Knowledge Management
Knowledge according to me is something which is in the mind of a person. So the first question that came to my “mind” is can knowledge be managed? In simple words it’s practically managing something invisible. Well but we are Humans and capable of doing even the IMPOSSIBLE.
Now there are various definitions by the Big Names in the field. Each of them has a different view. One of the definitions that addresses KM from the perspective of organizations is
“KM is managing the corporation’s knowledge through a systematically and organizationally specified process for acquiring, organizing, sustaining, applying, sharing and renewing both the tacit and explicit knowledge of employees to enhance organizational performance and create value”(Davenport, 1998)
The things that caught my attention were ‘Enhance Organizational Performance’ and ‘create value’. Also there were other such power words found in many different definitions each of them pointing directly or indirectly to improvement of organization, developing of new ideas. I agree that KM is a process or practice (I still can’t make up my mind on that) usually adopted by organizations for their benefit. Even as of today there is no fixed definition for KM. The term is freely used for any organizational activity in which sharing and receiving of Know-How and other substance which is relevant to organization’s benefit takes place. (Joe Rabenstine Seminar Article)
My Perception
After the lectures and reading various definitions I find that KM is a broad term and a field to I guess. It can have different meaning to different people as the top names in this field are from different branches.
But for us since we are to view KM in context of organization I feel the KM is any activity that takes place in an organization in which the already existing Information, insights, expertise, experience of the organization is used to develop, innovate the existing knowledge or information and take decisions based on these which prove fruitful to the organization.
I am still not clear weather KM is a Process or Practice so I have used the word activity. I would be glad if some one could help me out.
Note: Try to read the link in second reference. It gives various perspectives of KM.
References
Davenport, T.H. and Prusak, L. (1998), Working Knowledge: How Organizations Manage What They Know, Harvard Business School Press, Boston, MA.
Joe Rabenstine, Joe Rabenstine Seminar, http://knowledge-management-directory.com/P2-knowledge-management-definition.html
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Hello Nidhi, I agree with your knowledge is in the mind of a person because that is where one develops to store and retrieve so that it can be applied either through theory or practice.
ReplyDeleteOne thing about Davenport, I would like to incorporate towards 'create value' is producing actionable results.
Interesting thoughts Nidhi. I would really like to see how can you sense of what people said about KM from your own experience. You might find your own definition based on your reflections on practice?
ReplyDeleteLet me know how you make sense of this in practice
Aboubakr
hello nidhi,I agree wih your knowledge management definition.
ReplyDeleteHey Nidhi,
ReplyDeleteThe article shows that your thought process is going in the right direction and you need to work further on it. If you try to combine your thoughts with an example it will become more meaningful to you and to others.
Also as you said yes KM is a process/practice/activity, they all mean the same. Its a process as KM goes on continuously and practice when people follow it regularly to its full extent. TO be on a safer side I would like to call it a process. You can also visit my blog to get more of my inputs on KM