Database

QUESTION CHAPTER 5

KNOWLEDGE MANAGEMENT

 

Knowledge management (KM) may refer to the ways organizations gather, manage, and use the knowledge that they acquire. The term also designates an approach to improving organizational outcomes and organizational learning by introducing into an organization a range of specific processes and practices for identifying and capturing knowledge, know-how, expertise and other intellectual capital, and for making such knowledge assets available for transfer and reuse across the organization.

Knowledge management programs are typically tied to specific organizational objectives and are intended to lead to the achievement of specific targeted results such as improved performance, competitive advantage, or higher levels of innovation.

While knowledge transfer (an aspect of KM) has always existed in one form or another, for example through on-the-job discussions with peers, formally through apprenticeship, professional training and mentoring programmes, and — since the late twentieth century — technologically through knowledge bases, expert systems, and other knowledge repositories, KM programs seek to consciously evaluate and manage the process of accumulation and application of intellectual capital. KM has therefore brought together various strands of thought and practice relating to:

· intellectual capital and the knowledge worker in the knowledge economy

· the idea of the learning organization;

· various enabling organizational practices such as Communities of Practice and corporate Yellow Page directories for accessing key personnel and expertise;

· and various enabling technologies such as knowledge bases and expert systems, help desks, corporate Intranets and extranets, Content Management, Wikis, and Document Management.

 

While Knowledge Management programs are closely related to Organizational Learning initiatives, Knowledge Management may be differentiated from Organizational Learning by its greater focus on the management of specific knowledge assets. The rise of KM has seen an increasing understanding of the relevance of the distinction between tacit and explicit knowledge, sophisticated perspectives on the management, assessment and use of intellectual capital, and the emergence of new organizational roles and responsibilities such as the position of Chief Knowledge Officer (CKO).

Key Concepts in knowledge management

1) Tacit versus explicit knowledge

A key distinction made by KM practitioners is between tacit and explicit knowledge. Some scholars add one more category, implicit knowledge, but most presume there are two kinds. The former is often subconscious and internalised, and individuals may or may not be aware of what they know and how they accomplish particular results. At the opposite end of the spectrum is explicit knowledge — this refers to knowledge that individuals hold explicitly and consciously in mental focus, and may communicate to others, and especially to such knowledge when codified into written or another permanent form. Note that there is a partial inconsistency between the definition of tacit and explicit knowledge, and the definition that knowledge is information of which a person, organization or other entity is aware. Such inconsistency arises from the necessity to manage knowledge in organizations, originating an overlap between the concept of knowledge and that one of information. For example, explicit knowledge can be stored in systems (knowledge bases), but this is a contractdition of terms if we assume that knowledge has no isolated existence, that is, there has to be a person who wants to know. Nonaka and Takeuchi argued that on the one hand, a successful KM program needs to convert internalised tacit knowledge into explicit codified knowledge in order to share it, but on the other hand, individuals and groups must also internalise and make personally meaningful explicit knowledge once they retrieve it from its codified form (e.g., in a KM system).Critics have however argued that Nonaka and Takeuchi’s distinction between tacit and explicit knowledge is oversimplified, and even that the notion of explicit knowledge is self-contradictory.A third kind of knowledge is embedded knowledge. Embedded knowledge is a knowledge that is embedded in a physical object but not in a explicit way, that is, it requires other knowledge to be extracted. For example, the shape and characteristics of a unknown device contains the key elements to understand how that device can be used.

2) Knowledge capture stages

Knowledge may be accessed, or captured, at three stages: before, during, or after knowledge-related activities.For example, individuals undertaking a new project for an organization might access KM resources to learn best practices and lessons learned for similar projects undertaken previously, access the KM network again during the project implementation to seek advice on issues encountered, and access the system afterwards for advice on after-project actions and review activities. Similarly, knowledge may be captured and recorded into the system before the project implementation, for example as the project team learns information and lessons during the initial project analysis. Similarly, lessons learned during the project operation may be entered into the KM system, and after-action reviews may lead to further insights and lessons being recorded in the KM system for future access.

3) Ad hoc knowledge access

One alternative strategy to encoding knowledge into and retrieving knowledge from a knowledge repository such as a database is for individuals to instead access expert individuals on an ad hoc basis, as needed, with their knowledge requests. A key benefit of this strategy is that the response from the expert individual is rich in content and contextualized to the particular problem being addressed and personalised to the particular person or people addressing it. The downside is, of course, that it is tied to the availability of specific individuals in the organization, and does not capture their insights and experience for future use should they leave or become unavailable, and that expert’s memories of particular technical issues or problems previously faced may change with time.

Drivers of knowledge management

There are a number of ‘drivers’, or motivations, leading to organizations undertaking a Knowledge Management program.

Perhaps first among these is to gain the competitive advantage that comes with improved or faster learning and new knowledge creation. KM programs may lead to greater innovation, better customer experiences, consistency in best practices and knowledge access across a global organization, as well as many other benefits, and KM programs may be driven with these goals in mind.

