Knowledge management and project-based knowledge in it projects: A model and preliminary empirical results

In this research, we investigate how IT-enabled business projects can be managed to contribute value to the client organization. We take a knowledge view of this issue, and conceptualize knowledge management as a three dimensional concept comprising knowledge stock, enabling environment and knowledge practices. We suggest that knowledge management enables the creation and alignment of three types of project-based knowledge that are critical to achieving desired business outcomes: technical design knowledge, organizational change knowledge and business value knowledges We test this model with survey data from 212 IT project managers from around the world. The results statistically support the model's conceptualisation of the key constructs and show that knowledge management within IT projects contributes to the creation and alignment of the important project-based knowledges. This study contributes to research into IT projects by 1) integrating the wide variety of knowledge management literature into a single managerially-useful construct, 2) developing a model which connects knowledge management, through knowledge practices to the creation and alignment of project-based knowledges, and 3) demonstrating the validity of the model, its constructs and measures. The model has the potential to influence research into IT projects and to guide project executives towards the achievement of business value. (C) 2012 Elsevier Ltd. APM and IPMA. All rights reserved.