Summary Knowledge Management in Organizations Donald Hislop 4th edition 9780198724018
Summary Knowledge Management in Organizations
Chapters 1 - 16
Donald Hislop
9780198724018
4th edition
+ 60 common test questions and answers
+ 50 key concepts explained briefly you must know
Pages book: 344
This summary: 45
Reading time: 90 minutes
,Summary Knowledge Management in Organizations Donald Hislop 4th edition 9780198724018
,Summary Knowledge Management in Organizations Donald Hislop 4th edition 9780198724018
,Summary Knowledge Management in Organizations Donald Hislop 4th edition 9780198724018
, Summary Knowledge Management in Organizations Donald Hislop 4th edition 9780198724018
Knowledge in organizations; a critical introduction
Chapter 1. The contemporary importance of knowledge and knowledge management
The increasing interest in knowledge management began in the mid-1990s. Some people thought it
would only be a passing fad, however, there is a sustained interest in the topic.
Key assumptions in the knowledge management literature
Central idea: it is important for organizations to manage their workforce’s knowledge. This idea
flows from several key assumptions:
-the end of the 20th century witnessed an enormous social and economic transformation which
resulted in knowledge becoming the key asset for organizations to manage.
-the nature of work has also changed significantly, with the importance of intellectual work
increasing significantly
-the effective management by an organization of its knowledge base is likely to provide a source of
competitive advantage
The knowledge society concept and its link to Bell’s post-industrial society concept
Since the mid-1970s, economies and society in general have become more information and
knowledge intensive, with information-/knowledge-intensive industries replacing the manufacturing
industry. The main inspiration for this vision was Daniel Bell.
Post-industrial society= a society where the service sector is dominant and knowledge-based
goods/services have replaced industrial, manufactured goods as the main wealth generators.
Characteristics of a post-industrial society (Bell):
-service based economy (from manufacturing sector to service sector)
-knowledge and information play a much more significant role in economic and social life
-growing importance of theoretical knowledge (qualitative change)
There is a tendency towards utopianism in aspects of Bell’s vision. (he argues for example that
unpleasant jobs will decline, social inequality will reduce and social relations will become less
individualistic)
A critical evaluation of the knowledge society concept
One of the main criticisms is that they typically conflate knowledge work with service sector jobs.
However, not all service sector work can be classified as knowledge work. The service sector
encompasses an enormously heterogeneous range of job types. As such, the service sector does not
represent a coherent and uniform category of employment. (for example, working at McDonalds is
not knowledge intensive work)
The transformation from an industrial to a post-industrial knowledge economy should produce an
increase in the proportion of jobs that are knowledge intensive, and a more general increase in the
knowledge intensity of work.
Simplistic overview: instead Vogt argues that there is shift to a more ideological contemporary use
(instead of utopian) of Bell’s post-industrial society concept.
The utopian way of thinking ignored that there was also a growth in low-skilled work. Furthermore,
the way Bell conceptualized knowledge was questioned.
, Summary Knowledge Management in Organizations Donald Hislop 4th edition 9780198724018
Aims, philosophy, and structures
Schultze and Stabell:
Epistemology
Duality Dualism
Social order Dissensus Dialogic Critical
discourse discourse
Consensus Constructivist Neo-functionalist
discourse discourse
Dualism= objectivist perspective
Duality= practice-based perspective
Social order: the extent to which existing social relations are regarded as consensual and
unproblematic.
-Consensus: existing social relations are regarded as unproblematic and challenging them is
not considered
-Dissensus: existing relations are problematic and rife with conflict and they typically
reinforce power differentials that result in exploitation
Epistemology= philosophy addressing the nature of knowledge. Concerned with questions such as:
is knowledge objective and measurable? Can knowledge be acquired or is it experienced? What is
regarded as valid knowledge and why?
Chapter 2. The objectivist perspective on knowledge
Introduction
Assumptions objectivist perspective:
-much organizational knowledge is typically considered as being objective in character
-such knowledge can be separated from people via codification into the form of an object, or entity
(explicit knowledge)
Objectivist perspective on knowledge
Character of knowledge from an objectivist epistemology:
• knowledge is an entity/object that can be separated from those who possess it
o knowledge can exist independently of people
o Cook and Brown refer to this perspective as the ‘epistemology of possession’ as knowledge
is regarded as an entity that people or groups possess.
o objective knowledge can be produced
o Knowledge is truth perspective (McAdam and McCreedy): explicit knowledge is seen
as equivalent to a canonical body of scientific facts and laws which are consistent
across cultures and time.
• based on a positivistic philosophy: knowledge can be objective
o Language has fixed and objective meanings.
o positivism: social world can be studied scientifically, in other words; social phenomena
can be quantified and measured, general laws and principles can be established and
objective knowledge is produced as a result.
