WebProWorld Search Forum |
Proof,
if needed, of the importance of title tags?
I recently completely rebuilt our site, www.choicequote.co.uk
and used, to the best of my knowledge, every trick in the book to try to improve
our search engine positioning, predominantly for Google.
removing white space from html
I use frontpage to create my sites, yeah I know I'm probably taking the easy route
and all but I'm a novice. Anyway when using frontpage I noticed that you can remove
white space...
Not
showing in Organic Search
I really need some advice regarding this - for the past 4 weeks, we have been
showing in first and second pages across all of the following search...
|
| Recent
Articles |
Create Your Methodology Based on a Standard Framework
This article, the first of a series of three, gives some tips on designing and
implementing a methodology based on a standard framework such as ITIL or PMBoK.
The Process to Results Gap
Many times in BPR projects the focus is put on redesign. This article is related
to the common pitfall of underestimating process deployment. Having a document
describing the best possible process does not add any value to the bottom line.
Executing it in the real world does.
Top 7 Ways A Knowledge Base Program Can Improve Your Office
One of your employees has just tried to print something and he/she gets a printer
error. The error says, "Out of paper." Well the employee knows that the printer
is not out of paper and it does not have a paper jam. What to do?
IBM To Beef Up Info Management Portfolio with DWL
In an effort to strengthen its information management software portfolio, IBM
has signed an agreement to acquire middleware provider DWL for an undisclosed
price. "With this acquisition, IBM can now deliver the industry's...
Golf and
Agent Desktop Search!
The slogan "Golf - Is it in you?" would fit very nicely in the hallowed portals
of the Golf Hall of Fame. It might even work as a catchy title for a show on the
Golf Channel. But the quote struck me as odd...
Knowledge
Process Management
Knowledge processes cannot be managed following the standard business process
management paradigm. In the following article some guidelines are given for organizations
willing to better manage their knowledge processes.
|
|
|
|
09.29.05
What Is Knowledge Management - Knowing What We Know?
 By
Colin Mc Cullough
The paper aims to identify the role human factors play in determining the success
or failure or knowledge management initiatives.
A growing realisation in both the private and public sector is the worth of human
capital as an intangible asset. In a society transcending the boundaries from
information to a knowledge society, it is essential to find adequate and successful
means of processing and exploiting the knowledge within the heads of its members.
Research literature shows a strong link between knowledge management and the creation
of a sustainable competitive advantage, because of the tacit nature of an organisation's
knowledge (Gupta & McDaniel, 2002).
The growing body of literature on KM has tended to emphasise the technical aspects
at the expense of the people management aspects and it is indicative in itself
that the vast majority of literature resides within the Information Technology
(IT) field (Bank, 1996; Cole-Gomolski, 1997; Finerty, 1997). Scarbrough et al.'s
(1999) IPD report provided an extensive overview of existing literature which
demonstrated a growing gap in the literature in terms of people issues in favour
of a concern with the technological and system aspects. Likewise Johanessen et
al. (1999) explore the inadequacy of firms investing in new technology hoping
that KM will simply emerge as a result. Instead they suggest it is the employees
themselves who will be the impetus behind the transition from functional organisations
to knowledge organisations.
Fundamentally frequent KM attempts end in failure. The assumption that knowledge
is an object, and can be codified and distributed underpins the linked field of
computer science and information systems. As a result of this knowledge management
has been closely tied to ICT. Yet even within the computer science fields, it
is increasingly recognised that most current software for knowledge management
have more to do with new ways of storing and communicating information than with
actual ways in which people create, acquire and use knowledge (Milton et al.,
1999). Likewise as McDermott points out, using ICT rather than a solution to knowledge
management may "represent the great trap in knowledge management" (McDermott,
1999: p. 104).
An analysis of current academic literature on obstacles to knowledge management
reveal three main groups of factors - flaws in the organisational process, misconceptions
of the role of technology in the process and lastly, and that which I seek to
elucidate as a principle component - a large disregard of the importance of the
human factor in achieving a successful knowledge-sharing and knowledge managing
culture.
A failure to understand clearly the terms of reference (i.e. what is knowledge
management?) fogs entirely the picture of what factors can enhance or reduce the
chances of successful knowledge management within an organisation. As Thomas,
Kellogg and Erickson (2003) point out the view of knowledge management as a passive,
fact-storing procedure which ignores the context in which knowledge is embedded
and which relies solely on information technologies is a common misconception
of the whole process. Soo, Devinney. Midgley and Deering (2000) likewise stress
that the knowledge management process is not something simple which can be bolted
on to conventional business models as mere storage models.
The vast majority of academic research into knowledge management, concludes, as
do Dominguez, Laverde, Lizzaralde and Arregui (2003) that while there is a general
difficulty for companies to explain what they mean when they use the term knowledge
management, they are in a position to identify common aspects such as the sharing
of knowledge and of transforming individual into organisational knowledge. They
admit, however, that a lack of clarity over the concept while generating certain
confusion, has led to a greater flexibility in its application in the private
sector.
It simply means different things in different contexts. De Jarnett (1996) states
that knowledge management is knowledge creation, which is followed by knowledge
interpretation, knowledge dissemination and use, and knowledge retention and refinement.
Brooking (1997), however, in his definition stresses that knowledge management
is the activity which is concerned with strategy and tactics to manage human centred
assets while Quintas et al (1997) in their definition claim that KM is the process
is critically managing knowledge to meet existing needs, to identify and exploit
existing and acquired knowledge assets and to develop new opportunities. As Ariely
(2003) points out even nowadays there is no full consensus on definitions and
perceptions of knowledge management.
She concludes, however, that the differing definitions expose the problems industry
is having with defining and commonly understanding such a combined term. For this
reason she favours the definition by Brooks (2000) of organisational knowledge
management through correlating the aim of KM in the organisation with those of
the organisation. Ultimately the test is the success achieved in enabling knowledge
creation rather than managing it. As von Krogh (2000) points out the dilemma can
perhaps be best approached by managing the processes relating to the domain of
knowledge management rather than presuming to manage the knowledge itself.
Knowledge management is inextricably linked to the sharing of knowledge between
individuals and to the collaborative processes involved. The factors and environments
which enhance this all relate to the human factor in the KM process.
About the Author:
Colin Mc Cullough works in knowledge management in the public sector. He has consulted
for a number of comanies including http://www.mv4men.com
and http://www.trainingvillage.gr |
