Empirical study of the evaluation of perspectives to knowledge capitalisation in Brazilian software industry

Abstract

Knowledge capitalisation directs the activities of use, exploitation and reuse of knowledge for performing new tasks, including technical and management aspects. Specifically, considering software development, knowledge capitalisation demands an analysis that considers four complementary and interdependent perspectives on knowledge: value, security, utility and status. These perspectives focus on different facets according to which knowledge can be analysed, in addition to provide a foundation for a better awareness on knowledge and the necessary treatment. This study presents an empirical study with the purpose of evaluating the relevance of these perspectives by using a survey questionnaire distributed to software development companies in the Brazilian market. Three hundred thirty nine individuals from different 339 companies were subjects of such a study. The results indicate that the perspectives are relevant for evaluating knowledge and reinforcing the relevance of exploring knowledge capitalisation in software development; therefore, there is a clear understanding of how the knowledge assets involved can be analysed or assessed.