What is Knowledge Management(KM)?

The field of KM exists to allow organizations to more fully utilize the knowledge they possess.

Knowledge is a “justified true

belief”

Information yields

knowledge

Knowledge must go from individuals in

an organization

to social groups, teams, and networks.

With KM, organizations seek to acquire or create useful knowledge, and make it available to positively influence the performance of individuals and the

organization as a whole.

KM involves the acquisition, creation, refinement, storage,

transfer, sharing and utilization of knowledge.

Organizational Learning is the goal of KM

Examples: new written policies, prescribed machine settings,

quality controls, and best practices for dealing with circumstances

frequently encountered.

Allows individuals with more

experience to share their

knowledge with those with less.

Tacit Knowledge Explicit Knowledge

Personal knowledge embedded in individual experience and involves intangible factors, such as personal beliefs, perspective, and the value

system. It is difficult to formalize and articulate.

Knowledge that can be articulated into formal language, including grammatical statements

(words and numbers), mathematical expressions, specifications, manuals, etc. It can be codified and readily transmitted to

others. Also, it can be processed by a computer, transmitted electronically, or stored

in databases.Technical Dimension-encompasses the kind of

informal skills often captured in the term “know-how.”

Cognitive Dimension – beliefs, perceptions, ideals,

values, emotions and mental models so ingrained in us that

we take them for granted.

Explicit Knowledge must be converted to Tacit Knowledge for

cognitive skills to develop.

Spiral Model of Knowledge Creation-Continual Dialogue Between Tacit and Explicit Knowledge

Individuals- hold tacit knowledge (TK) they have acquired through hands-on experience.. They are the heart of the

creating process.

TK is amplified through dynamic interactions

between four modes (in lime green boxes)of

knowledge conversion.

Collective Group Level

Organizational Level

Inter-organizational Level

Externalization-Tacit to Explicit

Combination-Explicit to

Explicit

Socialization-Tacit to Tacit

Internalization-Explicit to Tacit

Knowledge is often passed on through metaphor