Project Knowledge Management Organizational Design and Success Factors - An Empirical Study in Germany

The efficient and effective management of projects is a key success factor for many organizations. Empirical studies indicate that systematic know-how transfer from, between and within projects has significant impact on the success of projects. However, the role of knowledge management in projects has been insufficiently investigated. This research aims at spotting the status quo and causalities of project knowledge management in a sample of companies from different industries and to identify success factors. Based on 27 interviews, the current status, determinants and good practices of effective knowledge management in project environments are identified. The determinants and good practices can be traced back to four categories: cultural, organizational, structural, and process-related aspects. The interrelations between these and project knowledge effectiveness and project success are statistically investigated based on a survey with a sample of 495 questionnaires. Based on the understanding of success factors and cause-and-effect relations management implications are developed.