Exploiting Tacit Knowledge Through
Knowledge Management Technologies
Learning Forum London
22-24 June 2009
By
Frank Nyame-Asiamah
Brunel University

PRESENTATION OUTLINE
 OBJECTIVES & METHODS
 KNOWLEDGE & KNOWLEDGE CLASSIFICATION
 COMMONALITY IN KNOWLEDGE TYPES
 KNOWLEDGE CONCERNS FOR ORGANISATIONS
 RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN OL & KM THEORIES
 TECHNOLOGIES FOR TACIT KNOWLEDGE EXPLOITATION
 KNOWLEDGE MANAGEMENT FAILURE
 CAMTaKE
 CONCLUSION, IMPLICATIONS & FUTURE RESEARCH
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OBJECTIVES & METHOD
Objectives:
 To examine the contributions and suitability of the available KM
technologies, including the Web 2.0 in exploiting tacit knowledge
 To propose an integrated framework for extracting tacit knowledge in
organisations
Method:
 A comprehensive literature exploration covering knowledge management
(KM), KM technologies and organisational learning (OL)
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KNOWLEDGE
 Valuable information from human mind - reflection, synthesis and
context (Davenport & Prusak, 1997)
 Facts and principles organised by mankind in the course of time”
(Clarke, 1992)
 “Information that is contextual, relevant and actionable ” (Turban et
al, 2006, p.368).
 An intellectual asset for organisations (Davenport & Prusak, 1997)
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KNOWLEDGE CLASSIFICATION
2 Main Types Reference
Tacit Explicit
Mental models not Artefacts easily Polanyi 1966; Nonaka, 1991
easily conveyed accessed
Informal Formal Conklin, 1996
Softer Harder Hildreth et al, 1999
Unstructured Structured Hahn & Subramani, 2000
Symbiotic Semiotic Sharif, 2008
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COMMONALITY IN KNOWLEDGE TYPES
Tacit All
Knowledge Knowledge
Externalisation
Points of focus
Forms
Membership Documents
Interacting Monuments
Mutuality Instruments
Acting Projections
Living in a world
NOTE: Knowledge is an asset, exists in different forms, mostly created by
humankind and hidden parts difficult to exploit
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KNOWLEDGE CONCERNS FOR ORGANISATIONS
 Early retirements & staff mobility can lead to loss of knowledge
(March, 1991)
 It takes longer time to develop experience (Macintosh, 1999)
 Lack of time & reward preclude people from sharing knowledge
(Turban et al, 2006)
 Death ceases human consciousness
 Question 1: How do we exploit tacit knowledge?
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RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN OL & KM THEORIES
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Frank Nyame-Asiamah ©

TECHNOLOGIES FOR TACIT KNOWLEDGE EXPLOITATION 1
Learning Laboratory: Executive Cognitive Support or ESS:
A neutral and non-threatening ‘virtual collaborated Information systems at the organisation’s strategic
environment’ where individuals develop deeper level designed to address unstructured decision
understanding of their beliefs and exploit tacit making through advanced graphics and
knowledge (Pourdehnad et al, 2002) communications (Laudon & Laudon, 2003)
UPS used Integrad Learning Laboratory It helps higher level learning, knowledge creation,
comprising online learning, three dimensional and provides opportunity for executives to identify
models, podcasts, videos, etc to exploit new drivers tacit knowledge (Chen et al, 2003)
and trainees skills on safety performance (Ketter,
2008)
Collective Cognitive Mapping System: Knowledge Management Suites:
An episodic memory representing a container of
individual cognitive maps Complete and unified KM solutions consisting
An organisational memory representing a reservoir communication, collaboration and storage
of collective cognitive maps technologies (Dotsika & Patrick, 2006)
A local cognitive map generator which translates They help employees to learn business processes,
individual mental models into graphical unlock their tacit knowledge and share them among
representations their peers
A central collective cognitive map generator which Commerce Bank, Wow Answer Guide deployment
exploit cognitive maps of all members for collective saved Commercial Bank a weekly cost of $20,000.00
problem solving (Chen et al, 2003) (Turban et al, 2006, p. 385)
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TECHNOLOGIES FOR TACIT KNOWLEDGE EXPLOITATION 2
Enterprise Knowledge Portal: Personal Information Portal:
Information gateways including internet, intranet
and extranet sites of organisations (Dfouni &
Croteau, 2004)
They include social network sites, wikis and audio
podcasting, video sharing and collaborative tools for
learning and knowledge creation
Institutions are using web-based CPD (e.g.
REfLECT) and VLE to enhance the transfer of tacit
knowledge into explicit knowledge (Harris, 2008)
E-Discussion Boards: Email:
Effective and most important method of knowledge
conversion from one person to another - CPD
support within the University of Wolverhampton
(Harris, 2008)
Topmost socialisation tool for extracting and
sharing unstructured knowledge (Dfouni and
Croteau, 2004)
BP exploited knowledge stored in the minds of its
employees through the use of email technology
(Brooks, 2000)
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KNOWLEDGE MANAGEMENT FAILURE
 Organisations sometimes fail to communicate KM strategies well with staff
 Best employees refuse to publish their good ideas on KM platform
 Staff show lack of interest when KM systems become fully implemented
 Poor content management techniques and lack of incentives for KM system
users (Turban et al, 2005; Barth 2000)
 Web 2.0 and social software developers usually base their design
approaches on ‘technology to the user’ (Dotsika & Patrick, 2006)
 So what do we do with design? - Theory of Deferred Action recommends
that KM systems should be designed in the context of organised action
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CAMTaKE
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CONCLUSION & IMPLICATIONS
 KM and Web 2.0 technologies have been beneficial for businesses
and continue to support organisational transformation
 Technologies for extracting tacit knowledge should be designed
around individuals’ cognitive behaviour and natural processes of
human techniques
 Organisations should persuade each employee to share his/her
ideas on the Web 2.0 platforms with ‘X’ number of staff
 No idea should be taken for granted in a learning community where
an organisation wants to exploit tacit knowledge for transformation
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FUTURE RESEARCH
 Future research should consider CAMTaKE for tacit knowledge
exploitation and management for organisational transformation
 Design of KM and Web 2.0 technologies needs to consider the
application of the Theory of Deferred Action (ToDA)
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Frank.Nyame-Asiamah@brunel.ac.uk
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