Knowledge management as a service (KMaaS)
Subtitle as needed (paper subtitle)
Peter Balco
Department of Information Systems
Comenius University, Faculty of Management
Bratislava, Slovakia
peter.balco@fm.uniba.sk
Abstract—The issue of knowledge management is crucial for
any organization. Convenient access to the requested content is
creating a competitive advantage for different types of decisions.
Today, when we are inundated with large volumes of information
it is essential to use technological solutions that enable flexible
storage, retrieval, processing and interpreting information. One
of approach, which is communicated a few years, but it
implementation is hampered by distrust are solutions based on
cloud technology. Their potential grow particularly in an
environment where individual skills are shared to a large number
of users.
I. INTRODUCTION
The ability to manage knowledge is becoming
increasingly more crucial in today’s knowledge economy. The
creation and diffusion of knowledge have become ever more
important factors in competitiveness. More and more,
knowledge is being regarded as a valuable commodity that is
embedded in products (especially high-technology products)
and in the tacit knowledge of highly mobile employees.
Although knowledge is increasingly being viewed as a
commodity or an intellectual asset, it possesses some
paradoxical characteristics that are radically different from
those of other valuable commodities. These knowledge
characteristics include the following:
 Use of knowledge does not consume it.
 Transferal of knowledge does not result in losing it.
 Knowledge is abundant, but the ability to use it is
scarce.
 Much of an organization’s valuable knowledge walks
out the door at the end of the day.
An organization in the Knowledge Age is one that learns,
remembers, and acts based on the best available information,
knowledge, and know-how [1].
Day after day, the importance of knowledge management
becomes more clear, and the need to quality Knowledge
Management Systems (KMS) that comply with the modern
technologies and business, increases. There are many different
definitions for knowledge and knowledge management
systems. Knowledge management is a process comprised of
creating, organizing, sharing and using tacit and explicit
knowledge [2].
Martina Drahošová
Department of Information Systems
Comenius University, Faculty of Management
Bratislava, Slovakia
martina.drahosova@ fm.uniba.sk
Service delivery models of cloud computing are much
more used in these days. With the popularization of a few
categories like Storage-as-a-service, software-as-a-service,
Platform-as-a Service, Database-as-a-service, Information-as-
a-service, and Management-as-a-service, the attention has
been shifted to one of the most important aspect of any
organization, i.e. knowledge management.
Knowledge Management is a scientific process that
initiates its working by amassing knowledge (both tacit and
explicit), filtering it, structuring or restructuring it, storing and
finally disseminating it. The dissemination process of the
already stored knowledge is again very crucial, as it should
also be in such a manner that
 the access to knowledge is timely, accurate and easy;
 the accessed knowledge aids adequately in decision
making, and
 the available knowledge facilitates in creation or
generation of new knowledge. [3]
A successful knowledge management strategy must
address four key areas:
 knowledge management strategy as a core focus and
competency,
 flexible structure for knowledge creation and
dissemination,
 technology and processes, and
 skilled knowledgeable workers [4].
Knowledge management adds transparency to an
otherwise opaque backdrop of the issues encompassing cloud
computing because it provides the solution to the problems of
the oversimplification, incompletion and inadequacy of
information. The need for knowledge management also arises
because the processes, tools and technologies involved and
adopted should be evolved and refined keeping in view the
opportunities that cloud computing is offering.
In today’s time information are very important and when
we need any information it’s necessary to make research or
ask someone for these information. In this paper, we aim to
providing cloud based solution for knowledge management in
organization, namely “Knowledge Management as a Service”
or KMaaS for short. This solution would help workers to find
needed information effectively. It will cut the time of the
research and workers will not be overloaded by emails.
Because, in reality, the most widely used tool for knowledge
sharing is still the email. In 2015, the number of emails sent
and received per day total were over 205 billion [5]. In the last
part of paper, we provide the business case of cloud based
knowledge management, to introduce real example from
practice. And talk here about the enterprise knowledge cloud
as a possible use of cloud for knowledge management.
II. CLOUD COMPUTING SOLUTIONS FOR KNOWLEDGE
MANAGEMENT
In this part of paper, we talk about cloud computing in
general, its characteristics, service models and deployment
models, to introduce the problematic. We continue with
Enterprise Knowledge Cloud (EKC) and its characteristics.
Finally we discuss the Knowledge Base Cloud.
A. Cloud computing
Cloud computing is a “model for enabling ubiquitous,
convenient, on-demand network access to a shared pool of
configurable computing resources (e.g., networks, servers,
storage, applications, and services) that can be rapidly
provisioned and released with minimal management effort or
service provider interaction” [6].
