KM (604)

Unit – 4 : Topics
 Knowledge Management System, Concepts and Structure KMS
 Techniques of KM
 Appreciation and limitation

What is Knowledge Management System (KMS)?

A knowledge management system is any kind of IT
system that stores and retrieves knowledge to improve
understanding, collaboration, and process arrangement.
Knowledge management systems can exist within
organizations or teams, but they can also be used to
center your knowledge base for your users or customers.

A knowledge management system (KMS) is a software

platform or framework that allows organizations to capture,
organize, store, and retrieve knowledge and information,
enabling efficient knowledge sharing, collaboration, and
decision-making within the company, ultimately improving
productivity and efficiency; essentially, it's a system
designed to manage and access collective organizational
knowledge effectively.
A Knowledge Management System (KMS) is an IT
system, through which an organization implements
Knowledge Management. The system organizes, stores,
and retrieves the collective knowledge of an organization.
Ultimately, a Knowledge Management System ensures
that necessary information is available on demand,
eliminating the need to rediscover knowledge.
Increasingly, knowledge management systems use
Artificial Intelligence (AI) for automation and process
guidance.

What is Knowledge Management (KM)?

Knowledge Management (KM) is the process of identifying, creating,

capturing, organizing, storing, sharing, and effectively utilizing knowledge
and information within an organization or community.
It involves managing knowledge resources such as people’s expertise,
intellectual property, and databases to facilitate learning, collaboration, and
innovation.
It aims to enable organizations to make better use of their knowledge assets
by ensuring that knowledge is properly captured and shared and by
facilitating the creation of new knowledge through collaboration and
knowledge-creation activities.
This can lead to improved decision-making, increased efficiency and
effectiveness, and greater competitive advantage for the organization.

Meaning and Concept of Knowledge Management

The concept of knowledge management (KM) is rooted in the idea that

knowledge is a valuable asset that can be leveraged for the benefit of
organizations and communities.
KM involves the systematic and intentional management of knowledge
resources to facilitate learning, innovation, and collaboration.
The fundamental premise of KM is that knowledge is not just a static
resource to be stored and retrieved, but rather a dynamic and evolving asset
that can be created, shared, and applied in new ways.
KM recognizes that knowledge resides not only in individuals, but also in the
collective knowledge of teams, organizations, and communities.
KM encompasses a range of activities and practices, including knowledge
creation, knowledge capture, knowledge sharing, and knowledge transfer.
Effective KM involves the development of a supportive culture that
encourages the sharing of knowledge and the creation of new knowledge, as
well as the implementation of appropriate technologies and processes to
support these activities.
The goal of KM is to enable organizations and communities to make better
use of their knowledge resources, leading to improved performance,
innovation, and competitiveness.

By managing knowledge effectively, organizations can build and sustain their

competitive advantage, enhance their capacity to innovate and respond
more effectively to changing circumstances and opportunities.

Process of Knowledge Management (KM)

Knowledge management is the process of identifying, creating, sharing, and

effectively utilizing knowledge within an organization. It involves creating an
environment that fosters knowledge sharing, as well as the development of
systems and processes to manage knowledge effectively.
The following are the basic steps involved in the knowledge management
process:

1. Knowledge identification: The first step is to identify the knowledge that

exists within the organization. This can be done by analyzing existing
documents, interviewing employees, or conducting surveys.

2. Knowledge capture: Once the knowledge has been identified, it needs to

be captured and documented in a way that makes it accessible to
employees. This can be done through various methods, such as creating
databases, wikis, or knowledge bases.

3. Knowledge organization: The captured knowledge needs to be

organized in a way that makes it easy to find and use. This can be done
 through various methods, such as categorizing knowledge by topic,
creating taxonomies, or using metadata.

4. Knowledge sharing: Once the knowledge has been captured and

organized, it needs to be shared with the relevant stakeholders within the
organization. This can be done through various methods, such
as training programs, newsletters, or collaboration tools.

