Dimensions of knowledge Submitted by:

Shikha sharma Shivani Bhatia Deepika Dogra

Knowledge managementKnowledge management (KM) is the process of capturing,

developing, sharing, and effectively using organisational knowledge. It refers to a multi-disciplined approach to achieving organisational objectives by making the best use of knowledge.

KM includes courses taught in the fields of business administration, information systems, management, and library and information sciences More recently, other fields have started contributing to KM research; these include information and media, computer science, public health, and public policy.

Many large companies, public institutions and non-profit organisations have resources dedicated to internal KM efforts, often as a part of their business strategy, information technology, or human resource management departments. Several consulting companies provide strategy and advice regarding KM to these organisations.

Knowledge management efforts typically focus on organisational objectives such as improved performance, competitive advantage, innovation, the sharing of lessons learned, integration and continuous improvement of the organisation. KM efforts overlap with organisational learning and may be distinguished from that by a greater focus on the management of knowledge as a strategic asset and a focus on encouraging the sharing of knowledge. It is seen as an enabler of organisational learning and a more concrete mechanism than the previous abstract research.

Research A broad range of thoughts on the KM discipline exist;

approaches vary by author and school. As the discipline matures, academic debates have increased regarding both the theory and practice of KM, to include the following perspectives:

Techno-centric with a focus on technology, ideally those that enhance knowledge sharing and creation.

Organisational with a focus on how an organisation can be designed to facilitate knowledge processes best.

Ecological with a focus on the interaction of people, identity, knowledge, and environmental factors as a complex adaptive system akin to a natural ecosystem.

Regardless of the school of thought, core components of KM include people, processes, technology (or) culture, structure, technology, depending on the specific perspective. Different KM schools of thought include lenses through which KM can be viewed and explained, to include:

community of practicesocial network analysisintellectual capitalinformation theorycomplexity scienceconstructivism

Dimensions of knowledgeDifferent frameworks for distinguishing between different 'types of' knowledge

exist. One proposed framework for categorizing the dimension of knowledge

distinguishes between tacit knowledge and explicit knowledge. Tacit knowledge represents internalized knowledge that an individual may not be consciously aware of, such as how he or she accomplishes particular tasks. At the opposite end of the spectrum, explicit knowledge represents knowledge that the individual holds consciously in mental focus, in a form that can easily be communicated to others.  Similarly, Hayes and Walsham (2003) describe content and relational perspectives of knowledge and knowledge management as two fundamentally different epistemological perspectives. The content perspective suggest that knowledge is easily stored because it may be codified, while the relational perspective recognizes the contextual and relational aspects of knowledge which can make knowledge difficult to share outside of the specific location where the knowledge is developed.

A second proposed framework for categorizing the dimensions of knowledge distinguishes between embedded knowledge of a system outside of a human individual (e.g., an information system may have knowledge embedded into its design) and embodied knowledge representing a learned capability of a human body’s nervous and endocrine systems.

A third proposed framework for categorizing the dimensions of knowledge distinguishes between the exploratory creation of "new knowledge" (i.e., innovation) vs. the transfer or exploitation of "established knowledge" within a group, organisation, or community. Collaborative environments such as communities of practice or the use of social computing tools can be used for both knowledge creation and transfer.

Strategies Knowledge may be accessed at three stages: before, during, or after KM-

related activitiesOne strategy to KM involves actively managing knowledge (push

strategy).In such an instance, individuals strive to explicitly encode their knowledge into a shared knowledge repository, such as a database, as well as retrieving knowledge they need that other individuals have provided to the repository. This is commonly known as the Codification approach to KM.

Another strategy to KM involves individuals making knowledge requests of experts associated with a particular subject on an ad hoc basis (pull strategy). In such an instance, expert individual(s) can provide their insights to the particular person or people needing this .This is commonly known as the Personalisation approach to KM.

Motivation There are a number of claims as to the motivations leading organisations to

undertake a KM effort. Typical considerations driving a KM effort include:Making available increased knowledge content in the development and

provision of products and servicesAchieving shorter new product development cyclesFacilitating and managing innovation and organisational learningLeveraging the expertise of people across the organisation Increasing network connectivity between internal and external individualsManaging business environments and allowing employees to obtain

relevant insights and ideas appropriate to their workSolving intractable or wicked problemsManaging intellectual capital and intellectual assets in the workforce (such

as the expertise and know-how possessed by key individuals)