Abstract:
Knowledge Management has recently been recognised as a basis of competitive advantage by many
organizations around the world. However the rate of success of projects to implement knowledge management
has been disappointing based on surveys conducted over the past five years. One of the major reasons for the
failures has been identified as the barriers due to organizational culture. Research conducted in identifying
cultural blocks to knowledge management using conventional research methods such as surveys has not
provided very satisfactory insights.
Professor Charles Hampden-Turner and Dr. Fons Trompenaars have successfully used ‘dilemma theory’ to
identify dimensions of organizational culture for many years. Their research has helped managers to build
cross-cultural competence in organizations in spite of conflicting values to implement successful business
strategies. They have recently determined some dimensions of organizational culture, based on dilemmas that
can inhibit the implementation of knowledge management in organizations. If a model capable of identifying
these dimensions based on dilemmas faced by managers can be developed it would benefit knowledge
management practitioners and managers to successfully implement knowledge management projects.