5. Knowledge transfer: Knowledge transfer involves transferring

knowledge from one person or department to another. This can be done
through various methods such as mentoring, job shadowing, or on-the-job
training.

6. Knowledge application: The ultimate goal of knowledge management is

to apply knowledge to improve organizational performance. This can be
done through various methods, such as process improvement, product
innovation, or customer service enhancement

7. Knowledge evaluation: It is important to continuously evaluate the

effectiveness of the knowledge management process. This can be done
through various methods, such as feedback surveys or performance
metrics

8. Knowledge maintenance: Knowledge needs to be updated and

maintained over time to ensure its relevance and accuracy. This can be
done through various methods, such as regular reviews, updates to
knowledge management systems, or ongoing training programs.

Throughout the knowledge management process, it is important to measure

the effectiveness of knowledge management initiatives and adjust them as
necessary to ensure that they are meeting organizational objectives.

Significance of Knowledge Management (KM)

Knowledge management is a critical process for any organization because it

allows them to effectively utilize the knowledge that exists within the
organization.
The following are some of the key benefits of knowledge management:
 Improved decision-making: By capturing and organizing knowledge,
organizations can make more informed decisions. This is because they
have access to more accurate and up-to-date information, and they can
easily find the knowledge they need to make the right decisions.

 Increased innovation: Knowledge management can foster innovation by

encouraging employees to share their ideas and insights. This can lead to
new products, services, and processes that can help the organization to
stay competitive.

 Enhanced collaboration: Knowledge management systems can facilitate

collaboration between employees by making it easy to share information
and ideas. This can lead to better teamwork and more effective problem-
solving.

 Improved customer service: By capturing and organizing knowledge

about customers, organizations can provide better customer service. They
can quickly access information about a customer’s history with the
organization and provide personalized service that meets their needs.

 Reduced risk: Knowledge management can help organizations to reduce

risk by ensuring that employees have access to accurate and up-to-date
information. This can help to prevent mistakes and avoid potential legal or
financial issues.

 Better employee retention: Knowledge management can help

organizations to retain their employees by creating a culture of learning
and development. Employees are more likely to stay with an organization
that values their knowledge and invests in their professional growth.

 Increased efficiency: Knowledge management can help organizations to

be more efficient by reducing the time and resources required to find
information. By creating a centralized knowledge repository, employees
can quickly access the information they need without wasting time
searching for it
Knowledge management process and tools
Knowledge management process While some academics summarize
the knowledge management process as involving knowledge
acquisition, creation, refinement, storage, transfer, sharing and
utilization.

Effective knowledge management system typically goes

through three main steps:
Knowledge Creation: During this step, organizations identify and
document any existing or new knowledge that they want to circulate
across the company.

Knowledge Storage: During this stage, an information technology

system is typically used to host organizational knowledge for
distribution. Information may need to be formatted in a particular way
to meet the requirements of that repository.

Knowledge Sharing: In this final stage, processes to share knowledge

are communicated broadly across the organization. The rate in which
information spreads will vary depending on organizational culture.
Companies that encourage and reward this behavior will certainly have
a competitive advantage over other ones in their industry.

Knowledge management tools

There are number tools that organizations utilize to reap the benefits of
knowledge management.

Examples of knowledge management systems can include:

Document management systems: act as a centralized storage system
for digital documents, such as PDFs, images, and word processing files.
These systems enhance employee workflows by enabling easy retrieval
of documents, such as lessons learned.

Content management systems (CMS) are applications which manage

web content where end users can edit and publish content. These are
commonly confused with document management systems, but CMSs
can support other media types, such as audio and video.

Intranets are private networks that exist solely within an organization,

which enable the sharing of enablement, tools, and processes within
internal stakeholders. While they can be time consuming and costly to
maintain, they provide a number of groupware services, such as
internal directories and search, which facilitate collaboration.