This cloud model is composed of five essential
characteristics, three service models, and four deployment
models.
Essential characteristics of cloud computing are these: on-
demand self-service, broad network access, resource pooling,
rapid elasticity, measured service.
Fig. 1. Cloud Computing [13]
ENISA [7] defines cloud computing as “an on-demand
service model for IT provision, often based on virtualization
and distributed computing technologies. Cloud computing
architectures have highly abstracted resources, near instant
scalability and flexibility, near instantaneous provisioning,
shared resources (hardware, database, memory, etc), ‘service
on demand’, usually with a ‘pay as you go’ billing system,
programmatic management (e.g., through WS API).
1) Service Models
Though service-oriented architecture cloud computing
advocates "everything as a service" (with the acronym aas),
providers offer their "services" according to different models.
These models are:
 Software as a Service (SaaS). The capability
provided to the consumer is to use the provider’s
applications running on a cloud infrastructure. The
applications are accessible from various client
devices through either a thin client interface, such as
a web browser (e.g., web-based email), or a program
interface. The consumer does not manage or control
the underlying cloud infrastructure including
network, servers, operating systems, storage, or even
individual application capabilities, with the possible
exception of limited user specific application
configuration settings.
 Platform as a Service (PaaS). The capability
provided to the consumer is to deploy onto the cloud
infrastructure consumer-created or acquired
applications created using programming languages,
libraries, services, and tools supported by the
provider. The consumer does not manage or control
the underlying cloud infrastructure including
network, servers, operating systems, or storage, but
has control over the deployed applications and
possibly configuration settings for the application-
hosting environment.
 Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS). The capability
provided to the consumer is to provision processing,
storage, networks, and other fundamental computing
resources where the consumer is able to deploy and
run arbitrary software, which can include operating
systems and applications. The consumer does not
manage or control the underlying cloud infrastructure
but has control over operating systems, storage, and
deployed applications; and possibly limited control of
select networking components (e.g., host firewalls).
2) Deployment Models
A cloud deployment models represent a specific type of
cloud environment, primarily distinguished by ownership,
size, and access.
 Private cloud. The cloud infrastructure is
provisioned for exclusive use by a single organization
comprising multiple consumers (e.g., business units).
It may be owned, managed, and operated by the
organization, a third party, or some combination of
them, and it may exist on or off premises.
 Community cloud. The cloud infrastructure is
provisioned for exclusive use by a specific
community of consumers from organizations that
have shared concerns (e.g., mission, security
requirements, policy, and compliance
considerations). It may be owned, managed, and
operated by one or more of the organizations in the
 community, a third party, or some combination of
them, and it may exist on or off premises.
 Public cloud. The cloud infrastructure is provisioned
for open use by the general public. It may be owned,
managed, and operated by a business, academic, or
government organization, or some combination of
them. It exists on the premises of the cloud provider.
 Hybrid cloud. The cloud infrastructure is a
composition of two or more distinct cloud
infrastructures (private, community, or public) that
remain unique entities, but are bound together by
standardized or proprietary technology that enables
data and application portability (e.g., cloud bursting
for load balancing between clouds). [6]
B. Enterprise Knowledge Cloud (EKC)
Enterprise Knowledge Cloud (EKC) is a "collaborative,
cooperative, competing mega-structure, providing computing,
networking and storage services to various knowledge
producers and consumers being devices, people and
applications" [8].
Following social developments in the Internet world, it
will be in the interest of business enterprises to deploy some of
these new paradigms (social networks, blogging, open source)
within their environments and with business intentions.
Extrapolating what’s going on in the open Internet, we project
that enterprises will create several clouds for various purposes.
An abstracted business enterprise architecture is shown in Fig.
3. This architecture interconnects business partners and
suppliers to company customers and consumers, and uses
future cloud technologies to harvest, process and use internal
knowledge (Corp Nets, Wikis, Blogs). Furthermore, similar
Partner/Supplier clouds will be developed to harvest, enrich
and deploy yet another Knowledge Cloud. Finally, the largest
enterprise cloud will cover clients and consumers which could
be used for the wide variety of purposes.
