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CRITICAL SYSTEMS THINKING AS A WAY TO MANAGE KNOWLEDGE

Explore the complexity of knowledge and learn how Critical Systems Thinking can be used to effectively manage knowledge. This presentation covers various interpretations of knowledge, knowledge management approaches, and the application of systems methodology in supporting knowledge management. Discover how Critical Systems Thinking can enhance decision-making and improve outcomes in knowledge management.

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CRITICAL SYSTEMS THINKING AS A WAY TO MANAGE KNOWLEDGE

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  1. Dr. Gao, F. School of Knowledge Science, JAIST CRITICAL SYSTEMS THINKING AS A WAY TO MANAGE KNOWLEDGE Gao, F. The Graduate School of Knowledge Science JAIST, Japan Aug. 2-6, 2002, The 46th ISSS’02 Shanghai, China

  2. Dr. Gao, F. School of Knowledge Science, JAIST Agenda 1. What & Why Critical Systems Thinking? Complexity of Research Object Critical Systems Thinking & Total Systems Intervention 2. What Is Knowledge? Various Interpretations of Knowledge Knowledge to Individual & Economic Organization 3. Knowledge Management Knowledge As Substance Knowledge As Process or Human Activity System Management of Both 4. How To Support Knowledge Management Perspective of Systems Methodology:Methodology-Space for Knowledge Managers & Workers 5. Conclusion

  3. Dr. Gao, F. School of Knowledge Science, JAIST Knowledge about Knowledge Complexity of Knowledge • Different Ideas • Different Opinions • Different Perspectives • Different Levels • Different Tools • Different Objects • Different Concerns • Different Interests • Different Goals • …… • Knowledge of Being • Knowledge of Doing • Knowledge of Society • Knowledge of Humanity Intra- Inter- Multi- Cross- Different Fields Various Disciplines Research Objects Self-explanation • Different Outcomes • Different Evaluation Criteria • Different Decision-making

  4. Critical Systems Thinking (Jackson, 2000) Dr. Gao, F. School of Knowledge Science, JAIST Research Object Is Viewed As A System Model & Process of Modeling Creative & Holistic Critical Systematic Thinking Object Environment or Outside Inside

  5. CST & TSI (by Flood & Jackson) Dr. Gao, F. School of Knowledge Science, JAIST CST’s Three Commitments: • Critical & Social Awareness • Human Emancipation or Improvement • Pluralism At Both Theoretical & Methodological Levels TSI’s Three Phases: • Creativity • Choice • Implementation Thinking Guide and Research Technique: Not accept anything as granted but to study why, what, and how. What is more, tell you take what attitude and how to do this ask right questions; choose right objects; concentrate on right issues; utilize right tools; (enhance one’s reasoning ability)--- arrive at right conclusion & get what is expectedWhat would be done well without considering these questions?

  6. Creativity Choice Implementation Task Highlight concerns, issues, and problems Choose an appropriate systems-based intervention methodology/ies Arrive at and implement specific change proposals Tools Systems metaphors The "system of systems methodologies" and knowledge of the strengths and weaknesses of different methodologies Systems methodologies employed according to the logic of TSI Outcome Dominant and dependent concerns, issues and problems Dominant and dependent methodologies chosen for use Highly relevant and coordinated change, improving efficiency, effectiveness, ethicality. TSI (Source: Jackson, 2000) Dr. Gao, F. School of Knowledge Science, JAIST

  7. What the knower known & gained (without judgment) ---to oneself What is known & gained (with judgment)---to others Justified true belief (Phi.) or truth---to all Overly general description captured nothing. General Definition of Knowledge Dr. Gao, F. School of Knowledge Science, JAIST

  8. Knowledge in Western Philosophy Dr. Gao, F. School of Knowledge Science, JAIST 1. Epistemology or the Theory of Knowledge • The Nature of Knowledge • The Origin of Knowledge Justified True Belief (viewed as object) • The Reliability of Knowledge objective aspect of knowledge Obtained by reasoning in terms of rational, logic, mind deduction (Plato & Descartes), or by empirical induction from sensory experiences (Aristotle & Locke), or by synthesis of the two (Kant, Hegel & Marx) 2. Polanyi’s Post-critical Philosophy – Personal Knowledge Human’s capacity of thinking and doing (viewed as process)subjective aspect of knowledge Knowledge, as a kind of belief, allow some to transcend culture, value, and national boundaries to be wholly perceived, some only can be shared within certain groups, races, or countries.

