Strategic knowledge is increasingly becoming an engine for change and creativity in many industries and organizations: enabling effective operational and strategic initiatives. Existing literature in knowledge management (KM), however, has focused mainly on generic outputs obtainable from KM systems. This paper examines the strategic relevance of KM in enhancing human capital management in firms. To achieve this objective we present a detailed literature review on the implications of KM on effective human resource development, and the consequences for an organization's ability to sustain competitive position in the marketplace. We propose that firms that develop and apply strong KM culture would be able to achieve consistent high performance. In addition, when a firm is able perform better than competitors; such a firm would be able to achieve sustainable advantage. This paper could serve as a frame of reference for researchers, and could enable practitioners to gain better understanding of key requirements for maintaining competitive performance in this 21 st century via effective integration of KM and human capital initiatives.