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Knowledge is recognized as a critical resource to gain and sustain competitive advantage in business. While many organizations are employing knowledge management (KM) initiatives, research studies suggest that it is difficult to establish return on investment of such efforts; however, desired results can be obtained through successful implementation. In this research study, using literature review, we identified a set of enablers and barriers of successful KM implementation. Using this set of factors, we developed a questionnaire by applying Interpretive Structural Modeling (ISM) methodology to determine underlying relations among these factors and develop strategies for successful implementation of KM initiatives. Contributions from this research effort should also support organizations in making decisions about improving organizational performance using KM initiatives, and understanding the directional relations among KM factors. Because of the number of participants in our study, applicability of our research results may have certain limitations. To address this inadequacy, as a future research effort, we intend to increase the number of respondents and participant organizations.

The use of information technology in rural and underserved settings is receiving increasing attention because of the immense potential it brings for improving the quality of life and reducing the digital divide. However, high costs coupled with infrastructure and context‐related inhibitors tend to dilute the advantages that are often taken as a set of givens. In this paper we present a case study of a pioneering experience of information system use in a set of villages in southern India. The research proposition for this study is that social processes can form a viable basis for providing sustainability to information communications technology (ICT) initiatives in rural regions. Theoretical support for this study comes from Habermas’ theory of communicative action. Given that such information systems are emancipatory in nature, and given that such information systems face many obstacles, the value added by these systems needs to be assessed in terms of their contribution to social capital in addition to economic value added. Our analysis reveals that social processes can be leveraged to accord viability to ICT setups in rural settings. Many social changes, that may have faced resistance or were unexpected, themselves became the reason for keeping the ICT setup. This is so because these changes form the basis of empowerment and a participatory framework that would have been absent earlier. We provide implications for researchers as well as practitioners.

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Purpose -This study aims to identify a set of criteria to assess the effectiveness of knowledge management (KM) and to understand how these criteria inter-relate with one another. From a research and practitioner's perspective, the study seeks to study how to expand these criteria to develop measures.Design/methodology/approach -The research methodology is based on literature review to determine a list of KM outcomes followed by the Delphi technique and survey questionnaire methods. The findings of the Delphi were used to supplement literature review findings. Both these results were used to develop the survey questionnaire. Survey-based research, which used a questionnaire targeting knowledge management professionals as respondents, was aimed at establishing criteria for assessing knowledge management success.Findings -Using the criteria based on survey results, a computer-assisted model is used to understand the shared underlying organizational framework in which KM operates and to identify how these criteria were linked. These relations should be explored and utilized to improve organizational performance. Research limitations/implications -Some of the limitations of this original research are limited number of experts participating in the study. Also, about 48 percent of the survey respondents represent for-profit organizations and thus, research results may be biased towards for-profit organizations. Future research should focus on translating the soft measures of knowledge management into detailed metrics. Originality/value -This is an academic research paper providing information on the underlying relations among KM outcomes.