Slidecast Andriessen ECKM 2007

Knowledge as Love How Metaphors Direct our Efforts to Manage Knowledge in Organisations Keynote address 8th European Conference on Knowledge Management Consorci Escola Industrial de Barcelona (CEIB), Barcelona, Spain 6-7 September 2007 Dr. Daniel Andriessen INHOLLAND University of professional Education Amsterdam The Netherlands

Simplified Chinese

Lakoff and Johnson (1999)

Create an inventory of knowledge Check where knowledge is located Store important knowledge Improve access to knowledge KNOWLEDGE AS A RESOURCE

I got plenty of time That took three hours He wasted my time This will save time TIME AS A RESOURCE

The TIME ORIENTATION metaphor PAST FUTURE

Aymara’s use the opposite

MOVING OBSERVER metaphor EVENT 1 EVENT 2 EVENT 3 “ will you be staying a long time o r a short time ?” "how long is your visit?"

MOVING TIME metaphor TIME "the time for action has arrived" "time flies by"

What happened before the Big Bang? EVENT 1 EVENT 2 EVENT 3

Time traveling

Mapping from source to target Target Domain (time) Source Domain (space) Characteristics of target domain not covered by source domain Characteristics of source domain not used by metaphor metaphorical entailments

Time as a moving object metaphor Time Moving Object “ length” “ amount” “ scarcity” “ direction” “origin” “ destination” “ arrives” “ flies by” “ speed”

Mapping from sources to target Target Domain (TIME) Source Domain Source Domain Source Domain Source Domain RESOURCE SPACE

Intermezzo 1: truth does not exist
as direct observation does not exist because people always use concepts to describe reality …
as these concepts derive their meaning from metaphor …
as half of these metaphors are embodied in our brain and cannot be shut off or altered …
as the choice of the other half is too large extent arbitrary …
… w e will never be able to perfectly describe and understand reality and ego, truth (defined as correspondence with reality) does not exist.

Conceptualisation s of knowledge are metaphorical
Knowledge as an object
“ Locate knowledge”
“ Recognize knowledge”
“ Move knowledge”
“ Exchange knowledge”
Knowledge as a resource “ Apply knowledge” “ Use knowledge” “ Store knowledge” “ Accumulate knowledge” Knowledge as thoughts or feelings “ Articulate knowledge” “ Verbalize knowledge” “ Externalize knowledge” “ Internalize knowledge” KNOWLEDGE AS STUFF Knowledge as organism “ Growing knowledge” “ Nurturing knowledge” “ Knowledge develops” Knowledge as capital “ Value knowledge ” “ Invest knowledge”

Knowledge as Resource metaphor Knowledge becomes part of logistic discourse
Location
Size
Weight
Other physical characteristics
Use in production
Adding to
Storing
Sharing knowledge
Amount of knowledge
Place in input/output (logistical) system
Non-rivalry of knowledge
Non-additiveness of knowledge
Tacitness of knowledge
What is not used What the metaphor highlights What the metaphor hides Target Domain Source Domain RESOURCE

Knowledge as Assets metaphor Knowledge becomes part of accounting discourse
Location
Size
Weight
Other physical characteristics
Controlled by enterprise
Generate future economic benefits that flow to enterprise
Identifiable and cost can be measured
Use in production
Place in reporting system
Non-rivalry of knowledge
Non-additiveness of knowledge
What is not used What the metaphor highlights What the metaphor hides Target Domain Source Domain ASSETS

Knowledge as Property metaphor Knowledge becomes part of legal discourse
Location
Other physical characteristics of property
Ownership
Value
Exclusiveness
Legal rights
Transferability
Ability to commercialize
Place in legal system
People can not be owned
Purposeness of knowledge
What is not used What the metaphor highlights What the metaphor hides Target Domain Source Domain PROPERTY

There are big differences between the authors Davenport & Prusak (2000) Nonaka & Takeuchi (1995)

Transformation of entailments require argumentation
Capital is valuable and important
Capital is an asset for the future and not an expenditure
Capital can be invested in
Capital can be capitalized
Capital itself can be invested
Capital allows for a return
Capital resonates with managers and CFO’s
Having more capital is better
Capital can be owned
Capital can be valued financially
Capital often appears on the balance sheet
Capital is additive (1+1=2)
Capital is a stock
Capital can and must be measured and managed
√ √ √ √ √ √ √ X X X X X X X

What is wrong with KNOWLEDGE AS STUFF
Knowledge as an object
“ Locate knowledge”
“ Recognize knowledge”
“ Move knowledge”
“ Exchange knowledge”
Knowledge as a resource “ Gather knowledge” “ Store knowledge” “ Distribute knowledge ” KNOWLEDGE AS STUFF Knowledge as capital “ Value knowledge ” “ Invest knowledge”

Western and Eastern views on knowledge
Dominant view in the West
Knowledge as a thing that can be controlled and manipulated
Knowledge as information that can be codified, stored, accessed and used
Knowledge as resource that can be created, stored, shared, located, or moved, and that is part of the input-throughput-output system of the organization
Knowledge as capital that can be valued, capitalized and measured; that is part of the financial flow and requires an return on investment
Dominant view in the East
Knowledge as spirit and wisdom
Knowledge as unfolding truth
Unity of universe and human self
Unity of knowledge and action
Knowledge as illumination or enlightenment of an underlying, deeper reality
Knowledge as essence-less and nothingness (Japan)
Knowledge creation as a continuous, self-transcending process

Design of the exercise Employees Metaphor 1 Gathering results Diagnosis and development of solutions Working in teams of 4 plenary session Metaphor 2 Gathering results Diagnosis and development of solutions Working in teams of 4 plenary session Vote (2 votes per person) Questionnaire Personal reflection Managers Metaphor 1 Gathering results Diagnosis and development of solutions Working in teams of 4 plenary session Metaphor 2 Gathering results Diagnosis and development of solutions Working in teams of 4 plenary session Vote (2 votes per person) Questionnaire Personal reflection

KNOWLEDGE AS WATER
DIAGNOSIS
Knowledge does not flow
Separate source of knowledge
Knowledge is not channeled
No dispersion of knowledge
Hydrocephalus: people keeping knowledge to themselves
SOLUTIONS
Build canals
Flush out and freshen knowledge
Tap knowledge from people leaving
Create knowledge map
Managers as knowledge channels
Knowledge management

KNOWLEDGE AS LOVE
DIAGNOSIS
Knowledge is not cherished
Lack of trust
Unrequited love
Rivalry and forced marriages
Attractive but lonely singles
In-breeding
We only talk about our wedding certificate but not about our relationship
SOLUTIONS
Provide time and space for sharing knowledge
Match people’s passions and tasks
Go out and date more
Hire marriage counselor
Partner-swapping
Don’t manage and systemize knowledge

Intermezzo 2: problems don't exist
Problems are not phenomena waiting out there in reality to be observed.
A problem is a gap between an existing and a preferred situation (Ist and Soll).
B oth the perception of the existing as the perception of the preferred situation depends on how you prefer to look at it
Ergo, a problem is by definition subjective.
"a problem is an interpretation of a feeling of discomfort“ (J. Kessels)

KM Metaphor Analysis Scoring Form

W hat would be the outcome of your research if we see knowledge not at stuff but as love?

Thank You!
Dr. Daniel Andriessen
Professor of Intellectual Capital INHOLLAND University of Professional Education
Amsterdam/ Diemen The Netherlands
Daan. andriessen @ inholland . nl
www.weightlesswealth.com
+31- 204951719

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Slidecast Andriessen ECKM 2007

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