Knowledge Sharing Initiatives in a Chinese Professional Services Firm

Knowledge management has received increasing attention from both academics and practitioners in the past few years. However, much of what we know is limited to larger organisations in developed economies. In this study, we describe and analyse the impact of an knowledge sharing project in a medium sized Chinese professional services firm. Employing Canonical Action Research, we describe how we diagnosed the organisational situation, planned theory-driven changes, implemented a new knowledge sharing platform and then evaluated the outcomes of the implementation. Key findings relate to the importance of guanxi (relationships) between employees and the role of instant messaging technology. The theoretical and practical implications of these findings for knowledge management in the Chinese context are discussed. Recommendations for future research and additional technology applications are identified.