Identifying Future Research Directions in Knowledge Management from a Latin American and the Caribbean Perspective: An Exploratory Study

Knowledge Management (KM) is a young discipline with various research streams. In this sense, members of the Global Knowledge Research Network (GKR-Network), which consists of researchers from 19 countries and is coordinated by the Socio Technical Centre of the Leeds University Business School, have identified the need of clarifying future research needs in KM and related fields. In this context, the purpose of this paper is to describe the results of a first effort of identifying future research directions in KM from a Latin American and the Caribbean (LAC) perspective. This study used a dataset of semi-structured interviews of KM experts in academy and industry. The interviews were conducted in six countries of LAC: Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Mexico Trinidad and Tobago and Uruguay. In particular, the analysis focused on what should be investigated in the following eight dimensions: KM and business outcomes; human and social enablers for KM; technological enablers for KM, KM processes and organizational processes; KM and organizational capabilities; KM and organization strategy; KM and the organizational environment; and KM and the society and economy. The analysis consisted of an inductive open coding analysis of the experts' responses. the identification of theoretical and practical challenges, the particular aspects that should be researched in the future, as well as the importance and the appropriate timeline to work on them, all in the particular context of LAC countries. This study could be a reference to LAC KM researchers when deciding their research agendas in order to be aligned with present and future trends. In addition, LAC KM practitioners could use this study as a guide to planning which KM strategy should be implemented or improved within their organizations. One of the limitations of this study is the geographical constraint, due to only experts from 6 of the 42 countries in LAC were interviewed. Nevertheless, Mexico, Brazil, Chile and Colombia are considered the most important economies in the region.