ABSTRACT
This chapter reviews the societal influences on the evolution of information systems and examines topics related to pertinent aspects of knowledge management. Human development relative to individuals and as a society has been a continuous process and really exciting for those with interest in the stages of human development. An examination of knowledge management concepts inherently begins with the identification of its three primary components: data, information, and knowledge. Knowledge is the state in which someone knows something by virtue of the meaning that is individually or commonly ascribed to the information that comprises that knowledge. Looking at knowledge at a much closer level also enables us to obtain an assessment about the level of sophistication of some groups and communities that exist in our society, and who have their own distinct language. Explicit knowledge can be transmitted from one individual to another through some formal means of communication.
