توسعه حوزه هستی شناسی برای تکنولوژی های مدیریت دانش Developing a domain ontology for knowledge management technologies

1. Introduction Luan and Serban (2002, p. 85) insist the importance of knowledge management (KM) with presentations “Knowledge management is the Holy Grail of the modern company, much rumored but rarely found.” Organizations demonstrate a growing interest in KM since they have recognized that effective application of knowledge assets and resources make them more innovative, enable them to meet customers’ demands and to help them survive in an ever-growing competitive economy. Several factors are presented as enablers of KM and technology is one of them. In fact, the goal of KM is facilitating the implementation of knowledge processes, and technologies facilitate creation, share and application of knowledge (Luan and Serban, 2002; Tyndale, 2002). Technologies that can support KM or KM technologies are presented from various aspects. A common approach describes them from the view point of KM processes (Razmerita et al., 2009; Dalkir, 2005). Furthermore, technologies have described as part of KM system architecture (Chua, 2004; Benbya and Belbaly, 2005). Sometimes these technologies have been studied from their relationship with KM strategies (Merono-Cerdan et al., 2007; Saito et al., 2007). However, there is no comprehensive framework that has a consolidated approach covering all the factors in KM technologies’ classification. This study presents a new classification of KM technologies based on their support of KM processes and KM strategies as well as the status of these technologies in growth stages of KM technologies whereas the existing frameworks have studied only a limited number of factors to classify the KM technologies. In order to delineate the relationship between these elements, the concept of ontology is applied. “Ontology is an explicit specification of a conceptualization,” stated by Gruber (1993). One of its advantages is creation of a platform for sharing knowledge, in particular, domain. In the classifications proposed for the KM technologies, no formal language has been used. In this study, however, the ontology of KM technologies is delineated via three factors – processes, strategies and growth stages of technologies – in formal language. Taking improper technologies in implementation of different phases of KM most often wastes time, energy and other resources. Ontology of KM technologies proposes a proper classification of these technologies in different phases, the proposed classifications are compatible with KM strategies. As a result of the formal language used in the ontology, it can be easily developed and updated and also help decision makers on the right choice of KM technology.