ABSTRACT
Specific criteria must be defined and evaluated prior to the initiation and implementation of any knowledge management (KM) system. These criteria will differ among various organizations but may be assessed with four basic questions: What is knowledge management? Why do we want it? How do we get it? What do we do with it? It is especially critical that each of these areas be fully appraised prior to engaging human and fiscal capital in an enterprise for which there may be limited or competing resources. In this manner, a fully informed decision weighing available resources, level of commitment, and cultural preparedness for a knowledge management system—including both process and technology support—may be made. This case study reviews these issues as they emerged within one public health organization.
