The IT professional and knowledge management: Researching the Irish perspective

This paper is aimed principally at practitioners in the areas of Knowledge Management (KM), Knowledge Management Systems (KMS) and Information Technology (IT). A survey addressing KM perception, understanding, practice and implementation was distributed to a population of Irish IT professionals, with principal survey trends further investigated by virtue of a case study undertaken on an Irish IT Manager in an organisation with a history of KM initiatives. This case study narrative describes the level of involvement of the IT professional in organisational KM and the extent of the support role played by KMS, allowing the conclusion that KMS responsibilities do play an important part in his job role and that he plays a critical role in formal knowledge structures. The narrative shows how a lack of IT professional participation may be preferable for KM success in addition to illustrating the role of the IT professional as a KM change agent.