The use of web 2.0 to enhance knowledge management in project-based environments

Abstract

The Project Based Environment (PBE) use projects as a primary means of production. Projects gather resources for a limited time with a specific goal in mind. In this time existing knowledge is sourced, new knowledge is created, consumed, and remixed. Managing knowledge effectively to support knowledge management (KM) activities can help improve productivity. The study of the relationship between KM and productivity has been ongoing, and it has shown a positive relation between the two. Despite this positive relationship managing knowledge is still a challenge. Projects continue to fail at a high rate despite the advent Web 2.0 based social media. The technology has shown capacity to create communities and foster information exchanges online. Projects are short lived communities that gather for a specific goal and as part of their process exchange a lot of information. Therefore, it is plausible that social media can enhance the management of knowledge in projects. To explore the idea of using social media to manage knowledge in PBEs, literature was used to understand how knowledge is managed, the project environment and to clearly understand characteristics of social media and its capabilities. Furthermore, an online survey was randomly distributed to staff who work within a PBE at the City of Cape Town. The survey collected data on their experiences in the project environment regarding knowledge manage activities and social media. The results show that social media can enhance the effective management of knowledge in the project environment. However, there is limited use of social media for the purpose of knowledge creation, dissemination and retention. A portion of that use is unsanctioned and therefore occurs outside of the KM strategy. On that basis it was concluded that social media can facilitate the management of knowledge in a project environment but only if careful consideration is taken to select the correct social media.