Mohammad Mosaddek Hussain :
(From previous issue)
Knowledge management is the art of performing knowledge actions such as organizing, blocking, filtering, storing gathering, sharing, disseminating and using knowledge objects such as data, information, experiences, evaluations, insights, wisdom and initiatives. In general, it is the performance of knowledge actions on knowledge objects
The art of performing knowledge actions on knowledge objects … Organizing, storing, gathering, sharing, disseminating, using …. Data, information, experience, evaluations, insights, wisdom,….
As viewed by Chief knowledge officer (CKO), Yogesh Malhotra (1998) says that knowledge management caters to the critical issues of organizational adaptation, survival and competence in face of increasingly discontinuous environmental change. Essentially it embodies the organizational processes that seek synergistic combination of data and information processing capacity of information technologies and the creative and innovative capacity of human beings. This view considers the synergy between technological and behavioral issues. The need for synergy of technological and human capabilities is based on the distinction between the ‘old world of business’ and the ‘new world of business’.
Within this view, the former is characterized by predictable environments in which focus is on prediction and optimization based efficiencies. This is the world of competence based on information as the strategic assets and the emphasis is on controlling the behavior of organizational agents towards fulfillment of pre-specified organizational goals and objectives. Information and control systems are used in this world for achieving the alignment of the organizational actors with pre-defined ‘best-practices’.
To the contrary, the ‘new world of business’ is characterized by high levels of uncertainty and inability to forecast the future. Use of the information and control systems and compliance with pre-defined goals, objectives may not necessarily achieve long term organizational competence. In the current world that needs the capability to understand the problems afresh given the changing environmental situations. This world is contrasted from the ‘old world’ by its emphasis on ‘doing the right things’ rather than ‘doing things right ‘.
Knowledge management is necessary for organizations, enterprises, commercial conglomerates and companies because what is appropriate for yesterday may or may not work tomorrow because needs of the situation are changing rapidly without any information. Assumptions about the optimal organization structure, the control and coordination systems, the motivation and incentive schemes are to be updated in line with the changing situation to combat hazards in all levels in the organizations. To remain aligned with the dynamically changing needs of the business environment, organizations need to continuously assess their internal theories of business for ongoing effectiveness. To know the the goal and objectives of knowledge management it can be expressed that knowledge management involves a strategic commitment to improving the organization’s effectiveness, as well as to improving its opportunity enhancement. The goal of knowledge management as a process is to improve the organization’s ability, dynamics to execute its core processes more efficiently towards the achievement of the vision of the organization as a whole. On the other hand, creating knowledge base opportunity and culture, competency development and enhance capability among employees are also the components in creating culture of knowledge management.
As per view of Davenport (1998), four broad objectives of knowledge management systems in practice:
o create knowledge repository
o improve knowledge assets
o enhance the knowledge environment
o manage knowledge as an asset
Apart from this, the key to knowledge management is capturing intellectual properties for the tangible benefits for the organization as a whole.. As such, imperatives of knowledge management are to:
o transform knowledge to add value to the processes and operations of the business
o leverage knowledge strategic to business to accelerate growth and innovation
o Use knowledge to provide a competitive advantage for the business.
Actually, the aim of knowledge management is to continuously improve an organization’s performance through the improvement and sharing of organizational knowledge throughout the organization as a whole and the aim is to ensure the organization has the right knowledge at the right time and place to perform its activities at all levels towards the achievement of the growth and stability.. Knowledge management is the set of proactive activities to support an organization in creating, assimilating, disseminating, and applying its knowledge to achieve the organization goal in the stipulated time and enhance capability in runnng it’s all activities in full swing.. Knowledge management is a continuous process to understand the organization’s knowledge needs, the location of the knowledge, and how to improve the knowledge and applying the knowledge, skill and efficiency in the development of the organizations through its competent, skilled, efficient and knowledgeable employees of all levels. Actually the knowledge management functions, activities and programmes are to be bestowed upon the human resource department along with the training and planning departments. HR department/division should play the principal role in providing instruments, skill, information and knowledge to this end. Top management and other departments are also have the cooperative role t raise the corporate culture of knowledge management and dissemination within the organization.
(Mohammad Mosaddek Hussain: email: [email protected])
