Impact of knowledge management on the work practices of engineers in large industries

This paper describes the study on workpractices of product development engineers in three large European companies. The methods used to investigate the knowledge management involved in theses processes were interviews and brainstorming sessions using the Group Elicitation Method. In total, 53 engineers, project managers and knowledge management experts participated. The findings from the case studies are related to knowledge management concepts from the literature and grouped into the following main concepts in knowledge management in engineering: structuring the work environment, creating knowledge, searching and finding, tracing knowledge, sharing knowledge between people, re-using knowledge from others and organisational issues. General findings from the studies are: the awareness that knowledge management is necessary, the realistic or sceptical attitude towards software tools and the absolute agreement amongst all participants in the study that knowledge management is a matter of people and culture.