The preservation of know-how in Peruvian companies: An exploratory analysis of knowledge management practices

Business know-how is a key intangible asset for competitive advantage, productivity, and innovation within organizations; Knowledge Management (KM) serves as the steward of business know-how by identifying, capturing, sharing, and creating knowledge. However, in the Peruvian industry, there are very few studies showing the extent of care and KM in companies. This study analyzes the current situation of KM in Peruvian companies through a quantitative approach using a descriptive method that employs surveys directed at workers within the Peruvian industry. The objectives of this study are to determine the extent of implementation of KM models, the challenges to their implementation, and the benefits that KM provides to the Peruvian industry. Additionally, a general diagnosis of the Peruvian industry will be elaborated. The results show that only 16% of respondents indicate that the company they work for has implemented a formal KM model. Furthermore, the challenges for implementation stem from the lack of consideration of KM in the strategic plan, unfamiliarity with theoretical KM models, the absence of dedicated roles for KM, and the lack of budget allocated to KM. On the other hand, the data shows that companies that apply KM strategies obtain the following benefits: a significant increase in the culture of knowledge sharing, greater use of technology for knowledge transmission, and more reliance on prior knowledge in decision-making.