Is Knowledge Management outdated?
“Why did you sign up for this master’s programme? KM is so dated…”
I still remember these words when I first enrolled in MSc in Knowledge Management at NTU. After hearing those words from a senior colleague, I was worried if I have made the wrong choice. Eight months into the programme and I realised my worries were unfounded.
Before I talk about Knowledge Management, please let me explain briefly what is knowledge with the DIKW hierarchy below.
This figure briefly illustrates the progression from data, information, knowledge to wisdom.
Data (Logging, records, measurements) is the foundation, but it does not provide meaningful results for the organisation. Data alone cannot answers any questions nor to conclude.
Information- Data is processed in the Information stage. We analyse the relationships in the data and reveal the context (Who, What, When and Where)
Knowledge- Information is converted into Knowledge. The Knowledge step aims to answer the How question. Actionable information that can be captured, stored and reused for future purposes.
Wisdom is the top level in DIKW hierarchy where knowledge is applied and implemented. It aims to answers the Why question. Wisdom can only be accumulated by experience.
So what exactly is Knowledge Management and how is this still relevant today?
According to Gartner, “Knowledge management is a discipline that promotes an integrated approach to identifying, capturing, evaluating, retrieving, and sharing all of an enterprise's information assets. These assets may include databases, documents, policies, procedures, and previously un-captured expertise and experience in individual workers.”
My Professor, Mr Rajesh Dhillon shared with us that there are limited position if we search for jobs with a specified role in Knowledge Management. Instead of looking for jobs titles with Knowledge Management, we should be looking for those that require the application of knowledge in areas such as strategy, leadership, process or technology.
In today's digital workplace, knowledge management is increasingly difficult as we are overwhelmed by endless flow of data and information. The importance may not be apparent, but the ability to managing knowledge is critical in these following areas:
- Facilitate Decision-Making Capabilities - Data can offer a wealth of information and knowledge management system can facilitate better and more informed decisions by cutting through the noise to extract vital information.
- Build Learning Organisations - A company can be transformed into a learning organisation by cultivating a culture where everyone continuously assesses themselves and their organisation, looking for ways to improve. The captured knowledge that can then be used to streamline operations and improve processes.
- Stimulate Cultural Change and Innovation - Knowledge management can also stimulate cultural change and innovation by encouraging the free flow of ideas. A knowledge management system can help everyone within the organisation to embrace change and encourage ideas and insight, which often lead to innovation.
So yes. Knowledge Management is still very relevant to today's organisation!
#KnowledgeManagement #NTU #WKWSCI
KM's probably not outdated, but reprioritised by those who are overwhelmed by the daily grind. It's not a strategy (or some call it a tool) that brings instant gratification like sales or marketing communications, but it provides the wealth of knowledge so people don't relearn mistakes or reinvent wheels. When companies start to think longer term, KM moves up the priority list. Just like business digitization when it first started. Thanks for sharing!
It has never represented reality. The fact is that our brain is programmed in a way that it primary uses existing structures when we try to innovate or resolve problems. New solutions only come to life if we breakthrough these patterns by “injecting” new knowledge in the brain and training the brain to improve analogous thinking. This can be done by learning to improvise. (Marketing talk from here:) I will soon be starting a company in business improvisation based on music improvisation and analogous analyses. If you want to make the leap or want to be armed against disruption send me a message for more information. -R
Knowledge is forever and Management is mandatory
Knowledge is universal and it was, is and will be there. Now whether you manage it or not, its up to you to decide. New Knowledge will be created, it will flow, in a structured or unstructured way and this is the nature of Knowledge. Management is human creation/ability and if you manage well, whether it is knowledge or anything else, your life will be easier. Society will get more benefits out of proper KM, forget your company's benefits.
A great article and couldn't agree more! KM is more alive than ever these days because so many countries are moving towards a knowledge driven economy. The thing is, how do we show organisations the benefits of KM in such a way that they themselves feel the need to implement effective KM strategies within their organisations? In my opinion it all starts with making knowledge truly easily accessible and recognisable within organisations, so less emphasis on the technical and procedural side of KM and more on the actual benefits for people and organisations...