An intellectual capital evaluation approach in a government organization

Abstract

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to provide an assessment framework for evaluating the success of knowledge management (KM) initiatives in a government setting.Design/methodology/approachThe approach used was to first conduct a brief review of the leading thinking on KM and intellectual capital (IC) measurement approaches. The selection process used to recommend the results‐based management assessment framework (RMAF) as the most appropriate measurement framework is then discussed together with the development of logic models for all KM objectives. Finally, the validation methodology used, a survey design and data collection methodology, is described.FindingsThe study finds that the RMAF framework proved to be a good fit for KM assessment in a government setting.Research limitations/implicationsThe evaluation of KM and IC are necessarily organization‐specific. Further research is needed to report on the generalizability of this evaluation approach.Practical implicationsThe KM evaluation approach proposed here helped the government organization translate its KM strategy into action and enhanced management of the KM program. The proposed evaluation approach will help ensure that each type of stakeholder receives assessment results in a form that is of greatest use to them.Originality/valueWhile there are many KM and IC metrics described in the literature, there have been limited attempts to address the evaluation question from a more holistic perspective. This paper shows how quantitative and qualitative measures can be combined to better assess the success of KM initiatives in a systematic and concrete manner.