Skip to main content

Abstract

This paper discusses the initial stages of a research in progress addressing knowledge reuse issues in a project management environment and explores how project management companies manage project knowledge. The project tests the statement that the effective transfer of tacit, implicit and explicit knowledge plays a critical role in a project management environment.

The paper presents concepts drawn from the literature covering ways that knowledge is captured and reused in project management context.

We propose a model for knowledge reuse in a project management environment where knowledge is assimilated at the tactical level and flows to the strategic level. This model derives from two prior models: the OODA loop — Observe, Orient, Decide, Act, which focuses on strategic requirements and the Plan Do Study Act (PDSA) cycle, which focuses on the operational or tactical level of projects. Both the OODA Loop and the PDSA Cycle are adaptive learning and decision-making cycles where changes or actions are produced via iterated cycling through that loop.

The initial aim is to use these models as a starting point for analysing and describing how the organization currently captures, manages and reuses knowledge in a project management environment.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this chapter

Chapter
USD 29.95
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
eBook
USD 169.00
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
Softcover Book
USD 219.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Compact, lightweight edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info
Hardcover Book
USD 219.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Durable hardcover edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info

Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout

Purchases are for personal use only

Institutional subscriptions

Preview

Unable to display preview. Download preview PDF.

Unable to display preview. Download preview PDF.

References

  • Boyd, J. R., 1996, The essence of winning and losing, Retrieved May 5, 2003 from the World Wide Web: http://www.belisarius.com /modem_business_strategy/boyd/essence/eowl_frarveset.htm

  • Cooper, K.G. and Lyneis, J.N., 2002, Learning to learn from past to future, International Journal of Project Management, 20 (3) 213–219.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Damm, D. and Schindler, M., 2002, Security issues of a knowledge medium for distributed project work, International Journal of Project Management, 20 (1), 37–47.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Deming, W. E., 1992, Out of the crisis,Press Syndicate of the University of Cambridge.

    Google Scholar 

  • Disterer, G., 2002, Management of project knowledge and experiences, Journal of Knowledge Management, 6 (5), 512–520.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Edison, T., 2002, Rugby and the ooda loop, Retrieved on January 29, 2003 from the World Wide Web: http://www.belisarius.com/modem_busincss_strategy/edison/rugby_ooda_loop.htm

  • Hall, W. P., 2003, Organisational Autopoiesis and Knowledge Management, paper submitted for ISD Twelfth International Conference on Information Systems Development.

    Google Scholar 

  • Hammond, K. H., 2002, The strategy of the fighter pilot. Fastcompany, June. Retrieved April 15, 2003 from the World Wide Web: http://www.fastcompany.com/online/59/pilot.htm

  • Hasan, H., 2001, A knowledge architecture using activity as the key unit of analysis, in: Proceedings of Australian Conference for Knowledge Management and Intelligent Decision Support, 184–199.

    Google Scholar 

  • Komi-Sirvio, S., Mantyniemi, A. and Sepannen, V., 2002, Towards a practical solution for capturing knowledge for software projects, IEEE Software, 19 (3), 60–62.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Koskinen, K. U., 2000, Tacit knowledge as a promoter of project success, European Journal of Purchasing and Supply Management, 6 (1), 41–47.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kotnour, T., 1999, A learning framework for project management, Project Management Journal, 30 (2), 32–38.

    Google Scholar 

  • Kotnour, T., 2000, Organizational learning practices in the project management environment, International Journal of Quality and Reliability Management, 17 (4/5) 393–406.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Liebowitz, J., 2002, A look at NASA Goddard space flight center’s knowledge management initiatives, IEEE Software, 19 (3), 40–42.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Matthews, M. M., 2000, Knowledge-driven profit improvement: implementing assessment feedback using PDKAction theory, Boca Raton, FL: St. Lucie Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Nahapiet, J., and Ghosal, S., 1998, Social capital, intellectual capital, and the organizational advantage, Academy of Management. The Academy of Management Review, 23 (2), 242–266.

    Google Scholar 

  • Nelson, R. R. and Winter, S. G., 1982, An Evolutionary Theory of Economic Change, Belknap Press of Harvard University Press, Cambridge, Mass.

    Google Scholar 

  • Nickols, F., 2000, The knowledge in knowledge management, in: The Knowledge Management Yearbook 2001–2002, J. W. Cortada and J.A. Woods, eds., Butterworth-Heinemann.

    Google Scholar 

  • Project Management Institute, 2000, A guide to the project management body of knowledge, Project Management Institute.

    Google Scholar 

  • Snowden, D., 2002, Complex acts of knowing: paradox and descriptive self awareness, Journal of Knowledge Management, 6 (2), 100–111.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Stake, R. E., 2000, Case Studies, in: Handbook of qualitative research (2nd ed.), N.K. Denzin and Y.S. Lincoln, eds., Sage Publications, pp. 435–454.

    Google Scholar 

  • Thompson, F., 1993, The boyd cycle and business strategy, Proceedings of the Aomori-Atkinson Conference, Aomori Public College, Aomori, Japan. Retrieved October 17, 2002 from the World Wide Web: http://www.belisarius.com /modem business_strategy/thompson/first_with_most.htm

  • Trochim, W. M. K., 2002, Research methods knowledge base. Retrieved May 5, 2003 from the World Wide Web: http://trochim.human.comell.edu/kb/

  • Von Krogh, G. and Roos, J., 1995, Organizational Epistemology,MacMillan Press Ltd.

    Google Scholar 

  • Walsh, J. P. and Ungson, J. R., 1991, Organizational memory, Academy of Management Review, 16 (1), 57–91.

    Google Scholar 

  • Wilson. G. I., 1997, Business is war. Retrieved on January 29, 2003 from the World Wide Web: http://www.belsiarius.com/modcrn_business_strategy/wilson/boyd_symposium_1997

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

Copyright information

© 2004 Springer Science+Business Media New York

About this paper

Cite this paper

Owen, J., Burstein, F., Hall, W.P. (2004). Knowledge Reuse in Project Management. In: Linger, H., et al. Constructing the Infrastructure for the Knowledge Economy. Springer, Boston, MA. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4757-4852-9_33

Download citation

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4757-4852-9_33

  • Publisher Name: Springer, Boston, MA

  • Print ISBN: 978-1-4419-3459-8

  • Online ISBN: 978-1-4757-4852-9

  • eBook Packages: Springer Book Archive

Publish with us

Policies and ethics