Knowledge Management Cycle: classification, proposal and test

Purpose – Providing a wide literature analysis about Knowledge Management (KM) cycle and propose one starting from a new approach: the material conservation law. Testing the KM cycle with a case study in order to understand the implications that this perspective can hold to the management of knowledge. Design/methodology/approach – The present research adopts the descriptive case study research design. The study case approach allows to undertake an investigation that maintain the holistic and significant characteristics of the organization. Originality/value – The new approach used to design the KM cycle is the material conservation law although the authors’ consciousness that knowledge and classical resources have very different properties. The KM cycle proposed is based on nine phases and allows to understand which are the more evident phases managed inside the organization and to propose a classification of KM tools. Practical implications – The KM cycle can be used to analyze the tools and practices adopted by the organization to manage knowledge. Enterprises could understand, from an alternative perspective, their own organization and find out strengths and weakness in the knowledge processes. Understanding which are the most and less important KM phases for the organization could be useful to orientate a conscious management of knowledge.