Module leader Hazel Hall Senior Lecturer School of Computing Napier University, Edinburgh h.hallnapier.ac.uk dcs.napie

1. Module leader Hazel Hall Senior Lecturer School of Computing Napier University, Edinburgh h.hall@napier.ac.uk http://www.dcs.napier.ac.uk/~hazelh/esis/hazel.html

2. Lecture outline MK module learning outcomes class format assessment resources Approaches to KM

3. MK module learning outcomes

7. Class format 7 x 2 hour face-to-face classes on Thursday evenings Mix of tutor-led and student-led sessions Weekend school Mix of activities over Friday evening and Saturday

8. MK module assessment - Course work worth 100% Students are assessed on: 1. 500 word indicative abstract of paper submitted 29th November or 13th December (10%) 2. Submission of full draft of paper (5000 words) on Monday 7th January in time for peer review session on Thursday 10th January (10%) 3. Full paper (5000 words) on Monday 21st January in time for peer review session on Thursday 10th January (80%)

9. Deadlines and feedback - implications For the system to work module members must adhere to the submission deadlines: the last three Thursday evening sessions will not work if students do not keep to deadlines. Extensions cannot be granted by the module teaching team. Programme Leaders normally advise students with mitigating circumstances to submit work as far as it is completed (rather than grant extensions).

10. MK module resources Module web pages on WebCT http://www2.napier.ac.uk/webct/staff/ Reader

11. Approaches to Knowledge Management

12. What is knowledge? Where is knowledge? What is knowledge management? There are numerous perspectives - philosophical to pragmatic, enthusiastic to dismissive Technology merely an enabler - or may not even be one, e.g. failure of intranets to promote knowledge sharing

13. What is knowledge? �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, 1998, p. 5.)

14. Where is knowledge? �It originates and is applied in the minds of knowers. In organizations, it often becomes embedded not only in documents or repositories but also in organizational routines, processes, practices and norms.� (Davenport & Prusak, 1998, p. 5.)

15. Knowledge versus information Importance of context � �ba� (Nonaka & Konno, 1998) Difficulties of extracting, articulating, sharing and codifying knowledge Knowledge made explicit = information Knowledge minus ba = information

16. Lotus commercial aims to illustrate the difference between information and knowledge http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f_x78XLBBVM

17. Most valuable information often not codified (legal/political reasons, failure to recognise value) Know-who is therefore more important than know-how Social network approach has emphasis on people, their relationships and interactions �Social� software of interest as support of social networks � MSN, blogs (e.g. law firm), RSS, wikis (e.g. telecomms company), FOAF

18. Knowledge versus information - examples Legislation is information, i.e. the law codified Operating behaviours of legal professionals is knowledge In accountancy, audit work is information work (routine) An accountant who applies his expertise in a specialist manner as a tax consultant operates as a knowledge worker

19. Knowledge management: a definition �The capabilities by which communities within an organisation capture the knowledge that is critical to them, constantly improve it and make it available in the most effective manner to those people who need it, so that they can exploit it creatively to add value as a normal part of their work.� (Kelleher & Levene, 2001, p. 15.)

20. One definition amongst many Ekbia & Hara (2004) Many different �versions� of KM exist For example, �guru� version based on the retelling of black box case study details in the �popular� business literature KM is the latest phase in the �computerisation of organisations� (p. 1)

21. Knowledge management: a definition �The capabilities by which communities within an organisation capture the knowledge that is critical to them, constantly improve it and make it available in the most effective manner to those people who need it, so that they can exploit it creatively to add value as a normal part of their work.� (Kelleher & Levene, 2001, p. 15.)

22. Protect and avoid loss of existing knowledge e.g. call centre lowers staff turnover Improve knowledge-based business and management processes, e.g. insurance company reduces claims errors Improve current knowledge-based products and services, e.g. consulting firm turns around proposals more rapidly Create knowledge-based products and services from existing knowledge, e.g. computer manufacturer offers telephone help desk facility Create new knowledge, i.e. innovate

24. Correlation between organisational growth and KM awareness in Finnish SMEs (Saloj�rvi, Furu & Sveiby, 2004) Value to firms of all sizes � Kelleher & Levene (2001) painter example (p. 29)

25. Some argue that KM is simply information management rebranded: Because the term �information� has been discredited So that companies have a new way to market software Because new forms of working need a new term, and �information� is already taken To give management consultancy firms something to sell To provide academics with opportunity to enjoy a wrangle And KM as described is utopian � you never get free exchange of information, individual freedom in workplace etc. (See Wilson, 2003, January 10.)

