Competitive Intelligence and Knowledge Management: A study of enhancing the employees´ motivation to sharing their knowledge

Companies which are active in Competitive Intelligence (CI) face the problem of accessing the employees´ knowledge for specific inquiries. Most of the knowledge and of the intelligence already exists within the company - however, it is not available for the CI-department. This study finds a solution for the problem by taking a view on the inner organization of CI- and knowledge management. It creates a reference framework of strategic knowledge management called the 'Knowledge House' and gives the employees a context they can orientate towards. The objective is to actively anchor the strategic cultivation of knowledge in the company which promotes knowledge sharing. Beyond this strategic approach, knowledge sharing from the employees´ view is outlined. In addition, it is also outlined what preconditions - which go beyond the organizations´ influence - have to be set to make the employees work in a knowledge sharing- promoting environment.

The author has studied Non-Profit Management at the University of Applied Sciences in Osnabrück, Germany and at the Saxion Hogeschool Enschede, Netherlands and professionalized in this field for several years. He delved into his long life interest field "Strategic Management" in his consecutive grade as Master of Business Administration in Stuttgart, Germany, where he currently lives.