Wikis: can be a popular knowledge management tool given its ease of

use. They make it easy to upload and edit information, but this ease can
lead to concerns about misinformation as workers may update them
with incorrect or outdated information

Types of knowledge management

1.Explicit knowledge
Explicit knowledge is knowledge covering topics that are easy to
systematically document (in writing), and share out at scale: what we think of
as structured information. When explicit knowledge is well-managed, it can
help a company make better decisions, save time, and maintain an increase
in performance.

These types of explicit knowledge are all things that have traditionally been
what has been captured in a knowledge base or as part of a knowledge
management strategy. It’s formalized documentation that can be used to do a
job, make a decision, or inform an audience.

Explicit knowledge examples

Companies can share explicit knowledge by maintaining well-documented
information in their knowledge base. Examples of explicit knowledge include
things like FAQs, instructions, raw data and related reports, diagrams, one-
sheets, and strategy slide decks.

2. Implicit knowledge
Implicit knowledge is, essentially, learned skills or know-how. It is gained by
taking explicit knowledge and applying it to a specific situation. If explicit
knowledge is a book on the mechanics of flight and a layout diagram of an
airplane cockpit, implicit knowledge is what happens when you apply that
information in order to fly the plane.

Implicit knowledge is gained when you learn the best way to do something.
You can then take that experience and synthesize it with other learned
information in order to solve an entirely new problem.

This type of knowledge has traditionally been excluded from formal

knowledge bases, as it can be difficult to document and capture in a scalable
way. In order to add it to a knowledge base, think of it this way: “What new
thing did I learn, would it be useful to others, and how can I explain it?” Here
is an example of documented implicit knowledge

Implicit knowledge examples

While implicit knowledge can be more difficult to document, some examples
of implicit knowledge could include an individual’s ability to prioritize tasks or
juggle projects to meet deadlines.

3. Tacit knowledge
Tacit knowledge is intangible information that can be difficult to explain in a
straightforward way, such as things that are often “understood” without
necessarily being said, and are often personal or cultural. This type of
knowledge is informal, learned with experience over time, and usually applies
to a specific situation.

When it can be captured (if it’s not, for instance, a feeling), it should be added
to a knowledge base. Doing so makes it easy to share expertise gained over
time with others who may need it.

Tacit knowledge examples

Tacit knowledge can be difficult to transfer and usually isn’t able to be stored.
An example of tacit knowledge could be a salesperson’s ability to know the
perfect time to give their pitch during a meeting. A combination of experience,
reading social cues, and other personal factors must come together to form
that unique bit of knowledge.

Since this knowledge is learned with experience over time, companies can
help employees strengthen their tacit knowledge by sharing techniques and
tips on handling certain situations. An example of this could be a list of
phrases for sales leads to look out for when dealing with customer
complaints. The sales lead could better understand how to ‘read’ or rectify a
situation by being prepared with possible conversation outcomes.

4. Declarative knowledge
Declarative knowledge which can be also understood as propositional
knowledge refers to static information and facts that are specific to a given
topic, which can be easily accessed and retrieved. It’s a type of knowledge
where the individual is consciously aware of their understanding of the subject
matter.

This type of knowledge is typically stored in documentation or databases and

focuses more on the 'who', 'what', 'where', and 'when' behind information and
less on the 'how' or 'why'. When documented, it creates the foundation for
understanding the subject matter and can help companies improve how they
share procedural and explicit knowledge.

Declarative knowledge examples

Some examples of declarative knowledge include an individual's ability to
know what the company goals are for the year. The individual can also
understand how performance will be measured due to reading the company
newsletter where the goals and metrics are shared across teams.

5. Procedural knowledge
Procedural knowledge focuses on the ‘how’ behind which things operate, and
is demonstrated through one’s ability to do something. Where declarative
knowledge focuses more on the ‘who, what, where, or when’, procedural
knowledge is less articulated and shown through action or documented
through manuals.

