Enhancing knowledge-intensive business processes via knowledge management audit

Enhancing organizational Knowledge-Intensive Business Processes (KIBP) for gaining competitive advantages is often performed through Knowledge Management (KM) initiatives. These KM initiatives aim at developing organizational KM infrastructure of KIBP, starting from knowledge audit that is a necessary first step in any KM initiative. Current knowledge audit methods address either technological-related or social-related aspects. None of them was found to deal with the triple perspective of KM infrastructure: culture, knowledge processes and information technology, in the context of KIBP. This paper proposes a comprehensive framework and practical tools for knowledge audit that aim at enhancing KIBP by embedding KM capabilities within them. As KM infrastructure integrates social and technological disciplines, we developed a combined Socio-Engineering Knowledge Audit Methodology (SEKAM) for a systematic audit of the KM infrastructure in the context of KIBP. This methodology is illustrated through knowledge audit in a large high-tech global organization.