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The Knowledge Management domain is not one that suffers from a shortage of publications.
So why yet another book on the topic? We think a book like the present one is needed. It
is needed because most books published on the topic are either highly theoretical and
abstract or they focus on the (information technology) tools that knowledge management
should provide. Very few publications, however, focus on the effect of those tools in
the organizational real-ity. Hence, the current book highlights primarily how knowledge
management tools can be introduced in organizational settings and what benefits or problems
may arise as a result of these tools, activities or initiatives. The format that we have
chosen for this endeavor are case studies. They seem especially apt to capture the
richness and complexity of current organizational knowledge management activities.
All of the included case studies rely on first-hand sources, that is to say on the
input of the actual people who were involved in the described projects. This, we hope,
will make the case studies not only more authentic, but also more vivid and instructive.

In addition to the case studies themselves, we have provided additional material that
should help in using the documented projects or tools. This material includes guidelines on how to solve case studies, as well
as a sample teaching note, and an overview on future directions of knowledge management.

This collection of case studies is addressed to both students in the university and MBA con-text, and to practitioners of knowledge
management who wish to gain a deeper understanding of the functioning of knowledge management tools and methods in an
organizational setting.Educators from these two contexts - universities and corporate training - can use the case studies
to highlight crucial knowledge management topics such asgathering lessons learned, establishing an on-line knowledge base,
or fostering knowledge sharing among teams.

There are numerous advantages that distinguish case study collections such as this one from regular text books. Among them are
the following ones:

1.Due to the specific problem situation described in a case study, the readers
gain diagnostic competence in systematically analyzing a real-life situation and identifying its crucial components.

2. The case studies illustrate the application,but also the limitations of theoretical models and frameworks.
They highlight the crucial importance of contextual factors.

3. The described knowledge management issues are more vivid and memorable in the case study format than in a purely theoretical
work. In this way, the learnings can be recalled more easily at a later date when one is facing a similar problem.

4.The case study sensitises students for real life parameters and restrictions, such as budget constraints, interpersonal  conflicts,
frequent reorganizations,fluctuations etc.

5.With the help of case studies, management education can be pursued in an interactive manner. Instead of monotonous lecturing,
a multi-lateral case discussion can take place.

We hope that the reader may profit from these documented experiences for his or her own context and that the described
cases provide instructive insights on the use (and misuse) of the knowledge management toolbox. For more information about
this collection of case studies (including online orderinge information), please use the links below.

 Navigator for more information on the
case study book

1. Introduction
2. Content
3. Brief Description
4. Information about the authors
5. Free Sample (full text)
6. Feedback