Knowledge Management in Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises

Purpose: The main purpose of the research presented in the article was to diagnose the „knowledge management” process in small and medium-sized enterprises in the Lower Silesia Province. In order to achieve this goal, the first part of the article explains the meaning of the term „knowledge management" in the scientific literature on management, and then, on the basis of research, an attempt was made to answer the following questions: which factors determining the „knowledge management” process and the tasks fulfilled by the management systems „knowledge management”. Design/Methodology/Approach: The study presented was based on the analysis of literature on the subject of knowledge management and competence. The study also included secondary sources, which were communications from research of similar scope. Triangulation of research methods has enabled to obtain a broader context of the studied phenomenon and ensured a higher quality of the conducted studies. The diversity of methods was aimed at achieving a consistency of the empirical basis for the inference. A diagnostic survey has been adopted as the leading method. Findings: The „knowledge management” in the global economy is a resource of strategic importance that affects the organisation's market value and provides a competitive advantage. The formation of a significant intellectual capital for an organisation requires the use of appropriate methods and tools supporting management, regular measurements, continuous comparison with competitors, elimination of barriers to knowledge sharing. Practical Implications: The research results are very interesting and encourage research on a larger scale. They are a valuable source of information for managers responsible for creating the intellectual capital of the organization in terms of acquiring and sharing knowledge. On the other hand, for people responsible for recruiting employees, the results may be useful in terms of developing a candidate's profile, in particular in identifying the key competences of knowledge workers. The results also show the demand of the Polish market (in particular medium-sized companies) for IT infrastructure. Originality/value: On the basis of empirical research, the article proposes an original set of system solutions in the field of „knowledge management” to improve the functioning of the organizations.