Public Knowledge Management: Myth or Sustainable Innovation?
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.16750065Keywords:
gestión del conocimiento, sector público, innovación, cultura organizacional, sostenibilidadAbstract
This study critically examined the viability of knowledge management in the public sector as a sustainable innovation, versus the possibility that it may constitute an administrative myth with no concrete effects. A qualitative study was conducted, incorporating a systematic review of indexed academic literature and a comparative analysis of five relevant case studies from Uruguay, Colombia, Spain, Brazil, and Sweden. The goal was to identify the institutional, technological, cultural, and organizational conditions that determine the effectiveness of these strategies in state contexts. Based on an analytical matrix constructed with five key dimensions — institutionalization, technological capabilities, organizational culture, human talent participation, and sustainability-based evaluation —the cases were classified into three types: sustainable models, fragmented models, and symbolic models. The results showed that the most successful experiences occurred in countries with stable regulatory frameworks, committed political leadership, interoperable technological infrastructure, and an institutional culture oriented toward collective learning. In contrast, in contexts where reforms were implemented through imitation without support structures or continuity, knowledge management operated as a ritual practice with no transformative impact. It was concluded that for this tool to become a proper mechanism for innovation in public management, it must be integrated into state policy, accompanied by resources, evaluation mechanisms, and a strategic vision that values institutional knowledge as a central asset of democratic governance and the generation of public value.
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