Organizations that apply knowledge management tools and techniques have a real opportunity to impact bottom-line results. By avoiding the pitfalls that frequently befall knowledge management efforts, firms can more effectively apply their knowledge to reduce costs, better serve their customers and gain a distinct competitive advantage in the marketplace : BY CHURCHIL

Challenges in managing organizational knowledge
                                                                                                     BY CHURCHIL

This article was originally published in Next Frontier by WorldatWork and IHRIM.

Knowledge management

  The ability of an organization to create, share and use the collective knowledge of its products, processes and people to increase workplace productivity and reduce activities that

 Knowledge organization

The term "knowledge organization” designates a field of study related to Library and Information Science (LIS). In this meaning KO is about activities such as document description, indexing and classification performed in libraries, databases, archives etc.

Why Don't People Share?

•"Knowledge is power”

•Not realizing how useful particular knowledge is to others

•Lack of trust

•Lack of time

Knowledge Management Challenges

•Data Accuracy

•Data Interpretation

•Data Relevancy

•Ability of the data to support

•Adoption of knowledge management solutions.

Some common pitfalls to avoid

Failure to align knowledge management efforts with the organization’s strategic objectives.

 Many firms fail to align their knowledge efforts with their most pressing business issues.

Ex:- a manufacturing company started a number of knowledge-related initiatives, but failed to align these efforts with their most critical business objective: the integration of a newly acquired subsidiary.

Creation of repositories without addressing the need to manage content. 

•For example, a consumer-products company recently created a vast array of databases to enable its employees to share critical customer knowledge. The company placed a strong emphasis on collecting every possible relevant document into the system. 

Failure to understand and connect knowledge management into individuals’ daily work activities

For example:- a large financial services company provided a series of desktop tools and repositories to its financial planners without spending the time to understand how these planners worked with clients and whether the content was relevant to their particular tasks.

An overemphasis on formal learning efforts as a mechanism for sharing knowledge

•Many organizations have invested heavily in formal learning efforts, such as classroom and online training. Although some of this training may be useful.

•A couple of common methods to counteract this situation are: 

• Communities of practice 

• Mentoring programs. 

•For example:- The IBM Institute for Knowledge-Based Organizations examined a community that was focused on enabling software developers working on similar projects to share tips and tools that could be used to more rapidly solve customer issues. This community sponsored face-to-face meetings and actively managed a Web site where individuals posted questions and answers to difficult problems.

Focusing knowledge management efforts only within organizational boundaries. 

•Most organizations begin with internal knowledge-management efforts designed to share knowledge between employees and across the organization.

•For example:- organizations such as Hallmark, SAP and Hewlett-Packard have begun to focus their knowledge efforts on building communities of customers.

Summary

  Organizations that apply knowledge management tools and techniques have a real opportunity to impact bottom-line results. By avoiding the pitfalls that frequently befall knowledge management efforts, firms can more effectively apply their knowledge to reduce costs, better serve their customers and gain a distinct competitive advantage in the marketplace. 

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