This paper describes the detailed process of a knowledge sharing strategy at Lafarge, a global player in the construction materials industry. The case study explains why this company uses such a strategy to create value for stakeholders, provide a local access to know-how and build a knowledge sharing culture among divisions. It argues that a well-articulated approach of a knowledge sharing strategy consists in creating a knowledge portfolio, supporting a knowledge management structure, providing tools for collaboration and nurture a culture of knowledge sharing through awards. At the end, we discuss the lessons learned by the Corporate Knowledge Manager on this strategy and we study how she can quantify the value brought by its action. In a whole, this paper gives insights of critical issues in moving a global company towards a knowledge-sharing organization.

Purpose -This paper seeks to take up the challenges of examining the issues of knowledge transfer in an organization operating across Europe, the Middle East, Africa and Latin America. The purpose is directed to understanding whether knowledge management efforts can lead to the improvement of knowledge transfer.Design/methodology/approach -The paper adopts a qualitative analysis based on a case study whose aim is to evaluate the effectiveness of a global knowledge management programme in achieving best practices transfer in sales and marketing practices throughout business units of Europe, Middle East, Africa and Latin America. The principal data-gathering method is a structured interview conducted with senior staff from within 28 markets.Findings -The study's findings reveal that there is a level of complexity and non-linear interconnectivity within and between business units, which confirms that knowledge transfer is a complex, multifactor process relying on a number of interacting variables.Research limitations/implications -The results of a case study are somewhat limited in terms of their generalizability. Also, reflecting on the findings, it is useful to think of the challenge of achieving knowledge transfer across countries and cultures as a journey.Originality/value -The value-added of this paper is to give emphasis to the factors impacting knowledge transfer on a global scale.

International audienceThis paper aims to look at the practices of those who are in charge of knowledge management in corporations: the knowledge managers. Using the activity system model, the study observes the work of four knowledge managers embedded in the same organizational context (the company Lafarge). By exposing the contradictions inside the activity systems of knowledge managers, the paper analyzes three managerial conflicts tackled by practitioners: how to measure knowledge management practices, how to set rules and processes for managing knowledge and how to create structure to support knowledge management. The paper presents a typology of knowledge managers and discusses the competencies needed to become a knowledge manager. The paper provides a deep analysis of actions, discourses and artifacts of knowledge managers that allows the author to present a typology of practices of knowledge managers

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