The practices of knowledge managers in Lafarge

Abstract

Purpose

This paper aims to look at the practices of those who are in charge of knowledge management in corporations: the knowledge managers.

Design/methodology/approach

Using the activity system model, the study observes the work of four knowledge managers embedded in the same organizational context (the company Lafarge).

Findings

By exposing the contradictions inside the activity systems of knowledge managers, the paper analyzes three managerial conflicts tackled by practitioners: how to measure knowledge management practices, how to set rules and processes for managing knowledge and how to create structure to support knowledge management.

Practical implications

The paper presents a typology of knowledge managers and discusses the competencies needed to become a knowledge manager.

Originality/value

The paper provides a deep analysis of actions, discourses and artifacts of knowledge managers that allows the author to present a typology of practices of knowledge managers.

Citation

Perrin, A. (2012), "The practices of knowledge managers in Lafarge", Journal of Knowledge Management, Vol. 16 No. 2, pp. 204-214. https://doi.org/10.1108/13673271211218825