Title: Why is there no consensus on what knowledge management is?

Authors: Fábio Corrêa; Claudio Paixão Anastácio De Paula; Dárlinton Barbosa Feres Carvalho; Miranda Fuzikawa Anastácio

Addresses: FUMEC University, Rua Cobre, 200, Cruzeiro, Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais, Brazil ' Federal University of Minas Gerais (UFMG), School of Information Science, Av. Presidente Antônio Carlos, 6627, Pampulha, Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais, Brazil ' Computer Science Department, Federal University of São João del-Rei (UFSJ), Av. Visconde do Rio Preto, S/N, Fábricas, São João del-Rei, Minas Gerais, Brazil ' Federal University of Minas Gerais (UFMG), School of Information Science, Av. Presidente Antônio Carlos, 6627, Pampulha, Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais, Brazil

Abstract: Due to the multiplicity of meanings, there is no clear consensus about what knowledge management is, demanding to understand, in the light of the latest descriptions, which main aspects promote the absence of a harmonious agreement. This research intends to identify and analyse the intervenient that cause disagreements regarding the definition of knowledge management in order to support the proposal of a description that can be generalised. The bibliographic research was carried out to identify current definitions of knowledge management, being of an exploratory nature. Then, the identification of the intervenient that promote the absence of consensus were analysed and categorised by a qualitative approach, which made use of the content analysis technique. 192 intervenient were identified. The conceptual variations through the combined use of these terms explain the inconsistency of descriptions on knowledge management and the impossibility of reaching consensus. This analysis contributed for a new definition.

Keywords: knowledge management; consensus; definition; concept.

DOI: 10.1504/IJKMS.2022.119287

International Journal of Knowledge Management Studies, 2022 Vol.13 No.1, pp.90 - 109

Received: 14 Oct 2020
Accepted: 16 Feb 2021
Published online: 30 Nov 2021 *

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