. Due to the limitation in interviews, the practices could not be implemented across departments and levels, leading to a biased sample.

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