Fig. 2. Enterprise Knowledge Cloud : Architectural View [9]
The emergence of these clouds (Private, Partner, Public)
and their coalescence into the Enterprise Knowledge Cloud
allows, indeed encourages, the collective intelligences formed
within each cloud to emerge and cooperate with each other,
thus becoming the driving force for the true Intelligent
Enterprise. The interaction and cooperation of the user groups,
their knowledge, and the collective intelligences across the
three clouds shown in Fig. 3 provides the infrastructure for
behavioural, structural and strategic adaptation in response to
changes in the (business) environment. [9]
C. Knowledge Base Cloud (KBC)
Knowledge Base Cloud according to [14] can be defined
as knowledge sources, appearances and distribution that do not
require end-user knowledge of the physical location of these
sources and configuration of the system that delivers the
services. Other characteristics of cloud computing can be also
adopted to characterize this new term. The cloud should
involve provisioning of dynamically scalable and often
virtualized resources.
Fig. 3. Knowledge Base Cloud [14]
KBC approach aims to help the companies to gain the
excellence in the management of explicit knowledge and in
the process of transforming other forms to this form of
knowledge. KBC can be defined using these propositions:
 Company’s memory – it helps the company to not
forget the already acquired knowledge. It is directly
comparable to the memory of a human being. The
knowledge is stored at a specific position and in
specific relationships. When the request for
knowledge comes it is being restored. It depends on
its position and on the quality of the systems used in
the KBC how quickly and in which amount the
information is restored. The advantage over the
humans’ memory should be that it is not forgetting –
the knowledge should be stored and developed for
long time. However, even in this topic there exists a
parallel – in case of a emergency incident the systems
can lose their data completely or any part. This risk is
one of the major when handling with the systems thus
the company has to make all possible.
 The top level layer over existing information systems
and over existing processes architecture in the
company – the logic, relationship matrix and
intelligence that enables the company to create the
knowledge and use it in most appropriate ways.
  Fundamental principle – orientation of company
which is driving the company to the informational
and innovation excellence.
 The biggest and most important competitive
advantage – implementing this principles, systems
configuration and management procedures in the
company means that it is much more efficient in
finding the knowledge, building knowledge and also
in the field on the knowledge application and
marketing compared to the competition. This can be
defined also as knowledge excellence which can
drive the company to leading position on the regional
and global markets. [14]
The basic knowledge base cloud consist of information
systems, IS modules, relationships and connectors, best
practices, data-information-knowledge, know-how, access
privileges, rules, process architecture and organizational
structure. This approach helps companies deal with the
knowledge information systems integration issues. This
unique model drives the positive effects of knowledge
management initiatives and supports the added value and
competitive advantage which these managerial approaches
create.
III. KNOWLEDGE MANAGEMENT AS A SERVICE IN CLOUND
ENVIRONMENT
In a cloud environment the aim is to provide "everything
as a service", including knowledge as a service (KaaS) and
knowledge management as a service (KMaaS).
Knowledge as a Service (KaaS) is a subtype of SaaS
(software as a service) provided by a knowledge service
provider, in which, a knowledge provider answers queries
presented by some knowledge consumers, via the knowledge
services.
KMaaS is a SaaS, in which, knowledge management
services are provided by KMaaS service providers and are
consumed by KMaaS service consumers. The difference
between KaaS and KMaaS is that the former provides
facilities on knowledge itself, while the latter provides
management services to the consumers. KaaS is a part of
KMaaS. [10]
A. Knowledge Management and Cloud Service Models
In this section we discuss about the different cloud
computing service models and their use in knowledge
management.
1) Knowledge Management and Iaas
Knowledge management in the cloud requires using the
infrastructure for storing knowledge in great sizes and for
learning and inference requirements for computational
capacity. Activities like publishing a problem to a potential
group of problem-solvers is an example that shows the need to
interconnection and processing power in the infrastructure
layer.
2) Knowledge Management and PaaS
Knowledge management in the cloud may use the PaaS
services to allow knowledge workers (with technological
expertise) to design their own applications on the basis of the
provided platforms. These applications can become very
widespread among a variety of users, making it possible to
solve problems online, getting valuable knowledge from
different sources based on knowledge workers' creativity in
expressing their needs and sharing the problem via the desired
cloud applications online.
3) Knowledge Management and SaaS
Knowledge gathering can be categorized in the second
category because of the great interest in gathering knowledge
from different sources. This way, you may provide a SaaS free
of charge to a potentially very large number of people and
organizations, and in return gather lots of knowledge.
SaaS has become a common model for many business
applications including accounting, collaboration, customer
relationship management (CRM), enterprise resource planning
(ERP), invoicing, human resource management (HRM),
content management (CM), and service desk management.
[10]
B. Knowledge Management and Cloud Deployment Models
Knowledge can be generally categorized in two main
categories: Tacit knowledge mostly includes implicit mental
models, experiences of individuals, know-how, perceptions,
and is difficult to transfer, and subjective (highly personal,
accumulated through learning and experiences) which can be
called people-bound.
