An analysis of the relationship between knowledge sharing and the project management process groups

• Author: Mírian Oliveira,Fernanda Gomes,Marcirio Silveira Chaves
• Published date: 01 July 2018
• Date: 01 July 2018
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.1002/kpm.1578

RESEARCH ARTICLE

An analysis of the relationship between knowledge sharing and

the project management process groups

Fernanda Gomes |Mírian Oliveira |Marcirio Silveira Chaves

School of Business, Pontifical Catholic

University of Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre,

RS, Brazil

Correspondence

Mírian Oliveira, School of Business, Pontifical

Catholic University of Rio Grande do Sul,

Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil.

Email: miriano@pucrs.br

Funding information

CNPq; CAPES

Because knowledge sharing (KS) can leverage project results, this paper aims to ana-

lyze the relationship between KS and the project management process groups

(PMPGs). This qualitative research, conducted in large information technology (IT)

companies, consists of two phases: (a) an exploratory phase, based on content analy-

sis of nine interviews and documents; and (b) a case study phase based on two cases,

where data collected from six interviews and documents were analyzed using content

analysis. The research facilitated the identification of the knowledge types involved in

each process group as well as opportunities to influence knowledge conversion, thus

enabling enhancement of the results obtained from KS in the organization. Further-

more, we identified opportunities to share interproject knowledge that can avoid

rework, optimize time, and reduce costs. The study's findings will allow managers to

define opportunities for KS in organizations, by identifying when knowledge is being

stored and so facilitating the retrieval process. Identifying how employees share

knowledge also provides an opportunity to stimulate and inhibit certain behaviors

and so create control mechanisms to enhance knowledge management. Lastly,

resource allocation is facilitated by identifying the IT necessary to support KS in pro-

ject teams and which stakeholders are required for each process group. This research

combines two different domains by focusing on the means by which KS can leverage

results in project management. It also proposes a new, empirically tested, relationship

for KS and PMPG, as well as expanding our understanding of the influence KS has on

project management.

1|INTRODUCTION

Knowledge management (KM) consists of processes involving the

creation, sharing, storage, and use of knowledge that are intended to

contribute to the achievement of business objectives. The benefits

most widely associated with KM are improved organizational perfor-

mance and human resource development (Yahyapour, Shamizanjani,

& Mosakhani, 2015). However, other benefits are also attributed to

KM, such as improved relationships with clients and suppliers (Goldoni

& Oliveira, 2010).

Lech (2014) suggests the application of KM in the management of

information technology (IT) projects as an area of research to be

explored. IT projects allow companies to implement strategy and

improvements. A project is “a temporary endeavour undertaken to

create a product, service or exclusive result”(PMBOK, 2013). IT pro-

jects are particularly relevant, given that investments in IT are likely

to increase in the coming years to enable companies to achieve a wide

range of objectives (Rigby & Bilodeau, 2015). Managing IT projects is a

complex activity because they are knowledge‐intensive, involve

interproject relationships (Lech, 2014), and require a variety of stake-

holders (Lampel, 2001).

Knowledge asymmetry between the stakeholders in an IT project

decreases over the course of a project, due to knowledge sharing (KS;

Lech, 2014). KS is one of the KM processes, “where individuals mutu-

ally exchange their (implicit and explicit) knowledge and jointly create

new knowledge”(Hooff & Ridder, 2004, p. 118). KS is important in

leveraging innovation, organizational learning, and the development

of new skills that can result in increased productivity (Mueller, 2014),

Received: 26 July 2017 Accepted: 6 May 2018

DOI: 10.1002/kpm.1578

168 Copyright © 2018 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. Knowl Process Manag. 2018;25:168–179.wileyonlinelibrary.com/journal/kpm