Knowledge management in secondary care: a case study

The purpose of this research is to analyse the knowledge management activities of a university hospital and to examine what impact contextual factors have on these activities. For this research, a case study approach was chosen, encompassing 22 semi-structured interviews with managers and front-line staff from different organisational levels. The findings describe how at the top management level, knowledge management activities were neglected while at departmental level, such activities were purposefully undertaken. This suggests that knowledge management activities can be effectively implemented at departmental level without having the support and strategic objective of the top management of the hospital. The findings further show that factors, such as the effective utilisation of other intangible resources, such as social capital, highly contribute to the effectiveness of knowledge management activities. The paper shows some limitations due to the qualitative nature of the research with regard to sample size and the subjectivity of the interpretations. The paper proposes that knowledge management activities can be implemented in organisations, when having the right attitude of staff who support its implementation. The paper enhances the understanding of the meaning of knowledge management in the context of healthcare organisations. The paper further provides insights into contextual factors that influence the success of knowledge management initiatives. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

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