Organisations often rely on projects to drive change and innovation. But to enhance competitive advantage, knowledge gained in these projects need to be shared effectively. That is a major challenge, as knowledge resides in the minds of employees and is not readily available to others who might need it. Sylva Žáková Talpová, Petr Smutný and Jakub Procházka provide insights into project knowledge sharing mechanisms and factors influencing their application.

In today’s rapidly evolving business landscape, project-based organisations are at the forefront of driving innovation and change. However, the key to their success lies not only in the execution of individual projects but also in the effective sharing and transfer of knowledge across projects. Enter the realm of project knowledge sharing mechanisms (KSMs), which can unlock the full potential of project-based learning and propel organisations towards success. Here we explore the intricate world of project knowledge management and the diverse array of mechanisms, and uncover the factors that influence their application. We reveal that experienced project managers play a vital role in facilitating knowledge sharing, while project characteristics such as team size and project complexity significantly impact the choice and intensity of the mechanisms used.

In today’s dynamic business environment, project-based organisations are increasingly using temporary forms of organisations to drive change and innovation across various industries. Project knowledge management (PKM) plays a crucial role in enhancing the competitive advantage of these firms by facilitating the sharing and transfer of knowledge within and across projects. However, the effective sharing of critical knowledge remains a challenge, as it often resides in the minds of employees and is not readily available to those who need it. To address this, organisations need to identify and implement effective project knowledge sharing mechanisms (KSMs) that can facilitate the transfer of knowledge. This article aims to explore and analyse different KSMs in projects, identify factors associated with their application, and highlight areas for future research to improve knowledge sharing in projects.

Project knowledge management

Project knowledge management is widely recognised as a key factor in the success of project-based firms. It involves the creation, acquisition, codification, and transfer of knowledge within and across projects. The ability to effectively share and transfer knowledge is crucial for project teams to leverage past experiences and apply them to future projects. However, the temporary and unique nature of projects poses challenges to knowledge sharing and transfer, leading to the so-called “learning paradox.” While projects offer opportunities for knowledge creation and learning, their temporality and discontinuities hinder the effective transfer and sharing of knowledge with other parts of the organisation.

The biggest challenges for knowledge sharing in projects are:

• The temporary nature of projects: When a project is finished, the team is disbanded and the members go on to work on new projects. This can make it difficult to transfer the knowledge that was gained during the project to other teams or to the organisation as a whole.
• The diversity of project teams: Project teams often include people from different disciplines and backgrounds, which can make it difficult for them to communicate and share knowledge effectively.
• The pressure to deliver results: Project teams are often under pressure to deliver results on time and within budget, which can make it difficult for them to take the time to document and share their knowledge.

Despite these challenges, there are a number of things that project-based organisations can do to promote knowledge sharing. For instance, they can create a culture of knowledge sharing. This means creating an environment where employees feel comfortable sharing their knowledge with others, and where they are rewarded for doing so. They can also establish knowledge sharing processes and procedures. This could include things like after-action reviews, knowledge bases, and mentorship programs.

Project knowledge sharing mechanisms

Project knowledge sharing mechanisms (KSMs) are means, both formal and informal, that facilitate the sharing of knowledge among individuals and groups within projects. These mechanisms can range from information and communication technologies to people-oriented approaches that emphasise personal communication. Literature identifies various KSMs, including brainstorming, collaborative problem-solving, teamwork, storytelling, training, project reviews, lessons learned and communities of practice.

The selection and use of specific KSMs depend on factors such as the type of knowledge shared, organisational level and project characteristics. Literature search clearly suggests that knowledge sharing is an important factor in the success of projects, that the availability of several different KSMs and the richness of these mechanisms influence the effectiveness of sharing behaviour. It also suggests that the use of the specific KSMs depends on various factors existing in the external environment, organisation and individual (project manager).

The question remains, which characteristics are associated with the use of various project knowledge sharing mechanisms?

Factors influencing project knowledge sharing

In order to properly set up knowledge sharing processes in projects, we have investigated the factors that influence this sharing. Using responses from 144 project managers, we found out that several factors influence the application of KSMs by project managers.

• More experienced project managers have more confidence and tend to share their knowledge and experience
• It is the project team size rather than project duration that affect the use of project knowledge management tools.
• In large projects, it is logical to use various types of meetings and also meeting minutes, which contributes to better informing the members of large teams.
• The more complex the environment (containing greater uncertainty and dynamics), the higher the intensity of project knowledge management tools used.
• In case the environment is more dynamic in the company, project managers tend to use more personal and ad hoc tools (storytelling, brainstorming and debriefing) and also use lessons learned more often.
• When the level of competitiveness is higher, project managers tend to use more creative ways of knowledge sharing, such as storytelling and case writing.
• There is a relationship between higher customer dynamics and meeting minutes. This seems logical since the minutes often document an agreement on project changes reached during the meetings. Also knowledge sharing in the form of lessons learned is more frequent; it probably involves identification of various problems or risks connected with customers.
• The more complex the project, the more often project managers use project knowledge management tools, both oral and written

Of all respondents, 56.94 per cent hold a project management certificate (Prince2, IPMA and Agile being the most frequent ones) The respondents represented companies of different sizes and industries and a variety of projects in terms of project length, focus and size.

Our research provides insights into project knowledge sharing mechanisms and factors influencing their application. By harnessing the power of project knowledge sharing, organisations can unlock the full potential of their projects and pave the way for unprecedented success.

• This blog post represents the views of its author(s), not the position of LSE Business Review or the London School of Economics.
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