The present article aims to identify potential and concrete effects of tools applications combined with groupware technology in a research about knowledge management. The approach used here is part of a wider project that aims to search for a knowledge management model to a big Brazilian company. The concept in which the study is based indicates that knowledge management makes use of information technology in order to be successfully reinforced and it walks through a conflicting universe: the dilemma between technical and organizational dimensions. From that evidence, which is sustained to a large extent by the consulted literature, the report chooses to make an incursion into the field (the company) as well as interviews with organizational cells coordinators, intending to recover impressions about technology (the technical) and its use for the task of knowledge management (in organizational view). Following this line, the interviews call attention to organizational and technological dimensions and intend to show people's perception about the subject, their relevance in the work environment and the company's inclination to adopt practices as an organizational strategy. The reports made from a basic content analysis of the interviews show some interesting conclusions about what people really tries to manage under the knowledge title. The conclusions are partial, however, since only one part of the first phase was accomplished. Anyway, the preliminary findings are promising.
Knowledge management; information technology; organizations
