Proceedings of the 12th European Conference on Knowledge ...

4. Conclusion
Kamaladdin Rahmani Youshanloui et al
Implementing KM in <strong>the</strong> absence <strong>of</strong> preparedness and lack <strong>of</strong> attention to critical success factors <strong>of</strong>
implementing KM can lead to failure and can incur heavy costs on <strong>the</strong> organization ra<strong>the</strong>r than being
pr<strong>of</strong>itable. In this study we, first, were looking for a way to identify <strong>the</strong> key factors in implementing KM.
Next, we tried to concretize <strong>the</strong> amount <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong>ir impact on one ano<strong>the</strong>r as well as <strong>the</strong>ir impact on <strong>the</strong>
readiness <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> organizations to utilize KM. To achieve this goal we, in <strong>the</strong> first place, reviewed <strong>the</strong>
literature and asked for <strong>the</strong> opinions <strong>of</strong> two experts; as a result, ten key factors in implementing KM
were selected as <strong>the</strong> most important ones. In <strong>the</strong> next step twelve experts in <strong>the</strong> field <strong>of</strong> KM rated <strong>the</strong>
importance <strong>of</strong> each and every one <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong>se factors. In this stage, we needed a tool by using which we
could concretize <strong>the</strong>ir impact on one ano<strong>the</strong>r. One <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> tools, used for this purpose, is fuzzy
cognitive maps. Fuzzy cognitive maps are useful in modeling complex systems. Using <strong>the</strong> obtained
data and partaking <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> FCM method, we <strong>the</strong>n evaluated <strong>the</strong> impact <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> selected factors. The
sum <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> impact <strong>of</strong> each factor on <strong>the</strong> o<strong>the</strong>r ones was calculated based on <strong>the</strong> obtained data. The
ultimate results were as <strong>the</strong> followings: Culture, 2.59; Structure, 2.48; Strategy, 1.45; Leadership,
2.59; IT, 2.36; Measurement 1.40; Human Resources, 2.54, Finance, 1.74; Education, 2.97 and
modeling, 1.56. Given <strong>the</strong>se results, it is manifest that education, leadership, organizational culture
and human resources are <strong>the</strong> most important and influential factors in successfully implementing
knowledge management for organizations. The findings <strong>of</strong> this paper are in accordance with those <strong>of</strong>
Yeh et al. who, in <strong>the</strong>ir studies, enumerated Culture, Leadership and Human Resources as <strong>the</strong> most
important factors <strong>of</strong> implementing knowledge management. Skyrme and Amido, among many o<strong>the</strong>r
researches, also put great emphasis on <strong>the</strong> role Education in implementing knowledge management.
Different organizations can make use <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> findings <strong>of</strong> this paper in order to prepare <strong>the</strong> ground for
<strong>the</strong> implementation <strong>of</strong> KM. Finally, it should be noted that it is obligatory that organizations focus on
<strong>the</strong> factors with higher scores when <strong>the</strong>y are preparing <strong>the</strong> ground for <strong>the</strong> successful implementation
<strong>of</strong> KM as it is believed that those factors will help <strong>the</strong>m significantly.
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