APPLICATION OF KNOWLEDGE MANAGEMENT IN

CONSTRUCTION PROJECTS: CHALLENGES IN

RAILWAY CONSTRUCTION
Author 1 Name1 and Author 2 Name2

1
Author 1 Address
2
Author 2 Address

Knowledge management (KM) represents institutional processes that allow the

understanding of the intangible skills of staff. KM’s success in the work environment
depends on the approaches for application, industry type, and size of the company.
The main purpose of this study is to examine the application of knowledge
management in construction projects with a specific focus on challenges in railway
construction. A preliminary literature review of the topic reveals an extensive lack of
supporting sources exploring KM in the railway construction domain. Most of the
documents address KM application in the overall construction industry. The
arguments presented imply that the application of KM in the construction domain has
been minimal, mainly due to the integration of the traditional approach of knowledge
management. Many authors suggest that construction companies should incorporate
improved approaches of KM to succeed amid technological development. Also, most
of the challenges facing KM incorporation to construction companies revolve around
poor leadership support and a lack of awareness. The methods integrated to acquire
data were structured interviews conducted amongst 20 railway construction
professionals. Conclusively, more research into the concept of knowledge
management in the railway construction domain is necessary to guarantee that the
sector handles any potential challenges appropriately.

Keywords: challenges, construction industry, KM, knowledge management, railway

construction.

