A self‐help approach to knowledge management benchmarking

This paper discusses a knowledge management (KM) benchmarking exercise conducted at British Energy Power and Trading (BEPET). Current knowledge management activities were benchmarked against key areas in the British Standard Guide to Good Practice in Knowledge Management, PAS 2001. The knowledge performance categories identified by the international knowledge management Most Admired Knowledge Enterprises (MAKE) awards for 2001 were used as a basis for a staff survey to determine KM activity within the division. A knowledge audit of BEPET staff was also carried out to gain greater insight of the knowledge flows within the organization. In addition to the study’s findings, the paper discusses the concepts of benchmarking, organizational culture and knowledge audits, providing a context for their application in KM.