Knowledge Intermediaries: What are they and What do they Do?

Abstract

The basis of competition in many industries has moved more and more towards knowledge-based resources; consequently, knowledge reuse, knowledge management systems (KMS) and their success is an important issue. This study investigates the concept of one of the most important factors of successful knowledge reuse, namely knowledge intermediaries. However, while the importance of knowledge intermediaries is commonly recognized, there is less agreement on what knowledge intermediaries and their roles actually are, or should be. By reviewing the intermediary or broker literature, together with the KMS and knowledge reuse literature, we try in this paper to clarify the knowledge intermediary concept as well as their roles and functions relating to organizational knowledge processes. We identify three types of intermediary in this context, including "knowledge-oriented human intermediaries" (KHI), "technically- oriented human intermediaries" (THI), and, lastly, IT intermediaries. All of these play different but interrelated roles to facilitate successful knowledge flow and reuse. Through the clarification of these concepts, this study provides useful insight to better understand and manage organizational internal knowledge processes. Show more