Considerations driving a knowledge management program might include:

· making available increased knowledge content in the development and provision of products and services

· achieving shorter new product development cycles

· facilitating and managing organisational innovation

· leverage the expertise of people across the organization

· Benefiting from ‘network effects’ as the number of productive connections between employees in the organization increases and the quality of information shared increases

· managing the proliferation of data and information in complex business environments and allowing employees to rapidly access useful and relevant knowledge resources and best practice guidelines

· facilitate organizational learning

· managing intellectual capital and intellectual assets in the workforce (such as the expertise and know-how possessed by key individuals) as individuals retire – in larger numbers than they have in a long time – and new workers are hired

Knowledge Management enablers

Historically, there have been a number of technologies ‘enabling’ or facilitating KM practices in the organization, including expert systems, knowledge bases, software help desk tools, document management systems and other IT systems supporting organizational knowledge flows.

The advent of the internet brought with it further enabling technologies, including E-learning, web conferencing, collaborative software, Content management systems, corporate ‘Yellow pages’ directories, email lists, Wikis, Blogs, and other technologies. Each enabling technology can expand the level of inquiry available to an employee, while providing a platform to achieve specific goals or actions. The practice of KM will continue to evolve with the growth of collaboration applications available by IT and through the Internet.Since its adoption by the mainstream population and business community, the Internet has led to an increase in creative collaboration, learning and research, e-commerce, and instant information. There are also a variety of organizational enablers for KM programs, including Communities of Practice, before-, after- and during- action reviews (see After Action Review), peer assists, information taxonomies, coaching and mentoring, and so on.

Knowledge Management roles and organizational structure

Knowledge Management activities may be centralised in a Knowledge Management Office (KMO), or responsibility for Knowledge Management may be located in existing departmental functions, such as the HR or IT departments.However, many of the more successful Knowledge Management initiatives have begun in more limited, tactical areas such as customer or end user support, where metrics for success are easily quantifiable. Organizations committed to Knowledge Management on an ongoing basis may create a specific position such as a Chief Knowledge Officer (CKO) or similar, or assign responsibilities for management of a Knowledge Management program to a specific relevant organizational department (e.g. to Human Resources to manage intellectual capital, to IT to manage IT systems for Content Management and Document Management, etc.)

 

Knowledge Management is easy to described as one of the object of Relational Database Management System (RDBMS). The most popular are SAP ,JDE Solution and many more. Below are among 3 company offer such software and their customers.

1) StylusInc ( http://www.stylusinc.com)

 

 

KNOWLEGDE MANAGEMENT

1) Opportunity Identified

Depends of a organisational rewuirements on system that will help in managing information, projects, processes and knowledge in my organization. I wish to implement a system for employees in my organization to capture, store and disseminate information.

Useful information usually resides in various documents, email messages, chat transcripts, projects, processes, and most of the time in people’s heads. Most of the time this knowledge isn’t stored and therefore difficult to retrieve when necessary. Information about processes and practices are usually resident in a particular individual’s head and even more difficult to capture and use.

People tend to work within silos of information that don’t get shared across an organization easily. People are forced to indulge in repetitive work when they could actually tap into a knowledge system and work in a more innovative manner. A knowledge management system should afford an easy-to-use interface and allow access to information based on the role the user plays. This system would connect to all kinds of documents like web pages, text documents, spreadsheets, emails, PDF docs, images and more. Information also exists in people’s heads and I’d like this system to provide an impetus for people to document or share knowledge that is resident in their heads.

2) Solution Proposed

We understand that the system that we are going to develop ought to capture all the different kinds of information existing in your organization and also make it easy for all your employees to capture, store and disseminate information. The knowledge stored in this system must be accessible to search parameters and operate in the same manner that the human brain does. It should collate, organize, store and retrieve information in an effective manner. Once created the system will manage itself. From an easy-to-use interface it should help collaborate workflows and harvest employee knowledge, both of the tacit and explicit kind. A workflow process library, a document management system and an event management system are some of the essential parts of a knowledge management system.

3) Benefits

When employees possess the requisite knowledge or information and are able to use it at the right moment, relationships with customers, dealers, suppliers and distributors generally improve. Such knowledge workers can make better decisions by increasing the amount of relevant information that they have access to. A knowledge management system introduces the elements of expertise and experience through collaboration capabilities and shortens the time it takes to make better decisions.

Free flow of ideas encourages innovation and improves efficiency. Sales-effectiveness and customer service can be improved by streamlining response times. And within the organization, employee retention rates get better. In general, benefits gained include streamlined operations and overall cost reduction.

Companies today have to learn faster than anyone else, share the results across the enterprise and constantly foster the development and sharing of new knowledge. This should begin at the managerial level. Company leaders need to take a serious look at how knowledge flows within the organization, how it meets other knowledge and how it combines with other flows and so on. Is this a case of pure sharing of information? Today’s IT infrastructure allows us to share information readily, but are we talking of the surface knowledge or something more? Isn’t there a deeper structure to knowledge that requires an adequate portrayal here? We are talking about the difference between superficial information and deeper knowledge. Explicit knowledge that lies in our heads and documents is the one kind while the other is tacit knowledge, the plain know-how that resides in processes and practices that people follow. A knowledge management system that is able to capture both kinds of knowledge to the best capacity is what will eventually help an organization.

