,Chapter 9
Why knowledge management?
Knowledge economy
Knowledge economy refers to the production and services based on knowledge-
intensive activities that contribute to an accelerated pace of technical and scientific
advance, as well as rapid obsolescence.
Trend
A transition started in the 70s, growth in patents.
Expansion is tied to computer technology, etc.
Knowledge workers require high education and are better paid.
Difference capital goods
Knowledge does not wear out like capital goods, it increases when it is applied.
Knowledge itself can be created and then sold many times.
What is knowledge management?
Definition
Knowledge management (KM) refers to the set of business processes developed in an
organisation to acquire (create), store, disseminate (transfer, share) and apply
knowlegde.
Knowledge management increases the ability of the organisation to learn from its
environment and to incorporate knowledge into its business processes.
Types
Explicit KM
Knowledge expressed into words, numbers and graphics.
Know that.
Facts, in handbooks.
Tacit (implicit) KM
Knowledge as experience, insights, intuitions and hunches.
Know how.
Skills, in the minds of people.
Structured
Reports, presentations.
Formal rules.
Semi-structured
E-mails, videos, pictures.
Unstructured, tacit knowledge
In the minds of workers.
Disperse, imprecise.
, Managing knowledge
Knowledge management cycle
There are several value-adding steps in the knowledge management cycle.
The cycle requires the support of tools called knowledge management systems.
Technology
Knowledge is very related to technology.
Focus on humans, technology is secondary.
KM cannot be separated form technology. Technological advances shape the field of
knowledge management.
Two perspectives
Personalisation
Personalisation (flow approach), tacit knowledge.
Codification
Codification (stock approach), explicit knowledge.
Knowledge management systems
Business intelligence system.
COmmunications & networking.
Enterprise content management systems.
Intelligent systems.
Knowledge work systems.
The need
Enterprise content management systems need knowledge repositories.
Knowledge repositories contain organisational knowledge (corporate memory).
Search and retrieval functionality are essential.
Issues
Structuring knowledge
Giving a meaningful structure to knowledge helps both humans and computers in
finding the right knowledge.
Adding knowledge
Who can add what?
How easy is it to add knowledge?
What are the incentives to add?
Retrieving knowledge
How easy is it to browse and find knowledge?
What are the incentives to retrieve?
Structuring knowledge
Without structure, knowledge is not usable.
Why knowledge management?
Knowledge economy
Knowledge economy refers to the production and services based on knowledge-
intensive activities that contribute to an accelerated pace of technical and scientific
advance, as well as rapid obsolescence.
Trend
A transition started in the 70s, growth in patents.
Expansion is tied to computer technology, etc.
Knowledge workers require high education and are better paid.
Difference capital goods
Knowledge does not wear out like capital goods, it increases when it is applied.
Knowledge itself can be created and then sold many times.
What is knowledge management?
Definition
Knowledge management (KM) refers to the set of business processes developed in an
organisation to acquire (create), store, disseminate (transfer, share) and apply
knowlegde.
Knowledge management increases the ability of the organisation to learn from its
environment and to incorporate knowledge into its business processes.
Types
Explicit KM
Knowledge expressed into words, numbers and graphics.
Know that.
Facts, in handbooks.
Tacit (implicit) KM
Knowledge as experience, insights, intuitions and hunches.
Know how.
Skills, in the minds of people.
Structured
Reports, presentations.
Formal rules.
Semi-structured
E-mails, videos, pictures.
Unstructured, tacit knowledge
In the minds of workers.
Disperse, imprecise.
, Managing knowledge
Knowledge management cycle
There are several value-adding steps in the knowledge management cycle.
The cycle requires the support of tools called knowledge management systems.
Technology
Knowledge is very related to technology.
Focus on humans, technology is secondary.
KM cannot be separated form technology. Technological advances shape the field of
knowledge management.
Two perspectives
Personalisation
Personalisation (flow approach), tacit knowledge.
Codification
Codification (stock approach), explicit knowledge.
Knowledge management systems
Business intelligence system.
COmmunications & networking.
Enterprise content management systems.
Intelligent systems.
Knowledge work systems.
The need
Enterprise content management systems need knowledge repositories.
Knowledge repositories contain organisational knowledge (corporate memory).
Search and retrieval functionality are essential.
Issues
Structuring knowledge
Giving a meaningful structure to knowledge helps both humans and computers in
finding the right knowledge.
Adding knowledge
Who can add what?
How easy is it to add knowledge?
What are the incentives to add?
Retrieving knowledge
How easy is it to browse and find knowledge?
What are the incentives to retrieve?
Structuring knowledge
Without structure, knowledge is not usable.
