Measuring knowledge management performance in industrial enterprises

Purpose – This paper aims to discuss an integrated paradigm that aligns the measures of knowledge management (KM) performance to attain corporate goals in organisations. It presents the main findings of an exploratory study on the use of the paradigm and the accompanied self-assessment scheme in industrial enterprises in Trinidad and Tobago (T&T). Design/methodology/approach – An integrated knowledge management (IKM) model was derived, incorporating the guiding principles of the Total Quality Management/Business Excellence Models. A host of 20 elements was advocated under 5 assessment criteria, namely, Senior management leadership, KM processes, people development, continuous improvement and results orientation. A four-level self-assessment scheme was developed for facilitating users to determine the maturity status of IKM performance in organisations. An exploratory study was conducted with respondents of 18 companies in T&T. A results-oriented methodology with a self-assessment instrument (includes a set of questionnaire and facilitative tools) was used to acquire the industry practitioners’ views on the potential applicability of the IKM model. The study compared the current with the expected organisational performance and explored the relevance of integrating KM and PM practices in these participating organisations. Findings – The findings provided some useful data sources and managerial insights in integrating KM/PM initiatives with reference to groups of large enterprises vs small- and medium-sized companies in T&T. Empirical evidence showed that the self-assessment analysis could help participating organisations utilise their resources and keep up with improvement progress. The objectives, emphasis and administrative context of the KM/PM integration could be changed with varying resources, constraints and maturity status of organisations. Research limitations/implications – Future research could validate the self-assessment paradigm of KM performance in enterprises across various industry sectors, with the emphasis on human–technology–organisation interactions. Originality/value – It is anticipated that adapting the IKM model and using it for regular self-assessments could help industrial enterprises to enhance their KM and PM capabilities for attaining improvement goals. The results could facilitate information sharing of best practices and create conditions conducive to continuous performance improvement.