Factors influencing knowledge management in university’ s research

Abstract

This research is focused on which are the enabler and inhibitor factors that influence the knowledge management practices by research groups in a Colombian university. It considers also the influence of the Colombia’s National System of Science, Technology and Innovation in the research groups to manage their knowledge. The methodology used in this study is based on the grounded theory. The data were collected through in depth-interviews addressed to research group’s coordinators, who where selected according to different criteria to obtain diversity of contexts. The results confirm the factors identified in the literature, and besides two more factors are identified as inhibitor to knowledge management in research groups: time employed in other tasks and the quantity of persons designated to investigate. From the results obtained, and as future line of research, it is suggested to deeply study the knowledge cycle’s activities, taking into account the enablers and inhibitors factors identified.