A promising new topic for researchers who focus on project management is the application of knowledge management concepts as a way to improve project success. In this paper, knowledge management theory is used as a lens to examine the Project Management Institute's A Guide to the Project Management Body of Knowledge (PMBOK® Guide), because this book is globally influential among project managers. Several different theoretical frameworks are used. Results show that the PMBOK® Guide has a strong bias toward explicit and declarative (i.e., “how”) knowledge, and pays less attention to tacit and causal (i.e., “why”) knowledge. Our recommendations outline how the existing structure of the PMBOK® Guide can be preserved while the content is enhanced using knowledge management concepts that have been shown to be influential in enhancing project success.
This is an enhanced and expanded version of a paper presented at the PMI Research Conference 2004 in London, England.
