About us

Our purpose

• Publishing concise, practically-oriented articles to inform managers and knowledge management (KM) practitioners about the findings of high-value research and real and specific case scenarios in KM and related disciplines such as communications, marketing, psychology, biology, sociology, and management.
• Leading and supporting actions and activities that encourage and facilitate the application of these research and case scenario findings in KM practice.

The types of articles we publish include:

• Evidence summaries that are typically based on recently published systematic reviews or notable individual research papers. Systematic reviews produce a more reliable knowledge base through accumulating findings from a range of studies.
• Feature articles and series that synthesize a range of research in regard to a topical KM issue.
• Article serials that present large research reports and dissertations in more readily digestible parts over a period of time.
• News items that announce events, book releases and reviews, or other significant developments in KM.

The articles and article series are published in different categories:

• ABCs of KM – Articles backed by sound research on accepted or emerging KM practice, including KM tools and methods, or that describe a real and specific case scenario, as well as editor-selected articles on key issues for the KM community.
• Brain power– Articles backed by sound research on individual and collective thinking and behaviour (both of the human and artificially intelligent kind), or that describe a real and specific case scenario.
• Systems & complexity – Articles backed by sound research on organisations and social systems (including complexity theory, organisational change, and culture), or that describe a real and specific case scenario.
• Analysis & counterpoints – Editor-selected articles that explore significant or emerging KM issues or topics, but that fall short of the evidence requirements for the categories above, or counterpoints prepared in accordance with the requirements of our editorial guidelines.
• News & community – Editor-selected news items, event announcements, podcasts, videos, book releases and reviews, and other notable KM-related issues or developments, all of which should have relevance to RealKM Magazine’s purpose.

Our achievements

The founding objective of RealKM was to share “high-value knowledge management research through concise, practically-oriented articles” to a knowledge management (KM) practitioner and broader management audience that is often time-poor and lacks exposure to research evidence.

As reported in the RealKM Impact Story, RealKM has resoundingly achieved its founding objective, and continues to do so. RealKM has also gone well beyond its founding objective to support other important aspects of KM capability improvement. This includes leadership and support in regard to emerging initiatives that are shaping the future of KM.

Pivotal to RealKM’s ongoing success are the continuous commitment and efforts of its directors and the financial support of the passionate and generous RealKM Patrons.

Our awards

RealKM Magazine has now received two significant international awards.

In December 2020, RealKM Magazine honoured to receive a Platinum Award in the 2020 Australian Society for Knowledge Management (AuSKM) Awards. The award recognises excellence in sharing high-value knowledge management research through concise, practically-oriented articles for knowledge management (KM) practitioners and a broader management audience.

In December 2018, we were very excited to learn that RealKM Magazine had been the winner of the Knowledge and Information Award in the 2018 CILIP Knowledge and Information Management (K&IM) Awards, which were presented in London.

Our organisation

RealKM was established in August 2015 as an initiative of founding editor Stephen Bounds, who is Executive, Information Management at Cordelta, a professional services firm based in Canberra, Australia. Stephen was supported in this by consultant and project manager Bruce Boyes, who was recruited as editor and lead writer. Bruce is currently based in China.

In early 2019, Stephen formally transitioned RealKM to a community-owned model, with the RealKM Cooperative Limited registered in the Australian Capital Territory (ACT) on 2 May 2019. This followed an inaugural meeting on 8 February 2019, at which Stephen Bounds, Bruce Boyes, and Dr Arthur Shelley were elected as directors. Dr Arthur Shelley is Director of specialist consulting firm Intelligent Answers, which is based in Melbourne, Australia.

RealKM is made possible by the very generous contributions of its greatly valued patrons. Stephen Bounds and Dr Arthur Shelley are RealKM Platinum-level Patrons, our highest supporter level.