Improve Knowledge Management in IT Company in China : A case study of Taobao

Abstract: With fast developing economy today, knowledge becomes critical resource in organizations since it creates enterprises’ competitive advantages. Thus, the management of knowledge is highly valued as one of the strategic solutions to business success. In China, although the importance of knowledge management is already recognized by enterprises, its development and implementation still face constrains and obstacles. In high-tech industries, especially for IT companies, knowledge is considered as the key assets for the company to achieve higher competitiveness. Even though information technology provided good platform for knowledge management implementation in IT companies, its knowledge management influenced by various factors such as organizational culture, business process problems, interpersonal relationship and etc. As a result, knowledge management implementation ran into difficulties. The objectives of this thesis are to evaluate current knowledge management status in Chinese IT companies and then to provide possible solutions to improve the knowledge management implementation regarding the investigated results. Because of time and resource limitation, this thesis took Taobao, one of the leading IT companies in China to conduct the case study. To conduct the research, this thesis applied qualitative method. It conducted interviews of four employees in Taobao to collect data, and then use grounded theory method to analyze the results. After analysis, the thesis pointed out Taobao’s current problems of knowledge management implementation and further provided possible solutions from following aspects including understanding of knowledge management, knowledge strategy, training, top management support, knowledge management process, network of experts, knowledge sharing and trustworthy personal relationship, information technology, employee involvement and motivation, and organizational culture in order to improve knowledge management implementation in Taobao.