Knowledge management: Hype, hope, or help?

This article examines the nature of Knowledge Management—how it differs from Data Management and Information Management, and its relationship to the development of Expert Systems and Decision Support Systems. It also examines the importance of Communities of Practice and Tacit Knowledge for Knowledge Management. The discussion is organized around five explicit questions. One: What is “knowledge”? Two: Why are people, especially managers, thinking about Knowledge Management? Three: What are the enabling technologies for Knowledge Management? Four: What are the prerequisites for Knowledge Management? Five: What are the major challenges for Knowledge Management?