Action Research as a Tool for Project Knowledge Management in the Projectified Public Organization

Abstract

The chapter aims to present the results of an action research project carried out in years 2018 – 2019, which concerned project knowledge management. The entity in which the study was conducted is one of the largest museums in Poland. The museum under study is an example of a projectified public organization where most of the activities are being performed in the form of a project. The intention of the undertaken action research was to introduce an organizational change – to improve the process of project knowledge management in the museum. Hence, the aim of the paper is to show how can action research support project knowledge management processes in organisations and in which way action research affects the knowledge retention of project workers.

Analysis of the obtained data allow us to conclude that action research, is an effective tool and approach in the improvement of project knowledge management. Thanks to this approach, members of the organizations, dispersed among different project teams, can e.g. jointly work out the rules for better project knowledge management in their workplace and improve the project knowledge management process in general. Hence, action research may positively impact knowledge retention among project team members.