Developing a relevant research agenda in knowledge management ‐ bridging the gap between knowing and doing

The diversity and sometimes‐sporadic nature of research in the area of knowledge management (KM) points towards the need for a better understanding of the underlying framework of issues and potential research topics. This paper describes the search for a research agenda in this fast developing area. Important issues were identified through a general review of the KM literature followed by a survey of business practitioners, consultants and academics at a one‐day conference dedicated to the subject. The investigation was carried out in the context of a feasibility study for a proposed KM Centre at Henley Management College in the UK. The survey followed an interpretivist approach employing open‐ended questions that sought to establish important issues in KM and to examine the benefits that participants would seek from a such a forum of practitioners and academics. A conceptual framework of disciplines and key topics was developed from the literature review and applied to the issues identified in the survey. The results point towards three areas of significant interest, namely: (i) implementation issues, (ii) best practice, and (iii) measurement. Additionally, the nature of the fast evolving field of knowledge management points to the need for more interactive research that brings together the different players in the field into a tighter and faster learning cycle.