Obstacles to Applying Knowledge Management in Small Enterprises in The Egyptian Construction Sector, Review

Abstract

The adoption of knowledge management has become an essential pillar of modern management in the entire world. Knowledge has been recognized as one of the most important assets of any organization, especially in a knowledge-intensive industry such as construction. The application of knowledge management contributes to supporting the transfer of knowledge between stakeholders and preventing “re-inventing the wheel”. Knowledge management is a tool for improving organizational performance and achieving a competitive advantage. A review of the literature shows that there are many more challenges for small construction enterprises in adopting knowledge management systems compared to large enterprises. Because small companies play a prominent role in the contracting sector, they must strive to keep pace with the huge revolution in modern management and the successful application of knowledge management by removing obstacles to its application. This paper presents an overview to identify the obstacles that hinder the application of knowledge management in small construction enterprises. By reviewing the relevant literature, the results showed that the main obstacles associated with the adoption of knowledge management are lack of awareness of the concept of knowledge management, lack of funding, time constraints, nature of construction projects, staff resistance, and lack of documentation.