Abstract

The aim of this paper is to explore the role and contribution of new information communication technologies (ICTs) in the emerging field of Knowledge Management. There is much confusion in the literature and in organisations as to what role technology has within the field of Knowledge Management. There is a danger that organisations could spend large amounts of time, money and other resources on inappropriate technology in support of their Knowledge Management efforts. This paper seeks to clarify key questions such as: how has ICT based technology emerged as a key enabler for Knowledge Management? What characteristics of Knowledge Management are most suited to technology? What are the key classifications of Knowledge Management technology tools? The paper discusses the classification of Knowledge Management technology tools in detail, under the headings of Collaboration, Content management and Business Intelligence. Overall, the paper presents a critique of the current literature in this field.