Customer knowledge management: development stages and challenges

Abstract

Customer knowledge management (CKM) is necessary fo r firms in order to benefit from customer engagement which is referred as active involvement in innovative product or service development. Providing customized product and enhancing quality of service and product without successful CKM is no t possible. However, organizations face major challen ges concerning CKM. In this study, organizational, human and technological challenges of CKM were inve stigated. Then, the CKM development phases in the organizations are discussed. Finally, the organizat ional, human and technological challenges of each p hase and the main CKM process of each phase are identifi ed. Scholars and practitioners can use this researc h to estimate the current CKM phase of each organization and the challenges that the firms might face durin g the current and upcoming phases.