Corporate Success Factors for Managing Knowledge Networks

Knowledge networks attempts to manage knowledge in a corporate environment abound. These intra-organizational networks of employees with valuable knowledge to share are an increasing phenomenon. Using knowledge networks to manage knowledge transfer and creation can extend from setting up single networks with very selected employees, e.g. to increase innovation in a specific area of a company's competencies, to the integration of a new organizational layer not yet included in a network, as well as to many networks focusing on the same business process or goal. Those networks are organized in concepts and build a distinct system linked to the core organization in order to enfold their competency to build actionable knowledge. However, theory hasn't as yet acknowledged this form of managing knowledge.
This paper describes the networking concepts in four major companies. It illustrates the core elements of and the success factors for knowledge networking concepts as derived from a comparative case study of four companies' concepts. The results are based on a comparative case study investigating 230 networks in four companies of knowledge intensive industries. The case studies prove that knowledge networks won't work effectively without taking elements such as a strong link to corporate strategy and objectives into account. In addition, research presented in this paper shows how important it is to adapt knowledge networking concepts to a company's unique culture and organizational structure.