A Qualitative Framework for Customer Knowledge Management Maturity in Electronic Services of the Tehran Province Construction Engineering Organization

Abstract

This study explored dimensions of customer knowledge management maturity in the electronic services of the Tehran Province Construction Engineering Organization, with attention to practicing engineers, and developed a preliminary framework for future expert-system development. The study used an exploratory qualitative design. Twenty purposively selected participants were interviewed using semi-structured questions, and the transcripts were analyzed thematically with MAXQDA. The analysis identified eight dimensions: acquiring and extracting customer knowledge; creating and sharing knowledge; storing and organizing knowledge; applying knowledge; technology and data infrastructure; organizational and managerial capabilities; customer participation and interaction; and a knowledge-oriented culture. These dimensions were organized into four knowledge processes and four enabling conditions. A five-level maturity structure and a conceptual architecture for a future assessment system are proposed. The study does not establish validated scoring thresholds, dimension weights, an implemented inference engine, or demonstrated assessment accuracy. The framework provides a basis for subsequent indicator development and validation rather than a ready-to-use maturity assessment instrument. Its contribution lies in organizing customer knowledge processes and their enabling conditions within the selected organizational context; its distinctiveness and practical utility require further empirical evaluation.