Use of Knowledge Management in Project Environments : A Cross-Case Analysis of Five Organizations

Abstract: This master thesis in project management focuses on the use of knowledge management methods in project management environments, since these two fields of study are important factors for companies whose aim is to gain advantages by continuous learning and improvement. For this study, organizations, as well as projects were divided into categories where project management methods and knowledge management methods were highlighted. The main questions which are given attendance in this study were if any knowledge management activities were incorporated into the work in projects as well as what dimensions that affect the use of knowledge management in project environments. The dimensions assumed to affect knowledge management in project environments which were studied in this master thesis were the project category, the use of project management methodologies, the organization and the knowledge management methodologies. Belonging to the dimension of knowledge management, conditions concerning the organizations and the projects were also studied. This study shows that, among five case organizations, only two actively use knowledge management methodologies to capture what has been learned by the projects. The findings from the study further show that, even though no generally applicable model could be formulated, there is a tendency in organizations which has an active approach to information gathering and uses project management methodologies, to use more knowledge management methodologies in projects. As a theoretical contribution, this master thesis shows than there is a connection between the organizational mode and the use of knowledge management and project management methodologies. As a practical contribution, this study shows the importance of labelling and organizing knowledge before it is stored, since only when knowledge is reused the knowledge management activities brings a value to the organization. As another practical contribution this study presents a model for researching knowledge management in project environment, as well as showing that lessons learned and project auditing are the two most common knowledge management methods in the studied case organizations.