2. Enablers of transfer
Enable?
to make possible, practical, or easy
to cause to operate
Enabler?
one that enables another to achieve an end;
7. Enablers of Transfer: Culture
The integrated pattern of human knowledge, belief, and behavior that
depends upon the capacity for learning and transmitting knowledge to
succeeding generations
The customary beliefs, social forms, and material traits of a racial,
religious, or social group; also : the characteristic features of everyday
existence (as diversions or a way of life} shared by people in a place or
time <popular culture> <southern culture>
The set of shared attitudes, values, goals, and practices that
characterizes an institution or organization
<a corporate culture focused on the bottom line>
The set of values, conventions, or social practices associated with a
particular field, activity, or societal characteristic
8. Culture in KM context
Culture relates to organizational norms
Culture relates to such knowledge enabling (or inhibiting) factors as
willingness to share, support for learning from mistakes,
encouragement to share knowledge, allowing time for reflection, and
recognition for new knowledge create
How to get people in an organization to appreciate the value of
knowledge attributes and how to motivate them to put in the effort
required, if any, to generate or extract knowledge attributes and use
technology that exploits knowledge attributes? Reasons for not using
knowledge attributes may be complacency, apathy, lack of awareness,
lack of understanding or proof of their value, or technology not yet
being up to the mark.
9. Culture as an enabler of transfer
KM begins with self knowledge
KM deals with people
The tacit & explicit spiral – SECI model
10. Initiatives to instill KM culture
Believe people want to share (help colleagues, learn from others)
Prepare to lead (actions speak louder than words)
Develop collaborative relationships (CoP- communities of practice,
project teams)
To reward or not to reward (a ‘standardized’ reward system)
11. Culture: Case Study
Organizational culture should encourage and foster information and
knowledge sharing as an activity that is part of the job rather than a form of
idle socialization.
This requires more than simply incorporating knowledge sharing in the
organizational culture.
It requires a shift in perceiving knowledge sharing as a professional, rather
than a social, activity.
A striking example is British Petroleum (BP), showing how the first attempts at
KM failed, despite leadership's stress on the value of knowledge sharing. It
was not until BP made it part of the job to move personnel to other
divisions and departments, where they are encouraged to share their
knowledge, that KM succeeded.
Incorporating knowledge sharing in the job design resulted in employees
changing their behavior, gradually changing the culture to one in which
knowledge sharing became one of the most admired professional skills.
12. Enablers of Transfer: Technology
Technology relates to the enabling platform upon which many KM
initiatives are built.
Technology extending the reach and enhancing the speed of
knowledge transfer
Right information to the right people at the right time
An excessive focus on technology [as] the most common pitfall in
knowledge management
Although IT is a wonderful facilitator of data and information
transmission and distribution, it can never substitute for the rich
interactivity, communication, and learning that is inherent in dialogue.
Knowledge is primarily a function and consequence of the meeting and
interaction of minds. Human intervention remains the only source of
knowledge generation" (p. 273).
13. Guidelines to implement technology
Understand the business purpose
Determine whether the current technology can be adapted
Identify internal support requirements for maintenance of the system
Organize your content
Design for ease of use
Consider initial costs
14. Commonly Used Technologies
Databases & Knowledge-base
Document Management
Intranets
Groupware & Collaborative Tools
Search Navigation Tools
Decision Support and AI
Internet & Web
Multimedia
15. Enablers of Transfer: Infrastructure
Definition of infrastructure
The underlying foundation or basic framework (as of a system or
organization)
The system of public works of a country, state, or region; also : the
resources (as personnel, buildings, or equipment) required for an
activity
16. Infrastructure in KM context
Infrastructure includes organization structure, technology, processes,
and people networks to ensure knowledge flow
Approaches:
Self Directed [storage, codification, repository, database, retrieval,
yellow pages, intranets, internet]
Knowledge services and networks [information services, help desk,
networks, communities of practice, knowledge managers]
Facilitated transfer [facilitators, implementers, technical assistance,
consultants]
17. Measurement
How do we measure ‘knowledge’ or ‘best practices sharing’?
Measure by :
Observing its impact on other forces e.g. competition and
innovation
Employee morale productivity
Product excellence
18. Measurement
Measuring Through Outcomes
business objectives
business needs
business process
Measuring Through Activities
how frequently users are accessing
Actual Costs and Returns
Costs associated with developing support systems (people &
technology)
Support costs
19. The importance of measurement
Design future systems and applications
Improve the current sharing processes
Ensure the transfer effort stays on track