 

An efficient knowledge management system will function just like the human brain does. Map information. What can it do for an organization?

· Beneficial Features

· Knowledge capture and creation – bringing a structure to unstructured information.

· Capture tacit knowledge from an individual or group.

· Create a rich view of information captured.

· Build and innovate from this knowledge – brainstorm, apply tacit knowledge to existing problems, develop new techniques, processes and products.

· Help individuals and team members work intuitively – by capturing a great deal of information at one time, see what individual members are thinking, link and associate packets of information, create reusable views of information.

 

Present all ideas and information through a common interface. Knowledge repositories, e-learning applications, discussion and chat technologies, search and data mining tools, synchronous interaction tools are all part of a knowledge management system. Contact us with your specific requirements and we’ll get back with a suitable proposal. A successful knowledge management strategy happens only when a culture of knowledge sharing is inculcated in the organization. No system or technology, however efficient will help unless every prospective knowledge owner understands this fact.

 

StylusINC Knowledge Management Customers……….(http://www.stylusinc.com/portfolio/Testimonials.php)

www.diaryphone.com, www.foodEU.com, www.indiens.net, www.omniExchange.net, www.intermedia-technologies.com, www.GlobalAnimatedEmail.com , www.apexsmartrent.com, www.arthurjones.com, www.bizassoc.com/kn_wholesale, www.deanengineering.com, www.websiterecorder.com

 

 

 

 

 

1) TALISMA www.knowledgebase.net

 

Provide consistent and relevant information to customers, partners, vendors, and employees. Talisma Knowledgebase delivers instant value and rapid ROI. Achieve dramatic results similar to many Talisma Knowledgebase customers:

• Reduced email volume by 80%
• Recognized positive ROI in less than six months
• Reduced call volume by 15% in the first month of use, 50% in the first year
• Increased search accuracy from 10% to 90%

Talisma Knowledgebase streamlines the entire documentation process for companies to share information with employees, customers, and partners. The flexible, self-learning knowledge base captures and presents current, relevant information to customers, in a Web self-service mode, and to agents through a flexible portal within the single screen agent interface.

Praised by customers and industry analysts alike for its ease of use and reporting functionality, the knowledge base is completely integrated across Talisma’s assisted and self-service channels, improving service quality and increasing first contact resolution.

Talisma Knowledgebase offers:

• Powerful search and retrieval methodologies, ensuring customers receive rapid, accurate, and consistent responses.
• Easy authoring, robust review workflow, and flexible article access to further enhance the centralized knowledge repository.
• Insightful reporting tool indicating which articles users seek and what information is unavailable, driving continuous improvements.

 

Talisma Knowedge Management Customer includes DELL, MICROSOFT, AVAYA, FORD, DAIMLERCHYSLER, DHL, EPSON and many more. http://www.talisma.com/tal_news/customers.asp

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

2) Projistic ( www.projistic.com)

 

KNOWLEDGE MANAGEMENT AND DOCUMENT MANAGEMENT

Projistics helps organizations build their own knowledge libraries. Business and technology intelligence gained during one project can be effectively used during subsequent projects to reduce cost and overall risk. One can keep track of best practices that have been known to produce positive results and use them for repeated project success.

 

With built-in document management, knowledge bases, persistent discussion threads, check-in / check-out functionality, comprehensive user-based and role-based information security coupled with hierarchical access level control, extensive audit trial and change history maintenance, approval routing and configurable workflows, Projistics, as a collaboration software suite, is ideal for management of knowledge gained from project implementation across the enterprise.

 

 

 

The Document Center of Projistics is a very efficient tool to manage documents and any kind of information critical to the organization in the most systematic and optimized manner. Document Center helps facilitate complete collaboration of employees, clients and vendors by acting as a central repository for all up-to-date information in a distributed environment. It also provides the ease of information storage on basis of different projects and categories. Besides, it helps improve business continuity by mitigating the risk associated with the loss of information or with the use of inconsistent information.

The flexibility of anytime, anywhere web-based access, multi-dimensional document classification, preference based subscriptions and alerts, advanced search features, and maintenance of information consistency through automatic as well as user-defined version control enhance an organisation’s responsiveness by making it more agile and well informed.

 

Integration of workflow with document management capabilities of Projistics allows one to customize and automate review and approval processes. Besides, through automatic escalation of delays in decision-making and approval processes, Projistics provides complete visibility to the stakeholders and helps in quick resolution of critical issues before they turn into bottlenecks.

Key Knowledge Management and Document Management Capabilities of Projistics at a glance.

- Web Interface for Flexible End-User Access

- Intuitive Document Classification with N-level Folder Hierarchy support

- Automatic as well as User-defined Version Control

- Check-in/ Check-out Facility for editing

- Robust Search facility with full text search and multiple filters.

- Custom Workflow for Routing Documents for Review and Approval Processes

- Custom Information attributes as Custom Fields for capturing additional document details

- Preference-based Subscriptions and Alerts for new additions and modifications

- Detailed Audit Log for tracking Document History

- Independent of File types

- Support for Threaded Discussions on Articles

- Rating and Feedback feature for Articles