The document outlines the syllabus for a Knowledge Management course taught by Sophia Ananiadou, including an introduction to knowledge management, understanding the nature of knowledge, knowledge management systems and solutions, organizational impacts of knowledge management, and factors influencing knowledge management; it provides contact information for the professor and states that the assignment is one essay due in mid-April.
The document outlines the syllabus for a Knowledge Management course taught by Sophia Ananiadou, including an introduction to knowledge management, understanding the nature of knowledge, knowledge management systems and solutions, organizational impacts of knowledge management, and factors influencing knowledge management; it provides contact information for the professor and states that the assignment is one essay due in mid-April.
The document outlines the syllabus for a Knowledge Management course taught by Sophia Ananiadou, including an introduction to knowledge management, understanding the nature of knowledge, knowledge management systems and solutions, organizational impacts of knowledge management, and factors influencing knowledge management; it provides contact information for the professor and states that the assignment is one essay due in mid-April.
The document outlines the syllabus for a Knowledge Management course taught by Sophia Ananiadou, including an introduction to knowledge management, understanding the nature of knowledge, knowledge management systems and solutions, organizational impacts of knowledge management, and factors influencing knowledge management; it provides contact information for the professor and states that the assignment is one essay due in mid-April.
Contact: Sophia.Ananiadou@manchester.ac.uk All teaching material available on WebCT z
Syllabus/1 1. Introducing Knowledge Management z z z
What is KM Challenges of KM Forces driving KM
Understanding Knowledge / Nature of
Knowledge
1. 1. 2. 3.
Data, Information and Knowledge
Types of knowledge Human thinking and learning
Syllabus/2 3. Knowledge Management Systems Life Cycle (KMSLC) z z z
Challenges / conventional versus KMSLC
KMSLC Implications for KM
4. Knowledge Management Solutions
z z z
KM processes KM systems KM infrastructure
Syllabus/3 5. Organisational Impacts of KM 1. 2.
Impact on People / Processes / Products
Impact on Organisational Performance
6. Factors Influencing KM 1. 2. 3.
Effects of task characteristics
Effects of knowledge characteristics Identifying appropriate KM solutions
Syllabus/4 7. KM Assessment of an Organisation 1. Types of KM assessment 2. Assessment of knowledge 3. Assessment of impacts 8. Knowledge Codification 1. Why codify? 2. Codification tools and procedures z z z z
Knowledge maps Decision trees Case-based reasoning Knowledge-based agents
Syllabus /5 9. Discovering New Knowledge: Data Mining 1. 2.
Data mining and business intelligence
Technical drivers z z
3.
Statistics Machine learning
Data management
10. Knowledge Discovery Systems
1. 2.
Mechanisms to discover knowledge
Using DM to create new knowledge
Syllabus/6 11. Knowledge capture systems 12. Knowledge sharing systems
Textbooks z
Irma Becerra-Fernandez, Avelino Gonzalez &
Rajiv Sabherwal (2004) Knowledge Management, Challenges, Solutions and Technologies, Pearson, Prentice Hall
Elias M. Awad & Hassan M. Ghaziri (2004)
Knowledge Management, Prentice Hall
Aims of this course
z z
Provide an understanding of the concepts of
information, knowledge and their management, Give an overview of available tools for managing both information and knowledge in order to
Make you understand the needs of an actual
organization and accordingly build action plans for its information and knowledge management.
Why the current interest in
KM? z
knowledge is at the heart of much of todays global
economy, and managing knowledge has become vital to companies success Kluge, et al (2001) this transformation from a world largely dominated by physical resources, to a world dominated by knowledge, implies a shift in the locus of economic power as profound as that which occurred at the time of the industrial revolution Burton-Jones (1999)
Key themes in the knowledge
society literature z z z
Knowledge is of central importance to
advanced economies Knowledge is key to organisational performance Organisations and work have become more knowledge intensive
Hislop, D. (2005) KM in organisations, OUP
Introducing knowledge management
What is KM? z
Knowledge management (KM) may simply be
defined as doing what is needed to get the most out of knowledge resources. In general, KM focuses on organizing and making available important knowledge, wherever and whenever it is needed. KM is also related to the concept of intellectual capital, composed of both human & structural capital
Chapter 1, Becerra et al.
