Technology and non-technology based knowledge management solutions can increase profits and the efficiency of knowledge workers. Organizations must take several steps in order to make the best choice in selecting knowledge management solutions and using them effectively. First organizations must understand the different types of knowledge and knowledge transfer and how to best collect this knowledge. Secondly organizations must prepare and implement a plan for sharing of knowledge. This can be done by establishing policies and procedures that reward employees for or require them to use and contribute to the knowledge management system. In addition organizations must evaluate the different knowledge management tools available and select the proper ones for their knowledge problem. Without proper implementation and support the knowledge management system will not be a success, to accomplish this organizations must plan their system implementation, ensure business processes are changed, and support and evaluate the system long term.

Capturing, disseminating, and attaching value to knowledge, along with the reasons for doing those things are some of the most important aspects of knowledge management. Knowledge management can reduce costs and increase productivity in organizations but its value can be difficult to quantify. Ultimately knowledge management systems are not a silver bullet for all of an organization’s problems, but they can be an important factor for success in today’s information economy. Effective knowledge management consists of understanding the different types of knowledge and how to gather it, sharing the knowledge, selecting the proper tools for the job, and proper implementation of the system. By understanding these knowledge management issues organizations can make knowledge management work for them.