Knowledge Management : An Integrated Approach

As the economy increasingly moves towards a knowledge based economy, the ability to manage knowledge becomes a matter of competitive survival. Many other books only address the subject only partially, from a human resource, information systems or practitioner perspective. This is the first textbook to bring together and integrate all these dimensions. This engaging text offers a readable blend of theory and practice, making this the ideal resource for students studying knowledge management courses within business management, information science and computer science degrees at both undergraduate and postgraduate levels. Cover 1 Contents 10 Preface 16 About the Author 18 Author’s Acknowledgements 19 Publisher’s Acknowledgements 20 Part 1 The Nature of Knowledge 22 Introduction to Knowledge Management 24 Learning Outcomes 24 Management Issues 24 Links to Other Chapters 24 Opening Vignette: Life in An Interconnected World 25 Knowledge Management: An Integrated Approach 27 Part 1: The Nature of Knowledge 27 Part 2: Leveraging Knowledge 28 Part 3: Creating Knowledge 28 Part 4: Knowledge Artefacts 28 Part 5: Mobilising Knowledge 29 Introduction 29 The Knowledge Economy 30 What Is Knowledge Management? 31 Is Knowledge Management a Fad? 35 What Are the Differences Between Data, Information, Knowledge and Wisdom? 37 Data 37 Information 38 Knowledge 39 Wisdom 40 Early History of Knowledge Management: Oral Tradition to Cuneiform 41 Knowledge Management in Ancient Greece and Rome 43 Management of Knowledge in Monastic and Cathedral Libraries 45 Paradigm Shift From Print to a Digital Age 47 Case Study: Ernst & Young (Us) 49 Summary 51 Questions for Further Thought 51 Further Reading 52 References 52 The Nature of Knowing 54 Learning Outcomes 54 Management Issues 54 Links to Other Chapters 54 Opening Vignette: Business Must Learn From the New Tribe 55 Introduction 56 What Is Knowledge? Philosophers From Plato to Wittgenstein 58 Plato 58 Aristotle 58 Descartes 59 Locke 59 Hume 60 Kant 60 Hegel 60 Pragmatists 61 Phenomenology and Existentialism 61 Wittgenstein 62 Contemporary Philosophers: Ryle, Polanyi and Macmurray 63 Burrell and Morgan’s Framework on Philosophical Paradigms 65 Competing Philosophical Positions in Knowledge Management: Positivism, Constructivism, Postmodernism and Critical Realism 67 The Taxonomic Perspective of Knowledge 70 The Process-Based Perspective of Knowing 72 The Practice-Based Perspective of Knowledge and Knowing 73 Case Study: World Bank (Us) 75 Summary 77 Further Reading 78 Questions for Further Thought 78 Further Reading 78 References 79 Part 2 Leveraging Knowledge 82 Intellectual Capital 84 Learning Outcomes 84 Management Issues 84 Links to Other Chapters 84 Opening Vignette: A Little Knowledge Is Deadly Dangerous 85 Introduction 86 What Is Intellectual Capital? 87 History of Intellectual Capital 89 Problems of Measuring Organisational Performance 89 Frameworks of Intellectual Capital 92 Human and Social Capital 96 Organisational Capital 97 Intellectual Property and Smart Patents 97 Financial Reporting of Intellectual Capital 100 Intellectual Capital As a Narrative 100 Knowledge Auditing in Practice 102 Case Study: Infosys (India) 104 Summary 106 Questions for Further Thought 106 Further Reading 107 References 107 Strategic Management Perspectives 110 Learning Outcomes 110 Management Issues 110 Links to Other Chapters 110 Opening Vignette: A Hunger for Knowledge Is China’s Real Secret Weapon 111 Introduction 112 Strategic Management: Schools of Thought 113 Industrial Organisation Tradition 114 Excellence and Turnaround 116 Institutionalist Perspective 117 Resource-Based View of the Firm 121 Information Systems Strategy 122 Developing a Knowledge Management Strategy 124 Innovation and Personalisation Strategies 129 Case Study: Unilever (Uk/Netherlands) 132 Summary 134 Questions for Further Thought 135 Further Reading 135 References 136 Part 3 Creating Knowledge 140 Organisational Learning 142 Learning Outcomes 142 Management Issues 142 Links to Other Chapters 142 Opening Vignette: Recruits Fired Up By Virtual Rivalry 143 Introduction 145 Individual Learning 145 Team Learning 148 Drivers of Organisational Learning: Success or Failure? 