Knowledge management differences between manager and operational levels: study in a brazilian industry

the paper aims to identify differences in the way in which managerial and operational level deals with the process of management knowledge in a brazilian metal-mechanical industry. this study was based on the idea of gold, malhotra e segars (2001) that the knowledge process phases are: creation, conversion, utilization and protection. through a qualitative research, was observed that: both levels consider the importance of knowledge management, but only the creation phase occurs at operational level (through tacit knowledge) and there is no action to protect knowledge (in both levels). so, the study concludes that knowledge management process has focused only at management level in this organization.