Upload
afram
View
35
Download
0
Tags:
Embed Size (px)
DESCRIPTION
META-ENGINEERING COLLOQUIUM. Organizational knowledge. Process. Infrastructure. People. Theory of Organizational Knowledge William P. Hall (PhD) http://www.orgs-evolution-knowledge.net Australian Centre for Science, Innovation and Society and Engineering Learning Unit, - PowerPoint PPT Presentation
Citation preview
META-ENGINEERING COLLOQUIUM
Theory of Organizational
Knowledge
William P. Hall (PhD)http://www.orgs-evolution-knowledge.net
Australian Centre for Science, Innovation and Societyand Engineering Learning Unit, Melbourne School of Engineering, Melbourne University
Email: [email protected]
5 October 2009
Peop
le
Pro
cess
Infra
stru
ctu
re
Organizational knowledge
Leave one of the legs off, and the stool will
fall over
http://www.orgs-evolution-knowledge.net
My Background
Majored in physics for 3 years but dyslexic with numbers
Hands on with all generations of computersPhD 1973 Harvard Univ. in evolutionary biologyUniv. Melbourne Research Fellow genetics 1977-1979Migrated to Australia in 1980, & bought a PC prototypeTurned to computer literacy teaching and tech writingSoftware development & banking through 1989 Joined Tenix ‘90 for $7 bn ANZAC Ship ProjectThrough July 2007 commercial and engineering
content and knowledge management systems analysis and design roles through entire ANZAC project cycle
Since 2000 combining practice, fundamental & development research in engineering KM
http://www.orgs-evolution-knowledge.net
Why do engineers need to manage knowledge?
Engineering processes and products are knowledge intensive and fallible!– Design, Manufacturing, Operation– Management is knowledge intensive
The “post-human” organization– Organizations are complex dynamic systems
• Difference between complex and complicated– Organizations have minds of their own (my research area)– Cannot be predicted, can only be constrained
• Involve much more than people– Depend on "system of systems" to manage knowledge– System of systems components include
• Infrastructure (e.g., physical premises, ICT, software)• Processes• People! (most difficult area for engineers)
Concern to build a scientifically grounded understanding of this system of systems
http://www.orgs-evolution-knowledge.net
Gap: foundation questions about knowledge
What is knowledge?– Deep and difficult philosophical question for anyone
• Metaphysics vs reality• Theory laden terminology can lead to raging debate
– How to start a flame war• Ask a knowledge manager to define what it is they are
supposed to manage• Poor concepts can cause major blind spots in KM programs
What is an organization?– More than just a group of people– Natural history vs science– Multitude of ad hoc “theories” vs a generic foundation
Inescapable relationship: knowledge | organizationHistorical steps towards answering the questions
http://www.orgs-evolution-knowledge.net
History: DIKIW / “WIKID Power”
Ackoff (1988), Coombe (1996) Army Info Management
Cognitive processing transforms content and adds value– Data = differences– Contextualized data →
information (differences that make a difference - Bateson)
– Semantically linked information → knowledge (tentative solutions to problems)
– Knowledge + assesment → intelligence (intelligence, with uncertainty, is deduced after several pieces of knowledge are assessed together)
– Intelligence tested through application in the world to reduce uncertainty → wisdom
– Wisdom leads to strategic power
Unstructured Data/text(not integrated)
Unstructured Data/text(not integrated)CONTEXT
AWARENESS
INFORMATION
INTELLIGENCE
INFLUENCE WISDOM
POWER
CONTROL
DECISION/ACTION
from INTELLIGENCE
SYNTAX
KNOWLEDGE
SEMANTICS
http://www.orgs-evolution-knowledge.net
Tacit, Implicit and Explicit
Vines & Hall in prep after Polanyi, Nichols
Perceptionsof context
Relationship to context
Pre- dispositionalknowledge
arising fromexperience
SITUATIONALKNOWLEDGE
Can the knowledge bearticulated?
Has the knowledge beenarticulated?
