How to support knowledge management diffusion in SMEs

Knowledge Management (KM) is considered an important ingredient of innovative efforts of modern companies. Nevertheless, the benefits of KM have not been fully exploited by small and medium sized enterprises (SMEs). This paper explores KM practices in a network of high-tech SMEs located in the Naples city area. More specifically, two research gaps concerning the KM tools used and main benefits and barriers to knowledge management systems (KMSs) adoption have been identified in the context of the current literature on KM in SMEs. These two gaps require a deeper understanding and they allow to formulate the following two research questions: - RQ1: What KM practices are currently used and the main tools adopted in SMEs? - RQ2: What are the major benefits and barriers influencing the use KMSs in SMEs? The main aim of this paper is to provide an answer to the above two RQs and discuss implications for sustain and accelerate the use of knowledge management practices in small firms.