Explicit knowledge includes formal models, rules,
procedures, more precise and formal, systematic, easy to
codify, reuse, communicate, share, and objective. It can be
called system-bound. [11]
In this regard, we can study the relationship between
different types of cloud deployment and tacit and explicit
knowledge. Table 1 shows this relationship in terms of the
level of access to knowledge types in each deployment model.
TABLE I. ACCESS TO KNOWLEDGE IN DIFFERENT CLOUD DEPLOYMENT
MODELS [10]
Explicit Tacit Knowledge
Knowledge
Private Local/limited Local/ very limited
Public Very large Extremely large
Community Shared/limited Shared/unlimited
Hybrid Depends on the Depends on the
cloud types cloud types
included included
In private clouds access to explicit knowledge is local and
limited to the organization that owns the cloud. In fact, it
seems to have little effect on the access to explicit knowledge,
since there is little difference between a private cloud and a
local knowledge management system since a KMaaS deployed
on a private cloud seems to have little effect on accessing tacit
knowledge, as well, since it is private. On the contrary, in a
publicly-deployed cloud that implements a KMaaS, great
levels of access to tacit and explicit knowledge is provided,
this is more outstanding for tacit knowledge which is
inherently resident in more resources over the cloud users
(humans' minds). Community clouds stand in a position in
between the two above, since it is neither fully private nor
fully public, but shared among definite organizations.
Therefore, access to tacit and explicit knowledge is neither as
limited as in private clouds, nor is it as open as in public
clouds, however, tacit knowledge is more accessible, because
of the mentioned reason stated for public clouds. The access
level to knowledge in hybrid clouds depend on the
combination of clouds that comprise a hybrid cloud, and thus
it is complex to analyze. [10]
IV. BENEFITS OF CLOUD COMPUTING FOR
KNOWLEDGE MANAGEMENT
The following benefits can have knowledge management
in cloud environment:
 Cloud computing greatly reduces the technology
related costs. Synergies are created through reduction
in computing resources, time and modelling process.
The large and variable storage needs for maintaining
huge knowledge management systems can be
accomplished by the use of cloud storage models.
 It provides access to variety of services to the users.
 It opens gates to several options for the knowledge
users, earlier unknown to them.
 Cloud computing is an effective way to streamline
the knowledge and make it readily available also.
 It accelerates the development and acquiescence of
the competencies and capabilities of knowledge
works in any organization.
 It extends the use of open-source services and shared
developments across the globe.
 It reduces the activities and costs related to
management of infrastructure.
 The work structure is changing these days, where
requirement of access to information could be
anywhere and at any time. Cloud resources are the
best answer to such indispensability.
 Through cloud computing, one can gain faster access
to technology and the process of knowledge
management becomes more connected and
collaborative, as the structure is framed on highly
scalable and reliable web oriented architecture.
 It improves access to data that corroborates the
decision making process and consolidates the studies
& research processes. Latest project status,
innovative ideas, new experiences and finest
practices can thus be shared within an enterprise. It
even motivates the employees for bringing forth
creative strategies while carrying out the regular
work, and enjoying it as well.
 It enhances awareness about the processes as the
experiences are gained in different regions, sectors &
fields of the world.
 Search patterns in knowledge management systems
may vary and may experience sudden fluctuations
and hiccups and can be better managed with an
elastic/scalable computing model.
 Majority of knowledge management activities are
generic in nature for which SaaS applications may be
provided.
 Enterprises refrain from employing knowledge
management tools and techniques primarily due to
the cost incurred, but with cloud computing, pay-as-
you-go concept can help solve this problem, as the
required and limited services or resources are
available at hand.
 Access to knowledge can be allowed on the basis of
user’s permission level.
 With the aid of cloud computing, knowledge can be
converted into an asset which acts as a stimulant for
innovations and research. [12]
From above mentioned, we can say that there are many
benefits for companies in using knowledge management. We
recommend to companies to use any of discussed solutions of
cloud based knowledge management, so Knowledge
Management as a Service (KMaaS). This architecture of
interactive knowledge database is innovative, develops social
networks among the workers, cuts the time spent on checking
e-mails and searching for information, helps in problem
solving atc.
V. CONCLUSION
Finding several examples, their transformation into real
life and highlighting the advantages is the way that it is
necessary to communicate solutions based on cloud
technology, in our case Management as a Service (KMaaS)
which is one of several cloud solutions with large potential.
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