Procedural knowledge examples

Stemming from the root “procedure”, an example of procedural knowledge
could include a standard operating procedure on how to do specific tasks, or
use certain equipment in an organization.

6. A Posteriori knowledge
A posteriori knowledge is a subjective type of knowledge that is gained from
individual experience. While this type of knowledge isn’t one to be
documented on a company’s knowledge base, it still plays a critical role in the
success of teams. This kind of knowledge gives individuals the ability to know
their strengths and weaknesses that stem from their experiences, and can
help companies diversify their teams skill set.

A Posteriori knowledge examples

Due to a posteriori knowledge being derived from individual experiences,
some examples of a posteriori knowledge could include an individual's ability
to lead teams based on their previous roles in management, or the ability to
de-escalate or diffuse tense situations.

7. A Priori knowledge
A priori knowledge is the opposite of posteriori knowledge, and is gained
independent of experience or evidence. This type of knowledge is often
shared through logical reasoning, or one's ability to think abstractly. Although
a priori knowledge isn’t necessarily documented, it’s often shown in the form
of team’s ability to understand and reason when faced with situations.
 A Priori knowledge examples
Examples of a priori knowledge could include one’s ability to excel in
mathematics, or logical reasoning due to their natural ability to understand
and interpret information without needing further explanation.

Structure of KMS :
A Knowledge Management System (KMS) structure typically includes four key
components: content repository, access control layer, search functionality,
and knowledge sharing mechanisms; essentially, a system for storing,
organizing, accessing, and sharing knowledge within an organization, often
consisting of a database of documents, information, and best practices, with
features to categorize, tag, and retrieve relevant information based on user
needs, alongside mechanisms to facilitate collaboration and knowledge
exchange among employees

Key elements of a KMS structure:

 Content Repository:
The core database where all knowledge assets are stored, including
documents, procedures, FAQs, case studies, training materials, and other
relevant information, often categorized with tags and metadata for easy
retrieval.
 Access Control Layer:
A security system that manages who can view, edit, and contribute to
different knowledge items based on user roles and permissions within the
organization.
 Search Functionality:
Robust search capabilities that allow users to quickly find relevant
information by using keywords, filters, and advanced search option
 Knowledge Sharing Mechanisms:
Tools and features that facilitate knowledge exchange between employees,
including discussion forums, collaboration spaces, communities of practice,
and social sharing options.
 Further considerations in a KMS structure:
 User Interface (UI):
A user-friendly interface to navigate the system and access knowledge
easily.
 Knowledge Acquisition Processes:
Methods for capturing and incorporating new knowledge into the system,
such as knowledge elicitation workshops, feedback loops, and automatic
data capture.
 Knowledge Evaluation and Maintenance:
Mechanisms to regularly review and update information to ensure accuracy
and relevance.

What is Knowledge Management

Lifecycle?
Knowledge Management Lifecycle is a process that helps
organizations manage, organize, and share their knowledge
effectively. It includes stages such as knowledge creation,
sharing, and application, as well as ongoing maintenance and
evaluation. The goal is to improve organizational performance
and decision-making.
Knowledge management life cycle can save you time by increasing
your productivity and ensuring that all your work is done efficiently. It
also helps you to make sure that you are not wasting time on skillsets
that you don’t have and instead focus on what you are best at –
creativity and emotions.

Knowledge management cycle has been implemented by many

organizations like pharmaceutical companies, oil companies and
universities in order to make sure that they are using their resources
efficiently.
 Various knowledge management activities occur at various stages of
the knowledge lifecycle, which a KM administrator undertakes at the
beginning or end of the phase. The duration of the life cycle is
comprised of the phases taken together.

A knowledge management life cycle refers to the process an organization

follows to systematically identify, capture, organize, share, and apply
knowledge within the company, encompassing stages like knowledge
creation, capture, storage, dissemination, and evaluation, with the ultimate
goal of improving decision-making and overall performance by leveraging
collective expertise across the workforce.

