Effectiveness of Knowledge Management Systems in Social Services: Food Assistance Project as an Example

Abstract

This article reports on a performance evaluation on the knowledge management system (KMS) developed for a short-term food assistance program in Hong Kong the authors have conducted. DeLone and McLean's (1992) widely accepted model on information system success is adopted as the evaluative framework. Instead of just another revalidation of the model on KMS evaluation in social services, this study attempts to discuss the effectiveness of the system across different hierarchal levels in the organizations involved. This has remained an unexplored aspect in previous related studies, and the article suggests that the results have implications for further KMS development in human and social services.

Keywords:

• food assistance
• knowledge management
• knowledge management system
• social service administration

Acknowledgments

This article is one of the outputs of the research project “Capacity Building through Knowledge Sharing: An Action Research Project on Developing Collaborative Knowledge Management Systems Among Small NGOs in Hong Kong.” The authors would like to express their sincere thanks to the Research Committee of The Hong Kong Polytechnic University for financial support of the research work.

Notes

1. Information from the Census & Statistics Department (http://www.censtatd.gov.hk), Hong Kong SAR Government.

2. Information from the Xinhuanet. http://news.xinhuanet.com/gangao/2009-02/18/content_10837813.htm).

3. Low-income individuals and families earning less than 55% of the median household income of Hong Kong are eligible to apply for the service. In March 2010, the respective 55 percentile of a four-person household is around HK$ 13,000 (approx. USD 1,670).

4. The five NGOs are member organizations of the Small NGO Concern Group. The group was established in the late 1990s to concert efforts and resources of small NGOs in the community so as to meet challenges arisen by the rapidly changing social environment and welfare policy context of Hong Kong. In 2010, it has more than 30 member organizations.

5. Lime Survey is an open source web-based survey system. Details of the software can be found at http://www.limesurvey.org.

6. In Hong Kong, all social workers have to register under the Social Workers Registration Ordinance (Cap. 505). In this project, respective social workers have either a sub-degree (i.e., diploma, higher diploma, or associate degree) or undergraduate level of training in social work. The food distributors have completed their high school education but have no formal training in logistics, warehouse management, or food processing.