Variety of Strategic Planning Approaches for Knowledge Management

The paper discusses possible approaches to strategic planning of Knowledge Management (KM). The concept of KM strategy is relatively recent and has been developed based on the assumption that any KM programme requires the definition of long-term goals, resources, and plans, i.e., a strategic planning. Empirical evidence shows that the conditions for the successful implementation of KM can change from a company to another and in relation to the external context, and this calls for an appropriate approach. Until today, the literature has primarily focused on the definition of different types of KM strategies, and pertinent and useful taxonomies have been defined. Conversely, the process that can lead to the formulation of these strategies has been less studied. The present paper aims to fill this gap by identifying and discussing possible approaches to KM strategic planning that a company can follow. In particular, by drawing inspiration from the classic literature about strategic planning, a taxonomy of the possible approaches to KM strategic planning is developed. This taxonomy is based on two dimensions, namely: a) the nature (rational vs. emergent) of the planning process, and b) the competitive factors (internal vs. external) that drive the strategy formulation. Examples of companies, drawn from recent case-studies, are then provided, with the purpose to depict the features of each KM strategic planning approach, as well as asses the consistency and usefulness of the formulated taxonomy. Implications and limitations of the study are discussed in conclusion.