The effect of knowledge management systems on organizational performance: Do soldier and unit counterinsurgency knowledge and performance improve following 'push' or 'adaptive-push' training

The U.S. Army's deployment tempo has put pressure on the Army's available training time to prepare for deployments. To better support units' training, and subsequently, preparations for and conduct of counterinsurgency and stability operations, the Army created the Stryker Warfighting Forum (SWfF), a network-centric, knowledge repository designed to increase Stryker soldier knowledge and unit performance. This dissertation conducted two studies to determine whether using a "push" (leader identified and delivered) or an adaptive-push (identified by leader and subordinate interaction and leader delivered) delivery of information by the SWfF, would help increase soldier knowledge and unit performance.;In the first study (push delivery) statistically significant individual-level knowledge gains occurred as a result of soldiers' participation in an existing SWfF facilitator-led, multimedia virtual training event called the Hundredth House. In the second study (adaptive-push delivery) statistically significant gains in unit-level performance at the Army's combat training centers were associated with units using the Iraq Common Event Approaches Handbook. This Handbook was developed from combat-returnee feedback on ten events commonly faced by soldiers in Iraq. These results lend support to the concept that knowledge and performance will improve as a result of using push and adaptive-push delivery methods.;These findings suggest that Army senior leaders may want to ensure their knowledge management systems are adequately employing push and adaptive-push delivery methods that lead to increased individual knowledge gains and organizational performance.