knowledge management and knowledge sharing

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Knowledge management and knowledge sharing

Hazel Hall

Senior Lecturer

School of Computing

Napier University, Edinburgh

[email protected]

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Format of the presentation

• Knowledge management “defined”• Knowledge management perspectives• Knowledge management at Napier University• Knowledge sharing

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Knowledge management: a definition

“The capabilities by which communities within an organisation capture the knowledge that is critical to them, constantly improve it and make it available in the most effective manner to those people who need it, so that they can exploit it creatively to add value as a normal part of their work”

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Knowledge management: a definition

“The capabilities by which communities within an organisation capture the knowledge that is critical to them, constantly improve it and make it available in the most effective manner to those people who need it, so that they can exploit it creatively to add value as a normal part of their work”

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Knowledge management

Business studies

Artificial intelligence

Computer science

Science and technology

Sociology

Strategic management

Psychology

Organisational science

Information systems

Information science

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Knowledge management

Business studies

Artificial intelligence

Computer science

Science and technology

Sociology

Strategic management

Psychology

Organisational science

Information systems

Information scienceLibrarians

Human resources managers

Hardware & software vendors

Military strategists

Charities

Management consultants

Engineers

Accountants

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Contested approaches

Laissez-faire Re-engineering

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Contested approaches

Laissez-faire Re-engineering

3 articulations from the literature

KM1: Library and Information ScienceKM2: Process EngineeringKM3: Organisational Theory

(Davenport & Cronin, 2000)

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KM1: “Knowledge organisation” approach

IdentifyAcquireClassifyCatalogueOrganiseStore

internally and externally produced publications

for subsequent retrieval and use

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KM2: “Process” approach

Use techniques and tools

to map and model “know-how”

then recompile systems and resources identify existing conceptual links, form new links

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KM3: “Creation” approach

Provide conditions for knowledge creation

to encourage knowledge culture

so that knowledge is created and shared freely

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KM1: “Knowledge organisation” approach

IdentifyAcquireClassifyCatalogueOrganiseStore

internally and externally produced publications

for subsequent retrieval and use

Isn’t this just information management?Ignores “tacit”, unrecorded knowledge

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KM2: “Process” approach

Use techniques and tools

to map and model “know-how”

then recompile systems and resources identify existing conceptual links, form new links

Over-emphasis on the process of mapping & modellingToo little emphasis on human factorsCost of exercise

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KM3: “Creation” approach

Provide conditions for knowledge creation

to encourage knowledge culture

so that knowledge is created and shared freely

Ignores “published” sourcesDependent on personality “types”Highly reliant on personal networks

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KM at Napier University

Teaching• focused on integrated strategies• students learn about KM while “doing” KM

Research: examples• communities of practice and networked learning• teledemocracy• careers guidance • advertising

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Value of conducting research on encouraging knowledge sharing

Most commonly discussed topic at KM conferences

• priority area for knowledge research• priority area for companies

“knowledge hoarding is power” “knowledge sharing is valued” (Kelleher & Levene, p. 39)

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Knowledge gaps and debates in this area

• KM research questions about teams• value of organisational incentives for information sharing• case study evidence

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Incentives for knowledge sharing

Rewards Conditions

Critical massSoft

Hard

Communities

Status

Responsibilities

Infrastructure

Articulation

Usability

Boundary objects

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Rewards

Soft

Hard

Financial rewards

Career advancement/security as reward

Access to information and knowledge as reward

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Rewards

Soft

Hard

Financial rewards



Increased payBonuses Stock options

LearningInnovation

PromotionFuture work

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Rewards

Soft

Hard

Financial rewards



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Rewards

Soft

Hard

Personal satisfaction as reward

Enhanced reputation as reward

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Rewards

Soft

Hard


Enhanced reputation as reward GratitudeFlatteryRecognitionCross-hierarchy alliancesPositive results of altruism

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Rewards

Soft

Hard


Enhanced reputation as reward

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Rewards

Soft

Hard

Encourage temporary compliance

Over-promote self-interest

Rupture relationships

Discourage risk taking

Depend on personality “types”

