KNOWLEDGE MANAGEMENT

Knowledge Management

Knowledge Management

Introduction

The modern concept known as the "knowledge management" to provide information and make it available to all employees in the organization, and beneficiaries from the outside, which is based on the maximum utilization of available information in the organization, and individual experiences in the minds of potential employees. Therefore, it is the most important features of the application of this concept is the best investment of intellectual capital, and turned into a productive force contributing to the development of individual performance, and raise the efficiency of the organization (Darling 2006). Knowledge Management

Prior to the information revolution and the field of KM, human value had primarily been limited to physical products produced. We now are experience a new paradigm of treating our employees as knowledge workers. The advent of management information systems, the Internet, networks, e-mail, and instant sharing of information make us to realize that knowledge (and its sharing) is a fundamental element of an organization's activities.

What is Knowledge?

What is knowledge? The study of knowledge dates back to Plato and Aristotle. However, considering the management of knowledge throughout a corporation first gained visibility by a philosopher named Michael Polanyi in 1958. He introduced knowledge as something that can have intrinsic value placed on it and outlined two types of knowledge-tacit and explicit. Butters (2008) reconfirmed Polanyi's two knowledge level concepts. After that, there has been much discussion of the term 'knowledge.' This is one of the more confusing aspects of KM . With the following definitions of knowledge, I begin to answer my first question: "What is knowledge?"Definitions Definitions of knowledge range from the practical to the conceptual and philosophical, and from narrow to broad in scope. The practical definitions focus on the functions of knowledge as in problem-solving and decisionmaking. Cole-Gomolski (2009)defined knowledge as "an organized information applicable to problem solving." Broadly, Butters (2008) said that "knowledge is information that has been organized and analyzed to make it understandable and applicable to problem solving or decision making."

Implementation of KM in workplace:

Implementing KM is no easy task. It requires an organization to develop an analytical process to see what role KM can and should play in its operations. KM needs a facilitator to direct change management and to continually assess the value KM plays in the organization. Moreover, the organization must establish some strategic priorities and vision for implementing KM. Since this effort involves a significant strategic change in most firms, it is important to look at several factors that may be considered as the foundation for successful KM implementation. Success or Failure Factors for Implementation of KM: First of all, Butters (2008) has suggested four prerequisites to consider to enhance the change of success during the implementation KM: 1) Executive leadership and commitment, 2) Healthy culture, 3) Expertise, and 4) IT infrastructure1. Especially, he proposes using business reengineering to guide the implementation of KM projects that are larger and more complex. Bair (2007) recognized nine success factors for knowledge projects ...