1
email@university.ac.uk
INTRODUCTION
Knowledge management (KM) reflects the procedures companies use to deal with the
knowledge existing within a company by conceptualising the intangible capabilities
various employees possess. According to Girard and Girard (2015), the engineering
field defines KM as the process where a firm methodically acquires, arranges,
evaluates, and distributes knowledge essential to the business environment and
relevant disciplines. KMs history dates back to the majority of the last half-century,
with the 20th century being when most companies implemented more reliable and
enhanced knowledge management systems following the evolution of computers
(Shujahat et al., 2019). The high integration of KM in enterprises results from its
benefits, such as increasing collaboration, guarding intellectual capital, and
encouraging profitable decisions. However, applying the concept in firms triggers
various challenges, including information security, knowledge measurement, and the
requirement for continual improvement of KM. Despite the challenges, KM’s success
relies on the ways of application, depending on the industry and firm size. This
paper’s primary goal is to evaluate the application of knowledge management in
construction projects by focusing on the various challenges experienced in the railway
sector.
The main problem leading to the research is the absence of sufficient studies
concentrating on the challenges faced by applying knowledge management in the
railway sector. Previous studies that attempted to explore the topic have mainly
concentrated on other construction sectors, not the railway domain. For example,
research spearheaded by Hackman, Agyekum, and Smith (2017) examined the KM
challenges encountered by civil engineering construction companies in Ghana. The
results indicated the absence of KM systems, poor leadership support, and awareness
about knowledge management issues as the primary shortcomings encountered.
Another study by Yap and Lock (2017) explored Malaysian SMEs’ challenges and
revealed low motivation, lack of trust, and bureaucracy as the main issues. These
arguments illustrate the absence of literature concentrating explicitly on the KM
integration challenges in the railway construction domain.
The outcomes generated via this research will benefit the public by providing general
information about knowledge management and its importance in construction. Hence,
many construction companies will benefit by understanding the KM practices
integrated in various firms and their subsequent disadvantages. Moreover, the results
acquired via this study will benefit the railway construction sector since it will help
them identify the challenges they should anticipate when integrating knowledge
management in organisations. Governments will also benefit since they will learn
about the various shortcomings of KM integration in the railway domain and develop
appropriate solutions for dealing with the issues.
At that juncture, the primary goal of this study is to examine the application of
knowledge management practices in construction projects with a particular focus on
the challenges impacting the railway construction sector. The following objectives
will help in fulfilling the main aim:
1. Examining the application of knowledge management in the construction sector
2. Assessing the challenges facing KM application in the construction sector
3. Evaluating the application of KM in the railway construction sector
4. Analysing the challenges hindering KM integration in the railway construction
domain
LITERATURE REVIEW
KM Application in Construction Sector
Various studies have explored knowledge management integration in the vast
construction sector. For example, research by Wang and Meng (2018) evaluated the
performance of a Building Information Modelling (BIM)-based knowledge
management in the UK construction industry given the barriers faced by the industry
given the temporary timescale of building projects. The research outcomes revealed a
positive relationship between BIM-based KM in construction. The authors further
pointed out the significance of applying this form of KM as it led to the proactive
generation of new knowledge that helps prevent defects. From a similar perspective,
Ozturk and Yitmen (2019) highlighted the significance of KM in construction by
developing a conceptual BIM approach. The study entailed a comprehensive literature
review of the relevant articles covering the topic, and the results indicated that
integrating a traditional KM model was inappropriate. The authors argued that the
construction domain has 4th generation industrial needs that prior KM models may
not solve. Hence, they concluded that KM integration in construction would require
the continuous enhancement of e-iBKM models. These arguments imply that the
construction sector’s temporary nature makes it necessary to engage in the frequent
enhancement of KM processes to ensure they address changing needs.
Ulhaq et al. (2017) initiated a separate study that explored KM mechanisms to
determine daily and emerging situations. The authors also developed a framework
suggesting how construction companies should apply knowledge management in their
processes. For example, the authors insisted on integrating internal and external
experts during the process since they facilitate increased innovation and enhanced
chances for adhering to best practices. The paper highlighted the primary determinants
of successful KM integration in construction projects: transparency, motivation, trust,
and effective and efficient communication tools. From a different perspective, Xu et
al. (2019) evaluated the performance of an ontology-based KM approach for
inspecting the construction of a digital highway. The authors established a risk-based
system known as HCIOntology to align with the construction project. The results
indicated the system’s efficiency, enabling field inspectors to access inspection data
and training materials on demand. The system also facilitated the collection of field
information and automatically checked inspection outcomes, making it an effective
approach to KM. Therefore, the developed model captured the relevant information in
an organised, extendable, and supple format, allowing future extensions for hosting
and inspecting highway construction knowledge. These viewpoints illustrate the
significance of KM in construction projects given its numerous advantages, like
increased information and the structural organisation of relevant data.
Other researchers studying KM incorporation in construction include Mohamad and
Zin (2019), who explored the application of KM in small construction companies
based in Peninsular Malaysia. The article’s main goal was to examine the association
between KM and firm competitiveness within one hundred and fifty-three
construction firms. The outcomes indicated a positive association between KM and
competitiveness. However, innovation was a mediating aspect towards companies
attaining competitiveness. This argument illustrates that despite the benefits of KM in
construction, integrating other forms of innovation, such as technological and
administrative inventions, will ultimately guarantee success and enhances
competitiveness. From a similar perspective, Sergeeva and Duryan (2021) evaluated
the impact of knowledge management on innovation in project-based construction
companies. The authors collected data by engaging in semi-structured interviews with
professionals in the construction domain. The results indicated that the complex nature
of project-based construction firms necessitates companies’ integration of holistic
approaches to KM and organisational learning. Based on this viewpoint, it remains
apparent that KM integration in construction will require more effort to build a culture
characterised by unceasing and synchronised knowledge flow to facilitate continuous
improvement in project-based companies.
Additionally, Korkmaz and Bahidrah (2017) evaluated KM’s implementation in the
construction sector by conducting a detailed literature review of previous empirical
research and case studies. The authors suggested the presence of general and specific
challenges that impede firms from applying the knowledge gathered from prior
experiences. The study’s results indicated that the main challenge was the complexity
of projects as it blocks companies from utilising knowledge, particularly in new
settings. Other shortcomings realised included poor collaboration and communication,
which slowed the transfer of information from past events to future occurrences. A
different study by Suresh et al. (2016) indicated that despite the prevalence of KM,
many construction firms are reluctant to apply the concept fully, leaving them plagued
with repeated mistakes and performance inefficiencies. The research generated
information by conducting in-depth interviews with twenty-five experts in the
construction domain, accompanied by a questionnaire survey distributed to one
hundred and fourteen respondents. The outcomes indicated a positive impact of KM
on construction projects since the concept minimised costs and enhanced
apprenticeships. This statement indicates that despite the numerous advantages of
KM, many construction companies are yet to obtain these benefits. The main reason is
the challenges encountered in its application.
Challenges of KM Application in Construction Sector
More importantly, examining the challenges of KM incorporation into the
construction sector has received attention from researchers such as Okere (2017), who
analysed the enablers and barriers of efficient KM in the construction domain. The
article integrated a case study research design to examine the comprehensive
experiences of one construction organisation before and after implementing
knowledge management. The results indicated the main challenges affecting KM in
the construction domain revolved around the absence of awareness concentrated on
the necessity of need and value, the lack of a favourable environment to facilitate
knowledge sharing, and insufficient updated KM systems. Similarly, an article by
Alosaimi, Renukappa, and Suresh (2018) examined KM’s various drivers and
shortcomings in Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA) construction firms. The researchers
collected data by conducting semi-structured interviews with forty-six participants
from thirty companies. The results indicated that the primary limitation KSA firms
face is difficulties in capturing tacit knowledge. Other challenges identified included
problems managing stakeholders’ knowledge, cultural issues, poor leadership support
and issues revolving around organisational infrastructure. These statements illustrate
that KM application in the construction sector faces multiple shortcomings that
require an immediate address for KM systems to succeed.
A different study by Saini, Arif, and Kulonda (2019) examined KM in the
construction domain by analysing the challenges construction firms encounter when
transferring and sharing tacit knowledge throughout the supply chain. The authors
gathered the relevant primary data via semi-structured e-survey questionnaires and
secondary information through a comprehensive literature review of what previous
researchers found about the topic. The findings indicated that adopting traditional
strategies is the primary barrier to KM in construction. The authors further highlighted
that these challenges prevail due to the fragmented nature of the construction supply
chain. From a similar viewpoint, Yap and Lock (2017) explored Malaysian
construction SMEs and the challenges Chinese international contractors face when
integrating KM. The empirical study entailed distributing questionnaires among one
hundred construction professionals. The outcomes indicated the primary challenges
encompassing low motivation, lack of trust, and bureaucracy. The authors concluded
that the main challenges to KM in the study revolved around cross-cultural
management, government policy oversight, and institutional performance
management. Moreover, Hackman, Agyekum, and Smith (2017) examined the KM
challenges encountered by civil engineering construction companies in Ghana. The
results indicated the absence of KM systems, poor leadership support, and awareness
about knowledge management issues as the primary shortcomings encountered. These
arguments illustrate that most of the challenges involving KM integration to the
construction domain involve the administration and failure to disseminate information
to employees.