Knowledge creation during cross‐functional projects: lessons from a case study of a French bank

Knowledge management issues are of paramount importance for the success of projects. The purpose of this research is to provide new insights into the question of knowledge creation during cross‐functional projects. Adopting a constructionist approach, we propose a conceptual framework of the knowledge creation process during a project. This model considers four steps in the knowledge creation process based on the links between the epistemological level (tacit/explicit) and ontological level (individual/organisational). A qualitative case study of an information system project in the French banking sector shows that the intrinsic characteristics of both the organisation and the project are relevant to analyse knowledge creation. We also put the light on the prominent role of gatekeepers and the necessity to develop ad hoc and complementary tools to manage knowledge during a project depending on the phases of the process.