Knowledge Management

Knowledge Management

Knowledge is the product of a person's experiences and it encloses the rules a person may use to evaluate the information he gathers.

Management can be explained as an adjective or as a noun. As a noun, it is defined as, a group of people having responsibilities who manage organizational resources, and when used as an adjective it refers to the process of controlling and coordinating organizational resources. [Ref: Hislop, D (2001). Knowledge management in organizations. 2nd ed. Oxford: Oxford University Press. p56.]

Knowledge management may be defined as any deliberate efforts to manage the knowledge of an organization's workforce, which can be achieved via a wide range of methods. [Ref: Hislop, D (2001). Knowledge management in organizations. 2nd ed. Oxford: Oxford University Press. p59.]

A brief discussion of the few frameworks on utilization of the diversity of knowledge management methods is given.

Hansen et al. (1999) codification vs. personalization framework: differentiates between codification and personalization, where the latter is derived from processes of knowledge creation and the former from reuse of codified knowledge. [Ref: Hislop, D (2001). Knowledge management in organizations. 2nd ed. Oxford: Oxford University Press. p60.]

Earl's (2001) seven schools of knowledge management: this method identifies seven schools organized into three broad approaches taking into account the choices that organizations face when allocating knowledge management initiatives to various departments.¬¬ [Ref: Hislop, D (2001). Knowledge management in organizations. 2nd ed. Oxford: Oxford University Press. p62.]

Alvesson & Karreman's (2001) four knowledge management approaches, which they claim, are more analytical than empirical. [Ref: Hislop, D (2001). Knowledge management in organizations. 2nd ed. Oxford: Oxford University Press. p66.]

Knowledge management is an asset, which can be controlled and managed. This is a fundamental assumption, which is widely accepted. Some people are against knowledge management due to the inherent characteristic of knowledge and its manageability. It may lead to difficulties between the workers and management on organizational knowledge management.

It is evident that knowledge management is a complex idea, which may or may not benefit an organization. Although, it is certain that the knowledge management strategy of an organization should be developed in such a manner that it is in link to its business strategy.