A Qualitative Research on the Relationship between the Knowledge Management Components and Information Technologies in Public Institutions in Turkey: From the Perspective of Heads of Information Technology Departments

Abstract

Since knowledge is the most important resource of the organization, managing it in the best way and using technological tools for this purpose is an important issue. This study was carried out by interviewing the Heads of Information Technology (IT) Departments of eight Ministries in Turkey in order to determine the current state of knowledge management practices in public institutions in Turkey and what needs to be done to improve those practices. The study, which was designed in accordance with the phenomenological research and subjected to descriptive content analysis, focused on the relationship between knowledge management and technology in ministries. Knowledge management components were classified under five main groups: People, organization, information asset/content, process and technology. The results reveals that knowledge management is generally an ambiguous issue in the public institutions in Turkey; that there is no strategic plan for knowledge management and organization related to knowledge management in public institutions; that there is a need for knowledge management guide; that there is full support by top management for the requirements of information technologies; and that technological tools are available to a certain extent; however, are not structured for knowledge management and does not have an integrated system structure in public institutions. In light of these findings, some recommendations were presented.