Knowledge management has emerged as a main stream in achieving organization's competitive advantages. Many firms has made efforts to drive knowledge management initiatives in their organizations. Many scholars suggested the definitions of knowledge management, the processes of knowledge management, conceptual frameworks, and case studies in knowledge management, Although many scholars gave attention to knowledge management, there is little focus on knowledge management teams and their roles, Knowledge management teams are supposed to lead knowledge management, solve many problems in applying KM in their organizations, and develop organization's competitive advantages. This study examines broader questions regarding knowledge management teams, such as (1) whether knowledge management teams's characteristics and activities are associated with knowledge management performance or not and (2) what are knowledge management teams' organization and structure in planning and developing knowledge management.
The main objectives of this study are as follows:
1) What are the relationships between knowledge management teams' characteristics and knowledge management performance and between knowledge management teams' activities and knowledge management performance.
2) What are the differences in relationships between knowledge management teams' characteristics and activities and knowledge management performance among knowledge management types such as knowledge community type, information technology type, and simultaneous type.
3) What are the contents of knowledge management types and the differences in knowledge management types.
An empirical study was undertaken to test hypothesized relationships and data were collected from 36 firms. Correlation analysis and multiple regression analysis were employed to test hyphothesis and Duncan test and stepwise regression analysis were conducted for further analysis. Also case study of 8 firms executing knowledge management is conducted. Information of interviews with knowledge management teams' manager and secondary data were analyzed.
The major findings of this study were as follows:
1) Management work specialty, objective cleamess, organizational importance are significantly correlated with knowledge management performance. Organization and resouse utilization activity, performance evaluation activity, strategic planning activity are significantly correlated with knowledge management performance.
2) Divergence in simultaneous type has more significant relationship to knowledge management performance than those in knowledge community type. Objective clearness in knowledge management performance than those in information technology type.
3) There are two main strategies in developing knowledge management. One strategy is focusing on developing knowledge community in early times and adoptiong knowledge management system afterward. The other strategy is developing knowledge management system at first and utilize knowledge community somewhat later. This two strategis have different knowledge management initiatives, different early problems, and different use of knowledge community and knowledge management system. Futher discussions are suggested in case study. Also, knowledge management initiatives, knowledge management teams' organization and structure, knowledge management activities and performances are described for the proliferation of knowledge management study.
Finally, some managerial implications and limitations of this study are described and future research directions are suggested.
