THE IVORY TOWER The Knowledge Management Fable By: June Mook Pol Priw KM: 2/ 2007

Agenda (Knowledge Creation Focus) The Ivory Tower Situation Problems Solutions Benefits Real Business Lessons-learnt

The Ivory Tower

Situation

Problems

Solutions

Benefits

Real Business

Lessons-learnt

Situation Wizards lived in the Ivory Tower, and knew many things (Source of knowledge) Serfs , farmers, had problems with their farms (Those who needed knowledge) King asked Wizards to help (The person who wanted to see the available knowledge used)

Wizards lived in the Ivory Tower, and knew many things (Source of knowledge)

Serfs , farmers, had problems with their farms (Those who needed knowledge)

King asked Wizards to help (The person who wanted to see the available knowledge used)

Problems Serfs’ farming was still unsuccessful although Wizards claimed that they told what they knew. Both Serfs and Wizards blamed each other. Serfs said Wizards did not really help. What Wizards told were useless. Wizards said Serfs understood something so hard that Serfs had to come back to see them again and again. They then could not do their work, while Serfs did not actually apply all knowledge from them for farming.

Serfs’ farming was still unsuccessful although Wizards claimed that they told what they knew.

Both Serfs and Wizards blamed each other.

Serfs said Wizards did not really help. What Wizards told were useless.

Wizards said Serfs understood something so hard that Serfs had to come back to see them again and again. They then could not do their work, while Serfs did not actually apply all knowledge from them for farming.

Problems with Wizards Used their own technical language (techknowspeak), while most Serfs understand only plain language. Understood that only their techknowspeak could communicate their knowledge well and completely. Not contributed themselves in sharing knowledge (time/ place) Not concerned of Serfs’ environment, culture, and communication style while giving out knowledge (receivers)

Used their own technical language (techknowspeak), while most Serfs understand only plain language.

Understood that only their techknowspeak could communicate their knowledge well and completely.

Not contributed themselves in sharing knowledge (time/ place)

Not concerned of Serfs’ environment, culture, and communication style while giving out knowledge (receivers)

Problems with Serfs Did not share knowledge among themselves (Source of knowledge) Did not understand jargons used by Wizards (Levels of language) Hence, did not take any action (Unsuccessful)

Did not share knowledge among themselves (Source of knowledge)

Did not understand jargons used by Wizards (Levels of language)

Hence, did not take any action (Unsuccessful)

Main Problems Unclear concept/ vision of knowledge sharing Communications break-down Ineffective channels of knowledge distribution Lack of knowledge filters

Unclear concept/ vision of knowledge sharing

Communications break-down

Ineffective channels of knowledge distribution

Lack of knowledge filters

Solutions King got Knowms to solve problems. Knowms’ background Be able to communicate Understand the knowledge Before knowledge management Knowms talked with Wizards and took notes on method of transferring knowledge, Serfs’ problems, knowledge required by Serfs. Knowms talked with different groups of Serfs about their problems and knowledge they needed.

King got Knowms to solve problems.

Knowms’ background

Be able to communicate

Understand the knowledge

Before knowledge management

Knowms talked with Wizards and took notes on method of transferring knowledge, Serfs’ problems, knowledge required by Serfs.

Knowms talked with different groups of Serfs about their problems and knowledge they needed.

Solutions New motto ‘Sharing knowledge is power.’ (say, ‘ Effectively sharing knowledge is power,’ the vision .) Set up vision, i.e. motto. Developed and defined the vision (i.e. used common-tongue) . Atmosphere and urge of knowledge sharing Libraries, cities, meetings, farms, etc. (Ba) Knowledge assets Categorised knowledge into groups according to Serfs’ requirements Used templates for different types of knowledge needed to be collected for each specific group of Serfs (acts as a filter) SECI model

New motto ‘Sharing knowledge is power.’ (say, ‘ Effectively sharing knowledge is power,’ the vision .)

Set up vision, i.e. motto.

Developed and defined the vision (i.e. used common-tongue) .

