Exploiting soft systems methodology (SSM) and knowledge types to facilitate knowledge capture issues in a Web Site environment

Abstract

The building blocks of Knowledge Management include a range of activities, from the initial identification of knowledge goals to the maintenance and evaluation of knowledge repositories. An area of particular concern within the Knowledge Management cycle lies in the capture of knowledge. Soft issues such as cultural resistance and individual self-interest form considerable barriers to knowledge capture. Identifying the knowledge required for corporate knowledge portals, such as Web Sites, and highlighting the nature of the barriers to the capture of knowledge, is a major step towards successful knowledge capture. This paper illustrates how the Soft Systems Methodology (SSM) can be utilized to enhance the fuzzy, non-technical, issues surrounding the development of Web Site environments and, further, uses the concept of Knowledge Types to aid in the identification of knowledge.