The effect of an integrated knowledge management architecture on organisational performance and impact: the case of the World Bank

Abstract: Using the World Bank as a case study, this dissertation investigates the impact of knowledge management programs on the organisation performance by using a combination of three methods: records analysis, interviews and outcome mapping. The study has two phases: quantitative analysis and qualitative analysis. The Knowledge Management Program of the World Bank has had a direct and beneficial impact on its operations. The Program changed internal staff behaviour, improved the sharing of information and knowledge within the organisation, and promoted the design and application of participatory knowledge strategies in the countries. New knowledge products as well as strong country participation and ownership to the projects studied resulted from these changes. However, the study also shows that this impact is far from being sufficiently significant to influence or help make the knowledge management program fully integrated with the organisation core processes and products. The gap between the KM Program architecture and other programs and initiatives focusing on making this concept operational within the Bank remains an issue. In spite of the fact that knowledge management principles are being mainstreamed in core services, the difference is still very wide between the overall goals of the Knowledge Bank and their translation into the implementation of knowledge products and services in the countries. The research did confirm previous research in the field of knowledge management and validated the findings from other case studies. The results of the study also allowed for the identification of ten criteria for mainstreaming knowledge management programs within organisations and identified characteristics of knowledge delivery processes what were effective for knowledge absorption. The importance of ‘how to’ and ‘procedural knowledge’; the importance of ‘horizontal knowledge exchanges’ and a number of other elements were confirmed as factors affecting knowledge absorption and positive changes in their behaviour.

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