Knowledge is acknowledged? A field study about people, processes, documents and technologies

This study addresses the issue of technology support for people in knowledge management processes. The results are based on field study of a quality support group in a pharmaceutical company. Particularly, the knowledge work activities are analyzed in a framework of different knowledge management processes with consequent implications for the design of new IT use. The results indicate that there are many processes constituting knowledge management. Some of the processes are appropriately supported with different technologies while others are not supported at all. One successful tool is recognized as a knowledge-mediating system, which seems to be extremely important ("the very lifeline") as a shared workspace for this particular setting. Beyond the current use of IT a more thorough discussion about future needs and requirements is outlined.