A Structurational Analysis of Users and Management in a Knowledge Management System Project Implementation

This article applies the concepts of structuration theory to assess the interaction of corporate management with users of a knowledge management system (KMS). The study is based around China Motor Corporation (CMC), a major Taiwanese company faced with the challenge of deploying a knowledge management system. Over a period of 3 years (1999-2002) structured interviews were conducted to examine factors contributing to the success of KMS efforts in CMC. Our findings suggest that management and users must be engaged in a sustained and reciprocal communication method when implementing a KMS. The pattern of communication, power structure, sanction power, and degree of cooperation are dynamically changed during the interaction process. Therefore, it is important to maneuver these factors into a win-win situation for management and users in order to successfully implement a KMS. Practical implications of this article provide feasible real solutions to improve the relationship between users and management during a KMS implementation. Theoretically, this article contributes to the growing body of KM literatures from the structurational perspective.