The effects of information technology on knowledge management systems

Due to the rapid development of knowledge and information technology (IT), business environments have become much more complicated. In order to cope with ensuing complications, enterprises ought to incessantly innovate; otherwise, it will be very difficult for them to survive in the marketplace. Hence, many enterprises have applied IT in order to cut production costs, introduce innovations in products and services, promote growth, develop alliances, lock in customers and suppliers, and create switching costs and raise barriers to entry. In other words, IT can help a firm aiming to gain a competitive advantage. In addition, many studies have argued that business value comes mainly from intangible assets, such as knowledge. Thus, knowledge workers will be able to replace clerical workers as the new mainstream of manpower resources, a field in which the development of IT is the major force for change in knowledge management system (KMS). Therefore, based on the definition of the five gaps in KMS, this study explores the role and effect of IT in the implementation of KMS on firms; moreover, relationships between KMS and IT are analyzed and demonstrated by means of the literature reviews, expert interviews and questionnaire analyses. Furthermore, this study discusses how to enhance the effectiveness and efficiency of implementing KMS through appropriate IT. (C) 2007 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.