Tracking the Flow of Knowledge in IT Organizations: The Impact of Organizational Learning Factors and Project Learning Practices on Project Success

Abstract

Knowledge exists at both the organizational and unit levels; environment factors at either level may enable or impede knowledge sharing within an IT organization. There is, however, no meaningful means to measure organizational or unit level knowledge sharing. The need to understand this flow of knowledge within an organization is dramatically evidenced in information technology organizations in which insufficient knowledge sharing leads to intellectual capital loss, rework, skills deterioration, and repeated mistakes that increase project costs leading to failure. The goal of the current study was to examine the relationship among knowledge sharing processes at the organizational level - organizational learning factors - the unit level - project learning practices - and the success of the IT project. Twelve organizational learning factors, eleven project learning practices, and nine project success variables were identified and validated through an expert panel review. These constructs were then codified in a survey and distributed to 5,000 IT managers. This study found a positive and significant relationship among organizational learning, project learning, and project success in IT organizations.