Key stages of the knowledge management life

cycle:
 Knowledge Creation:
This initial stage involves identifying and generating new knowledge through
individual experiences, research, innovation, and problem-solving within the
organization.
 Knowledge Capture:
Once knowledge is created, it needs to be documented and captured
through various methods like writing reports, creating presentations,
conducting interviews, or utilizing dedicated knowledge management
systems.
 Knowledge Organization:
The captured knowledge is then structured and categorized for easy access
and retrieval, often involving tagging, indexing, and creating knowledge
repositories.
 Knowledge Sharing:
The organized knowledge is disseminated across the organization through
various channels like internal platforms, training programs, collaborative
tools, and communities of practice to ensure widespread access.
 Knowledge Application:
Employees actively utilize the shared knowledge to inform decision-making,
solve problems, improve performance, and drive innovation.
 Knowledge Evaluation and Refinement:
Regularly reviewing the effectiveness of knowledge management practices,
identifying gaps, and updating knowledge repositories to maintain relevance
and accuracy.

Important aspects of a knowledge management life

cycle:
 Culture of Knowledge Sharing:
Encouraging employees to actively contribute and share their expertise
across the organization.
 Technology Enablement:
Implementing appropriate knowledge management systems (KMS) to store,
retrieve, and manage knowledge effectively.
 Continuous Improvement:
Regularly evaluating the effectiveness of knowledge management processes
and making necessary adjustments
What are the Stages of Knowledge
Management Lifecycle?
The knowledge management cycle comprises several stages:
discovery, where knowledge is found; creation, where new knowledge
is generated; organization, where data is structured; dissemination,
where knowledge is shared; and utilization, where it is applied.

For us to properly manage knowledge lifecycle, we have to identify

the challenges associated with knowledge management and
overcome them by implementing the common KM guidelines and
better understand the different KM components.

The knowledge management lifecycle stages are:

1- Discovery
The discovery stage is the first stage of the knowledge management
cycle. It is also known as the exploration phase in this cycle. The
purpose of this stage is to identify what the company knows and what
they don’t know, and to determine how much they need to learn.

The discovery phase in this cycle is when the firm starts to realize that
they have a problem, and they are trying to find solutions for it. They
also start looking for information about what other firms do in similar
situations, which helps them find out what their options are.

This stage can be broken down into two stages: the first being an
exploration of different ideas, where the organization will try out
different options; and then, once they decide on one option,
implementation during the implementation phase.
2- Creation
The knowledge creation stage begins with the idea generation, where
individuals think of something they would like to do. This can be
anything from creating a new product to improving customer service.

Once the idea is generated, it needs to be developed into something

tangible that can be used by others. This step includes gathering
feedback from stakeholders and organizing implementation.

Finally, the new knowledge must be communicated effectively so that

others understand what has been created and why it was created in
order to maximize its use within the organization. The creation stage
ends with the idea communication , where the knowledge is
transferred effectively through various methods such as presentations,
videos, and blogs.

3- Organization
The organization stage of the knowledge management lifecycle stages
is the third stage. This is when the organization has reached a stable
state and is able to manage, share, retain, and use knowledge
effectively.

The Organization stage can be divided into three distinct phases:

– Knowledge Integration: Integrating knowledge into the organization,

which includes both formal and informal procedures.

– Knowledge Optimization: Optimizing existing knowledge in order to

increase its value.

– Knowledge Management: Managing existing knowledge in order to

ensure that it is used effectively.
4- Dissemination
The dissemination stage is the fourth stage in the knowledge lifecycle.
It is where information and knowledge that was created during the
creation and implementation stages are made available to relevant
stakeholders.

Dissemination stage activities include publishing, distributing,

delivering, communicating, and sharing information.

It starts with the initial stage, where decisions are made to how the
information and knowledge created during the creation and
implementation stages will be distributed to relevant stakeholders.

The following are some common tasks within this stage:

 Making a room for publication or distribution

 Deciding on appropriate communication channels, such as face-
to-face conversations, digital collaboration.

