[Sigkm-l] KM Dissertation

[Leonard J. Ponzi]

My bibliometric dissertation on KM titled, "The Evolution & Intellectual 
Development of Knowledge Management" is publicly available.  You can down 
load a copy from the following link:

http://www.mindspring.com/~lponzi/Dissertation/PonziKMDissertationFinal.PDF


If you have any questions please feel free to contact me.

Len Ponzi



Abstract


Knowledge Management (KM), a concept perceived by academics and 
practitioners as an emerging field, has little empirical lead evidence to 
support claims about its origin, growth, or constructs.  The purpose of 
this research was to analyze systematically the 1991 to 2001 academic and 
industry literature to provide a better understanding of KM's evolution and 
intellectual development.  Given the limitation of the methodological 
approach in this study, the analysis presents an archival view of KM.

The findings of this research illuminate the emergence of KM, and in so 
doing, this study unpacked the KM concept by employing seven different 
bibliometric techniques and analyses (Discourse Life Cycle, Co-Term 
Occurrence, Author Co-citation Analysis, Disciplinary Activity & Breadth, 
Author Influence Index, and Disciplinary Influence) to explore the main 
conceptual shifts in KM's discourse, interdisciplinary nature, and 
intellectual structure.  This methodological approach statistically 
analyzed data gathered from the occurrence and co-occurrence of key search 
phrases, cited authors, and cited references.

Discourse life cycle and co-term occurrence analyses reveal that KM is 
still developing and that it has had three distinct evolutionary 
stages.  The period 1991 to 1995 reflect KM's origin and formation.  The 
foundation of KM occurred in 1995, when Nonaka and Takeuchi's seminal work, 
The Knowledge-Creating Company, was published.  This work marked the 
tipping point to the growth stage as well as the birth of KM.  Starting in 
1996 and continuing through 1999 is a growth period, in which the KM 
literature reached exponential growth rates.  During 2000-2001, the KM 
literature experienced a contraction and rebound.  Disciplinary Activity 
measures show that KM's rapid growth, contraction, and rebound was in large 
part a computer industry driven phenomenon.

The intellectual development analyses support claims that KM has emerged 
from the organizational sciences and is predominantly a social science 
phenomenon.  The intellectual structure supports the four proposed 
constructs of: 1) Creating a Knowledge-based Business Strategy; 2) 
Developing a Learning Organization; 3) Managing Intellectual Capital; and 
4) Leveraging Information Technology.  Future study of KM's evolution and 
intellectual development is needed.


KEYWORDS: Knowledge Management, Bibliometrics, Evolution, Discourse, 
Intellectual Structure

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