26. Non-believers Complacent Mistaken in their assumption that KM=IM Confused over role of intermediaries Davenport & Cronin (n.d.) KM may even merit explanation as a �computerisation movement�, i.e. a social process that develops around a core ICT with an ideology: KM systems can bring positive social and organisational change. Rosenbaum (2004)

27. Characteristics of fads: 5 years explosive growth in literature 5-6 dramatic decline

28. Characteristics of KM literature: Explosive growth Some dipping, but trajectory re-established Strong academic interest continues beyond that of trade press Suggestion that there is less of a �hype cycle� for KM (Cladwell, Miklovic, Morello et al, 2003, cited by Ekbia & Hara, 2004)

29. Early expectations doomed to be disappointed Ekbia & Hara (2004, p. 14): �During 1990s, a majority of researchers and practitioners leaned toward the notion that knowledge management can be a panacea for all business and organizational problems.�

30. KM �failure� Initial promise of improved efficiency did not provide immediate returns, e.g. survey revealed 85% firms found KM did not live up to expectations (KPMG Consulting, 2000 cited by Koenig, 2004, p. 97) Problems with implementations � systems installed with little regard to user needs, users confused as to what KM represents, KM seen as one-off �project� (KM as fad associated with dot com boom and bust) Yet there is interest in KM from many disciplines�

32. Engineers

33. Focus depends on discipline - examples Management literature: �novel and strong managerial tool� Organisational studies literature: effective tool for organisational learning, innovation and provision of continuity Business literature: tool for enhancing productivity (Ekbia & Hara, 2004, p. 1)

44. KM is a BIG topic, various approaches Perspectives range from outright rejection to warm welcome Attempts to classify KM consider focus of activity, discipline, time-lines Be clear when you consider concepts of knowledge and information Be critical as you read the literature

45. References 1 Collison, C. (2005, March). Shaping the organisation to deliver value to customers through knowledge & information. Paper presented at the European Business Information Conference, Hotel Alfonso XIII, Seville, Spain. Davenport, E. (2004). Organizations, knowledge management and libraries: issues, opportunities and challenges. In H. Hobohm (Ed.), Knowledge management: libraries and librarians taking up the challenge (pp. 81-89). Munich: Saur. Davenport, E. & Cronin, B. (n.d.). Knowledge management: semantic drift or conceptual shift? retrieved July 9, 2002 from http://www.alise.org/nondiscuss/conf00_Davenport-Cronin_paper.htm Davenport, T. & Prusak, L. (1998). Working knowledge: how organizations manage what they know. Boston, MA: Harvard Business School Press. Ekbia, H.R. & Hara, N. (2004). The quality of evidence in knowledge management literature: the guru version. Retrieved October 3, 2005 from http://www.slis.indiana.edu/research/working_papers/files/SLISWP-04-01.pdf

46. References 2 Kelleher, D., & Levene, S. (2001). Knowledge management: a guide to good practice. London: British Standards Institution. Kingston, J. & Macintosh, A. (2000). Knowledge management through multi-perspective modelling: representing and distributing organizational memory. Knowledge-Based Systems, 13, 121-131. Koenig, M.E. (2004). Knowledge management lessons learned: the US perspective. In J. Lewis (Ed.), Proceedings of the 28th International Online Meeting, London, November 30 � December 2 2004 (pp. 37-43). London: Learned Information. Keonig, M.E.D. & Srikantaiah, T.K. (2004). Three stages of knowledge management. In M.E.D. Koenig & T.K. Srikantaiah (Eds.), Knowledge management lessons learned: what works and what doesn�t. (pp. 3-8). Medford, NJ: Information Today. Nonaka, I. & Konno, N. (1998). The concept of �ba�: building a foundation for knowledge creation. California Management Review, 40(3), 40-54.

47. References 3 Ponzi, L.J. (2004). Knowledge management: birth of a discipline. In M.E.D. Koenig & T.K. Srikantaiah (Eds.), Knowledge management lessons learned: what works and what doesn�t. (pp. 9-26). Medford, NJ: Information Today. Rosenbaum, H. (2004). New generation knowledge management. Has knowledge management delivered the goods? Can it? Retrieved October 3, 2005 from http://slis.indiana.edu/hrosenba/www/Pres/london_04/index.html Saloj�rvi, S., Furu, p., & Sveiby, K. (2004, June 21). Knowledge management and growth in Finnish SMEs. Retrieved October 3, 2005 from http://www.sveiby.com/articles/GrowthandKM.pdf. Wilson, T.D. (2003, January 10). The nonsense of �knowledge management�. Information Research 8(1). Retrieved July 6, 2004 from http://informationr.net/ir/8-1/paper144.html.