  9. Dr. Gao, F. School of Knowledge Science, JAIST Knowledge in Social Theory Daniel Bell: a set of organized statements of facts, ideas, or things objectively known (involving new judgments or new combinations of older judgments) Nico Stehr: contemporary sciences, a capacity for social action, a condition for the possibility of social action Knowledge in social theory: Science, technology, social science, andhumanity Drucker: knowledge in knowledge economy is effective or ‘specialized’ knowledge “ knowledge as normally conceived by the ‘intellectual’ is something very different from ‘knowledge’ in the context of ‘knowledge economy’ or ‘knowledge work’ … knowledge, like electricity or money, is a form of energy that exists only when doing work. Knowledge must be imparted both as substance and as process (or ability and skill ).” Knowledge to economic organization for business reasons make it dissimilate from public good to commodity

  10. Dr. Gao, F. School of Knowledge Science, JAIST Knowledge in IT • Knowledge is: • Reasoning about information and data to actively enable performance, problem solving, decision-making, learning, and teaching (Beckman) • Organized and analyzed information to make it understandable and applicable to problem solving or decision-making(Turban) • A fluid mix of framed experiences, values, contextual information, and expert insight that provides a framework for evaluating and incorporating new experiences and information(Davenport & Prusak) • A capacity that is built on information extracted from data or the set of expectations that an observer holds with respect to an event (Boisot) • Comes from information, information from data, data from events (Earl) • In IT field, Knowledge management is to construct information management systems, IT infrastructures, decision support systems, expert support systems, knowledge repositories, or data warehouses through both hard and soft technologies like computer, internet, intranet, groupware, knowledge discovery from database, data mining, or other information techniques.

  11. Data, Information, and Knowledge EVENTS DATA INFORMATION KNOWLEDGE Representation Collection Processing Manipulation PresentationInterpretation Testing Validating Codification Dr. Gao, F. School of Knowledge Science, JAIST Figure 1: Towards Conceptualising Knowledge (Source: Earl, 1994)

  12. Dr. Gao, F. School of Knowledge Science, JAIST Knowledge to Economic Organization • At Two Levels: • Personal Knowledge: • In general, it is what the person knows and the skills and ability one possesses plus one’s value. • In knowledge economy, it means Drucker’s specialized knowledge, Polanyi’s tacit knowledge, and the person’s value like ethics and morals • Organizational Knowledge: • Static Substance Knowledge • Dynamic Process Knowledge

  13. Static Substance Knowledge Cookbook Manual Objective Knowledge Theoretical Knowledge Public Good To manage is to recognize, create, abstract, codify, and distribute Dynamic Process Knowledge Cooking Operation Subjective Knowledge Technical Knowledge Commodity To manage is to recognize, abstract, codify, standardize, diffuse, and apply Cookbook vs. Cooking Dr. Gao, F. School of Knowledge Science, JAIST Knowledge management is to ‘manage’ both static substance knowledge and dynamic process knowledge and their inter-exchange.

  14. Dr. Gao, F. School of Knowledge Science, JAIST

  15. Dr. Gao, F. School of Knowledge Science, JAIST Knowledge Management • In Essence, Knowledge Management is: • Manage the activities of knowledge workers i.e. the process of organizational learning and personal learning • Provide both ‘hard’ and ‘soft’ support by energizing an enabling ‘Ba’ • Mine organizational intellectual asset and embody them into products and services • Activity of Knowledge Workers: • Develop proper static substance knowledge • Transfer personal knowledge and substance knowledge into products and service • Task of Knowledge Managers: • “Manage” or “Organize” Human Activity System by Leading, Supporting, Stimulating, Monitoring, Appraisal, and Assessment

  16. Potential Approaches for Substance Knowledge Management Dr. Gao, F. School of Knowledge Science, JAIST

  17. Potential Approaches for Human Activity System (HAS) Dr. Gao, F. School of Knowledge Science, JAIST

  18. Dr. Gao, F. School of Knowledge Science, JAIST Soft System Methodologies for Management

  19. Dr. Gao, F. School of Knowledge Science, JAIST Knowledge Managers Knowledge Workers Unitary Pluralism Deterministic HAS Autonomy HAS High-Auto HAS Figure II: Dimensions of Problem Contexts

  20. Dr. Gao, F. School of Knowledge Science, JAIST Conclusion In the modern world, organizations are faced innumerable and multifaceted issues which cannot be captured in the minds of a few experts and solve with the aid of some super-method. It would be equally wrong to revert to a trial and error approach. We need to retain rigorous and formalized thinking, while admitting the need for a range of problem solving methodologies. ------Flood and Jackson

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