5- Utilization
The Utilization stage is the final stage of knowledge management
lifecycle and it is when the knowledge created by the organization is
used to support decision making and make decisions.

This stage requires significant effort from the team to make sure that
they are maximizing their efforts on this stage. It also requires careful
planning so that the team does not waste time on tasks that do not
contribute to the project.

This stage can be broken down into three different activities:

1) Knowledge discovery, 2) Knowledge construction, 3) Knowledge

utilization.
Techniques for successful implementation
of the knowledge management cycle
Implementing a knowledge management system life cycle is not easy.
It requires a lot of brainstorming and execution, but it can be done
successfully with a few key steps. In addition, it should be clearly
defined in any knowledge management method implemented.

Successful implementation of KM lifecycle requires key steps such as

understanding the needs for KM in your organization; defining KM
strategy; developing an implementation phase; selecting
appropriate KM tools and technologies; implementing the technology;
following up with the latest KM topics; evaluating results and adjusting
accordingly.

The first step is to select a methodology or framework to guide the

knowledge management lifecycle. A popular methodology is the
Knowledge Management Maturity Model (KMMM), which provides a
structured approach to identifying, measuring, and improving an
organization’s knowledge management best practices.

Once a methodology is selected, the next step is to establish a

baseline of the organization’s current knowledge management policy.
This can be done through surveys, interviews, focus groups, or other
research methods.

After the baseline is established, the next step is to set goals and
objectives for knowledge management improvement. Once these are
in place, the organization can then develop and implement strategies
to improve its practices.

These strategies should be designed to address the specific needs of

the organization and should be tailored to the organization’s culture,
size, and structure.
 Finally, the organization should periodically assess its progress in
knowledge management and make adjustments as necessary. By
following these steps, organizations can improve their steps and
realize the benefits of km.

Techniques of knowledge management

appreciation & limitation:
Knowledge management techniques like knowledge sharing, knowledge
harvesting, documentation, and knowledge mapping are valuable for
capturing, organizing, and distributing expertise within an organization,
improving decision-making and fostering collaboration, but can be limited by
challenges like capturing tacit knowledge, ensuring information accuracy, and
overcoming cultural barriers to sharing information effectively.

Key Knowledge Management Techniques and their

Appreciation:

 Knowledge Sharing:
Facilitates the distribution of information across teams and individuals,
enabling better access to expertise and promoting cross-functional
collaboration.

 Knowledge Harvesting:
A process to actively capture critical knowledge from experts through
interviews, workshops, or surveys, particularly valuable when key employees
are leaving the organization.
 Documenting Knowledge:
Converting explicit knowledge into readily accessible documents like
manuals, wikis, or FAQs, making information easily searchable and
reusable.
 Knowledge Mapping:
 Visualizing the connections between different knowledge areas and experts
within an organization, helping to identify key knowledge holders and
facilitate knowledge transfer.
 Performance Measurement:
Tracking the impact of knowledge management initiatives by measuring key
metrics like knowledge utilization, employee satisfaction, and improved
decision-making.
 Collaboration Tools:
Utilizing platforms like online forums, discussion boards, and project
management software to encourage real-time knowledge exchange and
teamwork.

Limitations of Knowledge Management

Techniques:
 Capturing Tacit Knowledge:
Difficulty in documenting and sharing tacit knowledge (personal experience,
intuition) which can be challenging to articulate and often resides within
individuals.
 Information Overload:
A large repository of knowledge can become overwhelming if not properly
organized and categorized, making it difficult to find relevant information.
 Cultural Barriers:
A culture resistant to sharing information or prioritizing knowledge transfer
can hinder the effectiveness of knowledge management initiatives.
 Maintenance and Updating:
Keeping knowledge bases current and accurate requires ongoing effort to
reflect changes in practices, technology, and personnel.
 Technology Dependency:
Overreliance on technology platforms can create barriers for employees with
limited digital literacy.