Transcript Slide 1

Chapter 7
Developing a Core
Knowledge Framework
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Introduction (1/2)
• Most organizations face a knowledge glut
• Many apply a ‘kitchen sink’ approach to
providing access to knowledge
• This can prevent useful application of
knowledge
• The goal of knowledge management is to
facilitate ready access to critical knowledge
when people need it
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Introduction (2/2)
Content management
• Vital to effective knowledge management
• Identifies and categorizes valued knowledge
• Manages and maintains the currency and
accessibility of that knowledge
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Core Knowledge
• Strategic or operational knowledge which
contributes to essential organizational
processes or outcomes
• Long-term value to the organization
• Enables high performance on core activities
• Justifies the cost of knowledge capture and
management
• Minimizes duplication, misinformation and
redundant effort
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The Three Phases of Managing Core
Knowledge
• Knowledge management relies on an
effective content management system
(CMS)
• The CMS is developed progressively:
– Phase 1: clarify the core knowledge scope
– Phase 2: define core knowledge parameters
– Phase 3: develop the core knowledge
structure
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Phase 1:
Clarify the Core Knowledge Scope (1/4)
• Explores the types of core knowledge found
in the organization and the ways in which
that knowledge is used
• Clarifies the nature of the organization’s core
business
• Determines the knowledge domain to be
supported and encouraged
• Ensures staff have the capabilities to use
that knowledge
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Phase 1:
Clarify the Core Knowledge Scope (2/4)
Identifying the core business and its
knowledge requirements
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What are the major organizational activities?
Where is the firm going?
Is there specialized or unique knowledge?
Which knowledge needs to be shared?
Can the costs of sharing be recouped through the
use of that knowledge?
• What are the benefits of enabling the use of the
knowledge by others?
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Phase 1:
Clarify the Core Knowledge Scope (3/4)
Define the knowledge domain
• Areas of knowledge that support the core
business strategy of the organization
• Each organization develops a different
knowledge domain
• Knowledge which members need to share
and use as common resources
• Knowledge which is strategic and needs to
be developed and cultivated over time
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Phase 1:
Clarify the Core Knowledge Scope (4/4)
Review knowledge capabilities
• Identification of desired capabilities, valuable
sources of knowledge, demonstrable
capabilities and knowledge practices
• What do our employees really know?
• What should they know?
• How can they gain this knowledge?
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Phase 2:
Define Core Knowledge Parameters
(1/6)
• Defines and builds policies relating to the
core knowledge domain identified in
phase 1
• Provides boundaries for the core knowledge
to be supported in the KMS
• Ensures relevant contributions to the
system, and appropriate use of the system
• Still accommodates evolving requirements
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Phase 2:
Define Core Knowledge Parameters
(2/6)
Defining core knowledge
• Clear definition of what is important
• Directs employee attention and knowledge
management resources to that knowledge
• Should reflect the capacity to manage and
contribute to the resultant domain
• May commence with a very tight focus and
then expand as time progresses
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Phase 2:
Define Core Knowledge Parameters
(3/6)
• Categories of core knowledge:
– Basic core knowledge: essential knowledge
generated, shared and accessed by all staff
– Strategic core knowledge: limited access,
progressive development, needs updating
– Developmental core knowledge: potentially
beneficial, but still under development
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Phase 2:
Define Core Knowledge Parameters
(4/6)
• Defining the core — practical considerations:
– Absorptive capacity of the individuals
– Will there be sufficient return on the
investment costs of capturing, recording and
maintaining knowledge?
– Does the increased management add value?
– Can the system be maintained?
– Will the KMS make the knowledge more
accessible?
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Phase 2:
Define Core Knowledge Parameters
(5/6)
Develop the core knowledge policy
• Describes the nature of core knowledge
• Clarifies importance and value of knowledge
• Outlines the roles of various stakeholders
• Provides guidance on the overall principles
to be applied
• Policies do not normally include procedures
and practice — these are contained in
guidelines which can change as required
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Phase 2:
Define Core Knowledge Parameters
(6/6)
• Some policy considerations
– What, how and when will employees share
their core knowledge?
– Policy implementation
– Relationship with other organizational
processes and systems?
– Confidential, competitive knowledge
– Transient strategic knowledge management
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Phase 3:
Developing the Core Knowledge
Structure (1/7)
• Systems and processes which assist with
mapping and organizing the organization’s
core knowledge
• Encompasses mapping, categorizing,
indexing and otherwise labelling core
knowledge to facilitate its management
• Enables the ready retrieval of core
knowledge through effective search
processes
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Phase 3:
Developing the Core Knowledge
Structure (2/7)
User-driven core knowledge
versus
Systematic core knowledge definition
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Phase 3:
Developing the Core Knowledge
Structure (3/7)
Mapping core knowledge
• Knowledge maps describe the core
knowledge categories and focal areas
• Define the structural breakdown of the
different core knowledge areas
• Two types of maps can be developed:
relational knowledge maps or operational
knowledge maps
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Relational knowledge map
Operational knowledge map
Phase 3:
Developing the Core Knowledge
Structure (4/7)
Establishing and promoting the knowledge
repository
• Repositories link the different sources by
integrating them into a single united system
which can be searched in many different
ways
• Structured or unstructured repository
management strategies?
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Phase 3:
Developing the Core Knowledge
Structure (5/7)
• Structured repository management
– Integrate the use of common structures,
formally constituted headings and content
descriptors to describe the content
– Keyword headings facilitate subsequent
retrieval by providing predictable and reliable
terms which are used by both contributors
and knowledge seekers
– Descriptors guide the user as to the defined
content to be found under a keyword
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Phase 3:
Developing the Core Knowledge
Structure (6/7)
• Unstructured knowledge repositories
– Knowledge is not structured in terms of
content, but is found using free-text
searching
– Usage is flexible, and sources can be
accessed in many creative ways
– Successful identification of sources relies on
the use of common language and ideas
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Phase 3:
Developing the Core Knowledge
Structure (7/7)
• Repository design principles
– Ensure only core knowledge is included
– Clarify the level of control over content
– Browser design should match the user needs
and capabilities
– There should be easy access to the system
and user guidance
– Search agents may assist the user
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Content Authorship
• Knowledge in repositories will be reused,
adapted and generally changed over time
• Should people be recognized for their
contributions?
• The source documentation can recognize
each individual’s contribution and the date of
the contribution
• Recognition and reward systems may also
integrate this information
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Concluding Points
• Content management is a critical factor in
building an effective KMS
• Core knowledge should be clearly defined
and agreed before the KMS is implemented
• Structured and well controlled systems
provide better overall support to the user
• Knowledge repositories rely on effective
knowledge maps to guide their structure and
management
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Today’s focus questions:
• What is core knowledge?
• Why is it important to clarify the scope and
nature of core knowledge?
• What are some of the likely issues which
may arise when building a content
management system?
– Lecture reference: Debowski, Chapter 7
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