Why KM? z
z z z
Sharing knowledge, a company creates exponential
benefits from the knowledge as people learn from it Building better sensitivity to brain drain Reacting instantly to new business opportunities Ensuring successful partnering and core competencies with suppliers, vendors, customers, and other constituents Shortens the learning curve
KM justification z z
z z
Is current knowledge going to be lost?
Is proposed system needed in several locations? Are experts available/willing? Can experts articulate how problem will be solved? Is there a champion in the house?
Driving forces in KM Increasing Domain Complexity
Intricacy of internal and external processes,
increased competition, and the rapid advancement of technology all contribute to increasing domain complexity.
Accelerating Market Volatility
The pace of change, or volatility, within each
market domain has increased rapidly in the past decade.
Forces driving KM Intensified Speed of Responsiveness
The time required to take action based upon subtle
changes within and across domains is decreasing.
Diminishing Individual Experience
High employee turnover rates have resulted in
individuals with decision-making authority having less tenure within their organizations than ever before.
Implications z
Faced with increased complexity, market volatility
and accelerated responsiveness, todays younger manager feels less adequate to make the difficult decisions faced each day. KM is important for organizations that continually face downsizing or a high turnover percentage due to the nature of the industry
Is KM for everyone? z z
KM is important for all organizations
Todays decision maker faces the pressure to make better and faster decisions in an environment characterized by a high domain complexity and market volatility, even in light of z z
lack of experience typically from the decisionmaker
outcome of those decisions could have such a considerable impact on the organization
KM Systems (1) z
Information technology facilitates sharing as well as
accelerated growth of knowledge. Information technology allows the movement of information at increasing speeds and efficiencies. Today, knowledge is accumulating at an ever increasing rate. It is estimated that knowledge is currently doubling every 18 months and, of course, the pace is increasing... Technology facilitates the speed at which knowledge and ideas proliferate Bradley [1996]
KMS (2) z
Knowledge management mechanisms are organizational
or structural means used to promote knowledge management. The use of leading-edge information technologies (e.g., Web-based conferencing) to support KM mechanisms enables dramatic improvement in KM. knowledge management systems (KMS): the synergy between latest technologies and social/structural mechanisms
KMS (3) z
KM systems classification based on
observations on the KM systems implementations: z z z z
Knowledge Discovery Systems
Knowledge Capture Systems Knowledge Sharing Systems Knowledge Application Systems
Issues in Knowledge Management z
Effective KM is not about making a choice between
software vs. wetware, classroom vs. hands-on, formal vs. informal, technical vs. socialuses all the options available to motivated employees to put knowledge to work [and] depends on recognizing that all of these options basically need each other [Stewart, 2002].
One of the primary differences between traditional
information systems and KM systems is the active role that users of KM systems play on building the content of such systems.
Challenges z z z z z z
Explaining what KM is and how it can benefit a
corporate environment Evaluate the firms core knowledge, by employee, by department, and by division Learning how knowledge can be captured, processed, and acted on Addressing the still neglected area of collaboration Continue researching KM to improve and expand its current capabilities How to deal with tacit knowledge
Effective Knowledge Management z
80% - Organizational culture and
human factors
20% - Technology
Essence of KM 1.
2.
3.
Knowledge is first created in the peoples minds.
KM practices must first identify ways to encourage and stimulate the ability of employees to develop new knowledge. KM methodologies and technologies must enable effective ways to elicit, represent, organize, re-use, and renew this knowledge. KM should not distance itself from the knowledge owners, but instead celebrate and recognize their position as experts in the organization.
