1.1 Knowledge management in organisations: Theory and practice
Before we progress further we need to confirm what we mean by KM in this unit of study.
Activity 1
Examine the following definitions of KM.
Knowledge management is a conscious, hopefully consistent, strategy implemented to gather, store and retrieve knowledge and then help distribute the information and knowledge to those who need it in a timely manner. The strategy includes rules, procedures, and cultural aspects that help put the knowledge management strategy into action. Knowledge management is a framework and management mind-set that includes building on experience and creating new avenues for exchanging knowledge. The strategy includes technological infrastructure and human aspects. (Stuhlman Management Consultants (2004), Knowledge Management terms http://home.earthlink.net/~ddstuhlman/defin1.htm).
Knowledge management is the explicit and systematic management of vital knowledge and its associated processes of creating, gathering, organizing, diffu sion, use and exploitation. It requires turning personal knowledge into corporate knowledge than can be widely shared throughout an organization and appropriately applied. (David Skyme (2003) Knowledge Management: making sense of an oxymoron, http://www.skyrme.com/insights/22km.htm).
Capturing, storing, transforming, and disseminating information within an organization, with the goal of promoting efficiency at the least and innovation and competitive advantage at the most. (VNU Learning www.vnulearning.com/kmwp/glossary.html).
The use of computer technology to organize, manage, and distribute electronically all typ es of information, customized to meet the needs of a wide variety of users. ( Sirsi Corporation www.sirsi.com/glossary.html).
Knowledge Management is a discipline used to systematically leverage expertise and information to improve organizational efficiency, responsiveness, competency, and innovation. Systematically means that the discipline does not rely on informal water cooler conversations, but on planned processes, technology, measurement techniques, and behaviors. Knowledge management leverages all the key resources that a company has in place and that can be put to use in a more effective way. (iFacets http://www.ifacets.net/glossary.htm).
Knowledge Management caters to the critical issues of organizational adaption, survival and competence in face of increasingly discontinuous environmental change. Essentially, it embodies organizational processes that seek synergistic combination of data and information processing capacity of information technologies, and the creative and innovative capacity of human beings. (Yogesh Malhotra (June 23, 1997) Making sense of KM, posting listed at http://www.brint.com/wwwboard/messages/103.html)
Note how different definitions are based on the focus of the different organisations. Some focus KM on the technology, others processes, other still the wisdom or what an organisation ‘knows’.
Consider how some definitions are simple statements, others describe processes, and others still define frameworks.
Reflect on the importance of connectedness and understanding as dimensions differentiating data, information, knowledge and wisdom introduced in the reading above. We will late encounter the importance of context in the relevance and structure of knowledge. Do you think the concept of connectedness is related to context and situated understanding?
In this unit is study KM will be both a theoretical approach and a framework. It is not just about knowledge and technology or knowledge held by an individual, organisation, or society. Nor is it limited to a process of management. Our study must create a framework that can make sense of knowledge at all these levels and endure into the future.
Our view of knowledge will be a human view. Our focus will move beyond the information technology (IT) dominant view whereby KM is about capture, organisation, search, transfer and reporting knowledge. A view where data mining, knowledge clusters, and content or documents are management to maximise operational efficiency and effectiveness.
This study of KM will establish a broad foundation of what KM is, but then drill down on the human aspects of KM. This will enable us to branch out our study in the second part of this unit to look at HRD and KM related aspects such as how individuals and organisations learn and undertake KM is a situated cultural and social context.
In this course we will use the following definition:
Knowledge management is the creation of an environment where knowledge is not only captured, transferred and generated, it is the creation of systems of thinking and dynamic action whereby meaning is created for the individuals involved, the organisation, and the organisations’ customers (Bowles, 1999:5).
Reading 1
Handzic, M & Hasan, H (2003) ‘The search for an integrated KM Framework’, in Handzic, M & Hasan, H (eds) Australian Studies in Knowledge Management, Australia: UOW Press, pp. 3-34. Sourced March 2005, at http://www.kmrg.unsw.edu.au/
teaching/KMBookChapter1Final.pdf.Activity 2
Complete the above reading with special focus on pages 3 to 20.
- What is the KM Framework? In what way(s) does this differ from examining KM without a formal framework?
- Is Australia pursuing adoption of KM in a manner different from other countries?
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