Memory-based knowledge management in tourism firms

Human-based knowledge management (KM) is critical for the operation of service-intensive tourism firms; however, its practical mechanisms, often perceived as informal and unstructured, remain inadequately understood in existing literature. This ambiguity hinders the systematic development and application of effective human-based KM strategies. To address this gap, this study developed a grounded theory of human-based KM in tourism firms, focusing on the rationale behind spontaneous “bottom-up” KM activities among grassroots managers and frontline employees (FLEs). By employing a four-stage grounded theory methodology, this study conducted a series of semi-structured interviews with managers and FLEs from different types of tourism companies across three regions of China (i.e., Sanya, Guangzhou, and Xinfeng). Data collection and analysis were iterative, involving constant comparisons and theoretical sampling until saturation was reached. Our findings show that grassroots managers perceive practical knowledge as “useful things worth remembering/mastering,” linking it closely to FLEs’ job-related memories. They developed memory-based KM concepts, objectives, strategies, and processes, including scanning, encoding, implanting, and strengthening of FLEs’ knowledge-related memories. This memory-centric approach effectively meets FLEs’ knowledge requirements and enhances KM efficiency without relying excessively on IT-based systems. This study introduced a novel memory-based KM theory tailored to human-based knowledge management system in tourism and other “person-to-person” service industries, highlighting the role of mnemonic processes in managing employees’ knowledge and knowledge-related behaviors. Therefore, it provides a structured explanation for formalizing human-based KM practices, bridging the gap between existing KM research and cognitive psychology theories.