KM EnablersKnowledge Management Application

Enablers of transfer Enable?

to make possible, practical, or easy to cause to operate

Enabler? one that enables another to achieve an end;

Enablers of Transfer Culture Technology Infrastructure

Enablers of transfers

Culture

Technology

Infrastructure

organizational norms

enabling platform upon which many KM initiatives are built

organization structure, processes, and people networks to ensure knowledge flow

Class Activity

Culture http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SogtNWp6g7M

Technology http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jir_x1BXbUw

Enablers of Transfer: Culture The integrated pattern of human knowledge, belief, and behavior that

depends upon the capacity for learning and transmitting knowledge to succeeding generations

The customary beliefs, social forms, and material traits of a racial, religious, or social group; also : the characteristic features of everyday existence (as diversions or a way of life} shared by people in a place or time <popular culture> <southern culture>

The set of shared attitudes, values, goals, and practices that characterizes an institution or organization <a corporate culture focused on the bottom line>

The set of values, conventions, or social practices associated with a particular field, activity, or societal characteristic

Culture in KM context Culture relates to organizational norms

Culture relates to such knowledge enabling (or inhibiting) factors as willingness to share, support for learning from mistakes, encouragement to share knowledge, allowing time for reflection, and recognition for new knowledge create

How to get people in an organization to appreciate the value of knowledge attributes and how to motivate them to put in the effort required, if any, to generate or extract knowledge attributes and use technology that exploits knowledge attributes? Reasons for not using knowledge attributes may be complacency, apathy, lack of awareness, lack of understanding or proof of their value, or technology not yet being up to the mark.

Culture as an enabler of transfer KM begins with self knowledge

KM deals with people

The tacit & explicit spiral – SECI model

Initiatives to instill KM culture Believe people want to share (help colleagues, learn from others)

Prepare to lead (actions speak louder than words)

Develop collaborative relationships (CoP- communities of practice, project teams)

To reward or not to reward (a ‘standardized’ reward system)

Culture: Case Study Organizational culture should encourage and foster information and knowledge

sharing as an activity that is part of the job rather than a form of idle socialization.

This requires more than simply incorporating knowledge sharing in the organizational culture.

It requires a shift in perceiving knowledge sharing as a professional, rather than a social, activity.

A striking example is British Petroleum (BP), showing how the first attempts at KM failed, despite leadership's stress on the value of knowledge sharing. It was not until BP made it part of the job to move personnel to other divisions and departments, where they are encouraged to share their knowledge, that KM succeeded.

Incorporating knowledge sharing in the job design resulted in employees changing their behavior, gradually changing the culture to one in which knowledge sharing became one of the most admired professional skills.

Enablers of Transfer: Technology Technology relates to the enabling platform upon which many KM

initiatives are built.

Technology extending the reach and enhancing the speed of knowledge transfer

Right information to the right people at the right time

An excessive focus on technology [as] the most common pitfall in knowledge management

Although IT is a wonderful facilitator of data and information transmission and distribution, it can never substitute for the rich interactivity, communication, and learning that is inherent in dialogue.

Knowledge is primarily a function and consequence of the meeting and interaction of minds. Human intervention remains the only source of knowledge generation" (p. 273).

Guidelines to implement technology Understand the business purpose

Determine whether the current technology can be adapted

Identify internal support requirements for maintenance of the system

Organize your content

Design for ease of use

Consider initial costs

Commonly Used Technologies Databases & Knowledge-base

Document Management

Intranets

Groupware & Collaborative Tools

Search Navigation Tools

Decision Support and AI

Internet & Web

Multimedia

Enablers of Transfer: InfrastructureDefinition of infrastructure

The underlying foundation or basic framework (as of a system or organization)

The system of public works of a country, state, or region; also : the resources (as personnel, buildings, or equipment) required for an activity

Infrastructure in KM context Infrastructure includes organization structure, technology, processes,

and people networks to ensure knowledge flow

Approaches: Self Directed [storage, codification, repository, database, retrieval,

yellow pages, intranets, internet]

Knowledge services and networks [information services, help desk, networks, communities of practice, knowledge managers]

Facilitated transfer [facilitators, implementers, technical assistance, consultants]

MeasurementHow do we measure ‘knowledge’ or ‘best practices sharing’?Measure by : Observing its impact on other forces e.g. competition and

innovation Employee morale productivity Product excellence

Measurement Measuring Through Outcomes

business objectives business needs business process

Measuring Through Activities how frequently users are accessing

Actual Costs and Returns Costs associated with developing support systems (people &

technology) Support costs

The importance of measurement Design future systems and applications

Improve the current sharing processes

Ensure the transfer effort stays on track