Summary Knowledge Management in Organizations
Chapters 1 - 16
Donald Hislop
9780198724018
4th edition
+ 60 common test questions and answers
+ 50 key concepts explained briefly you must know
Pages book: 344
This summary: 45
Reading time: 90 minutes
,Summary Knowledge Management in Organizations Donald Hislop 4th edition 9780198724018
,Summary Knowledge Management in Organizations Donald Hislop 4th edition 9780198724018
,Summary Knowledge Management in Organizations Donald Hislop 4th edition 9780198724018
, Summary Knowledge Management in Organizations Donald Hislop 4th edition 9780198724018
Knowledge in organizations; a critical introduction
Chapter 1. The contemporary importance of knowledge and knowledge management
The increasing interest in knowledge management began in the mid-1990s. Some people thought it
would only be a passing fad, however, there is a sustained interest in the topic.
Key assumptions in the knowledge management literature
Central idea: it is important for organizations to manage their workforce’s knowledge. This idea
flows from several key assumptions:
-the end of the 20th century witnessed an enormous social and economic transformation which
resulted in knowledge becoming the key asset for organizations to manage.
-the nature of work has also changed significantly, with the importance of intellectual work
increasing significantly
-the effective management by an organization of its knowledge base is likely to provide a source of
competitive advantage
The knowledge society concept and its link to Bell’s post-industrial society concept
Since the mid-1970s, economies and society in general have become more information and
knowledge intensive, with information-/knowledge-intensive industries replacing the manufacturing
industry. The main inspiration for this vision was Daniel Bell.
Post-industrial society= a society where the service sector is dominant and knowledge-based
goods/services have replaced industrial, manufactured goods as the main wealth generators.
Characteristics of a post-industrial society (Bell):
-service based economy (from manufacturing sector to service sector)
-knowledge and information play a much more significant role in economic and social life
-growing importance of theoretical knowledge (qualitative change)
There is a tendency towards utopianism in aspects of Bell’s vision. (he argues for example that
unpleasant jobs will decline, social inequality will reduce and social relations will become less
individualistic)
A critical evaluation of the knowledge society concept
One of the main criticisms is that they typically conflate knowledge work with service sector jobs.
However, not all service sector work can be classified as knowledge work. The service sector
encompasses an enormously heterogeneous range of job types. As such, the service sector does not
represent a coherent and uniform category of employment. (for example, working at McDonalds is
not knowledge intensive work)
The transformation from an industrial to a post-industrial knowledge economy should produce an
increase in the proportion of jobs that are knowledge intensive, and a more general increase in the
knowledge intensity of work.
Simplistic overview: instead Vogt argues that there is shift to a more ideological contemporary use
(instead of utopian) of Bell’s post-industrial society concept.
The utopian way of thinking ignored that there was also a growth in low-skilled work. Furthermore,
the way Bell conceptualized knowledge was questioned.
, Summary Knowledge Management in Organizations Donald Hislop 4th edition 9780198724018
Aims, philosophy, and structures
Schultze and Stabell:
Epistemology
Duality Dualism
Social order Dissensus Dialogic Critical
discourse discourse
Consensus Constructivist Neo-functionalist
discourse discourse
Dualism= objectivist perspective
Duality= practice-based perspective
Social order: the extent to which existing social relations are regarded as consensual and
unproblematic.
-Consensus: existing social relations are regarded as unproblematic and challenging them is
not considered
-Dissensus: existing relations are problematic and rife with conflict and they typically
reinforce power differentials that result in exploitation
Epistemology= philosophy addressing the nature of knowledge. Concerned with questions such as:
is knowledge objective and measurable? Can knowledge be acquired or is it experienced? What is
regarded as valid knowledge and why?
Chapter 2. The objectivist perspective on knowledge
Introduction
Assumptions objectivist perspective:
-much organizational knowledge is typically considered as being objective in character
-such knowledge can be separated from people via codification into the form of an object, or entity
(explicit knowledge)
Objectivist perspective on knowledge
Character of knowledge from an objectivist epistemology:
• knowledge is an entity/object that can be separated from those who possess it
o knowledge can exist independently of people
o Cook and Brown refer to this perspective as the ‘epistemology of possession’ as knowledge
is regarded as an entity that people or groups possess.
o objective knowledge can be produced
o Knowledge is truth perspective (McAdam and McCreedy): explicit knowledge is seen
as equivalent to a canonical body of scientific facts and laws which are consistent
across cultures and time.
• based on a positivistic philosophy: knowledge can be objective
o Language has fixed and objective meanings.
o positivism: social world can be studied scientifically, in other words; social phenomena
can be quantified and measured, general laws and principles can be established and
objective knowledge is produced as a result.
