Knowledge management metrics for Public Organizations: A literature review-based proposal

Knowledge Management (KM) is a relatively new phenomenon that appears in the field of Public Administration (PA) bringing new paradigms of organizational management, challenges, risks and opportunities for its implementation,... [ view full abstract ]

Knowledge Management (KM) is a relatively new phenomenon that appears in the field of Public Administration (PA) bringing new paradigms of organizational management, challenges, risks and opportunities for its implementation, development and evaluation in Public Organizations (POs). KM can be seen as a systematic and deliberate effort to coordinate people, technology, organizational structures an its environment through knowledge reuse and innovation. This management approach has been established in parallel with the development and use of information and communications technologies (ICT). Nowadays more POs are embodying KM practices in their core processes for support them, and as an advanced management strategy to create a new culture based on technology and resources efficiency. We observed, in our critical literature review, that KM can support organizational goals in POs. The aim of this paper is to understand KM factors and its associated components, and propose KM metrics for measure KM programs in POs. Through a literature review we analyzed diverse studies related with KM performance indicators in POs, then based on previous works we summarized the more convenient for PA. We found that, in academic literature, studies about KM measurement in POs are uncommon and emerging. In the last part of this paper, we present a proposal of KM metrics for POs, and some recommendations and practical implications for KM metrics development in POs. This study aims to contribute to theoretical debate about KM measure development for KM initiatives in PA.