Knowledge Management in the Public Sector

1. Knowledge Management in the Public Sector Moment, Place, Relationship, Movement

2. Introduction • Part 1 Conceptualisation of a knowledge system • Knowledge management or organisational learning • Knowledge system via moment, place, relationship and movement • Study of organisational learning within Waitemata District Health. • What are the barriers and facilitators for learning within a Public Sector organisation?

3. Processes Cognition What typically drives processes in Public Sector organisations? • Rules • Systems • Standard operating procedures Single Loop Learning

4. What is organisational learning and why engage in it? “A learning organisation is an organisation skilled in creating, acquiring, and transferring knowledge, and at modifying its behaviour to reflect new knowledge and insights” (Garvin, 1993) • Organisational learning is unlikely to occur unless a reason is perceived. • The importance of moment • A tension or stress in the system that recognises a need to improve.

5. Knowledge Management System Processes Processes Cognition Cognition Transferring of Knowledge Organisational Learning Is it Organisational Learning or Knowledge Management? MOMENT MOMENT

6. Processes Processes MOMENT Cognition Cognition Organisational Learning PLAN PLAN PLACE DIALOGUE REFLECT ACT REFLECT ACT Individual Group Organisational learning & the importance of ‘Place’ Knowledge Management System PLACE

7. Processes Processes MOMENT Tools & Signs Cognition Cognition Sense, Meaning Transferring of Knowledge OBJECT Individual OUTCOME PLAN PLAN PLACE DIALOGUE Division of Labour Rules & Procedures REFLECT ACT REFLECT ACT Community Individual Group The black hole of learning: Transference in Activity systems of relationship Knowledge Management System RELATIONSHIP RELATIONSHIP

8. Processes Processes MOMENT Tools & Signs Cognition MOVEMENT Object 1 Object 2 Object 2 Tools & Signs Cognition Object 1 OBJECT Individual Individual OBJECT RELATIONSHIP RELATIONSHIP PLAN PLAN DIALOGUE Division of Labour Rules & Procedures Community Object 3 Division of Labour Rules & Procedures REFLECT ACT REFLECT ACT Community RELATIONSHIP MOVEMENT Group Individual The black hole of learning: Activity systems of relationship Knowledge Management System Individual PLACE

9. Exploring Organisational learning in WaitemataDHB • 15 focus groups conducted throughout the organisation during 2003. • Discussion revolved around learning behaviours. • Statements generated in focus groups were distilled down to 80 items for inclusion in the survey. • Items were measured on 2 scales. One measuring how typical the behaviour was perceived to be in WDHB and the other how beneficial for learning • Surveys sent out to 4860 employees in late November 2003. Half responded to the typical scale and half to the beneficial scale. • Factor analysis of replies resulted in 12 factors (themes) being drawn out – all with acceptable levels of reliability.

10. Twelve Learning Behaviours

11. Typical vs. Beneficial Behaviours • Group Environment (α = .871) • Supportive environment to question ideas • Self evaluate work • People want to listen to others ideas • Groups are well facilitated • A safe environment to air views • Opinions are voiced • Groups have a clear purpose • Have enough time to do required work • Openness is encouraged in groups • Experience being valued by the organisation

12. Typical vs. Beneficial Behaviours • Orgn Environment (α = .908) • Functional outcome will occur from a meeting • WDHB’s environment accepts different views • Employees listen to each other • Views are considered and respected • Employees share a similar physical location with colleagues • Work groups have shared rules for communication • Being aware of networking with external organisations • Learning experiences are shared with others • Experience a collaborative organisational environment • Information is integrated into practice

13. Typical vs. Beneficial Behaviours • Evidence Based Healthcare (α = .837) • Listen to the needs of the public • See results of internal and external auditing procedures • See results of consumer satisfaction surveys • Be informed of Ministry of Health directives • Attend core business training • Be informed of budgeting processes • Be informed of patient complaints • Receive feedback after completing work project • Examine how practice meets WDHB values • Experience a culture at WDHB that supports learning

14. Typical vs. Beneficial Behaviours • Reflective Learning (α = .812) • Examine mistakes made • Have opportunities to teach others • Brainstorm ideas with others • Engage in constructive conversation with peers • Reflect upon work-based behaviour • Receive positive comments from work colleagues

15. Typical vs. Beneficial Behaviours • Formal Training (α = .812) • Attend formal courses • Attend conferences annually • Receive coaching from others • Belong to a professional organisation • Receive on-the-job training • Attend study days annually • Courses use appropriate trainers

16. Typical vs. Beneficial Behaviours • Performance Feedback (α = .760) • Receive adequate feedback from supervision • Be rewarded for doing the right thing • Receive helpful performance reviews • Get feedback on practice from a supervisor • Be partnered with a more experienced employee

17. Typical vs. Beneficial Behaviours • Social learning (α = .767) • Finding someone who knows how to do what I want to do • Observe others and then try to do it myself • Share evidence with others of how things have worked

18. Typical vs. Beneficial Behaviours • Peer discussion (α = .633) • Engage in the journal club • Colleagues give presentations to one another • Experience issues being clarified through structured discussion

19. Typical vs. Beneficial Behaviours • Mistakes (α = .686) • Observe the disciplinary processes • Work by reflecting upon trial and error • Be involved in crises in which need to learn quickly

20. Typical vs. Beneficial Behaviours • Informal discussion (α = .740) • Talk to colleagues in hallways • Engage in informal chats with colleagues • Debate issues with colleagues

21. Typical vs. Beneficial Behaviours • Wider organisational life (α = .600) • Hear positive stories about WDHB • Attend award ceremonies • Attend work based social events

22. Typical vs. Beneficial Behaviours • Cross discipline work (α = .668) • Challenge work-based conventions • Talk to people outside my sector • Work with a multidisciplinary peer group

23. Transference barriers and facilitators • Moment • Mistake making behaviour not rated highly • Limited value seen in informal discussion • Evidence based data not widely distributed • Place • Group environment seen to be problematic • Performance feedback seen to be wanting • Bullying • Few skilled at facilitation • Discuss in relation to moment, place, relationship, movement. • Relationship • Little importance placed on social interaction • Different professional groups place different levels of importance on learning strategies. Barriers discuss activity system stuff • Movement • No formal mechanism to move knowledge through system once created

24. Implications • Importance of recognising ‘moments’ as opportunities to engage in organisational learning. • How to create ‘place’ in which learning can be teased apart and moved through a system • Performance feedback needs to be regular for a knowledge system to effectively function • Organisations need skilled group facilitators for knowledge to be developed

25. A thought to leave you with • If public sector organisations are driven by policies, rules, and standard operating procedures then what is stopping the development of such drivers for organisational learning principles and strategies??