The Nature of Knowledge
The nature of knowledge
z
z z z
Understand the difference between
knowledge, data, and information Explain the alternative views of knowledge Understand the different types of knowledge Recognize the various locations of knowledge
Data z
Data represents unorganized and unprocessed
facts. z
Usually data is static in nature.
z
Raw numbers, images, words, sounds, derived from
observations or measurements It can represent a set of discrete facts about events.
An organization sometimes has to decide on the
nature and volume of data that is required for creating the necessary information. Data in itself has no meaning; it is the raw material for information.
What is information? z z
Information is processed data
Information is a subset of data, only including those data that possess context, relevance and purpose Information involves manipulation of raw data
Information z
Is data with a meaning assigned to it
z
Example: raw data from survey analysed to produce
structured results
Information has meaning; it is organized for some
purpose. Information can be considered as an aggregation of data (processed data) which makes decision making easier. It is the raw material for knowledge
Knowledge/1 z
z z z
Means to analyse/ understand information/data,
belief about causality of events/actions, provides the basis to guide meaningful action and thought. Broader, deeper, richer than information Knowledge is a basis for making decisions A combination of information, instincts, rules, ideas, procedures and experience that guide actions and decisions
Data, Information and
Knowledge Nonalgorithmic (Heuristic)
Nonprogrammable
ISDOM
KNOWLEDGE
INFORMATION
Algorithmic
DATA
Programmable
From Data Processing to Knowledge-based Systems
From Awad, p.41
Data / information/ knowledge
Knowledge
Value Zero
Low Data
Medium
High Information
Very High
Example Knowledge Counting HTHTT HHHTH
TTTHT
pH = nH/(nH+nT) pT = nT/(nH+nT)
EV=pH RH+ pT RT
pH = 0.40 pT = 0.60 RH = +$10 RT = -$8
nH = 40 nT = 60
Data
EV = -$0.80
Information Value
Zero
Low
Medium
High
Very High
Knowledge - events Knowledge Knowledge
Information System
Information
Use of information
Decision
Events
Knowledge
Data
Knowledge/3 A fluid mix of framed experience, values, contextual information, and expert insight that provides a framework for evaluating and incorporating new experiences and information. It originates and is applied in the minds of knowers. In organizations, it often becomes embedded not only in documents or repositories, but also in organizational routines, process, practices, and norms (Davenport, 1998)
Subjective View of knowledge
z z
Knowledge as State of Mind
Knowledge as Practice
Objective View of Knowledge
z z z
Knowledge as Objects Knowledge as Access to Information Knowledge as Capability
Kinds of knowledge z
Shallow (readily recalled) and deep (acquired
through years of experience) Explicit (codified) and tacit (embedded in the mind) Individual, social, causal, conditional, relational and pragmatic Embodied, encoded and procedural
Types of knowledge z
Procedural knowledge represents the
understanding of how to carry out a specific procedure. Declarative knowledge is routine knowledge about which the expert is conscious. It is shallow knowledge that can be readily recalled since it consists of simple and uncomplicated information. This type of knowledge often resides in short-term memory.
Types of knowledge z
Semantic knowledge is highly organized,
``chunked'' knowledge that resides mainly in long-term memory. Semantic knowledge can include major concepts, vocabulary, facts, and relationships. Episodic knowledge represents the knowledge based on episodes (experimental information). Each episode is usually ``chunked'' in long-term memory.
From Procedural to Episodic Knowledge
z z
Shallow Knowledge
z z z z z z z z z z z z z z z z z z
Deep Knowledge
Procedural Knowledge Knowledge of how to do a task that is essentially motor in nature; the same knowledge is used over and over again. _______________________________________________ Declarative Knowledge Surface-type information that is available in short-term memory and easily verbalized; useful in early stages of knowledge capture but less so in later stages. _______________________________________________ Semantic Knowledge Hierarchically organized knowledge of concepts, facts, and relationships among facts. _______________________________________________ Episodic Knowledge Knowledge that is organized by temporal spatial means, not by concepts or relations; experiential information that is chunked by episodes. This knowledge is highly compiled and autobiographical and is not easy to extract or capture.
