From data to action: knowledge management as institutional work in local governments

Abstract

Public sector organizations are facing increasing pressure to embed sustainability into their strategies, processes, and everyday management, yet research has only begun to explore how knowledge management supports this institutionalization process. This study addresses this gap by examining how senior local government managers understand sustainability as a managerial concern and how they access, interpret, and use sustainability‑related knowledge. Drawing on 25 semi‑structured interviews with branch and financial directors from Finnish municipalities, and informed by the knowledge‑based view and institutional work, the study identifies four arenas – strategy, reporting, capability building, and everyday management practices – in which KM supports the technical, political, and cultural work of institutionalizing sustainability. The findings show how KM enables public officials to interpret sustainability, adapt it to organizational priorities, integrate diverse information streams, and stabilize sustainability through routines, skills, and decision‑making practices across administrative domains. The proposed framework contributes to public sector KM theory by conceptualizing KM as a governance mechanism that supports the technical, political, and cultural work of institutionalizing sustainability. Practically, the study highlights how knowledge infrastructures, learning practices, and cross‑sectoral collaboration can strengthen the capacity of local governments to advance sustainability in adaptive and integrated ways.