A new survey has found that small Irish businesses are more likely to have a formal knowledge management system in place than their larger counterparts. The survey, conducted by researchers at UCD's Smurfit Graduate School of Business, found that small-sized operations have a clear understanding of how to maximise information in the workplace.

Knowledge management was defined as "the systematic process of finding, selecting, organising, distilling and presenting information in a way that improves an employee's comprehension in a specific area of interest". The survey showed that 64 per cent of smaller companies were aware of the concept, compared with just 43 per cent of larger organisations.

Knowledge management systems come in many forms, including email, meetings, voice mail, telephone, Internet, intranet and video conferencing. The survey, carried out on behalf of Decision magazine, receive d responses from nearly 100 chief executive officers and senior managers in the Republic.