2006-07 - Construction Innovation

PROGRAM A: BUSINESS AND INDUSTRY DEVELOPMENT
Managing Knowledge in an Outsourcing Environment
Research project 2006-039-A
Project duration: 1 January 2007–31 December 2007
Project leader: Peter Galvin, Curtin University of Technology
Project members: Curtin University of Technology: Peter Davis,
David Baccarini, Janet Sutherland
QUT: Stephane Tywoniak
Queensland Department of Main Roads: John Spathonis
Western Australian Department of Housing and Works: Greg Fraser,
Peter Tilley, Karyn Ash
Western Australian Department of Main Roads: John Taya, Serena
Buckley, John Robertson
The dual pressures of experienced staff
(often baby-boomers) leaving organisations
and a trend for government agencies to
contract out numerous activities has created
a need to better understand the way in
which organisations manage knowledge
effectively when contracting-out services
that rely upon knowledge not held internally.
This project seeks to develop a checklist
system that will enable managers to identify
possible knowledge management issues
Peter Galvin
from external contracts. It will provide a
better understanding of how to manage external contracts in a
more effective manner, especially when these contracts build upon
knowledge that does not reside locally within the organisation. By
mapping the knowledge boundaries of government agencies, along
with the knowledge requirements for different contracts and studying
the way in which they interface with the agency, it will be possible
to develop a series of criteria that highlight the different knowledge
management requirements and systems for a range of contracts.
This will provide government agencies with a useful tool that allows
them to ensure appropriate knowledge management systems,
structures and processes are in place for the effective management
of external contracts.
Image © 2007 Shutterstock.
Table 2: Program A research outputs and/or milestones
Output/milestone
number
Description
Contracted
achievement date
Achieved
(Yes or No)
Reasons why not
achieved
(if applicable)
Strategies to
achieve unmet
milestones
Outcome 4 Innovation December 2006 Yes
Outcome 5
Organisational
capability
December 2006
Yes
26