No Yes Yes
Tacitknowledge
I mplicitknowledge
Explicitknowledge
Proceduralknowledge
Declarativeknowledge
Knowledgecreated by
doing
Knowledgecreated bydescribing
Semantics
http://www.orgs-evolution-knowledge.net
Keys to answering “what is organizational knowledge”
Evolutionary epistemology (Karl Popper)– “Three worlds” ontology: (1) reality / (2) cybernetics / (3) code– Living knowledge built via evolutionary processes– Knowledge is “solutions to problems”– Solutions embodied as “control information” in feedback loops
EnergyThermodynamics
PhysicsChemistry
Biochemistry
Cyberneticself- regulation
CognitionConsciousness
HeredityRecorded thought
Expressed languageComputer memoryLogical artifacts
Reproduction/Production
Development/Recall
Drive/Enable
Regulate/Control I nfe
rred
logic
Desc
ribe/
Pred
ict
TestObserve
WORLD 1
WORLD 2 WORLD 3
TS1TS2•••••TSm
Pn Pn+1EE
TS1TS2•••••TSm
Pn Pn+1EE
TS1TS2•••••TSm
Pn Pn+1EE
TS1TS2•••••TSm
Pn Pn+1EE
TS1TS2•••••TSm
Pn Pn+1EE
TS1TS2•••••TSm
Pn Pn+1EE
TS1TS2•••••TSm
Pn Pn+1EE
Popper’s “General Theory of Evollution”
http://www.orgs-evolution-knowledge.net
Generic learning cycle
OODA – John Boyd– Jet fighter ace in Korean War– Strategic thinker
A(W2)
O(W2)
OBSERVE
(Results of Test)I MPLICIT GUI DANCE AND CONTROL
EXTERNAL I NFORMATI ON
CHANGI NG CIRCUMSTANCES
UNFOLDI NG ENVIRONMENTAL
RESULTS OF ACTIONS
ORIENT
D(W2)
DECIDE
(Hypothesis)
O
CULTURE PARADIGMS PROCESSES
(W2)
DNA GENETIC
HERITAGE(W3)
MEMORY OF HISTORY(W2 / W3)
I NPUT(W2)
ANALYSIS SYNTHESIS
(W2)
ACT
(Test)
I MPLICIT GUI DANCE AND CONTROL
UNFOLDI NG I NTERACTION WI TH EXTERNAL ENVIRONMENT
(W1)
(W1)
A(W2)
O(W2)
OBSERVE
(Results of Test)I MPLICIT GUI DANCE AND CONTROL
EXTERNAL I NFORMATI ON
CHANGI NG CIRCUMSTANCES
UNFOLDI NG ENVIRONMENTAL
RESULTS OF ACTIONS
ORIENT
D(W2)
DECIDE
(Hypothesis)
O
CULTURE PARADIGMS PROCESSES
(W2)
DNA GENETIC
HERITAGE(W3)
MEMORY OF HISTORY(W2 / W3)
I NPUT(W2)
ANALYSIS SYNTHESIS
(W2)
ACT
(Test)
I MPLICIT GUI DANCE AND CONTROL
UNFOLDI NG I NTERACTION WI TH EXTERNAL ENVIRONMENT
(W1)
(W1)
http://www.orgs-evolution-knowledge.net
A major key
Autopoiesis (H Maturana, F Varela -“self” + “production”)– When can a complex system be considered to be living?
• Self-identifiably bounded• Complex• Mechanistic, self-regulating• System boundaries internally determined (self referential)• System intrinsically produces its own components• Self-produced components are necessary and sufficient to
produce the system (autonomy).– Autopoietic systems recursively produce and maintain
themselves– Governed by laws of physical thermodynamics
Many organizations are autopoietic
http://www.orgs-evolution-knowledge.net
Another major key
HIGHER LEVEL SYSTEM / ENVIRONMENT
SYSTEM"HOLON" SYSTEM
SUBSYSTEMS
boundaryconditions,
constraints,
regulations,
actualities
FOCAL LEVEL
Possibilities
initiatingconditions
universallaws
"material -causes"
Theory of hierarchically complex systems (H. Simon, H. Pattee, J. Hoffmeyer, S. Salthe)
http://www.orgs-evolution-knowledge.net
More concepts
Information theory - C. Shannon, W. Weaver– Physical basis for information (but not meaning)
Biosemiotics (biological communication theory) – C.S. Pierce, H. Pattee, J. Hoffmeyer, C. Emmeche, M. Barbieri– Communication (information)– Signification (meaning)– Habit formation (learning) of living processes
Causality (upward and downward causation) – Aristotle, S. Salthe– Applicability to hierarchically complex systems
Epistemic cuts – H. Pattee, J. Hoffmeyer, H. Atmanspacher– The world vs knowledge of the world; a control vs control
information– Physical basis of Popper’s three worlds
Code duality – J. Hoffmeyer, C. Emeche– Embodied or “structural” knowledge vs codified knowledge– Biological basis for Popper’s three worlds
Bounded rationality – H. Simon
http://www.orgs-evolution-knowledge.net
Organizational autopoiesis
Many organizations meet all the requirements to be considered to be autopoietic– Self-identifiably bounded
• Employee registers, ID badges, uniforms, walls, guards, fences, etc.