Tacit vs Explicit z
Tacit knowledge usually gets embedded in
human mind through experience z
Includes insights, intuitions, and hunches
Explicit knowledge is codified and digitized in
documents, books, reports, spreadsheets, memos etc. z
We can convert explicit knowledge to tacit
knowledge
Characteristics of tacit and
explicit knowledge Tacit knowledge z Inexpressive in a codifiable form z Subjective z Personal z Context specific z Difficult to share p.19 Hislop (2005)
Explicit knowledge z Codifiable z Objective z Impersonal z Context independent z Easy to share
General and Specific
Knowledge z
General knowledge is possessed by a large
number of individuals and can be transferred easily across individuals Specific knowledge, or idiosyncratic knowledge, is possessed by a very limited number of individuals, and is expensive to transfer
Technically and Contextually
Specific Knowledge z
Technically specific knowledge is deep
knowledge about a specific area Contextually specific knowledge knowledge refers to the knowledge of particular circumstances of time and place in which work is to be performed
Illustrations of the Different
Types of Knowledge
Expert Knowledge z
It is the information woven inside the mind of an
expert for accurately and quickly solving complex problems. Knowledge Chunking z
Knowledge is usually stored in experts long-range memory
as chunks. Knowledge chunking helps experts to optimize their memory capacity and enables them to process the information quickly. Chunks are groups of ideas that are stored and recalled together as an unit.
Knowledge as an attribute of expertise z
z z
In most areas of specialization, insight and knowledge
accumulate quickly, and the criteria for expert performance usually undergo continuous change. In order to become an expert in a particular area, one is expected to master the necessary knowledge and make significant contributions to the concerned field. The unique performance of a true expert can be easily noticed in the quality of decision making. The true experts (knowledgeable) are usually found to be more selective about the information they acquire, and also they are better able in acquiring information in a less structured situation. They can quantify soft information, and can categorize problems on the basis of solution procedures that are embedded in the experts long range memory and readily available on recall.
Expert knowledge z z z z
Hence, they tend to use knowledge-based decision strategies
starting with known quantities to deduce unknowns. If a first-cut solution path fails, then the expert can trace back a few steps and then proceed again. Non experts use means-end decision strategies to approach the problem scenario. Non experts usually focus on goals rather than focusing on essential features of the task which makes the task more time consuming and sometimes unreliable. Specific individuals are found to consistently perform at higher levels than others and they are labeled as experts.
Types of Expertise z z z
Associational Expertise Motor Skills Expertise Theoretical (Deep) Expertise
Types of Knowledge z z
Simple knowledge focuses on one basic area
Complex knowledge draws upon multiple distinct areas of expertise Support knowledge relates to organizational infrastructure and facilitates day-to-day operations Tactical knowledge pertains to the short-term positioning of the organization relative to its markets, competitors, and suppliers Strategic knowledge pertains to the long-term positioning of the organization in terms of its corporate vision and strategies for achieving that vision
information Knowledge in an area can be defined as justified beliefs about relationships among concepts relevant to that particular area Knowledge can be of different types Knowledge has several characteristics Knowledge resides is several different places
Lecture 1 additional references
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
Polanyi, M. (1966) The Tacit Dimension.
Routledge & Keoan, London. Nokata, I. (1994) A dynamic theory of organisational knowledge creation. Organization Science, 5(1), 14-37 Davenport, T.H. & Prusak, L. (2000) Working Knowledge, Harvard Business School (Ch. 1) Hislop, D. (2005) Knowledge Management in Organisations, OUP. Stewart, T. (2002) The case against KM. Business 2.0, February.
Chapters to read Read from recommended textbooks: z z
