Knowledge management: what makes complex implementations successful?

Purpose – The purpose of this article is to provide an overview of generic knowledge management critical success factors, in conjunction with an overview of the factors that has been found to be critical in implementation journeys in selected South African companies. Design/methodology/approach – Literature research was used. Findings – Most of these factors are very specific to the organizational context and have had a significant impact on the success of implementations. These unique factors include the creation of a shared understanding of the concept of knowledge management, identifying the value of co‐creation of the knowledge management strategy, and positioning of knowledge management as strategic focus area in the organization. Originality/value – Knowledge management is a complex discipline with many factors contributing to successful implementation. The factors that contribute to successful implementation of knowledge management are highly dependent on the environment and specific context, and can therefore not always be accurately predicted at the start of a knowledge management endeavor. This paper highlights some of the critical success factors of knowledge management in leading companies around the world and specifically in South Africa.