5.4 Knowledge retention/storage
Although issues of not only creating and/or acquiring knowledge, but also retaining
knowledge are important, the review suggests that research on KM in SMEs does not yet
address aspects of knowledge retention. With the exemption of the study by Durst and
Gueldenberg (2010), the authors did not identify any study that looked into factors
influencing knowledge retention in small firms. The same was true for knowledge storage in
SMEs. What drives managers of SMEs regarding the issue of knowledge retention and
knowledge storage, respectively? What fosters or conversely hampers activities related to
knowledge retention?
With regard to the critical role of knowledge in terms of firms’ competitiveness, more
research is needed which emphasises the development and implementation of knowledge
retention measures in SMEs.