MT541 Organisation & Management in the Networked Era The Art & Science of Knowledge Management

KM Overview

 The nature of ‘Knowledge’ - definitions & typologies  What is ‘Knowledge Management’?

 Why ‘manage’ knowledge?

 Process / Stages of KM  KM Architecture  KM Tools, Technologies and Techniques  KM Strategies  KM and HR  KM, Culture & Environment  Implementation

KM: Socio-technical Perspectives

Architecture & Stages of KM Structure, Culture & Environment Conceptual Perspective Process Perspective Technology Perspective Organisation Perspective Management Perspective Definitions & Typologies of Knowledge & KM KM Tools, Technologies & Techniques Strategy, Leadership, Resources & HR Policies

CONCEPTS...

What do we mean by ‘Knowledge’?

 Data?

Discrete, objective facts about events

 Information?

Data with relevance/meaning ….contextualised, categorised, condensed...

 Knowledge?

Familiarity, awareness, or understanding gained through experience or study “We know more than we can say” Polanyi, M. (1966) The Tacit Dimension

See Ch.1 ‘What do we talk about when we talk about Knowledge?’ Davenport & Prusak, 1998.

CONCEPTS... What do we mean by ‘KM’?

“A

systematic process

for creating, acquiring, synthesizing, sharing and using information, insights and experiences to achieve your

organizational goals

.” Guest Lecture, Accenture, 2000 “KM is the process of capturing a company’s collective expertise wherever it resides - in databases, on paper, or in people’s heads - and distributing it to wherever it can help produce the biggest payoff.” Hibbard, J. “Knowing what we know”, Information Week. Oct 20, 1997 “KM is the systematic, explicit, and deliberate building, renewal, and application of knowledge to maximise an enterprise’s knowledge-related effectiveness and returns from its knowledge assets.” Wiig, K (1997) in Liebowitz, J. (1999) Knowledge Management Handbook “KM applies systematic approaches to find, understand, and use knowledge to create value.” O’Dell, C (1996) in Liebowitz above

CONCEPTS Types of Knowledge?

 Tacit and Explicit (Nonaka and Takeuchi 1995)  Explicit, Embodied, Embrained, Encultured Collins, H. “Human, Machines, and the Structure of Knowledge”. Ruggles, R. ed.

Knowledge Management Tools.

 Know-what, know-how, know-where, know-why, care-why Quinn, J.B. et al “Managing Professional Intellect: Making the Most of the Best.” HBR. March-April 1996.

Why ‘Manage’ Knowledge?

•“Fortune 500 Companies Will Lose $12 Billion in 1999 due to Knowledge Management Inefficiencies”

International Data Corporation (IDC) October 6, 1999

Intellectual Rework Substandard Performance Obsolete Knowledge Employee Turnover  Consultancy KPMG Peat Marwick LLP surveyed 100 respondents on what happens when key employees leave without sharing their knowledge: 43% - damaged relationship with key client/ supplier 50% - loss of best practices knowledge 10% - significant income losses. (Vaas 1999) www.zdnet.com/eWeek/stories/general/ 0,11011,

404727,00.html

PROCESS ‘Stages’ of KM

Socialisation Externalisation Combination Internalisation

Takeuchi & Nonaka 1995

T T T E E E E T The ‘Knowledge Spiral’ ‘T’ = tacit knowledge eg. How to ride a bike ‘E’ = explicit knowledge eg. How many gears are on a bike

K Mapping Modeling Story-telling

PROCESS ‘Stages’ of KM

Acquisition Rental Dedicated Resources Fusion Adaptation Networks

Generation Codification Transfer

Davenport & Prusak 1998 ‘Water cooler’ facilities Talk rooms K Fairs Open Forum

PROCESS Building Blocks of KM

knowledge goals knowledge assessment knowledge identification knowledge retention knowledge acquisition knowledge development knowledge utilisation k sharing & distribution

Probst, G. et al 2000, Managing Knowledge - Building Blocks for Success p.34

PROCESS...

KM Architecture?

Creation

Knowledge Repositories & Libraries Communities of Knowledge Workers

Distribution

Knowledge Flow

Sharing ‘Capture’ & Codify

Knowledge Cartography - navigation - mapping - simulation Adapted from Borghoff & Pareschi (1998)

Information Technology for Knowledge Management

TECHNOLOGY… IS to Support KM

Create Knowledge

KWS: Knowledge Work Stations

CAD Virtual reality Workstations

GCS: Group Collaboration Systems

Groupware Intranets Sharing Knowledge Distributing Knowledge

OAS: Office Automation Systems

WP DTP Web publishing

AIS: Artificial Intelligence Systems

Expert systems Intelligent Agents Neural nets Fuzzy logic Capture & Codify Knowledge

Adapted from Laudon and Laudon (2000) Management Information Systems p. 436

Also see Davenport & Prusak 1998, ch. 7 for more on KM Technologies

KM, Org & Mgt

Strategy HR Culture & Environment

Refer to:

 Davenport & Prusak 1997, 1998; Nonaka & Takeuchi 1995; Probst et al 2000; Von Krogh et al 2000; Zack 1999 as per course outline.

 Readings assigned and class presentations/reports & discussions.