Making Knowledge Management Work for DOTs: A Guide to Fostering Collaboration, Learning and Adaptation

Knowledge management (KM) is growing among state departments of transportation (DOTs), and culture is an essential ingredient of KM. Agencies must value and support learning; otherwise, employees are not likely to share what they know or invest the time needed for effective collaboration. Previous National Cooperative Highway Research Program (NCHRP) studies on innovation and learning cultures have identified several factors that are conducive to a learning culture. These studies have acknowledged the importance of culture but have not explored it in detail. There is a need to build on prior research dealing with KM and innovation in transportation agencies, along with foundational studies of learning cultures, and exploring the intersection of KM, learning cultures, and organizational change at DOTs. This objective of this research is to develop a guide for state DOTs to strengthen organizational cultures that foster collaboration, learning, and adaptability.

• Record URL:
  • http://apps.trb.org/cmsfeed/TRBNetProjectDisplay.asp?ProjectID=6073
• Supplemental Notes:
  • Contract to a Performing Organization has not yet been awarded.

Language

• English

Project

• Status: Proposed
• Funding: $400,000.00
• Contract Numbers:

  Project 23-57

• Sponsor Organizations:

  State Departments of Transportation (participating member states of American Association of State Highway Transportation Officials (AASHTO))

  American Association of State Highway Transportation Officials (AASHTO)
  444 North Capitol Street, NW
  Washington, DC  United States  20001

  Federal Highway Administration

  1200 New Jersey Avenue, SE
  Washington, DC  United States  20590
• Managing Organizations:

  National Cooperative Highway Research Program (NCHRP)

  Transportation Research Board
  500 Fifth Street, NW
  Washington, DC  United States  20001
• Project Managers:

  Jared, David

• Start Date: 20260608
• Expected Completion Date: 0
• Actual Completion Date: 0

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Knowledge management; Organizational factors; State departments of transportation
• Subject Areas: Administration and Management; Planning and Forecasting; Transportation (General);

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 01992201
• Record Type: Research project
• Source Agency: Transportation Research Board
• Contract Numbers: Project 23-57
• Files: TRB, RIP
• Created Date: Jun 9 2026 5:13PM