149 Single-Loop and Double-Loop Learning 151 Sensemaking 152 Organisational Learning Frameworks 154 Knowledge Acquisition 157 Information Distribution 158 Information Interpretation 159 Organisational Memory 160 Unlearning 161 Organisational Routines 162 Dynamic Capabilities 165 Absorptive Capacity 168 Politics and Organisational Learning 169 Critique of Organisational Learning 171 Case Study: Toyota (Japan) 172 Summary 174 Questions for Further Thought 174 Further Reading 175 References 175 The Learning Organisation 179 Learning Outcomes 179 Management Issues 179 Links to Other Chapters 179 Opening Vignette: Teaching Materials: From Pen and Paper to Wikis and Video 180 Introduction 181 Us Contribution: the Fifth Discipline 182 Uk Contribution: the Learning Company 184 Japanese Contribution: the Knowledge-Creating Company 187 The Competitive Learning Organisation 190 Power, Politics and the Learning Organisation 194 Empirical Research and the Learning Organisation 195 The Learning Organisation and Knowledge Management 197 Case Study: Honda (Japan) 198 Summary 200 Questions for Further Thought 201 Further Reading 201 References 201 Part 4 Knowledge Artefacts 204 Knowledge Management Tools: Component Technologies 206 Learning Outcomes 206 Management Issues 206 Links to Other Chapters 206 Opening Vignette: Business Starts to Take Web 2.0 Tools Seriously 207 Introduction 209 Organising Knowledge Tools 210 Ontology and Taxonomy 210 Capturing Knowledge Tools 215 Cognitive Mapping Tools 215 Information-Retrieval Tools 217 Search Engines 221 Agent Technology 222 Personalisation 223 Evaluating Knowledge 224 Case-Based Reasoning (Cbr) 224 Online Analytical Processing (Olap) 224 Knowledge Discovery in Databases – Data Mining 225 Machine-Based Learning 227 Sharing Knowledge 227 Internet, Intranets and Extranets 227 Security of Intranets 230 Text-Based Conferencing 230 Web 2.0 Platform 231 Conversational Media: Blogs 233 Syndication and Rss Feeds 234 Mashups 234 Wikis 235 Online Social Networks 236 3-D Virtual Worlds 237 Groupware Tools 238 Videoconferencing 239 Skills Directories: Expertise Yellow Pages 239 E-Learning 239 Storing and Presenting Knowledge 240 Data Warehouses 240 Visualisation 241 Case Study: Royal Dutch Shell (Netherlands/Uk) 243 Summary 245 Questions for Further Thought 245 Further Reading 246 References 246 Knowledge Management Systems 249 Learning Outcomes 249 Management Issues 249 Links to Other Chapters 249 Opening Vignette: Decision-Making Software in the Fast Lane 250 Introduction 251 Systems Thinking 253 Drivers of Km Systems: Quality Management Processes 256 Deming and Juran 256 Total Quality Management (Tqm) 257 Business Process Re-Engineering (Bpr) 258 Lean Production 259 Document Management Systems 260 Decision Support Systems 262 Group Support Systems 264 Executive Information Systems 266 Workflow Management Systems 268 Customer Relationship Management Systems 271 Economics of Km Systems 273 Case Study: Tata Consultancy Services (India) 274 Summary 276 Questions for Further Thought 277 Further Reading 277 References 278 Part 5 Mobilising Knowledge 280 Enabling Knowledge Contexts and Networks 282 Learning Outcomes 282 Management Issues 282 Links to Other Chapters 282 Opening Vignette: Building Bridges for Success 283 Introduction 286 Understanding Organisational Culture and Climate 286 Norms, Artefacts and Symbols 288 Values, Beliefs, Attitudes and Assumptions 291 Typologies of Organisational Culture 293 Measuring Organisational Culture 295 Description of the Twelve Oci Styles 296 Creating Knowledge-Sharing Cultures 299 Cultural Stickiness: Developing Communities of Practice 303 Knowledge Across Organisational Boundaries 307 Case Study: Fluor (United States) 310 Summary 312 Questions for Further Thought 313 Further Reading 313 References 313 Implementing Knowledge Management 316 Learning Outcomes 316 Management Issues 316 Links to Other Chapters 316 Opening Vignette: Box Clever and Keep Your Star Performers Happy 317 Introduction 318 The Nature of Change 319 Personal Response to Change 320 Leadership and Change 322 Change Management Strategies 323 Gaining Commitment for Change 325 Employee Involvement 327 Training and Development 329 Reward and Recognition 333 Cultural Change Management 335 Politics of Change 337 Case Study: Woods Bagot (Australia) 337 Summary 339 Questions for Further Thought 340 Further Reading 340 References 341 Epilogue Knowledge Management 344 Epilogue 346 Introduction 346 Wrestling With Knowledge: Some Reflections 347 Knowledge Management – Is There An Optimal Approach? 349 Organisational Gymnastics: Balancing Learning With Routines and Dynamic Capabilities 350 Knowledge Management Between Nations 351 Institutionalist Perspective and the Knowledge-Based View of the Firm 353 Communities of Practice 354 Personal Knowledge Management 355 Knowledge Management Between Nations 356 Concluding Remarks 358 Further Reading 359 References 359 Glossary 361 Index 366 PART 1: The Nature of knowledge1 Introduction to knowledge management2 The nature of knowingPART 2: Leveraging knowledge3 Intellectual capital4 Strategic management perspectivesPART 3: Creating knowledge5 Organisational learning6 The learning organisationPART 4: Knowledge management tools and systems7 Knowledge management tools: component technologies8 Knowledge management systemsPART 5: Mobilising knowledge9 Enabling knowledge contexts and networks10 Implementing knowledge managementEpilogue