| Many books and articles give glimpses into the knowledge management (KM) phenomena. However, none have identified the specific types of KM activities that can be contributors to competitiveness. The recently advanced knowledge chain model took the first steps in trying to do this. The knowledge chain model identified nine broad KM activity classes. The intent of this research is to further explore the knowledge chain model from the standpoints of substantiating it, refining it, and extending it. It identifies those specific types of activities performed within each of the KM activity classes in the model. A literature review yielded over 500 variations of the activities. This is consolidated into 61 distinct activity types. Within each class a typology of activity types is developed. The result is a more in-depth version of the knowledge chain model. It gives greater guidance to practitioners striving to incorporate KM into their organizations and their competitive strategies. In addition, the specific types of activities are reviewed to determine which ones have an impact on competitiveness. Propositions are developed based on the various KM classes and activities. Ultimately, a portfolio of KM methodologies, which reflect the knowledge chain model, could be utilized by practitioners as a guidebook when attempting to perform KM. This study opens avenues for future research. One such avenue could be to identify methods for which these types are performed and how the different methods may contribute to competitiveness. |
