KM - Why does it fail?

Have been reminiscing about some of the possible reasons for the failure of KM initiatives and have some off the cuff thoughts:

 

-          Who’s got the authority and empowerment for the KM initiative? Does the KM manager have what it takes? Who ultimately runs it and champions it – owns it? Is that someone who sells? Is that someone who belongs to the men-who-matter class of people?

-          Is the KM initiative a half-hearted effort? Are there full-time resources? Do the investments reflect commitment - Charles Hammer says “The finest of ideas will not get implemented unless there is an organizational framework for shepherding it from concept to reality.”

-          Is everyone being involved? – What if everyone’s busy with something else and those who are free are not the appropriate resources?

-          Will these things happen only when organizations are pushed to a corner?

-          Is the way out to go for one pilot after another till the tipping point is reached?

 

On the other hand, how can something like KM and its principles, needs and benefits be communicated effectively to the employee force if people are not open to anything new? The best bet would be to not position oneself as a KM evangelist but simply say that you are there to solve problems using certain techniques and methods and go ahead and do so! KM be damned! What?