Management Information Systems Commons^™

Systems Theory And Knowledge Management Systems: The Case Of Pratt-Whitney Rocketdyne, Priscilla Arling

Priscilla Arling

Despite a growing body of research on knowledge management (KM) systems, many managers are still unsure how they can implement a KM system that will effectively contribute to the firm’s competitive advantage. A common framework is one that breaks down KM into four main activities: knowledge creation, storage, transfer, and application. This paper describes one company’s use of an alternative perspective–a systems thinking approach–to define and improve KM within the firm. Pratt-Whitney Rocketdyne moved away from viewing KM as separate processes, to view the organization holistically as a system of people, processes, and technology. Based on this perspective, the company …