Fuzzy model for knowledge management assessment in nuclear organizations

Abstract

The safe use of licensed nuclear facilities and technologies is dependent on the ongoing availability and maintenance of suitable knowledge and expertise, and an adequate understanding of related safety issues. However, there are conditions that favor the loss of this knowledge in nuclear organizations, as for example, the natural aging of workers and consequently the retirement and staff turnover. From the perspective of the nuclear organizations, no systematic research studies on developing an objective, reliable and practical model for preventing the loss of knowledge. In this context, this work presents a model for knowledge management in nuclear organizations, which presents the following features: (1) the use of critical success factors to be able to monitor the success of a knowledge management initiative. The factors are based on seven themes: top-level commitment, organizational culture, organizational structure, human resources management practices, measuring and results, information technology and learning culture; (2) the use of concepts and properties of decision making and fuzzy set theory to model of critical success factors. The result indicates the level of knowledge management compared with the knowledge management ideal pattern. An exploratory case study at Human-Systems Interfaces Laboratory of IEN was performed using this fuzzy model intending to validate it and exemplify its use. The results showed that the laboratory has good knowledge management.