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Conditions

Communities

Status

Responsibilities Time allocated

Senior management buy-in

Mentoring & assisting

Leadership by example

Training & debriefings

“Copying” permitted

Acquire knowledge Disseminate knowledge

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Conditions

Communities

Status

ResponsibilitiesAcquire knowledge Disseminate knowledge

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Conditions

Communities

Status

Responsibilities Time allocated

Senior management buy-in

Mentoring & assisting

Leadership by example

Training & debriefings

“Copying” permitted

Acquire knowledge Disseminate knowledge

Culture change imperative

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Conditions

Communities

Status

Responsibilities

Relegate

All are contributors, experimentation is encouraged

Mask status

Remove management levels

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Conditions

Communities

Status

Responsibilities

Relegate

Academic research on online interactions

Doctors v nurses

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Conditions

Communities

Status

Responsibilities

Relegate

All are contributors, experimentation is encouraged

Mask status

Remove management levels

Works against soft reward of

enhanced reputation

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Conditions

Communities

Status

Responsibilities

Provide for

Social interaction clique & high risk exchange

Shared commitment, obligation & co-dependence vitality & trust

Identity common purpose

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Conditions

Communities

Status

Responsibilities

Provide for

Social events

Common languageframework

Space

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Conditions

Communities

Status

Responsibilities

Provide for



Identity common purpose Can’t b

e “created”

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Conditions

Communities

Status

Responsibilities

Provide for




Strong versus weak tie

s

Can’t be “created”

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Conditions

Communities

Status

Responsibilities

Provide for




Inhibited disseminationStro

ng versus weak ties


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Conditions

Communities

Status

Responsibilities

Provide for




Inhibited disseminationStro

ng versus weak ties


Limits on membership

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Critical mass

Infrastructure

Articulation

Usability

Boundary objects

Usefulness of use is obvious

Ease of use

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Critical mass

Infrastructure

Articulation

Usability

Boundary objects


Ease of use

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Critical mass

Infrastructure

Articulation

Usability

Boundary objects

Integration of tools with communities

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Critical mass

Infrastructure

Articulation

Usability

Boundary objects


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Critical mass

Infrastructure

Articulation

Usability

Boundary objects



Ease of use

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Critical mass

Infrastructure

Articulation

Usability

Boundary objectsspaces and people

classification schemes

repositories

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Critical mass

Infrastructure

Articulation

Usability

Boundary objectsspaces and people

classification schemes

repositories

Ease of knowledge sharingEqual statusCommunity ownershipExploitation of weak tiesTransfer from oldies to newbies

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Rewards Conditions

Critical massSoft

Hard

Communities

Status

Responsibilities

Infrastructure

Articulation

Usability

Boundary objects

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Rewards Conditions

Critical massSoft

Hard

Communities

Status

Responsibilities

Infrastructure

Articulation

Usability

Boundary objects

Tension

Mixed incentives

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Rewards Conditions Infrastructure

To jump start knowledge sharing

For long-term compliance To help new members of staff

For distributed staff

For cross-team working

For wide dissemination

For “community” benefits

To encourage experimentation

To match “expectations” of personality types

To promote moral obligation

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Rewards Conditions Infrastructure

To jump start knowledge sharing

For long-term compliance To help new members of staff

For distributed staff

For cross-team working

For wide dissemination

For “community” benefits

To encourage experimentation

To match “expectations” of personality types

To promote moral obligation

Knowledge is a public goodKnowledge is a private good

Knowledge is accessible

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References and further work in this area

Davenport, E., & Cronin, B. (2000). Knowledge management: semantic drift or conceptual shift?, [Online]. Available: http://www.alise.org/nondiscuss/conf00_Davenport-Cronin-paper.htm [2000, 28 January].

Davenport E. & Hall, H. (2002 in press). Organizational knowledge and communities of practice. In B. Cronin & D, Shaw (Eds.). Annual Review of Information Science and Technology. Medford NJ: Information Today.

Hall, H. (2001). Input-friendliness: motivating knowledge sharing across intranets. Journal of Information Science 27(2), 139-146.

Kelleher, D., & Levene, S. (2001). Knowledge management: a guide to good practice. London: British Standards Institution.

knowledge management and knowledge sharing

Education

knowledge sharingincentives

knowledge sharingkm1

knowledge sharingkm3

knowledge sharingformat

knowledge sharingvalue

knowledge sharingkm2

unrecorded knowledge

power knowledge sharing