Emerging Issues in Knowledge Management for Irish Construction Organisations: A Grounded Theory Approach

Graham, Brian (2010) Emerging Issues in Knowledge Management for Irish Construction Organisations: A Grounded Theory Approach. PhD thesis, Waterford Institute of Technology.

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Abstract

Emerging Issues in Knowledge Management for Irish Construction Organisations: A Grounded Theory Approach Brian Graham Construction organisations rely on the knowledge of their employees to successfully execute projects. Knowledge Management (KM) has been proposed as a means of harnessing such knowledge, yet to-date there has been little guidance on how it should be implemented in practice. The purpose of this research is to investigate the main issuesassociated with KM for the leading Irish construction organisations through grounded theory. Emergent in nature, the research comprised four phases, each of which combined a review of relevant literature, primary research (including interviews, questionnaires, focus groups, case studies and action research) and the grounded theory analytical process. The research identified a clear need for improved KM, but also recognised that there is reluctance on the part of senior management to adopt KM in the current economic environment. To overcome this, these organisations need to build KM upon existing practices to effectively manage knowledge of people, projects and the organisation as a whole. This study makes a contribution to knowledge in three areas; theory, methodology and practice. In terms of theory, this is the first and only comprehensive piece of empirical research to have identified the main issues facing the leading Irish construction organisations in adopting KM. It has also identified the potential to align KM with CPD, where the role and experience of construction professionals and professional body accreditation needs to be taken into consideration. From a methodological perspective, the research has confirmed the constructivist approach to grounded theory as a credible methodology for yielding a deeper insight into understanding the practice of KM in construction. Based on the identified issues, the practice of KM in some of the participating organisations has been improved and an educational module entitled ‘KM in Construction’ has been developed. Recommendations from the study highlight the need for additional testing and incremental adoption of the developed framework (in construction and other sectors) and further research into the alignment of KM with CPD.

Item Type:	Thesis (PhD)
Uncontrolled Keywords:	Knowledge management; Construction industry; Ireland
Departments or Groups:	*NONE OF THESE*
Divisions:	School of Engineering > Department of Construction and Civil Engineering
Depositing User:	Derek Langford
Date Deposited:	14 Jun 2011 15:53
Last Modified:	22 Aug 2016 10:26
URI:	http://repository-testing.wit.ie/id/eprint/1643

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