WEEK-3 Knowledge management theory

Theory Of Knowledge Management

Knowledge management field deals with many things and this is vast. To start with it i just started with distinction between Data, Information and Knowledge. It gave me some knowledge about knowledge management.

Data: As all know that data is raw facts and figures(Oxford English dictionary). Datum is singular of data. Datum in the computer world is 00001010 . If any body who know binary system think that it is number with value 10 but for who don’t binary system it mean nothing to them. There are chances think it as 10 apples,10desks,or possibly any thing. My view on data is just a factual information , this information becomes useful for analysis, it may be used for making decisions.

Information: The data which is processed by specific procedures which apply relevant meanings and facts to produce information. Information according to oxford dictionary as: “Data arranged in a meaningful pattern”. In my view on the face of it, there is no reason to think that every meaningful sign must carry information, it depends on the context we see as discussed in the class. My information becomes data to someone and vice versa. I will discuss that with an example stating that suppose we have a phone number which is called data but if i get whose that number is and details about that person it may become information.

Knowledge: Its just an acknowledgement according to oxford dictionary that means it is a proof. Knowledge according to(Roos,j.,& Dragonetti,N.C,1998) is a personal subjective process emerging from previous experiences and current events. while information is the objective data about the environment. My view on Knowledge is that which enables the generation of new information with the existing information.

" SUCCESS IN THE MARKET PLACE TODAY IS DIRECTLY
PROPORTIONAL TO THE KNOWLEDGE THAT AN
ORGANIZATION CAN BRING TO BEAR,HOW
FAST IT CAN BRING THAT KNOWLEDGE TO
BEAR AND THE RATE AT WHICH IT ACCUMULATES
KNOWLEDGE"(peter drucker in an article1993)

It is only from the past few years that the world of business has begun to recognize the importance of knowledge as a resource. I will consider mainly in law firms context. Knowledge management in simple words is managing knowledge in a proper way. Knowledge is a fluid mix of contextual information, values, experiences, and rules.

Knowledge management covers three main knowledge activities :
1)Generation
2)codification
3)transfer

Knowledge Generation: It includes all activities which bring to light knowledge which is “new” whether to the individual, to the group, or to the world. The tools for the generation is mainly like a mind (machine)(George Johnson’s book, no date).

Knowledge Codification: It is the capture and representation of knowledge so that it can be re-used either by an individual or by an organization. It is like knowledge captured for later sorting or it is pre-screened.

Knowledge Transfer: It involves the movement of knowledge from one location to another. The goal of such tool is ultimately shared memory and understanding. If knowledge is considered to be alive then it is ever charging and growing. In modern ways electronic communication transfers knowledge.(Rudy L. Ruggles,1966)

The power of knowledge management is to enable and enhance the productivity of these activities and to leverage either value for the group as well as individual. Knowledge management tools are
1)Data management tools
2)Information manage ment tools

Data management tools allow organizations to generate, access, store, and analyse data, usually in the form of facts and figures, which can be considered “raw material”.

Information management tools enable the manipulation of information Examples of this include automated information search and retrieval agents.

Why problems arise in implementation of knowledge?

Because many times organizations react to the ideas of knowledge management by buying the tools, installing them, and then expecting over night results.
Knowledge management envisages a learning loop with in an organization. The knowledge base exists with in the organisation and combining this knowledge with the employee’s own knowledge and this makes achieve some best results. But some times the credit is not going to the right person in this case.

My ideas on knowledge management:

Let me think iam doing a project on XP. Here the main groups are customers and programmers. The customer gives the requirements they need, then the programmers understand the task of customer and splits the task and use the knowledge to complete the task. So here management should complete the task in scheduled time. The programmers in XP keeps its views in the project and simultaneous iterations are done. The beneficial thing in XP is that they keep the customer presence while doing the project. Here, if u see the data which is given by the XP customer is converted in to information by understanding and the programmers implement their knowledge in implementing it and to see the results. here the knowledge is generated ,coded &processed(KM).

References:
1) Roos,J., Roos,G., Dragonetti,N.C and edvinsson,L(1997) Intellectual capital , Mac milliam business press.

2) The new shorter oxford English dictionary clarendon, oxford(1993).

3) Rudy L.Ruggles(1966) Knowledge management tools, Business publications.

4) Peter Drucker(1993) no information

5) George Johnsons(n.d)Machinery of mind