Agile knowledge management: A review, reconceptualization, and extension to military applications

This study contributes to the literature by integrating agility in knowledge management (KM) operations, especially in military environments via major findings of (a) introducing a new approach to KM with integration of 'agility'; (b) articulating the application of an enhanced process of Agile Knowledge Management (AKM) across the military. The purpose of the study is to explore the conceptual background of agility in KM, re-conceptualize it and extend it to military applications with a special focus on counterinsurgency (COIN). An initial qualitative exploration of agility in KM was performed. Three different concepts and their interrelationships were analyzed: (a) KM, (b) agility in operations, and (c) military organizations in the COIN environment. Findings from this initial qualitative analysis were used to inductively redefine, re-conceptualize, and extend the concept of AKM, as well as, to compare and adapt the AKM concept to the military environment of COIN. An additional qualitative analysis was performed to validate the extended concept of AKM. While this study is mainly focused on AKM in a dynamic multinational and joint military environment of COIN, conclusions may be applicable in a broader context. The results of this research can be used by engineering managers and KM practitioners and academics with particular focus on the military environment as foundation for (a) further research and development in AKM (b) developing customized AKM education programs and (c) extending the concept of AKM and its application to other environments. Copyright, American Society for Engineering Management, 2012.