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.

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 an object

“ Locate knowledge”

“ Recognize knowledge”

“ Move knowledge”

“ Exchange 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

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

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 Tacitness of knowledge What is not used What the metaphor highlights What the metaphor hides Target Domain Source Domain ASSETS

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

Tacitness of knowledge

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 Tacitness of knowledge Purposeness of knowledge What is not used What the metaphor highlights What the metaphor hides Target Domain Source Domain PROPERTY

Location

Other physical characteristics of property

Ownership

Value

Exclusiveness

Legal rights

Transferability

Ability to commercialize

Place in legal system

People can not be owned

Tacitness of knowledge

Purposeness of knowledge

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

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

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”

Knowledge as an object

“ Locate knowledge”

“ Recognize knowledge”

“ Move knowledge”

“ Exchange 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

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

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

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)

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

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