Sammendrag
This paper presents a study focusing on a newly established public organization – resulting from merging previous
autonomous divisions into a unified entity. As new, the organization has been exploring and finding out ways to develop and
structure its knowledge management initiatives and practices. In this regard, the organization primarily has started looking
at knowledge databases. The organization has an idea for its knowledge systems and practices. In addition to reflect on its
own practice, the organization wants to conduct a study on three other comparable organizations. The purpose is to gather
these organizations' experiences and recommendations on knowledge management practices; specifically on knowledge
databases. This study aims to provide guidance for the newly established organization to develop, use, maintain, and improve
its own knowledge management efforts and solutions in the future. Thus, creation of an applicable and suitable database
lay the foundation for evaluation and improvement. The organizations that this paper considers belong to the building
construction and energy sectors. By adopting a model described by Duffield & Whitty (2015), the knowledge sharing and
management practices in the four organizations are structured in two major categories: systems (structure) and people
(culture). According to this study, organizational culture and integration of systems play an important role in promoting
knowledge management and competence development. More specifically, this study suggests that an effective
implementation and use of knowledge databases can be established by focusing on both (1) the structural aspects of
knowledge management, such as evaluation meetings at the end of each phase of the project, and (2) the cultural aspects,
such as Communities of Practice (CoP). Cultural mechanisms play a significant role in keeping the initiatives (for instance,
knowledge database) "alive" for a long run, harvesting the intended benefits, and creating a positive learning culture. This
paper is based on a qualitative study. Interviews were conducted, relevant documents from the organizations were looked
at, and observation of one of the four organizations was carried out. The interviews are of semi-structured nature.
autonomous divisions into a unified entity. As new, the organization has been exploring and finding out ways to develop and
structure its knowledge management initiatives and practices. In this regard, the organization primarily has started looking
at knowledge databases. The organization has an idea for its knowledge systems and practices. In addition to reflect on its
own practice, the organization wants to conduct a study on three other comparable organizations. The purpose is to gather
these organizations' experiences and recommendations on knowledge management practices; specifically on knowledge
databases. This study aims to provide guidance for the newly established organization to develop, use, maintain, and improve
its own knowledge management efforts and solutions in the future. Thus, creation of an applicable and suitable database
lay the foundation for evaluation and improvement. The organizations that this paper considers belong to the building
construction and energy sectors. By adopting a model described by Duffield & Whitty (2015), the knowledge sharing and
management practices in the four organizations are structured in two major categories: systems (structure) and people
(culture). According to this study, organizational culture and integration of systems play an important role in promoting
knowledge management and competence development. More specifically, this study suggests that an effective
implementation and use of knowledge databases can be established by focusing on both (1) the structural aspects of
knowledge management, such as evaluation meetings at the end of each phase of the project, and (2) the cultural aspects,
such as Communities of Practice (CoP). Cultural mechanisms play a significant role in keeping the initiatives (for instance,
knowledge database) "alive" for a long run, harvesting the intended benefits, and creating a positive learning culture. This
paper is based on a qualitative study. Interviews were conducted, relevant documents from the organizations were looked
at, and observation of one of the four organizations was carried out. The interviews are of semi-structured nature.