In a knowledge-friendly culture employees are bright curious and encouraged to use and create knowledge, employees are not inhibited in sharing knowledge, and the goals of the knowledge management project fits in the existing culture. If the organization does not already have a knowledge-friendly culture, it would be very difficult to create. The knowledge management project most likely will not succeed. Often employees may believe that what they know is what allows them to continue to be employed. This assumption needs to change if the knowledge management program is to be successful.
Team oriented environments tend to be conducive to knowledge management programs.
In addition, motivating the employees to contribute to the knowledge repositories may be difficult. Many organizations have experimented with offering compensation in exchange for knowledge contribution. Contributing knowledge, in some cases, is part of the performance appraisal criteria. Although technology enables much of the knowledge sharing, it is not the most difficult aspect of the planning and implementation of a knowledge management project. Knowledge management has helped Chevron develop new technologies and processes that cut the cost of sulfuric acid by 10 million dollars.