The Effect of Knowledge Management Processes on project Management An Empirical Study on Information Technology Industry in Jordan

Knowledge management and project management are recognized to be of supreme importance to the competitive advantage of organizations as well as a major agent of change in the new era of the knowledge economy. This study empirically examines the relationship between knowledge management processes and project management in the context of the information technology industry in Jordan. Very frequently projects, mostly information technology (IT) projects, fail or are challenged due to their incapability to get the right knowledge to the right people at the right time, and help people on the project share and put information into action in ways, which improve project performance. Knowledge management may be able to address this. Previous studies have not clearly identified nor demonstrated the relationship between the management of projects and the use of knowledge management processes. The purpose of this research is to identify if a positive relationship exists between the two? If a relationship does exist, which knowledge management processes in use by practitioners of project management are significant in terms of improving project management, and what is their impact? Hundred and fourteen project practitioners (project managers, managers, team leaders, team members, supervisors, etc) some affiliated with the Project Management Institute (PMI), and mostly from organizations in the IT industry both governmental and private had participated in the research to answer these questions. A positivistic approach was adapted using quantitative data. A survey aimed at project practitioners of information technology industry population was conducted in an effort to investigate the knowledge management activities and to examine the relationship of knowledge management processes and the improvement of project management.