A prospective retrospective: conceptual mapping of the intellectual structure and research trends of knowledge management over the last 25 years

Abstract

Purpose Knowledge and its management and, more recently, strategic knowledge management (SKM) represent major challenges for the organisations of the 21st century. Despite the importance of this knowledge field, and the significant quantity of research that has focussed on this theme, there is a dearth of studies in the literature undertaking a systematic SKM review. This study aims to provide a currently complete and systematic SKM review to stimulate and contribute to furthering this academic field and correspondingly set out an agenda for future research. Design/methodology/approach This paper sourced the data from the science citation index expanded (SCI-expanded), the social sciences citation index (SSCI) and the arts and humanities citation index (A&H CI) databases. This research spanned references published in journals belonging to the categories of management, business and economics without any chronological filter. The search returned a total of 99 references with their dates of publication between 1995 (1 reference) and 2018 (7 references). Findings The results included the identification of three core approaches to this study field: SKM models and competitive advantage, SKM implementation and the Systematic SKM approach. Practical implications This current study seeks to undertake the mapping of the scientific publications, the intellectual structure and research trends in the SKM field to: identify the fundamental contributions to the SKM research field; determine the research pathways establishing its intellectual structure and the scientific journals with the greatest impact on the field and identify the SKM research field geographical distribution and its collaborative structure. Originality/value This study defines a roadmap for an informed research agenda that proposes multiple directions: the usage and development of an innovative theory that may open new paths for future research and theoretical construction; a more sophisticated understanding of the concept and its applicability; approaching the shortcomings interrelated with the content across different levels of analysis; and the application of relevant and appropriate methodologies for operationalizing SKM.