Knowledge Management

Abstract

Asian Development Bank or known as ADB is an international development finance institution. It has the mission to help develop the members of the country developed, reduce poverty and to enhance the quality of life of its members of the countries. ADB headquarters are in Manila, and established in 1966. It is owned and financed by its 67 members, of which 48 are from the region and 19 are from other parts of the globe. It has a vision which is Strategy 2020 is a long-term strategic framework has been adopted in year 2008. Under these strategies it includes three strategic agendas which are growth, environmentally sustainable growth, and regional integration.

Knowledge Management at Asian Development Bank

Asian Development Bank

The organization main partners are governments, the private sector, nongovernment organizations, development agencies, community-based organizations, and foundations. ADB's have assets on loans, technical assistance, grants, advice, and knowledge. It also has direct assistance to private enterprises of developing countries through equity investments, guarantees, and loans. In addition, its triple-A credit rating helps mobilize funds for development. (Zucker 2004)

ADB is one of the 49 finalists, out of 195 nominees, named by an independent panel of experts in the 2006 9th annual Most Admired Knowledge Enterprises (MAKE) study. According to Vice President (Knowledge Management and Sustainable Development) Geert van der Geert Linden, “Much still has to be done to improve the way we do things in ADB for example in term of from business processes, to the way we do our work and the tools needed to do our work smarter”. ADB got its award after 2 years approved the Knowledge Management (KM) Framework. The award recognizes leading global organizations for their ability to transform corporate knowledge into enterprise intellectual capital and shareholder wealth.

Knowledge Creating Model

Since the KM Framework was approved in June 2004, there are many process that ADB has taken firstly is improving organizational procedures to manage and process knowledge. Secondly is preparing an overall picture (2006-2008) of knowledge product and services (KPS) across ADB. Thirdly is integrating KM competencies into each staff member's performance and development plan. Then, establishing communities of practice covering 10 priority sectors and themes. Other than that, ADB also initiating an internal skills database which, when operational in the third quarter of 2006, will give users the ability to identify and contact staff with specific skills needed. Besides that, it established knowledge hubs in 2005, paving the way for mainstreaming innovative concepts in science, technology, and management development in the region. Lastly is organized a conference on Knowledge Management for Development in Asia (KM4Dev-Asia) to allow KM practitioners to share lessons on KM developments with other institutions (i.e., World Bank, Islamic Development Bank, African Development Bank, and Inter-American Development Bank).

There are many definition of Knowledge Management (KM), firstly is according to Mr. Tomohiro Takamashi "KM is the systematic approach which invents, understands, shares, creates and utilize knowledge in order to create values such as customer values, employee's values, stock holder's value, business partner value and social value to ...