ALTAR in action: knowledge management

Abstract

This paper describes the knowledge management (KM) aspects of an action research (AR) project that took place in a large U.K. manufacturing organisation, Britvic Soft Drinks Ltd. The ALTAR (Achieving Learning Through Action Research) approach described in an earlier paper was developed through the KM project described in this paper. The ALTAR approach was intended to facilitate organisational learning and academic research and the study involved a number of AR cycles at different levels of the collaborating organisation. Theoretical concepts were taken from the academic literature and were developed for practical use and fed back into the academic research. The knowledge value chain, in particular, helped the organisation to focus on the essential aspects of KM. The research-led thinking was useful in helping Britvic staff to define and understand the importance of knowledge, to identify what knowledge assets they owned and to understand how that knowledge could be harnessed. The research facilitated individuals' understanding of how better to access the knowledge of others and to share their own knowledge to benefit the whole organisation. From an academic point of view, the AR project facilitated academic research, stimulated organisational change and learning provided useful material for research outputs, teaching and learning and promoted future research opportunities.

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