2. Knowledge Managementfor Individuals, Communities and

Organizations

Knowledge Management Introduction♻ 2008 Lecture Slides

Stefan Urbanekstefan.urbanek@gmail.com

http://stiivi.comStiivi

“☛ Book” references:

Kimiz Dalkir:Knowledge Management in Theory and Practice

Elsevier 2005

Attributes of KM

generating new knowledge

accessing valuable knowledge

from outside sources

using accessible knowledge in decision making

embedding knowledge

in process, products and services

Major KM Components

containers

communities

content

*see Wikinomics

places where knowledge is stored, modified, linked, managed

prosumers* of knowledge(producers + consumers)

collection of knowledge units

☛ book p. 20

Beneficiaries

individualscommunities

of practice organization

For Individuals

For Individual

helps people do their jobs

and save time through better decision making and problem solving

builds a sense of community bonds

within the organization

helps people to keep up to date

provides challenges to contribute

Time Saving

No KM

With KM

time

No KM

With KM

1+1=? 2

meeting, analysis knowledge application

1+1=? 2

knowledge sharing

free time

2!

(simplified)

For Individual

facilitating knowledge growth

through culture and incentives

transferring existing knowledge

into other parts of the organization

measuring the value of knowledge assets

impact of knowledge management

☛ see “one example”

One Exampleof Knowledge Transfer

human resources

retail

marketing strategy

IT

customer service

some information flows are going through several levels of management, sometimes being aggregated, simplified and “subjectivised” by link chains, moreover it makes flows slower

management

knowledge management helps to create horizontal communication channels that allows peers to share knowledge through departments – across whole organization human

resources

retail

marketing

strategy

IT

customer service

For Community of Practice

For Community

develops professional skills

promotes peer-to-peer mentoring

colleagues can teach each other more effectively

“teaching material” is reusable in time and in space

facilitates more effective networking and collaboration

☛ see “one example”

☛ see “one example”

For Community

develops a professional code of ethics that members can follow

develops a common language

Common Language

company wide Glossary might emerge

common language does not mean single organization-wide definitions

common language means, that each member of the organization is aware of all known and used definitions

For Organization

For Organization

helps drive strategy

solves problems quickly

solutions might be recorded and reused

each organization member can be potential solver

For Organization

diffuses best practices

cross fertilizes ideas and increases opportunities for innovation

wisdom of crowds

☛ recommended reading: James Surowiecky: Wisdom of Crowds

For Organization

improves embedded knowledge

in products and services

special properties or design reasons

builds organizational memory

knowledge is preserved in time

learning organization

with knowledge management, organization becomes knowledgeable and learning

organizational knowledge is not intended to replace individual knowledge but to

complement it by making it stronger, more coherent and more broadly applicative