What Cost Knowledge Management? The Example of Infosys

TL;DR

This paper examines the history and challenges of knowledge management (KM), using Infosys as a case study to highlight the importance of ongoing organizational commitment and the costs involved in sustaining KM initiatives.

Contribution

It provides an analysis of Infosys's KM experience, emphasizing the need for continuous modification and maintenance for success, and discusses the ongoing costs of KM initiatives.

Findings

Successful KM requires continuous organizational engagement.

KM initiatives can yield long-term benefits with sustained effort.

Ongoing costs are significant but necessary for effective KM.

Abstract

The term knowledge management (KM) first came to prominence in the late 1990s. Although initially dismissed as a fad, KM continues to be featured in articles concerning business productivity and innovation. And yet, clear-cut examples that demonstrate the success of KM are few and far between. A brief examination of the history of KM explores the reasons for this and looks at some of the assumptions about what KM can achieve. A subsequent analysis of the experiences of Infosys with KM shows that for KM to be successful, organizational leaders need to engage in a continuous process of modification and maintenance. Although KM initiatives can be made to yield worthwhile returns over an extended period, there are often substantial ongoing costs associated with them.