Atmosphere and urge of knowledge sharing

Libraries, cities, meetings, farms, etc. (Ba)

Knowledge assets

Categorised knowledge into groups according to Serfs’ requirements

Used templates for different types of knowledge needed to be collected for each specific group of Serfs (acts as a filter)

SECI model

‘ Sharing knowledge is power.’ E.g. common-tongue language Urge sharing activities, singing songs Categories of knowledge for each group of Serfs Libraries, cities, meetings SECI Lead SECI Knowledge-creating Process

SE.. S ocialisation Tacit-to-Tacit Knowms observed how some skillful Serfs did farming. Troubadours travelled around, and knew a lot about Serfs and environment outside (can be by observing as well) . E xternalisation Tacit-to-Explicit Knowms noted down what they had observed from Serfs. Some successful Serfs, who could do the farming well, told other Serfs how to farm.

S ocialisation Tacit-to-Tacit

Knowms observed how some skillful Serfs did farming.

Troubadours travelled around, and knew a lot about Serfs and environment outside (can be by observing as well) .

E xternalisation Tacit-to-Explicit

Knowms noted down what they had observed from Serfs.

Some successful Serfs, who could do the farming well, told other Serfs how to farm.

..CI C ombination Explicit-to-Explicit Composing songs from the available knowledge. Having discussions among Knowms and Wizards for additional knowledge Knowms noted down knowledge told by Wizards. I nternalisation Explicit-to-Tacit Hearing the songs and could applying them to farming. Putting parchments in libraries. Troubadours travelled around and sang songs.

C ombination Explicit-to-Explicit

Composing songs from the available knowledge.

Having discussions among Knowms and Wizards for additional knowledge

Knowms noted down knowledge told by Wizards.

I nternalisation Explicit-to-Tacit

Hearing the songs and could applying them to farming.

Putting parchments in libraries.

Troubadours travelled around and sang songs.

Solutions Change Management Competition of farming products Rewarding Reputation Honours (from King to Wizards) Monitoring Meetings for improvements Knowledge updates

Change Management

Competition of farming products

Rewarding

Reputation

Honours (from King to Wizards)

Monitoring

Meetings for improvements

Knowledge updates

Benefits More time for Wizards to do something else, instead of re-telling the same information (time saving) Wizards may even spend the available time to create more knowledge. Accesses to knowledge are various and more convenient Availability of environment and atmosphere of knowledge sharing Finally, successful farming

More time for Wizards to do something else, instead of re-telling the same information (time saving)

Wizards may even spend the available time to create more knowledge.

Accesses to knowledge are various and more convenient

Availability of environment and atmosphere of knowledge sharing

Finally, successful farming

Real Business Soft Square Group King CEO

King

CEO

Real Business Soft Square Group Serfs Junior Programmers

Serfs

Junior Programmers

Real Business Soft Square Group Wizards Senior Programmers/ System Analysts

Wizards

Senior Programmers/ System Analysts

Real Business Soft Square Group Knowms Knowledge Management Team

Knowms

Knowledge Management Team

Lessons-learnt Should have CEO buy-in Knowledge vision needs to clearly communicated. Each person needs different knowledge (filters). Each person can gain knowledge through different communication methods . Those who will take care of knowledge management should understand and can communicate the problems, the required knowledge, and the source of knowledge. Contribution is needed to do knowledge management. Effective communication is an important factor to be successful in knowledge management. Each organisation needs different knowledge; thus the same knowledge or methods of sharing knowledge in one organisation may not be applicable with others . Resistance to change normally happens, so plan for managing it. Improvements and monitoring the process should be done.

Should have CEO buy-in

Knowledge vision needs to clearly communicated.

Each person needs different knowledge (filters).

Each person can gain knowledge through different communication methods .

Those who will take care of knowledge management should understand and can communicate the problems, the required knowledge, and the source of knowledge.

Contribution is needed to do knowledge management.

Effective communication is an important factor to be successful in knowledge management.

Each organisation needs different knowledge; thus the same knowledge or methods of sharing knowledge in one organisation may not be applicable with others .

Resistance to change normally happens, so plan for managing it.

Improvements and monitoring the process should be done.

T H A N K Y O U !