Review of the Review of the organizational learning organizational learning

and knowledge sharing in and knowledge sharing in the context of the CoPs*the context of the CoPs*

Albena AntonovaAlbena Antonova

Gourova Elissaveta Ph.D.Gourova Elissaveta Ph.D.

CIST at Sofia UniversityCIST at Sofia University

*This study is a part of a the pilot project TRAINMOR-KNOWMORE, funded by the European Program “Leonardo da Vinci”.

Overview of the Overview of the presentationpresentation

Project Project TRAINMOR – KNOWMORETRAINMOR – KNOWMORE Learning organizationLearning organization Intellectual capitalIntellectual capital Collective learningCollective learning Barriers and Limitations to sharing Barriers and Limitations to sharing

knowledgeknowledge Sharing knowledgeSharing knowledge CoPsCoPs

TRAINMOR - KNOWMORETRAINMOR - KNOWMORE

TRAINTRAINing ing MMaterial in aterial in ORORganisational ganisational KNOWKNOWledge ledge MManagement for anagement for European European OrganizationsOrganizations & & EnterprisesEnterprises

Overall aim of TRAINMOR -KNOWMORE:Overall aim of TRAINMOR -KNOWMORE:

To develop an intergraded training To develop an intergraded training framework for Organizational framework for Organizational Knowledge Management focused on the Knowledge Management focused on the needs of European SMEs needs of European SMEs

November 2005 – November 2007

Project partnersProject partnersIreland - WESTBIC: The Business and Innovation Centre for the West and North of Ireland

Germany –

•LINK MV

•Institute for Support and Competence Development Pro-Competence,

•BILSE Institute

Austria – MERIG - The Multidisciplinary European Research Institute Graz

Romania – National Council for Private SMEs in Romania

Bulgaria – SU-CIST

Cyprus - Cyprus Institute of Technology Greece –

•Thessaloniki Technology Park•ATLANTIS Consulting•ALBA

Review of the Review of the organizational learning and organizational learning and knowledge sharing in the knowledge sharing in the

context of the CoPscontext of the CoPs People are unique holders of knowledgePeople are unique holders of knowledge The knowledge networks and working groups are The knowledge networks and working groups are

considered as support for collaboration, and considered as support for collaboration, and ideas, people and projects are primary ideas, people and projects are primary generators of new knowledge and innovations.generators of new knowledge and innovations.

KM is enabler of learning organization, KM is enabler of learning organization, prioritizing the human aspects, and putting the prioritizing the human aspects, and putting the focus on knowledge sharing and knowledge focus on knowledge sharing and knowledge dissemination practices. dissemination practices.

Learning organization and Learning organization and intellectual capitalintellectual capital

The ability to build and exploit The ability to build and exploit intellectual capital has become the intellectual capital has become the most strategically organizational most strategically organizational capabilitycapability

Intellectual capital Intellectual capital customer capitalcustomer capital organizational capital organizational capital human capital (serves as a collective human capital (serves as a collective

term for an organization’s core term for an organization’s core competences, the skills and knowledge) competences, the skills and knowledge)

Organizational Organizational knowledgeknowledge

Organizational and collective Organizational and collective knowledge include:knowledge include:

rules rules procedures, procedures, strategies, strategies, activities, activities, technologies, technologies, conditions, conditions, paradigms, paradigms, frames of references;frames of references;

Learning organizationLearning organization LO is not about "more training", it involves the LO is not about "more training", it involves the

development of higher levels of knowledge and development of higher levels of knowledge and skill. skill.

Management in learning organizations focuses Management in learning organizations focuses more on how individuals think, what they truly more on how individuals think, what they truly want, and how they interact and learn with one want, and how they interact and learn with one another. another.

Learning provides the opportunity to create and Learning provides the opportunity to create and recreate, change one's external perception of the recreate, change one's external perception of the world and relationship, and extends individual world and relationship, and extends individual ability to be creative. ability to be creative.

Collective learningCollective learning Collective learning requires skills for sharing Collective learning requires skills for sharing

information and knowledge, particularly information and knowledge, particularly implicit knowledge, assumptions and beliefs implicit knowledge, assumptions and beliefs that are traditionally "beneath the surface". that are traditionally "beneath the surface".

Subsequently, the main skills are: Subsequently, the main skills are: communication (across organizational communication (across organizational

boundaries)boundaries) listening and observing listening and observing mentoring and supporting colleagues mentoring and supporting colleagues holistic perspective (the organization as a holistic perspective (the organization as a

whole)whole)

Characteristics of Learning Characteristics of Learning OrganizationOrganization

Learning CultureLearning Culture Management ProcessesManagement Processes Tools and Techniques Tools and Techniques Skills and Motivation Skills and Motivation Free exchange and flow of information Free exchange and flow of information Commitment to learning, personal Commitment to learning, personal

development development Valuing people Valuing people Fostering a climate of openness and trust Fostering a climate of openness and trust Learning from experienceLearning from experience

Barriers and limitations of Barriers and limitations of knowledge sharing knowledge sharing

Cognitive limitations Cognitive limitations are related to the way are related to the way experts store and process information.experts store and process information.

Motivational limitationsMotivational limitations are related to are related to the the

appraisal and reward systems of companies, appraisal and reward systems of companies, the internal competition between individuals, the internal competition between individuals, teams and units. teams and units.

