Knowledge management in the context of sustainability : literature review and opportunities for future research

Abstract

The use of knowledge management in the context of sustainability has been increasingly important over the years. Despite this importance, it is observed that this area is still little explored and there are many possibilities of academic research. Following a structured research protocol, the authors of this article performed a systematic review of the literature and identified plausible gaps to be explored in the development of future research. These gaps are presented in relation to the themes, strategies, objectives and research approach. From the point of view of the themes, there are opportunities related to the study of sustainability in small and medium enterprises, in relation to the potential of universities as engines for the generation of knowledge and in concerning the insertion of knowledge management to propose guidelines for obtaining productive systems. Regarding research strategies, the lack of studies that use action research as central focus stands out. Focusing on the objectives, there are many research approaches used with the goal of developing models and specific tools directed to the sharing of information. Finally, regarding the approach, there are few studies with a quantitative approach. We believe that the information presented here can contribute to the evolution of knowledge management focused on sustainability. No similar studies were found in the literature.