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• Technology, which includes the mechanisms that store and provide access to data, information and knowledge created by people in various locations. By dividing into the three categories, you can start creating a knowledge management system by identifying the people, processes and technology that do what your company does. Capturing this information can be done through professional or in-house-created systems depending on budget and need. The goal of knowledge management is not to manage all knowledge, but to manage the knowledge most important to the organization.

Decide what’s important
Companies should evaluate what makes them successful, and what their strategic plans and strengths are to determine what knowledge is important, says Eric Darr, who has developed and taught doctoral and master business courses in organizational learning, strategy and technology management at Harrisburg University College of Science and Technology. For example, if a business has succeeded because of new product innovations, then knowledge related to the process of innovation is important. Alternatively, if a business has succeeded because of its loyal customer base, then knowledge related to customer retention is important. Knowledge deemed important should be made explicit and stored in multiple ways. Information can be shared in databases and personal knowledge transfer journals, and communicated individually through mentoring and job shadowing. A business does not want its critical knowledge locked in the head of one manager who could be unexpectedly gone tomorrow, Darr says.

smaller subsets. In addition, multiple locations can make information sharing more difficult and trust is more difficult to build among strangers. Larger organizations must make a more concerted effort to create an environment that fosters knowledge management as an organizational principle and stresses the importance of sharing information across organizational boundaries. Processes and technology also become more critical in larger organizations.

Create sharing culture
No matter the organization’s size, the success of knowledge management initiatives depends upon people’s willingness to share information and knowledge about how to access the insight of others. The belief that knowledge is power can undermine knowledge sharing. Some people are reluctant to share knowledge because they fear they are relinquishing their power, which could threaten their position in the company. They think, “If I’m the only one who knows how to do this, that’s job security. They can’t get rid of me.” That attitude won’t work or bring success in an organization that fosters a knowledge-sharing culture. Nancy Mercurio of Leadership Training Systems Inc., a firm that specializes in organizational behavior, says employees often focus on their productivity efforts rather than their intellectual contributions because they perceive the company values productivity over knowledge. Thus, employees are hesitant to

understand size
Smaller organizations—those with fewer than 150 employees—may have an easier time adapting to knowledge management than their larger counterparts. Although they may not have as much money to spend on a knowledge management system, employees in smaller organizations usually tend to share information more easily because they tend to interact with their co-workers more often on a face-to-face level. This atmosphere creates a stronger sense of trust and connection to each other; thus, knowledge sharing is better facilitated. In larger organizations, knowledge sharing on a personal level is more difficult because people tend to cluster their interactions in

take away time from productivity-related activities to share their knowledge. Too often, they find the value in their knowledge when a competitor tries to woo them away. “Creating the culture of sharing knowledge begins with creating a perception that human knowledge is valued and worth sharing,” Mercurio says. Low morale, conflict and mistrust also act as barriers to people’s willingness to share. People want credit for their ideas. If they suspect they will not be acknowledged, they will be more reluctant to share information. Managers must be attuned to the organizational dynamics and act appropriately to ensure that negativity is minimized. Organizations must encourage knowledge management publicly with recognition and praise for the most cooperative employees.

Take advantage of tech
Computer and telecommunications technology are how most organizations choose to store and manage their information. Technology allows for easy access, reduces time and effort, and literally saves the need to order more filing cabinets. Technology provides the means for people to gather, organize, store and access explicit knowledge. It also enables people to share their tacit knowledge without being face to face. It can increase the accessibility of knowledge, reduce the effort to record and keep information current, and facilitate interaction with stakeholders.
VOLUME 10 • ISSUE 3 • SprIng 2010

The Leading Edge - Spring 2010 - PKF

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of The Leading Edge - Spring 2010 - PKF