Personnel need to be compensated for the Personnel need to be compensated for the invested time in knowledge sharing and invested time in knowledge sharing and conversations conversations

Sharing KnowledgeSharing Knowledge

Two types of individuals:Two types of individuals:

knowledge seekersknowledge seekers knowledge sourcesknowledge sources

Effective knowledge sharing occurs Effective knowledge sharing occurs when appropriate connections are when appropriate connections are built between these parties. built between these parties.

Sharing KnowledgeSharing KnowledgeThree types of knowledge sharing within Three types of knowledge sharing within

organizations:organizations: Knowledge retrieval: Knowledge retrieval:

Knowledge sharing from the organization to the Knowledge sharing from the organization to the individual has the purpose of retrieving existing individual has the purpose of retrieving existing organizational knowledge. organizational knowledge.

Knowledge exchange: Knowledge exchange: Knowledge sharing from an individual to other Knowledge sharing from an individual to other

individuals has the purpose of exchanging individuals has the purpose of exchanging existing individual knowledge. existing individual knowledge.

Knowledge creation: Knowledge creation: Knowledge sharing among individuals has the Knowledge sharing among individuals has the

purpose of generating new knowledge, resulting purpose of generating new knowledge, resulting from new combinations of existing individual, from new combinations of existing individual, shared, or organizational knowledge. shared, or organizational knowledge.

Communities of Practice Communities of Practice

The definition of a community of The definition of a community of practice is practice is

"a group of people who share a "a group of people who share a concern, a set of problems, or a concern, a set of problems, or a passion about a topic, and who passion about a topic, and who deepen their knowledge and deepen their knowledge and expertise in an area by interacting expertise in an area by interacting on an ongoing basis" on an ongoing basis"

Communities of PracticeCommunities of Practice

CoPs - cross-functional and multi-CoPs - cross-functional and multi-skilled,skilled, functional position is irrelevant functional position is irrelevant the topic knowledge or interest is all the topic knowledge or interest is all

necessarynecessary

The diversity of a CoP's population may The diversity of a CoP's population may encourage creativity and problem encourage creativity and problem solving, and linkages to external solving, and linkages to external communities as CoPs are the legitimate communities as CoPs are the legitimate place for learning through participationplace for learning through participation

CoPs attributes CoPs attributes VarietyVariety—— multi-skilling prevents boredom and multi-skilling prevents boredom and

monotony, and builds flexibilitymonotony, and builds flexibility IdentityIdentity—— building an identity encourages a building an identity encourages a

sense of collective responsibility and sense of collective responsibility and self-regulation;self-regulation;

SignificanceSignificance—— motivation to care about the outcome motivation to care about the outcome of the work process increases of the work process increases

cooperation when the outcome is cooperation when the outcome is imbued with a sense of significance;imbued with a sense of significance;

AutonomyAutonomy—— increases the ownership and increases the ownership and responsibility of members to the responsibility of members to the

process;process; FeedbackFeedback—— understanding and knowing the understanding and knowing the

results of work processes enables results of work processes enables groups to monitor their progress groups to monitor their progress against targets and improve their against targets and improve their performance.performance.

4 Important barriers that 4 Important barriers that can overcome CoPscan overcome CoPs

Awareness: Awareness: Making seekers and sources aware Making seekers and sources aware of their of their respective knowledge respective knowledge

Access: Access: Providing the time and space for Providing the time and space for seekers and seekers and sources to connect sources to connect with one anotherwith one another

Application: Application: Ensuring that the knowledge Ensuring that the knowledge seeker and seeker and source have a common source have a common content and content and understanding understanding

Perception: Perception: Creating an atmosphere where Creating an atmosphere where knowledge knowledge sharing behaviors sharing behaviors between seekers between seekers and sources are and sources are respected and valuedrespected and valued

4 Types of communities4 Types of communities

Innovation communities Innovation communities Helping communitiesHelping communities Best-practice communities - attaining, Best-practice communities - attaining,

validating and disseminating validating and disseminating knowledge;knowledge;

Knowledge-stewarding CoPs- Knowledge-stewarding CoPs- connecting people and collecting connecting people and collecting information and knowledge across the information and knowledge across the organisationorganisation

10 characteristics of 10 characteristics of successful CoPsuccessful CoP

1.1. Clear business value proposition;Clear business value proposition;2.2. Dedicated skilled leader;Dedicated skilled leader;3.3. Knowledge map for the CoP’s core content;Knowledge map for the CoP’s core content;4.4. Easy-to-follow knowledge sharing process;Easy-to-follow knowledge sharing process;5.5. Technology medium that facilitates knowledge Technology medium that facilitates knowledge

exchangeexchange6.6. Communication and training plans for outsiders of Communication and training plans for outsiders of

CoP;CoP;7.7. Updated, dynamic list of CoP members;Updated, dynamic list of CoP members;8.8. Key success metrics to show business results;Key success metrics to show business results;9.9. Recognition plan for participants;Recognition plan for participants;10.10. Agenda of topics to cover for the first months of Agenda of topics to cover for the first months of

existenceexistence

ConclusionConclusion Organizational learning and knowledge Organizational learning and knowledge

sharing are major factors for success for sharing are major factors for success for KM initiativesKM initiatives

The focus is put on human factors, the main The focus is put on human factors, the main limitations for effective collaboration are limitations for effective collaboration are related to the human nature and lack of related to the human nature and lack of adequate motivation policy. adequate motivation policy.

In this context Communities of practice are In this context Communities of practice are appearing as an instrument, overcoming the appearing as an instrument, overcoming the behavior constraints and manifesting the behavior constraints and manifesting the emergence of new organizational culture emergence of new organizational culture

Thank you for your Thank you for your attention! attention!

Questions and comments?Questions and comments?