– Complex• People, machines, premises
– Mechanistic, self-regulating• Governance and accounting systems, processes
– System boundaries internally determined (self referential)• HR systems, planning departments, property deeds
– System intrinsically produces its own components• Induction, training, apprenticeship
– Self-produced components are necessary and sufficient to produce the system (autonomy)
Organizational knowledge (Nelson & Winter 1982)– Structural knowledge – “tacit routines” – Popper’s world 2– Codified knowledge – documents & formal processes
http://www.orgs-evolution-knowledge.net
Implementing OODA system of systems in the organization
PROCESS
PEOPLE
CULTURE & PARADIGMS
INFRASTRUCTURE
“CORPORATE MEMORY”
INPUT
ANALYSI S SYNTHESI S
PEOPLEPEOPLE
GENETIC HERI TAGE
DATA CONTENTLINKS
RELATIONSANNOTA-
TI ONS
OBSERVE DECIDE, ACT
DOCS RECORDS
http://www.orgs-evolution-knowledge.net
Knowledge and individuals
Individuals in an organizational environment (Vines & Hall in prep)– Personal knowledge (person’s own life management)– Person’s knowledge relating to organizational roles
• what knowledge is needed• who may know the answer• where the explicit knowledge may be found• why the knowledge is important or why it was created• when the knowledge was last needed or may be needed in the future• how to apply the knowledge
Synthesizingknowledge
Capturingsense data
CODIFYINGand structuring data,
information and knowledge
PRESENTINGdata, informationand knowledge
Ob
serv
ing
and
sen
se m
akin
g
Spe
cial
ized
soc
ial l
angu
ages
and
nar
rativ
e th
read
s ru
nni
ngth
roug
h ca
reer
and
wo
rk n
etw
orks
Kno
wle
dge
obje
cts
such
as
book
s,d
atab
ase
s, d
ocu
men
ts, e
tc.
WORLD 2Personal
knowledge
WORLD 3Explicit
knowledge
Contextualizinginformation
CODIFYINGand structuring data,
information and knowledge
Ob
serv
ing
and
sen
se m
akin
g
Spe
cial
ized
soc
ial l
angu
ages
and
nar
rativ
e th
read
s ru
nni
ngth
roug
h ca
reer
and
wo
rk n
etw
orks
WORLD 2Personal
knowledge
Synthesizingknowledge
Capturingsense dataCapturingsense data
CODIFYINGand structuring data,
information and knowledge
PRESENTINGdata, informationand knowledge
Ob
serv
ing
and
sen
se m
akin
g
Spe
cial
ized
soc
ial l
angu
ages
and
nar
rativ
e th
read
s ru
nni
ngth
roug
h ca
reer
and
wo
rk n
etw
orks
Kno
wle
dge
obje
cts
such
as
book
s,d
atab
ase
s, d
ocu
men
ts, e
tc.
WORLD 2Personal
knowledge
WORLD 3Explicit
knowledge
Contextualizinginformation
Contextualizinginformation
CODIFYINGand structuring data,
information and knowledge
Ob
serv
ing
and
sen
se m
akin
g
Spe
cial
ized
soc
ial l
angu
ages
and
nar
rativ
e th
read
s ru
nni
ngth
roug
h ca
reer
and
wo
rk n
etw
orks
WORLD 2Personal
knowledge
http://www.orgs-evolution-knowledge.net
The autopoietic organization
Vines and Hall in prep
IFK(W2)
FK
CK
EK}Semantics of explicit
knowledge are only available via World 2 processes
Code:
EK – Explicit KnowledgeCK – Common KnowledgeFK – Formal KnowledgeIFK – Integrated Formal
KnowledgeFor the purposes of this diagramCK and FK are expressionsof explicit knowledge (EK)
WORLD 1
WORLD 2PERSONAL
KNOWLEDGE
WORLD 3
KNOWLEDGE BUILDING
PROCESSES
KNOWINGORGANIZATION
(including organizational tacit knowledge)ENVIRONMENTAL
CONTEXTS
SEMIPERMEABLEBOUNDARY●
●DRIVE & ENABLE
ANTICIPATE & INFLUENCE
OBSERVE, TEST & MAKE SENSE
KNOWLEDGE FLOW
S
& EXCHANGESIFK(W2)
FK
CK
EK}Semantics of explicit
knowledge are only available via World 2 processes
Code:
EK – Explicit KnowledgeCK – Common KnowledgeFK – Formal KnowledgeIFK – Integrated Formal
KnowledgeFor the purposes of this diagramCK and FK are expressionsof explicit knowledge (EK)
WORLD 1
WORLD 2PERSONAL
KNOWLEDGE
WORLD 3
KNOWLEDGE BUILDING
PROCESSES
KNOWINGORGANIZATION
(including organizational tacit knowledge)ENVIRONMENTAL
CONTEXTS
SEMIPERMEABLEBOUNDARY●
●DRIVE & ENABLE
ANTICIPATE & INFLUENCE
OBSERVE, TEST & MAKE SENSE
KNOWLEDGE FLOW
S
& EXCHANGES
http://www.orgs-evolution-knowledge.net
Applying OODA to formal knowledge in the organization
Vines & Hall in prep
Error reduction in new knowledge claims
Kno
wle
dge
qual
ity a
ssur
ance
thro
ugh
criti
cism
and
rea
lity
test
ing
WORLD 3Formal
knowledge
WORLD 3Explicit
knowledge
WORLD 3Common
knowledge
Kno
wle
dge
exch
ange
Reviewprocessing
Error reduction in new knowledge claims
Kno
wle
dge
qual
ity a
ssur
ance
thro
ugh
criti
cism
and
rea
lity
test
ing
WORLD 3Formal
knowledge
WORLD 3Explicit
knowledge
WORLD 3Common
knowledge
Kno
wle
dge
exch
ange
Reviewprocessing