Developing Knowledge Management Implementation Frameworks: Implications From Translation Perspective

Abstract

Knowledge management implementation frameworks in the literature tend to provide one-fit-all models, assuming homogeneous organizational contexts and passive recipient organizations. This is an important drawback, as knowledge management (KM), like any management concepts, evolves in implementation through custom adaptation and reconfiguration by local actors to become meaningful and suitable within specific organizational settings. This helps explain why a significant portion of KM initiatives fails despite considerable resources and commitment of the organizations. Therefore, it is necessary that directions be provided to help KM implementation frameworks take into consideration the evolution of KM in the organizations. We introduce translation perspective as an appropriate theoretical foundation to meet this need. This perspective argues that a management concept, when moving from one context to another, is implemented in a new way by local actors in accordance with local conditions. This process is called translation. Two real-life examples of KM implementation are provided to illustrate the essence of translation. Relying on translation perspective, we discuss important guiding principles for developing KM implementation frameworks. The discussion is made in light of the common features of the existing frameworks to show how translation perspective contributes to enhancing the KM literature.