Beyond certification: practitioner narratives on the ISO 30401 knowledge management standard adoption gap in Israel

Purpose International Organization for Standardization (ISO) 30401 formalizes knowledge management systems (KMSs), marking a significant milestone in the professionalization of knowledge management (KM) discipline. However, organizational adoption remains limited, ambiguous and surrounded by uncertainty. As a context-specific case study, this research aims to examine how KM professionals perceive the standard’s purpose, value, legitimacy and practical relevance. Design/methodology/approach Situated in Israel – a country with a prominent role in initiating and shaping ISO 30401 – the research adopts a qualitative-constructivist paradigm and an inductive interpretive approach. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews with 18 KM professionals and complemented by netnographic observations of two public online KM communities. A grounded-theory thematic analysis was used to identify recurring patterns and systemic interdependencies among adoption challenges. Findings Participants acknowledged ISO 30401’s potential to provide a shared language and conceptual foundation for KM, but reported low awareness of the standard and minimal organizational motivation to pursue certification. They emphasized the absence of external enforcement or consequences for non-compliance and struggled to identify a clear return on investment. Several practitioners questioned the very feasibility of standardizing a dynamic, context-dependent field. Collectively, these factors formed a mutually reinforcing configuration that delays implementation and positions the standard as symbolically legitimate yet operationally marginal. Originality/value To the best of authors’ knowledge, this study presents, for the first time, an empirically grounded account of KM practitioners’ narratives and critical reflections on ISO 30401 adoption. By uncovering a systemic interplay of perceived barriers – rather than isolated constraints – it advances the limited literature on KM standardization and provides timely, context-sensitive insights to guide ongoing ISO revision efforts.