Knowledge Management and World Class Manufacturing: an initial approach based on a literature review

Gestão do Conhecimento e World Class Manufacturing: uma aproximação inicial a partir da revisão de literatura

ABSTRACT

This paper presents the partial results of an ongoing research on the proposal of a methodology for the integration between Knowledge Management (KM) and World Class Manufacturing (WCM). The initial investigation of theoretical and conceptual nature aimed at developing a comprehensive and current vision on KM, WCM, and how (or "whether") these constructs relate to one another. The primary sources for the literature review were Web of Science, Scopus, Emerald, Ebsco, SciELO and Spell, and the time frame was 2000 to 2016. The analysis of the selected papers showed that, although the initial WCM model evolved into a "new WCM" in the 2000s, the literature is still focused on the broad conceptual aspects and basic methods and tools, such as Total Quality Process, Total Productive Maintenance and Just-in-Time, conceived in the Toyota Production System, which shows the need for more studies focused on the current scenario of companies associated with the "new WCM" and its Methods and Tools. Only one article explicitly addressing the interaction between KM theories with WCM was found in the databases surveyed, thus reinforcing the lack of theoretical approximation of these constructs.

Keywords:
Integrated approach; Lean manufacturing; WCM Light; KM