THE SPECIFICITY OF KNOWLEDGE MANAGEMENT IN THE FOOD INDUSTRY IN POLAND

The article presents an analysis of the problems of knowledge management in the food industry in Poland, which was carried out on the basis of the results of the author’s own study. The study was conducted in the years 2007-2013. The research shows that businesses established in the food industry are actively involved in the use of knowledge management instruments including: elements, tools and all kinds of sources of cooperation. The company’s production processes use various sources of knowledge. It should be noted that outstanding cooperation takes place between customers and suppliers, as well as in external training. A weak interest of the surveyed enterprises in using the knowledge of the acquired business, and very insignificant cooperation with universities or research centres was discovered. Companies frequently acquire knowledge in trade relations, but also from specialist companies with an appropriate base which was also recognized as the most useful sources. The lack of cooperation with universities and research centres can attest to the impossibility of its use in practical applications in enterprises, or a lack of understanding of the benefits of this kind of cooperation. It is stated that, in the years 2007-2012, less than 2/3 of the surveyed enterprises of the food industry carried out activities related to the implementation of elements of knowledge management in the enterprise; internal training proved to be the most supportive in implementing acquisition and transfer of knowledge; more than half of the surveyed enterprises of the food industry spend funds on knowledge management, increasing them annually; surveyed companies noted the annual increase in the average level of financial resources incurred for the management of knowledge in the years 2007-2011(except 2010).