Enablers and Barriers in Knowledge Management Process in the Public Sector: A Systematic Review

Abstract

Knowledge management (KM) is recognised as a strategic practise that enhances creativity, efficiency, and value creation. However, research into its implementation in public management remains limited, characterised by fragmented conceptual approaches and a scarcity of empirical evidence demonstrating its impact. This gap highlights the need to systematise existing knowledge and comprehensively analyse its development. The present study offers a thorough review of the literature related to KM in the public sector, focusing on studies published from 2015 to 2025 across the Scopus, ScienceDirect, Wiley, and IEEE Xplore databases. A total of 40 research articles were selected and analysed using MAXQDA Analytics Pro software for data coding and synthesis. The findings indicate that knowledge exchange, transfer, and sharing are the most prominent KM processes, primarily concentrating on human resources, followed by organisational resources. Additionally, the study identified 64 enablers—notably collaborative work, motivation, training, digital systems, and repositories—and 46 barriers, highlighted by insufficient technological infrastructure, limited integration, resistance to change, scepticism, bureaucracy, and the absence of regulatory frameworks. Ultimately, the analysis underscores a critical need to strengthen interdisciplinary theoretical frameworks that clarify the relationships among KM and aspects of innovation, organisational performance, and public sector governance.