Key Success Factors for Knowledge Management & Knowledge Management System Initiative: Case study of EMU

ABSTRACT: Management Information System (MIS) is a system that provides all data necessary to manage organization in a more effective and efficient way. Today more than 90 per cent of key business processes are linked to information technology. Competition forces both small and large businesses to introduce some kind of information system to their business. Range of such systems is huge starting from small web site and ending with enterprise systems. Firms may spend tremendous amount of resources to introduce MIS, however the payoff may be very little, or even lack at all. Because of the inability to successfully introduce MIS organizations loose huge amount of resources as well as advantages of competition. This study will focus on one particular MIS type, called Knowledge Management Systems [KMS]. It will examine Key Success Factors (KSFs) for Knowledge Management [KM] and KMS initiative, based on the literature review including both: Managerial side, which particularly indicates inability of the management to restructure organization according to the new requirements, leadership and top management commitment, presence of knowledge sharing culture, systematic knowledge audit and etc. - Sustain commitment of top management to Knowledge Management System integration, usability and user centered design, network design, meta – tags and etc. This study is mainly based on the theoretical case studies of the most common reasons for the KMS failures and KSFs. We also examined current KM situation in Eastern Mediterranean University [EMU] and proposed a model for the successful KM initiative and integration of KMS to the university. Keywords: Knowledge Management, Knowledge Management Systems. ……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………