Purpose This study aims to examine how knowledge management (KM) systems can be designed and aligned to mitigate this vulnerability and support operational readiness. Design/methodology/approach An exploratory framework-development study was conducted, integrating descriptive survey data from 111 military aviation professionals with expert interactions and thematic analysis of operational practices. Findings Findings indicate a structural imbalance: while procedural documentation and technology-enabled systems are relatively mature, the systematic capture and institutionalisation of tacit operational knowledge remains comparatively weak. This misalignment, compounded by variable leadership engagement, creates significant knowledge vulnerability. Originality/value Rather than proposing a new knowledge management theory, this study advances a context-sensitive extension of KM systems research by introducing readiness orientation as a structuring principle and developing a framework supported by empirically derived design propositions for military helicopter operations.
Parihar et al. (Wed,) studied this question.